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the gospel is the most evident sentence of the eternal God, brought down from heaven, absolving all believers from all their sins, and that is freely too, for Christ's sake, with a promise of eternal life.
the Ten Commandments are the very absolute and everlasting rule of true righteousness and all virtues, set down for all places, men, and ages, to frame themselves by. For the sum of the Ten Commandments is this: to show our love to God, and to love one another. And the Lord requires this at all times, and everywhere, of all kinds of men. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Nevertheless we must take heed here lest, contrary to the nature of true religion, we attribute too much to angels. We must take heed that we not worship them; that we not call upon them, nor serve them. Indeed, when men hear that angels are given to them by God as ministers, and that God does good to us by them, they later think that some honour is to be ascribed and given to them. But sincere religion teaches us to acknowledge God as the author of all good things; that the angels are the ministers of God, and instruments as it were, by whom God works — just as we see the sun, the moon, and the stars, the patriarchs, the prophets, and the apostles, to be and to have been.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
we must further see what manner of creatures angels are: they are heavenly spirits, and incorruptible and most swift substances. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
For the Father works all things by the Spirit. By him God creates, sustains, moves, gives life, strengthens, and preserves all things. By the self-same Spirit, he regenerates his faithful people, sanctifies them, and endues them with diverse kinds of graces. Thus, in the description of him mentioned above, his principal powers and effects which show themselves by their working in men, are comprised in four members. I said that he illuminates, regenerates, sanctifies, and fulfils the faithful with all good graces.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
the Holy Ghost in man increases or fills, and diminishes or departs: not that there is any change to be found in God (who, as commonly and truly said, neither receives more or less); but because man, according to his capacity, either receives the Spirit plentifully and liberally, or else measurably and sparingly, even as it pleases the Holy Ghost.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
The Holy Ghost is the third person in Trinity, to be worshipped, very God, proceeding from the Father and the Son. He enlightens, regenerates, sanctifies, and fulfills the faithful with all good graces. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
kings can serve their Lord and King in no other way than as kings — that is, in doing those things which kings ought to do; namely, to execute judgment and justice.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
because our Lord is a king, he must therefore have a kingdom. The realm and dominion subject to a king is called a kingdom, as well as principality, empire, power, and the manner of government itself. Therefore the church, the communion or fellowship of saints, being obedient and subject to their king Christ, is called the kingdom of GodThe Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
in Isaiah, the people of God cry out: "You, God, are our Father. Though Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel does not know us; You, O Lord, are our Father, and our Redeemer." Isa 63.16 iv.212 If, then, the patriarchs — so studious and careful for their people — did not know what they did, which of the saints (I ask you) would we grant or point out, who knows what we do, and intermeddles with the affairs of the living?The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
As for the "heavenly patrons," as these men call them, they neither know the thoughts of men; nor is their power spread throughout the heaven, the earth, and the seas; nor do they know all things; nor yet are they everywhere present, or omnipotent. For if it were so with them, then they would be transformed and changed into a divine nature, and would cease to be creatures anymore. But although they enjoy everlasting blessedness by Christ, yet notwithstanding, they remain creatures still; nor do they know all things, nor are they almighty. And therefore they are to be called upon at no one's hand. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
it is most certain that it belongs to God only to give good things, and to turn away evil things. It consequently follows that God only and alone must be called upon. For if those patrons who are called upon as helpers and succourers, are able either to give those things that are good, or to turn away those things that are evil, then certainly there is not one God only; for those would likewise be gods. But they are not gods, because there is but one GodThe Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
We make our confession to GOD privately, when we disburden our hearts before God, open the secrets of our hearts to him alone, and, in acknowledging the sins that are in us, we earnestly beseech him to have mercy upon us. This confession is necessary to obtain pardon for our sins. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
repentance is a turning to God which, even though he stirs it up in us by his word and other means, is so wrought in us, notwithstanding, especially by the Holy Ghost, that with fear we love, and with love we fear our just God and merciful Lord, from whom we were turned back, being sorry now with all our hearts that with our sins, we ever offended so gracious a Father.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
