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Spend the greatest part of the day in thy particular calling. He that minds not his closet before his shop is an atheist, and he that minds not his shop after his closet is a hypocrite. The world is God's great family, and He will allow none in it to be idle.
Many of the saints of God have reaped no small benefit by recording the dealings of God with their own souls and looking over them in times of distress. Dr. Calamy speaks of a very good woman that had for many years written down her evidences for heaven. Before she died, she was for a time suffered to sink into darkness and despondency. By reading over her own diary and observing the past lovingkindness of the Lord and the sweet communion she had often enjoyed with Christ her God and Savior, her gloomy fears vanished, and her soul began to triumph in her great deliverer. Christian Warrior
An idle person is a fit subject for the devil to work upon.
Idleness is the hour of temptation, and an idle person is the devil's tennis ball, tossed by him at his pleasure.
The proud man is Satan's throne, and the idle man is his pillow.
It is hardly possible that a person should continue absolutely unemployed for any long time and he that is not doing what he ought will be doing what he ought not; the destroyer of souls can hardly wish for a fairer mark at which to direct his temptations than an idle person.
Idleness is a moth or canker of the mind, and the fruits thereof are wicked cogitations, evil affections, and worse actions; corrupt trees without fruit, twice dead and plucked up by the roots, engendering in the mind a loathing of God and godliness.
The idle man is the devil's cushion on which he taketh his free ease, who, as he is incapable of any good, so he is fitly disposed for all evil motions. The standing water soon stinks, whereas the current ever keeps clear and cleanly, conveying down all noisome matter that might infect it by the force of his stream. If I do but little good to others by my endeavors, yet this is great good to me, that by my labor I keep myself from hurt. Meditations and Vows
There is nothing more troublesome to a good mind than to do nothing, for besides the furtherance of our estate, the mind doth both delight and better itself with exercise. There is but this difference, then, betwixt labor and idleness: that labor is a profitable and pleasant trouble; idleness, a trouble both unprofitable and comfortless. I will be ever doing something that either God when He cometh or Satan when he tempteth may find me busied. Meditations and Vows
Long ease will bring either superstition, profaneness, or heresy through our corruption.Time Well Spent
Harbor no idle persons in your family; let your servants have moderate work and meat. If they deserve reproof, let it be without passion; advice, with some natures, may do more than correction.
O the deadly sins, the deadly temptations, the deadly judgments that idle and slothful Christians are given up to; therefore, be active, be diligent, be abundant in the work of the Lord. Idleness is the very source of sin. Standing pools gather mud and nourish and breed venomous creatures, and so do the hearts of idle and slothful Christians.
Idleness is hateful in any, but most abominable and intolerable in ministers; and sooner or later none shall pay so dear for it as such. Witness the frequent woes that are denounced in Scripture against them. Where should a soldier die but in the field? And where should a minister die but in the pulpit?
Idleness is a sin against the law of creation. God creating man to labor, the idle person violates this law, for by his idleness he casts off the authority of his Creator.
Idleness breeds temptation. Our vacation is the devil's term; when we are least at work for God, then is Satan most at work about us. By doing nothing men learn to do evil. Yea, idleness is the burying of a living man.
The good man is weary of doing nothing, for nothing is so laborious as idleness.
The first step to humility is to see one's pride; the first step to self-denial is to be convinced of one's desire after self-exalting, self-admiring, self-advancing—O what a proud heart have I! What a self advancing heart have I! There is no believer till he is fully renewed but what has something of self. We had need therefore to be jealous of ourselves; and if at any time self break out, if at any time the soul begins to be advanced in regard of duty or spiritual things, let us fall down before God and humble ourselves for the pride of our hearts.
Now the word of the gospel and the work of the Spirit always go together—not that God is tied to any means, but that He ties Himself to the means. Hence the gospel is called the power of God to salvation because the power of God ordinarily, and in common course, appears therein. The waters of life and salvation run only in the channel of the gospel.
It is not so much your loose companions that are your tempters to evil as the devil in and by them. When Peter tried to persuade his Master to avoid sufferings, Christ rebuked the evil spirit that spoke in Peter and said, "Get thee behind me, Satan." Peter was set to work by Satan; therefore Christ calls him by the name of Satan. Those wicked men are instruments in the hand of Satan who propose carnal comforts as a cure for spiritual wounds.
Angels are exact and careful observers and eyewitnesses of our behavior and deportment in the public ordinances. To this end were the curtains of the tabernacle pictured: full of cherubim to signify that about our solemn meetings, whole troops of angels take notice of our behavior. Surely, if this were considered, we should be very serious in God's worship. Yea, how spiritual and heavenly should we be if our hearts were but fixed on these glorious angels?Communion with Angels, 100
There is no worshiping of angels, and yet we must not throw away the comfortable doctrine of angels.
All our abilities are under God's providence, who puts an efficacy into man's abilities, even as He pleaseth.Practice of Sanctification (Works)
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