To live among such excellent helps as our libraries afford, to have so many silent wise companions whenever we please.
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...
If life be long I will be glad, that I may long obey; if short, yet why should I be sad to welcome to endless day?
Nothing below heaven is worth setting our hearts upon.
I did nothing that I might not have done better.
Will any man that hath not lost his senses, now stand caviling, and quarrelling, that so few should be saved, instead of making sure of his own salvation? The reason that there are so few is, because they will not be saved upon God’s terms.
Though selfishness hath defiled the whole man, yet sensual pleasure is the chief part of its interest, and, therefore, by the senses it commonly works; and these are the doors and windows by which iniquity entereth into the soul.
An ounce of mirth is worth a pound of sorrow.