What They Said

"God’s people have their trials. It was never designed by God, when he chose his people, that they should be an untried people. They were chosen in the furnace of affliction; they were never chosen to worldly peace and earthly joy. Freedom from sickness and the pains of mortality was never promised them; but when their Lord drew up the charter of privileges, he included chastisements amongst the things to which they should inevitably be heirs. Trials are a part of our lot; they were predestinated for us in Christ’s last legacy. So surely as the stars are fashioned by his hands, and their orbits fixed by him, so surely are our trials allotted to us: he has ordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us. Good men must never expect to escape troubles; if they do, they will be disappointed, for none of their predecessors have been without them. Mark the patience of Job; remember Abraham, for he had his trials, and by his faith under them, he became the “Father of the faithful.” Note well the biographies of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and you shall discover none of those whom God made vessels of mercy, who were not made to pass through the fire of affliction. It is ordained of old that the cross of trouble should be engraved on every vessel of mercy, as the royal mark whereby the King’s vessels of honour are distinguished. But although tribulation is thus the path of God’s children, they have the comfort of knowing that their Master has traversed it before them; they have his presence and sympathy to cheer them, his grace to support them, and his example to teach them how to endure; and when they reach “the kingdom,” it will more than make amends for the “much tribulation” through which they passed to enter it."

Charles Spurgeon

"None can know their election but by their conformity to Christ; for all that are chosen are chosen to sanctification."

Matthew Henry

"A Christian is just as much under the obligation to obey God's will in the most secular of his daily business as he is in his closet or at A Christian is just as much under the obligation to obey God’s will in the most secular of his daily business as he is in his closet or at the communion table. He has no right to separate his life into two realms, and acknowledge different moral codes in each…

The kingdom of God includes all sides of human life, and it is a kingdom of absolute righteousness. You are either a loyal subject or a traitor. When the King comes, how will he find you doing? The kingdom of God is one, it cannot be divided…

If the Church languishes, the State cannot be in health; and if the State rebels against its Lord and King, the Church cannot enjoy His favour…

I charge you, citizens of the United States, afloat on your wide sea of politics, THERE IS ANOTHER KING, ONE JESUS: THE SAFETY OF THE STATE CAN BE SECURED ONLY IN THE WAY OF HUMBLE AND WHOLE-SOULED LOYALTY TO HIS PERSON AND OF OBEDIENCE TO HIS LAW. communion table.  He has no right to separate his life into two realms, and acknowledge different moral codes in each."

A. A. Hodge

‎"It is scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend a meeting where the only attraction is God."

A.W. Tozer

"The preaching of the law does not make us more sinful, but reveals those sins unto us which before we discerned not; as the sun shining upon some filthy place does not make it so filthy, but only makes it manifest which was not seen in the dark."

George Downame

(1560-1634)

“Your works may bear luscious-looking fruit, but you are not safe from the devil’s blight unless you add  to your virtue knowledge. Knowledge is to faith as sunshine is to the farmer. Without it, faith cannot see to do her work. Nor can the work, once finished, be adequately inspected in the dim light of half-truths.  If you do not ground yourself in the truth of the gospel, Satan will play upon your ignorance to thwart your spiritual growth. He has a clever proposition for every occasion. In one instance he may try to persuade you that you are not humble enough, and cause the weeds of self-condemnation to choke out the assurance of your salvation. Another time, he will flatter you into a false sense of pride in your humility, and the pestilence of self-righteousness will wipe out the Spirit’s crop of fruit in your life.  Satan is not particular what lie he tells you; one will work as powerfully as another if he can get you to believe it.”

William Gurnall

"We may feel God's hand as a Father upon us when He strikes us as well as when He strokes us."

Abraham Wright

(1611-1690)

"Seek not so much to have thy ear tickled as thy understanding enlightened.” 

Nehemiah Rogers

"The end of all arts and sciences is the practice of them.  And as this is to be confessed in all other arts, so it cannot be decried in divinity and religion."

George Downame

(1560-1634)