Quotes from Horatius Bonar

Devotion," said Bishop Hall, "is the life of religion, the very soul of piety, the highest employment of grace." It is much to be feared that "we are weak in the pulpit because we are weak in the closet.

How many souls have been lost for lack of earnestness, solemnity, and love in the preacher, even when the words uttered were precious and true!

How much more would a few good and fervent men effect in the ministry than a multitude of lukewarm ones!" said Oecolampadius, the German Reformer.

It is forgiveness that sets a man working for God. He does not work in order to be forgiven, but because he has been forgiven, and the consciousness of his sin being pardoned makes him long for its entire removal than ever he did before. An unforgiven man cannot work. He has not the will, nor the power, nor the liberty. He is in chains. Israel in Egypt could not serve Jehovah. "Let my people go, that they may serve Me." was God's message to Pharaoh (exodus 8:1) first liberty, then service.

A Christian is one who has been "crucified with Christ," who has died with Him, been buried with Him, risen with Him, ascended with Him, and is seated "in heavenly places" with Him (Rom 6:3-8; Gal 2:20; Eph 2:5-6; Col 3:1-3).

Less, less of self each day, And more, my God, of Thee!

It is not merely that we "glory in the cross" (Gal 6:14), but we draw strength from it.

Without this, nothing else will profit. Not orthodoxy, or learning, or eloquence, or power of argument, or zeal, or fervor will accomplish anything without this. This is what gives power to our words and persuasiveness to our arguments, making them as either the balm of Gilead to the wounded spirit or sharp arrows of the mighty to the conscience of the stouthearted rebel.

Fields plowed and sown, but yielding no fruit! Machinery constantly in motion, but all without one particle of produce! Nets cast into the sea and spread wide, but no fishes caught! All this for years — for a lifetime!

We are forgiven, that we may be like Him who forgives us.

Bold preaching is the only preaching that is owned of God.

The divine order then is first pardon, then holiness; first peace with God, and then conformity to the image of that God with whom we have been brought to be at peace.