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I must preach the Gospel of Christ, and this I cannot now do without speaking of election. Dallimore, Whitefield, II, p. 41
A sheep may fall into a ditch, but it is the swine that wallows in it.
He who is his own teacher, is sure to have a fool for his master!
if Jacob had been elected because of his future merits, then his election would no longer be from grace: and so he was not elected by God because of what he was going to become, but he became such because of his election.The Sentences, Book 1, Dist 41
For my part I cannot see how true humbleness of mind can be attained without a knowledge of [the doctrine of election]; and though I will not say, that every one who denies election is a bad man, yet I will say, with that sweet singer, Mr. Trail, it is a very bad sign: such a one, whoever he be, I think cannot truly know himself; for, if we deny election, we must, partly at least, glory in ourselves; but our redemption is so ordered, that no flesh should glory in the Divine presence; and hence it is, that the pride of man opposes this doctrine, because, according to this doctrine, and no other, "he that glories must glory only in the Lord. Haykin, ed., Revived Puritan, pp. 97-98
The Christian must always be at war. If he has peace with sin, he is at war with God.
If you allow your love of creature comforts — or even your pleasure in family and loved ones — to outrun your love for the Lord, you cannot be a victorious soldier for Christ.The Christian in Complete Armour, 1:72
The layman has a large field in which he may minister to his fellow man, even if he is not called to full time ministry.Christian in Complete Armour 1:300
We fear man so much because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. Complete Armour
True faith on the promise works obedience to the commmand.Christian in Complete Armour
We make our election sure by making our calling sure: "God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification." By the streams we come at last to the fountain. If we find the stream of sanctification running in our souls, we may by this come to the springhead of election. I do not look up into the secret of God's purpose, yet I may know I am elected by the shining of sanctifying grace in my soul. Whosoever he be that can find the word of God transcribed and copied out into his heart may undeniably conclude he is elected of God.
It is true that God, before the foundation of the world, fully determined with Himself whom to choose to salvation by grace, to which also He ordained them, and whom to pass by and leave in their sins, for which He determined in His just wrath to condemn them. But who these be is a secret which even the elect themselves cannot know until they be effectually called—nay, nor being called, until by some experience and proofs of their faith and holiness, they do understand the witness of the Spirit, which testifies to their spirits that they are the children of God and do make their calling and election, which was always sure in God, sure to themselves.
God did choose some rather than others out of His mere good pleasure. There was no cause, motive, or condition in the party chosen moving the Lord to choose Him and pass by others. But whereas God might have utterly rejected all, of His free grace and mercy He had compassion on some. Thus, the apostle teacheth that he did predestinate us according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace (Eph. 1:5). If He had chosen some (as Peter, for example) because He foresaw they would be good and die in the faith and had refused others (as Judas) because He foresaw they would be wicked and obstinate despisers of His gospel, this had not been an act of grace; it had not set forth the glory of that attribute but rather of His distributive justice.
Election, I say, is expressed to us by all that God means to bestow upon us actually to eternity, forever and ever, which He "hath prepared for them that love him"; so the phrase is (1 Cor. 2:9). And verse 12: "We have received…the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God"—that is, given us when He first set His heart upon us. My brethren, when God first began to love you, He gave you all that He ever meant to give you in the lump, and eternity of time is that in which He is retailing of it out.
The counsel of God concerning election is secret. The minister knows not who are the objects of it and therefore must preach to all, according to his commission. The Lord deals in this as in the matter of lots. Saul was foreappointed to be king, yet all Israel must come together and lots must be cast on the whole nation, as if the person were yet undesigned (1 Sam. 9:16; 10:20–21). The falling of the lot was wholly contingent as to men; another might have been taken as well as he it fell upon. But the Lord disposed it and casts it on the right person (Prov. 16:33). So, touching the gospel: it is sent to a place where, perhaps, but one or very few elect persons are, and those only shall be taken by it; and yet it must be published to the whole city promiscuously.Practical Discourses
being a doctrine of so great importance, be not indifferent about it. Put yourself on the trial touching your interest in it and bring forth your evidences for it. Observe what are the properties of God's elect, and see if they stand on your side. Practical Discourses
Heaven was made at the beginning of the world, but election was before. Practical Discourses
Election is absolute. In this are two things of great import— irrevocableness and independency. The decree is irrevocable on God's part, and independent as to human performances. The Lord will not go back from His to save His people, nor shall their unworthiness or averseness make void or hinder His most gracious intendment. And hence those various expressions of the same thing— namely, predestinate, ordain, prepare, appoint—have nothing subjoined that is like a conditional. There is, indeed, a kind of conditions, or rather qualifications, that must and always do precede the final completement of election, as "repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ," which, therefore, may be called conditionals of salvation, but not so to election.
Our election passively is God's actively. God's eternal purpose [is] to reconcile us. But how should this be made sure unto our hearts without their believing and considering that God has eternal purposes about that matter?
Beware of curiosity. He is half gone into error that vainly covets novelties and listens after every newfangled opinion.
The devil's empire is confined to place as well as time: he is the ruler of this lower world, not of the heavenly. The highest the devil can go is the air, called the prince thereof, as being the utmost marches of his empire; he hath nothing to do with the upper world. Heaven fears no devil, and therefore its gates stand always open.
Thou art young; thou canst not therefore say thou shalt not die as yet. Alas! Measure the coffins in the churchyard and thou wilt find some of thy length. Young and old are within the reach of death's scythe. Old men, indeed, go to death; their age calls for it. But young men cannot hinder death's coming unto them.
You must know conscience is a faculty that is corrupted as much as any other by nature and is very often made use of by Satan to deceive both good and bad, godly and ungodly. Many that know their consciences, they say, speak peace to them will be found merely cheated and gulled when the books shall be opened; no such discharge will then be found entered in the book of the word as conscience hath put into their hand. And many gracious souls who passed their days in a continual fear of their spiritual state and were kept chained in the dark dungeon of a troublesome conscience shall then be acquitted and have their action against Satan for false imprisonment and accusing their consciences to the disturbing their peace.
Converse with the saints that have the Spirit of God in them. They that would learn a foreign language associate with men of the country whose natural tongue it is. Wouldst thou have God and learn to speak heaven's language? Associate with those who by reason of their heavenly nature will be speaking of the things of God. It is true, they cannot propagate their spiritual nature; but it is as true that the Spirit of God may take the gracious discourses which they breathe forth the means of quickening thee. While thou art with such, thou walkest in the Spirit's company.https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2025/09/the-grace-of-christian-fellowship/
Liberty is the Diana of our times. O what apologies are made for some suspicious practices: long hair; gaudy, garish apparel; spotted faces; naked breasts! These have been called to the bar in former times and censured by sober and solid Christians as things at least suspicious and of no good report, but now they have hit on a more favorable jury that find them not guilty; yea, many are so fond of them that they think Christian liberty is wronged in their censure. Professors are so far from a holy jealousy that should make them watch their hearts, lest they go too far, that they stretch their consciences to come up to the full length of their tether, as if he were the brave Christian that could come nearest the pit of sin and not fall in.Christian in Complete Armour, 306
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