Pithy Puritan Pearls #5

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

There is a vast difference between the two eternities that immediately follow after death.
The believer's eternity is one perpetual day of joy that shall never see night.
The unbeliever's eternity is one everlasting night of torment without day. John Jackson

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Many are as hot as fire in their own private matters, who are as cold as ice in things that concern God's honor and glory! Robert Cleaver

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Those who have been stung with sin can more easily be moved to show compassion towards poor sinners like themselves, because by the feeling of misery, men learn the practice of mercy. Robert Cleaver

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God's ways are the best, no matter how we may judge his providence in the times we go through affliction and difficulty. John Dod

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With fervent prayers, there is much humility.
With few and weak prayers, there is little humility.
With no prayers at all, there is no humility. John Dod

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Wicked men are like a blind men who do not fear danger. If a blind man was about to fall off a high cliff, he has no fear because he does not see any danger. John Dod

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Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions. John Dod

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If I cannot trust God for the material provisions and things of this life, do I truly trust him for life everlasting? Paul Bayne

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Those that have the best joy in their hearts, are those that walk most in the fear of God. Jeremiah Burroughs

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The burden of sin cannot be light, seeing it was pressed out of Christ himself as a bloody sweat. Christopher Love

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If Satan's darts have wounded us, faith cools the scalding heat of sin by applying to us the precious balm of Christ's blood! Christopher Love

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I can rest securely, while I lay my head on Christ's bleeding side. Augustine

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Many people do not forsake their sins, but grow more cunning in concealing them. Thomas Watson

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If you would get Christ into your heart—let Heaven be in your eye! Thomas Watson

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Sin is a leprous spot. It makes everything we touch unclean. Thomas Watson

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Every pardon a sinner has, is written in Christ's blood. Thomas Watson

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I have never once feared the devil, but I tremble every time I enter the pulpit. John Knox

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Every one who is born of God hears his Word. Christ's sheep hear his word and follow him. Martin Bucer

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Peace is not to be purchased by the sacrifice of truth. John Calvin

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The tongue exists to reveal our heart. John Calvin

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Wherever the Word of God is purely preached, there a church of God exists—even if it swarms with many faults. John Calvin

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Many have passed for saints on earth, whose souls are now in Hell! Martin Luther

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If you see yourself as a 'little sinner'—you will inevitably see Jesus as a 'little Savior'. Martin Luther

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A simple layman armed with Scripture, is greater than the mightiest pope without it. Martin Luther

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To be a Christian without prayer, is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Martin Luther

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The most damnable heresy that ever plagued the mind of man, was that he could make himself good enough to deserve to live with a holy God. Martin Luther

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A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing—is worth nothing! Martin Luther

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Pray like it all depends on God. Then when you are done, go work like it all depends on you. Martin Luther

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To be idle is the greatest plague on earth; it is the trouble from where all other plagues come. Martin Luther

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Ministerial work is to make . . .
  saints, out of sinners,
  living souls, out of the dead,
  children of God, out of servants of the Devil. Martin Luther

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Ministers should make it their business not to set forth new notions, but to press on Christians old truths, and known duties. Thomas Gouge

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God's all-seeing presence is a preservative against sin and a means to make you watchful over all your ways and actions. Thomas Gouge

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It is hard to mortify sin—but will it not be harder to be damned for it? Thomas Gouge

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Do we not all have sins of the greatest magnitude, even though we have mercies of the highest nature? Thomas Gouge

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In our folly we see other's faults, more than to see our own. Learn the art of self-reflection, which is the way to self-reformation. Thomas Gouge

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Let us offer up ourselves to the Lord as a whole-burnt-offering, in the ascending flames of purest affections. Thomas Gouge

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What expectations God has to see a repenting, reforming, holy, obedient frame—on our reception of such a wonderful salvation from him! Thomas Gouge

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Christ has purchased holiness for all whom he has laid down his life for. Jeremiah Burroughs

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Sanctification is nothing else but glorification begun.
Glorification is nothing else but the perfecting of sanctification. Jeremiah Burroughs

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The Lord sees every spark of grace in Christians; even their desires and endeavors after God's will, shall be accepted as the deed. Jeremiah Burroughs

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There is the venom of the wrath of God in every affliction to every unconverted man while he is in this world. Jeremiah Burroughs

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Christ says, Whatever your fears and troubles are—yet come and cast all your burdens on me. I am able and willing to bear them all. Jeremiah Burroughs

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In believers, the power of Jesus Christ can uphold little sparks of grace in the midst of an ocean of corruption! Jeremiah Burroughs

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Christians cannot be idle. They have to provide for eternity! Jeremiah Burroughs

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To most people in the world, sin is a very light thing. Jeremiah Burroughs

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No man should think himself a Christian, if he does not hate sin. William Plumer

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Honoring God means to give God that weight and value which is due to Him, because of who He is. Francis Woodcock

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An idle person is the Devil's workshop—there he works, ever busy when men are most idle. Thomas Gouge

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Repentance in this life is necessary to enter glory in the life to come. Christopher Love

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If the Lord brings a wicked man to Heaven, it would be Hell to him; for he who does not love grace on earth, will never love it in Heaven. Christopher Love

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The souls of men may as certainly be damned by the poison of false doctrine, as by the pistol of sin! Anonymous.

