Oh that you might have such a strong love for perishing sinners that you will put up with their rebuffs and rebukes, and say to them, “Strike me if you will, but hear me; ridicule me, but still I will plead with you; cast me under your feet as though I were the offscouring of all things, but at any rate, I will not let you perish, if it be in my power to warn you of your danger.”
– Charles Spurgeon –
from Council for Christian Workers
Afflictions add to the saints’ glory. The more the diamond is cut, the more it sparkles; the heavier the saints’ cross is, the heavier shall be their crown.
– Thomas Watson –
The purest and most exhilarating joy is the delight of glorifying God and anticipating the time when we will enjoy Him forever.
– Charles Spurgeon –
from Spurgeon on Praise
Let “deserved” be written on the door of hell, but on the door of heaven and life [write]: “The free gift.”
– Richard Baxter –
Grant that I may worship and pray unto Thee with as much reverence and godly fear, as if I saw the heavens open and all the angels that stand around Thy throne. Amen.
– William Law –
from A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life
Speak to your people as to men that must be awakened, either here or in hell. Look around upon them with the eye of faith, and with compassion, and think in what a state of joy or torment they must all be for ever; and then, methinks, it will make you earnest, and melt your heart to a sense of their condition. Oh, speak not one cold or careless word about so great a business as heaven or hell. Whatever you do, let the people see that you are in good earnest. … You cannot break men’s hearts by jesting with them, or telling them a smooth tale, or pronouncing a gaudy oration. Men will not cast away their dearest pleasures at the drowsy request of one that seemeth not to mean as he speaks, or to care much whether his request be granted or not.
– Richard Baxter –
It is pleasant in a journey to have a prospect of the journey’s end—to see that the way we are in leads directly to it, and to see that it cannot be far off; every step we take is so much nearer it, nay, and we are within a few steps of it we have a prospect of being shortly with Christ in Paradise; yet a little while, and we shall be at home, we shall be at rest, and whatever difficulties we may meet with in our way, when we come to heaven all will be well—eternally well.
– Matthew Henry –
from The Pleasantness of a Religious Life, 1714
I’m not about to put up a silly skit and preach a 15-minute message on “how to cope” to a multitude of people who are dying and going to hell. I tremble at the thought.
– David Wilkerson –
Heaven must be in thee before thou canst be in heaven.
– George Swinnock –
1627-1673 AD