A man that knows himself, his own ftrength and weakness, is not so subject as others to the melancholy prefages of the imagination; and whenever they intrude, he makes no other ufe of them than to take the warning, collect himself, and prepare for the coming evil; leaving the degree, duration, and the iffue of it with Him who is the Sovereign Difpofer of all events, in a quiet dependence on his power, wisdom, and goodness.

Such felf-poffeffion is one great effect and advantage of self-knowledge.

II.

CHA P. II.

Self-Knowledge leads to a wife and fteady Conduct. S felf-knowledge will keep a man calm and equal in his temper, fo it will make him wife and cautious in his conduct.

A precipitant and rash conduct is ever the effect of a confused and irregular hurry of thought: fo that when, by the influence of self-knowledge, the thoughts become cool, fedate, and rational, the conduct will be fo too. It will give a man that even, fteady, uniform behaviour in the management of his affairs, that is so neceffary for the difpatch of business; and prevent many disappointments and troubles which arife from the unfuccefsful execution of immature or ill-judged projects.

In fhort, most of the troubles which men meet with in the world may be traced up to this fource, and

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and refolved into felf-ignorance. We may complain of Providence, and complain of men ; but the fault, if we examine it, will commonly be found to be our own. Our imprudence, which arifes from felf-ignorance, either brings our troubles upon us, or increases them. Want of temper and conduct will make any affliction double.

What a long train of difficulties do fometimes proceed from one wrong ftep in our conduct, into which felf-ignorance or inconfideration betrays us! And every evil that befals us in confequence of that, we are to charge upon ourselves.

III.

CHAP. III.

Humility the Effect of Self-Knowledge.

RUE felf-knowledge always produces

Thumility.

Pride is ever the offspring of felf-ignorance. The reafon men are vain and felf-fufficient is, because they do not know their own failings; and the reason they are not better acquainted with them is, because they hate felf-infpection. Let a -man but turn his eyes within, fcrutinize himfelf, and ftudy his own heart, and he will foon see enough to make him humble. Behold, I am vile* is the language only of felf-knowledge (i.)

*Job xi. 4.

(i) Qui bene feipfum cognofcit fibi ipfi vilefcit, nec laudi- . bus dilectatur humanis. Tho, à Kemp. de Imit. Chr. lib. 1. сар. г.

Whence is it that young people are generally. fo vain, self-sufficient, and affured? but because they have taken no time or pains to cultivate a selfacquaintance. And why does pride and stiffness appear fo often in advanced age, but because men grow old in felf-ignorance? A moderate degree of felf-knowledge would cure an inordinate degree of felf-complacency (k).

Humility is not more neceffary to falvation than felf-knowledge is to humility (1).

It would effectually prevent that bad difpofition which is too apt to steal upon and infect some of the best human minds (especially those who aim at fingular and exalted degrees of piety) viz. a religi-, ous vanity or fpiritual pride: which, without a good deal of felf-knowledge and felf-attention, will gradually infinuate into the heart, taint the mind, and sophisticate our virtues before we are aware; and, in proportion to its prevalence, make the Christian temper degenerate into the Pharifaical.

(k) Quanto quis minus fe videt, tanto minus fe difplicet. Greg.

(1) Scio neminem abfque fui cognitione falvari, de quâ nimirum mater falutis, humilitas oritur, et timor Domini. Bernard.-Utraque cognitio Dei, fcilicet et tui, tibi necef-. faria eft ad falutem; quia ficut ex notitiâ tui venit in te timor. Dei, atque ex Dei notitiâ itidem amor; fic è contra, ex ignorantià tui, fuperbià, ac de Dei ignorantia venit defperatio.. Idem in Cantic.

Might I be allowed to chufe my own lot, I

⚫ should think it much more eligible to want my "fpiritual comforts, than to abound in thefe at the expence of my humility. No; let a penitent and a contrite fpirit be always my portion; and • may I ever fo be the favourite of Heaven, as never 'to forget that I am chief of finners. Knowledge in the fublime and glorious myfteries of the chriftian faith, and ravitling contemplations of God and a future ftate, are moft defirable advantages; ' but ftill I prefer charity, which edifieth before the highest intellectual perfections of that know"ledge which puffeth up*.-Those spiritual ad'vantages are certainly best for us, which increase "our modefty and awaken our caution, and difpofe us to fufpect and deny ourselves.-The highest ' in God's efteem are meaneft in their own :-and 'their excellency confifts in the meekness and 'truth, not in the pomp and oftentation of piety, 'which affects to be seen and admired of men'(m).

1 Cor. viii. I.

СНАР.

(m) Stanhope's Tho. à Kemp. B. 2. ch. 11. [Chrift.] My Son, when thou feeleft thy foul warmed with devotion and holy zeal for my service, it will be advifeable to decline all thofe methods of publishing it to the world, which vain men are so induftrious to take; and con• tent thyself with its being known to God and thine own • confcience. Rather endeavour to moderate and fupprefs ⚫ those pompous expreffions of it, in which fome place the

CHAP. IV.

IV.

Charity another Effect of Self-Knowledge.

ELF-Knowledge greatly promotes a spirit Sof meeknefs and charity.

SEL

The more a man is acquainted with his own failings, the more he is difpofed to make allowances for thofe of others. The knowledge he hath of himself will incline him to be as fevere in his animadverfions on his own conduct as he is on

that

very perfection of zeal. Think meanly of thy own virtues. -Some men of a bold ungoverned zeal, afpire at things beyond their ftrength, and exprefs more vehemence than conduct in their actions. They are perfectly carried out ' of themselves with eagernefs; forget that they are ftill poor infects upon earth, and think of nothing lefs than building < their nefts in heaven. Now thefe are often left to themfelves, and taught by fad experience, that the faint flutterings of men are weak and ineffectual; and that none foars to heaven except I affift his flight, and mount him on my own wings. Virtue does not confift in abundance of illumination and knowledge; but in lowlinefs of mind, in ⚫ meekness and charity; in a mind entirely refigned to God, ⚫ and fincerely difpofed to ferve and pleafe him; in a just fense of every man's vileness; and not only thinking very meanly of one's felf, but being well content to be fo thought of by others. Id. Book 3. Chap. 8.

It is a dangerous drunkennels, I confefs, that of wine;' but there is another more dangerous. How many fouls do I fee in the world drunk with vanity, and a high opinion ⚫ of themselves! This drunkennefs caufes them to make a ⚫ thousand falfe fteps, and a thousand ftumbles. Their ways ← are all oblique and crooked. Like men in drink, they have ◄ always a great opinion of their own wifdom, their power, and their prudence; all which often fail them.-Examine well thyfelf, my foul; fee if thou art not tainted with this evil, Alas! if thou denieft it, thou provest it. It is great

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• pride