because it opens to us another view of the human nature, in which we should often survey ourselves, if we desire to know ourselves; and that is, as depraved or degenerate beings. The inward contest we so sensibly feel, at some seasons especially, between a good and a bad principle, called in scripture language, the flesh and the spirit, of which some of the wisest heathens seemed not to be ignorant : ' A. fatal inbred strife does lurk within, The cause of all this misery and sin.' This, I say, is demonstration, that some way or other, the human nature hath contracted an ill bias, and how came that about, the sacred scriptures have sufficiently informed us; and that it is not what it was when it came originally out of the hands of its maker; so that the words which St Paul spake, with reference to the Jews in particular, are justly applicable to the present state of mankind in general; There is none righteous; no, not one: they are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good; no, not one.' Rom. iii. 10, 12. This is a very mortifying thought; but an undeniable truth, and one of the first principles of that science we are treating of, and very necessary to be attended to, if we would be sensible of the duty and obligations we owe to Christ, as the great redeemer; in which character he appears, for the relief and recovery of mankind, under this, their universal depravity. Two miserable affects of the human apostacy are, 1. That perverse dispositions grow up in our mind from early infancy, that soon settle into vicious habits and render us weak and unwilling to obey the dictates of conscience and reason: this is commonly called the dominion of sin. And, consideration of his merits and atonement, from his hope of happiness, he forgets that he is a Christian ; he does not consider in what relation he stands to Christ, which is one great part of his character, and consequently discovers a great degree of self-ignorance. 3. Self-knowledge, moreover, implies a due attention to the several relations in which we stand to our fellow creatures; and the obligations that result from thence. If we know ourselves, we shall remember the condescension, benignity, and love, that is due to inferiors; affability, friendship, and kindness, we ought to show to equals; the regard, deference, and honor, which belongs to superiors; and the candor, integrity, and benevolence, we owe to all. The particular duties requisite in these relations are too numerous to be here mentioned. Let it suffice to say, that if a man doth not well consider the severa relations of life in which he stands to others, and does not take care to preserve the decorum and propriety of those relations, he may justly be charged with selfignorance. And this is so evident in itself, and so generally allowed, that nothing is more common than to say, when a person does not behave with due decency towards his superiors, such a one does not understand himself. But why may not this, with equal justice, he said of those who act in an ill manner towards their inferiors? The expression, I know, is not so often thus applied; but I see no reason why it should not, since one is as common, and as plain an instance of self-ignorance as the other. Nay, of the two, perhaps men are in general more apt to be defective in their duty and behavior towards those beneath them, than they are towards those that are above them. And the reason seems to be, because an apprehension of the displeasure of their superiors, and the detrimental consequences which may accrue from thence, may be a check upon them, and engage them to pay the just regards which they expect. But there being no check to restrain them from violating the duties they owe to inferiors, from whose displeader certain temptations, to treat them in an unbecomsure they have little to fear, they are more ready, unAnd as wisdom and self-knowledge will direct a man to be particularly careful, lest he neglect the duties he is most apt to forget; so, as to the duties the duties he is most apt to forget; so, as to the duties he owes to inferiors, in which he is most in danger of transgressing, he ought more strongly to urge upon himself the indispensable obligations of religion and conscience. And if he does not, but suffers himself, through the violence of ungoverned passion, to be transported into the excesses of rigor, tyranny, and oppression, towards those whom god and nature have put into his power, it is certain he does not know himself; is not acquainted with his own particular weakness; is ignorant of the duty of his relations; and, spirit of government; because he wants the art of selfwhatever he may think of himself, hath not the true government. For he that is unable to govern himself, can never be fit to govern others. 