Part 3
440. Sin and punishment are linked together with chains of adamant.
441. Grace is a perpetually flowing fountain. It is compared to water, which serves to cool men when they are in a burning heat; so grace cools the soul when it has been even scorched and burnt up by the sense of Divine wrath and displeasure. Water is cleansing; so is grace. Water is fructifying; so is grace. And water is satisfying; it satisfies the thirsty, and so does grace. (John 4:13, 14.)
442. The least sin should humble the soul, but certainly the greatest sin should never discourage the soul, much less should it work the soul to despair. Despairing Judas perished, whereas the murderers of Christ, believing on him, were saved.
443. A man may not look intently upon that which he may not love entirely. It is best and safest to have the eye always fixed upon the highest and noblest objects, as the mariner's eye is fixed upon the star when his hand is upon the helm.
444. If vain thoughts, resisted and lamented, could stop the current of mercy and render a soul unhappy, there would be none on earth that would ever taste of mercy or be everlastingly happy. Such thoughts abhorred, resisted and disclaimed, are not sins upon our souls, though troubles to our mind.
445. Reader, remember this: if thy knowledge do not now affect thy heart, it will at last, with a witness, afflict thy heart; if it do not now endear Christ to thee, it will at last provoke Christ the more against thee; if it do not make all the things of Christ to be very precious in thy eyes, it will at last make thee the more vile in Christ's eyes.
446. It was a good saying of one, "God hears not the words of one that prays unless he that prays hears them first himself and, verily, God will never understand that prayer which we do not understand ourselves. To pray in a right manner is to pray u with the understanding."
447. Christians, make more care and conscience of keeping up your peace with God. It is remissness herein which occasions much of that sourness, bitterness and strife among you. You have not, as you should, kept up your peace with God, and therefore it is that you do so dreadfully break the peace among yourselves. The Lord has promised "that when a man's ways phase him, he will make his enemies to be at peace with him" Ah, how much more then would
God make the children of peace to keep the peace among themselves if their ways did but please him.
448. He who lives up to a little light shall have more light; he who lives up to a little knowledge shall have more knowledge; he who lives up to a little faith shall have more faith, and he who lives up to a little love shall have more love. Verily the main reason why men are such babes and shrubs in grace is because they do not live up to their attainments.
449. Satan must have a double leave before he can do anything against us. He must have his commission from God, and leave from ourselves, before he can act anything against our happiness. When he tempts, we must assent; when he makes offers, we must hearken; when he commands, we must obey, or else all his labor and temptations will be frustrated; and the evil that he tempts us to shall be put down only to his account
450. A watchful soul is a soul upon the wing, a soul out of gunshot, a soul upon a rock, a soul in a castle, a soul above the clouds, a soul held fest in everlasting arms.
451. He is a brave Christian, and has much of Christ within, who accounts nothing his own that he does not communicate to others. The bee stores her hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common benefit, and why then in this should not every Christian be like a bee?
452. It is much to be very gracious when a man is very great; and to be high in holiness, when advanced to high places. Usually, men's blood rises with their outward good. Certainly there are worthy ones, and shall walk with Christ in white, whose garments are not defiled with greatness or riches.
453. A humble soul judges himself to be below the wrath and judgment of God. He looks upon himself as one not worthy that God should spend a rod upon him in order to his reformation, edification,
or salvation. He cannot but count and call everything a mercy that is less than hell. But proud hearts think themselves wronged when they are afflicted; and cry out with Cain, "Our punishment is greater than we can bear."
454. A humble soul knows, that to bless God in prosperity, is the way to increase it; and to bless God in adversity, is the way to remove it.
455. Satan often paints sin with virtue's colors. He knows that if he should present it in its own nature and dress, the soul would rather fly from it, than yield to it, and therefore he presents it unto us, not in its own proper colors, but painted and gilded over with the name and show of virtue, that we may the more easily be overcome by it, and take the more pleasure in committing it.
456. The world gives, and. then reproaches the recipient for receiving; but where Christ gives, he will not upbraid, neither with present failings nor former infirmities. He will always rejoice ever them to do them good.
457. Let no knowledge satisfy thee, but that which lifts thee above the world, but that which weans thee from the world, but that which makes the world a footstool. Such knowledge, such light, will at last lead thee into everlasting light.
458. No way to honor God, no way to win souls, no way to increase your own gifts and graces, but to exercise them for the good of others. Grace is not like to worldly vanities, that diminish by distribution, but like candles, which keep the same light, though a thousand are lighted by them. Grace is like the widow's oil, which multiplied by pouring out; and like those talents which doubled by employment.
459. To venture upon the occasion of sin, and then to pray, Lead us not into temptation, is the same as to thrust thy finger into t/he fire, and then pray that it may not be burnt.
460. All our murmurings, which are so many arrows shot at God himself, will return upon our own heads; they reach not him, but they will hit us; they hurt not him, but they will wound us: it is better to be mute than to murmur—it is dangerous to provoke a consuming fire.
461. Aristotle requires this in an orator, that he be a good man. How much more then should God's orators be good and gracious? Unholy ministers pull down instead of building up. O the souls that their lives destroy! By their loose lives they lead their flocks to hell, where themselves must lie lowermost.
462. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do} do it with all thy might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Mark the Scripture does not say, what thy head finds to do; that may find a thousand things: nor what thy heart finds to do, for that may find ten thousand things: but what thy hand findeth to do; that is, look what work God cuts out to thy hand to do; that do with all thy might, for there is no working in the grave. We are to do much good in a little time. Our time is short, our task is great.
463. There is the seed of all sins, of the vilest and worst of sins, in the best of men.
464. That which a Papist reports of their sacrament of the mass —"That there are as many mysteries in it as there are drops in the sea, dust on the earth, angels in the heavens, stars in the sky, atoms in the sunbeams, or sands on the sea-shore,"—may be truly asserted of the Word of God. No study equal to the study of the Scripture, for profit and comfort.
465. It was for those very sins that Satan paints and puts fine colors on, that the Creator was made a creature, that he who was clothed with glory was wrapped with rags of flesh, that the God of the law was subject to the law, the God of circumcision circumcised, that he who binds the devils in chains was tempted, the God of strength
made weary, the Judge of all flesh condemned, the Lord of life put to death. O how should the consideration of this stir up the soul against sin, and work the soul to fly from it, and use all holy means whereby it may be subdued and destroyed!
