The Puritans ........

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Oh stand and wonder!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity")

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon
us--that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1

It is an infinite condescension in God, to honor us with the
title of sons, and therefore we should never think of it, nor
ever speak of it--but with much admiration. O sirs! what
matter of admiration is this--that the great and glorious
God, who has many millions of glorious angels attending
Him--that He should . . .
look upon all holy people as His sons,
and love them as His sons,
and delight in them as His sons,
and clothe them as His sons,
and feed them as His sons,
and protect them as His sons,
and stand by them as His sons,
and lay up for them as His sons,
and lay out Himself for them as His sons;
that those who have not deserved . . .
a smile from God,
a good word from God,
a bit of bread from God,
or a good look from God,
should be made the sons of God!

What manner of love is this--that those who have . . .
so highly provoked God,
walked so cross and contrary to God,
were so exceeding unlike God,
preferred every lust, and every toy and vanity before God,
fought many years under Satan's banner against God,
refused all the offers of mercy that have been made by God,
--that those who have deserved to be reprobated by God,
damned by God, and to be thrown to hell by God--that
these should be made the sons of God!

Oh stand and wonder! Oh stand and admire the
freeness of His grace, and at the riches of His grace!

 

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Well, Ladies and Gentlemen

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen--Do you think that it is good to
be going to hell--that it is good to be dwelling with everlasting
burnings--that it is good to be forever separated from the
glorious presence of God? Do you think that it is good to forever
lie a-sweltering under the wrath of an infinitely just God, and to
abide forever and ever under those pains and torments which
are endless, easeless, hopeless, and remediless? Do you think
that it is good to be fettered with devils and damned spirits for
all eternity?

"Oh no! this cannot be good! for the very thoughts of these
things are enough to raise a hell on this side hell--in our hearts!"

Oh then, with all your might press after holiness, and pursue hard
after holiness--as after the one thing necessary; for without holiness
you shall as certainly go to hell--as holy people shall certainly go to
heaven! Oh that you would forever remember this--that without all
question, you shall never be saved, unless you are sanctified; you
shall never be truly and eternally happy, unless you are truly holy!
"Without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14​

 

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The fool's bauble, the fool's fiddle

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"The wicked freely strut about, when what is vile is
honored among men." Psalm 12:8

"They love to indulge in evil pleasures." 2 Peter 2:13.

"Their souls delight in their abominations." Isaiah 66:3

Proverbs 10:23, "A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct."
Evil conduct is the fool's bauble, the fool's fiddle.
Fools take great delight and pleasure in doing evil.
Sin and wickedness are a sport or recreation to a fool.
It is a great pleasure and merriment to a fool--to do
wickedness.

Proverbs 14:9, "Fools make a mock of sin." They make a
jeer of sin--which they should fear more than hell itself!
They make a sport of sin--which will prove a matter of
damnation to them. They make a pastime, a game of
sin--which will them miserable to all eternity. They make
a mock of sin on earth--for which the devil will mock and
flout them forever in hell.

Justice will at last turn over such fools to Satan, who will
be sure to return mock for mock, jeer for jeer, and flout
for flout. Those who love such kind of pastime, shall have
enough of it in hell. All unbelievers are such fools--for
they delight and take pleasure in sin, which is the most
corrupting and dangerous thing in the world. "And so that
all will be condemned who have not believed the truth, but
have delighted in wickedness." 2 Thessalonians 2:12

Well, sirs! Sin is the poison of the soul, the nakedness of
the soul, the disease of the soul, the burden of the soul--
and if God in mercy does not prevent it--sin will prove the
eternal bane of the soul. Oh, then, how great is their folly,
who delight in sin, and who make a sport of it!

 

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An ignorant, profane, and soul-flattering clergy

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)
A preacher's life should be a commentary upon his
doctrine; his practice should be the counterpart of his
sermons. Heavenly doctrines should always be adorned
with a heavenly life.

An ignorant, profane, and soul-flattering clergy, are
the greatest pest, plague, affliction and judgment, which
can befall a people! There is no rank nor order of men on
earth, who have so enriched hell, who have been such
benefactors to hell--as the ignorant and profane clergy!
How many are there in these days, who are more ready
and willing to make a sacrifice of the gospel--
for profit sake,
and preferment sake,
and honor sake,
and lust's sake!

Where there is no serious, sincere, faithful, and powerful
preaching--there the people grow abominably wicked, and
will certainly perish, and go tumbling to hell.

