Christian contentment is that
sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit which freely
submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in
every condition. Jeremiah Burroughs. It is not the bee's touching
of the flower that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time upon
the flower that draws out the sweet. It is not he who reads
most, but he who meditates most, who will prove to be the choicest,
sweetest, wisest, and strongest Christian. Thomas Brooks Let us use worldly things as
wise pilgrims do their staves and other things necessary for
their journey. So long as they help us forward
in our way, let us make use of them and accordingly esteem them.
But if they become troublesome hindrances and cumbersome burdens,
let us leave them behind us or cast them away. The temptations
of prosperity, like unseen bullets, wound and kill us before they
are discerned." George Downey. The best course to prevent falling
into the pit is to keep at the greatest distance from it. He
who will be so bold as to attempt to dance upon the brink of the
pit may find by woeful experience that it is a righteous thing
with God that he should fall into the pit. Sin is a plague,
yes, the greatest and most infectious plague in the world, and yet,
ah, how few are there who tremble at it, who keep at a distance
from it. Thomas Brooks Riches are long in getting, with
much pains, hard in keeping, with much care, quick in losing,
with much sorrow. Thomas Fuller Your life is short, your duties
are many, your assistance is great, and your reward is sure. Therefore faint not, hold on
and hold up in the paths of godliness, and heaven shall make amends
for all. Thomas Brooks Where one thousand are destroyed
by the world's frowns, ten thousand are destroyed by the world's
smiles. The world, siren-like, sings us and sinks us. Thomas
Brooks. We fear men so much because we
fear God so little. One fear cures another. When
man's terror scares you, turn your thoughts to the wrath of
God. William Gurnall. When we grow careless in keeping
our souls, then God recovers our taste of good things again
by sharp crosses. Richard Sibbeys. How sweet is rest after fatigue. How sweet will heaven be when
our toilsome journey is ended. George Whitefield. The winter prepares the earth
for the spring, so do sanctified afflictions prepare the soul
for glory. —Richard Sibbes As the wicked are hurt by the
best things, so the godly are bettered by the worst. —William
Jenkin Poverty and affliction take away
the fuel that feeds pride. Richard Sibbes. To bless God for mercies is the
way to increase them. To bless him for miseries is
the way to remove them. William Dyer. God's wounds cure, sins kisses
kill. William Gurnall. God would not rub so hard if
it were not to fetch out the dirt that is ingrained in our
natures. God loves purity so well that he would rather see
a hole than a spot in his child's garments. William Gurnall. Better be pruned to grow than
cut up to burn. John Trapp. Temptations, when we meet them
at first, are as the lion that reared upon Samson. But if we
overcome them, the next time we see them we shall find a nest
of honey within them. John Bunyan. Death is only a grim porter to
let us into a stately palace. —Richard Sibbes Let your hope of heaven master
your fear of death. Why should you be afraid to die,
who hope to live by dying? —William Guernal Though Christians be not kept
altogether from falling, yet they are kept from falling altogether.
—William Secker In our first paradise in Eden
there was a way to go out, but no way to go in again. But as
for the heavenly paradise, there is a way to go in, but not a
way to go out. —Richard Baxter So let us continually keep faith
and exercise, until it is entirely swallowed up in the boundless
ocean of the beatific vision. —George Whitefield Look not how the Christian begins,
but how he ends. —William Guernal A godly man prefers grace before
goods and wisdom before the world. Richard Bernard. Take a saint and put him into
any condition, and he knows how to rejoice in the Lord. Walter
Craddock. As bees are drowned in honey,
so the rich are choked with their prosperity. —Daniel Burgess. Death came in by sin, and sin
goes out by death. —Edmund Staunton. Without Christ, the most stately
palace is a hell. With Christ, the most stinking
dungeon is a palace. Andrew Gray We drown our sins in the red
sea of Christ's blood. William Price God's promises are like a bag
full of golden coins that God pours out at the feet of his
adopted children and says, take what you will. William Spurstow. When we are most lazy, the devil
is most busy. Sloth is the cause of sin, and
idleness is the fruitful mother of wickedness. Andrew Gray. Christ is not truly prized at
all unless he is prized above all. Nathaniel Vincent. In Christ crucified, you have
a full remedy for all your needs, for all your fears, for all your
doubts. William Bridge. All the men in the world are
either vessels of mercy or vessels of wrath, according to the will
of God. Thomas Hooker The work of the Son in redemption
does not exceed the work of the Father in election. John Brinsley Predestination is the decree
of God by which He has ordained all men to a certain and everlasting
estate. —William Perkins A wicked man, when he comes to
die, will prefer heaven before hell, but a saint on earth prefers
heaven before earth. If Christ is ours, then God is
ours, heaven is ours, all is ours. Nathaniel Vincent. This is the reason that some
love him and others do not, because he reveals himself to some and
not to others. John Preston. Faith sucks the honey of contentment
out of the hive of the promises. Simeon Ashe. Faith finds its luster in action
and not just in notion. It enters our hearts and not
just our heads. Samuel Ward. A true believer looks on religion
not as a burden which he must be forced to endure, but a privilege
which is his happiness to enjoy. Andrew Gray Believer's heart is the garden
where Christ has planted this sweet flower of his redeeming
love. Thomas Watson The less we discern pride in
ourselves, the more it reigns in our hearts. William Perkins. Sin is never our master until
we consent to have it so. Daniel Burgess. The throne of sin is in the heart.
