John Byrom - Religion Quotes

6 Sourced Quotes

View all John Byrom Quotes
Of true Religion Works of Mercy seem
To be the plainest Proof in Christ's Esteem;
Who has Himself declar'd what He will say
To all the Nations at the Judgment Day:
"Come," or "Depart," is the predicted Lot
Of brotherly Compassion shown, or not.

John Byrom
Religion's Meaning when I would recall,
Love is to me the plainest Word of all.
Plainest, — because that what I love, or hate,
Shews me directly my internal State;
By its own Consciousness is best defin'd
Which way the Heart within me stands inclin'd. On what it lets its Inclination rest,
To that its real Worship is address'd;
Whatever Forms or Ceremonies spring
From Custom's Force, there lies the real Thing;
Jew, Turk or Christian be the Lover's Name,
If same the Love, Religion is the same.

John Byrom
Here, all ye learned, full of all Dispute,
Of true and false Religion lies the Root.
The Mind of Christ, when He became a Man,
With all Its Tempers, forms its real Plan,
The Sheep from Goats distinguishing full well; —
His Love is Heav'n, and Want of It is Hell.

John Byrom
The One Unbounded, Undivided Good,
By all His Creatures partly understood.
If therefore Sense of its apparent Parts
Raise not His Love or Worship in our Hearts,
Our selfish Wills or Notions we may feast,
And have no more Religion than a Beast.

John Byrom
Religion, then, is Love's Celestial Force
That penetrates thro' all to Its True Source;
Loves all along, but with proportion'd Bent,
As Creatures further the Divine Ascent,
Not to the Skies or Stars, but to the part
That will be always uppermost, — the Heart, There is the Seat, as Holy Writings tell,
Where the Most High Himself delights to dwell;
Whither attracting the desirous Will
To its true Rest, He saves it from all Ill,
Gives it to find in His Abyssal Love
An Heav'n within, — in other Words, Above.

John Byrom
Of all Religions if we take a View,
There is but one that ever can be true, —
One God, One Christ, One Spirit, none but He.
All else is Idol, whatsoe'er it be,—
A Good that our Imaginations make,
Unless we love it purely for His Sake.

John Byrom