WE CAN NOT trust ourselves too much,1 because grace oftentimes is lacking in us, and understanding also.
There is but little light in us, and that which we have we quickly lose by our negligence.
Oftentimes too we do not perceive our own inward blindness. We often do evil, and do worse2 in excusing ourselves.
We are sometimes moved with passion, and we think it to be zeal.
We reprehend small things in others, and pass over greater matters in ourselves.3
We quickly enough feel and weigh what we suffer at the hands of others; but we mind not what others suffer from us.
He that doth well and rightly consider his own works, will find little cause to judge hardly of another.
2. The inward Christian preferreth the care of himself before all other cares.4 And he that diligently attendeth unto himself, doth seldom speak much of others.
Thou wilt never be so inwardly devout, unless thou pass over other men’s affairs with silence, and look especially to thyself.
If thou attend wholly unto God and thyself, thou wilt be but little moved with whatsoever thou seest outside.5
Where art thou, when thou art not with thyself? And when thou hast overrun all things, what hast thou then profited, if thou hast neglected thyself?
If thou desirest peace of mind and true unity of purpose, thou must still put all things behind thee, and look only upon thyself.
3. Thou shalt then make great progress, if thou keep thyself free from all temporal care.
Thou shalt greatly fall back, if thou esteem anything temporal as of value.
Let nothing be great unto thee, nothing high, nothing pleasing, nothing acceptable, but only God himself, or that which is of God.
Consider all comfort vain,6 which thou receivest from any creature.
A soul that loveth God, despiseth all things that are inferior unto God.
God alone is everlasting, and of infinite greatness, filling all creatures; the soul’s solace, and the true joy of the heart.
1. Jer. 17:5
2. Psalm 141:4
3. Matt. 7:5
4. Matt. 16:26
5. 1 Cor. 4:3; Gal. 1:10
6. Eccles. 1:14