suspects himself a fool, or till forty before he knows it.-Night Thoughts, parti.

Men could never be so bad as they are, if they did but take a proper care and scope in this business of self-examination; if they did but look backwards to what they were, inwards to what they are, and forwards to what they shall be..

And as this is the first and most necessary step to self-acquaintance, it may not be amiss to be a little more particular in it. Therefore,

(1.) This business of self scrutiny must be performed with great care and diligence, otherwise our hearts will deceive us even whilst we are examining them. When we set ourselves to think, some trifle or other presently interrupts and draws us off from any profitable recollection. Nay, we ourselves fly out, and are glad to be diverted frsm a severe examination into our own state; which is sure, if diligently pursued, to present us with ob. jects of shame and sorrow, which will wound our sight, and soon make us weary of this necessary work.'-Stanhope's Thomas à Kempis, page 166.

Do not let us flatter ourselves, then, that this is a mighty easy business; much pains and care are necessary sometimes to keep the mind intent, and more to keep it impartial; and the difficulty of it is the reason that so many are averse to it, and care not to descend into themselves.

Reader, try the experiment; retire now into thyself, and see if thou canst not strike out some light within, by closely urging such questions as these. What am I? for what was I made? and to what ends have been preserved so long by the favour of my Maker? do I remember, or forget those ends? have I answered, or perverted them? What have I been doing since I came into the world? what is the world or myself the better for my living so many years in it? what is my allowed course of actions? am I sure it will bear the future test? Am I now in that state I shall wish to die in! and,

O my soul, think, and think again, what it is to die! Do not put that most awful event far from thee; nor pass it by with a superficial thought. Canst thou be too well fortified against the terrors of that day? and art thou sure that the props which support thee now will not fail thee then? What hopes hast thou for eternity? hast thou, indeed, that holy, godlike temper, which alone can fit thee for the enjoyment of God? Which world art thou most concerned for? what things do most deeply affect thee? O my soul, remember thy dignity; think how soon the scene will shift. Why shouldst thou forget thou art immortal?

(2.) This self-excitation and scrutiny must be very frequently made. They who have a great deal of important business on their hands, should be often looking over their accounts, and frequently adjust them, lest they should be going backwards, and not know it; and custom will soon take off the difficulty of this duty, and turn it into delight.

In our morning retreat, it will be proper to remember that we cannot preserve throughout the day that calm and even temper we may then be in; that we shall very probably meet with some things to ruffle us, some attack on our weak side. Place a guard there now. Or, however, if no incidents happen to discompose us, our tempers will vary; our thoughts will flow pretty much with our blood; and the dispositions of the mind be a good deal governed by the motions of the animal spirits; our souls will be serene or cloudy, our tempers volatile or phlegmatic, and our inclinations sober or irregular, according to the briskness or sluggishness of the circulation of the animal fluids, whatever may be the cause or immediate occasion of that; and therefore, we must resolve to avoid all occasions. that may raise any dangerous ferments there, which, when once raised, will excite in us very different thoughts and dispositions from those we now have; which, together with the force of a fair opportunity

and urgent temptation, may overset our reason and resolution, and betray us into those sinful indul gences which will wound the conscience, stain the soul, and create bitter remorse in our cooler reflections. Pious thoughts and purposes, in the morn. ing, will set a guard upon the soul, and fortify it under all the temptations of the day.

But such self-inspection, however, should never fail to make part of our evening devotions, when we should review and examine the several actions of the day, the various tempers and dispositions we have been in, and the occasions that excited them. It is an advice worthy of a Christian, though it first dropped from a heathen pen, that, before we betake ourselves to rest, we review and examine all the passages of the day, that we may have the comfort of what we have done aright, and may redress what we find to have been amiss; and make the shipwrecks of one day be as marks to direct our course on another; a practice that hath been recommended by many of the heathen moralists of the greatest name, as Plutarch, Epictetus, Marcus Antoninus, and particularly Pythagoras, in the verses that go under his name, and are called his golden verses; wherein he advises his scholars every night to recollect the passages of the day, and ask themselves these questions: Wherein have I transgressed this day? what have I done? what duty have I omitted? &c. Seneca recommends the same practice. Sectius (saith he) did this: At the close of the day, before he betook himself to rest, he addressed his soul in the following manner. What evil of thine hast thou cured this day? what vice withstood in what respect art thou better? Passion will cease, or become more cool, when it knows it is every day to be thus called to account. What can be more advantageous than this constant custom of searching through the day?-And the same course (saith Seneca) I take myself; and every day sit in judgment on myself. And, at even, when all is hush and still,

I make a scrutiny into the day; look over my words and actions, and hide nothing from myself; conceal none of my mistakes through fear. For why should I, when I have it in my power to say thus? This once I forgive thee, but see thou do so no more. In such a dispute I was too keen: do not, for the future, contend with ignorant men; they will not be convinced, because they are un willing to show their ignorance. Such a one I reproved with too much freedom, whereby I have not reformed, but exasperated him; remember hereafter to be more mild in your censures; and consider not only whether what you say be true, but whether the person you say it to can bear to hear the truth." Senec. de Ira, lib. iii. cap. 36. Thus far that excel lent moralist.

Let us take a few other specimens of a more pious and Christian turn, from a judicious and devout writer.

This morning when I arose, instead of applying myself to God in prayer (which I generally find it best to do immediately after a few serious reflections), I gave way to idle musing, to the great disorder of my heart and frame. How often have I suffered for want of more watchfulness on this occasion? When shall I be wise? I have this day shamefully trifled almost through the whole of it; was in my bed when I should have been upon my knees; prayed but coolly in the morning; was strangely off my guard in the business and conver sation I was concerned with in the day, particalarly at; I indulged to very foolish, sinful, vile thoughts, &c. I fell in with a strain of conversation too common among all sorts, viz. speaking evil of others; taking up a reproach against my neighbour. I have often resolved against this sin, and yet run into it again. How treacherous this wicked heart of mine! I have lost several hours. this day in mere sauntering and idleness. This day I had an instance of mine own infirmity, that I

was a little surprised at, and I am sure I ought to be humbled for. The behaviour of —, from whom I can expect nothing but humour, indiscretion, and folly, strangely ruffled me; and that after I have had warning over and over again. What a poor, impotent, contemptible creature am I! This day I have been kept, in a great measure, from my too frequent failings. I had this day very comfortable assistances from God, upon an occasion not a little trying-what shall I render?-Bennet's Christ. Orat.

(3.) See that the mind be in the most composed and disengaged frame it can, when you enter upon this business of self-judgment. Choose a time when it is most free from passion, and most at leisure from the cares and affairs of life. A judge is not like to bring a cause to a good issue, that is either intoxicated with liquor on the bench, or has his mind distracted with other cares, when he should be intent on the trial. Remember you sit in judgment upon yourself, and have nothing to do at present but to sift the evidence which conscience may bring in either for or against you, in order to pronounce a just sentence, which is of much greater concernment to you at present than any thing else can be; and therefore it should be transacted with the utmost care, composure, and attention.

(4.) Beware of partiality, and the influence of self-love, in this weighty business; which, if you do not guard against it, will soon lead you into selfdelusion, the consequences of which may be fatal to you. Labour to see yourself as you are; and view things in the light in which they are, and not in that in which you would have them be. Remember, that the mind is always apt to believe those things true, which it would have be so; and backward to believe those things true, which it wishes were not so; and this is an influence you will certainly lie under in this affair of self-judg.

ment.