2. At the same time, we are subject to the displeasure of god, and the penalty of his law; which is commonly called, the condemnation of sin. Now, in both these respects, did Christ,' the lamb of god, come to take away the sin of the world ;' i. e. to take away the reigning power of it by the atonement of his blood; to sanctify us by his spirit, and justify us by his death: by the former, he reconciles us to god, and by the latter, **and is at once our righteous-direct he reconciles god to us, ness and strength. He died to purchase for us the happiness we had forfeited, and sends his grace and spirit to fit us for that happiness he hath thus purchased. So complete is his redemption! so precisely adapted is the remedy he hath provided, to the malady we had contracted. ‘O blessed redeemer of wretched ruined creatures, how unspeakable are the obligations I owe thee! But, ah! how insensible am I to those obligations! The saddest symptoms of degeneracy I find in my nature, is that base ingratitude of heart, which renders me so unaffected with thine astonishing compassions. Till I know thee, I cannot know myself! and when I survey myself, may I ever think of thee! May the daily consciousness of my weakness and guilt lead my thoughts to thee! and may every thought of thee kindle in my heart the most ardent glow of gratitude to thee, O thou divine, compassionate friend, lover, and redeemer of mankind!" Whoever then he be that calls himself a Christian; that is, who professes to take the gospel of Christ for a divine revelation, and the only rule of his faith and practice; but at the same time, pays a greater regard to the dictates of men, than to the doctrines of Christ; who loses sight of that great example of Christ, which should animate his Christian walk, is unconcerned about his service, honor, and interest, and excludes the By this phrase, I do not mean, that god was implacable, or absolutely irreconcileable to us, till he was pacified by the vicarious sufferings of his son; for how then could he have appointed him to die, as our propitiatory sacrifice? But that the death of Christ is the clearest demonstration of god's willingness to be actually reconciled to us. manner. Would we know ourselves, then, we must consider ourselves as creatures, as Christians, and as men; and remember the obligations which, as such, we are under to god, to Christ, and our fellow men, in the several relations we bear to them, in order to maintain the propriety, and fulfil the duties, of those relations. CHAPTER IV. WE MUST DULY CONSIDER THE RANK AND STATION OF LIFE, IN WHICH PROVIDENCE HATH PLACED US; AND WHAT IT IS THAT BECOMES AND ADORNS US. III. A man that knows himself will deliberately con sider and attend to the particular rank and station of life in which providence hath placed him; and what is the duty and decorum of that station; what part is given him to act; what character to maintain; and with what decency and propriety he acts that part, or maintains that character. For a man to assume a character, or aim at a part, that does not belong to him, is affectation. And whence is it that affectation of any kind appears so ridiculous, and exposes men to universal and ust contempt, but because it is a certain indication of self-ignorance! Whence is it that many seem so willing to be thought something, when they are nothing; and seek to excel in those things in which they cannot, whilst they neglect those things in which they may excel? Whence is it that they counteract the intention of nature and providence; that when these intended them one thing, they fain would be another? Whence, I say, but from an ignorance of themselves, the rank of life they are in, and of the part and character which properly belongs to them? It is a just observation, and an excellent document of a moral heathen. 'That human life is a drama, and mankind the actors; who have their several parts assigned them by the master of the theatre, who stands behind the scenes, and observes in what manner every one acts. Some have a short part allotted them, and some a long one; some a low, and some a high one. It is not he that acts the highest, or most shining part on the stage, that comes off with the greatest applause; but he that acts his part best, whatever it be. To take care, then, to act our respective parts in life well, is ours; but to choose what part in life we shall act, is not ours, but God's.' But a man can never act his part well, if he does not attend to it-does not know what becomes it; much less is he affected to act, another, which nature never assigned him. It is always self-ignorance that leads a man to act out of character. affectation and weakness, and ourselves to contempt, for acting out of character; for what is decent in one may be ridiculous in another. Nor must we blindly follow those who move in the same sphere, and sustain the same character with ourselves; but only in those things that are befitting that character. For it is not the person, but the character we are to regard; and to imitate him no farther than he keeps to that. This caution particularly concerns youth, who are apt to imitate their superiors very implicitly, and especially such as shine in the profession they themselves are intended for; but, for want of judgment to distinguish what is fit and decent, are apt to imitate their very foibles; which a partiality for their