Misc Puritans

I could find no one part of Divinity more profitable in these times…than that which consisteth more in experience and practice, than in theory and speculation; and more principally tendeth to the sanctification of the heart, than the informing of the judgement and the increasing of knowledge; and to the stirring up of all to the practice of what they k now in the duties of a godly life, and in bringing forth the fruits of faith in new obedience; than to fit them for discourse.
—John Downame “Guide to Godliness”

The same Spirit that guided the holy apostles and prophets to write it, must guide the people of God to know the meaning of it; and as he first delivered it, so must he help men to understand it.
—Thomas Goodwin

We cannot have one spark of real humility till we are abased before God, as guilty, helpless, and undone creatures, who have no hope but in the tender mercy of God in Christ Jesus. We must, as far as respects all hope in ourselves, feel ourselves in the very condition of the fallen angels, whose sin we have followed, and whose punishment we are doomed to share. Indeed, this is our very state, whether we know it or not: and it becomes us to seek the knowledge of it, and to live under a sense of it every day, and all the day long. We should never appear either before God or man in any other dress than this. It was the clothing of holy Job when in his most perfect state(Job 42:5, 6): and so far ought we to be from putting it off because God is reconciled towards us, that a sense of our acceptance with him through Christ should operate as an additional motive for making it the one continual habit of our minds(Eze 16:63). Incessantly should we lie low before him in dust and ashes, and rely altogether upon “his mercy to pardon us, and his grace to help us in every time of need.”
—Charles Simeon

Man’s mouth, though it be but a little hole, will hold a world full of sin. For there is not any sin forbidden in the law or gospel which is not spoken by the tongue, as well as thought in the heart, or done in the life. Is it not then almost as difficult to rule the tongue as to rule the world?
— Edward Reyner.

If you ask: What shall we do that we may work the works of God, or get any saving qualifications?
I must direct you first to faith, as the work of works, and the great saving prepatory to all good qualifications, by answering in our Saviour’s words, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom he hath sent. [John vi. 28, 29.)
—Walter Marshall, “The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification.” RHB, ed. pp. 95

Lord, be pleased to shake my clay cottage before Thou throwest it down. Make it totter awhile before it tumbles. Let me be summoned before I am surprised. Deliver me from sudden death; not from sudden death in respect to itself, for I care not how short my passage be, so it be safe… But let it not be sudden in respect of me. Make me always ready to receive death. Thus no guest comes unawares to him who keeps a constant table.
—Thomas Fuller

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Why should you be so taken up with your riches, when you will be so soon taken from your riches? Why do you dote upon a flower which a day may wither? As you are travelling beyond the world, so also it would be your wisdom to be trading above the world. But alas! such are not easily awaked who fall so fast asleep on the world’s pillow.
–William Secker, “The nonsuch professor”

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John, the beloved disciple of Christ, inculcates the doctrine of love to the disciples of Christ: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God; and everyone that loveth that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him.” As holiness works a likeness to him that begets it, so it works a love to those who enjoy it. It is impossible for any one to love the person of Christ, who does not delight in the picture of Christ. He that loves himself, with not hate his brother. While he is out of charity with his brother, he shews that God is out of charity with him; and we lose more for want of God’s love, than our brethren lose for want of our love.
He is not a covetous man, who lays up something providentially; but he is a covetous man who gives out nothing willingly. He is as prudent a man who sometimes distributes discreetly, as he who accumulates hastily. Men frequently discover more wisdom in laying out, than in laying up.
Reader, the hope of living long on earth should not make you covetous; but the prospect of living long in heaven ,should make you bounteous. Though the sun of charity rise at home, yet it should always set abroad
–William Secker “The nonsuch professor”