Pastors! Either preach as the ministers of Jesus
Christ ought to preach--
plainly,
spiritually,
powerfully,
feelingly,
fervently,
frequently;
and live as the ministers of Jesus Christ ought to live--
heavenly,
graciously,
holily,
humbly,
righteously,
harmlessly,
exemplary
--or else lay down your names of being the ministers of
Jesus Christ. Do not any longer a cheat upon yourselves,
nor upon the people--by making them believe that you
are ministers of Jesus Christ, when you have
nothing of the spirit of Christ,
nor of the anointings of Christ,
nor of the grace of Christ,
nor of the life of Christ in you.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Please forward this on to your pastors.​

 

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No dirty dogs shall ever trample upon that golden pavement

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)
Throughout the Scriptures, unholy people are branded, to their
everlasting contempt--with the worst appellations. They are the
most dangerous, and the most harmful beings in the world, and
therefore are emblemized . . .
by lions--for they are cruel, Psalm 22:21;
by bears--for they are savage, Isaiah 11:7;
by dragons--for they are hideous, Ezek. 29:3;
by wolves--for they are ravenous, Ezek. 22:27;
by dogs--for they are snarling, Rev. 22:15;
by vipers and scorpions--for they are stinging, Mat. 12:34, Ezek. 2:6;
by spiders and cockatrices--for they are poisoning, Isaiah 59:5;
by swine--for they are intemperate, Mat. 7:6.

Remember this--that all these stinging expressions and
appellations which disgrace and vilify unholy people, were
inspired by the Holy Spirit, and published in His holy Word.

The glutton is depicted as a swine;
the fraudulent person is depicted as a fox;
the lustful person is depicted as a goat;
the backbiter isdepicted as a barking cur;
the slanderer is depicted as an asp;
the oppressor is depicted as a wolf;
the persecutor is depicted as a tiger;
the seducer is depicted as a serpent.

Do you think that God admit such vermin as unholy people
are--to eternally inhabit His holy heaven? Surely not! God
has long since resolved upon it--that no unclean beasts shall
enter into heaven--that no dirty dogs shall ever trample
upon that golden pavement. Certainly God will not allow
such beasts and toads and snakes and serpents--to forever
live with Him! Heaven is a too holy place to admit such
vermin to inhabit!

"Nothing impure will ever enter it." Revelation 21:27

"Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the
sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone
who loves and practices falsehood." Revelation 22:15

All in heaven are holy: the angels holy, the saints holy--but
the Lord Himself above all, is most glorious in holiness. Now
certainly it would be a hell to these holy ones to have
unholy wretches to be their eternal companions! When the
holy angels fell from their holiness--heaven was so holy that
it spewed them out! Certainly there will be no room in heaven
for such filthy beasts as unholy people are! 'Jerusalem above'
is too glorious a habitation for beasts--or for men of beastly
spirits, or beastly principles, or beastly practices. The city of
the great God was never built for beasts. A wilderness and
not a paradise--is fittest for beasts.

 

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I look to You for strength

(A Puritan Prayer)

O Lord of grace,
The world is before me this day, and I am weak
and fearful--but I look to You for strength.
If I venture forth alone, I stumble and fall--but
on the Beloved's arms I am firm as the eternal
hills. If left to the treachery of my heart, I shall
shame Your name--but if enlightened, guided,
upheld by Your Spirit, I shall bring You glory.
Be . . .
my arm to support,
my strength to stand,
my light to see,
my feet to run,
my shield to protect,
my sword to repel,
my sun to warm.

To enrich me will not diminish Your fullness.
All Your loving-kindness is in Your Son. I bring
Him to You in the arms of faith. Accept . . .
His worthiness for my unworthiness,
His sinlessness for my transgressions,
His purity for my uncleanness,
His sincerity for my deceit,
His truth for my lies,
His meekness for my pride,
His steadfastness for my backslidings,
His love for my enmity,
His fullness for my emptiness,
His faithfulness for my treachery,
His obedience for my lawlessness,
His glory for my shame,
His devotedness for my waywardness,
His holy life for my unchaste ways,
His righteousness for my dead works,
His death for my life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ​

 

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Genuine assurance

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

Genuine holiness will yield you a heaven hereafter; but
genuine assurance will yield you a heaven here. He
who has holiness and knows it, shall have two heavens
--a heaven of joy, comfort, peace, contentment, and
assurance here--and a heaven of happiness and
blessedness hereafter.

Genuine assurance will be a spring of joy and comfort
in you. It will make heavy afflictions light, long afflictions
short, and bitter afflictions sweet. It will make you frequent,
fervent, constant, and abundant in the work of the Lord. It
will strengthen your faith, raise your hope, inflame your love,
increase your patience, and brighten your zeal. It will make
every mercy sweet, every duty sweet, every ordinance sweet,
and every providence sweet. It will rid you of all your sinful
fears and cares. It will give you ease under every burden,
and make death more desirable than life. It will make you
more strong to resist temptation, more victorious over
opposition, and more silent in every difficult condition.

