02. Quotes 101-200
Quotes 101-200
101. Earthly riches are called thorns, and well they may be; for, as thorns, they pierce both head and heart; the head with cares in getting them, and the heart with grief in parting with them.
102. Things satisfy as they suit. There is a good, and there is a suitable good; now it is only the suitable good that satisfies the soul of a man. A pardon is most suitable to a condemned man, and, therefore it best satisfies him. Health is most suitable to the sick, and therefore it satisfies when it is attained. As bread satisfies the hungry soul, and drink the thirsty soul, and clothing the naked soul, so do the precious gifts that Christ bestows upon the soul satisfy the soul.
103. There was a holy man that rarely heard of other men’s crimson sins, but he usually bedewed the place with his tears, considering that the seeds of those very sins were in his own nature. In thy nature thou hast that which would lead thee, with the Pharisees, to oppose Christ, and, with Judas, to betray Christ; and, with Pilate, to condemn Christ; and, with the soldiers, to crucify Christ. Oh! what a monster wouldst thou prove, should God but leave thee to act suitably to that sinful and woful nature of thine.
104. "We walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Christians, you must remember that it is one thing for God to love you, and another thing for God to tell you that he loves you. Your happiness lies in the first, your comfort in the second. God has stopped his ears against the prayers of many a precious soul whom he has dearly loved. And, verily, he who ’ makes sense and carnal reason a judge of his condition, will be happy and miserable, blessed and cursed, saved and lost, many times in a day, yea, in an hour.
105. Luther says, "When my heart is coldest and highest, I present God to my soul under the notions of his greatness; but when my heart is loose and fearing, then I present God to my soul under the notion of his goodness.
106. Jesus Christ has the greatest worth and wealth in him. As the worth and value of many pieces of silver is in one piece of gold, so all the heavenly excellencies that are scattered abroad in angels and men are united in Christ; yea, all the whole volume of perfection, which is spread through heaven and earth, is epitomised in Christ.
107. The altar under the law was hollow, to receive the fire, the wood, and the sacrifice; so the hearts of men under the Gospel must be humble, empty of all spiritual pride and self-conceitedness, that so they may receive the fire of the Spirit, and Jesus Christ, who offered himself a sacrifice for our sins.
108. There is no way to avoid perishing by Christ’s iron rod, but by kissing his golden scepter.
109. Christ did not die all at once upon the cross, but by little and little: to show us that his death should extend to the slaying of sin gradually in the souls of the saints.
110. Satan is so artificial, so subtle and critical, that he can make our very graces to serve him against our graces; conquering joy by joy, sorrow by sorrow, humility by humility, fear by fear, love by love, if we do not look upon all our graces as streams flowing from the fountain above, and as fruits growing upon the tree of life that is in the midst of the Paradise of God. Therefore when one eye is fixed upon our graces, let the other be always fixed upon the God of grace.
111. A humble heart is an aspiring heart. It cannot be contented to get up some rounds in Jacob’s ladder, but it must get to the very top of the ladder, to the very top of holiness. Verily, heaven is for that man, and that man is for heaven, who sets up for his mark the perfection of holiness.
112. Some say that roses grow the sweeter when they are planted by garlic. Verily, Christians who have gloriously improved their graces, are like those roses; they grow sweeter and sweeter, holier and holier, by wicked men. The best diamonds shine most in the dark, and so do the best Christians shine most in the worst times.
113. No knowledge humbles and abases like that which is inward and experimental. It is a sad thing to be often eating of the tree of knowledge, but never to taste of the tree of life. As the sun is necessary to the world, the eye to the body, the pilot to the ship, the general to the army; so is experimental knowledge to the humbling of a soul.
114. In heaven there are no prayers, but all praises. I am apt to think that there cannot be a clearer nor a greater argument of a man’s right to heaven and ripeness for heaven, than this—being much in the work of heaven here on earth. There is no grace but love, and no duty but thankfulness, that goes with us to heaven.