persons make them deem as excellencies: and thereby they become doubly ridiculous, both by acting out of character themselves, and by a weak and servile imitation of others, in the very things in which they do so too. To maintain a character, then, with decency, we must keep our eye only upon that which is proper to it. In fine, as no man can excel in every thing, we must consider what part is allotted us to act in the station in which providence hath placed us, and to keep to that, be it what it will, and seek to excel in that only. CHAPTER V. EVERY MAN SHOULD BE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH HIS OWN TALENTS AMD CAPACITIES; AND IN WHAT MANNER THEY ARE ΤΟ BE EXERCISED AND IMPROVED TO THE GREATEST ADVANTAGE. IV. A man cannot be said to know himself, till he is well acquainted with his proper talents and capacities; knows for what ends he received them ; and how they may be most fitly applied and improved for those ends. those he hath; as the way in which providence points out his proper usefulness. Is it a mean and low station of life thou art in? Know then, that providence calls thee to the exercise A wise and self-understanding man, instead of aimof industry, contentment, submission, patience, hope,ing at talents he hath not, will set about cultivating and a humble dependence on him; and a respectful deference to thy superiors. In this way, thou mayest shine through thine obscurity, and render thyself admirable in the sight of god and man; and not only so, but find more satisfaction, safety, and self-enjoyment, than they who move in a higher sphere, from whence they are in danger of falling. But hath providence called thee to act in a more public character, and for a more extensive benefit to the world? Thy first care then ought to be, that thy example, as far as its influence reaches, may be an encouragement to the practice of universal virtue. And next, to shine in those virtues especially, which best adorn thy station; as benevolence, charity, wisdom, moderation, firmness, and inviolable integrity; with an undismayed fortitude to press through all opposition in accomplishing those ends, which thou hast a prospect and probability of attaining, for the apparent good of mankind. And as self-acquaintance will teach us what part in life we ought to act, so the knowledge of that will ow us whom we ought to imitate, and wherein. We not to take example of conduct from those who e a very different part assigned them from ours, ss in those things that are universally ornamental exemplary. If we do, we shall but expose our fe is a stage-play: it matters not how long we act, so we act It is not life, but living well, that is the blessing. Somesimilar to this, is the epigram by Dr Doddridge, on 'dum us vivamus ;' which he assumed as his motto: Live, while you live, the epicure would say, I live in pleasure, when I live in thee As, in order to the edification of the church, the spirit of god at first conferred upon the ministers of it a great variety of spiritual gifts, (1 Cor. xii. 8-10) so, for the good of the community, God is pleased now to confer upon men a great variety of natural talents ; and every one hath his proper gift of god ; one after this manner, another after that.' 1 Cor. vii. 7. And every one is to take care, not to neglect, but to stir up the gift of god, which is in him,' (1 Tim. iv. 4. 2 Tim. i. 6) because it was given him to be improved : and not only the abuse, but the neglect of it, must hereafter be accounted for. Witness the doom of that unprofitable servant, who laid up his single pound in a napkin,' (Luke xix. 20, 24.) and of him who went ' and hid his talent in the earth.' Mat. xxv. 25, 30. It is certainly a sign of great self-ignorance, for a man to venture out of his depth, or attempt any thing he wants opportunity or capacity to accomplish. And therefore a wise man will consider with himself, before he undertakes any thing of consequence, whether he hath abilities to carry him through it, and whether the issue of it is likely to be for his credit; lest he sink under the weight he lays upon himself, and incur the just censure of rashness, presumption, and folly. See Luke xiv. 28-32. He that takes up a burden that is too heavy for him, is in a fair way to break his back. In every business, consider, first what it is you are about; and then your own ability, whether it be suf ficient to carry you through it. › Examine well, ye writers weigh with care B b It is no uncommon thing for some who excel in one thing, to imagine they may excel in every thing; and not content with that share of merit which every one allows them, are still catching at that which doth not belong to them. Why should a good orator wish to be thought a poet? Why must a celebrated divine set up for a politician? or a statesman affect the philosopher 4 or a mechanic the scholar or a wise man labour to be thought a wit? This is a weakness that flows from self-ignorance, and is incident to the greatNature seldom forms an universal genius; but deals out her favors in the present state with a parsimonious hand. Many a man, by this foible, hath weakened a well established reputation.