Gems from William Secker
Little is known about William Secker. He is known to have ministered at Tewkesbury,Gloucestershire, then later at All Hallows Church, London Wall. His book The Non-Such Professor is hardly known or read today. It is however a gem. It was first printed in 1660 during Secker's time in London and is dedicated to Sir Edward and Lady Frances Barkham who had befriended him. His last days were passed as rector of a Church in Essex.
You will find some of the truly godly aphorisms found with the pages of his book below. Every page is packed full of pithy sayings and consequently reading and re-reading them is well rewarded. As I progress through the book I will continue to add more to this page - so keep coming back!
Addressed directly to Sir Edward and Lady Barkham:
"...I believe you take more pleasure in godliness than greatness. You have heard that piety is the best parentage; and that to be new born is better that to be high born."
"God ... has given you of the fatness of the earth, as well as the dew of heaven: Esau's venison, as well as Jacob's blessing."
"On earth it is your chief business to seek God, and in heaven it will be your chief blessedness to see God."
To the Readers:
"As grace begins in God's love to us, so it ends in our love to him."
"The enjoyment of the world is neither an evidence of divine favour nor anger. Judge not yourself, therefore, by the gold in your bags, but by the grace of God in your heart."
From the book
"As the works of Christ were miraculous, so the words of Christ were mysterious; they were such a depth which none could sound but those whom God had furnished with the plummet of an enlightened understanding."
"He is a murderer whose heart is full of hatred, though his hands be free from violence."
"One rough diamond is of more value than many smooth counterfeits."
"It is lamentable that we should live so long in the world and do so little for God; or that we should live so short a time in the world and do so much for Satan."
"Their birth is truly low who are not born from above."
"Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation. He was not a sinner among saints, but he was a saint among sinners. Who would have looked for so fair a bird in so foul a nest?"
"A true Christian not only does more than others will do, but he does more than others can do."
"Whatsoever is not above the top of nature, is below the bottom of grace."
"The world always presents a deadly portion in the gilded cup of worldly pleasure."
"The fish is caught upon the hook by leaping at the bait."
"Sin is like a river, which begins in a quiet spring, but ends in a tumultuous sea."
"As the waters are purest when they are in motion, so saints are generally holiest when in affliction."
"That is the best blade which bends well, without retaining its crooked figure."
"He who freely gives his image to us, must of necessity love his image in us."
"Now where there is a superaddition of privilege, there should be a superaddition of practice. We naturally expect more splendour from the beaming of the sun, than from the burning of a candle; and we look for more moisture from the dissolving of a cloud, than from the dropping of a bucket."
"The same heat that melts wax, will harden the clay. The juice which distils into a rose, is returned in a sweet perfume; but that which drops upon a nettle, is returned in an ill savour. If the mercies of God be not loadstones to draw us to heaven, they will be millstones to draw or sink us in perdition."
"A drop of praise is an unsuitable acknowledgment for an ocean of mercy."
"In creation God has given us productions of the earth for our bodies, but in redemption he has given himself for our souls."
"How has God embraced you, who are believers over many shoulders! He has made you his on dials, on which beams the Sun of righteousness do shine! He has made you studs for his crown, while others are stools for his feet!"
The nearer the relation, the stronger the ties of obligation.
Where the relation is the nearest, there the provocation is the greatest. It is far more pleasing to behold rebels becoming children, than to behold children becoming rebels.
In this head (Christ), there are no glazed eyes, nor are there any withered or dead members in his body. While others are made of God, these are born of God.
Whilst others stand before Him as prisoners before their judge, these appear before him as children before a father, and as a bride before a bridegroom.
There are no still-born children in the family of grace.
This is the language of God to his children, I gave you not bodies and souls to serve sin with, but to serve me with. Our bodies were not formed to be the instruments of unrighteous actions, nor our souls the abodes of foul spirits.
The unkindness of a friend is more sensibly felt than that of an enemy.
God will never grant any to enjoy the love of Christ in heaven, who are destitute of the likeness of Christ on earth.
Shall those lips be found broaching falsehood, which were found breathing out prayers! Shall those eyes be found gazing on unseemly objects, which were found reading the lively oracles of God!
A snake may change its skin, and yet preserve its sting.
The Gospel professed may lift a man unto heaven; but it is only the Gospel possessed, that brings a man into heaven.
As princes disdain to have their images on base counterfeits, so the Lord Jesus cannot delight to see His name on rotten hypocrites.
If godliness be evil, why is it so much professed? If it be good why is it so little practised?
Many may be found who can talk of grace; but very few can be found who taste of grace.
It is not everyone who looks like a Christian, that lives like a Christian.
There are some who make their boast of the law, and yet through breaking the law, they dishonour God.
It is a greater glory to us, that we are allowed to serve God, than it is to him, that we offer him that service.
God is not rendered happy by us; but we are made happy by him.
He can do without such earthly servants; but we cannot do without such a heavenly master.
It is unnatural for a Christian's tongue to be larger than his hand.
It is lamentable for [a Christian] to hold a lamp to others, and yet to walk in darkness himself.
There are generally more infected by the undue conduct of some, than there are instructed by the righteous doctrines of others.
He that gives proper precepts, and then sets improper examples, resembles that foolish person, who labours hard to kindle a fire, and when he has done it, throws cold water upon it to quench it.
A certain preacher ... 'when he was in the pulpit, it was a pity he should ever leave it, he was so excellent an instructor; but when he was out of it, it was a pity he should ever ascend it again, he was so wretched a liver.'
All are not religious [ed. true believers] who make a profession. ... [ed. Yet] does the sheep despise its fleece, because the wolf has worn it?
He is a bad economist, who having a spot in his garment, cuts off the cloth, instead of rubbing off the dirt.
As Jesus Christ is the fountain of all excellency, to which all must come; so he is the pattern of excellency, to which all must conform.
As [Christ] is the root on which a saint grows; so he is the rule by which a saint walks.
God has made one Son in the image of us all, that he might make all his sons in the image of that one.
O reader, if the life of Christ be not your pattern, the death of Christ will never be your pardon!
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As the sun is the glory of creation, so is Christ the glory of redemption.
What he was by nature, that we should be by grace.
He that deems his yoke heavy, will not find his crown easy.
If once a man commence a professor, the eyes of all are upon him; and well they may, for his profession in the world is a separation from the world.
Believers condemn those by their lives, who condemn them by their lips.
[The wicked] make use of your weakness as a plea for their wickedness.
Sin indulged in a believer is like a rent in a richly embroidered garment; or like a crack in a silver bell.
A foul spot is soonest discerned in the fairest cloth.
The world will sooner make an excuse for its own enormities than for your infirmities.
If the sun be eclipsed for one day, it attracts more spectators than if it shone for a whole year.
As one swallow does not prove the approach of summer, neither does one good action prove a man a believer.
There is no ascertaining the quality of a tree, but by its fruits.
When the wheels of a clock move within, the hand on the dial will move without.
When the heart of a man is sound in conversion, then the life will be fair in profession.
When the conduit is walled in, how shall we judge of the spring, but by the waters which run through the pipes?