466. Our hearts are the Spirit's harps. If a man should always touch one string in an instrument, he would never play various tunes, he would never make pleasant music; neither would the Spirit, if he should be always doing one thing in the soul; therefore he acts variously.
467. Be sure, Christian, you always reflect upon your graces, and whatsoever good is in you, with caution. Your graces are gifts of grace, favors given you from above, gifts dropped out of heaven into your heart, flowers plucked from the garden of Paradise. Keep humble, therefore: what hast thou that thou hast not received?
468. The tree grows downward, when it does not grow upward; so a soul may grow rich in some particular graces, when it does not thrive in others; it may grow rich in humility, in self-denial, in meekness, in temperance, when it does not grow up in joy, and delight, and comfort.
469. He who thinks he has enough of the Holy Spirit, will quickly find himself vanquished by the evil spirit.
470. Many men lose their comfort, as Saul lost his kingdom, by not discerning the time to be spiritually rich. The merchant will not lose his opportunity of buying, nor the sailor his of sailing, nor the husbandman of sowing; and why, Christian, should you lose yours of growing rich in grace?
471. Of all mercies, pardoning mercy is the most sweetening mercy. It is a mercy that makes all other mercies look like mercies, and taste like mercies, and work like mercies. He who has it cannot be miserable; he who wants it, cannot be happy.
472. As the peacock, looking upon his black feet, lets fall his plumes, so the poor soul, when he looks upon his black feet, the vanity of his mind, the body of sin, that is in him, his proud spirit falls low.
473. As weeds endanger the corn, as bad humors endanger the blood, or as an infected house endangers the neighborhood; so does the company of the bad endanger those that are good. Entireness with wicked consorts is one of the strongest chains of hell, and binds us to a participation of both sin and punishment
474. It is not he who receives most of the truth into his head, but he who receives it affectionately into his heart, that shall enjoy the happiness of having his judgment sound and clear, when others shall be deluded and deceived by those who make it their business to infect the judgments and undo the souls of men.
475. Faith has a happy hand, and never but speeds in one kind or another. It has what it would, either in money or in money's worth. A believing husband, wife, child, or servant may bring down, by the actings of faith, many a blessing upon their relations.
476. Miseries always lie at that man's door who leans upon anything below Christ: such a man is most in danger; and this is not his least plague, that he thinks himself secure.
477. Every man obeys Christ as he prizes Christ, and no otherwise. The higher price any soul sets upon Christ, the more noble will that soul be in its obedience to Christ.
478. Strong saints must not deal by the weak as the herd of deer deal by the wounded deer; they forsake it and push it away. But when a poor weak saint is wounded by a temptation, or by the power of some corruption, then they that are strong ought to succor and support such an one, lest he be swallowed up of sorrow.
479. True repentance is a gift that is from above; and if the Lord does not give it, man will eternally perish for the want of it.
480. A saint should.be like a seraph, beset all over with eyes and lights, that he may avoid Satan's snares, and stand fast in the hour of temptation.
481. Sinner, remember this—grievous is the torment of the damned for the bitterness of their punishment, but most grievous for the eternity of the punishment; for to be tormented without end, this is that which goes beyond the bounds of all description. 0 that you would repent and return, that your souls might live forever.
482. Adversity abases the loveliness of the world, that might entice us ; it abates the lustfulness of the flesh within, that might incite us to folly and vanity ; and it abets the spirit in its quarrel with the two former, which tends much to the reviving and recovering of decayed graces.
483. To repent of sin is as great a work of grace as not to sin.
484. Weak saint, when thou art fretful and desponding, think what would not a lost soul, that had been but an hour in hell, give for a drop of that grace thou hast in thy heart; think seriously of this, and be thankful.
485. Though no believer does what he should do, yet doubtless every believer might do more than he does, in order to God's glory, and his own and others' internal and external good. We have many promises concerning divine assistance > and if we did but stir up the grace of God that is in us, we should find the assistance of God, and the glorious breaking forth of his power and love, according to his promise and the work that he requires of us. They are blessed that do what they can, though they cannot but under do.
486. Remember this—you will never be rich in grace if you care not whom you hear, nor what you hear.
487. It is not usual with God to leave his people frequently to relapse into enormities; for by his spirit and grace, by his smiles and frowns,
by his word and rod, he usually preserves them from these; yet he does leave his choicest ones frequently to relapse into infirmities (and of his grace he pardons them in course), as idle words, passion, and vain thoughts. And though gracious souls strive against, complain of, and weep over these, yet the Lord, to keep them humble, leaves them oftentimes to such relapses; but they shall never be their bane, because they are their burden.
488. It is a just and righteous thing with God, that he should fall into the pit who will adventure to dance upon the brink thereof; and that he should be a slave to sin who will not flee from the occasions of sin. As long as there is fuel in our hearts for a temptation, we cannot be secure. He who has gunpowder about him, had need keep far enough off from sparks.
489. Let but a Christian compare his external losses with his spiritual, internal and eternal gain, and he will find that for every penny that he loses in the service of God he gains a pound; and for every pound that he loses he gains a hundred; for every hundred lost he gains a thousand. We lose pins in his service, and find pearls; we lose the favor of the creature, and peace with the creature, and we gain the favor of God, peace with conscience, and the comfort and contents of a better life.
490. If there were but one farthing of that debt unpaid which Christ was engaged to satisfy, it would not have been consistent with the unspotted justice of God to have let him come into heaven and sit down at his own right hand; but all our debts by his death being discharged, we are free, and he is exalted to sit down at the right hand of his Father, which is the top of his glory, and the greatest pledge of our felicity.
491. Oh, how unlike to God are those preachers who think to correct the divine wisdom and eloquence with their own vanity, novelty and sophistry! Jesus Christ himself, the great Doctor of the church, teacheth them, a lesson on this point: "And with many such parables
spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it" (Mark 4:33). Not as he was able to have spoken; he could have expressed himself at a higher rate than any mortal can; he could have soared to the clouds; he knew how to knit such knots that they could never untie, but he would not; he delighted to speak to bis hearers' shallow capacities. "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12).
492. Nothing humbles and breaks the heart of a sinner like mercy and love. Souls that converse much with sin and wrath, may be much terrified; but souls that converse much with grace and mercy, will be much humbled.
