“In the creature’s knowing, esteeming, loving, rejoicing in, and praising God, the glory of God is both exhibited and acknowledged; His fullness is received and returned.”
—Jonathan Edwards, “Dissertation Concerning the End for Which God Created the World,” (WJE, 8: 531).
“Christian theology speaks about mercy by speaking about Jesus Christ.”
—John Webster, God without Measure: Working Papers in Christian Theology: Virtue and Intellect, vol. 2 (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2016), 2: 49.
“I am going to the three Persons with whom I have had communion: they have taken me; I did not take them. I shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye; all my lusts and corruptions I shall be rid of; those croaking toads will fall off in a moment.”
—Thomas Goodwin, (2: lxxiv)
Whate’er my God ordains is right:
here shall my stand be taken;
though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
yet am I not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
and so to Him I leave it all.
-Samuel Rodigast (1675)
A word in season:
“It is also recorded that, in familiar discourse with Thomas Goodwin, Sibbes said,
‘Young man, if you ever would do good, you must preach the gospel, and the free grace of God in Christ Jesus.’”
—Richard Sibbes, Works (@BannerofTruth), 1: xxxviii.
“They know nothing of the life and power of the gospel,
nothing of the reality of the grace of God,
nor do they believe aright one article of the Christian faith,
whose hearts are not sensible of the love of Christ.”
—John Owen, Works (@BannerofTruth), 1: 166-167.
“The Spirit follows us to the sacrament, and in that glass shows us Christ’s face smiling on us, and through His face His heart.
And thus helping of us to a sight of Christ, we go away rejoicing that we saw our Saviour that day.”
—Thomas Goodwin, (Works, 4: 108)
I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
— Psalm 81:10
“We possess the whole Christ, but eternity is needed to disclose all the unsearchable riches of our inheritance in Him.”
—Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: Ephesians, Volume 14 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1984), 14: 17.
“There is not the meanest, the weakest, the poorest believer on the earth, but Christ prizeth him more than all the world besides.
Were our hearts filled much with thoughts hereof, it would tend much to our consolation.”
—John Owen, Works (@BannerofTruth, 2: 136)
“To give a poor sinful soul an overflowing sense that God in Jesus Christ loves him, delights in him, is well-pleased with him, and has thoughts of tenderness and kindness towards him, is an inexpressible mercy.
This is the Spirit’s work.”
—John Owen (@BannerofTruth, 2: 240)
Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring;*
For His grace and pow’r are such,
None can ever ask too much.
—John Newton, (@BannerofTruth, 3: 341)
“Certainly Christ had a dear esteem for sinners, that, rather than they should perish,— that they should not be His, and be made partakers of His glory,— He would part with all He had for their sakes (Eph. 5:25-26).”
—John Owen, Works (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1997), 2:136.
“He that is the sanctuary of His people in all calamities is more present with them to support them, than their adversaries can be present with them, to afflict them: ‘A present help in the time of trouble,’ (Ps. 46:2).”
—Stephen Charnock, (Works, @BannerofTruth, 1: 452)
“The Church has no beauty but what the Bridegroom gives her; He does not find, but makes her, lovely.”
—C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves (New York: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1960/1988), 105.
“The love of God does not find, but creates, that which is pleasing to it.”
—Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Vol. 31: Career of the Reformer I, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald, and Helmut T. Lehmann, vol. 31 (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1999), 41.
My song is love unknown,
my Savior’s love to me,
love to the loveless shown
that they might lovely be.
Oh, who am I,
that for my sake
my Lord should take
frail flesh and die?
—Samuel Crossman (1664)
“The four Gospels are a narrative of the heart of Christ.
Do not take up your time so much with studying your own heart as with studying Christ’s heart.
For one look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ!”
—Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Memoir and Remains (@BannerofTruth), 279.
“Learn much of the Lord Jesus.
For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.
He is altogether lovely.
Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all for sinners, even the chief!”
–Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Memoir and Remains (@BannerofTruth), 293
“One Almighty is more than many mighties.”
—William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1662/2002), 1: 35.
“The Christian’s armour will rust, except it be furbished and scoured with the oil of prayer.”
—William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1662/1964), 2: 289.
“The time is short, eternity at the door.
The Lord Himself is waiting to be gracious to you, waiting with promises and pardons in His hands.”
—John Newton, Letters of John Newton (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1869/2007), 148.
“The gospel points out with the finger what the law foreshadowed under types.”
—John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011), 2.9.3., 426.
“Solomon got more hurt by his wealth, than he got good by his wisdom.
Under all his royal robes, he had but a thread-bare soul.”
—Thomas Brooks, “Heaven on Earth,” The Works of Thomas Brooks (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1666/2001), 2: 390.
“It is the mercy of God that we are not in hell.
And when we are in heaven, it is mercy that hath brought us there.
And it is mercy and grace that continues us there forever.”
—Thomas Goodwin, (Works, 2: 303–304)