Quotes from JC Ryle

The riper he is for glory, the more, like the ripe corn, he hangs down his head. The brighter and clearer is his light, the more he sees of the shortcomings and infirmities of his own heart. When first converted, he would tell you he saw but little of them compared to what he sees now.

Men may be born in dark places of the earth, like these wise men, and yet like them be made "wise unto salvation.

Heaven is a prepared place, and those who go to heaven must be a prepared people. Our hearts must be in tune for the business of heaven, or else we would find heaven itself a miserable place to live. Our minds must be in harmony with those of the inhabitants of heaven, or else the society of heaven would soon be unbearable to us.

I have had a deep conviction for many years that practical holiness and entire self-consecration to God are not given adequate attention by modern Christians in this country. Politics, controversy, party spirit, or worldliness have eaten out the heart of lively piety in too many of us. The subject of personal godliness has sadly fallen into the background.

An unconverted, unrepentant person would not be happy if he got to heaven without a heart changed by the Holy Spirit. He would be a creature out of his proper element. He would have no ability to enjoy his holy abode. Without a repentant heart, he is not suitable for the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:12). We must repent if we want to go to heaven.

Think for a moment how much is involved in those few words, "none of His." You are not washed in Christ's blood! You are not clothed in His righteousness! You are not justified! You are not interceded for! Your sins are yet upon you! The devil claims you for his own! The pit opens her mouth for you! The torments of hell wait for you!

Sound Protestant and evangelical doctrine is useless if it is not accompanied by a holy life. It is worse than useless: it causes harm. It is despised by insightful and perceptive men of the world as an invented and empty thing, and it brings Christianity into contempt.

The great debt with God must be settled. The King must be upon His throne. Then, and not until then, will there be peace within. Without repentance, there cannot be true happiness. We must repent if we want to be happy.

He was the first to see that Christ's ministers must do the work of fishermen. They must not wait for souls to come to them, but must go after souls, and "compel them to come in.

Without some evidence that our faith in Christ was real and genuine, we shall only rise again to be condemned. I can find no evidence that will be admitted In that day, except sanctification. The question will not be how we talked and what we professed, but how we lived and what we did.

We are all fast travelling toward a place where names and forms and Church-government will be nothing, and Christ will be all Let us get ready for that place betimes, by loving all who are in the way that leads to it.

Let it never be said that we cannot know whether a Christian really loves Christ. It can be known. It can be discovered. The proof can be seen. You have heard them this very day. Love to the Lord Jesus Christ is no hidden, secret, unseen thing. It is like the light — it will be seen. It is like sound — it will be heard. It is like heat — it will be felt. Where it exists, it cannot be hidden. Where it cannot be seen, you can be sure there is none.