scholarship; who have just learning enough to spoil company, and render themselves ridiculous, but not enough to make either themselves or others at all the wifer. But beside the forementioned kinds of knowledge, there is another which is commonly called falfe knowledge; which, though it often imposes upon men under the show and semblance of true knowledge, is really worse than ignorance. Some men have learned a great many things, and have taken a great deal of pains to learn them, and stand very high in their own opinion on account of them, which yet they must unlearn before they are truly wife. They have been at a vast expence of time, and pains, and patience, to heap together, and to confirm themselves in a fet of wrong notions, which they lay up in their minds as a fund of valuable knowledge; which, if they try by the forementioned rules, viz. "The tendency they have to make " them wiser and better, or more useful " and beneficial to others," will be found to be worth just nothing at all, Beware of this false knowledge; for as there is nothing of which men are more obstinately tenacious, so there is nothing that renders them more vain or more averfe 13 verse to felf-knowledge. Of all things, men are most fond of their wrong notions. The apostle Paul often speaks of these men, and their felf-fufficiency, in very poignant terms; who, "though they feem "wife, yet (says he) must become fools "before they are wife," 1 Cor. iii. 18. Though they think they know a great deal, "know nothing yet as they ought "to know," 1 Cor. vii. 2. But "deceive "themselves, by thinking themselves fome"thing when they are nothing," Gal. vi. 3. And whilst they " defire to be teach ers of others, understand not what they "fay, nor whereof they affirm," 1 Tim. i. 7. And "want themselves to be taught "what are the first rudiments and prin"ciples of wisdom," Heb. v. 12. CHAP. XIV. Concerning the Knowledge, Guard, and Government of our Thoughts. XIII. " ANOTHER part of felf-know "ledge confifts in a due ac "quaintance with our own thoughts, and the inward workings of the imagina fion." The The right government of the thoughts requires no small art, vigilance, and refolution; but it is a matter of fuch vast importance to the peace and improvement of the mind, that it is worth while to be at fome pains about it. A man that hath so numerous and turbulent a family to govern as his own thoughts, which are so apt to be under the influence and command of his passions and appetites, ought not to be long from home: If he is, they will foon grow mutinous and diforderly under the conduct of those two headftrong guides, and raise great clamours and disturbances, and fometimes on the flightest occafions; and a more dreadful scene of mifery can hardly be imagined, than that which is occafioned by such a tumult and uproar within, when a raging confcience or inflamed paffions are let loofe without check or controul. A city in flames, or the mutiny of a drunken crew aboard, who have murdered the captain, and are butchering one another, are but faint emblems of it. The torment of the mind, under such an infurrection and merciless ravage of the passions, is not easy to be conceived. The most revengeful man cannot with his enemy a greater. Of what vast importance then is it for a man to watch over his thoughts, in order to a right government of them? to consider what kind of thoughts find the easiest admiffion; in what manner they infinuate themselves, and upon what occafions? 66 It was an excellent rule which a wife heathen prescribed to himself, in his private meditations; "Manage (faith he) all your actions and thoughts in such a manner, as if you were just going out of the "world*." Again, (faith he) " A man " is seldom, if ever, unhappy for not "knowing the thoughts of others; but "he that does not attend to the motions " of his own, is certainly miferable †." It may be worth our while then here to discuss this matter a little more particularly; Marc. Anton. Medit. Lib. 2. § 11. + Marc. Anton. Lib. 2. § 8. "Nothing can be more unhappy than that man " who ranges everywhere, ransacks every thing, digs " into the bowels of the earth, dives into other men's " bosoms, but does not confider all the while that his " own mind will afford him fufficient scope for in 66 quiry and entertainment, and that the care and improvement of himself will give him business " enough. Id. Lib. 2. § 13. ८८ ८८ " Your difpofition will be suitable to that which you most frequently think on; for the foul is, as it were, tinged with the colour and complexion of " its own thoughts." Id. Lib. 5. § 16. cularly; and confider, 1. What kind of thoughts are to be excluded or rejected. And, 2. What ought to be indulged and entertained in the heart. I. Some thoughts ought to be immediately banished as foon as they have found entrance. -And if we are often troubled with them, the fafeft way will be to keep a good guard on the avenues of the mind by which they enter, and avoid those occafions which commonly excite them. For sometimes it is much eafier to prevent a bad thought entering the mind, than to get rid of it when it is entered. - More particularly, (1.) Watch against all fretful and difcontented thoughts, which do but chase and wound the mind to no purpose. To harbour these, is to do yourself more injury than it is in the power of your greateft enemy to do you. It is equally a Christian's interest and duty to " learn in "whatever state he is, therewith to be "content," Phil. iv. 11. (2.) Harbour not too anxious and apprehensive thoughts. By giving way to tormenting fears, suspicions of some approaching danger or troublesome event, fome not only anticipate, but double the evil they fear; and undergo much more from the apprehen |