"say, that multitude of affections, thoughts,

opinions, and passions, which are in thine "heart."-JURIEU's Method of Christian Devotion, Part iii. chap. 3.

CHAP. XI.

Concerning the secret Springs of our Action.

X. "ANOTHER considerable branch of self"acquaintance is, the knowledge of the true mo"tives and secret springs of our actions."

And this sometimes cannot, without much pains, be acquired. But, for want of it, we shall be in danger of passing a false judgment upon our actions, and of having a wrong opinion of several parts of our conduct.

It is not only very possible, but very common, for men to be ignorant of the chief inducements of their behaviour; and to imagine they act from one motive, whilst they are apparently governed by another. If we examine our views, and look into our hearts narrowly, we shall find that they more frequently deceive us in this respect than we are aware of, by persuading us, that we are governed by much better motives than we are.

The honour of God, and the interest of religion, may be the open and avowed motive, whilst secular interest and secret vanity may be the hidden and true one, Whilst we think we are serving God, we may be only sacrificing to Mammon. We may, like Jehu, boast our zeal for the Lord, when we are only animated by the heat of our natural passions; may cover a censorious spirit under a cloak of piety; and giving admonitions to others, may be only giving vent to our spleen.

How many come to the place of public worship out of custom or curiosity, who would be thought to come thither only out of conscience? And whilst their external and professed view is to serve God, and gain good to their souls, their secret and inward motive is only to shew themselves to advantage, or to avoid singularity, and prevent others making observations on their absence. Munificence and almsgiving may often proceed from a principle of pride and party-spirit, when it may appear to be the effect of pure piety and charity; and seeming acts of friendship from a motive of selfishness.

By thus disguising our motives we may im

pose upon men, but, at the same time, we impose upon ourselves; and, whilst we are deceiving others, our own hearts deceive us. And, of all impostures, self-deception is the most dangerous, because least suspected.

Now, unless we examine this point narrowly, we shall never come to the bottom of it; and unless we come at the true spring and real motive of our actions, we shall never be able to form a right judgment of them; and they may appear very different in our own eyes, and in the eye of the world, from what they do in the eye of God. "For the Lord seeth not as man seeth: for man "looketh on the outward appearance, but the "Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Sam. xvi. 7. And hence it is, that "that which is highly esteemed "among men, is oftentimes abomination in the "sight of God. Luke xvi. 15. "Every way "of man is right in his own eyes; but the Lord "pondereth the heart." Prov. xxi. 2.

CHAP. XII.

Every one that knows himself, is, in a particular manner, sensible how far he is governed by a thirst for applause.

XI. "ANOTHER thing necessary to unfold a man's heart to himself, is, to consider what "is his appetite for fame, and by what means he "seeks to gratify that particular passion."

This passion, in particular, having always so main a stroke, and oftentimes so unsuspected an influence on the most important parts of our conduct, a perfect acquaintance with it is a very material branch of self-knowledge, and therefore requires a distinct and particular consideration.

Emulation, like the other passions of the human mind, shows itself much more plainly, and works much more strongly, in some, than it does in others. It is, in itself, innocent, and was planted in our natures for very wise ends, and is capable of serving very excellent purposes, if kept