Self examination 

It was a good saying of one to a great lord, 
upon his showing his stately house, and pleasant 
gardens : " Sir, you had need make sure of heav- 
en, or else, when you die, you will be a very 
great loser." 

If you would be good betimes, you must ac- 
quaint yourselves with yourselves betimes. No 
man begins to be good till he sees himself to be 
bad. The ready way to be found is to see our- 
selves lost. The first step to mercy, is to see our 
own misery ; the first step toward heaven, is to 
see ourselves near hell. 

Ah, believer, it is only heaven that is above 
all winds, storms, and tempests; God did not 
cast man out of paradise, that he might be able 
to find himself another paradise in this world. 
The world and you must part, or Christ and you 
will never meet. " Ye can not serve God and 
mammon."

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