* est men. CHAPTER VI. WE MUST BE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH OUR INABILITIES, AND THOSE THINGS IN WHICH WE ARE NATURALLY DEFICIENT AS WELL AS THOSE IN WHICH WE EXCEL. V. We must, in order to a thorough self-acquaintance, not only consider our talents, and proper abilities, but have an eye to our frailties, and deficiencies, that we may know where our weakness, as well as our strength lies. Otherwise, like Samson, we may run ourselves into infinite temptatiou and trouble. Every man hath a weak side. Every wise man knows where it is, and will be sure to keep a double guard there. There is some wisdom in concealing a weakness. This cannot be done till it be first known; nor can it be known without a degree of self-acquaintance. It is strange to observe what pains some men are at to expose themselves; to signalize their own folly; and to set out to the most public view, those things which they ought to be ashamed to think should ever enter into their character. But so it is; some men seem to be ashamed of those things which would be their glory, whilst others 'glory in their shame.' Phil. iii. 19. The greatest weakness in a man, is to publish his weaknesses, and to appear fond to have them known. But vanity will often prompt a man to this; who, unacquainted with the measure of his capacity, attempts things out of his power, and beyond his reach; whereby he makes the world acquainted with two things to his disadvantage, which they were ignorant of before; viz. his deficiency, and his self-ignorance, in appearing so blind to it. It is ill judged (though very common,) to be less ashamed of a want of temper than understanding. For it is no real dishonor, or fault, in a man, to have but a small ability of mind, provided he hath not the vanity to set up for a genius; which would be as ridiculous, as for a man of small strength and stature of body, to set up for a champion; because this is what he cannot help. But a man may in a good measure correct the *Cecelius, a famous Rhetorician of Sicily, who lived in the time of Augustus, and wrote a treatise on the sublime, which is censured by Longinus, in the beginning of his, was a man of a hasty and enterprising spirit, and very apt to overshoot himself on all occasions; and particularly ventured out of his depth in his comparison of Demosthenes and Cicero. Whereupon Plutarch makes this sage and candid remark: If,' saith he, it was a thing obvious and easy for every man to know himself, possible that saying had not passed for a divine oracle.' Plut. Liv. vol. vii. p 347. fault of his natural temper, if he be well acquainted with it, and duly watchful over it. And therefore, to betray a prevailing weakness of temper, or an ungoverned passion, diminishes a man's reputation much more than to discover a weakness of judgment or understanding. But what is most dishonorable of all, is, for a man at once to discover a great genius and an ungoverned mind. Because that strength of reason and understanding he is master of, gives him a great advantage of the government of his passions. And therefore his suffering himself, notwithstanding, to be governed by them, shows that he hath too much neglected or mis-applied his natural talent, and willingly submitted to the tyranny of those lusts and passions, over which nature had furnished him with abilities to have secured an easy con quest. Bu A wise man hath his foibles, as well as a fool. the difference between them is, that the foibles of the one are known to himself, and concealed from the world; the foibles of the other are known to the world and concealed from himself. The wise man sees thos frailties in himself, which others cannot; but the foo is blind to those blemishes in his character, which are conspicuous to every body else. Whence it appears. that self-knowledge is that which makes the main difference between a wise man and a fool, in the moral sense of that word. VI. Self-acquaintance shows a man the particular sins he is most exposed and addicted to; and discovers, not only what is ridiculous, but what is criminal, in his conduct and temper. A man's untoward actions are generally the plainest index of his inward dispositions and by the allowed sins of his life, you may know the reigning vices of his mind. Is he addicted to luxury and debauch? Sensuality then appears to be his prevailing taste. Is he given to revenge and cruelty? Choler and malice then reigns in his heart. Is he confident, bold, and enterprising? Ambition appears to be the secret spring. Is he sly and designing, given to intrigue and artifice? You may conclude there is a natural subtlety of temper that prompts him to this; and this secret disposition is criminal, in proportion to the degree in which these outward actions, which spring from it, transgress the bounds of reason and virtue. Every man hath something peculiar in the turn or cast of his mind, which distinguishes him as much as viz. his particular turn of inind and constitution of body, the particular constitution of his body. And both these, not only incline and dispose him to some kind of sins, more than to others; but render the practice of certain virtues much more easy.