Genuine assurance will turn . . .
every winter night into a summer's day,
every cross into a crown, and
every wilderness into a paradise.

Genuine assurance will be . . .
a sword to defend you,
a staff to support you,
a cordial to strengthen you,
a medicine to heal you, and
a star to lead you.

Well, remember this--next to a man's being saved, it is the
greatest mercy in this world--to know that he is saved.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

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A silver vein of sanctity

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"In that day shall there be upon the bridles of the horses,
Holiness unto the Lord. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem
and in Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord Almighty."
Zechariah 14:20-21

Here is holiness written upon the bridles of the horses they
ride on, and upon the cups and pots they drink with. A holy
heart will be holy in the use of common things. Every
piece of his life shall savor of sanctity; and in all the parts of
his every-day life, you shall be able to discern something of
the power of true religion.

He who is truly holy--will be holy in the use of earthly and
common things, as well as in the use of spiritual and heavenly
things. He will be spiritual in the use of mundane things; and
heavenly in the use of earthly things. There is a silver vein
of sanctity which runs through all his worldly concernments.
If you look upon him in his eating and drinking--you shall find
him holy. If you look upon him in his buying and selling--you
shall find him holy. He is holy in his commerce, and holy in his
converse. Holiness is written upon his dealings with others, and
upon his behavior towards his family and friends. Whatever he
puts his hand to in his home--has holiness written upon it.

A holy man makes a Jacob's ladder of all his earthly enjoyments.
All the comforts in his home, lead him on in a way of holiness,
and lead him up to a holy God. Look upon a holy man in his
vocation--and you shall find him holy. Look upon him in the
use of earthly things--and you shall find him holy. Look upon
him in his recreations--and you shall find him holy. The habitual
frame and bent of his heart is to be holy in every earthly thing
which he puts his hand unto. A spirit of holiness runs and shines
in all the common actions of his life.

But for the false professor--all his religion, all his holiness, lies in
a few religious duties! Take him out of these, and you shall find
him as carnal, as vain, as foolish, as filthy and as frothy, as light
and as slight--as those who have not so much as a cloak of
holiness upon them!

Look! as an unholy heart is carnal in spiritual things, and earthly
in heavenly things, and unholy in holy things--just so, a man who
is truly holy--he is as well holy in the ordinary affairs and actions
of this life, as he is holy in any of the exercises of piety.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do--do it
all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31​

 

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The diamond in that ring!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

The whole Scripture is but one entire love-letter, all
written in golden letters, dispatched from the Lord
Christ to His beloved spouse on earth. In it, there
is so much to be read of . . .
the love of Christ,
the heart of Christ,
the kindness of Christ,
the grace of Christ, and
the glory of Christ,
that a holy heart cannot but love, and embrace,
and endeavor to conform to every line.

The whole word of God is a field--and Christ
is the treasure which is hidden in that field!

The whole word of God is a ring of gold--
and Christ is the diamond in that ring!

"The Scriptures point to Me!" John 5:39

 

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Other men's sins

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

By other men's sins, a holy man is put in mind of the
badness of his own heart. Bernard makes mention of an
old man, who, when he saw any man sin, lamented and
wept for him; and being asked why he grieved so, for
other men's sins, answered, "He fell today--and I may
fall tomorrow!" The falls of others puts a holy man in
mind of the roots of sinfulness which are in himself.
Other men's actual sins are as so many glasses, through
which a holy man comes to see the manifold seeds of sin
which are in his own heart--and such a sight as this
cannot but melt him and break him.

A holy heart knows that the best way to keep himself
pure from other men's sins, is to mourn for other men's
sins. He who makes conscience of weeping over other
men's sins--will rarely be defiled with other men's sins.

A holy heart looks upon other men's sins as their bonds
and chains--and this makes him mourn. Ah, how can
tears but trickle down a Christian's cheeks, when he sees
multitudes, fast bound with the cords of their iniquity,
trooping to hell? Who can look upon a sinner as a bound
prisoner to the prince of darkness--and not bemoan him?

If holy people thus mourn for the wickedness of others,
then certainly those who take pleasure in the wickedness
of others--who laugh and joy, who can make a sport of
other men's sins--are rather monsters than men! There
are none so nearly allied to Satan as these--nor any so
resemble Satan as much as these! (The devil always joys
most--when sinners sin most!) To applaud them, and take
pleasure in those who take pleasure in sin--is the highest
degree of ungodliness!​

 

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An outlet and an inlet

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Death has been swallowed up in victory!" 1 Cor. 15:54

DEATH is an outlet and an inlet to a holy man.

