́not always the most wholesome; and like a faithful physician, would earnestly intend and endeavour their good, though it be in a way they may not like; and rather risk their own characters with weak and captious men, than withhold any thing that is needful for them, or be unfaithful to GoD and their own consciences. Patients must not expect to be always pleased nor physicians to be always applauded.

CHAPTER X.

Piety the effect of self knowledge.

X. SELF knowledge tends greatly to culti vate a spirit of true piety.

Ignorance is so far from being the mother of devotion, that nothing is more destructive of it. And of all ignorance, none is a greater bane to it than self ignorance. This indeed is very consistent with superstition, bigotry, and enthusiasm, those common counterfeits of piety, which by weak and credulous minds are often mistaken for it. But true piety and real devotion can only spring from a just knowledge of GoD and ourselves; and the relation we stand in to him; and the dependence we have upon him. For when we consider ourselves as the creatures of God, whom he made for his honour, and as creatures incapable of any happiness, but what results from his favour; and as entirely and

continually dependent upon him for every thing we have and hope for; and whilst we bear this thought in our minds, what can induce or prompt us more to love and fear and trust Him, as our GOD, our Father, and all sufficient Friend and Helper ?

CHAPTER XI.

Self knowledge teaches us rightly to perform the duties of religion.

XI. SELF knowledge will be a good help and direction to us in many of our devout and christian exercises. Particularly,

1. In the duty of prayer; both as to the matter and mode.* He that rightly knows him. self, will be very sensible of his spiritual wants: and he that is well acquainted with his spiritual wants, will not be at a loss what to pray for. "Our hearts would be the best prayer books, if we were well skilled in reading them. Why do men pray, and call for prayers when they come to die, but that they begin a little better to know themselves? And were they now but to hear the voice of GoD and conscience, they would not remain speechless. But they that are born deaf are always dumb.”

* He who knows himself, presents true prayer to God. Gregory.

† Baxter.

Again, self knowledge will teach us to pray, not only with fluency, but fervency; will help us to keep the heart, as well as order our speech before God; and so promote the grace as well as the gift of prayer. Did we but seriously consider what we are, and what we are about; whom we pray to, and what we pray for, it is impossible we should be so dead, spiritless, and formal in this duty, as we too often are. The very thought would inspire us with life, and faith, and fervour.

2. Self knowledge will be very helpful to us in the duty of thanksgiving: as it shews us both how suitable and how seasonable the mercies are which we receive. A christian that keeps up an intelligence with himself, considers what he hath, as well as what he wants; and is no less sensible of the value of his mercies, than his unworthiness of them: and this is what makes him thankful. For this reason it is, that one christian's heart even melts with gratitude for those very mercies, which others disesteem and depreciate, and perhaps despise, because they have not what they think greater. But a man that knows himself, knows that he deserves nothing, and therefore is thankful for every thing. For thankfulness as necessarily flows from humility, as humility does from self acquaint

ance.

3. In the duties of reading and hearing the word of God, self knowledge is of excellent use to enable us to understand and apply that which we read or hear. Did we understand our hearts

better, we should understand the word of God better; for that speaks to the heart. A man that is acquainted with his own heart, presently sees how the divine word penetrates and explores, searches and lays open its most inward parts, he feels what he reads; and finds that a quickening spirit, which to a self ignorant man is but a dead letter.

Moreover, this self acquaintance teaches a man to apply what he reads and hears of the word of GOD. He sees the pertinence, congruity, and suitableness of it to his own case; and lays it up faithfully in the store room of his mind, to be digested and improved by his after thoughts. And it is by this art of applying Scripture, and urging the most suitable instructions and admo. nitions of it home upon our consciences, that we receive the greatest benefit by it.

4. Nothing is of more eminent service in the great duty of meditation; especially in that part of it which consists in heart converse. A man, who is unacquainted with himself, is as unfit to converse with his heart, as he is with a stranger he never saw, and whose taste and temper he is altogether unacquainted with. He knows not how to get his thoughts about him. And when he has, he knows not how to range and fix them; and hath no more the command of them, than a general has of a wild, undisciplined army, that has never been exercised, or accustomed to obedience and order. But one who hath made it the study of his life to be acquainted with himself, is soon disposed to enter into a free and fa

miliar converse with his own heart; and in such a self conference improves more in true wisdom, and acquires more useful and substantial knowl. edge, than he could do from the most polite and refined conversation in the world. Of such excellent use is self knowledge in all the duties of devotion and piety.

CHAPTER XII.

Self knowledge the best preparation for death.

XII. SELF knowledge will be an habitual preparation for death, and a constant guard against the surprise of it. Because it fixes and settles our hopes of future happiness. That which makes the thoughts of death so terrifying to the soul, is its utter uncertainty what will become of it after death. Were this uncertain. ty to be removed, a thousand things would reconcile us to the thoughts of dying.*

"Distrust and darkness of a future state,

Is that which makes mankind to dread their fate;
Dying is nothing; but 'tis this we fear,

To be we know not what, we know not where."

Now self knowledge in a good degree, dissipates this gloom, and removes this dreadful

*It is this makes us averse to death, that it translates to objects we are unacquainted with, and we tremble at the thou hts of those things that are unknown to us. We are naturally afraid of being in the dark, and death is a leap in the dark. Sen. Epist. 83.