Great Throughts Treasury

"The service of God in the solemn assembly of the saints is a work, though easy, yet withal very weighty, and of great respect."

"The soul being, as it is active, perfected by love of that infinite good, shall, as it is receptive, be also perfected with those supernatural passions of joy, peace, and delight."

"The will, properly and strictly taken, as it is (of things which are referred unto the end that man desireth) differeth greatly from inferior natural desire which we call appetite. The object of appetite is whatsoever sensible good may be wished for; the object of will is that good which reason does lead us to seek."

"The wise and learned amongst the very heathens themselves have all acknowledged some first cause whereupon originally the being of all things dependeth; neither have they otherwise spoken of that cause than as an agent, which knowing what and why it worketh, observeth in working a most exact order or law."

"The wisest are always the readiest to acknowledge that soundly to judge of a law is the weightiest thing which any man can take upon him."

"Then are the public duties of religion best ordered when the militant church doth resemble by sensible means that hidden dignity and glory wherewith the church triumphant in heaven is beautified."

"There are but a few, and they endued with great ripeness of wit and judgment, free from all such affairs as might trouble their meditations, instructed in the sharpest and subtlest points of learning, who have, and that very hardly, been able to find out but only the immortality of the soul."

"There are many graces for which we may not cease hourly to sue, graces which are in bestowing always, but never come to be fully had in this present life; and therefore, when all things here have an end, endless thanks must have their beginning in a state which bringeth the full and final satisfaction of all such perpetual desires."

"There are two kinds of Christian righteousness; the one without us, which we have by imputation; the other in us, which consisteth of faith, hope, and charity, and other Christian virtues."

"The subject or matter of laws in general is thus far forth constant, which matter is that for the ordering whereof laws were instituted."

"The Scripture of God is a storehouse abounding with inestimable treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

"The ways of well-doing are in number even as many as are the kinds of voluntary actions: so that whatsoever we do in this world, and may do it ill, we show ourselves therein by well-doing to be wise."

"There is not any positive law of men, whether general or particular, received by formal express consent, as in councils, or by secret approbation, but the same may be taken away, if occasion serves."

"There is nothing more dangerous than this deluding art which changeth the meaning of words as alchemy doth (or would do) the substance of metals; maketh of anything what it listeth, and bringeth, in the end, all truth to nothing."

"There will come a time when three words uttered with charity and meekness shall receive a far more blessed reward than three thousand volumes written with disdainful sharpness of wit. But the manner of men?s writing must not alienate our heart from the truth, if it appear they have the truth."

"They [the puritans] tell us the profit of readinge [scripture] is singular, in that it serveth for a preparative unto sermons; it helpeth pretilie towardes the nourishment of faith which sermons have once ingendered; it is some stay to his minde which readeth the scripture, when he findeth the same thinges there which are taught in sermons and thereby perceiveth how God doth concurre in opinion with the preacher; besides it keepeth sermons in memorie, and doth in that respect, although not feede the soule of man, yeat help the retentive force of that stomack of the minde which receiveth ghostlie foode at the preachers hand. But the principall cause of writinge the Gospell was that it might be preached upon or interpreted by publique ministers apt and authorised thereunto."

"Things more secret than can be discerned by every man?s present conceit, without some deeper discourse and judgment."

"Though there be a kind of natural right in the noble, wise, and virtuous, to govern them which are of a servile disposition; nevertheless, for manifestation of this their right the assent of them who are to be governed seemeth necessary."

"These things are linked and, as it were, chained one to another: we labor to eat, and we eat to live, and we live to do good; and the good which we do is as seed sown with reference unto a future harvest."

"There must be zeal, and fervency in him which proposeth for the rest those suits and supplications which they by their joyful acclamations, must ratify."

"They pray in vain to have sin pardoned, which seek not also to prevent sin by prayer, even every particular sin, by prayer against all sin; except men can name some transgressions wherewith we ought to have truce."

"This so eminent industry in making proselytes more of that sex than of the other, groweth: for that they are deemed apter to serve as instruments in the cause. Apter they are through the eagerness of their affection; apter, through a natural inclination unto piety; apter, through sundry opportunities, &c. Finally, apter, through a singular delight which they take in giving very large and particular intelligence how all about near them stand affected as concerning the same cause."

"To the best and wisest, while they live, the world is continually a froward opposite, a curious observer of their defects and imperfections: their virtues it afterwards as much admireth."

