Author Photo

Quotes by William Plumer

1

All of our offerings without the Holy Spirit are an offense to God. All our efforts to reach the haven of eternal rest without the heavenly Sanctifier and Comforter are unavailing. No mental and moral culture secures the growth of right principles and affections without His efficiency. For no blessing is a good man more earnest in supplication than for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

2

Anything relating to the true God – His being, His nature, His will, His works, His worship, His service, or His doctrine – pertains to God’s name. This commandment extends to the state of men’s thoughts and hearts – as well as to their speech. To take God’s name in vain, is to use it in any frivolous, false, inconsiderate, irreverent, or otherwise wicked manner. The scope of this commandment is to secure the holy and reverent use of all that by which God makes Himself known to His people; and so to guard His sacred name against all that is calculated to make it contemptible. The manner of taking His name is to be grave, solemn, intelligent, thoughtful, sincere, and with godly fear.

3

He who is not liberal with what he has does but deceive himself when he thinks he would be liberal if he had more.

4

Justification is an act. It is not a work, or a series of acts. It is not progressive. The weakest believer and the strongest saint are alike equally justified. Justification admits no degrees. A man is either wholly justified or wholly condemned in the sight of God.

5

Providences are long chains with many links in them.  If one link were missing, the event would fail.  But it is God’s chain and God’s plan. The thing is fixed.  The outcome is not doubtful.

6

Patience has various objects. Towards God it is resigned, and says, “I will bear the indignation of the Lord.” Towards Christian people, who justly reprove us, it is meek, and says, “Let the righteous smite me!” Towards wicked and unreasonable people, who love to see others afflicted, it says, “Rejoice not against me, O my enemy.” Towards the trials under which we are called to suffer, it is not uneasy and rebellious, but rather gives them a kind reception.

7

For more than thirty-five years I have had much intercourse with dying saints and sinners of various ages and conditions. In all that time I have not heard one express regret that he had spent too much time in prayer; I have heard many mourn that they had so seldom visited a throne of grace.

8

God is indeed on a throne of grace, but that is no less glorious and suited to inspire reverence than a throne of judgment.

9

Despair is the perfection of unbelief.

10

How wonderful a means is prayer. The cry of a worm enters the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and He sends deliverance.

11

We never see sin aright until we see it as against God… All sin is against God in this sense: that it is His law that is broken, His authority that is despised, His government that is set at naught… Pharaoh and Balaam, Saul and Judas each said, “I have sinned”; but the returning prodigal said, “I have sinned against heaven and before Thee”; and David said, “Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned.”

12

Without meditation grace never thrives, prayer is languid, praise dull, and religious duties unprofitable. Yet to flesh and blood without divine grace this is an impossible duty. It is easier to take a journey of a thousand miles than to spend an hour in close, devout, profitable thoughts on divine things.