This is the sum and breviary of the whole gospel: that we are justified — that is to say, we are absolved from sins, from the definitive sentence of death and damnation; and we are sanctified and adopted into the number of the sons of God — by faith, that is, by an assured confidence in the name of Christ, which is given by the Father to be our only Saviour. And here works are excluded, to the end that there should be given to us no occasion to entangle faith with works, or to attribute to works the glory and title due to faith alone — or rather to Christ, upon whom our faith is grounded and upheldThe Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
eternal salvation is seeing and enjoying the eternal God. Consequently, it is an inseparable joining or knitting to himThe Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Christ is both king and high priest, that is, our Saviour; he is the mark, the star, and the very sunlight of the preaching of the gospel.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
The gospel is the heavenly preaching of God's grace toward us, in which it is declared to the whole world, which is set in the wrath and indignation of God, that God the Father of heaven is pleased in his only-begotten Son, our Lord Christ Jesus. He promised him to the holy fathers of old, and has now exhibited him to us in these latter times. And in him God has given us all things belonging to a blessed life and eternal salvation, as he that was made incarnate for us, dead, and raised from the dead again, was taken up into heaven, and is made our only Lord and Saviour, on the condition that, acknowledging our sins, we soundly and surely believe in him.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
all men are the children of one father, of one stock, and of the same progeny. Murder is therefore directly against civil humanity, and it is a plague that reigns among men. Does not the Lord our Redeemer also require charity of all men, which must so abound that we may not hesitate to die for our neighbour? To kill our neighbour, therefore, is flatly repugnant to Christian religion.
The very deed of murder, fights directly and disobediently against the eternal God, who is the life and salvation of the world. For murder destroys the very image of God, because man is created in the similitude and likeness of God. If a man were to purposely deface the image of the king or prince, set up by their commandment, he would be accused of committing treason. How great a danger is he in, then, who destroys a man — who is the reasonable, living, and very picture of God himself!
there is a holy kind of anger, which the scripture does not disallow; so that, unless a man is angry in that way, he will never be a good and godly man. For a good man has a zeal for God, and in that godly zeal he is angry at the iniquity and naughtiness of mankind.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Stripes must not be bestowed except for some great offence, and that too, should not be done in the father's anger, but moderately; not to mar, but to amend them. Let the parents always remember that golden saying of St. Paul, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger." The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
I have to say something, in what is left, touching the correction of those that are included under the name of children. This correction consists partly in words, and partly in stripes. In both there must be a middle-mean and measure, do that nothing is done outrageously. Do not let the admonition that is given in words be more bitter than the fault deserves. Let it nip for the time present; but being past, let it be spoken of no more.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
let the father place his children with expert and cunning 570 workmen, to teach them some handicraft by which to earn their living another day. But first, he must test their wits, to see which each child is most apt for, and in which the child most delights. For "cunning will never be attained, where good will is lacking in the one that must learn it." If you have any children fit for learning, you will do a good and godly deed, to train them up to the ministry of the church, or some other office that stands by learning. But of all others, fault is to be found with those parents who bring up their children in lazy idleness. For, even if huge heaps of treasure were left to them, yet in three or four odd hours all may be wasted and come to nothing. To what, then, will your dainty idle gentleman trust — what will he do — when there is nothing left but his bare carcass, which is a lump of clay and not good for anything? The inhabiters of Massilia would not admit anyone to citizenship, except those who had learned an occupation to live by. 571 For there is no greater plague to a city than an unprofitable citizen.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Let the father instruct his children in manners. From our birth, we are all clownish and rude; and all children have unseemly and uncivil manners. This evil is doubled by evil custom and clownish company. Let the parents, therefore, teach their children manners early, which may adorn them at home, and become them abroad. Let him instruct the child how to behave himself decently in his going and in the posture of his body: how in the church, how in the market, how at the table, how in men's companies, and in all other places of company. The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Top Authors
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2. Thomas Watson (128)
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