204 Quotes by Richard Baxter

Words and actions are transient things, and being once past, are nothing; but the effect of them on an immortal soul may be endless.

You little know what you have done, when you have first broke the bounds of modesty; you have set open the door of your fancy to the devil, so that he can, almost at his pleasure ever after, represent the same sinful pleasure to you anew.

Screw the truth into men’s minds.

Overvalue not therefore the manner of your own worship, and overvilify not other men’s of a different mode.

We are ignorant of things necessary, because we learn things superfluous and unnecessary.

Despair of ever being saved, “except thou be born again,” or of seeing God “without holiness,” or of having part in Christ except thou “love him above father, mother, or thy own life.” This kind of despair is one of the first steps to heaven.

God takes men’s hearty desires and will, instead of the deed, where they have not power to fulfill it; but he never took the bare deed instead of the will.

A man pleaser cannot be true to God, because he is a servant to the enemies of his service; the wind of a man’s mouth will drive him about as the chaff, from any duty, and to any sin.

Publicans and harlots do sooner come to heaven than Pharisees, because they are sooner convinced of their sin and misery.