J.C. Ryle Quotes

       J.C. Ryle
       1816-1900
      
       John Charles Ryle was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool. Ryle was a strong supporter of the evangelical school and a critic of Ritualism. Among his longer works are Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century (1869), Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (7 vols, 1856-69), Principles for Churchmen (1884).
      
       Thoroughly evangelical in his doctrine and uncompromising in his principles, J.C. Ryle was a prolific writer, vigorous preacher, and faithful pastor.
      
       In his diocese, he exercised a vigorous and straightforward preaching ministry, and was a faithful pastor to his clergy, exercising particular care over ordination retreats. He formed a clergy pension fund for his diocese and built over forty churches. Despite criticism, he put raising clergy salaries ahead of building a cathedral for his new diocese.
      
       Ryle combined his commanding presence and vigorous advocacy of his principles with graciousness and warmth in his personal relations. Vast numbers of working men and women attended his special preaching meetings, and many became Christians.

The man who has nothing more than a kind of Sunday religion -- whose Christianity is like his Sunday clothes put on once a week, and then laid aside -- such a man cannot, of course, be expected to care about growth in grace.     Topics: Apathy Tomorrow is the devil's day, but today is God's. Satan does not care how spiritual your intentions are, or how holy your resolutions, if only they are determined to be done tomorrow.     Topics: Apathy     Source: Thoughts for Young Men. Assurance after all is no more than a full-grown faith; a masculine faith that grasps Christ's promise with both hands - a faith that argues like the good centurion, if the Lord "speak the word only," I am healed. Wherefore then should I doubt? (Matt. 8:8).     Topics: Assurance     Source: Holiness, Quoted in: Assured by God, ed. Burk Parsons, PandR, 2006, p. 53. Backsliding, generally first begins with neglect of private prayer.     Topics: Backsliding, Prayer Men fall in private long before they fall in public.     Topics: Backsliding, Weakness We ought to regard the sacrament of baptism with reverence. An ordinance of which the Lord Jesus Himself partook, is not to be lightly esteemed. An ordinance to which the great Head of the Church submitted, ought to be ever honorable in the eyes of professing Christians.     Topics: Baptism     Source: Commentary: Matthew 3. Amidst the flood of dangerous reading, I plead for my Master's book; I call upon you not to forget the book of the soul. Do not let newspapers, novels, and romances be read, while the prophets and Apostles be despised. Do not let the exciting and sensual swallow up your attention, while the edifying and the sanctifying can find no place in your mind.     Topics: Books, Scripture     Source: Thoughts for Young Men. Value all books in proportion as they are agreeable to Scripture. Those that are nearest to it are the best, and those that are farthest from it, and most contrary to it, the worst.     Topics: Books     Source: Thoughts for Young Men The storms of winter often bring out the defects in a man's dwelling, and sickness often exposes the gracelessness of a man's soul. Surely anything that makes us find out the real character of our faith is good.     Topics: Character Beware of letting small faults pass unnoticed under the idea it is a little one. There are no little things in training children; all are important. Little weeds need plucking up as much as any. Leaven them alone and they will soon be great.     Topics: Children Children are very quick observers; very quick in seeing through some kinds of hypocrisy, very quick in finding out what you really think and feel, very quick in adopting all your ways and opinions. You will often discover that, as the father is, so is the son.     Topics: Children     Source: The Duties of Parents. Imagination is the hotbed where this sin is too often hatched. Guard your thoughts, and there will be little fear about your actions.     Topics: Choices     Source: Thoughts for Young Men.