Saints Memorials, Sayings 1
DIVINE SENTENCES, COLLECTED From the VVorks of Mr. EDMVND CALAMY, Lately deceased.
GOd requires we should mortifie our lufts: for prayer without that, is the service of a Hypocrite.
Let not any one despair, and cry out I am undone; but let him trust in God, and use his just endeavours: For any man may be happy if he please.
Sin is a Christians greatest Sore, and Repentance his surest Salve: Who then would want the rare Jewel of Repentance, since if ye seek, ye shall find?
Sin bringeth shame and sorrow; and Piety a portion of everlasting Joys.
Miserable is that man, whose heart is too hard to pray.
He that truly repents of his sin, shall never repent of his repentance; for repentance is as the Hammer of the heart, knocking at the Gate of Heaven; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
Let us cloath our selves with Righteousness; it is the safest Armour against the Darts of Satan.
If troubles or afflictions shall befall thee, say as a late Reverend Divine said, I will go, and bless God; for I believe this will be for my good.
There are two Gospel-Graces which require your special heed, (viz.) Faith, and Repentance: for though many go to Hell by despair, more go thither by presumption.
It was the saying of the Learned Sir Thomas Moore, I will never pin my Faith upon the sleeve of another man, for he may carry it where I would be unwilling to follow.
You must serve God for his sake, as well as Heaven's.
A faithful servant of God may have an eye to the recompence of reward, as Moses had; but he must have but one eye, and that the left: for our chief and last aim must be at the Glory of God.
The true way of serving God, is to obey him as a Servant, and honour him as a Son.
Strive to be good in all concerns; to be good Subjects, good Governours, good Dealers, good Husbands, good Masters, and good Neighbours: so will God love you and bless you, and the rest respect you.
Account sin the evil of evils, and rather embarce the greatest sorrow, than the least sin.
If God hath bestowed Graces on thee, communicate them to others in your convenient conversations: for true Grace is of a spreading nature; affectual Grace will labour to convert others.
There are but two Roads that lead to Heaven; the one is called Innocence, the other is Repentance.
If God hath conferr'd more gifts, either of Grace or Nature, upon thee, than upon another, thou must study to improve them: for as thou expectest more light from the Sun than from a Candle, so will God expect more duty in Service than from a lesser light.
For the better the Wages is, the better should the service be.
Holy Wisdom, mixt with Honour, are like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver.
To disobey God in a little, is no small disobedience: for no sin can be said to be little, since the least sin without Repentance, and the merciemercy of God, is big enough to damn a man.
A Sword can but kill a mouse, and a Bodkin may kill a man.
Humiliation, without Reformation, will not shew a man the way to Heaven.
Despise not the Ministers of Christ: for it is Christ that is the Word, and they are his Ambassadors.
To make you the more capable of serving God, be frequent in Spirit.
Consider, the Great God whom ye serve, alters not, neither must his Servants.
Thou mayst safely serve the Devil, if thou canst find out a corner that is secret from the all-seeing eye of God.
To flatter thy self, is to cheat thy Soul.
Labour first for the Kingdom of Heaven, and all other things shall be given.
We say (in temporal affairs) delays are dangerous; how much more dangerous in spiritual, when thy everlasting Peace is concerned?
Defer not your Repentance till you are old: shall the Devil have the Flower of your age, and God the Bran?
The Spirit of Prayer is more pretious than Treasures of Gold and Silver.
If thou art marryed, beware of Cares and Strifes; let your Cares be, which shall be most zealous in the service of God; and your Strifes be, which shall love the other best; so will your Cares and Strifes be turned into a comfortable pleasure.
If there be want of mutual affection between man and wife, and the one suffer vaxations and affronts for a time, yet do thy obedience to the Lord, and thou shalt find comfort in the end.
Beware of immoderate Cares, lest you dishonour or deny God: for such Cares are,
1. Needless.
2. Bruitish.
3. Bootless.
4. Heathenish.
1. Needless. What need we care, when,Mat. 6. ver. 30.31, 32. Our heavenly Father knoweth we have need of these things, and saith, Be careful for nothing, but cast our cares on him, for he careth for us.
ver. 26.2. Bruitish. Consider the Fowls of the Air, and Ravens that he feeds, they toyl not.
ver. 27.3. Bootless, and in vain. Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature, or penny to his estate?
ver. 34.Take no thought for the morrow, for that will take thought for it self.
ver. 32.4. Heathenish. For after all these things the Gentiles seek.