115. Many saints have had their hearts warmed and heated by sitting near other saints’ fires, by eyeing and dwelling upon other saints’ graces. When men’s graces shine as Moses’ face did— when their lives, as one speaks of Joseph’s life, is a very heaven, sparkling with variety of virtues as with so many bright stars—ah! how are others stirred up to glorify God, and to cry out, "These are Christians indeed; these are an honor to their God, a crown to their Christ, and a credit to their gospel."
116. Sin and grace are like two buckets at a well— when one is up, the other is down; they are like the two laurels at Rome—when one flourishes, the other withers. Certainly, the readiest and the surest way to bring under the power of sin, is to be much in the exercise of grace.
117. Of all the graces that be in the soul of man, faith is the most useful grace; and therefore above all, labor to be rich in faith. It is a Christian’s right eye, without which he cannot look for Christ; it is his right hand, without which he cannot do for Christ; it is his tongue, without which he cannot speak for Christ; it is his vital spirits, without which he cannot act for Christ.
118. Count Anhalt, that princely preacher, was wont to say, "that the whole Scriptures were the swaddling bands of the child Jesus, he being to be found almost in every page, in every verse, in every line."
119. The only way to avoid cannon-shot is to fall down. No such way to be freed from temptations as to keep low.
120. He that escapes reprehension, may suspect his adoption. God had one Son without corruption, but no son without correction.
121. There is no such way to get much grace, as to be thankful for a little grace. He who opens his mouth wide in praises, shall have his heart filled with graces. Ingratitude stops the ear of God, and shuts the hand of God, and turns away the heart of the God of grace; and therefore we had need to be thankful for a little grace.
122. Satan’s greatest plot is to weaken the faith of Christians. "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:31-32). Satan has an aching tooth at thy faith; his design is upon that; he will labor might and main to weaken that, to frustrate that; and therefore I have prayed that thy faith fail not.
123. As a poor man lives and deals upon the credits of others, so does a humble soul live and deal with God, for the strengthening of every grace, and for the supply of every mercy upon the credit of the Lord Jesus. He knows that since he broke with God in innocency, God will trust him no more, he will take his word no more; and therefore when he goes to God for mercy, he brings his Benjamin, his Jesus, in his arms, and pleads for mercy upon the account of Jesus.
124. Some Christians as are like to Pharaoh’s lean kine, reproach three at once—God, the Gospel, and their teachers; and this age is full of such Christians.
125. Pride sets a man in opposition against God. Other sins are aversions from God, but this sin is a coming against God. In other sins a man flies from God, but in this sin a man flies upon God. "God resisteth the proud" (James 4:6).
126. No saint so like a sinner, as a weak saint.
127. None are such objects of scorn and envy, as those who have most of Christ within. Envy does ever ascend: it never descends.
128. None so much in the school of temptation as those who are most rich in grace. There are none who are such blocks, such mountains in Satan’s way, as these; none do him that mischief as these; none are so active and so resolute in their oppositions against him, as these; and therefore none so assaulted and tempted as these.
129. Whatever gift of God in man brings him within the compass of God’s promise of eternal mercy, that gift must be an infallible evidence of salvation and happiness.
130. A real sense of our own unworthiness renders us most fit for divine mercy. This objection, "I am unworthy," is an unworthy objection, and speaks out much pride and ignorance of the Gospel, and of the freeness and riches of God’s grace.
131. Carnal reason is an enemy to faith: it is ever crossing and contradicting it. It will never be well with thee, Christian, so long as thou art swayed by carnal reason, and reliest more upon thy five senses, than upon the four Evangelists. As the body lives by breathing, so the soul lives by believing.
132. Though grace is a glorious creature, it is but a creature, and therefore must be upheld by its Creator. Though grace be a beautiful child, yet it is but a child, that must be upheld by the father’s arms. This, Christians, you must remember, and give glory to God.
133. Luther confesses that, before his conversion, he met not with a more displeasing word, in all the study of divinity, than the word repent, but after the Lord had converted him, and manifested himself to him, he delighted in this word; then he could sorrow for his sins, and rejoice in his sorrow.