* * Men with regard to their bodies, and bodily appetites, are pretty much alike; but with regard to their souls, and their mental tastes and dispositions, they are often as different as if they were quite of another species; governed by different views, entertained with different pleasures, animated with different hopes, and affected by different motives, and distinguished by as different tempers and inclinations, as if they were not of the same kind. So that I am very ready to believe, that there is not a greater difference between an angel and some of the best and wisest of men, or between a devil and some of the worst and wickedest of men with regard to their tempers and dispositions, than there is between some sort of men and some others. And what inclines me to this sentiment is, considering the easy transition which nature always observes in passing from one order or kind of beings to another, which I have before taken notice of, together with the prodigious difference there appears to be between some and others of the humun species, almost in every thing belonging to their souls. For some there are ‘in whom,' as one expresses it. one would think nature had placed every thing the wrong way;' depraved in their opinions unintelligible in their reasoning, irregular in their actions, and Now these sins to which men are commonly most And to find out our most beloved sin, let us consider, inclined, and the temptations which they have least what are those worldly objects or amusements which power to resist, are, and not improperly, called their give us the highest delight; this, it is probable, will constitutional sins, their peculiar frailties; and in scrip- lead us directly to some one of our darling iniquities, ture, (Psalm xviii. 23.) their own iniquities,' and the if it be a sin of commission: and what are those duties sins which (Heb. xii. 1.) 'do most easily beset them.' which we read or hear of from the word of god, to 'As in the humors of the body, so in the vice of the which we find ourselves most disinclined. And this, mind, there is one predominant, which has an ascend-in all likelihood, will help us to detect some of our peant over us, and leads and governs us. It is in the culiar sins of omission; which, without such previous body of sin, what the heart is in the body of our nature; examination, we may not be sensible of. And thus we it begins to live first, and dies last: and whilst it lives, may make a proficiency in one considerable branch of it communicates life and spirit to the whole body of sin; self-knowledge. and when it dies, the body of sin expires with it. It is It is a good argument for a reformed mind, that it the sin to which our constitution leads, our circum- sees those vices in itself, which it was before ignorant of. stances betray, and custom enslaves us; the sin to A man's predominant sin usually arises out of his which not our virtues only, but vices too, lower their predominant passion; which, therefore, he should dilitopsails, and submit; the sin which, when we could gently observe. The nature and force of which is impose upon god and our consciences, we excuse and beautifully described by Pope: disguise with all imaginable artifice and sophistry; but, when we are sincere with both, we oppose first, and conquer last. It is, in a word, the sin which reigns and rules in the unregenerate, and too often alarms and disturbs (ah! that I could say more) the regenerate.' Some are more inclined to the sins of the flesh; sensuality, intemperance, uncleanliness, sloth, self-indulgence, and excess in animal gratifications. Others, to the sins of the spirit, pride, malice, covetousness, ambition, wrath, revenge, envy, &c. And I am persuaded there are few, but, upon a thorough search into themselves, may find, that some one of these sins hath ordinarily a greater power over them than the rest.— Others often observe it in them, if they themselves do not. And for a man not to know his predominant iniquity, is great self-ignorance indeed; and a sign that he has all his life lived far from home; because he is not acquainted with that, relating to himself, which every one, who is but half an hour in his company perhaps may be able to inform him of. Hence proceeds that extreme weakness which some discover, in censur ing others for the very same faults they are guilty of themselves, and perhaps in a much higher degree; on which the apostle Paul animadverts, Rom. ii. 1. It must be owned, it is an irksome and a disagreeable business for a man to turn his own accuser; to search after his own faults, and keep his eyes upon that which gives him shame and pain to see. It is like tearing open an old wound. But it is better to do this, than to let it mortify. The wounds of the conscience, like those of the body, cannot be well cured, till they are searched to the bottom: and they cannot be searched without pain. A man who is engaged in the study of himself, must be content to know the worst of himself. Do not therefore shut your eyes against your darling sin, or be averse to find it out. Why should you study to conceal or excuse it, and fondly cherish that viper in your bosom? 