Adams Quotes 04

Men and Women
Woman takes her being from man, man takes his well-being from woman.
Though Christ honoured our sex in that he was a man, not a woman: yet he was born of a woman and was not begot of a man.
Woman was principal in killing the first Adam, himself being accessory. But in killing the second Adam, man was the principal and woman had not a finger in it.
Sanctification
True obedience hath no lead at its heels.
They know not Christ who seek to divide his blood from his water, and they shall fail in justification in heaven that refuse sanctification on earth.
Naked faith is no faith.

Election

We know that there is a sun in heaven, yet we cannot see what matter it is made of, but perceive it only by the beams, light and heat. Election is a sun, the eyes of eagles cannot see it; yet we may find it in the heat of vocation, in the light of illumination, in the beams of good works.

Hearing and doing

Many come to these holy places, and are so transported with a desire of hearing, that they forget the fervency of praying and praising God . . . all our preaching is but to beget your praying; to instruct you to praise and worship God . . . . I complain not that our churches are auditories, but that they are not oratories; not that you come to sermons (for God’s sake, come faster), but that you neglect public prayer; as if were only God’s part to bless you, not yours to bless God. . . . Beloved, mistake not. It is not the only exercise of a Christian to hear a sermon; nor is that Sabbath well spent that despatcheth no other business for heaven . . . God’s service is not to be narrowed up in hearing, it hath greater latitude; there must be prayer, praise, adoration.

Faith

The least faith is as precious to the believer's soul as Peter's or Paul's faith was to themselves; for it lays hold upon Christ and brings eternal salvation. (On 2 Peter)

Humility

Presumption is joined with looseness of life; persuasion with a tender conscience; that dares sin because it is sure, this dares not for fear of losing assurance. Persuasion will not sin, because it cost her Saviour so dear; presumption will sin, because grace doth abound. Humility is the way to heaven. They that are proudly secure of their going to heaven do not so often come thither as they that are afraid of going to hell. (On 2 Peter)

Various

The inconstant man is a stranger in his own house.

The light of nature is like a spark, the light of the gospel a lamp, the light of grace a star, but the light of glory the sun itself.

Christ is the sum of the whole Bible, prophesied, typified, prefigured, exhibited, demonstrated, to be found in every leaf, almost in every line, the Scriptures being but as it were the swaddling bands of the child Jesus.

Religion gives riches, and riches forgets religion . . . Thus do our affections wheel about with an unconstant motion. Poverty makes us Religious, Religion rich, and riches irreligious.
(Diseases of the Soul: A Discourse Divine, Morall, and Physicall, (London, 1616), 24)

The Law gives menaces. the gospel gives promises.
Sin is the strength of death and the death of strength
It is a poor worship to move our hats, and not our hearts.

One would think that punishment should procure fear, and forgiveness love; but no man more truly loves God than he is most fearful to offend Him .... we fear thee for thy justice, and love thee for thy mercy; yea, fear thee for thy mercy, and love thee for thy justice; for thou art infinitely good in both.

Devotion without instruction winds itself into superstition.

Lay up in the ark of thy memory not only the pot of manna, the bread of life; but even Aaron's rod, the very scourge of correction, wherewith thou hast been bettered.

Sins are so remitted as if they had never been committed.

Aspects of Piety 16

Other Aspects 1
With some sadness, Adams states at one point '… as there was never less wisdom in Greece than in the time of the seven wise men so never less piety among us than now, when upon good cause most is expected. (Works 2, p 179).
With some nostalgia he compares former times with Leah, ‘blear-eyed but fruitful’ and his won with Rachel, ‘fair, but barren’. From our vantage point the disappointment expressed may be hard to accept. The suggestion that piety was diligently sown cannot be gainsaid, however. Adams himself preaches not only sin, repentance and forgiveness but many other aspects of piety too.
Assurance has been identified as a crucial element in Puritan piety, both as a root and a fruit. Adams has a sermon called heaven made sure or the certainty of salvation on Psalm 35:3 (Works 1, pp 60-70) where he asserts '1. That salvation may be made sure to man. 2. That the best saints have desired to make their salvation sure.'
He carefully applies this second point, noting that there are degrees of assurance and that even ‘The wealthiest saints have suspected their poverty’ and ‘the richest in grace are yet ‘poorest in spirit’’. Somewhere he also says that ‘Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not be more than grace.’ It is like when a person’s body is well but he his more aware of his finger aching. He puts it in perspective. (Puritan Golden Treasury, p 23). Assurance is not always immediate. There is also such a thing as a false assurance. Assurance comes ‘by word, by deed, and by seal’ – Scripture, good deeds and the inward witness. It is the sweetest comfort a man can know in this life. In various ways God speaks to the soul of the believer, speaking peace to his conscience and assurance of salvation to his soul.
Adams is very clear that conversion must lead to godliness. 'A sound conversion is proved by a good conversation. But tremble ye wicked; if ye have not fought in his camp, ye shall not shine in his court.' (Works 1, pp 362, 401)
'Good deeds are such things that no-one is saved for them, or without them.'
'We know there is a sun in heaven, yet we cannot see what matter it is made of, but perceive it only by the beams, light and heat. Election is a sun, the eyes of eagles cannot see it; yet we may find it in the heat of vocation, in the light of illumination, in the beams of good works.'
(Puritan Golden Treasury, pp 127, 88).
We cannot be perfect in this life but we must seek to be thoroughly sanctified (Works 3, p 78). Adams warns against the traditional triumvirate of foes, the world, the flesh and the devil (Works 1, p 401ff).
Worldliness is ‘too much oil which quencheth our lamp’; the flesh borrows the vessel of the heart and returns it ‘broken, lacerated, deformed, defaced’; the devil is a fisherman who ‘baits his hook according to the appetite of the fish'. (Cf Puritan Golden Treasury, p 290) 'then a cannibal who feeds on human flesh; a crafty fox first and then a strong lion (Works 1, pp 431 260 220 Works 2, p 211. Worth noting is Adams’ insistence that the devil does not know who is elect, Works 2, pp 53, 147).
As one would expect, Adams is a great advocate of prayer and of getting to know the all sufficient Word of God. (‘ … now to expect revelation of things by dreams were to entreat God to lend us a candle while we have the bright sun.’ Works 2, p 16). He is keen on kneeling for prayer. ‘Never tell me of a humble heart, where I see a stubborn knee.' (Puritan Golden Treasury, p 316).
'Without fear the good child may come to his kind father. … We believe in our Father, ability to give, never denying; wisdom to give, never repenting; goodness to give, never upbraiding. This makes us cry, not speak softly, as in fear, but loud, as in assurance. When the king has promised a boon, the subject comes with special security into the presence. Are we laden with sin … privy to imperfections … Do we fear some judgement … are we haunted with a temptation … full of thankfulness … ? We have the warrant of a Father, Pray, and be comforted.
'Shake off the dust of neglect from the cover, and wear out the leaves with turning; continually imploring the assistance of God’s Spirit, that you may read with understanding, understand with memory, and remember with comfort; that your soul’s closet may never be unstored of those heavenly receipts which may ease your griefs, cure your wounds, expel your sicknesses, preserve your healths, and keep you safe to the coming of Jesus Christ.'

(Works 3, p 105; Works 1, p 303).