As the Waves of the Sea are troublesome and unfixt, so are the Thoughts and Actions of a wicked man.
If thou risest from a low estate to a great one, it is but like stepping from a Boat or Barge, into a Ship; thy dangers continue, for thou art still upon the Sea.
The way to be either lov'd, or envy'd, is to serve God betimes; so shall God and good men love thee, and wicked men envy thy Glories.
If thou art afflicted, remember afflictions are Gods Potions, which thou mayst sweeten by Faith and Prayer: but take heed of Impatience and Unbelief, for those two ingredients will make them bitter as Gall.
To be a servant to sin,Joh. 6.18. is to be a shameful and an unfruitful slave.
But in the service of God,Joh. 8.36. is perfect freedom.
Blessed are those that receive the Word of God into their hearts, as well as into their ears.
For formal service is but an outward shew of Devotion, and only an act of dissembling with him that will not be mocked.
The name of Christianity, without a real Practice, is but an empty Title, and a dead Faith. It can be but a small satisfaction to a Christian, to seem to go to Heaven.
But to go neer Heaven, and at last miscarry, is as fatal as a double Hell.
Be merciful and charitable, as well as pious: as you freely receive, freely give. If thou art rich, be pious too; if both, be rich in good works. God doth not delight in the niggardly Christian.
Beware of Apostacie, the craft of which sin, is to deprave your judgments from the truths of Christ, your affections from your love to Christ, and your conversations from a zealous walking with Christ.
Meditate frequently on the four last things;
Heaven,
Hell,
Death,
Judgment.
The meditation of Heaven will be so inviting to you, that your mind will more and more affect it.
The Meditation of Hell, will teach you to abhor the place and the torments of the Damned.
The meditation of Death, will direct you in your preparations for death.
The meditation of Judgment, will draw you neerer to God and teach you to avoid sin.
Nothing separates God and man, but sin; and the only way to remove that Wall of separation is, by a true and hearty Repentance and Reformation.
Sin not only makes a difference betwixt God and Man, but betwixt Nation and Nation, and sets the whole World at Variance.
Repentance carrieth with it a Divine Rhetorick, and perswades Christ to forgive multitudes of sins committed against himself.
It is the only glorious Star, that leads us to the everlasting Son.
It is impossible to dive into the secrets of Almighty God; no man hath a key to his Closet, nor knows the length of his Patience: The old world had one hundred and twenty years; Ierusalem's destruction forty years; Nineveh had but forty days; and Lot had but one nights warning for the destruction of Sodom.
Some there are, and not a few, that abuse the Mercies bestowed upon them, that may justly be compared to Dung-hills, that the oftener they receive the Sun-shine of Blessings, the more apt they are to be corrupted.
Many there are that enjoy Health, Wealth, and Honour; yet attribute all to their good fortunes, and forget to thank that bountiful hand that bestows them.
Like Swine, they drink of the Waters of Canaan, and look not up to the Fountain from whence they flow.
But he that regardeth not those Mercies he receives, mindeth not his own interest, and despiseth his best Friends.
A Meadow affords no pleasure to a Swine, but the Mire doth: even so, an ungodly man, that only pretends to Christianity, is as a fish upon the shore, that lives a while, but with no delight, because out of its own Element.
Afflictions and miseries happen by Gods permitment, and whom he loveth he chastiseth: those griefs are for the good of them that love God; therefore beware of sin, that makes your sorrows bitter, and minde not the Rod so much, as him from whom the Rod comes, lest that teach you both to fret and faint.
As Sheep make every place the better where they come, and Goats make every place the worse; so is it with a Saint, and with a Sinner; the first bringeth sweetness along with him, and the other leaves a stink behind him.
Win what thou canst by Prayer, with comfort thou shalt enjoy the purchase.
Instructions for the keeping of the Sabbath.
Make the Lords day the Marketday for thy Soul; let the whole day be spent in Prayer, Repetitions, or Meditations; lay aside the affairs of the other part of the week; let the Sermon thou hast heard, be converted into Prayer: Shall God allow thee six days, and wilt not thou afford him one?
Observations for the Week-days.
1. When thou risest in the morning, consider, thou must dye. 2. Thou mayst dye that minute. 3. What will become of thy Soul? Pray often. At night, consider what sins thou hast committed. 2. How often thou hast Prayed. 3. What hath thy mind been bent upon? 4. What hath been thy dealing? 5. Thy conversation? 6. If thou callest to mind thy errours of the day, sleep not without a Confession to God, and a hope of Pardon. Thus every Morning and Evening make up thy Accounts with Almighty God, and thy Reckoning will be the less at last.
