Works? Works? A man get to heaven by works? I would as soon think of climbing to the moon on a rope of sand! Sep 29, 1770 Newburyport, Massachusetts. From the sermon: "How willingly would I live forever to preach Christ, but I die to be with him."
If you could be brought once to love secret prayer, and to converse feelingly with God in his word, your heaven will begin on earth; you will enjoy more pleasure than in all manner of riches.
I desire to cast my crown at the feet of Jesus, and to cry grace! grace! Dear Sir, what a charming word is that? I am sure I can freely own, that all my salvation is of grace, unmerited, distinguishing, electing grace!
if Jacob had been elected because of his future merits, then his election would no longer be from grace: and so he was not elected by God because of what he was going to become, but he became such because of his election.The Sentences, Book 1, Dist 41
I'll tell you a story. The Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 1675 was acquainted with Mr. Butterton the [actor]. One day the Archbishop . . . said to Butterton . . . 'pray inform me Mr. Butterton, what is the reason you actors on stage can affect your congregations with speaking of things imaginary, as if they were real, while we in church speak of things real, which our congregations only receive as if they were imaginary?' 'Why my Lord,' says Butterton, 'the reason is very plain. We actors on stage speak of things imaginary, as if they were real and you in the pulpit speak of things real as if they were imaginary.' Stout, Divine Dramatist (239-240)
O poor New England! There is a deep laid plot against your civil and religious liberties, and they will be lost. Your golden days are at an end. You have nothing but trouble before you. . . . Your liberties will be lost.
If one evil thought, if one evil word, if one evil action, deserves eternal damnation, how many hells, my friends, do every one of us deserve, whose whole lives have been one continued rebellion against God!
People want to recommend themselves to God by their sincerity; they think, 'If we do all we can, if we are but sincere, Jesus Christ will have mercy on us.' But pray what is there in our sincerity to recommend us to God? ... therefore, if you depend on your sincerity for your salvation, your sincerity will damn you.
One great matter is to know what particular office and to what particular part Jesus Christ has called each of you... Different persons have different gifts and graces. Some have popular gifts fit for large auditories. Others move best in a more contracted sphere, and may be exceedingly useful in the private Societies. Those who are called out to act in a public manner, I think ought to give themselves wholly to the work... Others who can only serve privately, may mind their secular employ and give their leisure time to the service of the Church.Original letter in the British Museum, 29960. b. Lot 368.
[God] shows his freedom and lordship by discriminating between sinners, causing some to hear the gospel while others do not hear it, and moving some of those who hear it to repentance while leaving others in their unbelief, thus teaching his saints that he owes mercy to none and that it is entirely of his grace, not at all through their own effort, that they themselves have found life.Knowing God
Election in scripture is not presented as matter for argument or something to be frightened of. But as reassurance for the people of God, encouragement to praise God for your salvation because it's all his doing. And to trust with full confidence, that he's going to finish the work he's started. Systematic Theology A Lecture