 Christian, if you dwell in the open tent of licentiousness, the wicked will not walk backward, like modest Shem and Japheth, to cover your shame: but they will walk forward, like cursed Ham, to publish it. Thus they make use of your weakness as a plea for their wickedness. Men are merciless in their censures of Christians; they have no sympathy for their infirmity: while God weighs them in more equal scales, and says, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." While a saint is a dove in the eyes of God, he is only a raven in the estimation of sinners. Topics: Persecution |
| Neither the persecuting hand of men, nor the chastising hand of God, relaxed ancient singular saints. Believers resemble the moon, which emerges from her eclipse by keeping her motion, and ceases not to shine because the dogs bark at her. Shall we cease to be professors because others will not cease to be persecutors? Topics: Persecution |
| A believer puts on the sackcloth of contrition, for having put off the garment of perfection. As the sugar loaf is dissolved, and weeps itself way, when dipped in wine; so do our hearts melt under a sense of divine love. Topics: Repentance |
| The righteousness of Christ is to be magnified - when the righteousness of a Christian is not to be mentioned. Topics: Righteousness
Source: The Consistent Christian, 1660. |
| Many have passed the rocks of gross sins - who have suffered shipwreck upon the sands of self-righteousness. Topics: Self-righteousness
Source: The Consistent Christian, 1660. |
| A believer does not perform good works to live - but he lives to perform good works.|The Consistent Christian, 1660. Topics: Service |
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| It is a greater glory to us that we are allowed to serve God, than it is to him that we offer him that service. He is not rendered happy by us; but we are made happy by him. He can do without such earthly servants; but we cannot do without such a heavenly Master. Topics: Service, Happiness |
| Many complain more of the sorrows to which they are born, than of the sins with which they were born; they tremble more at the vengeance of sin, than at the venom of sin; one delights them, the other scares them. Topics: Sin |
| Sin's first-born is death - and its last-born is hell. Topics: Sin, Death, Hell
Source: The Consistent Christian, 1660. |
| The law by which God rules us, is as dear to Him as the gospel by which He saves us. Topics: The Gospel |
| There is no ascertaining the quality of a tree but by its fruits. When the wheels of a clock move within, the hand on the dial will move without. When the heart of a man is sound in conversion, then the life will be fair in profession. Topics: The Heart, Conversion |
| Lest riches should be accounted evil in themselves, God sometimes gives them to the righteous; and lest they should be considered as the chief good, he frequently bestows them on the wicked. But they are more generally the portion of his enemies than his friends. Topics: Wealth |