Say not with thy self, To morrow I will repent: for it is thy duty to to do it dayly.
And if thou dost delay repentance, Satan hath an opportunity to incroach, and will bring thee to make it a custom, which is hard to break.
Repent, and seek the Lord betime, lest thou too suddenly art accosted with shame and death.
The sinner is always grinding at the Devils Mill; and the Devil is no less busie in supplying the Hopper, lest his Mill should stand still.
A piece of dry Bread, with Water; a good Conscience and devout Thoughts, is a noble Feast.
As the Potter fashioneth the clay,Jer. 18.6. so doth the Lord dispose of man, as liketh him best; wherefore fear thou the Lord.
Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker: Isa 45.9.Shall the clay say to him who fashioneth it, what makest thou?
Be diligent to observe the Commandments of God, for he is a Master cannot erre, and what he willeth must be done.
If thou art Great, be likewise Good; for as if you were a Looking-glass, others dress themselves by looking upon you.
God is the Fountain of Felicity; converse with him, and you shall be filled with Joy.
The first that named Gods Name in Scripture, was the Devil, and he likewise confess'd our Saviour to be the Son of God; however, he was the Devil notwithstanding that.
If you will not follow the example of your Saviours life, you will merit nothing by his death.
God will not be perswaded to save us, if we will not be perswaded to serve him.
Be careful to frequent the Church; for publike Worship is the Pillar of Religion, and a devout Service of Almighty God.
In the Church be careful to serve God, for you are before the eyes of God and Man.
It is not only a scandal to man, but a defiance to the Deity, to be careless of our duties in the Congregation of those that come to seek his face.
A Congregation zealous at the Worship of God on Earth, is an exact Picture of the Saints with God in Heaven.
Laugh not in the Church, lest it be suspected thou art tickled by the Devil.
Well may he be punished that misbehaves himself in the Church, when the Devils misbehaviour cast him out of Heaven.
If thou art poor, neither wonder, nor despair: God will pay them that serve him; and the less Wages thou receivest now, the more thou shalt have hereafter.
You have a Crown set before you, which Crown he that wins, may wear it, and that is MercieMercy.
It is dangerous to be rich; for riches tempt men to be covetous, and to delight in Gold besides: Riches have wings, and flie away, Prov. 23.5by loss at Sea or Land; by fire, or some other accidents, which lead men to discontentments, and finally to despair.
If a wicked man be never so rich, his whole Estate cannot ransome him for eternal torments: for God is no esteemer of Riches.Job 36.19.
A poor mans morsel with content and grace,Psal. 37.16. is better than the dainties of a Dives.
Many there are, that to improve their own Estates, care not how many Families they undo; so true is that of the Holy Writ, They that will be rich fall into temptations.1 Tim. 6.9.
And how much to be admired is the Vanity of those that delight in Riches? for when the covetous man dyes, he can carry nothing with him; but while living, hazards his Soul to heap up Riches, and knoweth not who shall enjoy them.Psal. 39.6.
What are the Honours and Riches of this World, when compared to the Glories of a Crown of life?
What can be a more certain token of a Reprobate, than to receive large Wages in this World, and yet do little or no service for it?
There are a sort of men, that may be truly called Time-servers, whose Religion is like Wax, to be moulded to any fashion.
Discretion teacheth us to observe those times that are lawful and necessary, especially in reference to the performance of our duties to Almighty God; but it is an horrid piece of Impiety, to serve the Times, and neglect God.
Think not thy self Good, because thou seest another worse; but endeavour to mend him, and make thy self better.
Imagine not thy life to be good, because thy heart is honest; but strive to run, that thou mayst win the Race.
To avoyd Hypocrisie is good, and likewise to shun the sin of profanation; but to be active in the service of God is better.
An outward shew of goodness is Good, for example-sake to others; but an inward Holy zeal is better.
Do not conclude thy self good, because thou art so sometimes: 'Tis a Habit of Holiness, a Garment of Righteousness, that makes a Saint.
God doth take notice of our steps, but will judge us by our wayes.
Thou art not good because thou dost believe; the Devils do believe, and tremble: but a good belief, a good conversation, acts of piety and charity, are the ingredients of a good man.
To what end should a man fancy himself a Saint, when his heart lies open to the eyes of the Lord? He may be Gods Reprobate, though his own Elect.
