Besides public ordinances, we should give ourselves to spiritual exercises in secret.
All the time we can spare from our necessary, civil, and natural actions should be employed in calling to mind what we have seen, heard, or felt of God.
You can never part with sin soon enough; it is a cursed inmate, that will surely bring mischief upon the soul that harbours it. It will set its own dwelling on fire.Works 7:147
To own and stand up for a hated and despised truth will bring more comfort to our souls than all the pleasure the wicked have in their sensual delights.
It may be said of nominal believers, as Alexander said to one that bore his name, but was a coward, either lay aside the name, or put on greater courage. So either do as Christians do, or do not pretend to be Christians.
Christ's first coming was so obscure, that it was scarce observed and understood by the world. The second will be so conspicuous and glorious as to be seen of all. In the former, he came in the form of a servant, and the contemptible appearance of a mean man; in the second, he cometh as the Lord and heir of all things, clothed with splendour and glory as with a garment.Works, Volume 10
He created us out of nothing; and being created, he preserveth us, and giveth us all the good things which we enjoy. And therefore we are obliged to be subject to him, and to obey his holy laws, and to be accountable to him for the breach of them.Works, Volume 10
He that is not faithful in a little will not be faithful in much, [and] he that giveth entertainment to a small temptation will also to a greater, if put upon it.Works 6:309
Many now deny the obligation of the moral law to believers, as antinomians, [but] as the apostle telleth us, that we 'do not make void the law by faith; yea, we establish the law.'
We lose much tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against sin, much of that lively diligence that we should otherwise show forth in carrying on the spiritual life, when we are at ease, and all things go well with us.
Religion without self-denial… is Christianity of our own making, not of Christ's.
We carve out the easy safe part of religion, and then we call this love to God and love to Christ. No; true Christian love is to love God above all.