Death is an eternal outlet . . .
to all sins,
to all sorrows,
to all shame,
to all sufferings,
to all afflictions,
to all temptations,
to all oppressions,
to all confusions, and
to all vexations.

Death is an eternal inlet into . . .
the clear, full, and constant enjoyment of God,
the sweetest pleasures,
the purest joys,
the highest delights,
the strongest comforts, and
the most satisfying contentments.

Death is the funeral of all a holy man's sins and miseries--and
the perfection of all his joys, graces, and spiritual excellencies.

Death is not the death of the man--but the death of his sin.

Death is a Christian's discharge from all trouble and misery!

Death came in by sin--and sin goes out by death.

Death cures all diseases--the aching head and the unbelieving
heart; the diseased body and the defiled soul. Death will cure
the holy man of all natural and spiritual distempers.

Death is God's gentle usher to conduct us to heaven.

Death to a holy man, is nothing but the changing of . . .
his grace--into glory,
his faith--into vision,
his hope--into fruition, and
his love--into eternal rapture!

Oh, who would not go through death . . .
to heaven!
to eternal life!
to immortality and glory!

Death, to a Christian, is . . .
a welcome guest,
a happy friend,
a joyful messenger!

"Death has been swallowed up in victory!" 1 Cor. 15:54

 

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You should follow in His steps

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"He who says he abides in Him, ought himself also
to walk even as He walked." 1 John 2:6

Christians are to set all Christ's moral actions before them
as a pattern for their imitation. In Christ's life, a Christian
may behold the picture or lineaments of all virtues--and
accordingly he ought to order his life in this world.

To walk as Christ walked is to walk . . .
humbly,
holily,
justly,
meekly,
lovingly,
fruitfully,
faithfully,
uprightly.

To walk as Christ walked is to . . .
slight the world,
despise the world,
make a footstool of the world,
to live above the world, and
to triumph over the world as Christ did.

To walk as Christ walked is . . .
to love those who hate us,
to pray for those who persecute us,
to bless those who curse us, and
to do good to those who do evil to us.

To walk as Christ walked is to be patient, and silent,
and submissive, and thankful, under the vilest reproaches,
the heaviest afflictions, and the greatest sufferings.

"Leaving you an example, that you should follow
in His steps." 1 Peter 2:21​

 

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Those who hunt after it are dogs!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

Though of all losses, the loss of the soul is the greatest, the
saddest, the sorest, the heaviest, and the most intolerable,
inconceivable, and irrecoverable loss--yet a man bewitched
with the world will run the hazard of losing his eternal soul,
of damning it--to enjoy the world.

Men who are bewitched with this world in these days, oh, how
do they prefer their sensual delights, their brutish contentments,
and their carnal enjoyments--before the beauties of holiness, and
before heavenly glory, where holiness sparkles and shines in all
its refulgence, and where their souls might be abundantly satisfied
and delighted with the most ravishing joys, the most surpassing
delights, and the most transcendent pleasures which are at God's
right hand!

The Arabic proverb says that "the world is a carcass--and
those who hunt after it are dogs!" If this proverb is true,
what a multitude of professors will be found to be dogs--
who hunt more after earth--than heaven;
who hunt more after terrestrial things--than celestial things;
who hunt more after worldly nothingnesses and emptinesses
--than they do after those fullnesses and sweetnesses which
are in God, Christ, heaven, and holiness!

 

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The best of saints are sinners

(Brooks, "The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures")

A child of God may slip into a sin--as a sheep may slip
into the mire. But he does not, and cannot wallow in
sin--as the swine wallows in the mire.

The best of saints are sinners, though the worst
and weakest of saints do not indulge sin or cherish it;
or make daily provision for it; or take daily pleasure
and delight in sin; or habitually yield a willing and
total subjection to the authority and commands of sin.

There is as much difference between sin in a regenerate
person--and sin in an unregenerate person, as there is
between poison in a man--and poison in a serpent.
Poison in a man is most offensive and burdensome, and
he readily uses all remedies and antidotes to expel it
and get rid of it. But poison in a serpent, is in its
natural place, and is most pleasing and delightful.

Just so, sin in a regenerate man is most offensive and
burdensome, and he readily uses all holy means and
antidotes to expel it and to get rid of it. But sin in an
unregenerate man is most pleasing and delightful, it
being in its natural place.

A godly man may have many sins--yet he has not
one beloved sin, one bosom sin, one darling sin.
His sins are his greatest grief and torment.

