attending it, excepting one, viz. its making you more sensible of the weakness and ignorance of others, who are often talking in a random, inconsequential manner; and whom, however, it may oftentimes be more prudent to bear with, than contradict. But the vast benefit this method will be of in tracing out truth and detecting error, and the fatisfaction it will give you in the cool and regular exercises of felf-employment, and in the retaining, pursuing, and improving good and useful thoughts, will more than compenfate that petty disadvantage.

(2.) If we would have the mind furnished and entertained with good thoughts, we must inure it to moral and religious fubjects.

It is certain the mind cannot be more nobly or usefully employed than in fuch kind of contemplations: because the knowledge it thereby acquires, is of all other the most excellent knowledge; and that both in regard of its object and its end; the object of it being God, and the end of it eternal happiness.

The great end of religion is to "make us like God, and conduct us to the en"joyment of him." And whatever hath not this plain tendency, and especially if

it

it have the contrary, men may call religion (if they please); but they cannot call it more out of its name. And whatever is called religious knowledge, if it does not direct us in the way to this end, is not religious knowledge, but something else falfely So called. And fome are unhappily accustomed to fuch an abuse of words and understanding, as not only to call, but to think, those things religion, which are the very reverfe of it; and those notions religious knowledge, which lead them the fartheft from it.

The fincerity of a true religious principle cannot be better known, than by the readiness with which the thoughts advert to God, and the pleasure with which they are employed in devout exercises. And though a person may not always be so well pleafed with hearing religious things talked of by others, whose different tafte, fenti ments, or manner of expreffion may have fomething difagreeable; yet if he have no inclination to think of them himself, or converse with himself about them, he hath great reafon to fufpect that his " heart is " not right with God." But if he frequently and delightfully exercises his mind in divine contemplations, it will not only be a good mark of his fincerity, but will habituall

habitually dispose it for the reception of the best and most useful thoughts, and fit it for the noblest entertainments.

Upon the whole, then, it is of as great importance for a man to take heed what thoughts he entertains, as what company he keeps; for they have the fame effect upon the mind. Bad thoughts are as infectious as bad company; and good thoughts solace, inftruct, and entertain the mind like good company. And this is one great advantage of retirement; that a man may choose what company he pleases, from within himself.

As in the world we oftener light into bad company than good; so in folitude we are oftener troubled with impertinent and unprofitable thoughts, than entertained with agreeable and useful ones. And a man that hath so far loft the command of himself, as to lie at the mercy of every foolish or vexing thought, is much in the same situation as a boft, whose house is open to all comers, whom, though ever so noify, rude, and troublesome, he cannot get rid of; but with this difference, that the latter hath some recompence for his trouble, the former none at all, but is robbed of his peace and quiet for nothing.

Of

Of such vast importance to the peace, as well as the improvement of the mind, is the right regulation of the thoughts, which will be my apology for dwelling so long on this branch of the subject: Which I shall conclude with this one observation more; that it is a very dangerous thing to think, as too many are apt to do, that it is a matter of indifference what thoughts they entertain in their hearts; fince the reason of things concurs with the teftimony of the holy scriptures to affure us, "That the allowed thought " of foolisiness is fin," Prov. xxiv. 9*.

CHAP. XV.

Concerning the Memory,

XIV. " A MAN that knows himself will " have a regard not only to "the management of his thoughts, but " the improvement of his memory."

The memory is that faculty of the foul, which was designed for the storehouse or repofitory of its most useful notions; where where they may be laid up in fafety, to be produced upon proper occafions.

Now a thorough self-acquaintance can-. not be had without a regard to this proper regar in two respects. (1.) Its furniture. (2.) Its improvement.

(1.) A man that knows himself will have a regard to the furniture of his memory; not to load it with trash and lumber, a fet of useless notions or low conceits, which he will be ashamed to produce before persons of tafte and judg

*ment.

If the retention be bad, do not crowd it. It is of as ill consequence to overload a weak memory, as a weak stomach. And that it may not be cumbered with trafh, take heed what company you keep, what books you read, and what thoughts you favour; otherwise a great deal of uselefs rubbish may fix there before you are aware, and take up the room which ought to be poffeffed by better notions. But let not a valuable thought flip from you, though you you pursue it with much time and pains before you overtake it. The regaining and refixing it may be of more avail to you than many hours reading. What pity is it that men should take fuch

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