Grace

“Let this support us when we feel ourselves bruised. Christ's way is first to wound, then to heal. No sound, whole soul shall ever enter into heaven. Think when in temptation, Christ was tempted for me; according to my trials will be my graces and comforts. If Christ be so merciful as not to break me, I will not break myself by despair, nor yield myself over to the roaring lion, Satan, to break me in pieces. ~ The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes”

“Shall our sins discourage us, when he appears there only for sinners? Are you bruised? Be of good comfort, he calls you. Conceal not your wounds, open all before him and take not Satan's counsel. Go to Christ, although trembling, as the poor woman who said, 'If I may but touch his garment' (Matt. 9:21). We shall be healed and have a gracious answer. Go boldly to God in our flesh; he is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone for this reason, that we might go boldly to him. Never fear to go to God, since we have such a Mediator with him, who is not only our friend but our brother and husband. ~ The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes”

“Let us not therefore be discouraged at the small beginnings of grace, but look on ourselves as elected to be `holy and without blame' (Eph. 1:4). Let us look on our imperfect beginning only to enforce further striving to perfection, and to keep us in a low opinion of ourselves. Otherwise, in case of discouragement, we must consider ourselves as Christ does, who looks on us as those he intends to fit for himself. Christ values us by what we shall be, and by what we are elected unto. We call a little plant a tree, because it is growing up to be so. `Who has despised the day of small things?' (Zech. 4:10). Christ would not have us despise little things. ~ The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes”

“God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requires no more than he gives, but gives what he requires, and accepts what he gives.”

“See a flame in a spark, a tree in a seed. See great things in little beginnings.”

“What is the gospel itself but a merciful moderation, in which Christ's obedience is esteemed ours, and our sins laid upon him, wherein God, from being a judge, becomes our Father, pardoning our sins and accepting our obedience, though feeble and blemished? We are now brought to heaven under the covenant of grace by a way of love and mercy.”

“In the godly, holy truths are conveyed by way of a taste; gracious men have a spiritual palate as well as a spiritual eye.”

“He chose us not because we were lovely, but that He might make us lovely.”

“Repentance is a flower which does not grow in nature's garden.”

“You shall find this to be God's usual course; not to give His children the taste of His delights till they begin to perspire in seeking after them.”

“God works with power, and can make the unwilling willing; if He undertake the conversion of a soul, it will be converted. All the pious workings of our heart towards God are the fruit and consequence of the powerful working of His grace in us.”

“My brethren, when God first began to love you, He gave you all that He ever meant to give you in the lump, and eternity of time is that in which He is retailing of it out.”

“I have been vile myself, but have obtained mercy; and I would have my companions in sin partake of mercy too; and therefore I have writ this little book.”

“Jesus Christ would have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners.”

“The compass-needle may be shaken and agitated, but it never rests until it turns toward the pole.”

“Be watchful; the world is the devil's chessboard. You can hardly move backward or forward, but he is ready to attack you with some temptation.”

“A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise; but rather accept; for not to despise is with God to esteem and set a high price upon.”

“A broken heart is a pliable and flexible heart, and prepared to receive whatsoever impressions God shall make upon it.”

“The plain old Protestant doctrine is that the place of faith in justification is only that of a hand or instrument, receiving the righteousness of Christ, for which only we are justified.”

“Working for life, a man naturally understands; but believing for life, he understands not.”

“Grace is glory in the bud, and glory is grace at the full.”

“To have grace, and to be sure that we have grace, is glory upon the throne, it is heaven on this side heaven.”