Every godly man . . .
hates all known sin,
would sincerely have his sins not only pardoned, but destroyed,
groans under the burden of sin,
combats and conflicts with all known sin,
has fixed purposes and designs not to sin,
has a sincere willingness to be rid of all sin.

No sincere Christian indulges himself in any
trade, course, or way of sin. "Oh," says the
gracious soul, "that I could be rid of . . .
this proud heart,
this hard heart,
this unbelieving heart,
this unclean heart,
this earthly heart,
this froward heart of mine!"

O sirs, this is most certain--whoever gives up himself
freely, willingly, cheerfully, habitually--to the service
of any one particular lust or sin--he is in the state of
nature, under wrath, and in the way to eternal ruin!​

 

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It is in these storms

(Philpot, "Christ Jesus the Lord Received and Walked In")

The very storms through which the believer passes,
will only strengthen him to take a firmer hold of Christ.
As the same wind that blows down the poplar tree, only
establishes the oak tree; so the very storms which
uproot the shallow professor, only root the child of
God more firmly in Christ.

Though these storms may shake off some of his
leaves, or break off some of the rotten boughs, they
do not uproot his faith--but rather strengthen it.

It is in these storms that he learns . . .
more of his own weakness, and of Christ's strength;
more of his own misery, and of Christ's mercy;
more of his own sinfulness, and of superabounding grace;
more of his own poverty, and of Christ's riches;
more of his own desert of hell, and of his own title to heaven.

It is in these storms that the same blessed Spirit who
began the work carries it on; and goes on to engrave
the image of Christ in deeper characters upon his heart;
and to teach him more and more experimentally--the
truth as it is in Jesus.

 

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(Thomas Watson, "Body of Divinity")

"Teach me Your ways, O Lord, that I may
live according to Your truth!" Psalm 86:11

Let us lead Scripture lives. Oh that the Bible might
be seen printed in our lives! Obedience is an excellent
way of commenting upon the Bible. Let the Word be
the sun-dial by which you set your life. What are we
the better for having the Scripture, if we do not direct
all our speech and actions according to it? What is a
carpenter the better for his rule about him, if he sticks
it at his back, and never makes use of it for measuring
and squaring his work? So, what are we the better for
the rule of the Word, if we do not make use of it, and
regulate our lives by it? How many swerve and deviate
from the rule!

"Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my
path." Psalm 119:105. It is not only a light to our eyes
to mend our sight--but to our feet to mend our walk.
Oh, let us lead Bible lives!​

 

[JM]

Are you a Puritan?

 

[BBAS 64]

Are you a Puritan?

Good Day, JM

Not likely, but he plays one on T.V.

Bill

 

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Good Day, JM

Not likely, but he plays one on T.V.

Bill

thankyou sir ,

 

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Do not be proud of your fine feathers!

(Thomas Watson, "Body of Divinity")

Behold here a sacred riddle or paradox--"God was manifest
in the flesh." That man should be made in God's image, was
a wonder--but that God should be made in man's image, is
a greater wonder!

That the Ancient of Days--should be born;
that He who thunders in the heavens--should cry in the cradle;
that He who rules the stars--should suck the breast;
that Christ should be made of a woman--and of that
woman which He Himself made;
that the mother should be younger than the child she bore;
this is the most astonishing miracle! "God was manifest in
the flesh" is a mystery we shall never fully understand until
we come to heaven, when our light shall be clear, as well as
our love perfect.

"He humbled Himself and became obedient to
death--even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:8

"God made Him who had no sin--to be sin for us!"
2 Corinthians 5:21

This was the lowest degree of Christ's humiliation.
That Christ, who would not endure sin in the angels,
should endure to have sin imputed to Himself--is the
most amazing humility that ever was!

Christian! Learn to be humble! Do you see Christ humbling
Himself--and are you proud? It is the humble saint, who is
Christ's picture! Christians, do not be proud of your fine
feathers! Have you an estate? Do not be proud. The earth
you tread on, is richer than you! It has mines of gold and
silver in its depths. Have you beauty? Do not be proud. It
is but water mingled with dirt! Have you skill and abilities?
Be humble. Lucifer has more knowledge than you! Have you
grace? Be humble. It is not of your own making--it was
given to you by God. You have more sin than grace; more
spots than beauty.
Oh look on Christ--this rare pattern of humility--and be
humbled! It is a sad sight, to see God humbling Himself
--and man exalting himself; to see a humble Savior--and
a proud sinner! God hates the very semblance of pride!
"I hate pride and arrogance!" Proverbs 8:13

"If God," says Augustine, "did not spare the angels
when they grew proud; will He spare you--who are
but dust and sin?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~