Pithy Puritan Pearls #4

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"Here are some further sayings of the wise." Proverbs 24:23

Original sin, though perfectly pardoned, is yet imperfectly purged. At the point of salvation, we are purged from the death of sin but not from the disease of it. Ralph Browning

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All the temptations of Satan are actions of deceit and not of power. He may persuade and seduce us by the dexterity of his skill, but he cannot force and compel us. Though he has a great deal of power and strength and cunning, he may deceive us. But he cannot powerfully overthrow us. It is not in the power of Satan to force the will of any to yield to his temptations. Ralph Browning

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If parents do not prevent sins in their children at home—when they go into the world, they meet with temptations which turn their youthful flings into immoveable habits. It is easy to observe that the lack of family religion is the cause of the visible decay of the welfare of church and state. Thomas Risley

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As nothing in believers was so good as to cause God to love them—so nothing is so bad as can cause him to withdraw his love from them. John Durant

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Were the life of sinful men prolonged forever on earth, they would sin forever! And since the guilt and filth of sin descends into Hell with the impenitent, and the damned are ever living and ever sinning—therefore it is just that their punishment runs parallel with their sinning. Thomas Risley

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Do not be deceived, for if you are not Christians in your own houses, whatever profession you make in the house of God regarding your Christianity is unsound! Thomas Risley

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God knows we have many miseries—so he balances it with his many mercies. Nathanael Holmes

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Though you read much and hear much, if you do not meditate on what you read and hear, it will amount to little; you will never be any the wiser. William Bridge

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Reading without meditation is unfruitful;
meditation without reading is hurtful;
to meditate and to read without prayer upon both, is without blessing. Richard Greenham

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I cannot help but think those are blameworthy, who flaunt their abilities to hammer out some of the more controversial truths of Scripture—and yet neglect the study of his love which is of such necessary importance. John Durant

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The lost continue in sin, deceiving themselves with vain hope of God's mercy in the end. The saved cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh, and grow in all graces until they have yielded up themselves to have Christ reign in them. George Gifford

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It infinitely concerns all men to make a sure work about their salvation, for when they die they will be great losers. They will lose not only their comforts on earth, but also the joys of Heaven, without any hope of recovery! John Jackson

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All willful disobedience to our Lord's revealed will is destructive, if persisted in, and admits of no excuse. To suspend our practice of any duty, until we understand the reason of the precept, is indeed worthy of an everlasting Hell. Timothy Cruso

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No man is master of events, or absolute determiner of his own endeavors. The sovereign counsel and the providence of God orders all things in the designs of all men, as seems good in his sight. Urian Oakes

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True faith brings remarkable affects:

True humility.
Genuine repentance.
Son-like fear.
Universal submission to God's will.
Patience in all afflictions.
Proficiency in godliness.
Settled peace of mind.
Unspeakable joy in the Spirit. Daniel Featley

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A soldier in Christ's army will not be a slave to the devil, or any lust of his own. Jeremiah Burroughs

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True religion where it is received, will command the heart and the whole man. Let a man profess what he will—if his heart and life are not reformed, he is a hypocrite; and whatever worship he does to God is but a false worship. Arthur Hildersham

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An ignorant Christian is the devil's workshop, in which he forges all manner of wickedness. Anonymous

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It is not properly our unworthiness, but our pride and haughtiness that hinder us from coming to Christ; for we would have something from ourselves, and not all from him. Thomas Hooker

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You shall seldom hear a general sermon do any good. It is the particular application that works on people's hearts. Edmund Calamy

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A great understanding, and an acute mind, will make a learned man.
But it is a holy life that makes a godly man. Edmund Calamy

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This duty of daily divine meditation is the life and soul of all Christianity. You are carcasses of Christians, if you are not acquainted with it. It is as impossible to live without a soul, as it is to be a godly Christian without divine meditation. Edmund Calamy

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Godly meditation is the life of all religion, and that which puts life into all other duties. Edmund Calamy

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A man may go to Hell for plotting wicked things, as well as for practicing wicked things. Proverbs 12:2, "He will condemn a man who devises evil." Edmund Calamy

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The saint's peace is a peace with God, but not with sin.
The sinner's peace is a peace with sin, but not with God. Matthew Mead

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Sin is always acting, always conceiving, always seducing and always tempting! John Owen

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Gifts may make a man a scholar, but grace makes a man a believer. Matthew Mead

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Secret prayer is the invisible flight of the soul into the bosom of God. Samuel Lee

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Christians should be walking Bibles. Thomas Watson

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Beloved, if you would ever reign with Christ when you die—then he must reign in you while you live. Edmund Calamy

