S. A Basket of Fragments
A BASKET OF FRAGMENTS
"The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails — given by one Shepherd." Ecclesiastes 12:11
The believer is to persevere in his Christian course to the end of his life; his work and his life must go off the stage together. The fearful are in the forlorn of those who march to Hell (Revelation 21:8).
O how unfitting a sight is it — a bold sinner, and a fearful saint!
Christ never lost a battle — even when He lost His life.
He who has God’s heart — cannot lack His arm! This goodly fabric of Heaven and earth has not been built — but as a stage whereon God would in time act what He decreed in Heaven of old.
One Almighty, is more than many mighties. All these mighty sins and devils make not any almighty sin, or an almighty devil. A proud heart, and a lofty mountain, are never fruitful.
"Pray." But how? "Without ceasing."
"Rejoice." But when? "Evermore."
"Give thanks." For what? "In everything."
God will not have His kingdom, either in the heart or in the world, maintained by carnal policy. When afflicted, love can allow you togroan— but not togrumble.
Mercy should make us ashamed to sin.
Wrath should make us afraid to sin.
Whoever you are, you are base-born until born again.
Sin alone, sets Satan in the throne of your heart.
Sinners dying in their sins, cannot hope to have a better resurrection than they have a death.
Since man was turned out of paradise, he can do nothing without labor, except sin.
We must either lay self aside — or God will lay us aside.
Bernard used to say, when he heard any scandalous sin of a professor, "He fell today — I may stumble tomorrow!" A soul in meditation, is on his way to prayer.
It is impossible for an evil heart, to think well of an afflicting God. The great talkers of religion — are oft the least doers. Does your heavenly Father keep so starved a house — that the devil’s scraps will go down with you? No truth, but has some error next door. No action so little — but we may in it do God or the devil some service. Therefore none too little for our care to be bestowed on.
It is not enough to have truth on our side, if we have not truth in our hearts.
Hypocrisy is a lie — with a fair cover over it!
None sooner topple over into error, than such who have a dishonest heart with a nimble head. The richest soil, without culture, is most tainted with weeds.
You must live by your faith, not another’s. Labor to see truth with your own eyes.
He who maintains any error from the Bible, bears false witness against God.
He who abandons the truth of God, renounces the God of truth.
Error is short lived; "a lying tongue is but for a moment"; but truth’s age runs parallel with God’s eternity.
It is no matter what the external profession is — if the devil and sin dwell within.
Heaven is worth the having, though you go poor and ragged, yes, naked, there! The gospel — what is it, but God’s heart in print! The Christian’s love to Christ — takes fire at Christ’s love to him. No suchpicklockto open the heart, as love.
You never knew a man full of self-confidence and self-abasement together. The conscience cannot abound with a sense of sin — and the heart with self-conceit at the same time. A temptation comes very forcibly, when it runs with the tide of our own hearts.
"So you see a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him" (Proverbs 26:12). That is, of all fools, the conceited fool is the worst. Pride makes a man incapable of receiving counsel.
Exerciseyour faith, if you mean topreserveyour faith. We live by faith, and faith lives by exercise. The devil iswily— so you had need bewary.
None long for Heaven, more than those that enjoy most of Heaven.
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend — but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:6). God’s wounds cure — sin’s kisses kill.
Never think to find honey in the pot — when God writes poison on the cover.
Sin disturbs the inward peace of the soul — and the outward peace of the world.
You know, sinner, already, the best of your sinful pleasure — but not the worst of your punishment!
If you will play the charlatan — choose not the pulpit for your stage. The less conscience barks at present — the more it will bite when it shall be unmuzzled.
Either use the world as if you used it not — or you will pray as if you prayed not. The faster a man rides if he is in a wrong road — the farther he goes out of his way!
He who is impatient, and cannot wait on God for a mercy — will not easily submit to Him in a denial.
Man’s words will not break your bones.
Cease to pray — and you will begin to sin. Prayer is not only a means to prevail for mercy — but also to prevent sin. Where God is on one side — you may be sure to find the devil on the other.
He who shows any kindness to a saint — is sure to have God for his paymaster. The work of salvation cannot be done by the candle-light of a natural understanding — but by the sunlight of a gospel revelation.
Christ passes oft by palaces — to visit the poor cottages. Pilate missed Christ on the bench — while the poor thief finds Him, and Heaven with Him, on the cross.
Ignorance is the mother of persecution. That book must be worth reading — that has God for the author!
We must come to good works by faith — and not to faith by good works.
It was a charge long ago laid upon Christianity, that it was better known in leaves of books, than in the lives of Christians.
It is better to die honorably — than live shamefully.
It is easier to bow at the name of Jesus — than to stoop to the cross of Jesus. The head may be ripe — and the heart rotten!
Prayer is a great heart-easer. The sins of teachers — are the teachers of sins!