J.C. Ryle on Our View of Ourselves

"What do you think of yourself? What Paul thought of himself you have seen and heard. Now, what are your thoughts about yourself? Have you found out that grand foundational truth that you are a sinner, a guilty sinner in the sight of God?

"The cry for more education in this day is loud and incessant. Ignorance is universally deplored. But, you may depend, there is not ignorance so common and so mischievous as ignorance or ourselves. Yes, men may know all arts and sciences and languages, and political economy and statecraft, and yet be miserably ignorant of their own hearts and their own state before God.

"Be very sure that self-knowledge is the first step towards heaven. To know God's unspeakable perfection, and our own immense imperfection, to see our own unspeakable defectiveness and corruption, is the ABC in saving religion. The more real inward light we have, the more humble and lowly-minded we shall be, and the more we shall understand the value of that despised thing, the gospel of Christ. He that think worst of himself and his own doings is perhaps the best Christian before God. Well would it be of many if they would pray, night and day, this simple prayer: 'Lord, show me myself'" (J.C. Ryle, Holiness).