Do as they do that would keep in the fire, cherish the sparks and blow them up to a flame. There is no man that lives under the means of grace, and under the discoveries of God, but hath his good moods and very lively motions. Take hold of this advantage, ‘Strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die’ (Rev 3:2), and blow up these sparks into a flame. God hath left us enkindling means—prayer, meditation, and the word. Observe where the bellows blow hardest, and ply that course.

The more supernatural things are, there needs more diligence to preserve them. A strange plant needs more care than a native of the soil. Worldly desires, like a nettle, breed of their own accord, but spiritual desires need a great deal of cultivating.

—Thomas Manton
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton, 6:432.

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