If thou hast sinned, and dost repent, do not conclude that thou art well, and mayst return to thy former Vomit: for Justice when offended, will be severe against those that abuse a MercieMercy.
Thou mayst hear Sermons often, and do well in practising what thou hearest; but thou must not expect to be told thee in a Pulpit all that thou oughtest to do, but be studious in searching the Scriptures, and reading good Books; what thou hearest may be forgotten, but what thou readest may better be retained.
Take heed of giving thy self the liberty of committing one sin; for that will lead thee to another, till by an ill custom it becometh natural.
That disease is desperate, which to keep is death, and to part with is impossible.
To begin an evil is of ill consequence, it teacheth one to shake hands with shame; but to continue in it, hardens the heart, and leads it till it be past grace.
To begin a sin, is to lay a foundation for a continuance; this continuance is the Mother of Custom, and Impudence at last the Issue.
Fly evil society as an infectious Plague: for ill Company is the corruption of good manners.
Take heed of those Doctrines that oppose the Magistracie or Ministry, and endeavour to promote prophane Liberty, and cast down good works, by crying up of free grace.
In Nature 'tis an observable Maxime, The Masters commands must be obeyed according to his own will; shall we not then be as obedient to our Spiritual Master, as our Temporal one? God forbid.
If we intend to serve God, he expects we should serve no other God.
Our God is a living God, and loves not dull and drowsie Saints: we must not only serve him in this life, but we must have life in our service.
Hast thou sinned? repent: behold, the Lord holds a bottle for thy Tears.
Call no sin little, it will require a great stock of Penitence: take heed of purchasing a sin, till thou knowest the price.
Prayers and Tears are the sinners best Embassadors to the Throne of Grace.
To sin is the frailty of the Nature of man; but to glory in sin, is bruitish, like the Swine that understands not that clean pasture is better than a Ditch.
Make not Religion a Cloak; 'tis Diabolical to Honour God with our lips, and dishonour him in our lives.
Job. 8.13.Such are the paths of those that forget God, and the Hypocrites hope shall perish.
It is in vain to dissemble with God: for the Hearts of all men are in his hands, and the Hypocrite shall not come before him.Job 13.16.
And what comfort is there in Hypocrisie, when we consider, that, The Triumphing of the wicked is short;20.5. and the joy of the Hypocrite but for a moment.
And where is the hope of the Hypocrite, though he hath gained, 27.8.when God taketh away his Soul?
In Humane affairs, Reservedness is Wisdome; but Dissimulation is in all things Hateful.
To be Lip-holy and Heart-hollow, is a brief Character of a Hypocrite.
A false Friend is to be abhorr'd above a mortal Enemy.
This is the Fate of an Hypocrite, when once known, he will not be believed when he speaketh truth.
If Hell hath one place hotter than another, it is called Locus Hypocritarum, the place of Hypocrites.
The Malitious man dissembleth with his Lips, and harbours deceit within him.
Mat. 6.2.When thou givest Alms, sound not a Trumpet as the Hypocrites do; their folly is their reward.
16.6.And beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees, which is Hypocrisie.
No Serpent hath more Poyson than sin; it is a thief in the house, and a sword in the heart of a Nation.
God and MercieMercy will not stay where sin is the obstinate Governour.
To fast till we are Anatomies, to pray till our knees are fixed to the ground, is nothing, if we do not fast from sin.
Erroneous times may unsettle truth, but the Conscience of a good man is firm.
The Cap and the Knee are but outward Ceremonies, but he that avoids Iniquity is the best Christian.
The Wages of sin is death, but to mortifie sin is eternal life.
Gods care is concerned in Sparrows; how much more in the least concerns of his Children?
Forsake not the publike Worship of God, lest God forsake thee, not onelyonly in publike, but in private.
In your Repentance, remember Church-sins, Sermon-sins, Sacrament-sins, lest the Church give you up to Satan for your sins.
Let not Whoremongers and Adulterers boast; for those sinners God will judge.
The Usurer is stuft with earth in this World: He hath the Grave for his Landlord, but no God for his Father.
The fashions of other Nations have made us slaves to them, but our pride may expect a greater doom.
Love not the World, for it's a Moth in a Christians life.
Nothing is more prejudicial to a Christian, then a carnal love.
When you rise, or when you go to Bed, let your Meditation be, what shall become of your Soul this minute.
Is your Heart devoted unto Christ, live to him, and you shall live with him.
For know, God is a Guest that requires the upper Rooms, that is, the Head and the Heart.
And it is the pleasure of a devout man to promote the Interest of Almighty God.
