18th-century Theologian Quotes

Joseph Priestley

John Wesley

Charles Wesley

William Paley

George Whitefield

Richard Whately

John Woolman

No great advance has ever been made in science, politics, or religion, without controversy.

I was born in Northampton, in Burlington County, West Jersey, in the year 1720.

To work a fell revenge a man's a fool, if not instructed in a woman's school.

John William Fletcher

See, the conquering hero comes!
Sound the trumpets, beat the drums!

There is not a moral evil which has not its infallible antidote, nor any moral virtue which has not its spring and sustenance in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. To apprehend Him with every faculty of the mind, and with every affection of the heart, and to grow daily in that apprehension, is to emerge from every thing that enthralls, to surmount all that can contaminate.

Every branch of knowledge which a good man possesses, he may apply to some good purpose.

Claudius Buchanan

The great Inventor is one who has walked forth upon the industrial world, not from universities, but from hovels; not as clad in silks and decked with honors, but as clad in fustian and grimed with soot and oil.

The appearance of chance will always bear a proportion to the ignorance of the observer.

Atheist, in the strict and proper sense of the word, is one who does not believe in the existence of a god, or who owns no being superior to nature. It is compounded of the two terms... signifying without God.

We may talk of the best means of doing good; but, after all, the greatest difficulty lies in doing it in a proper spirit. Speak- the truth in love, "in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves" — with the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

Asahel Nettleton

The weakest spot in every man is where he thinks himself to be the wisest.

Nathanael Emmons

He left His Father's throne above, (So free, so infinite His grace!) Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race.

He who thinks he hath no need of Christ, hath too high thoughts of himself. He who thinks Christ cannot help him, hath too low thoughts of Christ.

Though you have sinned much, that is no reason why you should despair, but only why you should love much, having so much forgiven.

George Whitefield

Now who can hear Christ declare, that his kingdom is, not of this world, and yet believe that this blending of church and state together can be pleasing to him?

Wit, without wisdom, is salt without meat; and that is but a comfortless dish to set a hungry man down to.

The United States are under peculiar obligations to become a holy people unto the Lord our God.

I delight not in spreading any thing mysterious, for I consider it all lost time; but the things that all of us can see and know if we will.

Now it would be as absurd to deny the existence of God, because we cannot see him, as it would be to deny the existence of the air or wind, because we cannot see it.

I view with rapture the glorious face of nature, and I admire its wonderful constitution, the laws of which are daily unfolding themselves to our view.

Joseph Priestley

It is the work of God alone to justify, to sanctify, and to glorify.

Now, my friend, I beg you to consider that this blindness and unyielding hardness is the very core of your iniquity, and to be convinced that you are thus blind and stupid is true conviction of sin.

Archibald Alexander

That is suitable to a man, in point of ornamental expense, not which he can afford to have, but which he can afford to lose.

Richard Whately

His imperial fancy has laid all Nature under tribute, and has collected riches from every scene of the creation and every walk of art.

Dedicated to Dr John Lettsom, who was known to sign his prescriptions, 'I. Lettsom':

Whenever patients come to I,
I physics, bleeds, and sweats 'em;
If after that they choose to die,
What's that to me! — I letts 'em.