"To trust to labor without prayer argueth impiety and profaneness; it maketh light of the providence of God; and although it be not the intent of a religious mind, yet it is the fault of those men whose religion wanteth light of a mature judgment to direct it, when we join with our prayer slothfulness, and neglect of convenient labor."

"Till some admirable or unusual accident happens, as it hath in some, to work the beginning of a better alteration in the mind, disputation about the knowledge of God commonly prevaileth little."

"Touching the law of reason, there are in it some things which stand as principles, universally agreed upon; and out of those principles, which are in themselves evident, the greatest moral duties we owe towards God or man may, without any great difficulty, be concluded."

"To propose our desires which cannot take such effect as we specify shall (notwithstanding) otherwise procure us his heavenly grace; even as this very prayer of Christ obtained angels to be sent him as comforters in his agony."

"We are not, by ourselves, sufficient to furnish ourselves with competent stores for such a life as our nature doth desire; therefore we are naturally induced to seek communion and fellowship with others."

"We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we like not than in defects resemble them whom we love."

"We hold that God?s clergy are a state which hath been, and will be as long as there is a church upon earth, necessary, by the plain word of God himself: a state whereunto the rest of God?s people must be subject as touching things that appertain to their souls? health."

"Unto laws that men make for the benefit of men, it hath seemed always needful to add rewards which may more allure unto good than any hardness deterreth from it, and punishments which may more deter from evil than any sweetness thereto allureth."

"Touching things which generally are received, although in themselves they be most certain, yet, because men presume them granted of all, we are hardliest able to bring such proof of their certainty as may satisfy gainsayers, when suddenly and besides expectation they require the same at our hands."

"Unto life many implements are necessary; more, if we seek such a life as hath in it joy, comfort, delight, and pleasure."

"Two foundations bear up all public societies: the one, inclination whereby all men desire sociable life; the other an order agreed upon touching the manner of their union in living together: the latter is that which we call the law of a commonweal."

"Unto the word of God, being, in respect of that end for which God ordained it, perfect, exact, and absolute in itself, we do not add reason as a supplement of any maim or defect therein, but as a necessary instrument, without which we could not reap by the Scripture?s perfection that fruit and benefit which it yieldeth."

"Whatsoever to make up the doctrine of man?s salvation is added as in supply of the Scripture?s insufficiency, we reject it."

"When men?s affections do frame their opinions, they are in defence of error more earnest, a great deal, than, for the most part, sound believers in the maintenance of truth, apprehending according to the nature of that evidence which scripture yieldeth."

"We owe obedience to the law of reason, which teacheth mediocrity in meats and drinks."

"What special property or quality is that, which being nowhere found but in sermons maketh them effectual to save souls, and leaveth all other doctrinal means besides destitute of vital efficacy?"

"When neither the evidence of any law divine, nor the strength of any invincible argument otherwise found out by the law of reason, nor any notable public inconvenience, doth make against that which our own laws ecclesiastical have instituted for the ordering of these affairs, the very authority of the church itself sufficeth."

"When we abrogate a law as being ill made, the whole cause for which it was made still remaining, do we not herein revoke our very own deed, and upbraid ourselves with folly, yea, all that were makers of it with oversight and error?"

"While they study how to bring to pass that religion may seem but a matter made, they lose themselves in the very maze of their own discourses, as if reason did even purposely forsake them who of purpose forsake God, the author thereof."

"Who the guide of nature, but only the God of nature? In him we live, move, and are. Those things which nature is said to do are by divine art performed, using nature as an instrument: nor is there any such knowledge divine in nature herself working, but in the guide of nature?s work."

"Wisdom and youth are seldom joined in one; and the ordinary course of the world is more according to Job?s observation, who giveth men advice to seek wisdom among the ancients, and in the length of days understanding."

"Whom although to know be life, and joy to make mention of his name; yet our soundest knowledge is to know that we know him not as indeed he is, neither can know him; and our safest eloquence concerning him is silence."

"Zeal, unless it be rightly guided, when it endeavors the most busily to please God, forceth upon Him those unseasonable offices which please Him not."

"With whom ordinary means will prevail, surely the power of the word of God, even without the help of interpreters, in God?s church worketh mightily, not unto their confirmation alone which are converted, but also to their conversion which are not."

"With gross and popular capacities nothing doth more prevail than unlimited generalities, because of their plainness at the first sight; nothing less, with men of exact judgment, because such rules are not safe to be trusted over far."

"Wisdom groundeth her laws upon an infallible rule of comparison."

"Words must be taken according to the matter whereof they are uttered."