'Some men deal by their sins, as some adies do by their persons. When their beauty is decayed, they seek to hide it from themselves by false glasses, and from others by paint. So, many seek to hide their sins from themselves by false glasses, and from others by excuses, or false colors; but the greatest cheat they put upon themselves: They that cover their sins shall not prosper.'-Prov. xxviii. 13. It is dangerous self-flattery, to give soft and smoothing names to sin, in order to disguise their nature. Rather lay your hand upon your heart, and thrust it into your bosom, though it come out, as Moses' did, leprous as snow.'* Exod. iv. 6. vicious in every disposition. Whilst in some others, we see almost every thing amiable and excellent that can adorn and exalt the human inind, under the disadvantages of mortality. * The knowledge of sin is the first step towards amendment for he that does not know that he hath offended is not wil. ling to be reproved. You must therefore find out yourself, before you can amend yourself. Some glory in their vices. And do you imagine they have any thought about reforming, who place their very vices in the room of their virtues? Therefore, 'On different senses, different objects strike; CHAPTER VIII. THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR MOST DANGEROUS TEMPTA · VII. A man that rightly knows himself, is acquainted with his peculiar temptations; and knows when, and in what circumstances, he is in the greatest danger of transgressing. Reader, if ever you would know yourself, you must examine this point thoroughly. And if you have never done it, make a pause when you have read this chapter, and do it now. Consider in what company you are most apt to lose the possession and government of yourself; on what occasion you are apt to be most vain and unguarded, most warm and precipitant. Flee that company, avoid those occasions, if you would keep your conscience clear. What is it that robs you most of your time and temper? If you have a due regard to the improvement of the one, and the preservation of the other, you will regret such a loss and shun the occasions of it, as carefully as you would a road beset with robbers. But especially must you attend to the occasions which most usually betray you into your favorite vices; and consider the spring from whence they arise, and the circumstances which most favor them. They arise doubtless from your natural temper, which strongly disposes and inclines you to them. That temper, then, or particular turn of desire, must be carefully watched ties and circumstances which favor those inclinations, over, as a most dangerous quarter; and the opportunimust be resolutely avoided, as the strongest temptations. For the way to subdue a criminal inclination, is, first, to avoid the known occasions that excite it and then to curb the first motions of it. And thus, having no opportunity of being indulged, it will of itself, in time, lose its force, and fail of its wonted vic > a battle; to weary out the enemy, by keeping him at bay. Fabius Maximus did not use this stratagem more successfully against Hannibal, than a Christian may against his peculiar vice, if he be but watchful of his advantages. It is dangerous to provoke an unequal enemy to the fight, or to run into such a situation, where we cannot expect to escape, without a disadvantageous encounter. It is of unspeakable importance, in order to selfknowledge and self-government, to be acquainted with all the accesses and avenues to sin, and to observe which way it is that we ourselves too often approach it; and to set reason and conscience to guard those passes, those usual inlets to vice, which if a man once enters, he will find a retreat extremely difficult. 'Watchfulness, which is always necessary, is chiefly so when the first assaults are made for then the enemy is most easily repulsed; if we never suffer him to get within us; but upon the very first approach, draw up first approach, draw up our forces, and fight him without the gate. And this And this will be more manifest, if we observe by what methods and degrees temptations grow upon us. The first thing that presents itself to the mind, is a plain single thought; this straight is improved into a strong imagination; that again enforced by a sensible delight; then follow evil notions; and when these are once stirred, there wants nothing but the assent of the will, and then the work is finished. Now the first steps to this are seldom thought worth our care; sometimes not taken notice of! so that the enemy is frequently got close up to us, and even within our trenches, before we observe him.' As men have their particular sins, which do most easily beset them; so they have their particular temptations, which do most easily overcome them. may be a very great temptation to one, which is none at all to