493. Weak Christians are very apt to make sense and feeling the judge of their spiritual estate and condition; and therefore, upon every turn, they count themselves miserable, and conclude that they have no grace because they cannot feel it, nor discern it, nor believe it; and so making sense, feeling and reason the judge of their estate, they wrong, and vex, and perplex their precious souls, as if it were not one thing to be the Lord's, and another thing for a man to know that he is the Lord's; as if it were not one thing for a man to have grace, and another thing to know that he has grace.
494. There is oftentimes a great deal of knowledge where there is but little wisdom to improve that knowledge. It is not the most knowing Christian, but the most wise Christian that sees, avoids and escapes Satan's snares. Knowledge without wisdom is like mettle in a blind horse, which is often an occasion of the rider's fall.
495. It was horrid wickedness in Ahab to envy poor Naboth because of his vineyard; and is it a virtue in you that are Christians, to envy others because their outward mercies are greater or sweeter than yours? Has not the Lord given thee himself? Is not one dram of that grace that God has bestowed upon thee more worth than ten thousand worlds? Why, then, shouldst thou envy at others mercies?
496. The more the soul is conformed to Christ, the more confident it will be of its interest in Christ.
497. No pains, no labor, no work like that of the brain, like that of the mind; and none so worthy of praise as those that are most in that labor, in that work. No men's work is so holy and heavenly as a faithful minister's; no men's work is so high and honorable as theirs, and therefore none deserve to be more honored than they, for their works' sake.
498. Christ has lost none of his affection to poor sinners by going to heaven.
499. A general doctrine not applied is as a sword without an edge; not in itself, but to the people who, by reason of their own singular senselessness and weakness, are not able to apply it to their own estates and conditions; or as a whole loaf set before children, that will do them no good. A garment fitted for all bodies is fit for nobody; and that which is spoken to all, is taken as spoken to none. Doctrine is but the drawing of the bow; application is the hitting of the mark.
500. It is not all the talking and profession in the world that can stop the mouths of foolish men; it must be well-doing, grace improved, grace exercised and manifested in the ways of holiness, that must work so great a wonder; "For so is the will of God, that with welldoing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men"
Quotes 501-600
501. Humility is both a grace and a vessel to receive grace. There are none that see so much need of grace as humble souls; there are none that prize grace like humble souls; there are none that improve grace like humble souls; therefore God singles out the humble soul to fill him to the brim with grace, while the proud are sent empty away.
502. I could bring in a cloud of witnesses to shame professors in these days, even from among the very heathen who never heard of a crucified Christ, and yet were more crucified to things below Christ than many of them that pretend much to Christ.
503. A humble soul may groan under afflictions, but he will not grumble in calms. Proud hearts discourse of patience, but humble hearts exercise patience. Philosophers have much commended it, but in the hour of darkness it is the humble soul that acts it.
504. What Paul once said concerning bonds and afflictions, that they attended him in every place, the same may believers say concerning temptations, that they attend them in every place, in every calling, in every condition, in every company, in every service; but, that the hearts of his people and temptations may not meet, the Lord is pleased to strengthen them by his best and choicest gifts.
505. It is dangerous to love to be wise above what is written; to be curious and unsober in your desire of knowledge, and to trust to your own capacities and abilities, to undertake to pry into all secrets, and to be puffed up with a carnal mind. Souls that are thus soaring above the bounds and limits of humility, usually fall into the very worst of errors.
506. If poverty, with Saul, has killed her thousands, riches, with David, have killed their ten thousands.
507. It is recorded of Severus that his care was not to look upon what men said of him, or how they censured him, but to look what was to be done by him. "God loves," says Luther, "the runner, not the questioner."
508. Our sins are debts that none can pay but Christ. It is not our tears, but his blood; it is not our sighs, but his sufferings, that can satisfy for our sins. Christ must pay all, or we are prisoners forever.
509. It is the greatest glory of a minister in this world to be high in spiritual work and humble in heart. Vain glory is a pleasant thing; it is the sweet spoiler of spiritual excellencies.
510. "Buy the truth and sell it not" Remember you can never overbuy it, whatsoever you give for it; you can never sufficiently sell it if you should have all the world in exchange for it.
511. Christians, the highway to comfort is to mind comfort less and duty more.
512. The spouse's lips are described as being like a thread of scarlet, talking of nothing but a crucified Christ; and thin like a thread, not swelled with vain and wicked discourses.
513. Christian, if you would escape Satan's devices, then make present resistance to Satan's first motions. It is safe to resist, it is dangerous to dispute. Eve disputes, and falls in Paradise; Job resists, and conquers upon the dunghill.
514. Ministers should preach feelingly, experimentally as well as exemplarily; they must speak from the heart to the heart; they must feel the worth, the weight, the sweet of those things upon their own souls that they give out to others. The highest mystery in divine rhetoric is to feel what a man speaks, and then speak what a man feels.
515. The Lord many times breaks our bones, but it is in order to the saving of our lives and souls forever; he gives us a potion that makes us heart-sick, but it is in order to the making of us perfectly well, and to the purging of us from those ill humors that have made our heads ache, and God's heart ache, and our souls sick and heavy to death. Therefore, Christian, under all thy afflictions be silent and thankful.
516. A man by his arm may do much, but it is mainly by reason of its union and conjunction with the head. It is so between a Christian's graces and Christ. The stream does not more depend upon the
fountain, nor the branch upon the root, nor the moon upon the sun, nor the child upon the mother, nor the effect upon the cause, than our graces depend upon the fountain of grace. (Psalm 138:3; Philippians 4:12, 13.)
517. Surely they do not truly love Christ who love anything more than Christ.
518. The Lord Jesus has as great and as large an interest in the weakest saints as he has in the strongest. He has the interest of a Friend, and the interest of a Father, and the interest of a Head, and the interest of a Husband; and therefore, though saints be weak, yea, though they be very weak, he overlooks their weakness, and keeps a fixed eye upon their graces.
519. Afflictions are but as a dark entry into our Father's house; they are but as a dirty lane to a royal palace.
520. When the asp stings a man, it does first tickle him so that it makes him laugh, till the poison, by little and little, goes to the heart, and then it pains him more than ever it delighted him. So does sin. It may please a little at first, but it will pain the soul with a witness at last; yea, if there were the least real delight in sin, there could be no perfect hell where men shall most perfectly be tormented with their sin.
