Pirates do not use to set upon poor empty vessels; and beggars need not fear the thief. Those that have most of God, and are most rich in grace— shall be most assaulted by Satan, who is the greatest and craftiest pirate in the world.
God will have nothing to do with proud persons, he will never dwell with them, he will never keep house with them.
He that dwells in the highest heavens, will never dwell in a haughty heart.
For a close, remember this, that your life is short, your duties many, your assistance great, and your reward sure; therefore faint not, hold on and hold up, in ways of well-doing, and heaven shall make amends for all!Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
The main reason why men dote upon the world, and damn their souls to get the world, is, because they are not acquainted with a greater glory!Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
Afflictions are God's furnace, by which he cleanses his people from their dross. Affliction is a fire to purge out our dross, and to make virtue shine. Afflictions are medicines which heal soul diseases, better than all the remedies of physicians.Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
It is a great mistake among many tender Christians to think that they have no communion with God but when they find God raising the springs of joy and comfort in their souls; when they find the sensible presence of God cheering, refreshing, and enlarging of them in their closets. Then they are willing to grant that they have had sweet communion with God in their closets, but if He breaks their hearts for sin, if He meets with them and makes His power and His presence manifest in debasing and casting down their souls upon the sight and sense of their strong corruptions and imperfections, how unwilling are they to believe that they have had any communication with God? Well, friends, remember this once for all, that a Christian may have as real communion with God in a heart-humbling way as he can have in a heart-comforting way; a Christian may have as choice communion with God when his eyes are full of tears as he can have when his heart is full of joy.
When the commands of authority run cross to the commands of God, the commands of God must be obeyed, though the greatest authority under heaven should be displeased and enraged. God never gave the greatest authority in the world any authority to act contrary to His commands. Disobedience to unlawful commands is no disobedience.
What is affliction? Affliction is all that is contrary to one's will; thereby God eats out the core of our wills. Whensoever therefore you meet with any affliction, pray over it and beg that God would eat out the core of your wills thereby; and the more the core of your wills is eaten out, the more willing you will be to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.Works 3:342
A humble soul knows that to bless God in prosperity is the way to increase it, and to bless God in adversity is the way to remove it.Unsearchable Riches of Christ
Afflictions likewise strengthen us—by the exercise our graces. As our limbs and natural powers would be feeble if not called to daily exertion—so the graces of the Spirit would languish, without something which was provided to draw them out to use.
Lastly, afflictions are honorable, as they advance our conformity to Jesus our Lord, who was a man of sorrows for our sake. Methinks, if we might go to heaven without suffering, we would be unwilling to desire it. Why should we ever wish to go by any other path to heaven—than that which Jesus has consecrated and endeared, by his own example?