The dreariest thing you can read is the newspaper. 788.2

I think that most readers will tell you that, the more they read, the fewer books
become; whereas, to the young, there is a whole library yet to go through. The man
who has been a diligent and careful reader all his life finds only some few books that
he now cares to read. 2340.616

I do not say that you are not to pray for providence to help you, but I do urge you not
to be continually pining after those singularities of providence which are picked out of
some men’s biographies, of which more than is right may be made. 2721.159

Why is it that people are so passionately fond of reading novels, and so seldom read
the true histories which are quite as interesting, and far more capable of affording
pleasure and pastime? It is because the minds of men are frivolous. 1424.398

The trashy lives of most people are the fit outcome of the trash which they read. A life
fed on fiction is a life of fiction; a life fed on divine fact will become a life of divine fact. 2004.43

There are certain silkworms which grow the colour of the leaves they feed on, and
you may depend upon it that those who live on this frivolous literature will lead
frivolous lives, and those who take nothing but these milk-and-water tales will not be
likely to have about them anything solid or robust, or anything vigorously real. 3353.227

That is a poor happiness which overlooks the most important of facts. I would not
endure a peace which could only be maintained by thoughtlessness. WWi154

Far be from us to deceive any of you by saying that to be a Christian will save you
from the sorrows of the world, or from trials and tribulations, from physical pain or
from natural death. 3550.69

Men are always quarrelling with God because he will not submit his will to their
dictation. 290.34

“What,” said the Quaker, to one who wore the weeds of mourning many years after
the death of her child, and declared that she had suffered a blow from which she
should never rally—“What, friend, hast thou not forgiven God yet?” Much of unholy
rebellion against the Most High will be found as a sediment at the bottom of most
tear-bottles. 853.61

The great sin of man is his alienation from God. He hath said in his heart, “No God,”
and in his life he laboureth to escape from the divine presence. The journey into the
far country is not only made for the sake of riotous living, but that he may get away
from the Father’s house. 1419.337

Why then, O man, why is it that thou with thy superior endowments must needs be
the sole rebel, the only creature of earthly mould that forgets the creating and
instructing Lord? 1511.3

There is no rebellion to our knowledge anywhere in the universe except among fallen
angels and fickle mortals like ourselves. 1656.237

These cavillings take hundreds of shapes; but after all they come to this: proud
sinners must dictate to their offended Lord, and be forgiven on their own terms. It
would appear that God does not know the best way of saving men, and men are so
wise that they amend his methods! 1705.86

Many unrenewed hearts quarrel with God at his own altar: quarrel by presenting
what he never commanded, and then by growing wroth because he rejects their
will-worship. 1929.613

The sting of affliction lies in the tail of our rebellion against the divine will. 2004.46

To contend against Omnipotence is insanity. 3550.67

Our love ought to follow the love of God in one point, namely, in always seeking to
produce reconciliation. It was to this end that God sent his Son. Has anybody
offended you? Seek reconciliation. “Oh, but I am the offended party.” So was God, and
he went straight away and sought reconciliation. Brother, do the same. “Oh, but I
have been insulted.” Just so: so was God: all the wrong was towards him, yet he sent.
“Oh, but the party is so unworthy.” So are you; but “God loved you and sent his Son.” 1707.119

That God should consider His fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him
away with the besom of destruction, should Himself undertake to be man’s
Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed, marvellous! ME53

There is yet this further consideration, that the purchase price of every child of God
has been fully paid. I have seen lands which have belonged to men who were reputed
to be rich, but there was a heavy mortgage upon them, so that though they called
them theirs, they were scarcely so. But there is no mortgage on the saints. 1163.162

The man that does not feel himself to be specially “redeemed from among men” will
see no reason for being different from other men. “Christ loved his Church and gave
himself for it;” he who sees no special giving of Christ for his Church will see no
special reason why the Church should give herself to Christ. 1581.71

Jesus wills to have the whole of what he bought with his precious blood with him in
heaven; he will not lose any part. He did not die for a part of a church, nor will he be
satisfied unless the entire flock which he has purchased shall be gathered around
him. 1892.175

Sinners—you must either be cursed of God, or else you must accept Christ, as
bearing the curse instead of you. I do beseech you, as you love your souls, if you have
any sanity left, accept this blessed and divinely-appointed way of salvation. This is
the truth which the apostles preached, and suffered and died to maintain; it is this
for which the Reformers struggled; it is this for which the martyrs burned at
Smithfield; it is the grand basis doctrine of the Reformation, and the very truth of
God. 873.311

This one sentence, “The just shall live by his faith,” produced the Reformation. Out of
this one line, as from the opening of one of the Apocalyptic seals, came forth all that
sounding of gospel trumpets, and all that singing of gospel songs, which made in the
world a sound like the noise of many waters. This one seed, forgotten and hidden
away in the dark mediæval times, was brought forth, dropped into the human heart,
made by the Spirit of God to grow, and in the end to produce great results. 1749.614

To fashion a world has less difficulty in it than to create a new life in an ungodly
man; for, in the creation of the world, there was nothing in the way of God; but, in
the creation of the new heart, there is the old nature opposing the Spirit. AM325

The grace which does not make a man better than others is a worthless counterfeit. ME79

