A

TREATISE

SHEWING

THE NATURE AND BENEFIT

OF THAT

IMPORTANT SCIENCE

AND

THE WAY TO ATTAIN IT.

INTERMIXED WITH

Various Reflections and Obfervations

O N

HUMAN NATURE.

BY JOHN MASON, A. M.

The proper knowledge of mankind is man. POFE.

The second American from the twelfth London Edition.

WILMINGTON:

PRINTED BY BONSAL & NILES FOR THE REY.

The Editor, defirous to reduce the price of this valuable work as much as poffible; and con fidering the fmall part of mankind who are able to conftrue the Greek and Latin notes, contained in the London edition, from which this is taken; has thought proper, to leave out the Greek notes entirely, and take fuch only of the Latin as have an immediate connexion with the general fubject-refting fatisfied he fhall efcape the cenfure of a liberal public for fo doing.

TH

PREFACE.

HE fubject of the enfuing Treatife is of great importance; and yet I do not remember to have feen it cultivated with that precifion, perfpicuity and force, with which many other moral and theological themes have been managed. And indeed it is but rarely that we find it profeffedly 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 extenfive ufefulness, hath excited the prefent attempt, to render it more familiar to the minds of chriftians.

Mr. Baxter, indeed, has a Treatife on this fubject,intitled, The mischief 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 that are foreign from it; omitting others that properly belong to it, and fkimming over fome with a too fuperficial notice, that I own I fourd myfelf much difappointed in what I expected from him; and was convinced that fomething more correct, nervous, and methodical, was wanting 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 myfelf, it must be

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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 subject. For it is almost impoffible to let the thoughts run freely upon fo copious and comprehenfive a theme, in order to do juftice to it, without taking too large a fcope in fome particulars that have a clofe connection with 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 short, occafional, and ufeful digreffion, and a wide rambling from the fubject, by following the impulfe of a luxuriant fancy. A judicious talte can hardly excufe the latter, though it may be content the author fhould gather a few flowers out of the common road, provided he foon returns into it again.

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One great view I had in mine when I put thefe Thoughts together, was the benefit of youth, and efpecially those of them that are students and candidates for the facred miniftry; for which they will find no fcience more immediately neceffary (next to a good acquaintance with the word of God) than that which is recommended to them in the following Treatife; to which every branch of human literature is fubordinate, and ought to be fubfervient. For certain it is, the great end of philofophy, both natural and moral, is to know ourfelves, and to know God. The higheft learning is to be wife; and the greatest wisdom is to be good,-as Marcus Antoninus fomewhere obferves.

It has often occured to my mind in digefting my thoughts on this fubject, what a pity it is that this moft ufeful fcience fhould be fo generally neglected in the modern methods of education; and that preceptors and tutors, both in public and private femi