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 dying words of Mr. Ash, the Puritan, are well-deserving of notice. He said, "When I consider my best duties, I sink, I die, I despair. But when I think of Christ, I have enough. He is all and in all.
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
Bad men have their good moods, as good men have their bad moods; a bad man may, under pangs of conscience, a smarting rod, the approaches of death, or the fears of hell, or when he is sermon sick, cry out to the Lord for grace, righteousness, and holiness; but he is the only blessed man that hungers and thirsts after righteousness at all times. Heaven is for that man and that man is for heaven that hungers and thirsts in a right manner after the righteousness of justification and after the righteousness of sanctification.
It has many a time made my heart sad to think how those men will answer it in the day of Christ, who affect lofty strains, high notions, and cloudy expressions; who make the plain things of the gospel dark and obscure. Many preachers in our days are like Heraclitus, who was called the dark doctor. They affect sublime notions, obscure expressions, uncouth phrases, making plain truths difficult and easy truths hard. "They darken counsel with words without knowledge."… It is better to present truth in her native plainness than to hang her ears with counterfeit pearls.
Prayer is too hard and too high a work for an unsound heart to hold on in; prayer is heart work, and that proves heavy work to him. The soul of prayer lies in the pouring out of the soul before God, and this is a work that a hypocrite has no skill in. Choice Jewels
Pleasures are like a substance in the pursuit, but clouds in the enjoyment. Pleasure is a beautiful harlot sitting in her chariot whose four wheels are pride, gluttony, lust, and idleness; the two horses are prosperity and abundance; the two drivers are idleness and security; her attendants and followers are guilt, grief, late repentance (if any), and oft death and ruin.
Vinedressers are rewarded according to their diligence and faithfulness, though some vines never bear nor bring forth fruit at all. As ministers are diligent and faithful, so the reward, the crown shall be given full at last. This is many a faithful minister's grief, that he takes a great deal of pains in rubbing and washing, as it were, to make souls white and clean, pure and holy, and yet they remain, after all, as black as hell; but surely their reward shall never be the less with God. The nurse looks not for her wages from the child, but from the parent.
The worst of men are in a dead sleep, and the best of men are too often in a sinful slumber; and therefore faithful ministers have need to cry aloud, they have need to be courageous and zealous, to awaken both sinners and saints, that none may go sleeping to hell. Cowardice in a minister is cruelty; if he fears the faces of men, he is a murderer of the souls of men. Smooth Stones