521. There is no man on earth that sees himself such a debtor to God as the humble man; he would count it strange folly to be proud of being more in debt than another. "It is true," says he, "I have this and that mercy in possession, and such and such mercies in reversion; but by all I am made more a debtor to God."
522. Many low and carnal considerations may work men to watch their words, their lives, their actions; as hope of gain, or to please friends, or to get a name in the world, and many other such like reasons. But to watch our thoughts, to weep and lament over them,
this must needs be from some noble, spiritual and internal principle, as love to God and a holy care and delight to please him.
523. Ah, souls, it is not a base low thing, but a God-like thing, though we are wronged by others, yet to be the first in seeking after peace. Such actings will speak out much of God with a man's spirit.
524. Sinner, remember this—None ever yet obtained an interest in Christ but unworthy creatures. Was Paul worthy before he obtained an interest in Christ? And what worthiness was in Zaccheus when Christ called him down from the sycamore tree, and told him that this day salvation was come to his house? Though you are unworthy, yet Christ is worthy. Though you have no merit, yet God has mercy. Though there is no salvation for you by the law, yet there is "plenteous redemption" in the Gospel.
525. Grace is given to trade with; it is given to lay out, not lay up.
526. There is no loss that comes so near to a Christian's heart, as the loss of his Lord; for when God goes, all go—when the King removes, all his train follow; and therefore it is no wonder to see a Christian better bear any loss than the loss of his God, for in losing him he loses all.
527. The Lord defines faith to be a coming to God in Christ; to be a resting, or staying, or rolling of the soul upon Christ. And it is always safest and sweetest to define as God defines, both vices and graces. This is the only way to settle the Soul, and to secure it against all the wiles of men and devils, who labor by false definitions of grace to keep precious souls in a doubting, staggering, and languishing condition; and to make their lives a burden and a misery unto them.
528. Where one thousand are destroyed by the world's frowns, ten thousand are destroyed by its smiles.
529. I think that oftentimes men charge that upon the devil which ought to be charged upon their own hearts.
530. God hath bestowed himself as a portion upon as great sinners as any are that as yet have not God for their portion.
531. As it is the glory of the stock, when the gratis grow and thrive in it, even so it is the glory of Christ when those who are engrafted into him thrive and grow. The name of Christ, and the honor of Christ, are kept up in the world by souls that are rich in grace. They are the persons who make others think well and speak well of Christ.
532. The worst of men are in a dead sleep, and the best of men are too often in a sinful slumber, and therefore faithful ministers have need to cry aloud, they have need to be courageous and zealous, to awaken both sinners and saints, that none may go sleeping to hell. Cowardice in a minister is cruelty; if he fears the faces of men, he is a murderer of the souls of men.
533. Sinner, if thou art but heartily willing to be divorced from that wicked trinity, the world, the flesh and the devil, there is no doubt that God will be thy portion.
534. Those that have a blemish in their eyes, think the sky to be over cloudy; and nothing is more common to weak spirits, than to be criticizing and contending about others duties, and to neglect their own.
535. It is dangerous to be more notion than motion; to have faith in the head, and none in the heart; to have an idle and not an active faith. It is not enough for you to have faith, but you must look to the acting of your faith upon Christ as crucified, and upon Christ as glorified. Souls much in this will be very little and low in their own eyes. The great reason why the soul is no more humble, is, because faith is no more active.
536. Believer, the certainty and sweetness of victory will abundantly recompense you for all the pains you have taken in making resistance against the devil's temptations. The broken horns of Satan shall be trumpets of our triumph, and the cornets of joy.
537. The greatness of a man's sins does but set off the riches of free grace. Sins are debts, and God can as easily blot out a debt of many thousands, as he can a lesser one; therefore let not the greatest rebel despair, but believe; and he shall find, that where sin hath abounded, there grace shall much more abound.
538. Psalm 84:11. The sun denotes all manner of excellency, provision, and prosperity, and the shield represents all manner of protection whatsoever; under the name of grace all spiritual good is wrapped up, and under the name of glory all eternal good is wrapped up; under the last clause of the verse, no good thing will he withhold, is wrapped up all temporal good; and all put together declare God to be indeed an all-sufficient portion.
539. There is nothing that makes a man so able to preach Christ to the people, as getting Christ within him.
540. Bethink thee, Christian, thy mercies outweigh thy wants. God's favors and blessings seldom or never come single; there is a series or course of them, and every former draws on a future. They are also all unmerited, and undeserved; they flow in upon thee from the free love and favor of God. O then, that, with David, you would summon all the faculties of your soul to praise the Lord, who hath freely filled you, and followed you with the riches of mercy all your days.
541. Men of the greatest excellencies are the main objects upon which the eye of envy is placed.
542. The teaching of this and that opinion may please a man's fancy, but it is only the preaching of Christ that changes the heart, that conquers the heart, that turns the heart. Peter by preaching a crucified Christ, converts three thousand souls at once.
543. Every believer hath a whole God, wholly, he hath all of God for his portion. God is not a believer's portion in a limited sense, nor in a comparative sense, but in an absolute sense; God himself is theirs, he is wholly theirs, he is only theirs, he is always theirs.
544. Christians act below their spiritual birth and their holy calling, when they suffer their hearts to be troubled and perplexed for the want of temporal things. Could they read special love in such gifts? Would their happiness lie in the enjoyment of them? Nay then, believer, let not the want of those things trouble thee, the enjoyment of which could never make thee happy.
545. It was a capital crime in Tiberius's days to carry a ring or coin bearing the image of Augustus into any sordid place; and shall not Christians be more mindful and careful, that their graces, which are Christ's image, be no ways obscured, but that they be kept always sparkling and shining?
546. Every man is as the objects are with which he converses. A man may better know what he is by eyeing the objects with which his soul does mostly converse, than by observing his most glorious and pompous services.
547. As the lowest shrubs are treed from many violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rend the tallest cedars; so the humble soul is free from a world of temptations that proud and lofty souls are torn in pieces with.
548. Self-seekers are self-losers, and self-destroyers.
549. Absalom and Judas seek themselves, and hang themselves. Saul seeks himself, and kills himself. Haman sought himself; and lost himself That which self-seekers think should be a staff to support them, becomes, by the hand of justice, an iron rod to break them; that which they would have as springs to refresh them, becomes a gulf utterly to destroy them.
