The End of All Learning - John Milton

The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.

John Milton 1608 - 1674

You must - Eleazar Mather

You must live religion as well as talk religion.

 

Eleazar Mather 1637-1699

I Want My Spirit to Be - Andrew Murray

I want my spirit to be a listening spirit waiting to hear what God says.

Taken from the book 199 Treasures of Wisdom on Talking with God: Compiled from the Writings of Andrew Murray -Andrew Murray 1828-1917

The Purest and Most Exhilarating Joy - Charles Spurgeon

The purest and most exhilarating joy is the delight of glorifying God and anticipating the time when we will enjoy Him forever.

Taken from the book Spurgeon on Praise Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892

The Highest and Holiest Work - Andrew Murray

Though in its beginnings prayer is so simple that even a small child can pray, it is at the same time the highest and holiest work to which anyone can rise. It is fellowship with the unseen and most holy One. The powers of the eternal world have been placed at its disposal. It is the very essence of true religion. It is the channel of all blessings and the secret of power and life. Through prayer, God has given to everyone the right to take hold of Him and His strength. It is on prayer that promises wait for their fulfillment, the kingdom for its coming, and glory of God for its full revelation.

Taken from the book Teach Me to Pray by Andrew Murray 1828-1917

It Is Our Joy to Have a Living Christ - Charles Spurgeon

It is a pity when men only think of a dead Savior or of a baby Savior, carried in the Virgin's arms, as the church of Rome does. It is our joy to have a living Christ, for while He lives we cannot die, and while He pleads we cannot be condemned. Thus, we are led to remember Him as a living Savior and to give Him honor.       

Taken from the book God Loves You by Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892

Keep the soul open - Richard Sibbs

Keep the soul open to entertain the Holy Ghost, for he will bring in continually fresh forces to subdue corruption.

Taken from The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbs 1630

It Is Only the Preaching Of Christ That - Thomas Brooks

The teaching of this and that opinion may please a man's fancy, but it is only the preaching of Christ that changes the heart, that conquers the heart, that turns the heart. Peter, by preaching a crucified Christ, converts three thousand souls at once.

Taken from the book Smooth Stones taken from Ancient Brooks: Selections from the Writings of Thomas Brooks - Thomas Brooks 1608-1680

Even Reeds Need Bruising - Richard Sibbes

After conversion we need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks. Even reeds need bruising, by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to let us see that we live by mercy.

Taken from the book The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes 1630

He Must Leave Something Behind - Oswald Chambers

²⁴ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me". Matthew 16:24 KJV                       

"If any man will come after Me," said Jesus, "the condition is that he must leave something behind," viz., his right to himself. Is Jesus Christ worth it, or am I one of those who accept His salvation but thoroughly object to giving up my right to myself to Him?                            

Taken from the book The Quotable Oswald Chambers

Oswald Chambers 1874-1917

Let Us Contemplate - Clement

Let us discern what is good and pleasing and acceptable in the sight of the one who created us. Let us contemplate the blood of Christ and note how precious it is to his Father, because its outpouring for our salvation has brought the grace of repentance to all the world.

Clement circa 99           

Taken from the book The Wisdom of the Apostolic Fathers

Oh What Bitterness Do I Now Find - Thomas Brooks

Oh what bitterness do I now find in that which Satan, the world, and my own deluded heart told me I should find sweetness in.

Taken from the book Heaven on Earth: A Treatise on Christian Assurance

by Thomas Brooks 1654

Is Not He Who Made Our Souls Able To - Henry Scougal

Is not he who made our souls able to rectify and mend them again? Shall we not be able, by his assistance, to anguish and expel those violent intruders, 'and turn unto flight the armies of the aliens' (Hebrews 11:34)?

