"I have of it, the more fenfible I am of my want of "it*.”

The difficulty of felf-government and felf-poffeffion arifes from the difficulty of a thorough felf-ac. quaintance, which is neceffary to it. I fay a thorough felf-acquaintance, fuch as has been already fet forth in its feveral branches, Part I; for as felf-government is fimply impoffible (I mean confidered as a virtue) where felf-ignorance prevails, fo the difficulty of it will decrease in proportion to the degree in which felf-acquaintance improves.

Many perhaps, may be ready to think this a paradox; and imagine that they know their predominant paffions and foibles very well, but ftill find it extremely difficult to correct them. But let them examine this point again, and perhaps they may find, that that difficulty arifes either from their defect of felf-knowledge (for it is in this as in other kinds of knowledge, wherein fome are very ready to think themselves much greater proficients than, they are) or elfe from their neglect to put in practice that degree of felf knowledge they have. They know their particular failings, yet will not guard

* Cicero was without doubt, the vaineft man in life, or he never could have had the face to befeech Cocceius, in writing the Roman Hiftory, to fet the adniiniftrations of his confulthip in the most distinguished point of glory, even at the expence of hiftorical truth, and yet when he is begging a favour of the like kind, even of Cato himself, he has thefe aftonishing words:-Si quifquam fuit unquam remotus et natura et magis etiam (ut mihi quidem fentire videor) ratione atque doctrina ab inani laude et fermonibus vulgi, ego profecto is fum. lib. 15. Ep. 4. If over any man was a franger to yain glory, and the defire of popular applaufe, it is myfelf; and this difpofition, which I have by nature, is methinks, grown yet ftronger by reafon and philosophy.— Ah! how fecretly doth felf-ignorance (not only infinuate into, but) conceal itself within the most improved and heft cultivated minds-Reader, beware.

against the immediate temptations to them: and they are often betrayed into the immediate temp. tations which overcome them, because they are ignorant of, or do not guard againft, the more remote temptations, which lead them into thofe that are more immediate and dangerous, which may not improperly be called the temptations to temptations; in obferving and guarding againft which, confifts a very neceffary part of felf-knowledge and the great art of keeping clear of danger, which, in our prefent ftate of frailty, is the best means of keeping clear of fin.

To correct what is amifs, and to improve what is good in us, is fuppofed to be our hearty defire, and the great end of all our self-research. But if we do not endeavour after this, all our labour after selfknowledge will be in vain: nay, if we do not en deavour it, we cannot be faid heartily to defire it. "For there is most of the heart where there is moft "of the will; and there is moft of the will where "there is moft endeavour; and where there is "most endeavour there is generally moft fuccefs: "fo that endeavour must prove the truth of our "defire, and fuccefs will generally prove the fince"rity of our endeavour" (q). This, I think, we may fafely fay, without attributing too much to the power of the human will, confidering that we are rational and free agents, and confidering what effectual affiftance is offered to them who feek it, to render their endeavour fuccefsful if they are fincere: which introduces the fubject of the following chapter.

(g) Baxter.

4

CHA P. X.

Fervent and frequent Prayer the most effectual Mean: for attaining truc Self-Knowledge.

L

ASTLY, the laft means to felf-knowledge which I fhall mention, is, frequent and devout applications to the Fountain of light, and the Father of our spirits, to affift us in this important study, and give us the true knowledge of ourfelves.

This I mention laft, not as the leaft, but, on the contrary, as the greatest and beft means of all, to attain a right and thorough knowledge of ourselves, and the way to render all the reft effectual: and, therefore, though it be the last means mentioned, it is the firft that should be used.

Would we know ourselves, we must often converse not only with ourselves in meditation, but with God in prayer:-in the lowest proftration of foul, befeeching the Father of our fpirits to discover them to us; in whofe light we may fee light, where before there was nothing but darkness: to make known to us the depth and devices of our heart; for with, cut the grace and influence of his divine illuminations and instructions, our hearts will, after all our care and pains to know them, moft certainly deceive us and felf-love will fo perjudice the underftanding, as to keep us ftill in felf-ignorance.

The first thing we are to do in order to selfknowledge is, to affure ourfelves that our hearts are deceitful above all things: and the next is, to remember that "the Lord fearched the hearts, and "trieth the reins*, i. e, that He, the Searcher of all "hearts †," hath a perfect knowledge of them, de

ceitful as they are.-Which confideration, as it fuggefteth to us the strongest motive to induce us to labour after a true knowledge of them ourselves, fo it directs us at the fame time how we may attain this knowledge; viz. by a humble and importunate application to him, to whom alone they are known, to make them known to us. And this, by the free and near accefs which his holy fpirit hath to our fpirits, he can effectually de various ways; viz. by fixing our attentions; by quickening our apprehen. fions; removing our prejudices (which, like a falfe medium before the eye of the mind, prevents its feeing things in a juft and proper light); by morti fying our pride ftrengthening the intellective and -reflecting faculties; and enforcing upon the mind a lively fenfe and knowledge of its greatest happiness and duty; and fo awakening the foul from that carnal fecurity and indifference about its beft interefts, into which a too ferious attention to the world is apt to betray it.

Befides, prayer is a very proper expedient for attaining felf-knowledge, as the actual engagement of the mind in this devotional exercife is in itself a great help to it; for the mind is never in a better frame than when it is intently and devoutly engaged in this duty it has then the beft apprehenfions of God the trueft notions of itfelf and the jufteft fentiments of earthly things; the cleareft conceptions of its own weakness, and the deepest fenfe of its own vilenefs; and confequently is in the beft difpofition that can be, to receive a true and right knowledge of itsfelf.

And, Oh! could we but always think of ourselves in fuch a manner, or could we but always be in a difpofition to think of ourselves in fuch a manner,

as we fometimes do in the fervour of our humilia. tions before the throne of grace, how great a progrefs fhould we foon make in this important science! -which evidently fhews the neceffity of fuch de vout and humble engagements of the foul, and how happy a means they are to attain a just self-acquaint

ance.

AND NOW, Reader, whoever thou art that has taken the pains to perufe these fheets, whatever be thy circumftances or condition in the world, whatever thy capacity or understanding, whatever thy occupations and engagements whatever thy favourite fentiments and principles, or whatever religious fect or party thou efpoufeft, know for certain, that thou haft been deeply interested in what thou hast been reading, whether thou hast attended to it or no ; for it is of no lefs concern to thee than the fecurity of thy peace, a usefulness in this world, and thy happiness in another; and relates to all thy interests, both as a man and a chriftian.Perhaps thou haft feen fomething of thine own image in the glafs that has now been held up to thee. And wilt thou go away, and foon forget what manner of perfon thou art?--Perhaps, thou haft met with fome things thou doft not well understand or approve. But fhall that take off thine attention from thofe things thou dost underftand and "approve,' ,'and art convinced of the neceffity of?If thou haft received no improvement, no benefit from this plain practical Treatife thou haft now perufed, read it over again; the fame thought, you know, often impreffes one more at one time than another; and we fometimes receive more knowledge and profit by the fecond perufal of a book than by the first: 'and I would fain hope that thou wilt find fomething in this that may fet, thy