550. I have read of one, who, when anything fell out prosperously, would read over the Lamentation of Jeremiah to keep his heart tender, humbled and low. Prosperity does not contribute more to the puffing up the soul, than adversity does to the bowing down of the
soul. This the saints by experience find, and therefore they can kiss and embrace the cross, as others do the world's crown.
551. It speaks out much of Christ within, to own where Christ owns, and love where Christ loves, and embrace where Christ embraces, and to be one with every one that is practically one with the Lord Jesus.
552. There is nothing in the world that renders a man more unlike to a saint and more like to Satan, than to argue from mercy to sinful liberty, from divine goodness to licentiousness; this is the devil's logic, and in whomsoever you find it, you may say of him, "This soul is lost."
553. Bias, a heathen man, being at sea in a great storm, and perceiving many wicked men with him in the ship calling upon the gods, "Oh," says he, "forbear prayer; hold your peace. I would not have the gods take notice that you are here; they surely would drown us all if they should." Ah, sirs, could a heathen see so much danger in' the society of wicked men; and can you see none?
554. Christians, let your souls dwell upon the vanity of all things here below, till your hearts are so thoroughly convinced and persuaded of the 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.
555. One of Satan's greatest devices to destroy the saints is this, By working them first to be strange. and then to be bitter and jealous, and then to bite and devour one another, Christian, take heed!
556. Every minister's life should be a commentary upon Christ's life.
557. That wisdom which a believer has from Christ, leads him to center in the wisdom of Christ; and that love which the soul has from Christ, leads the soul to center in the love of Christ; and that righteousness which the soul has from Christ, leads the soul to rest
and center in the righteousness of Christ. True grace is a beam of Christ, and where it is, it will naturally lead the soul to him.
558. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? O that Christians would learn to reason themselves out of their fears, and out of their distrusts, as the apostle does! O that they would no longer rend and rack their precious souls with fears and cares, but rest satisfied in this, that He who has been so kind to them in spirituals, will not be wanting to them in temporals.
559. When you have overcome one temptation, you must be ready to enter the lists with another. As distrust, in some sense, is the mother of safety, so security is the gate of danger. A man had need to fear this most of all, that he fears not at all.
560. O Christians, how justly may that father be angry with his child who is unwilling to come home? and how justly may that husband be displeased with the wife who is unwilling to ride to him in a rainy day, or to cross the sea to enjoy his company? But is not this your case? is not this just your case, who have God for your portion, and yet are unwilling to die, that you may come to a full enjoyment of him?
561. Our safety and security lie not in our weak holding upon Christ, but in Christ's holding us fast in his everlasting arms. This is our glory and our safety, that Christ's left hand is always under us} and his right hand doth always embrace us.
562. Those who are weak in grace dwell more upon their sins than upon the Saviour; more upon their misery than upon free grace and mercy; more upon that which may feed their fears than upon that which may strengthen their faith; more upon the cross than' upon the crown; more upon those that are against them than upon those that are for them; and this keeps them low and weak in spirituals, it causes a leanness in their souls.
563. It is a' very great stumbling block to many poor sinners to see men who make a high and boasting profession of Christ, and yet never exercise and show forth the virtues of Christ. They profess they know him, and yet, by the nonexercise of his virtues, they deny him.
564. God's very service is wages; his ways are strewed with roses, and paved with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory and with peace that passeth understanding.
565. As the weakest faith, if true, gives the soul a right to all that internal and eternal worth that is in Christ, so the weakest faith, if true, gives a man a real right unto all the external favors and privileges that come by Christ. (Romans 14:1.) This is the standing rule for all the saints and churches in the world to go by.
566. No man can promise himself to be wealthy till night. One storm at sea, one coal of fire, one false friend, one unadvised word, one false witness, may make thee a beggar and a prisoner all at once.
567. Doubtless, when the soul cleaves to Christ in the face of all afflictions and difficulties, this carries with it very great evidence of its interest in Christ. In temporals, men cleave to persons and things, as their interest is in them; and so it is in spirituals also. Christ cannot, Christ will not throw such into hell that hang about him, that cleave to him.
568. "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire? It is not enough that the tree bears not ill fruit, but it must bring forth good fruit, or else be destroyed. So it is not enough that we are not thus and thus wicked, but we must be gracious and good, else divine justice will put the ax of divine vengeance to the root of our souls, and cut us off forever.
569. Weak Christians are afraid of the shadow of the cross.
570. If a man have not union with Christ, if he be not implanted into Christ, he can do nothing. The soul, by virtue of its union to Christ,
may do much; but such as are separated from Christ can do nothing —at least, as they should. Ah, Christians, if you would but put out yourselves to the utmost, you would find the Lord both ready and willing to assist you, to meet with you, and to do for you above what you are able to ask or think.
571. One of Satan's devices to keep poor souls in a sad, doubting and questioning condition is causing them to be always poring and musing upon sin; to mind their sins more than their Saviour; yea, so to mind their sins as to forget and to neglect their Saviour. Their eyes are so fixed upon their disease that they cannot see the remedy, though it be near; and they do so muse upon their debts that they have neither mind nor heart to think of their surety.
572. The soul of man is more worth than a thousand worlds. And it is the greatest abasing of it that can be to let it doat upon a little sinning earth, upon a little painted beauty and fading glory, when it is capable of union with Christ, of communion with God, and of enjoying the eternal felicity of heaven.
573. A little will satisfy nature, less will satisfy grace, but nothing will satisfy a proud man's lusts.
574. The faith of expectance will in time rise up into a faith of reliance, and the faith of reliance will in time advance itself into a faith of assurance.
575. When Satan perceives that all those trifling, vain thoughts that he casts into the soul do but vex it into greater earnestness, watchfulness and diligence in holy and heavenly services, he often ceases to interpose such trifles and sinful thoughts, as he ceased to tempt Christ when Christ was peremptory in resisting his temptations.
576. We trust as we love, and we trust where we love; if you love Christ much, surely you will trust him much.
577. There is no power below that which raised Christ from the dead and made the world, that can break or turn the heart of a sinner.
578. Repentance is a flower that grows not in nature's garden.
579. Those souls who, after they have done all, do not look up so high as Christ, and rest in Christ only, casting their services at his footstool, must lie down in sorrow; their bed is prepared for them in hell. But, sinner, "Is it good dwelling with everlasting burnings and with devouring fire?" If it be, why then rest in your duties still; if otherwise, then see that you center only in Christ.