He that will be false to God, can never be true to man.
It is good to be of a true Religion, but it is ill not to be true in that Religion.
If God be against you, who then can take your part?
Will God that made you, save you, if you will not serve him?
Consider, it was Christ that dyed for you, it is he that either saves or condemns you; flatter not your self with a vain conceit: can man be more merciful than God?
The Epicure that delighteth in the variety of dainties of this World, little thinketh that those very creatures will one day witness against him.
The Gallant that glories in the pride of his Habit, will likewise be tried by his Garments.
The heaps of Treasure which the worldling hoardeth up, will be an evidence against him.
Time will be, when Time shall call the Drunkard to account for his waste of time.
Fornicators and Adulterers will at last with sorrow remember the date of their former sins.
The consequences of a sinners life will appear against him, charging him with the ruine of Wife and Children, disquieting of Neighbours, and impoverishing of other Families.
It is better to be a Lazarus in poverty, and to want the relief of this World, than to be richly habited, to fare deliciously, and hereafter to want a drop of water to quench the flames of an incensed MercieMercy.
The way to live in Heaven, is to live heavenly upon Earth.
Do not pretend to believe more than you do believe, and live according to that belief.
If you would be wholly God's give him your heart, and live wholly to him.
Better it is to serve God than man: purity is better than impurity: feasting is noysome, because it makes you sick.
Why do ye wallow in the mire? because ye have the natures of Swine.
The Lord hath made the world and us, that we in it may serve him; and that is the duty of man.
The sinner will be accused not onelyonly by his own conscience, but his familiar companions.
Grieve not the Spirit now, lest it grieve you hereafter.
Your intentions to Repentance, and the neglect of that Soul-saving duty, will rise up in Judgment against you.
The Righteous and the Wicked will be tried by their Consciences, and that will discover the whole truth.
Study that Lesson which the Apostle Paul hath set before you, To have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards man.Act. 24.16.
The powers that are, are of God, therefore be subject for Conscience sake.Rom. 13.5.
Let your rejoycing be in the Testimony of a good Conscience.
Put on Charity out of a pure Heart, a good Conscience, and of Faith unfeigned.
Justice hath leaden feet, but iron hands; and it is but just, that they that encourage one another to sin, should at last condemn each other.
It will be but cold comfort at the great Tribunal, for sinners to remember their past follies.
Satan that now spreads abroad his temptations, will then witness to their neglect of wholesom exhortations.
The holy Quire of Angels will point to the sinners Conscience, and that will answer, I am acquainted with all your sins.
The Spirit of Christ will testifie how often that hath moved the ungodly to repent.
The abused creatures that have been forced to promote sin, will continue in the hearts of sinners; the Beast of the field will rise up against the Glutton, and the Wine against the Drunkard.
Pray often: for Prayer is a sheild to the Soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan.
Shun all appearances of evil; resist the Devil, and he will flie.
Seek not after Riches; they have wings and flie away:Job 28.18 but study for Wisdome, it's price is above Rubies.
To seek after the Riches of this World is vanity:Job 28.28. But the fear of the Lord is wisdome, and to depart from evil is understanding.
Prov. 1.7.The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdome and instruction.
What can be more pretious than Wisdome? for it is the gift of God. Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.2.6.
What can be stronger than Wisdome?9.1. that buildeth houses, and heweth out its pillars.
Who can be more pious than the wise man?19.8. He that getteth Wisdom loveth his own Soul.
What can be more clear than Wisdome? for that excelleth folly, Eccle. 2.13.as far as light excelleth darkness.
The wicked mans fate, is to be wise too late.
The Veil of Hypocrisie cannot hide our sins from God; he will make us know that it is his Christ that we resist.
What is gotten by resisting our Saviour?Mat. 16.26. Or what shall a man gain if he get the whole World, and lose his own Soul?
What are the Riches of this life to the Joys of heaven? And who is a better Guide to that happy place, than the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World?Joh. 1.29.
And why should not we love God? since he so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, Joh. 3.16.that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Was one Guest found out that had not a Wedding-garment, and will not God then find out every unholy Soul?
The Righteous themselves are pardoned sinners, but the wicked are impenitent.
Each Soul that labours in the Lords Vineyard, shall receive his reward according to his merit.
Let your acquaintance be few and good: Cousins, Country-men, and School-fellows, are spenders of money and time.
Let your study be furnished not with many, but with choice books.
Let wisdom direct your actions; the wise man takes care for necessaries, not for superfluities.
