Quote 4326
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The way to preserve the peace of the church is to preserve its purity.
It is easy to be religious when religion is in fashion; but it is an evidence of strong faith and resolution to swim against a stream to heaven, and to appear for God when no one else appears for Him.Matthew Henry's Commentary
The service of sin is perfect slavery; the service of God is perfect liberty.
The way of family worship is a good old way, no new thing, but the ancient usage of the saints.Commentary Gen 12:6
Human learning is both ornamental and serviceable to a gospel minister, especially for the convincing of those who are outside; for it enables him to beat them at their own weapons, and to cut off Goliath's head with his own sword.
the decline of church discipline is perhaps the most visible failure of the contemporary church. No longer concerned with maintaining purity of confession or lifestyle, the contemporary church sees itself as a voluntary association of autonomous members, with minimal moral accountability to God, much less to each other.
A life spent in the service of God and communion with Him is the most pleasant life that anyone can live in this world.
He whose head is in heaven need not fear to put his feet into the grave.
Behold, and wonder, that the great God should love such a worthless world! That the holy God should love such a wicked world with a love of good will, when he could not look upon it with any complacency.
If God does not give His people what they ask for, it is because He knows they do not need it, and that it is not for their good.
Take Jesus for your king, and by baptism swear allegiance to him; take him for your prophet, and hear him; take him for your priest, to make atonement for you.
No man will say, "There is no God" 'till he is so hardened in sin that it has
become his interest that there should be none to call him to account.
It is common for those that are farthest from God, to boast themselves most of their being near to the Church.
the following are specific areas addressed in Scripture that require Church discipline: personal sin committed by one member against another member of the church; egregious/public moral failure; heretical teaching; divisiveness; idleness; confirmed sin among the church's leaders.Sojourners and Strangers, 199
It has been remarked, that when discipline leaves a church, Christ goes with itA Treatise on Church Order
church discipline is a proleptic (or anticipatory) and declarative sign of the divine eschatological judgement, meted out by Jesus Christ through the church against its sinful members and sinful situations.Sojourners and Strangers, 184
A modest dress is a very good thing, if it be the genuine indication of a humble heart, and is to instruct; but it is a bad thing if it be the hypocritical disguise of a proud ambitious heart, and is to deceive. Let men be really as good as they seem to be, but not seem to be better than really they are.Matthew Henry's Commentary
Against all that I have said in behalf of discipline you will plead, "Our people are not ready for it; they will not yet bear it." But is not the meaning of this that you will not bear the trouble and hatred which it will occasion? I beseech you, in order that you may make a comfortable account to the Chief Shepherd and that you may not be found unfaithful in the house of God, that you do not shrink from duty because of the trouble that may attend it. Reformed Pastor
The neglect of discipline has a strong tendency to the deluding of souls by making men think that they are Christians when they are not because they are not separated from such as are, and by making scandalous sinners think their sin tolerable because it is so tolerated by the pastors of the church. We hereby corrupt Christianity itself in the eyes of the world and do our part to make them believe that to be a Christian is only to be of such or such an opinion, and that the Christian religion requires holiness no more than the false religions of the world. Reformed Pastor
The accusations of none, not even the best in the church, should be taken without proof. A minister should never make himself a party before he has sufficient evidence of the case. It is better to let many vicious persons go unpunished and without censure when we want full evidence against them than to censure one unjustly, which we may easily do if we go upon bold presumptions alone. And that will bring upon a pastor the scandal of partiality and unrighteous dealing, which will make all his reproofs and censures become contemptible.
God's hiding his face is trouble enough to a good man even in his prosperity but if when we are in trouble, God hides his face, the case is sad indeed.
to be angry at nothing but sin is the way not to sin in anger.
A man's house is his castle, and God's law, as well as man's, sets a guard up upon it; he that assaults it does so at his peril.Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1:291
As the cistern receives water from the fulness of the fountain, the branches sap from the fulness of the root, and the air light from the fulness of the sun, so we receive grace from the fulness of Christ.
It is true, of two evils we must choose the less, but of two sins we must choose neither, nor ever do evil that good may come of it.
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1. Thomas Watson (137)
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3. J.C. Ryle (117)
4. John Calvin (107)
5. J.I. Packer (92)
6. John Piper (87)
7. George Swinnock (77)
8. A.W. Pink (68)
9. John Flavel (65)
10. Louis Berkhof (63)
11. C.S. Lewis (59)
12. John Owen (58)
13. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (58)
14. B.B. Warfield (58)
15. R.C. Sproul (55)
16. Heinrich Bullinger (53)
17. Thomas Brooks (52)
18. Gerald Bray (50)
19. Francis Schaeffer (50)
20. Thomas Manton (50)
2. Charles Spurgeon (134)
3. J.C. Ryle (117)
4. John Calvin (107)
5. J.I. Packer (92)
6. John Piper (87)
7. George Swinnock (77)
8. A.W. Pink (68)
9. John Flavel (65)
10. Louis Berkhof (63)
11. C.S. Lewis (59)
12. John Owen (58)
13. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (58)
14. B.B. Warfield (58)
15. R.C. Sproul (55)
16. Heinrich Bullinger (53)
17. Thomas Brooks (52)
18. Gerald Bray (50)
19. Francis Schaeffer (50)
20. Thomas Manton (50)
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