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It's God's just judgment on all who do not receive his truth in love, to give them up to walk in their own counsels. Thomas Hodges

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If heresies did not have some pretty paint to cover them, they would be condemned and detested by everyone. Thomas Hodges

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Christ crucified must be the subject of all the minister's preaching. John Jackson

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Ministers must not flatter, preach pleasing things, or feed them sugary things—when salt is necessary. John Jackson

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Men in Heaven shall know who are damned in Hell—yet they shall not know it in a way of compassion or sorrow. Christopher Love

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Do not lose lying in Abraham's bosom, for now lying in Delilah's lap! Christopher Love

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In nature, I can't live without breathing.
In grace, I cannot live without praying. Daniel Burgess

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Ingratitude turns God honey into gall, and His medicine to poison! Daniel Burgess

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The mission of the minister, his avowed undertaking—is to detach from the earth those to whom he preaches. Alexander Vinet

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We must love the flock in order to preach to it well. Alexander Vinet

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Our Lord Jesus Christ is ascended to Heaven, to prepare a place for the elect there. Christopher Love

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The soul of biblical preaching is the application. Peter van Mastricht

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A perversion of the pulpit is surely followed by spiritual apostasy in the Church. Dabney

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If ministers cared more for their people and less for their own sermons—they would be more useful. Thomas Murphy

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In respect of the glory of God, He is said to be in Heaven because in that place he chiefly manifests his glory and goodness. Thomas Hodges

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God oftentimes makes our sufferings to be inlets to our glory. Christopher Love

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On earth Christians enjoy Christ by drops. In Heaven they shall enjoy the fullness of the ocean. Christopher Love

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The elect should think their death bed to be the very suburbs of Heaven. Christopher Love

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To the people of God there is no doctrine so comforting as the doctrine of Christ's coming to judge the world. Christopher Love

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God's regenerating power is greater than the strength of the world, Hell, or man's wicked heart. He can draw the worst sinners to Christ. Simeon Ashe

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Threats and blows drive hypocrites to duty—but cords of love draw the gracious heart to an exact walking with his God. Simeon Ashe

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A single sin which is not speedily and truly repented of, will justly become the mother and cause of more heinous sin. Hannibal Gammon

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Sins are more easily kept out, than cast out. Augustine

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We must not measure our afflictions by the present pain we feel, but by the benefit that follows after them, Hebrews 12:11. Hannibal Gammon

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God, in forgiving the the sins of the righteous—esteems them as no sins, blotting them out and nailing them to his Son's cross. Hannibal Gammon

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God's punishment to a wicked man on earth, is his wicked mind. Hannibal Gammon

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Those which are afflicted by God in trials, should pray to be bettered before they are delivered. Thomas Valentine

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It is just with God to punish us in that thing we idolize. Thomas Valentine

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God does not intend good towards wicked men, but only the glory of his justice. Thomas Valentine

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Patience is a quiet silent temper of soul, by which we submit to God in all our crosses. Thomas Valentine

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To come to Christ, for the Christian, is a continual recourse to him for the increase of all saving graces. Thomas Valentine

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The wicked mourn in Hell, not because they have sinned, but because they are punished. William Gearing

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A Christian is not poor, who is rich in grace.
A man is not miserable, who has Christ for his portion. William Gearing

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Sincere endeavors to do God's service is our whole work, but the success of these endeavors is God's work. Stephen Marshall

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If a man cannot mourn at hearing about the wrath of God, they must burn at feeling it! Stephen Marshall

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False repentance, this devil's faith, may produce a Judas' repentance. Zachary Crofton

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Application is the life of divine meditation. John Ball

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Always fear to offend God, and you need not fear any other peril. John Ball

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Godliness makes a man as like to God, as a creature can be like to the Creator; but sin transforms us into the likeness of the devil! John Ball

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I have read of Ignatius the Martyr, that whenever he heard the clock strike, he would have this meditation: "Now there is one more hour that I must answer for!" (Edmund Calamy)