Quotes from JC Ryle

The cross is the grand peculiarity of the Christian religion. Other religions have laws and moral precepts, forms and ceremonies, rewards and punishments. But other religions cannot tell us of a dying Savior. They cannot show us the cross. This is the crown and glory of the gospel. This is that special comfort that belongs to it alone.

A believer may as soon expect to feel the sun's rays on a dark and cloudy day as to feel strong consolation in Christ while he does not follow Him fully.

The most miserable creature on earth is the man who has nothing to do. Work for the hands or work for the mind is absolutely essential to human happiness.

Free speech, free laws, political freedom, commercial freedom, national freedom — all these cannot smooth down a dying pillow, or disarm death of his sting, or fill our consciences with peace. Nothing can do that but the freedom which Christ alone bestows. He gives it freely to all who seek it humbly. Then let us never rest until it is our own.

I can find that nobody will be saved by his prayers, but I cannot find that without prayer anybody will be saved.

To be prayerless is to be without God, without Christ, without grace, without hope, and without heaven. It is to be on the road to hell. Now can you wonder that I ask the question, Do you pray?

This old world will soon break into pieces! Don't you hear the tremblings of it?

Faith in the Lord Jesus is the only sure medicine for troubled hearts.

We must be holy, because this is the only sound evidence that we have a saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

If we would know whether our faith is genuine, we do well to ask ourselves how we are living.

We are all naturally self-righteous. It is the family disease of all the children of Adam.

A trial is an instrument by which our Father in heaven makes Christians more holy.