Lowliness of mind; the danger and folly of pride; thinking rightly and modestly of oneself; being humbled before God and others.
- A Modest Cottage with Books Thomas Jefferson
I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage, with my books, my family and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than …
- Impatience in my Spirit John Newton
I have felt an impatience in my spirit, utterly unsuitable to my state as a sinner and a beggar, and to my profession of yielding myself and all my concerns to the Lord’s …
- Malapert Discussions John Newton
What must the holy angels, who, with holy admiration, contemplate the wisdom and glory of God displayed in the gospel; what must they think of the arrogance of sinful …
- Trifles Once Discouraging John Newton
The hour is coming when we shall be astonished to think what mere trifles were once capable of discouraging us for though many things we now meet with have a kind of …
- Judgmental Christians John Newton
Conversation with most Christians is something like going to court; where, except you are dressed exactly according to the prescribed standard, you will either not be …
- Christ is in None of These Ways John Owen
Some men rejoice in others’ failings; they are malicious and fail more in that sinful joy than their brethren in that which they rejoice at.
Some are angry at weaknesses …
- Above All, Humility Augustine of Hippo
Not that there are no other precepts to give but if humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts are meaningless.
- Hasty and Censorious Spirit John Newton
Surely much of that hasty and censorious spirit, too often observable in young converts, arises from their having, as yet—a very imperfect acquaintance with the …
- In Much the Best Life Faileth Martin Luther
To wash away the crimson stain, / grace, grace alone availeth; / our works, alas! are all in vain; / in much the best life faileth: / no man can glory in thy sight, / all …
- That Monster Self John Newton
I long to be able to use Job’s words, with the same feeling as I believe Job had when he spoke them, Behold, I am vile! The acknowledgment in words is quite easy — but …
- Our Strange Pride John Newton
It is strange that pride should ever find anything in my experience to feed upon; but this completes my character for folly, vileness, and inconsistence, that I’m not …
- Disgrace of Low Blows William Dunlop
The treating of an adversary with fierceness, anger, or disdain; the representing his opinions in the worst light; and especially the inveighing against the blasphemes or …
- Look on Christ Thomas Watson
Oh look on Christ, this rare pattern, and be humbled! It is an unseemly sight to see God humbling himself and man exalting himself; to see a humble Saviour and a proud …
- Too Hasty Assent to Calvinistic Principles John Newton
I believe a too hasty assent to Calvinistic principles, before a person is duly acquainted with the plague of his own heart, is one principal cause of that lightness of …
- Random Elections? John Newton
I have so poor an opinion of the bulk both of the electors and the elected, that, I think, if the seats in the house of commons could be determined by a lottery, …
- Badness of our Times Matthew Henry
It is folly to complain of the badness of our own times when we have more reason to complain of the badness of our own hearts (if men’s hearts were better, the times …
- Self Realization? J.R.R. Tolkien
However, the essence of a fallen world is that the best cannot be attained by free enjoyment, or by what is called ‘self-realization’ (usually a nice name for …
- Ten Looks at Christ Robert Murray Mccheyne
Do not take up your time so much with studying your own heart as with studying Christ’s heart. ‘For one look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.’
- Improve What you Hear Richard Baxter
And when hypocrites and distempered Christians are quarreling with the imperfections of the speaker, or congregation, the mode of worship, do you rather make it your …
- Most Intelligent Animal on Earth Douglas Adams
For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so …
- Sinfulness of Ignorance John Newton
Ignorance and obstinacy are in themselves sinful, and no plea of sincerity will exempt them from the danger of being under their influence.
- Real Sincerity in Religious Matters John Newton
You say, ‘If they be sincere, and fail not for want of diligence and searching, I cannot help thinking that God will not condemn them for an inevitable defect in their …
- Debt of National Sin John Newton
They who understand spiritual arithmetic, may be well startled if they sit down and compute the debt of national sin.