Those who are saved by God the Holy Spirit are created anew according to Scripture;
but who ever dreamed of creation creating itself? God spake the world out of nothing,
but nothing did not aid in the creation of the universe. Divine energy can do
everything, but what can nothing do? Now if we have a new creation, there must
have been a creator, and it is clear that being then spiritually created, we could not
have assisted in our own new creation, unless, indeed, death can assist life, and
non-existence aid in creation. 703.424

After we are regenerated, he continues to renew us; our thoughts, feelings, desires,
and acts are constantly renewed. Regeneration as the commencement of the new
creation can never come twice to any man, but renewal of the Holy Ghost is
constantly and perpetually repeated. 2042.500

No strength but that which made me can new-make me. 1575.7

You are always saying, “I will be better to-morrow.” Will that blot out yesterday? “I
must be more diligent in the future.” Will that redeem the lost opportunities which
have departed in the years gone by? No; if you have loitered long, and lingered much,
you will find the hardest running of to-day will not make up for the loitering of
yesterday. 192.221

Have we not often wished we could do our life-work over again, that we might do it
better? I do not think that there is any use in that wish. Let us improve what is to be
done in the future, rather than wish to undo the past. 1575.11

“If I could only have my life over again,” says one, “I should do better.” My brother, I
should not like to have my life over again for fear I should do worse; and worse I
should do, unless I had more grace. 1661.293

No sinner, when converted, although God has forgiven him, can ever forgive himself;
and no child of God, although God has blotted out his sin, can ever blot it out of his
memory as long as he is here on earth. 3037.208

I have known good men with whom I shall never be thoroughly at home until we
meet in heaven: at least, we shall agree best on earth when they go their way and I
go mine. 1812.653

All good people are not equally good. There are some in the world whom we hope to
meet in heaven, with whom fellowship is difficult. If they were on the other side of
the Atlantic we might love them better than when we see much of them. I know
several Christian people with whom I would sooner sit in heaven throughout all
eternity than sit ten minutes with them on a sofa here below; distance, in their case,
might lend enchantment to the view. 2154.387

There are people about who seem to be cut on the cross, and the only use they are in
this world seems to be to raise irritating questions. They and the mosquitoes were
created by infinite wisdom, but I have never been able to discover the particular
blessing which either of them confer upon us. 3199.258

Prophets may plant it with their pretended revelations, martyrs may water it with
their blood, confessor after confessor may defend it with his learning and with his
courage, time may endear it, literature may protect it, and kings may keep guard
about it, but he that ruleth in the heavens, and careth not for human might, shall
certainly grasp its trunk, and, pulling it up, even though it be strong as a cedar, shall
hurl it into the fire, because he hath not planted it. Yes, every hoary system of
superstition, every ancient form of idolatry, every venerable species of will-worship,
shall be certainly overturned, as God is true. 423.602

Beware of a misty religion! Beware of that which is without form, for it is sure to be
void! Beware of that which is undefined and undefinable, because there is nothing
solid in it! 2041.484

Our English saying is that three removes are as bad as a fire, and you may rest
assured that they are so, that constantly moving means constantly losing, and that
changing and changing means constantly having a discount taken after all from your
comfort. AU34

I have known brethren in the ministry get discouraged and leave their pulpits, and
repent as ever they lived that they left a sphere of labour, where they ought to have
toiled on. I have known Christian people get discouraged, and touchy, and angry, fall
out with the church of which they were members, go out in the wilderness, and leave
the fat pastures behind them. They have only had to regret all their lives, that they
had not a little more patience with their brethren, and with the circumstances which
surrounded them. Whenever you are about to do anything in a great hurry, pause and
pray. The hot fever in your own system ill fits you to act discreetly. While you tarry
for a more healthy temperature of your own feelings, there may be a great change in
the thermometer outside as to the circumstances that influence you. Great haste
makes little speed. 1025.694

Give me a crust and a full gospel rather than all riches and a barren ministry. The
profitable hearing of the word is the greatest enjoyment upon earth to godly men. It
would be banishment to go where every week’s business turned into a mint of money
if one were also compelled to be a member of an unhappy, quarrelsome, or inactive
church. 1716.221

A barren tree is none the better for being transplanted. A blind man may stand at
many windows before he will improve his view. If it is difficult to produce good works
where you are, you will find it still difficult where you wish to be. 1829.155

Would it not be well if many Christian people had some little consideration when
they are choosing a house, as to whether it will be convenient for the hearing of the
word? Do you not think that a great many professors look chiefly for every other kind
of advantage, and, when they have virtually made their choice, they afterwards
enquire into the very secondary item of their nearness to a place where they may
worship God, enjoy Christian fellowship, and be useful? 1836.217

It is far better to bear the ills you have than to fly to others that you know not of;
even common sense should teach you that. 2725.214

Some of us get queer ideas into our heads at times; we resolve that we will go we
know not where, and do we know not what. Ah, my dear friends, he, whose great
trouble lies in his own heart, cannot run away from it, for he bears it about with him
wherever he goes. 2830.220

You cannot be kept from falling by choosing another situation. You had better stop
where you are, brother, and fight the devil there, for perhaps the next place that you
select as the scene of combat may not be as suitable as the one you have now. 2994.317

God does not generally plant trees in his vineyard that need shifting every two years. 3453.160