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Heaven is a goal, and unless you run you shall never obtain it. Heaven is a crown of life, but unless you are faithful to death, you shall never wear it. Christopher Love

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"I do not pray for the world." John 17:9. If Christ would not spend his breath to pray for them, then surely he would not spend his precious blood to purchase Heaven for them. Christopher Love

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The end of hearing the word preached, is not chiefly to know and understand, but rather to believe, practice, and obey that which is taught. Stephen Egerton

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Men are elated when they speak with an earthly king, and are bid to his table to eat. Are we elated when we go before the King of Heaven and earth, to speak to him by prayer and to feast and feed with him? Stephen Egerton

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Why do people often hate the ministry of the Word?
Answer: Commonly from the matter which he delivers, by which the errors of their judgment, and corruptions of their hearts and lives—are laid open and reproved. Stephen Egerton

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God has no glory from that zeal that has no scriptural warrant. Matthew Mead

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Many would depend on Christ's sacrifice, yet will not submit to his scepter. They would have Christ to pacify their consciences, and the world to please their affections. They would have Christ to die for them, but not to live in them. William Bates

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A Christian, so soon as he is newborn, is born a soldier—and so continues until his crown is put on him. Richard Sibbes

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How do we know if we have truly resisted temptation? A man has sufficiently resisted sin and Satan, when he does not allow the sin, and when he in no way consents to the temptation. Richard Capel

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Even though divine mysteries exist, this is not a sufficient plea to be ignorant of God's ways and will. William Bridge

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The soul ascends to God by holy thoughts and ardent desires.
God descends into the soul by the communication of grace and comfort. William Bates

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The one who has a spiritual taste for the Word of God, finds it sweeter than all pleasures and delights whatever. Thomas Manton

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The house of the godly is a little Heaven.
The house of the wicked is a little Hell. Simeon Ashe

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Desires are far better than actions.
For a man may do a good action, that he does not love.
He may abstain from a wicked action, that he does not hate. Richard Sibbes

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It is not merely knowledge that will bring to Heaven, for the devil has that; but it is knowledge sanctified, seizing upon the affections! Richard Sibbes

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No one shall ever come to Heaven, who does not desire heavenly things above all earthly things. Richard Sibbes

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The Word of God does not only permit, but also commands us to love and embrace Christ with the sweetest, dearest affections that nature can possibly stir up in our minds, heart and soul. William Pinke

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If men live no better after conversion than they did before—this is a sign of their being insincere, false and deceitful in it. Joshua Moodey

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Those who make solemn vows in the days of their distress, but forget to pay them in the days of their enlargement—are but liars and deceivers! Joshua Moodey

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To do anything in vain is folly; but to worship God in vain, is gross iniquity. Samuel Willard

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When we read or hear his word, let us do it with the heart. One grain of heart-service, is of more account with God than mountains of all other services whatever. John Wilson

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God's power is unlimited,
his wisdom is infinite,
his authority is supreme,
his freedom is absolute.
He may both do whatever he desires, and appoint whatever he will have us to do. John Wilson

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Religious worship is devout behavior towards God, whereby we acknowledge his Sovereignty over us, and the justice of our obedience to him, and waiting upon him, in the way he has appointed in his Word. John Wilson

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Lukewarm and indifferent services to God in worship, are a stench in the nostrils of God. Stephen Charnock

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Worship is nothing else but a rendering to God the honor that is due unto him. Stephen Charnock

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It is not enough to receive the truth that we might be saved, but we must receive the love of the truth if ever we would be saved. Jeremiah Burroughs

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Men secretly imagine that God does not know their sin, or soon forgets it—and then make bold to sin against him. Stephen Charnock

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How does godly meditation fit into your personal devotions?
Do you meditate on the scriptures daily? Richard Allestree

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Where no proof of Christ's power in the ministry is found or felt by the hearers—either the teacher must be a reprobate teacher, or the hearers reprobate hearers. John Forbes

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The shine and luster of all the attributes of God together, is God's glory. Jeremiah Burroughs

 

The fear of God must be an abiding fear. It should not only be at that instant when you are worshiping God, or speaking of any of God's titles and names—but must abide on your hearts after the duty is over. Jeremiah Burroughs

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God is like a picture with a curtain drawn over it. The Christian cannot see the beauty of God until meditation draws the curtain aside and lets in all the beauty that is in God. Edmund Calamy,

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There is no fear of knowing too much of the Bible—but there is a great amount of fear that goes into practicing too little. Thomas Brooks

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It is your Christian duty to pour out your heart before the Lord . . .
  in giving him thanks for every mercy,
  in confessing every sin with godly sorrow, and
  in asking everything you need in Christ's name. John Jackson