580. A humble soul highly prizes the least love token, the least courtesy from Christ; but proud hearts count great mercies small mercies, and small mercies no mercies; yea, pride does so unman them that they often call mercy misery.
581. Woe, woe to that soul that God will not spend a rod upon. This is the saddest stroke of all, when God refuses to strike at all. "Nothing," said one, "seems more unhappy to me than he to whom no adversity has happened."
582. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Ah, how does the father's sin infect the child, the husband's infect the wife, the master's the servant! The sin that is in one man's heart is able to infect a whole world; it is of such a spreading and poisonous nature.
583. When sin and suffering have stood in competition, many weak Christians have chosen rather to sin than to suffer, which has opened many a mouth, saddened many a heart and wounded many a conscience. Yet such, by their not suffering, have had to endure more than ever they could have done from the wrath and rage of men. Christian, you must suffer rather than sin.
584. They are none of the best servants that, mind their wages more than their work, and they are none of the best Christians that mind
their comforts and their incomes more than that homage and duty which they owe to God.
585. "When I awake I am still with thee" (Psalm 139:18). What we love most, we most muse upon. That which we much like, we shall much mind. Believer, keep up holy and spiritual affections; for such as your affections are, such will be your thoughts.
586. Sinners are proud and foolish, and because they have no money, no worthiness to bring, they will not come to the Lord Jesus, though he sweetly invites them. Well, sinners, remember this: it is not so much the sense of your unworthiness, as your pride, that keeps you from a blessed closing with the Saviour.
587. Augustine, by wandering out of his way, escaped one who lay in wait to mischief him. If afflictions did not put us out of our way, we should many times meet with some sin or other that would mischief our precious souls.
588. When mercy is despised, then justice takes the throne.
589. Self-seeking blinds the soul, that it cannot see a beauty in Christ nor an excellency in holiness; it distempers the palate that a man cannot taste sweetness in the word of God, nor in the ways of God, nor in the society of the people of God: it shuts the hand against all the soul-enriching offers of Christ; it hardens the heart against all the knocks and entreaties of Christ; it makes the soul as an empty vine and as a barren wilderness; in a word, there is nothing that bespeaks a man to be more empty and void of God, Christ and grace than selfseeking.
590. Though another man cannot be saved by thy faith, yet he may be blessed with many blessings upon the account of thy faith. It was the Canaanitish woman's faith that brought a blessing of healing upon her daughter. The centurion's faith healed his servant, who was sick of a palsy. "From that very hour he was healed" (Matthew 8:513).
591. Of all mercies, pardoning mercy is the most necessary mercy. Thou mayest go to heaven without honor, and without riches, and without the smiles of creatures, but thou canst never go to heaven without pardoning mercy. A man may be great and graceless, he may be rich and miserable, he may be honorable and damnable, but he cannot be a pardoned soul without being a very blessed soul, that entitles him to all blessedness—it puts the royal crown upon his head.
592. Souls that are torn in pieces with the cares of the world will be always vexed and tormented with vain thoughts in all their approaches to God. Vain thoughts will still be crowding in upon him who lives in a crowd of business.
593. "If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small11 (Proverbs 24:10). Man has no trial of his strength till he is in trouble; faintness then discovers weakness.
594. Faithful ministers do represent the person of the King of kings and Lord of lords. And though the world crown them with thorns, as it did their Lord and Master before them, yet God will crown them with honor. They shall shine as the stars in the firmament. You know embassadors have not preferments while they are abroad; but when they come home to their own country then their princes prefix them and put much honor upon them. So will God deal with his embassadors.
595. Wicked men are the most needy men in the world—yea, they want those two things that should render their mercies sweet, the blessing of God and content with their condition, and without which their heaven is but hell on this side hell.
596. Though men cannot bring their means to their minds, yet ought they to bring their minds to their means, and learn content in every state.
597. A humble soul knows that little sins (if I may so call any) cost Christ his blood, and that they make way for greater, and that little sins, multiplied, become great, as a little sum, multiplied, is great; that they cloud the face of God, wound conscience, grieve the Spirit, rejoice Satan and make work for repentance.
598. When all else is gone, yet a Christian hath his God to live upon as his portion, and that is enough to make up the want of all other things. As he hath nothing that hath not God for his portion, so he wants nothing that hath God for his portion.
599. The greatest sins do most and best set off the freeness and the riches of God's grace; there is nothing that makes heaven and earth to ring and sound out his praise so much as the fixing of his love upon those who are most unlovely and uncomely, the bestowing of* himself upon those who have given away themselves from him.
600. The least good that is done by the weakest saint is never despised by Christ. Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee, and what shall we have? (Matthew 19:27.) A great all indeed; the disciples left a few old boats, and torn nets, and poor household stuff; yet Christ carries it very sweetly and lovingly to them, and tells them in verse twenty-eight that they should sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. The butler may forget Joseph, and Joseph may forget his father's house, but the Lord will not forget the least good done by the least saint.
Quotes 601-700
601. To look after holy and heavenly works is the best way to preserve the soul from being deceived and deluded by Satan's devices, or by sudden flashes of joy or comfort; holy works being a more sensible and constant pledge of the precious Spirit, begetting
and maintaining in the soul more solid, pure, clear, strong and lasting joy.
602. No man knows how the heart of God stands, by his hand. His hand of mercy may be toward a man when his heart is against him, as in the instance of Saul and others. And the hand of God may be set against a man when the heart of God is dearly set upon him, as you may see in Job and Ephraim. Nabal is rich as well as Abraham; Ahithophel wise as well as Solomon, and Doeg is honored by Saul as well as Joseph by Pharaoh. Usually the worst of men have most of these outward things, and the best of men have least of earth, though most of heaven.
603. Your sins may provoke Christ to frown upon you, they may provoke Christ to chide with you, they may provoke him gently to correct you, but they shall never provoke him to give you a bill of divorce.
604. Till a man comes to have God for his portion, he never comes to be temptation-proof.
605. No man knows either love or hatred by outward mercy or misery; for all things come alike to all, to the righteous and to the unrighteous, to the good and to the bad, to the clean and to the unclean. Tie sun of prosperity shines as well upon the brambles of the wilderness as upon the fruit trees of the orchard; the snow and hail of adversity light upon the best garden as well ad upon the wildest waste. Health, wealth, honors, crosses, sicknesses and losses are cast upon good and bad men indifferently.