134. The number of difficulties makes the Christian’s conquest the more illustrious. A gracious man should be made up all of fire, overcoming and consuming all opposition, as fire does the stubble. All difficulties should be but whetstones to his fortitude.
135. A humble soul is quick-sighted: he sees the rod in a father’s hand; he sees honey upon the top of every twig; and so can bless God; he sees sugar at the bottom of the bitterest cup that God doth put into his hands; he knows that God’s house of correction is a school of instruction; and so he can sit down and bless when the rod is upon his back.
136. Such as have made a considerable improvement of their gifts and graces, have hearts as large as their heads; whereas most men’s heads have outgrown their hearts.
137. A Christian should be like the lamp in the story, that never went out. Were it not for the sun, it would be perpetual night in the world, notwithstanding all starlight, and torchlight, and moonlight. It is not the torchlight of natural parts and creature comforts, nor the starlight of civil honesty and common gifts, nor yet the moonlight of temporary faith and formal profession, that can make day in the soul, till the Sun of Righteousness arise and shine upon it.
138. "What a shame is it," says Hierome, "that faith should not be able to do that which infidelity has done!" What, not better fruit in the vineyard, in the garden of God, than in the wilderness? What, not better fruit grow upon the tree of life, than upon the root of nature?
139. Everything that a man leans upon but God, will be a dart that will certainly pierce his heart through and through. He who leans only upon Christ, lives the highest, choicest, safest, and sweetest life.
140. Luther would often say he had rather that all his books should be burnt, than that they should be a means to hinder persons from studying the Scripture.
141. Everyone should strive to be like to them in grace whom they desire to be equal with in glory. He that shoots at the sun, though he be far short, will shoot higher than he who aims at a shrub. It is best, and it speaks out much of Christ within, to eye the highest and the worthiest examples.
142. It is a proof that a man is grown higher when he can reach higher than he could before; so it is an argument that a soul is grown rich in grace when it can reach beyond what formerly it could reach unto; when in duty, it can reach above duty; when in an ordinance, it can reach to Christ above the ordinance; when under enlargements, it can reach above enlargements to Jesus Christ.
143. Anselm used to say that if he should see the shame of sin on the one hand and the pains of hell on the other, and must of necessity choose one, he would rather be thrust into hell without sin than go into heaven with sin; so great was his hatred and detestation of sin.
144. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him" (Zechariah 12:10). All Gospel mourning flows from believing; they shall first look, and then mourn. All who know anything, know this, that u Whatever is not of faith, is sin." Till men have faith in Christ, their best services are but. glorious sins.
145. Corruption in the heart, when it breaks forth, is like a breach in the sea, which begins in a narrow passage, till it eats through and casts down all before it. The debates of the soul are quick and soon ended, and that may be done in a moment which may undo a man forever.
146. "In everything give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The language of a humble soul is, If it be thy will that I should be in darkness, I will bless thee ; and if it be thy will that I should be again in light, I will bless thee; if thou wilt comfort me, I will bless thee, and if thou wilt afflict me, I will bless thee; if thou wilt make me poor, I will bless thee; if thou wilt make me rich, I will bless thee; if thou wilt give me the least mercy, I will bless thee; if thou wilt give me no mercy, I will bless thee.
147. God is most angry when he shows no anger. God keep us from this mercy. This kind of mercy is worse than all other kind of misery.
148. Thoughts are the first-born, the blossoms of the soul, the beginning of our strength, whether for good or evil, and they are the greatest evidences for or against a man that can be.
149. The senate of Rome accounted it a diminution of Augustus Caesar’s dignity to join any consuls with him for the better carrying on of the affairs of the state. Oh! but our God does not think it a diminution of his dignity that even his poor despised servants should be fellow-laborers and co-workers with him in the salvation of souls.
150. Humility cannot find three things on this side heaven: it cannot find fullness in the creature, or sweetness in sin, or life in an ordinance without Christ; but it always finds these three things on this side heaven: the soul to be empty, Christ to be full, and every mercy and duty to be sweet wherein Christ is enjoyed.
