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entertainment, we come at the knowledge of its reigning paffions, and prevailing temper and difpofition.

"Include thyfelf then, O my foul, "within the compass of thine own heart; "if it be not large, it is deep; and thou "wilt there find exercise enough. Thou "wilt never be able to found it; it can"not be known, but by him who tries "the thoughts and reins. But dive into "this fubject as deep as thou canft. Ex"amine thyfelf; and this knowledge of "that which paffes within thee will be "of more ufe to thee than the knowledge "of all that paffes in the world. Con

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cern not thyself with the wars and " quarrels of public or private perfons. "Take cognizance of thofe contefts which "are between thy flefh and thy fpirit; "betwixt the law of thy members, and "that of thy understanding. Appeale "thofe differences. Teach thy flesh to "be in fubjection. Replace reafon on its throne; and give it piety for its' "counfellor. Tame thy paflions, and "bring them under bondage. Put thy "little ftate in good order; govern wifely and holily thofe numerous people "which are contained in fo little a king

"dom;

"dom; that is to fay, that multitude of "affections, thoughts, opinions, and paf"fions, which are in thine heart *"

CHAP. XI.

Concerning the fecret Springs of our Actions. X. "ANOTHER confiderable branch

"of felf-acquaintance is, the "knowledge of the true motives and fecret fprings of our actions."

And this fometimes cannot without much pains be acquired. But for want of it, we shall be in danger of paffing a falfe judgment upon our actions, and of having a wrong opinion of feveral parts of our conduct.

It is not only very poffible, but very common, for men to be ignorant of the chief inducements of their behaviour; and to imagine they act from one motive, whilst they are apparently governed by another. If we examine our views, and look into our hearts narrowly, we fhall find that they more frequently deceive us in this refpect

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* Jurieu's Method of Chrißian Devotion, part iii. chap. 3.

refpect than we are aware of, by perfuading us that we are governed by much better motives than we are. The honour of God, and the intereft of religion, may be the open and avowed motive, whilft fecular intereft and fecret vanity may be the hidden and true one. While we think we are ferving God, we may be only facrificing to Mammon. We may, like Jes hu, boaft our zeal for the Lord, when we are only animated by the heat of our na tural paffions; may cover a cenforious fpirit under a cloak of piety; and giving admonitions to others, may be only giving vent to our spleen.

How many come to the place of publić worship out of cuftom or cariofity, who would be thought to come thither only out of conscience? And whilft their external and profeffed view is to ferve God, and gain good to their fouls, their fecret and inward motive is only to fhow themfelves to advantage, or to avoid fingularity, and prevent others making obfervations on their abfence. Munificence and almfgiving may often proceed from a principle of pride and party-fpirit, when

2 Kings x. 16.

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it may appear to be the effect of pure piety and charity; and feeming acts of friendhip, from a motive of selfishness.

By thus difguifing our motives, we may impose upon men, but at the fame time we impofe upon ourselves; and whilst we are deceiving others, our own hearts deceive us. And of all impostures felf-deception is the most dangerous, because leaft suspected..

Now, unless we examine this point narrowly, we shall never come to the bottom of it; and unlefs we come at the true fpring and real motive of our actions, we fhall never be able to form a right judgment of them; and they may appear very different in our own eye, and in the eye of the world, from what they do in the of God." For the Lord feeth not as <s man seeth; for man looketh on the out"ward appearance, but the Lord looketh

eye

on the heart," 1 Sam. xvi. 7. And "hence it is, that "that which is highly "esteemed among men, is oftentimes abo"mination in the fight of God," Luke ❝ xvi. 15. "Every way of man is right "in his own eyes; but the Lord pondereth the hearts," Prov. xxi. 2.

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CHAP. XII.

Every one that knows himself, is in a parti cular manner fenfible how far he is governed by a Thirst for Applaufe.

XI. "ANOTHER thing neceffary to

" unfold a man's heart to him

"felf is, to confider what is his appetite "for fame, and by what means he feeks "to gratify that particular paffion."

This paffion in particular having always fo main a stroke, and oftentimes fo unfufpected an influence on the most important parts of our conduct, a perfect acquaintance with it is a very material branch of felf-knowledge, and therefore requires a diftinct and particular confideration.

Emulation, like the other paffions of the human mind, fhows itself much more plainly, and works much more strongly in Tome than it does in others. It is in itfelf innocent, and was planted in our natures for very wife ends, and is capable of ferving very excellent purposes, if kept under proper reftrictions and regulations. But without thefe it degenerates into a mean and criminal ambition.

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