Salvation is so great a thing, so glorious an attainment, that ’tis worth the while for a man to do his utmost every day during his whole life in the use of all proper means that he may attain.
A man who knows that he lives in sin against God will not be inclined to come daily into the presence of God.
We cannot believe that the church of God is already possessed of all that light which God intends to give it; nor that all Satan’s lurking places have already been found out.
Intend to live in continual mortification, and never to expect or desire any worldly ease or pleasure.
Real pain can alone cure us of imaginary ills.
The view of the misery of the damned will double the ardour of the love and gratitude of the saints of heaven.
Whatever in Christ had the nature of satisfaction, was by virtue of His suffering or humiliation; whatever had the nature of merit, was by virtue of His obedience or righteousness.
Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better.
Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.
Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.
Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help.
To mark all that I say in conversation, merely to beget in others, a good opinion of myself, and examine it.
If you seek in the spirit of selfishness, to grasp all as your own, you shall lose all, and be driven out of the world, at last, naked and forlorn, to everlasting poverty and contempt.
It’s all about training and rhythm and getting it right on the day.
If get a jump right, there’s a feeling of flying.
When I am giving the relation of a thing, remember to abstain from altering either in the matter or manner of speaking, so much, as that, if every one, afterwards, should alter as much, it would at last come to be properly false.
The beauty of the world consists wholly of sweet mutual consents, either within itself or with the supreme being.
Family education and order are some of the chief means of grace; if these are duly maintained, all the means of grace are likely to prosper and become effectual.
The bodies of those that made such a noise and tumult when alive, when dead, lie as quietly among the graves of their neighbors as any others.
True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we ought to will, and in not being constrained to do what we ought not to will.