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Recollect yourselves, O nation not desired.*+ And all this is necessary to that self acquaintance which is the only proper basis of solid peace. †

Were mankind but more generally convinced of the importance and necessity of this self knowledge, and possessed with a due esteem for it; did they but know the true way to attain it; and under a proper sense of its excellence and the fatal effects of self ignorance, did they but make it their business and study every day to cultivate it; how soon should we find a happy alteration in the manners and spirits of men! But the misery of it is, men will not think; will not employ their thoughts in good earnest, about the things which most of all deserve and demand them. By which unaccountable indolence, and aversion to self reflection, they are led blindfold and insensibly into the most dangerous paths of infidelity and wickedness, as the Jews were here-tofore; of whose amazing ingratitude and apos

* Zeph. ii. 1.

†The word here used properly signifies to lean,or gather together scattered sticks or straws; as appears from all the places where it is used in the old Testament Exod. v. 7, 12. Numb. xv. 32. 1 Kings xvii. 10. Hence, by an easy metaphor, it signifies to recollect, or gather the scattered thoughts together; and ought to be so rendered, when used in the reflective form, as here it is.

Clement Alexandrinus saith, that Moses by that phrase so common in his writings, Take heed to thyself, Exod. x. 28, xxxiv. 12, Deut. iv. 9; means the same thing as the ancients did by their KNOW THYSELF. Strom. lib. 2. cap. 5a

tasy, God himself assigns this single cause, *My people do not consider. +

Self knowledge is that acquaintance with ourselves, which shews us what we are, and do, and ought to be, and do, in order to our living comfortably and usefully here, and happily hereafter. The means of it is, self examination ; the end of it self government, and self fruition. It principally consists in the knowledge of our souls; which is attained by a particular attention to their various powers, capacities, passions, inclinations, operations, state, happiness, and temper. For a man's soul is properly himself, Matt. xvi. 26, compared with Luke ix. 25. The body is but the house, the soul is the tenant that inhabits it; the body is the instrument, the soul the artist that directs it.§

* Isa. i. 3.

"There is nothing men are more deficient in, than knowing their own characters. I know not how this science comes to be so much neglected. We spend a great deal of time in learning useless things but take no pains in the study of ourselves, and in opening the folds and doubles, of the heart. Reflections on Ridicule, page 61.

+I do not think that, when Apollo commands us to know ourselves, he commands us to know our limbs, stature, or figure; for we are not bodies, nor do I, when speaking to you, speak to your body. When, therefore, he says: know thyself, he says this; Know thy mind. For the body is only a kind of instrument or receptacle of the mind; whatever is done by your mind, is done by you. Cicero

ment.

Power belongs to the soul; the body is only an instruNemesius. When you talk of a man, I would not have you tack flesh and blood to the notion, nor those limbs neither which are made out of it; these are but tools for the soul to work

This science, which is to be the subject of the ensuing treatise, hath these three peculiar properties in it, which distinguish it from, and render it preferable to all other. 1. It is equally attainable by all. It requires no strength of memory, no force of genius, no depth of penetration, as many other sciences do, to come at a tolerable degree of acquaintance with them; which therefore renders them inaccessible by the greatest part of mankind. Nor is it placed out of their reach through a want of opportuni ty, and proper assistance and direction how to acquire it; as many other parts of learning are. Every one of a common capacity hath the opportunity and ability to attain it, if he will but recollect his rambling thoughts, turn them in upon himself, watch the motions of his heart, and compare them with his rule. 2. It is of equal importance to all, and of the highest importance to every one. .* Oth

er sciences are suited to the various conditions of life. Some, more uecessary to some; others,' to others. But this equally concerns every one that hath an immortal soul, whose final happiness he desires and seeks. 3. Other knowledge is very apt to make a man vain; this always

with; and no more a part of a man, than an ax or a plane is a piece of a carpenter. It is true, nature hath glued them together, and they grow as it were to the soul, and there is all the difference. Collier,

* "Tis virtue only makes our bliss below,
And all our knowledge is OURSELVES TO KNOW.
Pope's Essay on Man:

keeps him humble. Nay, it is for want of this knowledge that men are vain of that they have. Knowledge puffeth up. A small degree of knowledge often hath this effect on weak minds. And the reason why greater attainments in it have not so generally the same effect is, because they open and enlarge the views of the mind so far, as to let into it at the same time a good degree of self knowledge. For the more true knowledge a man hath, the more sensible he is of the want of it; which keeps him humble.

And now, reader, whoever thou art, whatever be thy character, station, or distinction in': life, if thou art afraid to look into thine heart, and hast no inclination to self acquaintance, read no farther; lay aside this book; for thou wilt find nothing here that will flatter thy self. esteem; but perhaps something that may abate it. But if thou art desirous to cultivate this important kind of knowledge, and to live no longer a stranger to thyself, proceed; and keep thy eye open to thy own image, with whatever unexpected deformity it may present itself to thee; and patiently attend, whilst, by divine assistance, I endeavour to lay open thine own heart to thee, and to lead thee to the true knowl. edge of thyself in the following chapters.

1 Cor. viii. 1.

CHAPTER II.

The several branches of self knowledge. We must know what sort of creatures we are, and what we shall be.

THAT we may have a more distinct and orderly view of this subject, I shall here consider the several branches of self knowledge; or some of the chief particulars wherein it consists. Whereby, perhaps, it will appear to be a more copious and comprehensive science than we imagine. And

1. To know ourselves is, to know and seriously consider what sort of creatures we are, and what we shall be.

1. What we are.

Man is a complex being, trimeres upostasis a tripartite person; or a compound creature made up of three distinct parts, viz. the body, which is the earthly or mortal part of him: the soul, which is the animal or sensitive part; and the spirit or mind, which is the rational and immortal part.* Each of these three parts have

* This doctrine, I think, is established beyond all dispute, not only by experience, but by authority. It was received by almost all the ancient philosophers. The Pythagoreans; as we learn from Jamblicus, vid. Protrept. p. 34, 35. The Platonists, as appears from Nemesus, Sallust, and Laertius, vid. Di Laertius, lib. 3. p. 219. The Stoics; as appears from Antoninus, who saith expressly, "There are three things which belong to a man; the body, soul, and the mind. And as to the properties of the division, sensation belongs to the body, appetite to the soul, and reason to the mind;

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