151. Afflictions are called by some "the mother of virtue." Manasseh’s chain was more profitable to him than his crown. Luther could not understand some Scriptures till he was in affliction.
152. No vessels that God delights so much to fill as broken vessels, contrite spirits. "He resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble" (James 4:6). The silver dews flow down from the mountains to the lowest valleys. A humble soul that lies low, oh, what sights of God has he I what glory does he behold, when the proud soul sees nothing! * He that is in the low pits and caves of the earth sees the stars in the firmament, when they who are upon the tops of the mountains discern them not.
153. A Christian’s graces are but Christ’s picture, Christ’s image, and, therefore, do not you worship his image, and, in the meanwhile, neglect his person. Make much of his picture, but make more of himself; let his picture have your eye, but let himself have your heart.
154. "I know not," says one, "whether the maintenance of the least sin be not worse than the commission of the greatest; for this may be of frailty, that argues obstinacy. One little miscarriage in the eyes of the world overshadows all a Christian’s graces, as one cloud sometimes overshadows the whole body of the sun.
155. Our hearts carry the greatest stroke in every sin. Satan can never undo a man without himself; but a man may easily undo himself without Satan.
156. The most holy men are always the most humble men; none so humble on earth as those that live highest in heaven.
157. Mr. Fox used to say that, as he got much good by his sins, so he got much hurt by his graces.
158. Christians, remember this, that your strength to stand and overcome must not be expected from graces received, but from the fresh and renewed influences of heaven. You must lean more upon Christ than upon your duties; you must lean more upon Christ than upon spiritual tastes and discoveries; you must lean more upon Christ than upon your graces; or else Satan will lead you into captivity.
159. "Nor quench the smoking flax" (Matthew 12:20). The wick of a candle is little worth, and yet less when it smokes, yielding neither light nor heat, but rather offends with an ill smell, which men cannot bear, but will tread it out. But the Lord Jesus Christ will not do so. Souls whose knowledge, love, faith, and zeal, do but smoke out, the Lord Jesus will not trample under foot; nay, he will cherish, nourish, and strengthen such to life eternal.
160. If all Christians should be rich in all graces, what difference would there be between heaven and earth? what need would there be of ordinances? and when would Christians long to be dissolved, and to be with Christ?
161. "Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I also am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12), Christians know but little of what they should know; they know but little of what they might know; they know but little of what others know; they know but little of what they desire to know; they know but little of what they shall know, when they shall come to know even as they are known; and these weak and imperfect glimpses that they have of God and heaven here, are infallible pledges of that perfect knowledge and full prospect which they shall have of God and heaven hereafter. That little spark of joy is an earnest of those everlasting delights which shall be theirs when all sorrow and mourning shall flee away; and those sips of comfort are but foretastes of that river of everlasting pleasures which is at God’s right hand.
162. Some degree of comfort follows every good action; as heat accompanies fire; as beams and influences issue from the sun.
163. Guilt or grief is all that gracious souls get by communion with vain souls.
164. "It is with tRuth" said Melancthon, "as it is with holy water, every one praises it, and thinks it has some rare virtue in it; but offer to sprinkle them with it, and they will shut their eyes, and turn away their faces from it."
165. Sometimes grace in a rugged, unhewn nature is like a gold ring on a leprous hand, or a diamond set in iron, or a jewel in a swine’s snout.
166. The stars which have least circuit are nearest the pole; and men who are least perplexed with business, are commonly nearest to God.
167. Christ was born in an inn, to show that he receives all comers; his garments were divided into four parts, to show that out of what parts of the world soever we come, we shall be received.
168. He that fights against Satan, in the strength of his own resolutions, constitution, or education, will certainly fly and fall before him: Satan will be too hard for such a soul, and lead him captive at his pleasure. The only way to stand, conquer, and triumph, is still to plead, it is written, as Christ did. There is no sword, but the two- edged sword of the Spirit, that will be found to be mettle of proof, when a soul comes to engage against Satan.
169. Hard weather tries what health we have; afflictions try what sap we have, what grace we have. Withered leaves soon fall off in windy weather; rotten boughs quickly break: with heavy weights.
