Is it not enough that all the world is against us, but we must also be against one another? O happy days of persecution, which drove us together in love, whom the sunshine of liberty and prosperity crumbles into dust by our contentions!
We must study as hard how to live well as how to preach well.
Death is half disarmed when the pleasures and interests of the flesh are first denied.
You will cast away your cards and dice when you find the sweetness of youthful learning.
Life is short, and we are dull, and eternal things are necessary, and the souls that depend on our teaching are precious.
It is past all question, and agreed on by all sides, that no religion will save a man who is not serious, sincere, and diligent in it. If thou be of the truest religion in the world, and are not true thyself to that religion, the religion is good, but it is none of thine.
It is not the reading of many books which is necessary to make a man wise or good, but the well-reading of a few, could he be sure to have the best. And it is not possible to read over many on the same subject without a great deal of loss of precious time.
Paganism attributes the creation of the world to blind chance.
Screw the truth into men’s minds.
This is the sanctification of your studies: when they are devoted to God, and when He is the end, the object, and the life of them all.
If you do not see yourselves and all things as living, moving, and having their being in God, you see nothing, whatever you may think you see.
Sinful zeal doth make men doubly sinful.
As holy zeal is the fervency of our grace, so sinful zeal is the intention and fervency of sin.
Special mercy arouses more gratitude than universal mercy.
It is as hard a thing to maintain a sound understanding, a tender conscience, a lively, gracious, heavenly spirit, and an upright life in the midst of contention, as to keep your candle lighted in the greatest storms.
You little know what you have done, when you have first broke the bounds of modesty; you have set open the door of your fancy to the devil, so that he can, almost at his pleasure ever after, represent the same sinful pleasure to you anew.
You shall find this to be God’s usual course: not to give his children the taste of his delights till they begin to sweat in seeking after them.
I must confess, as the experience of my own soul, that the expectation of loving my friends in heaven principally kindles my love to them while on earth.
Lord, I surrender. I am completely overcome by your love.
A little love has made me willingly study, preach, write, and even suffer...