606. Though Satan can never rob a Christian of his crown, yet such is his malice that he will therefore tempt, in order to spoil him of his comforts. Such is his enmity to the Father, that the nearer and dearer any child is to him, the more will Satan trouble him and vex him with temptations.
607. Let us do our duties, and let the Lord do as pleaseth him.
608. 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?
609. When a man goes from the sun, yet the sunbeams follow him; so when we go from the Sun of righteousness, yet then the beams of his love and mercy follow us. Christ first sent to Peter who had denied him, and the rest who had forsaken him.
610. Such men as are contented with so much grace as will bring them to glory, and keep hell and their souls asunder, will never be rich in grace, or high in comfort and assurance. Such souls usually go to heaven in a storm. Oh, how weather-beaten are they before they can reach the heavenly harbor.
611. It was a weighty saying of one, "The spiritual good of a man consists in this, that a man hath friendship with God, and consequently that he lives for him, to him, with him and in him; he lives for him by consent, to him by conversation, with him by communion, and in him by contentation.
612. Happiness lies not in those things that a man may enjoy, and yet be miserable for ever. True happiness is too big and too glorious a thing to be found in anything below that God who is a Christian's chief good.
613. Satan is as old as the world, and is grown very cunning by experience. When he was but a young serpent, he easily deceived and outwitted our first parents; but now he is that old serpent, as John speaks. Yet, notwithstanding all his plots, devices and stratagems, God's chosen ones shall overcome him by the blood of the Lamb.
614. There is a wonder: God is on high, and yet the higher a man lifts up himself the farther he is from God; and the lower a man humbles himself, the nearer he is to God. (Isaiah 57:15.)
615. As earthly portions carry away worldly hearts from God, so when God once comes to be a man's portion, he carries his heart away from the world, the flesh and the devil. All the world cannot keep a man's interest and' his heart asunder.
616. The gifts that Jesus Christ gives widen the heart and enlarge the soul of a believer to take in more of himself. Naturally we are narrow mouthed heavenward, and wide-mouthed earthward; but the Lord Jesus, by casting his jewels, his pearls, his precious gifts into the soul, doth widen, enlarge, and make it more capacious to entertain himself. Christ, by his gifts, causes all doors to stand open, that the King of glory may come in.
617. Remember, Christians, how many there are in the world, who sit sighing and mourning under the want of those very favors that you enjoy. Why does the living man complain? What, out of the grave, and complain? What, out of hell, and complain? This is a man's sin and God's wonder.
618. The Persians used to write their kings' names in golden characters; so the Lord writes the names of souls rich in grace in golden letters; their names are always heirs to their lives. The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
619. As the people prized David above themselves, saying, Thou art worth ten thousand of us, so should saints lift up Jesus Christ above themselves, and above every thing below himself. Ho that lifts not Christ up above all, has no interest in Christ at all. He who sets not Christ above all, is not a disciple of Christ.
620. A soul weak in grace has as much interest in the Lord as the strongest saint has, though he has not the skill to improve that interest. And is not this a singular comfort and support? Verily, were there no more to bear up a poor weak saint from fainting under all his sins and sorrows, and sufferings, yet this alone might do it.
621. This is your glory, Christians; —in the presence and sight of all your graces, to see the free grace of Christ, and his infinite, spotless, matchless, and glorious righteousness, to be your only comfort and refuge. Peter was*not well skilled in this lesson, and that was the very reason that he fell foulest when his confidence was highest.
622. Mercy and grace are sometimes upon the bare knee. Christ stands knocking at sinners' doors; his hands and heart are full of rich and royal presents; and blessed and enriched forever are those who open to this King of Glory.
623. Christian, if you would keep humble, if you would lie low, draw forth your artillery, place your greatest strength against the pride of your soul. The death of pride will be the resurrection of humility.
624. Christ has given sin its death-wound by his death and resurrection, so that it cannot be long lived, though it may linger awhile in a saint. As a tree that* is cut at the root with a sore gash or two, must die within a year, perhaps a month —nay, it may be within a week, though for a time it may flourish, and have leaves and fruit— yet it secretly dies, and will very shortly wither and perish. So Jesus Christ has given sin such a mortal blow, that it shall never recover its strength and power more, and we may truly say it is dead, it is slain.
625. Though the scorpion be little, yet will it sting a lion to death; and so will the least sin, if not pardoned by the death of Christ.
626. I have read of one who did not fear what he did, nor what he suffered, so that he might get riches; "for," said he, "men do not ask how good one is, or how gracious one is, but how rich one is." O sirs, the day is coming, when God. will ask how rich your souls are; not how rich you are in money, or in jewels, or in land, or in goods, but how rich you are in grace; which should provoke your souls to strive, in the face of all discouragements, to be spiritually rich.
627. A gracious soul may look through the darkest cloud, and see his God smiling on* him, as by a rainbow we see the beautiful images of
the sun's light, in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud.
628. We must look through the anger of his correction to the sweetness of his countenance.
629. Sin gives Satan a power over us, and an advantage to accuse us, and to lay claim to us, as those that wear his badge.
630. God takes away a little comfort, that He may make room in the soul for a greater degree of comfort. This, the prophet Isaiah sweetly shows: "I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him, and to his mourners." (Isaiah 57:18.) Bear up sweetly, O precious soul! thy storm shall end in a calm, and thy dark night in a sunshiny day. Thy mourning shall be turned into rejoicing, and the waters of consolation shall be sweeter and higher in thy soul than ever. The mercy is surely thine, but the time of giving it is the Lord's.
631. The law cannot condemn a believer—Christ has fulfilled it for him; divine justice cannot condemn him—that Christ has satisfied; his sins cannot condemn him—they are pardoned through the blood of Christ; and his own conscience, upon righteous grounds, cannot condemn him, because Christ, who is greater than his conscience, has acquitted him.
632. It is observable in the court of kings and princes, that children and the ruder sort of people are much taken with pictures and rich shows, and feed their fancies with the sight of rich hangings and fine gay things; whereas, such as are great favorites at court pass by all those as things below them, not worthy of their notice; they have business with the King; they have the eye, the ear, the hand, and the heart of the king to take pleasure and delight in. So most men admire the poor low things of the world, and are much taken with them; but a man that hath God for his portion, will pass by all the gay and gallant things of the world, for his business is with his God, and his thoughts, and heart, and affections are all taken up with him.