170. It is said of Caesar, that he had greater care of his books than of his royal robes: for swimming through the water to escape his enemies, he carried his books in his hand above the water, but lost his robes. What are Caesar’s books to God’s book?
171. Faith cannot be lost, but assurance may; therefore assurance is not faith. Though assurance is a precious flower in the garden of a saint, and is more infinitely sweet and delightful to the soul than all outward comforts and contents, yet it is but a flower that is subject to fade, and to lose its freshness and beauty, as saints by sad experience find.
172. Let your souls dwell upon the vanity of all things here below, till your hearts are so thoroughly convinced and persuaded of their vanity of them, as to trample upon them, and make them a footstool for Christ to get up and ride in a holy triumph in your hearts.
173. When men have poor, low, light, slight, thoughts of God in their drawing near to God, they tempt the devil to bestir himself, and to cast in a multitude of vain thoughts to disturb and distract the soul in its waiting on God.
174. It was a saying of Austin, u He that willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly adds to my reward."
175. The less the temptation is to sin, the greater is that sin. Little sins carry with them but little temptation to sin, and then a man shows most viciousness and unkindness when he sins on a little temptation.
176. The best men’s souls in this life hang between the flesh and the spirit, as it’ were, like Mohammed’s tomb at Mecca, between two lode stones; like Erasmus, as the papists paint him, between heaven and hell; like the tribe of Manasseh, half on this side Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, and half on that side in the holy land; yet in the issue they shall overcome the flesh, and trample upon the necks of their spiritual enemies.
177. He that turns not from every sin, turns not aright from any one sin.
178. The flowers smell sweetest after a shower; vines bear the better for bleeding; the walnut tree is most fruitful when most beaten; so saints spring and thrive most internally when they are most externally afflicted.
179. Bodia had a story concerning a great rebel who had made a strong party against a Roman emperor. The emperor makes proclamation that whoever could bring the rebel, dead or alive, he should have a great sum of money. The rebel hearing of this, comes and presents himself before the emperor, and demands the sum of money. "Now," says the emperor, "if I should put him to death, the world would say I did it to save my money." Ah, sinners, shall a heathen do this who had but a drop of mercy and compassion in him; and will not Christ do much more, who has all fullness of grace, mercy and glory in himself? Surely his bowels do yearn toward the worst of rebels.
180. When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of an orator, what the second, and what the third, he answered, "Action." The same may I say if any should ask me what is the first, the second, the third part of a Christian, I must answer, "Action." Luther says that "he had rather obey than work miracles." Obedience is better than sacrifice.
181. He that, to avoid a greater sin, will yield to a lesser, ten thousand to one but God, in justice, will leave that soul to fall into a greater. If we commit one sin to avoid another, it is just we should avoid neither, we having not law nor power in our own hands to keep off sin as we please; and we, by yielding to the less, do tempt the tempter to tempt us to the great.
182. As the water lifted up Noah’s ark nearer heaven, and as all the stones that were about Stephen’s ears did but knock him the closer to Christ, the corner stone, so all the strange, rugged providences that we meet with shall raise us nearer heaven and knock us nearer to Christ, that precious corner stone.
183. Luther reports of Staupicius, a German minister, that he acknowledged himself that before he came to understand aright the free and powerful grace of God that he vowed and resolved a hundred times against some particular sin, and never could get power over it; at last he saw the reason to be his trusting to his own resolutions ; therefore be skillful in the word of righteousness, and in the actings of faith upon Christ and his victory, and that crown of glory that is set before you, and Satan will certainly fly from you.
184. Satan works most strongly on the fancy when the soul is drowsy. The soul’s security is Satan’s opportunity to fall upon the soul and to spoil the soul, as Joshua did the men of Ai.
185. You may as soon fill a bag with wisdom, a chest with virtue, or a circle with a triangle, as the heart of man with anything here below. A man may have enough of the world to sink him, but he can never have enough to satisfy him.
186. Socrates said of his enemies, "They may kill me, but they cannot hurt me," So afflictions may kill us, but they cannot hurt us; they may take away my life, but they cannot take away my God, my Christ, my crown.
