Puritan Nuggets of Gold # 40

Holiness (continued)

What health is to the heart, that holiness is to the soul. (John Flavel)

Nothing else but the habitual and predominant devotion and dedication to soul, and body, and life, and all that we have to God; and esteeming, and loving, and serving, and seeking Him, before all the pleasures and prosperity of the flesh. (Richard Baxter)

I do not mean by holiness the mere performance of outward duties of religion, coldly acted over, as a task; not our habitual prayings, hearings, fastings, multiplied one upon another (though these be all good, as subservient to a higher end); but I mean an inward soul and principle of divine life (Romans 8:1-5), that spiriteth all these. (Ralph Cudworth)

Some would have moral virtue to be holiness, which (as they suppose) they can understand by their own reason and practice in their own strength. Gospel truth is the only root whereon Gospel holiness will grow. (John Owen)

Pray not only against the power of sin, but for the power of holiness also. A haughty heart may pray against His sins, not out of any inward enmity to them, or love to holiness, but because they are troublesome guests to his conscience. His zeal is false that seems hot against sin, but is key-cold to holiness. A city is rebellious that keeps their rightful Prince out, though it receives not his enemy in. (William Gurnall)

Holiness hath in it a natural tendency to life and peace. (Elisha Coles)

Will you say that godliness is unpleasant, because it makes a man sorry for his ungodliness? Would you wish a man that hath lived so long in sin and misery, to have no sorrow for it in his return- especially when it is but a healing sorrow, preparing for remission, and not a sorrow joined with despair, as theirs will be that die impenitently? (Richard Baxter)

Thou hast an art above God Himself, if thou canst fetch any true pleasure out of unholiness. (William Gurnall)

There is a beauty in holiness as well as a beauty of holiness. (George Swinnock)

Here is the Christian's way and his end. His way is holiness, his end happiness. (John Whitlock)

God would not rub so hard if it were not to fetch out the dirt that is ingrained in our natures. God loves purity so well He had rather see a hole than a spot in His child's garments (William Gurnall)

When thou trustest in Christ within thee, instead of Christ without thee, thou settest Christ against Christ. The bride does well to esteem her husband's picture, but it were ridiculous if she should love it better than himself, much more if she should go to it rather than to him to supply her wants. Yet thou actest thus when thou art more fond of Christ's image in thy soul than of Him who painted it there. (William Gurnall)

It is absurd to imagine that God should justify a people and not sanctify them, He should justify a people whom He could not glorify. (Thomas Watson)