30 Puritan Quotes about the Bible

Jan 26

Jan 26 30 Puritan Quotes about the Bible

“We might say that the greatest contribution the Puritans have made to the church’s understanding of the Bible is in their uncommon ability to apply its teachings to everyday life. . . Sharpening Reformed theology into higher definition, they simultaneously sought to apply Scripture to every facet of our existence in God’s world.”—Joel Beeke

Do you believe the Bible is sufficient, authoritative, supernatural, and profitable? Read these 30 quotes from the Puritans on their view of Scripture to strengthen your trust in the Word of God!

This incomprehensible God, who is of Himself and for Himself, cannot be made known to His creatures but by Himself. Men and angels cannot know Him any further than He is pleased to reveal Himself unto them. The word of God is pure and perfect. It does fully discover God’s mind and our duty.

—Francis Cheynell, Divine Trinunity, 11

Christian, prize thou the word, feed on the word, whether it be dished up in a sermon at the public or in a conference with some Christian friend in private, or in a more secret duty of reading and meditation by thy solitary self.

—William Gurnall, Christian in Complete Armour, 464

The word of God stands between the saints and all danger.

—William Gurnall, Christian in Complete Armour, 577

Those that care not for the word are strangers to the Spirit, and they that care not for the Spirit never make a right use of the word. The word is nothing without the Spirit, and only animated and quickened by Him. The Spirit and the word are like the veins and arteries in the body that give life to the whole. And therefore, where the word is most revealed, there is most of the Spirit.

—Richard Sibbes, Divine Meditations and Holy Contemplations, 48

He who has knowledge of God’s will, but does not do it, where does he excel the devil “who transforms himself into an angel of light”?

—Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity, 483

God speaks by the Church (the true Church we mean); but He speaks nothing by her but what He speaks in the Scriptures, which she does only ministerially declare to us; and therefore the authority of God and His law is above hers, who, though she publish, yet did not make it, but is herself subject to it.

—John Owen, The Works of John Owen, Volume 8, 528

I had then, and at other times, the greatest delight in the Holy Scriptures, of any book whatsoever. Oftentimes in reading it, every word seemed to touch my heart. I felt a harmony between something in my heart, and those sweet and powerful words. I seemed often to see so much light exhibited by every sentence, and such a refreshing food communicated, that I could not get along in reading; often dwelling long on one sentence, to see the wonders contained in it; and yet almost every sentence seemed to be full of wonders.

—Jonathan Edwards, Diary, Works, Vol. 16, p. 797.

The Spirit never loosens where the Word binds; the Spirit never justifies where the Word condemns; the Spirit never approves where the Word disapproves; the Spirit never blesses where the Word curses.

—Thomas Brooks, Heaven on Earth, Chapter 5

Before and after you read the Scripture, pray earnestly that the Spirit who wrote it may interpret it for you, keep you from unbelief and error, and lead you into the truth.

—Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory, 264

The Bible, which was before to [the unconverted person] but almost as a common book is now as the law of God, as a letter written to him from heaven and subscribed with the name of the Eternal Majesty; it is the rule of his thoughts and words and deeds. The commands are binding, the threats are dreadful, and the promises of it speak life to his soul.

—Richard Baxter, Call to the Unconverted, 33

While God’s Word is read in either of the chapters, whether of the Old or New Testament, receive it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe (1 Thess. 2:13). And therefore hearken to it with the same attention, reverence, and faith as you would have done if you had stood by Mount Sinai when God proclaimed the law and by our Savior’s side when He published the gospel.

—William Beveridge, Great Advantage, 81

When a man’s mind is empty, as in temptation and want of comfort, it is empty of Christ and full of fear. Then it grinds itself, as in a quern or mill when empty of corn, one stone grinds another. The more full a man’s mind is, the more free from temptations and fears. Now Scripture matter is the most filling matter.

—William Bridge, Lifting Up for the Downcast, 43

Where reading ends, see that practicing begins. As soon as the Bible is laid out of your hand, if alone, then think; if in company, speak; if called to any business, act according to what you have been reading. Let God above, conscience within, and men all round you see that it is your governing rule. The more you practice what you read, the more you will read effectually unto practice and unto comfort.

—Daniel Burgess, Rules and Directions, 30–31

Men that dig in mines for any treasure, even for the hope of gain, labor [much] before they find any vein and many times miss, but when they find the silver vein, with what cheerfulness do they labor; it makes them forget their pain and otherwise tedious [labor]. Now we who study the Scriptures are even in the vein of heavenly treasure, how much [more] then should we be encouraged?

—Ezekiel Culverwell, Time Well Spent, 295–96

The reading of the Scriptures with general instructions, admonitions, reprehensions, exhortations, and consolations I grant are most necessary, being the groundwork and matter of the cure. But what sound conversion is wrought thereby in any man, without discreet application, let every man that hath profited anything in the school of Christ be judge.

