Puritan Nuggets of Gold # 29

Excuses (continued)

Consider that no sin against a great God can be strictly a little sin, though compared with a greater one it may be. But however little it is, to account it so makes it greater. (Ralph Venning)

Think not the better of sin because it is in fashion. Think not the better of impiety and ungodliness, because many walk in those crooked ways. Multitude is a foolish argument; multitude does not argue the goodness of a thing. The devil's name is "legion." The plea of a multitude will not hold out at God's bar when God shall ask you, "Why did you break your oath?" To say then, "Lord, because most men did so," will be but a poor plea: God will say to you, "Then seeing you have sinned with the multitude, you shall now go to hell with the multitude." (Thomas Watson)

Let them pretend what they please, the true reason why any despise the new birth is because they hate a new life. (John Owen)

A sin is two sins when it is defended. (Henry Smith)

To this we must say that He who promised forgiveness to them that repent has not promised forgiveness to them that sin. (Ralph Venning)

Faith

Our heavenly King is pleased with all our graces: hot zeal and cool patience pleaseth Him; cheerful thankfulness and weeping repentance pleaseth Him; but none of them are welcome to Him without faith, as nothing can please Him without Christ. (Thomas Adams)

Other graces make us like Christ, faith makes us members of Christ. (Thomas Watson)

All other graces like birds in the nest depend upon what faith brings in to them. (John Flavel)

Faith is the captain grace. (William Gurnall)

Till men have faith in Christ, their best services are but glorious sins. (Thomas Brooks)

Faith is seated in the understanding, as well as the will. It has an eye to see Christ, as well as a wing to fly to Christ. (Thomas Watson)

Faith, though it hath sometimes a trembling hand, it must not have a withered hand, but must stretch. (Thomas Watson)

It is the office of faith to believe what we do not see, and it shall be the reward of faith to see what we do believe. (Thomas Adams)

Where reason cannot wade there faith may swim. (Thomas Watson)

It is the nature of faith to believe God upon His bare word. It will not be, saith sense; it cannot be, saith reason; it both can and will be, saith faith, for I have a promise for it. (John Trapp)

How weak soever the believer finds himself, and how powerful soever he perceives his enemy to be, it is all one to him, he hath no more to do but to put faith on work, and to  wait till God works. (David Dickson)