The strength of sin lies in the love of it. Sin ruins none but
those who love it. Nathaniel Vincent Love other things than Christ,
and you have vexing care over them, both about their gaining
them, keeping them, and losing them. John Preston It is astonishing to see what
power petty vain toys have over a person. Henry Smith. Riches steal away the hearts
of men. It is a hard thing for a man to pass from delights on
earth to delights in heaven. Francis Taylor. Though you have sinned yourself
near to hell, yet you have not sinned yourself into hell. —
Nathaniel Vincent He who hides sin, loves it. — Nathaniel Vincent Lovers of the world are much
more afraid of losing their earthly substance than they are of losing
their immortal souls. Nathaniel Vincent. The dearest thing must be parted
with, either as a snare or as a sacrifice. William Strong. What sin is worth being damned
for? Charles Spurgeon My sins are as numerous as the
sand of the sea. O that my tears of repentance
were as abundant as the water of the sea. William Spurztow It can never be sufficiently
lamented that sin has made so many madmen in the world. — Nathaniel
Vincent He who will be a saint will be
a sufferer. — Nathaniel Vincent It is nothing to murmur about,
to have tribulation for several days, and then to triumph in
the presence of God and of the Lamb forever. Nathaniel Vincent We have no reason to complain
for our light and transitory afflictions. Christopher Love Affliction is to be chosen before
iniquity. Richard Byfield It is better to be a chastened
son than an undisciplined bastard. John Aerosmith God has not promised to keep
his people from afflictions, but to keep them from the hurt
of them. Edmund Calame It is expedient that you should
endure the cross, to inherit the crown. Thomas Watson How many men are there who are
easily drawn to excessive sorrow for worldly crosses? Christopher
Love Whatever afflictions you meet
with or whatever comforts you part with, your sorrows should
never be extreme. Christopher Love You never saw God in His mercy
when you do not see Him in your afflictions. Jeremiah Burroughs. God has put us into the fire
of affliction to refine us and make us a vessel fit for His
use. Edmund Calame. To every believer, the debt book
is crossed out. The black lines of sin are crossed
out in the red lines of Christ's blood. Thomas Watson. The pope, by his lies, thoroughly
proves himself the most dear child of the devil, the author
and founder of all lies. Henry Greenwood. It is the blood of souls which
the devil principally thirsts after as a murderer. Nathaniel
Vincent. One said well that, old wood
is best to burn, old friends are best to trust, and old books
are best to read. John Aerosmith. Words are the mirror of the mind.
They show what is in the heart. —Thomas Watson Guilty men do not love to hear
of the day of judgment. —Thomas Watson and spiritual deadness is such
that he can no more move toward heaven, so much as one step,
then a dead man can rise of himself. —John Phillips Truth is the most sovereign remedy
for curing the nation and church. —Christopher Love A hard heart is frequently accompanied
with a brazen face. —John Arrowsmith Men either go to hell or heaven.
Unless, of course, men will follow the Papists to make purgatory,
which fire was kindled in the Pope's kitchen. —Thomas Hooker He who despises the Word of God
and its commands is not sincerely converted but damnably deluded. — Nathaniel Vincent The Word without the Spirit of
God is like the carcass without the soul. — Nathaniel Vincent All events are wisely disposed
of by the governing care of God's providence. Providence is a servant
to God's eternal counsel and purpose. There is no altering
the course of providence. Matthew Mead. Whatever afflictions, curses,
and punishments are in the world, they are ordained by God for
the sin of man. William Perkins. heart full of grace, is better
than a head full of notions. —Thomas Watson Christians are jewels, and heaven
is the golden cabinet where they shall be locked up safe. —Thomas
Watson