—Thomas Granger, Application of Scripture, 5

Can we go against sin and Satan with a better weapon than Christ used to vanquish the tempter with? And certainly, Christ did it to set us an example how we should come armed into the field against them, for Christ could with one beam shot from His deity (if He had pleased to exert it) have as easily laid the bold fiend prostrate at his foot as afterward He did them that came to attack Him. But He chose rather to conceal the majesty of His divinity and let Satan come up closer to Him, that so He might confound him with the word and thereby give a proof of that sword of His saints which He was to leave them for their defense against the same enemy.

—William Gurnall, Christian in Complete Armour, 582–83

Make not thy own reason the rule by which thou measure Scripture truths. Is that fit to try the revelation of the word by which is puzzled with so many secrets in nature? . . . A humble believer passes through the deep mysteries of the word safely, without plunging into any dangerous mistakes, whereas those sons of pride who leave faith and take reason for their guide are drowned in many damnable errors—Arianism, Pelagianism, Socinianism, etc.

—William Gurnall, Christian in Complete Armour, 599

[The Scriptures] are the golden mines in which alone the abiding treasures of eternity are to be found, and therefore worthy all the digging and pains we can bestow on them.

—Robert Leighton, A Commentary upon the First Epistle of Peter, in Whole Works, 1:96

Satan may allege and corrupt Scripture, but he cannot answer Scripture. It is Christ’s word of mighty authority. Christ foiled Satan with it.

—Thomas Wilcox, Choice Drop of Honey, 14

The Psalms are, as it were, the anatomy of a holy man; they lay the inside of a true, devout man outward, even to the view of others. If the Scriptures be compared to a body, the Psalms may well be the heart; they are so full of sweet and holy affections and passions. In other portions of Scripture, God speaks to us; in the Psalms, holy men (especially David, who was the penman of most of them) speak to God, wherein we have the passages of a broken, humble soul to God.

—Richard Sibbes, “The Sword of the Wicked,” in Complete Works, 1:105

The word of God we are to meditate on, to meditate on God and the things of God upon this account. Now here are four things that will lead you out to meditation: the exactness of the commandment; the faithfulness of the promise; the terror of the threatening; and the weightiness of the examples, all which meet in the Scriptures and in the word of God. And accordingly we are to meditate on the word of God upon this account.

—William Bridge, Christ and the Covenant, in Works, 3:146

Directions for meditation: Read before you meditate. “Give attendance to reading” (1 Tim. 4:13). Then it follows, “meditate upon these things” (v. 15). Reading doth furnish with matter; it is the oil that feeds the lamp of meditation. Be sure your meditations are founded upon Scripture. Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is dangerous.

—Thomas Watson, The Christian on the Mount, 69

Resolution for obedience is then sincere where (1) it flows from an inward and rooted inclination; (2) it is founded on a firm belief of Scripture revelation; (3) it is built on the highest and weightiest reasons; (4) it is the result of the most mature and deep deliberation.

—Richard Alleine, Heaven Opened, 205

Their [i.e., pastors’] chief study should be that of their commission, the Holy Scriptures. The way to speak skillfully from God is often to hear Him speak.

—Robert Leighton, “A Sermon to the Clergy,” in Sermons, 338

The word of God is dearer to a gracious heart than all the riches in the world.

—Thomas Manton, An Exposition of Psalm 119, Sermon LXXX

Q: How is the word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?

A: That the word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer, receive it with faith and love, lay it up in your hearts, and practice it in your lives.

Q: If the matter we read or hear be good, is not that enough for our salvation?

A: No, God requires that the word be read and heard in a due manner, and the manner of hearing is of special regard with God; Luke 8:18. Take heed therefore how ye hear.

—John Flavel, The Whole Works of the Reverend John Flavel, 6:227

They should give them learning according to their ability, and see that at least they be taught to read the Bible, 2 Tim. 3:15. What is it that makes so many ignorant old people, but that their parents have neglected this? But where parents have neglected this, grace and good nature would make a shift to supply this defect.

—Thomas Boston, The Doctrines of the Christian Religion, 2:224.

The Holy Scripture is an inexhaustible treasury or repository of spiritual mysteries and sacred truths.

—John Owen, An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, 5:306.

The perfection and sufficiency of [Scripture] must needs be granted by all that understand it, and that will believe the testimony which it gives concerning itself. It is “profitable for doctrine and reproof.” (2 Tim. 3:16.) It serves to inform and open the eyes of the ignorant; it serves to stop the mouths of gainsayers. Hence we may be furnished with both offensive and defensive weapons: and the armor which is fetched from it is styled “the armor” or “the weapons,” “of light.” (Rom. 13:12.) And truly, sin and error being but discovered, that very discovery will have a great influence unto the mortification of the one, and our preservation from the contagion of the other.

—Nathaniel Vincent, Puritan Sermons (Richard Owen Roberts), 6:298

Oh! but when a man can reflect upon the promises, as having an interest in them, that delight which flows from faith, and is accompanied with such a certainty, surely that is a more pure delight than the other, and doth more ravish the heart; they have more intimate and spiritual joy than others have.

—Thomas Manton, The Complete Works of Thomas Manton, 6:225.