- Vanity of Science John Calvin
We must carefully notice these two things — that a knowledge of all the sciences is mere smoke, where the heavenly science of Christ is wanting; and man, with all his …
- Fools and Asses Ray Bradbury
The books are to remind us what asses and fools we are. They’re Caesar’s praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, ‘Remember, Caesar, thou art …
- Zeal and Prudence John Newton
There is often too much self in our zeal, and too much fear of man in our prudence.
- Authority of Feelings David Powlison
We invest our feelings with authority because we’re fools.
- Glory in Our Shame John Calvin
However, be the Son of God glorified in our shame, and let us be content with this sure testimony, that though we are persecuted and blamed we trust in the living God.
- Observe their Graces Richard Baxter
Observe their graces more than their infirmities. You cannot love them unless you take notice of that goodness which is their loveliness. Overlooking and extenuating the …
- He Does All Things Well John Newton
Let us strive and pray for a habitual resignation to his will; for He does all things well. It is never ill with us but when our evil hearts doubt or forget this plainest …
- Child of the Devil, an Incarnate Villain Darryl Hart
Bogardus was ill-suited to adjust to the poor decisions of the colony’s leadership. He and one of New Netherland’s governors, Wouter van Twiller, carried on a heated …
- Little in Our Own Eyes John Newton
Oh! to be little in our own eyes! This is the ground-work of every grace; this leads to a continual dependence upon the Lord Jesus; this is the spirit which He has …
- He Seeth Not as Man Seeth John Newton
It is an astonishing thought, that God should thus dwell with men; that he, before whom the mightiest earthly potentates are less than nothing and vanity, should thus …
- The Judge of All the Earth will do Right John Newton
That the Judge of all the earth will do right, is to me as evident and necessary is that two and two make four. I believe that He has a sovereign right to do what He will …
- Temptations in Me John Newton
In London I’m in a crowd of temptations, but in the country there is a crowd of temptations in me. My mind is a Vanity Fair.
- Theory Induced Blindness Daniel Kahneman
Once you have accepted a theory and used it as a tool in your thinking, it is extraordinarily difficult to notice its flaws. If you come upon an observation that does not …
- Scientific Delusion Thinking, Fast and Slow
I have yet to meet a successful scientist who lacks the ability to exaggerate the importance of what he or she is doing, and I believe that someone who lacks a delusional …
- True Wisdom John Newton
I would ask you to pray for us, if I were sure you prayed for yourself; but whether you will thank me for it or not I must tell you that I pray for you often. Oh! how …
- Eschew Obfuscation Daniel Kahneman
If you care about being thought credible and intelligent, do not use complex language where simpler language will do. … In an article titled ‘Consequences of Erudite …
- Sin in the Cloister Herman Bavinck
Monks take the sin in their hearts with them into the cloister.
- Our Innate Disease John Calvin
It is, as it were, an innate disease in mankind to seek reputation by blaming others.
- Great Men and their Mothers Benjamin Morgan Palmer
It may well be questioned if history reveals a single instance of a truly great man who had a fool for his mother.
- Dabney on Submission to the Past Robert Lewis Dabney
We shall be wise, therefore, if we harken to the striking instruction if these instances, and make it our method to submit with modesty to the sober teachings of the past …
- Music as a Marvelous Creation Martin Luther
A person who gives this some thought and yet does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human …
- Be Self Controlled Paul the Apostle
Urge the younger men to be self-controlled.
- Jane Austen on Boys and Girls Jane Austen
It would be , could they be made to understand how little the heart of man is affected by what is costly or new in their attire; how little it is biased by the texture of …
- Chopin on Difficulties Slurred Over Frederic Chopin
Every difficulty slurred over will be a ghost to disturb your repose later on.
- Einstein on the Expected Chaos Albert Einstein
Well, a priori, one should expect a chaotic world which cannot be grasped by mind in any way. There in lies the weakness of the positivists and professional atheists.
- Owen on Fearing Temptation John Owen
Let no man, then, pretend to fear sin that does not fear temptation to it.
- As Though God Could Be Indebted Charles Spurgeon
We show our scorn of God’s sufficiency, by secret thoughts of meriting from him by any religious act, as though God could be indebted to us, and obliged by us. As though …