187. What is the reason that the angels in heaven have not so much as an idle thought? It is because they are filled with the fullness of God. Take it for an experienced tRuth the more the soul is filled with the fullness of God, and enriched with spiritual and heavenly things, the less room there is in that soul for vain thoughts. The fuller the vessel is of wine, the less room there is for water.
188. God is like a prince that sends not his army against rebels before he has sent his pardon, and proclaimed it by a herald of arms. He first hangs out the white flag of mercy; if this wins men in, they are happy for ever; but if they stand out, then God will put forth his red flag of justice and judgment. If the one is despised, the other shall be felt with a witness.
189. "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils" (Mark 16:9). Jansenius says, "It is very observable that our Saviour, after the resurrection, first appeared to Mary Magdalene and Peter who had been grievous sinners, in order that even the worst of sinners may be comforted and encouraged to come to Christ, to believe in Christ, to rest and stay their souls upon Christ, for mercy here and glory hereafter.
190. Sorrow attends worldly joy, danger attends worldly safety, loss attends worldly labors, tears attend worldly purposes. As to these things, men’s hopes are vain, their sorrow certain, and their joy feigned. The apostle calls this world a sea of glass—a sea for the trouble of it, and glass for the brittleness and bitterness of it.
191. Usually, the worst of men have most of all outward things, and the best of men have least of earth, though most of heaven.
192. I have read of a fountain that at noonday is cold, and at midnight it grows warm; so many a precious soul is cold Godward, and heavenward, and holinessward, in the day of prosperity, that grow warm Godward, and heavenward, and holiness ward in the midnight of adversity
193. Riches, though well got, are yet but like to manna: those that gathered less had no want, and those that gathered more found it but a trouble and annoyance to them.
194. Erasmus tells of one who collected all the lame and defective verses in Flower’s works, but passed over all that were excellent. Oh! that this were not the practice of many who will at last meet in heaven—that they were not careful and skillful to collect all the weaknesses of others, and to pass over all those things that are excellent in them!
195. A saint’s conflict is against sin universally, the least as well as the greatest. He looks upon one sin, and sees that that threw down Noah, the most righteous man in the world; and he looks upon another sin, and sees that that cast down Abraham, the greatest believer in the world; and he looks upon another sin, and sees that that threw down David, the best king in the world; and he looks upon another sin, and sees that that cast down Paul, the greatest apostle in the world: he sees that one sin threw down Samson, the strongest man in the world; another cast down Solomon, the wisest man in the world; and another Moses, the meekest man in the world; and another sin cast down Job the most patient man in the world; and this raiseth a holy indignation against all, so that nothing can satisfy and content him but a destruction of all those lusts and vices that vex and rack his righteous soul.
196. There are some diseases that are called the reproaches of physicians: and there are some people that may be truly called the reproaches of ministers; and these are they who are great hearers, and talkers, and admirers of ministers, but never obey the doctrines delivered by them.
197. Sinner, remember this: there is no way on earth effectually to be rid of the guilt, filth and power of sin but by believing in a Saviour. It is not resolving, it is not complaining, it is not mourning, but believing, that will make thee divinely victorious over that body of sin that to this day is too strong for thee, and that will certainly be thy ruin if it be not ruined by a hand of faith.
198. As men take no hold on the arm of flesh till they let go the arm of God, so men take no hold on error till they have let go their hold of truth; therefore, hold fast the truth.
199. "Repentance," says a holy man, "strips us naked of all the garments of the old Adam, and leaves not so much as a rag behind in this rotten building it leaves not a stone upon a stone. As the flood drowned Noah’s own friends and servants, so must the flood of repenting tears drown our sweetest and most profitable sins.
200. True grace will enable a man to step over the world’s crown to take up Christ’s cross; to prefer-the cross of Christ above the glory of this world. ’Godfrey, first king of Jerusalem, refused to be crowned with a crown of gold, saying that it became not a Christian there to wear a crown of gold where Christ had worn a crown of thorns.