Holy and Profitable Sayings, Text
Holy and Profitable SAYINGS Of Mr. J. G. who departed this life the Third day of this inſtant October, 1678.
1. WERE the World to write a Catalogue of its Mercies, that of our Redemption ought to be placed in the front of them.
2. The leaſt Intereſt in the Blood of Chriſt, is more truly valuable than our firmeſt claims to the greateſt Temporal Felicity.
3. A young Chriſtian, like a young Souldier, may at firſt be afraid to enter into Spiritual Warfare, but when, through a faith in Chriſt, he has once repell'd Temptations, he will never after leave fighting under his Banner.
4. It is but reaſon we ſhould truſt God for Temporal Mercies, ſince, upon performance of the conditions of the Covenant, he aſſures us of thoſe which are Aeternal.
5. They pray in vain for pardon of Sin, who endeavour not to prevent Sin by Prayer.
6. The ſtrictneſs of Chriſtianity ought not to be computed by the abundance of parts; it being often ſeen, that Men who have a large ſhare in Natural Accompliſhments, have a reſembling quantity of Corruptions to ballance them; ſo that it is certainly to be concluded, that it is the illiterate Saint, not the elaborate Sinner, which at the laſt day ſhall be juſtified.
7. Sin ought to be more terrible to us than Death, ſince there is nothing at our deſolution truly worthy our fear, but what the Impiety of our lives hath made ſo.
8. As Body and Soul are kept diſtinct in their Eſſence, though they be united to make a Man, ſo are the God-head and Man-hood of Chriſt diſtinct in their natures; notwithſtanding the Union of them in one perſon.
9. He who thirſteth after Chriſt, as the Hart after the Water-brook, or truly longeth for him, ſhall not be long without him.
10. Private Prayer is often rewarded with a publick Bleſſing, Mat. 6. 6.
11. It is the Practicer, not the Prater, of Religion ſhall be ſaved.
12. Our Relation to Chriſt is a moſt high Prerogative: We are his Servants, Rom, … gloried in it: yea, his Friends, Chriſt acknowledges it, Joh. 15. 14. yea, his Brethren, Chriſt bluſhes not to call us ſo, Heb. 2. 11. yea, his Spouſe, for Chriſt and his Church are Husband and Wife, Eph. 5. 32. yea, Members of his body, of his fleſh, and of his bone, Eph. 5. 30. 1 Cor. 6. 15.
13. He who is diligent for heaven, ſhall be rewarded with a delightfulneſs in Heaven. The puling Souldier offers at the prize, whilſt the purſuing one carries it away.
14. He who has much wealth, has generally as much trouble mixt with it; he who has none, has more; Lord! grant me that ſutable competency which may ſupply my neceſſities here, and debar me from that ſuperfluity which may wed me to this troubleſome World, and make me unwilling to part with it to go to thee hereafter.
How vainly do we ſet our affections on things below, ſince there is as much happineſs in not deſiring, as in enjoying the greateſt temporal Felicity.
15. He who would dye without fear, muſt endeavour to live without Sin.
16. The common partakers of all outward comforts, cannot diſtinguiſh the Righteous from the VVicked; the friends of Chriſt and his People, from their Enemies; the Heirs of Heaven, or Sons of Love, from the Children of VVrath. Becauſe Eccleſ. 9. 1. 2. All things come alike to all; and no man knoweth either Love, or Hatred, by all that is before them.
17. Since Chriſt ſhed his Blood by reaſon of our Sins, how ought we to forgo our Sins, in conſideration of his Blood!
18. It is very ſtrange, but very true, that a Real Chriſtian has more ſatisfaction in Perſecution, than a Sinner in Proſperity.
19. VVhen, in the various progreſs of Human Life, I had ſeriouſly conſidered the little ſatiſfaction, and certain afflictions was to be had therein, Lord! (ſaid I) how happy am I that my hopes bound at the things here below.
20. Nothing but the hopes of Heaven are ſufficient to bribe me to undergo the troubles on Earth.
21. A Man had better not be, than not be a Chriſtian.
22. Theres no Man on Earth ſhares ſo ſmall a Portion of Gods Bleſſings, or is ſo unacquainted with his power, but if he looks into the particulars of his preſervation, and will but conſult Gods dealings with him in his neceſſities, how ſome times he is pleaſed to ſupply him even beyond his expectations, and at other times miraculouſly frames his contentment to his condition; but ought to fly from Deſpair as that moſt nigardly Sin. which, by confining his power, contracts his indignation, and if it were poſſible to alter his decree, were enough to cloſe that liberal hand which was intended to be open before.
23. It is not the faint but the faithful; it is not the ſuſpitious, but the circumſpect Chriſtiſtian that gains his aſſurance and evidence for Heaven.
24. As the way to dye well is to live well, ſo the way to live well is to conceipt we are always dying whilſt we are living.
25. VVere it not for the hopes of future happineſs, no man would be hir'd to undergo the Penance of Humane VVretchedneſs.
26. Afflictons are mercies when they draw us towards Heaven.
27. And Proſperitie's a curſe when it tempts us from it.
28. Pleaſures, Riches, and Honours, and the reſt of the VVorlds trivial enjoyments, in the meridian of his Age, may ſeemingly render a man happy, but there is nothing but Piety, and a good Conſcience can perfume his end.
29. Little do the VVicked think how many mercies the Godly enjoy, as the ſweet earneſts, or returns of their Prayers, with a ſatisfaction which the other are never capable of.
30. Experience is an Art of knowing well, which is learnt by obſervation: Religion is an art of living, or doing well, which is learnt (at leaſt perfected) by Experience. If Gods dealings with us eſcape our obſervation, they cannot come into our minds, much leſs enter into our hearts to conſider them. It is a great Judgment of God to have an unſeeing Eve, an unconſiderate mind, and an unaffected heart with his works. Experience in matters of God, helps to bring the Trade of Chriſtianity to maturity and perfection; yea it is a ſtock to let up the Trade of Religion, which otherwiſe might impair without it.
31. Make good Thoughts your nightly, daily, and continual Companions.
32. Whilſt you are going, walk as to your Graves; and when you lye down, conceit your Couches your Death-beds. A military Chriſtian has no interval in his Warfare, his Condition, like that of a Kingdoms, when it ceaſes to be happy, retrogrades into deſtruction.
33. Moſt men would live Atheiſts, but none would dye ſo; but he that would be a Chriſtian in deed and in truth, muſt live one.
34. 'Tis a hard thing to part with the world, but ſhould not be ſo to a Chriſtian who conſiders his advantageous Exchange.
35. 'Tis the Holy man that alone is the Happy man.
36. 'Tis a hard work to dye, but when death is in order to life eternal, methinks it is eaſie.
37. What a vaſt advantage have the godly, of the wicked, when the righteous mans Meditations are a Sacrifice, and even the carnal mans Prayers are but as ſins, Prov. 15. 8.
38. The unworthy contempt of Gods Word and Miniſters, is a moſt provoking ſin to God, and a preſaging ſymptom of ruine to a People.
39. He who is negligent in his Duty towards God, may reaſonably expect that God will be as careleſs or oblivious in his preſervation of him: And indeed he is infinitely unvvorthy the gracious priviledges of the Goſpel Covenant, vvho is vvilfully guilty of the breach of it, vvhen the advantages thereby only redound to his proper intereſt.
40. The Life of man is a Riddle, vvhichwhich vvhen Death unfolds, Heaven revvards … ding to its demerits, vvhether it be … evil.
FINIS.
With Allowance.
LONDON, Printed for D. M. 1678.
End of the text · John Gosnold, Holy and Profitable Sayings (1678)