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
It was wonderful love that Christ should die for such as we are. What are we? Not only vanity, but enmity. When we were fighting, he was dying; when we had the weapons in our hands, then he had the spear in his side (Romans 5:8).
– Thomas Watson –
from The Lords Supper, 1665
Though the love that is in Him is essential to His nature, and can vary no more than God himself: yet we see not this love but by the fruits of it, nor can it otherwise be discerned. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). We must then betake ourselves to the discoveries of this love.
– John Bunyan –
from All Loves Excelling, 1692
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
The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.
– John Milton –
1608 – 1674 AD
Most people judge the counsel they receive by the way they receive the affection of their counselor. See that you feel a tender love for your people, and then let them feel it by your speeches and see it in your dealings with them … Let them see that all you do is for their own sakes and not for your own end.
– Richard Baxter –
1615-1691
True repentance will entirely change you; the bias of your souls will be changed, then you will delight in God, in Christ, in His law, and in His people.
– George Whitefield –
Do I love the Holy Spirit? Do I honor him as the great Author of light and life, grace and comfort? Do I maintain a deep sense of my dependence on his agency in all my religious performances? Do I desire my heart to be his temple? Am I cautious lest I quench his holy motions, or grieve him by my sins? Am I sensible that without his influence I cannot pray, hear, read, communicate, nor examine myself as I ought?
– George Burder –
1752-1832
Do I love Christ? To those who believe, he is precious; is he precious to me? Do I see infinite beauty in his person? Is he the chief among ten thousands to me, and altogether lovely Do I admire the length and breadth and depth and height of his love? Is the language of my very soul, None but Christ, none but Christ? Is it my grief and shame that I love him no more?
– George Burder –
1752-1832