A Glance of Heaven (Vintage Puritan)

Book Synopsis: This work by the Puritan Richard Sibbes expounds on 1st Corinthians 2:9, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." He shows how we should look to heaven and consider the joys that await us there as a way to remain faithful while on earth.

Here are some choice quotes:

• What duty [is] more necessary than to love God? What motive [is] more effectual than the gospel?
• Many of us are like the angel of Ephesus, ‘We have lost our first love,’ Rev. ii. 4
• To be wise to salvation is the best wisdom.
• Learn on earth that that will abide in heaven, saith St Austin.
• I wonder at the stupidity and hellish pride and malice of men’s hearts, that think any man can be too exact in the main duties of Christianity, in the expression of their love to God, in the obedience of their lives; in abstinence from the filthiness of the world, and the like.
• True beauty is to be like God. And to be born anew to that glorious condition is the birth and inheritance.
• Who would endure anything for Christ, if it were not for a better estate afterwards?
• A man cannot enjoy the comfort of heaven upon earth without self-denial and mortification.
• When Satan comes with any bait, let us think he comes to rob us of better than he can give.
• The more we grow in Christianity and in knowledge, the more we should be inquisitive after those great things that our Father hath provided in another world.
• We must search for our election, not above ourselves, but within ourselves.
• But except thou have a holy, gracious heart, and desirest heaven that thou mayest be free from sin, and to have communion with Christ and his saints, to have the image of God, the divine nature perfect in thee, thou art an hypocrite, thou carriest a presumptuous conceit of these things; thy hope will delude thee; it is a false hope.
• Unless we find ourselves changed, unless we be new born, we shall never enter into heaven.
• Love is the very best affection of truth.
• If we do anything to God, and do it not in love, he regards it not.
• Profession must have expression.
• If a man love God, he may look back to election, and forward to glorification.
• By loving God and heavenly things we become good. Our affections show what we are in religion.
• What we esteem highly of we speak largely of. A man is always eloquent in that he esteems.
• What! do we talk of loving God, and despise Christians and religion? They are never severed.
• God hates pride and idolatry, &c. Therefore a man that loves God will hate idols and all false doctrine and worship that tends this way.
• Undoubtedly if we love God, we shall love his children, and anything that hath God’s stamp upon it.
• A little peace and joy in the Holy Ghost will make a man swallow all the discontents in the world.
• This should shame us, when they in dark times so loved the truth of God, and we see all clear and open, and yet are cold.
• Conversing with sinful, cold people casts a damp upon us.
• We must not think to bring love to God, but we must fetch love from God. We must light our candle at his fire. Think of his love to us, and beg the Spirit of love from him; love is a fruit of the Spirit.