“All the kindness that God shows you to eternity is in Christ Jesus.”

—Thomas Goodwin, The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage, 1861/2021), 2: 294. Commenting on Ephesians 2:7.

“The honours, splendour, and all the glory of this world, are but sweet poisons, that will much endanger us, if they do not eternally destroy us.”

—Thomas Brooks, “Precious Remedies,” in The Works of Thomas Brooks (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1666/2001), 1: 63.

“The assured soul knows that death shall be the funeral of all his sins and sorrows, of all afflictions and temptations, of all desertions and oppositions.”

—Thomas Brooks, “Heaven on Earth,” in The Works of Thomas Brooks (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1666/2001), 2: 410.

“Where one thousand are destroyed by the world’s frowns, ten thousand are destroyed by the world’s smiles.

The world, siren-like, it sings us and sinks us; it kisses us, and betrays us, like Judas.”

—Thomas Brooks, “Precious Remedies,” Works (@BannerofTruth), 1: 63.

“He guides, protects, feeds, heals, and restores, and He will be our guide and our God even until death.

Then He will meet us, receive us, and present us unto Himself, and we shall be near Him, and like Him, and with Him forever.”

—John Newton, (@BannerofTruth, 1: 495)

“Like sheep, we are weak, destitute, defenseless, prone to wander, unable to return, and always surrounded with wolves.

But all is made up in the fullness, ability, wisdom, compassion, care, and faithfulness of our great Shepherd.”

—John Newton, (@BannerofTruth, 1: 495)

“Let us love and sing and wonder,

let us praise the Savior’s name!

He has hushed the law’s loud thunder,

He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame:

He has washed us with His blood,

He has brought us nigh to God.”

—John Newton (1774)

“Pride is so base a disease that God had rather see His dearest children to be buffeted by Satan than that in pride they should be like Satan (2 Cor. 12:7).”

—Thomas Brooks, “The Unsearchable Riches of Christ,” Works (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1866/2001), 3: 45.

“An experimental knowledge of Jesus, as the deliverer from sin and wrath, and the author of eternal life and salvation to all who are enabled to believe, is a sufficient ground for union of heart.”

–John Newton, Works (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1988), 2: 210.

“In heaven we shall neither be Dissenters, Moravians, nor Methodists; neither Calvinists nor Arminians; but followers of the Lamb, and children of the kingdom.

There we shall hear the voice of war no more.”

—John Newton, (Works, @BannerofTruth, 2: 211)

“He loves me best who loves me in his prayers.”

—J.C. Ryle, Practical Religion: Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1878/2013), 87.

“May He give us an eager appetite, a hunger and thirst that will not be put off with anything short of the bread of life.

And then we may confidently open our mouths wide, for He has promised to fill them.”

–John Newton, Works (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1988), 2: 195.

“The greatest earthly monarch would soon be poor if he was to give a little (though but a little) to all his subjects.

But Jesus has unsearchable, inexhaustible riches of grace to bestow.”

—John Newton, The Works of John Newton (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1988), 2: 194-195.

“The Lord can easily give more than ever He will take away.

A time of weeping must come, but the morning of joy will make amends for all.

Who can expound the meaning of that one expression, ‘An exceeding, and eternal weight of glory?’”

—John Newton, (@BannerofTruth, 2: 189)

A Funeral Benediction

“Now may the God of peace,

Grant you perfect peace,

And living hope,

And glorious grace,

And steadfast love with faith

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Until the day breaks

And the shadows flee away.

Amen.”

“In creation, God gave us ourselves; but in redemption, God gave us Himself.”

—Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (Carlisle, PA: @BannerofTruth, 1692/1970), 96.

“It is an infinite magnifying of the Lord Jesus, that He alone, being in heaven, is able and worthy enough to take into His possession all the glory and all the grace that ever God means to bestow upon His children.

He hath done it, my brethren.”

—Thomas Goodwin, (Works, 2:293)

“In the new and reconciled humanity which Christ is creating love is the pre-eminent virtue.”

—John R. W. Stott, God’s New Society: The Message of Ephesians, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979), 136.

“Dwell upon the freeness of His love, the greatness of His love, the fulness of His love, the unchangeableness of His love, the everlastingness of His love, and the activity of His love. If this does not humble thee, nothing on earth will do it.”

—Thomas Brooks, (1:37)

“The love of Christ is held out to us as the subject which ought to occupy our daily and nightly meditations, and that which we ought to be wholly immersed in.

He who holds to this alone has enough.”

—John Calvin, commenting on Ephesians 3:18-19.

“Believers have never advanced so far as not to need farther growth.

The highest perfection of the godly in this life is an earnest desire to make progress.”

—John Calvin, commenting on Ephesians 3:16

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued My faithfulness to you.”

—Jeremiah 31:3

“The best proof that He will never cease to love us lies in that He never began.”

—Geerhardus Vos, Redemptive History and Biblical Interpretation (P&R, 2001), 298.

“Ultimately, Scripture is a single book, written by one divine author, concerning one central subject matter (Christ and covenant), and with one ultimate aim (the love of God and neighbor).”

—@scottrswain, Trinity, Revelation, and Reading (London: T&T Clark, 2011), 129.

“Prayer is for the helpless. My helpless friend, your helplessness is the most powerful plea which rises up to the tender heart of God. Prayer consists in telling God day by day in what ways we feel that we are helpless.”

—O. Hallesby, Prayer (London: InterVarsity, 1948), 15-16.

“Exegesis is loving God enough to stop and listen carefully to what He says.”

—@scottrswain, Trinity, Revelation, and Reading: A Theological Introduction to the Bible and Its Interpretation (London; New York: T&T Clark, 2011), 128.