Pithy Puritan Pearls #6

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

 

Death is dreadful to the ungodly, because it opens the door into everlasting misery!
Death is a great blessing to the godly, because it transports them into everlasting happiness! (Thomas Doolittle)

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We abide in Christ . . .
  when the eye is fixed upon Christ,
  when the tongue continually speaks of Christ,
  when the mind dwells on him, and
  when the affections are directed towards him.
He who walks with Christ here on earth, shall live with Him forever in Heaven!
Be forewarned! If you will live in your sins here on earth—then you will be damned with them hereafter. (Thomas Hooker)

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True repentance is when a man grieves for his sin to the extent that he abandons it! (Josiah Shute)

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Holiness possesses an internal pleasantness that is better felt than telt. Holiness is the best evidence of being in favor with God and of adoption into God's family! (Richard Allestree)

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He who lives in the conscious presence of God, dares not sin in his presence. (Thomas Case)

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Idleness is an ideal soil for sins to grow and thrive in. (Timothy Cruso)

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There is nothing to be endured on earth that can be matched with the pains of Hell. All the anguish and horror a soul can feel in this world, is more than tolerable when compared with the agonies of Hell. That which makes death so fearful to an ungodly person, is not the dissolution of our present state, so much as it is an introduction to future misery. The guilt of every sin is infinite by reason of the God against whom it is committed, and this can never be expiated by the utmost torments of a finite creature! (Timothy Cruso)

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If you imagine that it is an easy thing to go to Heaven, and that you hope to be saved in the end, although you are carried with the stream of the world, the tide of your lusts, the wind of Satan's suggestions and applause of the multitude—then be assured that you are rebels against Christ and are on the path to eternal destruction! (John Maynard)

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If the Savior is precious to you—then sin will be burdensome to you! (William Williams)

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True repentance is never too late—yet late repentance is seldom true! (Charles Herle)

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No man rejects the principles of Christianity because his reason runs counter to them, but because his lusts control his reason and corrupt his judgment! (Jonathan Dickinson)

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Nothing could provide a greater manifestation of God's absolute opposition to sin, than the astonishing sufferings of his own dear Son. This demonstrates sin to be a weight that even infinite mercy could not bear, in that the blood of his well-beloved son must be the only sacrifice to appease his displeasure against it; and that he could without relenting, behold the bitter agonies of him with whom he was well pleased, when he was made sin for us. This shows us that he is glorious in holiness! (Jonathan Dickinson)

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Christianity consists not merely in notion, but in practice. We must not only give our assent to the truth of the gospel, but give up our hearts to Christ. The faith which he requires is not a slight superficial belief that he is the Redeemer, but such a living faith as will form us into subjection and obedience to himself! (Jonathan Dickinson)

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God has instilled in man's heart, a restless desire after happiness which cannot be fulfilled with anything less than himself for eternity! (Thomas Doolittle)

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Saving faith is always fruitful. That faith which is not fruitful, is not true faith. The apostle does not deny that we are justified by faith, and by faith alone; but he denies that faith without works is a true faith. It is only an empty notion—and such a faith cannot justify nor save a man. (Thomas Senior)

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If the life of sinful men was 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 run parallel with their sinning! (Thomas Risley)

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Do not be deceived, for if you are not Christians in your own houses—then 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 holier! (William Bridge)

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In the times of the Old Testament, they came to Christ through God.
In the time of the New Testament, we go to God through Christ. (William Bridge)

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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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No man is the absolute determiner of his own endeavors. The sovereign counsel and the providence of God orders all things in the lives of all men, as seems good in His sight. (Urian Oakes)

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Universal and sweet submission to God's will, will bring:
patience in all afflictions,
growth in godliness,
settled peace of mind, and
unspeakable joy in the Spirit. (Daniel Featly)

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Men are elated when they are invited to dine with an earthly king. Are we elated when we go before the King of Heaven to speak to him by prayer, and to feast and feed on His Word? (Stephen Egerton)

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Many depend on Christ's sacrifice to save them, yet will not submit to his scepter to rule them. 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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No man was ever kept out of Heaven for his confessed badness, but many are damned for their supposed goodness! (Richard Capel)

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In prayer the soul ascends to God by holy thoughts and ardent desires—and God descends into the soul by the communication of grace and comfort. (William Bates)

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Those who have a spiritual taste of the Word of God, find it sweeter than all other pleasures and delights! (Thomas Manton)

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It is the presence of God that makes all things sweet and comfortable! (Richard Sibbes)

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We regularly observe that there has been the least of the power of godliness, where there has been the greatest attachment to human inventions—to external pomp and ceremony in the worship of God. God knows best what worship will be most acceptable to him and most serviceable to us. (Jonathan Dickinson)

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

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Wicked men are like a blind man who does 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. There is no danger to a blind man. In the same way, there is no danger to a worldly man who is going to Hell. (John Dod)

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Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions! (John Dod)

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Those who have the greatest joy in their hearts, are those that walk most in the fear of God. (Jeremiah Burroughs)

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Cursed is that man who accounts all the gold and silver in the world, worth one days enjoyment of communion with Jesus Christ! (Marques Galiatius)