633. He who will not improve two talents, shall never have the honor to be trusted with five; but he that improves a little, shall be trusted with much. "The diligent hand maketh rich."
634. There is nothing that speaks out more the strength of grace in a man than his standing against sudden assaults and invasions that by the devil and the world are made upon him. Many a valiant person dares fight in a battle or a duel who yet would be timorous and fearful if suddenly surprised in a midnight alarm.
635. For a man to have a great name to live, and yet to have but a little life, is a stroke of strokes. To be high in name, and little in worth, is a very sad and sore judgment.
636. Such is the corruption of our nature, that, propound any divine good to it, it is entertained as fire by water; but propound any evil, and it is like fire to straw. Did God leave men to act according to their natures, they would be all incarnate devils, and this world a perfect hell.
637. Let those be thy choicest companions who have made Christ their chief companion.
638. Weak Christians are overcome with little crosses; the least cross does not only startle them, but it sinks them, and though they have many comforts for one cross, yet their hearts are so damped and daunted that joy and comfort flies away from them, and they sit down overwhelmed. Certainly this speaks out little of Christ within.
639. Sin may rebel, but it shall never reign in any saint.
640. Believer, remember this: all the honor that God has from you in this life, is from your living up to that light, knowledge, love, fear and faith that he has given you.
641. It was a good saying of one, "Wilt thou be great? Begin from below." As the roots of the tree descend, so the branches ascend. The
lower any man is in this sense, the higher shall that man be raised. The lowest valleys have the blessing of fruitfulness, while the high mountains are barren.
642. There is no surer way for men to have their gifts and parts blasted and withered as to pride themselves in them and rest upon them; to make light and slight of those who want them, or to engage them against those persons, ways. and things that Jesus Christ has set his heart upon.
643. Carnal weapons have no might or spirit in them toward the making of a conquest upon Satan. We have not to do with a weak, but with a mighty enemy; and, therefore, we had need look to it that our weapons are mighty, and that they cannot be unless they are spiritual.
644. A true penitent has ever something within him to turn from. He can never get near enough to God, no, not so near him as once he was; and therefore he is still turning and turning, that he may get near and nearer to him who is his chiefest good and his only happiness.
645. Nothing will better that man, or move that man who is given up to spiritual judgments. Let God smile or frown, stroke or strike, cut or kill, he minds it not, regards it not. He is mad upon his sin, and God is fully set to do justice upon his soul. Such a man's preservation is but a reservation unto a greater condemnation. He has guilt.in his bosom and vengeance at his back wherever he goes; neither ministry or misery, neither miracle nor mercy can mollify his heart; and if this soul be not in hell on this side hell, who is?
646. Many are miserable by loving hurtful things; but. they are more miserable by having them. It is not what men enjoy, but the principle from whence it comes, that makes men happy.
647. Where grace is improved to a considerable height, it will work a soul to sit down satisfied with the naked enjoyment of God without
other things.
648. The mercy is the waiting man's, but the waiting man must give God leave to time his mercy for him.
649. The more any man improves his graces, the clearer, the sweeter, fuller and richer is his enjoyment of God here. There is no man in all the world who has such enjoyment of God as that man has who most improves his graces. It is not he who knows most, nor he who hears, most, nor yet he who talks most, but he who exercises grace most, that has most communion with God, that has the clearest visions of God, and that has the sweetest discoveries and manifestations of his Lord and Master.
650. Despair is a sin exceedingly vile and contemptibly; it is a word of eternal reproach, dishonor and confusion; it declares the devil a conqueror, and what greater dishonor can be done to Christ than for a soul to proclaim, before all the world, the devil a crowned conqueror?
651. Pheraulus, a poor man on whom Cyrus bestowed so much that he knew not what to do with his riches, being wearied out with care in keeping them, desired rather to live quietly, though poor, as he had done before, than to possess all those riches with discontent; therefore, he gave away all his wealth, desiring only to enjoy so much as might supply his necessities. Let worldly professors think seriously of this story and blush.
652. It is good to own and acknowledge a little grace, though it be mingled with very much corruption, as that poor soul did in Mark 9:24.
653. He had but a little faith, and this was mixed with abundance of unbelief; yet he says, "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief." The least measure of faith will make thee blessed here and happy hereafter.
654. He will not long be a babe in grace who lives out that little grace he has.
655. No man's grace or experience rises so high, no man's communion with God and divine enjoyment rises so high, no man's springs of comforts or parts rise so high as theirs do who conscientiously wait upon God in private before they wait upon him in the assembly of his people, and who, when they return from public ordinances, retire into their closets, and look up to heaven for a blessing upon public means.
656. Christians may doubtless look to their graces as evidences of their part in Christ and salvation, and the clearer and stronger they are, the greater will be their comfort; but they must not look to them as causes.
657. Private prayer is a golden key to unlock the mysteries of the word unto us. The knowledge of many choice and blessed truths are but the returns of private prayer. The word dwells most richly in their hearts who are most in pouring out of their hearts before God in their closets.
658. Secret sins commonly lie nearest the heart, the fountain from whence they take a quick and continual supply. Secret sins are as near to the original sins as the first droppings are to the spring head.
659. It was long since determined in the schools that penitents had more reason to be thankful than innocents, sin giving an advantage to mercy, to be doubly free in giving and in pardoning, and so the greater obligation is left upon us to thankfulness.
660. As the tender dew that falls in the silent night, and makes the herbs and flowers to flourish and grow more abundantly than great showers of rain that fall in the day, so secret prayer will more abundantly cause the sweet herbs of grace and holiness to grow and flourish in the soul than all those more open, public and visible
duties of religion, which are too often mingled and mixed with the sun and wind of pride and hypocrisy.
661. To run from Christ is Jo run from all life, peace and joy. It is to run from our strength, our shelter, our security, our safety, our crown, our glory. Crabs, that go backward, are reckoned among unclean creatures (Leviticus 11:10). The application is easy.
662. Christ was wonderfully faithful and careful in both parts of his priestly office, namely, satisfaction and intercession; he was his people's only spokesman. Oh, how earnest, how frequent was he in pouring out prayers, and tears, and sighs, and groans for his people in secret when he was in this world, and now he is in heaven, he is still making intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25).
663. All divine strength and power against sin flows from the soul's union and communion with Christ. It is only faith in Christ that makes a man triumph over sin, Satan, hell and the world.