18th-century Religious Leader Quotes

Seraphim of Sarov

Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon

Richard Hurd

Rowland Hill

Stephen Grellet

Put your hands to work and give your hearts to God.

I spent a night of watchfulness unto prayer, like Jacob, wrestling the whole night for the Lord's blessing, and towards morning the light of His countenance did very graciously arise upon me. My trust and confidence are renewed in Him, blessed and praised be His adorable name!

Stephen Grellet

In this awfully stupendous manner, at which Reason stands aghast, and Faith herself is half confounded, was the grace of God to man at length manifested.

Cast thy burden on the Lord,
Only lean upon His word;
Thou wilt soon have cause to bless
His unchanging faithfulness.

Acquire a peaceful spirit and then thousands of others around you will be saved.

Seraphim of Sarov

Government has no more to do with the religions opinions of men, than it has with the principles of mathematics. Let every man speak freely without fear, maintain the principles that he believes, worship according to his own faith, either one God, three Gods, no God, or twenty Gods; and let government protect him in so doing, i. e., see that he meets with no personal abuse, or loss of property, from his religious opinions.

As in poetry, so in prayer, the whole subject matter should be furnished by the heart, and the understanding should be allowed only to shape and arrange the effusions of the heart in the manner best adapted to answer the end designed. From the fullness of a heart overflowing with holy affections, as from a copious fountain, we should pour forth a torrent of pious, humble, and ardently affectionate feelings; while our understandings only shape the channel and teach the gushing streams of devotion where to flow, and when to stop.

The Lamb, and all His grief and smart,
Shall be the pleasure of my heart,
While it doth move in me;
And when that heart no more shall move,
My Spirit, finding her old Love,
Shall kiss Him tenderly.

Then you and I, and thousands more,
From this, and your, and every shore,
Shall each the other find:
Happy in that which always here,
When to the heart 'twas plain and clear,
The many members join'd.

And then, too, we shall think no more,
What we were used to think before;
Alas! how distant we!
The Blood will flow through every limb
On each of us from Him! from Him!
And we united be.

James Hutton (Moravian)

None know how to prize the Saviour, but such as are zealous in pious works for others.

Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon

Ho! Mesmerized by the sheer variety of perceptions, beings wander endlessly astray in samsara's vicious cycle.