Quote 4596
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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!
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
They say smelling of the earth is healthful for the body and taking in the scent of this sulphurous pit, by frequent meditation, cannot but be as wholesome for the soul. O Christian, be sometimes walking in the company of those scriptures which set out the state of the damned in hell and their exquisite torments. This is the true house of mourning, and the going into it by serious meditation is a sovereign means to make the living lay it to heart; and laying it to heart, there is the less fear that thou wilt throw thyself by thy impenitency into this uncomfortable place who art offered so fair a mansion in heaven through faith and repentance.
Many among us, I think, would be content if there were such a law that might tie up ministers' mouths from scaring them with their sins and the miseries that attend their unreconciled state. The most are more careful to run from the discourse of their misery than to get out of the danger of it, are more offended with the talk of hell than troubled for that sinful state that shall bring them thither.
Satan labors to put off the sinner with delays. Floating, flitting thoughts of repenting he fears not; he can give sinners leave to talk what they will do so he can beg time and by his art keep such thoughts from coming to a head and ripening into a perfect resolution. Few are in hell but thought of repenting.
Could the damned forget the way they went into hell, how oft the Spirit of God was wooing, and how far they were overcome by the conviction of it—in a word, how many turns and returns there were in their journey forward and backward, what possibilities—yea, probabilities—they had for heaven when on earth. Were but some hand so kind as to blot these tormenting passages out of their memories, it would ease them wonderfully.
The saints in heaven shall be like the angels in their alacrity, love, and constancy to serve God; and the damned, like the devils in sin as well as punishment.
Knowledge and affection mutually help one another; it is good to keep up our affections of love and delight by all sweet inducements and divine encouragements, for what the heart likes best the mind studies most. Those that can bring their hearts to delight in Christ know most of His ways.
The heart of a Christian is Christ's garden, and His graces are as so many sweet spices and flowers, which His Spirit blowing upon makes them to send forth a sweet savor. Therefore, keep the soul open for entertainment of the Holy Ghost, for He will bring in continually fresh forces to subdue corruption, and this most of all on the Lord's Day.
A sincere heart is like a clear stream in a brook: you may see to the bottom of his plots in his words and take the measure of his heart by his tongue.
So a man that hath a watch and understands the use of every wheel and pin, if it goes amiss, he will presently find out the cause of it; but one that hath no skill in a watch, when it goes amiss, he knows not what the matter is and therefore cannot mend it. So indeed, our hearts are as a watch, and there are many wheels and windings and turnings there, and we should labor to know our hearts well, that when they are out of tune we may know what the matter is.
Other things may be the worse for breaking, yet a heart is never at the best till it be broken.
He that knows the true worth of grace thinks he hath never enough till satisfied with it in glory.
Grace is of a stirring nature and not such a dead thing, like an image, which you may lock up in a chest, and none shall know what God you worship. No, grace will show itself; it will walk with you in all places and companies; it will buy with you and sell for you; it will have a hand in all your enterprises; it will comfort you when you are sincere and faithful for God, and it will complain and chide you when you are otherwise. Go to, stop its mouth and heaven shall hear its voice; it will groan, mourn, and strive even as a living man when you would smother him. I will as soon believe the man to be alive that lies peaceably as he is nailed up in his coffin, without strife or bustle, as that thou hast grace and never exercise it in any act of spiritual life.
The gospel presents us with the articles of peace, which God graciously offers to treat, and conclude an inviolable peace upon with rebellious man. In it we have the whole method which God laid in His own thoughts from eternity of reconciling poor sinners to Himself. The gospel, what is it but God's heart in print? The precious promises of the gospel, what are they but heaven's court rolls translated into the creature's language? Complete Armour
Gospel comfort springs from a gospel root, which is Christ.
God will not only be admired by His saints in glory for His love in their salvation but for His wisdom in the way to it. The love of God in saving them will be the sweet draft at the marriage feast, and the rare wisdom of God in effecting this as the curious workmanship with which the cup shall be enameled.
God is wise to conceal the succors He intends in the several changes of thy life, that so He may draw thy heart into an entire dependence on His faithful promise. Thus, to try the metal of Abraham's faith, He let him go on till his hand was stretched forth, and then He comes to his rescue. Christ sends His disciples to sea but stays behind Himself on a design to try their faith and show His love. Comfort thyself, therefore, with this: though thou cannot see thy God in the way, yet thou shalt find Him in the end.
One great part of justice consists in a faithful and punctual performance of promises. He is a just man that keeps his word. And can God be a just God if He doth not? The word is gone out of His mouth that He will forgive such. Yea, He is willing to be accounted just or unjust by us as He makes performance thereof. See where He pledges His attribute upon this very account: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). He doth not say "merciful" but "just," as the attribute which we fear most should vote against us; this, He would have us know, is bound for the performance of the promise. It was mercy in God to make the promise, but justice to perform what mercy hath promised.
The highest created throne that God can sit in is the soul of a believer.
How can God stoop lower than to come and dwell with a poor, humble soul, which is more than if He had said such a one should dwell with Him? For a beggar to live at court is not so much as the king to dwell with him in his cottage. Yet this promise is ushered in with the most magnificent titles: "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit" (Isa. 57:15).
We fear man so much because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. Complete Armour
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