Such Is Man's Nature, That He Is

Resolved, To Study The Scriptures So Steadily, Constantly And Frequently, As That I May Find, And Plainly Perceive Myself To Grow In The Knowledge Of The Same.

Seek Not To Grow In Knowledge Chiefly For The Sake Of Applause, And To Enable You To Dispute With Others; But Seek It For The Benefit Of Your Souls.

Resolved, To Confess Frankly To Myself All That Which I Find In Myself, Either Infirmity Or Sin; And, If It Be What Concerns Religion, Also To Confess The Whole Case To God, And Implore Needed Help.

If The Heart Be Chiefly And Directly Fixed On God, And The Soul Engaged To Glorify Him, Some Degree Of Religious Affection Will Be The Effect And Attendant Of It. But To Seek After Affection Directly And Chiefly; To Have The Heart Principally Set Upon That; Is To Place It In The Room Of God And His Glory. If It Be Sought, That Others May Take Notice Of It, And Admire Us For Our Spirituality And Forwardness In Religion, It Is Then Damnable Pride; If For The Sake Of Feeling The Pleasure Of Being Affected, It Is Then Idolatry And Self-gratification.

To Mark All That I Say In Conversation, Merely To Beget In Others, A Good Opinion Of Myself, And Examine It.