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The consideration of God’s order, which he uses about the means, which are instruments of his providence, may well strengthen every Christian in all his necessities. When we are in any special need our hearts are to be much cumbered because we see not God to afford us those means, which we esteem to be helpful to us in our need: but could we once thoroughly consider this order of God about the means, we should win great rest unto our minds thereout. Mark it well, I pray you, had we been at the first creation of things, we should have been also much cumbered about many of them, fearing they would have well fell out, considering the outward conveyance which God used therein, but we see how gloriously the Lord perfected all the work: so likewise if we could now let the Lord alone and commit out ways only unto him, he would certainly bring it to pass, Psalm 37:5, and cause all things at the last to turn to the best unto us, Rom 8:28, even as he hath made it known in many occurrences happening in the life of his children. Know we not that in the thing which most afflicted Jacob, namely, the loss of his son Joseph, was wound up his chief blessing (though he knew it not) as the issue manifested? Therefore, our duty is always, as anything falls out contrary to our minds, thus to think: God is wonderful in his ways, there may any unexpected blessing lie hid herein; and thereupon should we be moved to possess our souls in patience, till it pleaseth him to bring all things to light, that serve for our comfort. And here we may well say that to our souls of God, which Naomi said of Boaz to Ruth: Still still, O my soul, till thou know how the matter will fall, for the Lord will not rest till he hath brought it to an end. [Ruth 3:18]
—William Teelinck “The Resting Place of the Mind”

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Too much friendship makes way for hatred. Yea, in truth there is no enmity so dangerous as that which has its foundations upon the ruins of love. And as in nature, the purest substance is turned into the most loathsome corruption; so the hottest love, which has no other ground but carnal respect, degenerates oftentimes into the most deadly and hurtful enmity. For being privy to all their friends’ secrets, counsels, and conditions, they are the more enabled thereby to do them the greater mischief when their love is turned to malice. Even as a traitor is much more dangerous than a professed enemy.
George Downame

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The least degree of sincere sanctification, being an effect of regeneration, is a certain sign of adoption, and may minister a sure argument to him that has it, that he is the adopted child of God.
—Thomas Gataker

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Mourner: It is hard for me to think so when under the pangs of sorrow. It enters deep and wounds me sore. How can I ever say with David, “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and testimony?” What, all the of the Lord: the rough and the thorny and difficult; where there seems to be nothing but severity? Friends and dear relations dead; estate sunk; health impaired; strength decaying; difficulties increasing on every side: oh, he has touched me in a tender part. It is the apple of mine eye that the thorn is gone into. What has the promises produces to me? Might he not have taken a method that should have looked more like, “mercy and truth?”

 

Answer. Can infinite wisdom be mistaken? Can infinite goodness be cruel? Can infinite truth be false? Allow Him that knows the end from the beginning, to know better what is good for you than you do for yourself; and to know how to come to his end the best way. Since “he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men;” and since it is only “if need be” that we are in heaviness, what is it but “mercy and truth that can make him do a thing unwillingly, and do it, only if “need be?” Would it be mercy or truth to humour you in omitting what must needs be? You will allow him to judge of the necessity of it too, for the same reason; and then you will see reason to conclude with the royal mourner, “I know O Lord, that thy  judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” Psalm 119:75
—Benjamin Grosvenor, “The mourner” or “The Afflicted Relieved.”

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Q: Why does God doth suffer his best children thus to be oppressed, and cumbered with this body of death, so long as they live here upon earth?

