My desire is to live more to God to-day than yesterday, and to be more holy this hour than the last.

Francis Asbury (Minister, 1745 – 1816)

When [the saints] perform actions to God, then the soul says: ‘Oh! that I could do what pleases God!’ When they come to suffer any cross: ‘Oh, that what God does might please me!’ I labour to do what pleases God, and I labour that what God does shall please me: here is a Christian indeed, who shall endeavour both these. It is but one side of a Christian to endeavour to do what pleases God; you must as well endeavour to be pleased with what God does, and so you will come to be a complete Christian when you can do both, and that is the first thing in the excellence of this grace of contentment.

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)

Faith has this excellency, that it is able to bring life out of death, light out of darkness. It has a kind of creating virtue.

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)

Holiness is the very principle of eternal life, the very beginning of eternal life in the heart, and that which will certainly grow up to eternal life.

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)

Oh, that we could but convince men and women that murmuring spirit is a greater evil than any affliction, whatever the affliction!

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)

The Lord does not so much look at the work that is done, as at the faithfulness of our hearts in doing it.

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)

When you sailors see the haven before you, though you were mightily troubled before you could see any land, yet when you come near the shore and can see a certain land-mark, that contents you greatly. A godly man, in the midst of the waves and storms that he meets with, can see the glory of heaven before him and so contents himself. One drop of the sweetness of heaven is enough to take away all the sourness and bitterness of all the afflictions in the world.

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)

My brethren, the reason why you have not got contentment in the things of the world is not because you have not got enough of them-that is not the reason-but the reason is, because they are not things proportionable to that immortal soul of yours that is capable of God himself.

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)

A noble heart is a thankful heart that loves to acknowledge whenever it has received any mercy.

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)

Note this, I beseech you: in active obedience we worship God by doing what pleases God, but by passive obedience we do as well worship God by being pleased with what God does.

Jeremiah Burroughs (Preacher, 1600 – 1646)