Puritan Nuggets of Gold # 47

Idleness

Sin brought in sweat (Genesis 3:19), but now, not to sweat increases sin. (John Flavel)

A lazy spirit is always a losing spirit. (Thomas Brooks)

Ah, doubting Christians! remember this, that the promise of assurance and comfort is made over, not to lazy but laborious Christians; not to idle but to active Christians; not to negligent but to diligent Christians. The lazy Christian hath his mouth full of complaints, when the active Christian hath his heart full of comforts. (Thomas Brooks)

Idleness tempts the devil to tempt. (Thomas Watson)

The proud person is satan's throne, and the idle man his pillow. He sitteth in the former, and sleepeth quietly on the latter. (George Swinnock)

A lazy Christian shall always want four things: comfort, content, confidence, and assurance. God hath made a separation between joy and idleness. (Thomas Brooks)

O spend your time as you would hear of it in the Judgment! (Richard Baxter)

Jews

The Jews shall be gathered from all parts of the earth where they now are scattered, and brought home into their homeland. (John Owen)

The faithful Jews rejoiced to think of the calling of the Gentiles; and why should not we joy to think of the calling of the Jews? (Richard Sibbes)

The end of this world shall not be till the Jews are called, and how long after that none yet can tell. (Elnathan Parr)

As at the first coming of Christ, so at the overthrow of antichrist, the conversion of the Jews, there will be much joy. (Richard Sibbes)

They forget a main point of the Church's glory, who pray not daily for the conversion of the Jews. (Robert Leighton)

O to see the sight, next to Christ's coming in the clouds, the most joyful our elder brethren the Jews and Christ fall upon one another's necks and kiss each other. (Samuel Rutherford)

The casting off of the Jews, was our calling; but the calling of the Jews shall not be our casting off, but our greater enriching in grace, and that two ways: First, in regard of the company of believers, when the thousands of Israel shall come in, which shall doubtless cause many Gentiles which now lie in ignorance, error and doubt, to receive the Gospel and join with them. Secondly, in respect of the graces, which shall then in more abundance be rained down upon the Church. (Elnathan Parr)