“What an honourable thing is it to be fishers of men! How great an honour shouldst thou esteem it, to be a catcher of souls! We are workers together with God, says the apostle. If God has ever so honoured thee, O that thou knewest it, that thou mightst bless his holy name, that ever made such a poor fool as thee to be a co-worker with him. God has owned thee to do good to those who were before caught. O my soul, bless thou the Lord. Lord, what am I, or what is my father's house, that thou hast brought me to this?”
Quote by Thomas Boston
“O what hardness of heart mayst thou see in every corner whither thou goest, and where thou preachest, most part being as unconcerned as the very stones of the wall; and say what thou wilt, either by setting before them alluring promises or dreadful threatenings, yet people are hardened against both, none relenting for what they have done, or concerned about it.”
Source: The Distinguishing Characters of True Believers: In Relation To, I. God in Christ, ... XI. Their Entering Into Rest in Christ. ... To which is Prefixed, a Soliloquy on the Art of Man-fishing. Now First Published from the Manuscripts of the Late Reverend and Learned Mr Thomas Boston, ...
“Good education is not regeneration. Education may chain up men's lusts, but cannot change their hearts.”
Source: Human Nature in Its Fourfold State: Of Primitive Integrity, Entire Depravation, Begun Recovery, and Consummate Happiness Or Misery, in the Parents of Mankind in Paradise, the Unregenerate, the Regenerate, All Mankind in the Future State, in Several Practical Discourses
“The regenerate man's desires are rectified; they are set on God himself, and the things above... Before, he saw no beauty in Christ, for which he was to be desired; but now he is all he desires, he is altogether lovely... regenerating grace sets the affections so firmly on God, that the man is disposed, at God's command, to quit his hold of every thing else, in order to keep his hold of Christ... If the stream of our affections were never thus turned, we are, doubtless, going down the stream into the pit.”
“If a man be new-born, he will desire the sincere milk of the word.”
Source: Human Nature in Its Fourfold State: Of Primitive Integrity, Entire Depravation, Begun Recovery, and Consummate Happiness Or Misery, in the Parents of Mankind in Paradise, the Unregenerate, the Regenerate, All Mankind in the Future State, in Several Practical Discourses
“In regeneration, the mind is enlightened in the knowledge of spiritual things... The will is renewed... The will is cured of its utter inability to will what is good. While the opening of the prison to them that are bound is proclaimed in the gospel , the Spirit of God comes to the prison-door; opens it; goes to the prisoner, and, by the power of his grace, makes his chains fall off; breaks the bond of iniquity, wherewith he was held in sin so as he could neither will nor do anything truly good; brings him forth into a large place.”
“It is our duty to look to God's commands, and not to His decrees; to our own duty, and not to His purposes. The decrees of God are a vast ocean, into which many possibly have curiously pried to their own horror and despair; but few or none have ever pried into them to their own profit and satisfaction.”
Source: An Illustration of the Doctrines of the Christian Religion, with Respect to Faith and Practice, Upon the Plan of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, Comprehending a Complete Body of Divinity
“Has God decreed all things that come to pass? Then there is nothing that falls out by chance, nor are we to ascribe what we meet with either to good or ill luck and fortune. There are many events in the world which men look upon as mere accidents, yet all these come by the counsel and appointment of Heaven.”
Source: An Illustration of the Doctrines of the Christian Religion, with Respect to Faith and Practice, Upon the Plan of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, Comprehending a Complete Body of Divinity
“Again, the glory of one attribute is more seen in one work than in another: in some things there is more of His goodness, in other things more of His wisdom is seen, and in others more of His power. But in the work of redemption all His perfections and excellencies shine forth in their greatest glory.”
Source: The Whole Works of the Late Reverend and Learned Mr. Thomas Boston, Minister of the Gospel at Etterick
“Affliction doth not rise out of the dust or come to men by chance; but it is the Lord that sends it, and we should own and reverence His hand in it.”
Source: The Whole Works of the Late Reverend and Learned Mr. Thomas Boston, Minister of the Gospel at Etterick
“Whoever be the instruments of any good to us, of whatever sort, we must look above them, and eye the hand and counsel of God in it, which is the first spring, and be duly thankful to God for it. And whatever evil of crosses or afflictions befalls us, we must look above the instruments of it to God.”
