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PERSONAL DUTIES.

[Part IV.

vated in every age, in a greater or less degree, in connexion withreligion, natural or revealed, and under its influence. This maybe distinctly seen in many passages of the writings of the an-cient philosophers ; but it may be still more distinctly seen in anumerous class of Christian writings.

The importance of self-examination, to ensure any consider-able progress, either in intellectual or moral improvement, hasalways been understood, and the New Testament enjoins this asa special Christian duty. Accordingly pious Christians have, atall times, made it their special care to cultivate the peculiar vir-tues of our religion, on a plan, of which self-examination hasmade an essential part. Many such plans have been committedto writing by their authors, and have had merit enough, in theopinion of their friends, to justify their publication after theirdeath. We have them under the form of private journals, inwhich is an entry, from day to day, of the feelings, trials, tempta-tions, failings, encouragements, obstacles, backslidings, and ad-vances of the authors, in pursuing the Christian life, all detailedwith the utmost sincerity, and apparently without any reserve.Or they consist of sets of resolutions, cautions, and admonitions,pertaining to the author’s personal state, condition, and prospects,and designed to be reviewed occasionally or at stated seasons.*Many of these are instructive, especially in this point of view,that they make us acquainted with the most private thoughts oftheir authors in their most private hours, when they were entirelywithdrawn from the gaze and influence of men. Some of themare of very great value, and almost all of them contain unques-tionable internal proof of their utility in enabling their authors toattain a standard of piety and virtue, which without their aid they,in all probability, would never have reached.

But the most curious and interesting document of this kind,which, as far as I know, exists, is a plan devised and practisedupon during many years by the celebrated Dr. Franklin, of which

* The most valuable resolutions of this kind known to the author, are thoseof President Jonathan Edwards, which have often been published, and may beseen, probably, in any edition of his Works. They were written in early life,and manifestly contributed much to the formation of his moral and religiouscharacter.

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