Monday, February 18, 2008

An Unsound Heart

"'The heart of a wicked man is little worth' Proverbs 10:20
"Sound actions cannot spring from a corrupt heart, so more than sweet water from a bitter fountain. He that considers not how his heart stands, whether it were wound up, whether it were in tune, whether it were melted, or whether it were frozen, that doth not care how drowsy and unsavoury his spirit was, doth not anything as a friend to Christ" (Stephen Charnock, Works, Vol. 4, pg. 590)

Sunday, February 17, 2008

A Puritan's Exhortation to Witnessing

"Woe to us, that we know so much to so little purpose; that we should be bushels to hide, and not candlesticks that hold forth the candle of the Lord which He has lit up in us! Oh, how many dark souls may might our candle lead onto the sun! The light that is in Israeel might do much to turn Egypt into a Goshen. Speak , Christians; speak what you have seen, and testify what you believe; bring forth out of your treasure; pity the blind world, or at least be more helpful to one another. Instruct as you have been instructed; convince as you have been convinced, comfort as you have been comforted by God" (Richard Alleine, Heaven Opened, pg 98).