Wisdom is Riches indeed, it teacheth a man the Art of contentment in all conditions.
It makes a man not onelyonly Master over others, but Conquerour of his own passions.
Premeditation is commonly accompanied with Wisdom.
The wise man sees his own faults by the follies of others.
Prov. 16.32.He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his Spirit, than he that taketh a Citie.
Wisdome is more useful in a City, than the strength of mighty men.
So true is that of Solomon: Eccl. 9.13.This Wisdom have I seen under the Sun, and it seemed great unto me:
14. There was a little City, and few men within it; and there came a great King against it, and besieged it, and built Bulwarks against it.
15. Now there was in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdome delivered the City: yet no man remembered that same poor man.
16. Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor mans wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
However, he that getteth wisdom loveth his own Soul, and he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
18. For, Wisdom is better than Weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Ingratitude is the Epitomy of Impiety.
To render a good deed for a good deed, becomes a man; to give evil for good, is diabolical: to repay evil for evil, becomes a sinner; but to return good for evil, is the Quality of a Saint.
Injuries should be wrote in dust, but Kindnesses in marble.
Nothing more spurs a man on to be ungrateful, than the sin of covetousness.
Set not your heart upon wealth, For the love of money is the root of all evil.1 Tim. 6.10.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again;Psal. 37.21 but the righteous sheweth merciemercy, and giveth.
To be always begging or borrowing, and never paying, is the disposition of a covetous and ingrateful man, and doth oftentimes set the dearest friends at variance.
Nature excuseth the follies of a fool, but the ungrateful man hath no Apology.
To be courteous to one that is ungrateful, is like ones hiding his treasure in the Sea.
Neer Relations that are strongly bound by the bonds of Affinity and Consanguinity, are oftentimes divided by this black sin of ingratitude.
He that will forget a kindness, is ungrateful; but he that renders a discourtesie for a courtesie, is impious.
And blessed is he that considereth the poor;Psal. 41.1▪ the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
Wo be unto the covetous rich man, that hath his heart fixt upon his heaps; the poor man is happier than he; For the Lord heareth the poor.Psal. 69.23
The needy shall not alway be forgotten: Psal. 9.18.the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.
There is an evil under the Sun (saith Solomon) and it is common among men.Eccl. 6.1.
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth and honour, 2so that he wanteth nothing for his Soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and an evil disease.
He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver;Eccl. 5.10. nor he that loveth abundance, with increase.
12. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
The poor mans labour rocketh him to sleep, but the cares of the rich man keepeth him awake.
13. There is a sore evil under the Sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
14. Those riches perish by evil travel, and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
15. As he came forth of his Mothers womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall carry nothing of his labour with him.
16. In all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that laboureth for the winde?
Prov. 30.7.Agur's Prayer was Divine: Two things have I desired of thee, deny me them not before I dye.
8. Remove from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me.
9. Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the Name of my God in vain.
Poverty is no disgrace: for when we came into the world we brought nothing with us, and nothing can we carry out.
If we want things necessary, we ought not to grumble or despair; perhaps the Lord might see it necessary we should so want; however, we ought to use our endeavours for a lawful remedy: if God bless not our endeavours, we ought to bless him, that knoweth what is best for us: we are his Patients, and therefore ought not to instruct our Physitian.
If thou art scandalized, consult with thy own Conscience: if thou findest thy self guilty, thy correction is then just; if thou art innocent, it is a good instruction: thus shalt thou suck honey out of gall, and make an open enemy thy secret friend.
If thou hast an enemy that is hungry, give him food; if thirsty, give him drink: the Lord will reward thee, and punish him.
The poor are the Lord's receivers, and he is the best pay-Master.
If thou hast an Estate, and wouldest improve it, be charitable to the poor: scattered seeds increase, but those that are hoarded dye.
1 Cor. 13.1.If I speak with the tongue of men and of angels, (saith Paul) and have not charity, I am become as sounding Brass, or a tinkling Cymbal.
3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4. Charity suffereth long, and is kinde: charity envyeth not: charity vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up.
In all conditions, Piety and Vertue must be the guides that must lead the way to Bliss.
God's servants are denoted by their two Vertues, Humility and Charity; and the Devil's are distinguished by their opposite Vices, Pride and Cruelty.
The only way to remember good acts, is to be continually acting them.
Above all things, have fervent charity: 1 Pet. 4.….for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
Keep Faith, Hope and Charity: for when the World shall have an end, the Angels shall sever the wicked from the just.