A: God doth it for the greater glory of himself, and of his children, and the greater shame, and disgrace of the devil: for truly, it tendeth greatly to the praise and glory of God and to the honour of his children, and to the shaming of the devil, that he knoweth how, & is able to keep, and preserve such weakened feeble vessels against all the power of hell, and to make them conquerors over Satan, in that very flesh which is so polluted with sin, and was once depraved by the devil.
—William Teelinck, “Paul his complaint against his natural corruption”
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The unreasonable creatures, many of them, never look homeward, till hunger-bit. The widow that is left alone trusteth in God, saith the Apostle: who while she had a husband leaned too much on him. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord, saith the prophet: who till they were poor, trusted in uncertain riches. God crosseth many times our likeliest projects, and make then sinews of the arm and flesh to crack, that being unbottomed of the creature, we may trust in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. 1 Tim. 6:17
Lessons that affliction learns us are thankfulness upon blessings re- obtained, the worth whereof we have now seen best by the want: self examination and a setting all to rights betwixt God and our own souls; watchfulness and tenderness of conscience, as in David while in exile: love to the like afflicted; misery breeds unity, as in the Hooper and Ridley that could agree well enough when they were both in prison: bowels of mercy, kindness, and compassion towards others in like case, as he that hath has the tooth-ache, or hath been poor and necessitous himself pity such as are so; see Exod 12:21, heavenly-mindness, a breathing after that place of rest, the day of refreshing &c.
—John Trapp “The Afflicted Mans Lessons.”
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I wish to Redeem all time I can from idle words and frivolous discourses; to avoid what I can the hearing of such prattling’s, and to shun all light and frothy and amstorious books. My tongue is my glory, and my best instrument to advance the glory of God and Religion towards others; it were pity to profane it with such words as to be upon my contrary score at the day of accounts: and so much have I to learn of God and of religion, as without slighting them, I can find no leisure to give heed to trifles, beside the danger of poison to be conveyed in these . If I were confined to the society of Pagans, I might from thence expect some profitable discourse, though altogether of the world, and even towards them I were bound to offer, at least sometimes mention of God: How much more among such as call themselves Christians! Especially who profess Christianity to be their business as well as mine.
—Herbert Palmer  “Of making Religion ones business.”

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If God hath helped you wonderfully, be you forward to help the Lord, even the Lord against the mighty. God hath began first to afford his help to you, be you ready to draw out all your strength to help him. God commands it, and in all equity he may expect it. All part of the kingdom cry for your help, and the Church as a woman in travail cries for your assistance. Look back and consider what great things God hath done, what have you hitherto done for the name of your God, or what shall we render to the Lord for his great goodness? Lay out yourselves to him, who hath spread out his great power for you, and be willing to decrease, that he may increase; let God be your strength, and your strong tower; honour God with your strength, this will be a strong preservative against the venomous infection which surprised Uzziah, who when he was made strong, doted upon his highness, and his heart was lifted up to his own destruction.
—Jeremiah Whittaker, “The Danger of Greatness, Uzziah his exaltation and Destruction.”

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Churches are societies devoted to God, called out of the world, taken in out of the common to be enclosures for God: he hath set them apart for himself; and because he hath chosen them, they also have chosen him, and set themselves apart for him. The Jewish church was separated to God for a peculiar people, a kingdom of the priests.
Thus our houses must be churches; with ourselves we must give our houses to the Lord, to be for him for a name and a people. All the interest we have, both in our relations and in our possessions, must be consecrated to God; as under the law all that the servant had was his master’s forever, after he had consented to have his ear bored to the door-post. When God effectually called Abram out of Ur, to the Chaldees, his family put on the face of a particular church; for in obedience to God’s precept, and in dependence on God’s promise, they took all the substance they had gathered, and should they had gotten and put themselves and their all under a divine conduct and government, Gen. xii. 5. His was a great family, not only numerous, but very considerable, the father of it was the father of all them that believe; but even little families, jointly and entirely given up to God, so become churches. When all the members of the family yield themselves to God, subscribe with their hands, to be the Lord’s, and surname themselves with the name of Israel, and the master of the family, with himself, gives up all right, title and interest, in his house, and all that belongs to it, unto God, to be used for him and disposed of by him, here is a church in the house.
—Matthew Henry, “Church in the house”

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We may consider the exceeding sottishness of many poor and wretched persons which serve the flesh, and live in sin, who when they once hear, that all men, yea, the very best are sinful, and that the most holy and sanctified have their wants and defects, and are clogged with the sinful flesh; then begin they to justify themselves, and to say, we have all drunk of one cup; he that is without sin let him cast the first stone at me; have I my imperfections? Another hath his; I am not alone, I hope I shall get into heaven as well as another; and so they set themselves up in equal degree with the true Children of God; they themselves being none other than fleshly men and children of the world.
—William Teelinck From Sermon “Paul his complaint against his natural corruption.”