Taken from the book The Life of God in the Soul of Man

by Henry Scougal 1650-1678

The Most Ordinary Way - William Guthrie

The most ordinary way by which many are brought to Christ, is by a clear and discernible work of the law, and humiliation; which we generally call the spirit of bondage... But there is a conviction of sin, an awakening of conscience, and work of humiliation, which as we shall point out, rarely miscarries, or fails of a gracious issue, but ordinarily doth resolve into the Spirit of adoption, and a gracious work of God's Spirit.

Taken from the book The Christians Great Interest by William Guthrie 1658

Live For Him - C.H. Spurgeon

Be earnest, be prayerful, be united. Study the Word, and practice it. Live on Christ, and live for Him.

Taken from the book Letters of Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892

The World Damps Zeal As - Thomas Watson

Let us beware of having our hearts too much linked to the world. The world damps zeal as earth chokes the fire.

Taken from the book The Great Gain of Godliness by Thomas Watson 1682

We Cannot Have Flowers Without Roots - J.C. Ryle

We cannot have flowers without roots, or fruit without trees. We cannot have the fruit of the Spirit, without vital union with Christ, and a new creation within.

Taken from the book Expository Thoughts on the Gospels by J.C. Ryle 1856

Vol 2 Luke 6:27-38 Page 187

The Sinfulness of My Sin Truly Realized

Against you, you only, have I sinned

                        and done what is evil in your sight,

            so that you may be justified in your words

                        and blameless in your judgment.

Psalm 51:4 ESV

 

Against thee, thee only have I sinned.  In fact, it is only thus that the sinfulness of my sin, as against my fellows can be truly realized. If I look upon it merely as a wrong done to my neighbor, I am but too ready to apologize for it. I can explain it away, or offer some sort of restitution and satisfaction. I can palliate my conduct, or I can make amends for it. But any sin is against thee! "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 22:7)

Taken from the book The Prayer of a Broken Heart: Expository Discourses on Psalm 51

by Robert Candlish 1873

Those That Would Be Cured - Matthew Henry

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. Luke 6:6 ESV

A man whose right hand was withered came to learn from Christ. Whether he had any expectation to be healed by him does not appear. But those that would be cured by the grace of Christ must be willing to learn the doctrine of Christ. 

Taken from the book Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible

by Matthew Henry 1662-1714

 

 

Love Not - John Calvin

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15 KJV

Love not.  He had said before that the only rule for living religiously, is to love God; but as, when we are occupied with the vain love of the world, we turn away all our thoughts and affections another way, this vanity must first be torn away from us, in order that the love of God may reign within us. Until our minds are cleansed, the former doctrine may be iterated a hundred times, but with no effect:  it would be like pouring water on a ball; you can gather, no, not a drop, because there is no empty place to retain water.

Taken from the book Calvin's Commentaries by John Calvin 1509-1564

The Great Means of Preserving Comfort in Religion - Rev Ashbel Green

Remember that secret prayer, reading the word of God, watchfulness, and self-examination are the great means of preserving comfort in religion, and of growing in grace. In proportion as you are exact and faithful in these, such usually will be your inward peace, and the safety of your state. Unite them all together, and never cease to practice them while you live.

Rev Ashbel Green 1762 –1848

Taken from the book A Pastor's Counsel: Wise Words for Weary, Wounded, and Wandering Sheep

Say Rather - Rev Legh Richmond

"Did you then feel for your relatives at home?"

"Yes, that I did indeed, Sir; they were never out of my thoughts. I prayed continually for them, and had a longing desire to do them good. In particular I felt for my father and mother, as they were getting into years, and were very ignorant and dark in matters of religion."

"Ay," interrupted her mother, sobbing, "ignorant and dark, sinful and miserable we were, till this dear Betsy- this dear Betsy- this dear child, Sir, brought Christ Jesus home to her poor father and mother's house."

"No, dearest mother, say rather, Christ Jesus brought your poor daughter home to tell you what he had done for her soul, and I hope, to do the same for yours."

Rev Legh Richmond

Taken from the book The Publications of the American Tract Society  

Tracts are from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries