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ing in the practical part of this fubject, as will incline him to excuse the defects that may appear in the management of it.

But after all, Sir, my own proficiency in this fcience is fo poor, that I dare not be confident I am not wrong in my views, with which I defire this small tract may appear under your patronage. That it may have refuge from the petulance of cenfure, an encouragement in the publication, and I, at the fame time, an opportunity of testifying my grateful fenfe of many paft favours, are my open and avowed ends herein. But ftill whether an ambition to be known to the world under the advantage of your friendship be not the fecret and true motive, I cannot be certain.

However, if in this point I may be mistaken, there is another in which I think I cannot; and that

is,

is, that it is at least a pardonable ambition; in which I fhall certainly ftand acquitted by every one who knows your character, the delicacy of your taste in the choice of friends, and the real honour it does to those you are pleafed to admit into that number.

But even this, Sir, your penetration will foon difcover to proceed from the fame vanity I before fufpected myself to be guilty of. And the world will judge, that I speak it rather to do myself honour than you. However, I am beforehand with them in the obfervation. And that I may not be tempted, in this addrefs, to enhance your character (according to the usual style of dedications) in order to do honour to my own, and at once opprefs your modesty and expofe my vanity, I fhall put an end to it, without fo much as attempting to defcribe a character, b which

which I fhall, however, always aim to imitate.

But that you may continue to adorn that public and useful station you are in, and long live a patron and pattern of folid and difinterested virtue; and that your many charitable offices and good works on earth may meet with a large and late reward in heaven, is the hearty prayer of,

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PREFACE.

HE fubject of the enfuing Treatife is. of great importance; and yet I do not remember to have seen it cultivated with that exactnefs, perfpicuity, and force, with which many other moral and theological themes have been managed. And indeed it is but rarely that we find it particularly and fully recommended to us, in a fet and regular difcourse, either from the pulpit or the prefs. This confideration, together with a full perfuafion of its great and extensive usefulness, hath put me upon an endeavour, in this manner, to render it more familiar to the minds of Chriftians.

Mr. Baxter indeed has a treatise profelfedly upon this fubject, entitled, "The Mifchief of Self-Ignorance, and the Benefit of Self-Acquaintance; and I freely acknowledge fome helps I received from him: but he hath handled it (according to his manner) in so lax and diffufe a way, introducing fo many things into it that are

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foreign

foreign from it, omitting others that properly belong to it, and skimming over fome with a too fuperficial notice, that I own I found myself much disappointed in what I expected from him, and was convinced that there wanted fomething more correct, nervous, and methodical, to be written on this fubject.

I am far from having the vanity to think that this, which I now offer to the public, is entirely free from thofe faults which I have remarked in that pious and excellent author, and am fenfible, that if I do not fall under a much heavier cenfure myself, it must be owing to the great candour of my reader, which he will be convinced I have fome title to, if he but duly confider the nature and extent of the fubject. For it is almost impoffible to let the thoughts run freely upon fo copious and comprehenfive a theme, in order to do justice to it, without taking too large a fcope in fome particulars that have a near affinity to it, as I fear I have done, (Part. I. Chap. XIV.) concerning the knowledge, guard, and government of the thoughts.

But there is a great difference between a fhort, occafional, and useful digreffion, and a wide rambling from the fubject by following the impulse of a luxuriant fancy.

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