have our felf-knowledge hereafter rise up in judgment against us!

Examination is in order to correction "and amendment. We abuse it and our"felves, if we reft in the duty without "looking farther. We are to review our "daily walk, that we may reform it; and "confequently a daily review will point 66 out to us the fubject and matter of our "future daily care.-This day (faith the "Chriftian, upon his review of things at night) I lost so much time, particularly I took too great a liberty, par"ticularly in-. I omitted fuch an " opportunity that might have been im "proved to better purpofe, I mifma "naged fuch a duty,-I find fuch a cor "ruption often working; my old infir"mity-ftill cleaves to me; how eafily

at

doth this fin befet me !-Oh! may I "be more attentive for the time to come; more watchful over my heart; take "" more heed to my ways! May I do fo "the next day!""The knowledge of a diftemper is a good step to a cure;

at least, it directs to proper methods "and applications in order to it. Self

acquaintance leads to felf-reformation. "He that at the clofe of each day calls 66 over

"over what is past, infpects himself, his "behaviour and manners, will not fall "into that fecurity, and thofe uncenfur"ed follies that are fo. common and fo "dangerous.”

And it may not be improper, in order to make us fenfible of and attentive to fome of the more fecret faults and foibles of our tempers, to pen them down at night, according as they appeared during the tranfactions of the day; by which means, we shall not only have a more diftinct view of that part of our character to which we are generally moft blind, but fhall be able to discover fome defects and blemishes in it, which perhaps we never apprehended before. For the wiles and doublings of the heart are fometimes for hidden and intricate, that it requires the niceft care and most steady attention to detect and unfold them.

For inftance: "This day I read an au"thor whofe fentiments were very diffe"rent from mine, and who expreffed him"felf with much warmth and confidence: "it excited my fpleen, I own, and I im"mediately paffed a fevere cenfure upon "him; fo that had he been prefent, and "talked

* Bennet's Chrift. Orat. pag. 578.

"talked in the fame ftrain, my ruffled "temper would have prompted me to "ufe harsh and ungrateful language, "which might have occafioned a very "unchriftian contention. But I now re"collect, that though the author might "be mistaken in those sentiments (as I "still believe he was), yet by his particu"lar circumftances in life, and the me"thod of his education, he hath been "ftrongly led into that way of thinking; "fo that his prejudice is pardonable, but

my uncharitablenefs is not, especially "confidering that in many refpects he "has the afcendant of me.-This pro"ceeded then from uncharitableness, which "is one fault of my temper I have to "watch againft; and which I never was "before fo fenfible of as I am now upon "this recollection. Learn more modera"tion, and make more allowances for the "mistaken opinions of others for the fuBe as charitable to others who "differ from you, as you defire they "fhould be to you, who differ as much "from them; for it may be you cannot "be more affured of being in the right "than they are.

❝ture.

"Again: This day I found myself strongly inclined to put in fomething by way

3

" of

of abatement to an excellent character given of an absent perfon by one of his ἐσ great admirers. It is true, I had the "command of myself to hold my tongue,

and it is well I had; for the ardour of

his zeal would not have admitted the

ૐ exception (though I ftill think that in "fome degree it was juft), which might have railed a wrangling debate about his character, perhaps at the expence " of my own; or, however, occafioned "much animofity and contention.-But

I have fince examined the fecret fpring "of that impulfe, and find it to be envy,

which I was not then fenfible of; but ἐσ my antagonist had certainly imputed it ઠંડ to this and had he taken the liberty to have told me fo, I much question "whether I fhould have had the temper

હૈદ

of the philofopher, who, when he was "really injured, being afked whether he was angry or no, replied, No; but I am confidering with myself whether I ought "not to be fo. I doubt I fhould not have " had fo much compofure, but fhould "have immediately refented it as a falfe

and malicious afperfion. But it was certainly envy, and nothing clfe; for the perfon who was the object of the encomium was much my fuperior in

many refpects. And the exception that "arofe to my mind was the only flaw in "his character, which nothing but a "quick-fighted envy could defcry. Take "heed then of that vice for the future.

66 Again, This day I was much furprifed to obferve in myself the symp"toms of a vice, which of all others I << ever thought myself most clear of, and "have always expreffed the greatest de"teftation of in others; and that is co"vetousness. For what elfe could it be "that prompted me to withhold my cha"rity from my fellow creature in diftrefs, "on pretence that he was not in every "refpect a proper object; or to dispense "it fo fparingly to another, who I knew

was fo, on pretence of having lately "been at a confiderable expence upon

another occafion? This could proceed "from nothing else but a latent principle "of covetoufnefs; which, though I never "before obferved in myfelf, yet it is like"ly others have. O how infcrutinable

are the depths and deceits of the hu

man heart-Had my enemy brought "against me a charge of indolence, "felf-indulgence, or pride, and impa❝tience, or a too quick refentment of « affronts and injuries, my own heart " muft