another. And if a man does not know what are his greatest temptations, he must have been a great stranger indeed to the business of self-employment. That As the subtle enemy of mankind takes care to draw men gradually into sin, so he usually draws them by degrees into temptation. As he disguises the sin, so he conceals the temptation to it; well knowing, that were they but once sensible of the danger of their sin, they would be ready to be on their guard against it." Would we know ourselves thoroughly then, we must get acquainted, not only with our most usual temptations, that we be not unawares drawn into sin; but with the previous steps, and preparatory circumstances, which make way for those temptations, that we be not drawn unawares into the occasions of sin; for those things which lead us into tempations are to be considered as temptations, as well as those which immediately lead us into sin. And a man that knows himself will be aware of his remote temptations, as well as the more immediate ones; e. g. if he find the company of a passionate man is a temptation, (as Solomon tells us it is, Prov. xxii. 24, 25.,) he will not only avoid it, but those occasions that may lead him into it. And the petition in the lord's prayer makes it as much a man's duty to be upon his guard against temptation, as under it. Nor can a man pray from his heart that god would not lead him into temptation, if he take no care himself to avoid it. There is no one particular, that I know of, wherein self-knowledge, more eminently consists, than it does in this. It being, therefore so essential a brànch of my subject, and a point to which men seldom pay attention equal to its importance, I beg leave to treat it with a little more precision. These prejudices of the human mind may be considered with regard to opinions, persons, and things. 1. With regard to opinions. It is a common observation, but well expressed by a late celebrated writer, That we set out in life with such poor beginnings of knowledge, and grow up under such remains of superstition and ignorance, such influences of company and fashion, such insinuations of pleasure, &c., that it is no wonder if men get habits of thinking only in one way; that these habits in time grow rigid and confirmed and so their minds come to be overcast with thick prejudices, scarce penetrable by any ray of truth, or light of reason. light of reason.' See Religion of Nature Delineated, p. 129. There is no man but is more attached to one particular set or scheme of opinions in philosophy, politics, and religion, than he is to another; mean, if he hath employed his thoughts at all about them. The question we should examine then is, how came we by those attachments? Whence are we so fond of these particular notions? Did we come fairly by them? or were they imposed upon us, and dictated to our easy belief, before we were able to judge of them? This is most likely. For the impressions we early receive generally grow up with us, and are those we least care to part with. However, which way soever we came by them, they must be re-examined, and brought to the touchstone of sound sense, solid reason and plain scripture. If they will not hear this, after hard drubbing, they must be dismissed, as no genuine principles of truth, but as counterfeits, imposed upon us, under guise und semblance of it. And as reason and scripture must discover our prejudices to us, so they only can help us to get rid of them. By these we are to rectify, and to these are we to conform, all our opinions and sentiments in religion, as our only standard, exclusive of all other rules, light, or authority, whatsoever. And care must farther be taken, that we do not make scripture and reason bend and buckle to our notions; which will rather confirm our prejudices than cure them. For whatever cannot evidently be proved, without the help of overstrained metaphors and the arts of sophistry, is much to be suspected; which used to make Archbishop Tillotson say, ' Non amo argutias in theologia; 'I do not love subleties in divinity.' But, 2. The human mind is very apt to be prejudiced either for or against certain persons, as well as certain sentiments. And as prejudice will lead a man to talk very unreasonably with regard to the latter, so will it lead him to act as unreasonably with regard to the former. ? What is the reason, for instance, that we cannot help having a more hearty affection for some persons than others? Is it from a similarity of taste and temper? or something in their address, that flatters our vanity? or something in their humour, that hits our fancy or something in their conversation, that improves our understanding? or a certain sweetness, of disposition, and agreeableness of manner, that is naturally engaging? or by benefits received or expected from them? or from some eminent and distinguished excellency in them? or from none of these but something else, we cannot tell what? Such sort of inquiries will show us whether our esteem and affections be lightly placed; or flow from mere instinct, blind prejudice, or something worse, |