John Brown of Wamphray 

“We must look upon the Church of Christ as an hospital…wherein every person has some defect or other…This Is God’s holy appointment that He may show His love and care in going through His hospital, daily giving physic [medicine], here binding up the broken leg or arm, there bearing His sickly children in His arms, turning the other sick one’s bed unto him, washing away the blood and of another and curing all so that none dieth in His hands, He carrieth all safe to glory”

“Let then a man have never so much knowledge, and be acquainted with the mysteries of all arts and sciences, and with the depths of nature, and intrigues of states, and all the theory of religion; if he be unacquainted with Jesus, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know. Oh! if we were wise at length, and could think more of this one thing necessary; and could be stirred up to learn more of him, and to make this the subject of all our study and labour”

“…It were good in such a time of erring from the way of truth, to be gripping Christ faster, and cleaving to Him by faith and living by faith in Him. This is to hold the foundation fast:  and then let the tempest of error blow as it will, they will ride at a sure anchor and be safe because fixed upon the Rock of Ages, and further, living near Christ in such a dangerous day, would be a noble preservative from the infection of error.” 

“What a wonder is this. Will the Lord be content to hear all our heart secrets and admit us to intimate familiarity with Him as one heart friend with another…and shall this be our burden?”

“We wonder that ’tis not always hot summer days, a flourishing and fruitful season, with souls and with churches. But know we the thoughts of the Lord; see we to the bottom of the deep contrivance of infinite wisdom? Know we the usefulness, yea, necessity of long winter nights, stormy blasts, rain, hail, snow, and frost? Consider we, that our state and condition, while here, calleth for those vicissitudes, and requireth the blowing of the north as well as of the south winds? If we considered, how grace had ordered all things for our best, and most for the glory and exaltation of grace, we would sit down and sing under the saddest of dispensations, and living by faith and hope, we would rejoice in the confident expectation of a gracious outgate [release]”