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O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Rom 7:24)

Oh my beloved brethren, sisters, be not dismayed because you find sin so heavy a burden; behold it must be so, if you will be eased of it: the more light a man thinks it is, the more heavy and grievous it shall fall upon him; it is a sign that you are in a joyful estate, if your greatest sorrow be your sins; a wound being full of dead flesh, smarteth not, but then it is the more incurable; it is a living and quick conscience that feelth the smart of sin–this corruption is not felt by corruption; it is a sign that there is spiritual life in us, when we can mourn for the transgression and iniquity of our sins: I say for the transgression and iniquity of our sins, because they are contrary to the will of God, and do displease him; the children of the world which are dead in sin, can mourn and lament enough for the punishment which, (or they fear will) come upon them, by reason of their sins, but it is the property of the children of God to sorrow, and grieve because by their sins they have offended and displeased their good, and gracious Father: so then, go forwards, thu must it be with you, if you will have it be well with you; step one step further with the Apostle, and as with him you mourn because of the wickedness of your sins, so cease not, and give yourselves no rest, till with him also you find yourselves to be delivered both from the guilt and dominion of sin, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, by his assistance.
William Teelinck from a sermon, “Paul his complaint”

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Our work on earth is done best, when our work in heaven is done first; you plainly see that God can (any which way he can) provide for his own glory, his people’s safety, and his enemies shame; It is a superlative wisdom to interest our persons in God, and God in our actions: when we have once gained and engaged him, we are then above all the world.All that I would humbly press upon you is this: Follow God, what you see him doing, do you the like: his special care is for his church, let yours be so. For my part, my great design shall be, my own salvation, and the Church and Kingdoms safety. For these we preach, for these we pray, for these we lend, for these we live, for these we die: the God of all mercies heal these, and settle these, and ever guide and bless you for the good of these. This shall be the constant prayer of him who desires to  live  no longer than he is a servant to Truth and both these.
–Obadiah Sedgwicke from an epistle dedicatory t a sermon preached before the honourable house of commons, at their Extraordinary day of Humiliation, October 22. 1644

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All the glory that He (God) looks for to eternity must arise out of this one work of building Zion. this one work shall be the only monument of His glory to eternity; this goodly world, this heaven and earth, that you see and enjoy the use of, is set up only as a ship, as a workshop, to stand only for a week, for six or seven thousand years; and when His work is done He will throw this piece of clay down again, and out of this He looks for no other glory than from a cabul, a land of dirt, or a shepherd’s cottage, or a gourd which springs up in a night and withers in a day; but this piece He sets up for a higher end, to be the eternal mansion of His holiness and honour; this is His metropolis, His temple, His house.
—Stephen Marshall

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Have mercy upon me, O God,… David, under a sense of sin, does not run away from God, but applies unto him, and casts himself at his feet, and upon his mercy; which shows the view he had of his miserable condition, and that he saw there was mercy in God, which gave him hope; and upon his bended knees, and in the exercise of faith, he asks for it;

according to thy lovingkindness; not according to his merits, nor according to the general mercy of God, which carnal men rely upon; but according to his everlasting and unchangeable love in Christ; from which as the source, and through whom as the medium, special mercy comes to the children of men. The acts of special mercy are according to the sovereign will of God: he is not moved to mercy neither by the merits nor misery of men, but by his free grace and favour; it is love that sets mercy to work: this is a most glaring gleam of Gospel light, which none of the inspired writers besides, except the Apostle Paul, saw, Eph 2:4;

