Choice pithy sayings of William Tiptaft
(1803 — 1864)

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Let worldly minds the world pursue,
It has no charms for me;
Once I admired its trifles too,
But grace has set me free!

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How many who died last century are in Hell — who never committed half the sins some of you have!

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It is of God's grace, if we differ from the mirthful and foolish multitude around us.

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The world, in its various shapes — is Christ's great enemy!

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I have no stone to cast at the vilest of the vile.
It is all of grace that I am made to differ!

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"God knows best!" and "May Your will be done!" are hard lessons to learn!

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If you were to go about telling people that you had an inheritance worth a million worlds, and yet were out of temper for a trifle — they would not believe you.

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We come into the world crying, we go through it complaining, and go out of it groaning!

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O Lord, deliver us from everything that may entangle our affections and harden our hearts. Grant that we may hold the world with a loose hand.

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If I love money more than Christ — then woe is me!

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Pride and covetousness cling very close to us — they influence us more than we can imagine.

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If rich men only knew when they died, how . . .
  their relatives would scramble for their money,
  the worms for their bodies, and
  the devil for their souls,
they would not be so anxious to save money!

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It is a bad sign when a minister has the smiles of worldly professors.

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Lord, grant that we may not sin cheaply.

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O Lord, keep our hearts, keep our eyes, keep our feet, and keep our tongues.

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Lord, teach us more what we are by nature — and what we are by grace.

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O Lord, look upon the unworthy worm before you. Let him be as your mouth in separating the precious from the vile. Grant that he may rightly divide the word of truth and rightly divide the hearers. Grant that he may exalt the Savior — and lay the sinner low.

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If the way to Heaven is so narrow, and so few find it — then what will become of those who never seek it?

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Are you ready to shake hands with death?

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Have you ever esteemed it a mercy — that you are out of Hell?

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Some have a clear knowledge of the doctrines — but are evidently void of grace.

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Has your religion cost you anything?
If it has cost you nothing, it is worth nothing.

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Have you ever experienced the new birth?
If not, dying in your present state — to Hell you must go.

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Lord, look upon those who mourn in Zion — put their tears into Your bottle — listen to their sighs and groans.

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Six feet by two-and-a-half is all the ground that the richest man in England will shortly occupy.

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When the Lord finds His rod — His people find their knees.

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If not washed in Christ's blood and clothed in his righteousness — then no Heaven for you, no Heaven for me.

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How awful to die out of Christ!
How blessed to die in Christ!

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The least work of grace in the heart is worth a thousand worlds!

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The cross is not to be escaped — if we are to enter into glory.

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Lord, deliver us from everything that may entangle our affections, and harden our hearts.

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If I preach to please men, I am not the servant of Christ; and woe unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

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If you have one grain of grace — you must die to know how rich you are.

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You cannot touch pitch and not be defiled.
Sin is of a defiling nature.

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Sinning will stop praying — or praying will stop sinning.

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When the Lord finds His rod — His people find their knees.

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There is nothing worth living for in this vain world.
Vanity is stamped upon all created good.

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Show me a man's books and show me a man's companions — and I will tell you what sort of a man he is.

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Children take more notice of what their parents do, than what they say. Actions speak louder than words.

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We are not going to jump out of Delilah's lap — into Abraham's bosom.

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I used to try to reconcile creature comforts and spiritual consolations. We cannot hold the world in one hand and Christ in the other. We cannot serve both God and mammon.

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Dead fish go with the stream — living ones go against it.

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Real religion is to be severed from the world, to be married to Christ, and to bring forth fruit unto God.

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O what a narrow way is that which leads to life!

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Better to live in a hovel with a grain of grace — than to live in a palace without it; for what would the palace avail you in a thousand years?

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Fit or not fit — we must all die, and we know not how soon.
As death leaves us, the judgment must find us.

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What sorrow, troubles, and afflictions attend all the followers of the Lamb!

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The rougher the file — the less the rust.

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No cross — no crown!

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We need restraining grace — as well as saving grace.

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If you are contented with a sound creed and a little morality in your lives, you are in an awful state. I would not like to die in your state for a thousand worlds.

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Prosperity in worldly things — will dampen the desire of eternal things.

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If this world with its fading pleasures is so much admired — then what must Heaven be, which God praises?

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What a mercy to be made . . .
  right in doctrine,
  right in experience,
  and right in practice!

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If you had a thousand crowns, you should put them all on the head of Christ! And if you had a thousand tongues, they should all sing His praise, for He is worthy!

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As long as we live in this world, we shall find that our hearts again and again cleave to the dust. Lord, make us more dead to the world, and separate in spirit from it.

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All things here, however, are very uncertain and unsatisfactory. It is a great mercy when we can use the world as strangers and pilgrims. We are like dunces, for it takes us many years to learn such a truth.

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Jesus made that inestimable sacrifice — not of gold, nor silver, but of His own precious blood — to redeem selfish, carnal, ungodly, and Hell-deserving sinners!

Moreover, He has bestowed upon them more than we can ever ask or think! Glory and honor be to His adorable name!

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What a mockery is a mere profession of religion which costs a man nothing!
There is no more true religion than what is felt, known, and experienced in the soul.

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Vital godliness is but little known in the present day. When we are led to have a saving view of the Cross — how very different does everything appear!

