The general aversion of mens Spirits to this so necessary work of self-reflection is one of the most deplorable Symptoms of lapsed, degenerate humanity. The wickedness that hath overspread the nature of man, and a secret consciousness, and misgiving, hath made men afraid of themselves, and studiously to decline all acquaintance with their own souls; to shun themselves as Ghosts and Spectives; they cannot endure to appear to themselves. You can hardly impose a severer task upon a wicked man, than to go retire an hour or two, and commune with himself, he knows not how to face his own thoughts: His own soul is a Devil to him (as indeed it will be in hell, the most frightful, tormenting Devil) Yet what power is there, in man, more excellent, more appropriate to reasonable nature, than that of reflecting, of turning his thoughts upon himself. ⟨p. 248⟩Sense must here confess it self out done. The eye that sees other objects cannot see it self. But the mind, a rational Sun, can, not only project its beams, but revert them; make its thoughts turn inward. It can see its own face, contemplate it self. And how useful an endowment is this to the nature of man? If he err he might perpetuate his error, and wander infinitely, if he had not this self-reflecting power, and, if he do well never know, without it, the comfort of a rational self-approbation. Which comfort Paganish morality hath valued so highly, as to account it did associate a man with the inhabitants of heaven;1 and make him lead his life as among the gods (as their Pagan language is) Though the name of this reflecting power [Conscience] they were less acquainted with; the thing it self they reckoned as a kind of indwelling Deity, (as may be seen at large in those Discourses of Maximus Tyrius, and Apuleius both upon the same subject concerning the god of Socrates) And another giving this precept, Familiarize thy self with the gods; adds, and this shalt thou do, if thou bear thy mind becomingly towards them; being well pleased with the things they give, and doing the things that may please thy Daemon or Genius, whom (saith he) the most high God (which they mean by Jupiter) hath put into every man as as a derivation or extraction from himself ([Greek or Hebrew]) to be his president and guide,2 viz. every ones own mind and reason.
The general aversion of mens Spirits to this so necessary work of self-reflection is one of the most deplorable Symptoms of lapsed, degenerate humanity. The wickedness that hath overspread the nature of man, and a secret consciousness, and misgiving, hath made men afraid of themselves, and studiously to decline all acquaintance with their own souls; to shun themselves as Ghosts and Spectives; they cannot indure to appear to themselves. You can hardly impose a severer task upon a wicked man, than to go retire an hour or two, and commune with himself, he knows not how to face his own thoughts: His own soul is a Devil to him (as indeed it will be in hell, the most frightful, tormenting Devil) Yet what power is there, in man, more excellent, more appropriate to reasonable nature, than that of reflecting, of turning his thoughts upon himself. ⟨p. 248⟩Sense must here confess it self out done. The eye that sees other objects cannot see it self. But the mind, a rational Sun, can, not only project its beams, but revert them; make its thoughts turn inward. It can see its own face, contemplate it self. And how useful an indowment is this to the nature of man? If he err he might perpetuate his error, and wander infinitely, if he had not this self-reflecting power, and, if he do well never know, without it, the comfort of a rational self-approbation. Which comfort Paganish morality hath valued so highly, as to account it did associate a man with the inhabitants of heaven;1 and make him lead his life as among the gods (as their Pagan language is) Though the name of this reflecting power [Conscience] they were less acquainted with; the thing it self they reckon'd as a kind of indwelling Deity, (as may be seen at large in those Discourses of Maximus Tyrius, and Apuleius both upon the same subject concerning the god of Socrates) And another giving this precept, Familiarize thy self with the gods; adds, and this shalt thou do, if thou bear thy mind becomingly towards them; being well pleased with the things they give, and doing the things that may please thy Daemon or Genius, whom (saith he) the most high God (which they mean by Jupiter) hath put into every man as as a derivation or extraction from himself (〈non-Latin alphabet〉) to be his president and guide,2 viz. every ones own mind and reason.
- 1[Greek or Hebrew], &c. [Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉, &c. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 2Mar. Antonin. Lib. 5.