according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions; for his sin was complicated, attended with many others; and, besides, upon a view of this, he was led to observe all his other sins; and particularly the corruption of his nature, his original sin, which he mentions, Ps 51:5. These he desires might be “blotted out”; out of the book of account, out of God’s debt book; that they might not stand against him, being debts he was not able to pay or make satisfaction for; and out of the table of his own heart and conscience, where they were ever before him, and seemed to be engraven; that they might be caused to pass from him, and he might have no more conscience of them; or that they might be blotted out, as a cloud by the clear shining of the sun of righteousness, with the healing of pardoning grace in his wings; or that they might be wiped away, as any faith is wiped from any person or thing: and all this “according to the multitude of his tender mercies”. The mercy of God is plenteous and abundant; he is rich in it, and various are the instances of it; and it is exceeding tender, like that of a father to his children, or like that of a mother to the son of her womb; and from this abundant and tender mercy springs the forgiveness of sin, Lu 1:77. The psalmist makes mention of the multitude of the mercies of God, because of the multitude of his sins, which required a multitude of mercy to forgive, and to encourage his hope of it. [John Gill's Exposition on the Entire Bible--Psalm 51:3]
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Oh, it is to be feared that there are many that give themselves lusts, and carnal pleasures, that so they may put a foggy mist between their conscience and themselves. Others dig into the world, labouring to become senseless, that so there may be an eclipse of this light by the interposition of the earth. Others run to damnable heresies, denying Scriptures, God, heaven, hell. . . . What are these but refuges of guilty consciences? We must distinguish between our carnal concupiscence, and conscience; between deluded imaginations, and conscience; between an erroneous and scrupulous conscience, and a well grounded and truly informed conscience, and when we have done so, we must follow conscience as far as that follows the Word.
—Anthony Burgess

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(The devil) hath an apple for Eve, a grape for Noah, a change of raiment for Gehazi, a bag for Judas.  He can dish out his meats for all palates.
—William Jenkyns

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Games may be divided into three sorts: games of wit or industry, games of hazard, and a mixture of both. Games of wit or industry are such as are ordered by the skill and industry of man. Of this sort are shooting in the longbow, shooting in the caliver, running, wrestling, fencing, music, and the games of chess and draughts. . . . These, and all of this kind, wherein the industry of the mind and body hath the chiefest stroke, are very commendable, and not to be disliked. Games of hazard are those in which hazard only bears the sway and orders the game, and not wit; wherein also there is, as we say, chance, yea mere chance in regard of us. Now games that are of mere hazard, by the consent of godly divines are unlawful. The reasons are these: First, games of mere hazard are indeed lots, and the use of a lot is an act of religion, in which we refer unto God the determination of things of moment that can no other way be determined. . . . Secondly, such games are not recreations, but rather matter of stirring up troublesome passions, as fear, sorrow. . . . Thirdly, covetousness is commonly the ground of them all. Whereupon it is that men usually play for money. And for these causes such plays. . . . are unlawful. The third kind of plays are mixed, which stand partly of hazard and partly of wit, and in which hazard begins the game and skill gets the victory, and that which is defective by reason of hazard is corrected by wit. . . . Now the common opinion of Learned divines is that, as they are not to be commended, so they are not simply to be condemned, and if they be used they must be used very sparingly.
—William Perkins

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Christ came not to possess our brains with some cold opinions, that send down a freezing and benumbing influence into our hearts. Christ was a master of the life, not of the school; and he is the best Christian whose heart beats with the purest pulse towards heaven, not he whose head spins the finest cobweb.
—Ralph Cudworth

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The Christian soldier must avoid two evils—he must not faint or yield in the time of fight, and after a victory he must not wax insolent and secure. When he has overcome, he is so to behave himself as though he were presently again to be assaulted. For Satan’s temptations, like the waves of the sea, do follow one in the neck of the other.
—George Downame

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If the darkness which a man be under be such, that there are some openings of light withal, then it is the darkness of a cloud, and not of the night…. Now thus it is always with the people of God. They never are in any affliction, temptation, or desertion, but before their great deliverance comes, they have some special providence, some reviving in the midst of their trouble, some interim of light, some openings of the cloud; and therefore, in the midst of all, they may say, Surely this my darkness is not the darkness of the night, but of a cloud. I say, there is no discouragement befalls the saints, but the matter thereof is a cloud, and they may say, It is but a cloud, it will pass over.
—William Bridge

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The Spirit of God draws a man out of the world by a sanctified light sent into his mind, discovering to him how base and false the sweetness of sin is… setting before his eyes the face and happy condition, the glorious liberty of the sons of God… making the beauty of Jesus Christ visible to the soul.
Endeavour to have this sanctifying Spirit in yourselves… His promise is that he will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask…
Think it not enough that you hear the Word, and use the outward ordinances of God, and profess his Name; for many are thus called, but a few of them are chosen.. Make your calling and election sure.
—Robert Leighton

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