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It is up-hill work to contend against . . .
  the world,
  the flesh, and
  the devil.

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He is not a Christian who differs in sentiment from the world — but not in practice.
There is a daily cross, and you must bear it — or there will be no crown.
"Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:27

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The gospel is a fan that will separate the chaff from the wheat. The Pharisees and philosophers get but little hope from me, and will, therefore, seek more flattering preaching elsewhere.

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It will avail nothing to assent to this or that doctrine — unless the Lord writes it on the heart.

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The more you know of the truth in a spiritual way — the humbler you will be.

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The Bible to most, is a sealed book.

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I come off with a good share of abuse as a fool, a madman, a deceiver. But Paul says, "As deceivers, and yet true."

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We could as soon make a new world — as begin a spiritual work in our souls. It is this doctrine which lays man so low in the dust.

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"The preaching of the Cross is to those who perish foolishness." If what I preach is not foolishness to the natural man — then know assuredly that I preach not the gospel. It troubles exceedingly the Pharisees; they are very unwilling to cast away their false idols.

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Your zeal must be in the strength of the Lord.

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You will find much opposition, both within and without — against a spiritual work; but if it is the Lord's work, it will surely be carried on.

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Knowledge does not profit — unless it is given by God the Holy Spirit. "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." All knowledge avails but little, if there is not an experimental knowledge of Christ Jesus. It is not receiving the gospel in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, which saves.

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Do not imagine that a mere knowledge of the plan of salvation, is salvation.

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You will find it difficult to give up your own religion.

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Remember, Satan has millions of devices, of which a young convert knows but little.

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All knowledge without the knowledge of Jesus will avail nothing. You are a poor dark, miserable, bewildered, deluded creature, if you know not Christ Jesus.

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Seeing yourself lost and helpless, will lead you to pray to God frequently and fervently to keep you from falling. You will feel troubled and distressed at your cold and lukewarm state, and be grieved that covetousness, pride, and diverse lusts are waging such strong war against your soul. But do not forget that we are soldiers, and have a continual warfare.

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Have you ever stood on the same plot of ground with the publican, crying, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"

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Is Christ the one thing needful? Are you willing to pluck out right-eye sins, and cut off right-hand sins?

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The power of godliness is but little known. Satan is well pleased with the state of religion in our day — or he would roar a little more loudly.

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We are too much liked by the world, and too well spoken of. It would not be so, if we lived godly in Christ Jesus. God forbid that we should rest in a form of godliness.

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"Sell that you have, and give to the poor" — is a harder lesson to learn than election.

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I am daily a debtor to sovereign grace. We need holding up in all our goings out and comings in.

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It is a great mercy that we are out of Hell.

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If a man preaches free-will — how pleased men will be; but if he preaches free-grace — how offended they are. It is the truth which gives offence.

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Take heed and beware of covetousness. The Lord saw the need of doubly warning against that besetting sin.

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I find that nothing but true religion will satisfy me.

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I know myself to be a vile sinner — and Jesus Christ as a precious Savior.

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On what minute points do the most important matters sometimes hang, and how good it is to see in them the hand of God, who numbers the very hairs of our head, and without whom, not a sparrow can fall to the ground!

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There is but very little true religion anywhere. It is a very narrow way to Heaven — and if we enter in, it will be entirely by the grace of God.

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Much covetousness lurks in our evil nature. From the prophet to the priest, they all went after it in former days; and as it was then, so it is now.

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If we are brought to consider what Christ sacrificed for us, and how little we sacrifice for Him — we might blush!

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We know but little of the deceit and wickedness of our own hearts — and that detestable pride which is interwoven with every fiber of them! "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" Jeremiah 17:9

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I cut down false religion, and exalted Christ, to the great offence of the pious Pharisees. Flesh and blood are not changed, and where the gospel is faithfully preached — there will be the same consequences as in the time of our Savior and the apostles.

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I am offensive in my preaching — I do not try to smooth it and make it palatable.

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Do not cavil and reason with the carnal-minded. What advantage will it be if you persuade them to adopt your sentiments? If they are not born again of the Spirit of God, they will receive the doctrines carnally and not spiritually, which will only make them proud and licentious.

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It is an inestimable blessing to be taught the value of God's Word, so as to prize it, and to give much time to reading and meditating upon it. Let no one deceive you with vain words, and cause you to think, because you understand the plan of salvation, that you are sure of eternal glory. To receive the gospel in word is one thing, but to receive it with power, and the Holy Spirit, and much assurance is another.

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May the Lord break down your self-will and free-will, and make you a humble man; for if the dross is taken away from the silver, there comes forth a vessel for the refiner. It is a painful process to pass through the furnace; but the best religion is bought the dearest, and what we get cheap we do not much value.

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All things here below seem opposed to the spiritual kingdom in the heart. Pride, lust, selfishness, unbelief, and strong love of self, with the powerful influence of the devil — seem to tread down and destroy everything in the soul which strives for and searches after eternal things. "When I would do good, evil is present with me." So going to Heaven is a continual conflict, a daily cross, and a climbing of mountains, which difficulties often make the poor sinner wish himself back in Egypt, that there was no Heaven, and that he had never gone forth as a pilgrim. He wonders where the scene will end, and is afraid of that text which says, "He who endures unto the end shall be saved."