|
WILLIAM GURNALL ...
was born in 1617 and died in 1679. His best known work is
an exposition of Paul's great "Christian Armour" Passage in
Ephesians 6. It was 3 full volumes when originally
published! I had the privilege of buying and reading it
all when preaching through this great text.
"The sweet bait of
religion has drawn many to nibble at it, who are later offended
with the hard service to which it calls!"
"How ugly a sight it is
to see a bold sinner and a fearful saint! One is resolved
to be wicked ... and the other to waver in his holy course!"
"Be careful to keep the
receipts which you received from God when He pardoned your
sins!"
"There is no such thing
in Christianity as an honorable retreat!"
"Many cry HOSANNA to
Error and CRUCIFY to Truth!"
"A man cannot drown as
long as his Head is above water!"
"Satan fights your
prayers on three levels. First, if he can, he will keep
you from praying. Second, he will strive to interrupt you
in prayer. Third, if those plots fail, he will labor to
hinder the success and return of your prayer!
HENRY SMITH ...
is a new Puritan to me! I'm not sure I've ever heard of
him! But a writer he is! He lived a rather short
life. Born in 1550, he died in 1591. He was called
"a prime preacher of the nation" (England). Others named
him "a silver tongued preacher" (eloquent). His sermons
were printed and re-printed prolifically! Listen to some
of these quaint but beautiful titles: A Preparative to
Marriage! An Examination of Usury! The Honour of
Humility! Noah's Drunkenness! Jacob's Ladder! The
Benefit of Contentation! (On Contentment) And The Art of
Hearing!
These quotes are from his message on "The Art
of Hearing" a sermon:
"Luke 8:18 warns us to
be careful HOW we hear!"
"When 'hearing' a
sermon, think that you are gathering manna!"
"In Exodus 3:5 God
teaches us how to hear when he instructs Moses to take off his
shoes. We too should put off some things ... worry,
distractions, cares, sins and all our business!"
"In James 1:22 we are
taught how to hear. Listen to become "doers" of the word!
Practice what you hear!"
"In Luke 10 Mary teaches
us how to hear. Leave all and sit at the feet of Jesus!
Mark his doctrine carefully!"
"In Luke 2 Mary the
Virgin teaches us how to hear when she 'pondered' all those
things in her heart!"
"Hear every sermon with
two goals in mind: Learn something you did not know!
And get something to further mortify your own sins!"
WILLIAM GOUGE ...
was born in 1578 and died in 1653. He was educated at
King's College (Cambridge) in England. All of his
Christian life he read 15 chapters of Scripture daily. For
45 years he was associated with the same church in London!
(From his Ordination to his death!)
"Two influences under
which the Christian is to live: A careful endeavor to
please God! And a careful avoiding of such things as
offend God and grieve His Spirit!"
"Sin is the greatest and
most grievous evil, indeed, the cause of all misery!"
"The extent of the
Church's subjection to Christ is unlimited!"
"Justification goes
before Sanctification!"
"Here are the ends to
which marriage is ordained: First, that the world might be
increased (bearing children)! Secondly, that men and women
might avoid fornication! No remedy is as effective against
fornication as this. It's the only warranted and
sanctified remedy. Thirdly, that a man and wife might be a
mutual help to one another ... in health and in sickness."
JOHN OWEN ...
was born in 1616 and died in 1683. He wrote
a seven volume commentary on the Epistle of Hebrews! The
following quotes are taken either directly or indirectly from
his book on the Holy Spirit.
"There is no
good communicated to us from the Father but it is bestowed on us
or wrought in us by the Holy Ghost."
"The Holy
Spirit is the immediate Author and Cause of the work of
regeneration."
"Sanctification is the immediate work of God by His Spirit upon
the whole nature of the Christian."
"Sanctification is the universal renovation of our natures by
the Holy Spirit into the image of God, through Christ Jesus."
"When the Son
of God was come, and had destroyed the works of the devil, the
principal remaining promise of the New Testament, the 'spring'
of all the rest, concerns the sending of the Holy Ghost unto the
accomplishment of His part of that great work which God had
designed."
"The Holy
Spirit was sent to fill the absence created when Christ ascended
into Heaven. He is here in Christ's stead."
RICHARD SIBBES ...was born in 1577 and
died in 1635. He spent much of his saved life "analyzing
the conversion process." In other words ... studying the
Scriptures to discern HOW we got saved by the Grace of God!
(The "step-by -step" Bible account!)
" Answerable to our
ignorance ... Jesus is a PROPHET to instruct us!
Answerable to our rebellion ... Jesus is a KING to subdue us!
And answerable to our sin ... Jesus is our PRIEST to satisfy the
wrath of God toward us!"
"The Holy Spirit" is the
most blessed Lodger That we have ever entertained in all our
lives!"
"When chaff strives
against the wind, stubble against the fire, when the heel kicks
against the goads, when the clay strives with the potter ... AND
WHEN MAN FIGHTS AGAINST GOD, it is easy to know on which side
the victory will go!"
Stephen Charnock
... was born in 1628 in London, England. He, once saved by
the Grace of God and called to preach the Word, became a great
pastor and author.
"All truth is to be
drawn from Scripture!"
"'The Holy One' is our
Lord's greatest title of honor!"
"Sin is the very enemy
of God's purity!"
"The whole of redemption
is wrapped up in that one expression of the angels' song:
'Good will towards men!'"
"The whole Gospel is
nothing but one entire mirror of divine goodness!"
"Jesus tasted the bitter
cup of death ... that we might drink of the rivers of eternal
life!"
"All true blessings grow
up from the pardon of sin!"
Robert Leighton
... is certainly no longer a well-known Puritan. Born in 1611,
he died in 1684. He is best known for a treasured
exposition of 1 Peter. He was the son of an old-fashioned
Presbyterian preacher. He requested that all his papers
(writings) be destroyed at his death. Thank God, they were
not. He was of Scottish heritage.
"The Grace of God in the
heart of man is a tender plant in a strange unkindly soil.
It does not naturally grow well and prosper. It must have
the care and pains of a skilful Hand!"
"The Chief Worker of
sanctification is the Holy Spirit of God."
"Malice and envy are two
branches growing out of the same bitter root. And their
fruit is evil-speaking."
"A man is not only to be
taught true Wisdom, but he is to be untaught (!!!) the errors
and wickedness that are so deep-rooted in his mind."
"Isaiah is the
evangelist among the prophets!"
"As the devil's work is
division ... so Christ's work is union."
"Christian, be every day
loving the world less, and Christ more!"
|
