to us.

as they are; which consideration, as it suggesteth to us the strongest motive to induce us to labour after a true knowledge of them ourselves; so it directs us at the same time how we may attain this knowledge; viz. by an humble and importunate application to Him, to whom alone they are known, to make them known And this, by the free and near access which his holy spirit hath to our spirits, he can effectually do various ways; viz. by fixing our attentions; by quicken, ing our apprehensions; removing our prejudices, (which, like a false medium before the eye of the mind, prevents its seeing things in a just and proper light ;) by mortifying our pride, strengthening the intellective and reflecting faculties, and enforcing upon the mind a lively sense and knowledge of its greatest happiness and duty and so awakening the soul from that carnal security and indifference about its best interests, into which a too serious attention to the world is apt to be tray it. tujetador low ton wok Lod:

B

Besides, prayer is a very proper expedient for attaining self knowledge, as the actual engagement of the mind in this devotional exercise is in itself a great help to it. For the mind is never in a better frame, than when it is intently and devoutly engaged in this duty; it has then the best apprehensions of God, the truest Botions of itself, and the justest sentiments of earthly things; the clearest conceptions of its own weakness, and the deepest sense of its own vileness and conse quently is in the best disposition that can be, to receive a true and right knowledge of itself no etilgubili vdi be And Oh! could we but always think of ourselves in such a manner, or could we but always be in a dispo sition to think of ourselves in such a manner, as we sometimes do in the fervour of our humiliations before the throne of grace, how great a progress should we soon make in this important science? Which evidently shows the necessity of such devout and humble enComparib yo eldest, et fi deb yno wa kumliyo me

gagements of the souls and how happy a means they are to attain a just self acquaintance, 1995 one sit do *s And now, reader, whoever thou art that hast taken the pains to peruse these sheets, whatever be thy circumstances or condition in the world, whatever thy ca pacity or understanding, whatever thy occupations and engagements, whatever thy favourite sentiments and principles, or whatever religious sect or party thou espousest, know for certain, that thou hast been deeply interested in what thou hast been reading; whether thou hast attended to it or not. For it is of no less concern to thee than the security of thy peace, and usefulness in this world, and thy happiness in another; and relates to all thy interests, both as a man and a christian Perhaps thou hast seen something of thine own image in the glass that has now boon held up to thee. And wilt thou go away, and soon forget what manner of person thou art Perhaps thou hast met with some things thou dost not well understand or approve. But shall that take off thine attention from those things thou dost understand or approve, and art convinced of the necessity of?If thou hast received no improvement, no benefit from this plain practical treatise thou hast now perused read it over a agam. The same thought, you know, often impresses one more at one time than another And we sometimes receive more knowledge and profit by the second perusal of as book than by the first And I would fain hope that thou wilt find something in this that may set thy thoughts on work, and which, by the blessing of God, may make thee more observant of thy heart and conduct; and in consequence of that, a more solid, serious, wise, established/christianto doidt ut

But will you, after all, deal by this book you have now read, as you have dealt by many sermons you have heard? Pass your judgment upon it according to your received and established set of notions; and condemn or applaud it, only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to

them; and commend or censure it, only as it suits or does not suit your particular taste; without attending to the real weight, importance, and necessity of the subject abstracted from those views; or will you be barely content with the entertainment and satisfaction, which some parts of it may possibly have given you ; to assent to the importance of the subject, the justness of the sentiment, or the propriety of some of the observations you have been reading; and so dismiss all without any further concern about the matter? Believe it, O christian reader, if this be all the advantage you gain by it, it were scarce worth while to have confined yourself so long to the perusal of it. It has aimed, it has sincerely aimed, to do you a much greater benefit; to bring you to a better acquaintance with one you express a particular regard for, and who is capable of being the best friend, or the worst enemy, you have in the world; and that is yourself. It was designed to convince you, that would you live and act consistently, either as a man or a christian, you must know yourself; and to persuade you under the influence of the foregoing motives, and by the help of the forementioned directions, to make self knowledge the great study, and self government the great business of your life. In which resolution may Almighty God confirm you; and in which great business may his grace assist you, against all future discouragements and distractions. With him I leave the success of the whole; to whom be glory and praise forever.

END OF VOL. UL