365 Quotations from Welsh Christians

My heart it still is longing To catch sight again of dawn. The kingdom of darkness destroyed, And to see walls coming down; To see Jesus and his glory Receive high praise in the world, And thousands of the lost to see Coming to know Jesus' love. (original in Welsh) Martha Llwyd 1766-1845

Wherever he may guide me, no want shall turn me back; my Shepherd is beside me, and nothing can I lack: his wisdom ever waketh, his sight is never dim, he knows the way he taketh, and I will walk with him. Anna Laetitia Waring 1820-1910

Sin did never any man good and the more sin a man has committed, the more odious he has made himself to God, the more hateful to all godly men. Lewis Bayly 1575-1631

I have come into such a state of mind that “free salvation” has always been the sweetest word I ever heard. Free salvation! May God be praised for ever! Robert Roberts Clynnog 1762-1802

Remember that the Holy Ghost is compared to a dove, and that if you begin to shoot at each other, the heavenly dove will take wing and instantly leave you. The Holy Spirit is one of love and peace - not of tumult and confusion. He cannot live amidst the smoke and noise of fired shots: if you would grieve the Holy Spirit ... you have only to commence firing at one another and he will instantly depart. William Williams of Wern 1781-1840

I long to be filled with divine knowledge, divine wisdom, divine love, divine holiness, to the utmost extent of my capacity. I want to feel that all the currents of my soul are interfused in one channel deep and wide, and all flowing towards the heart of Christ. Griffith John 1831-1912

What we need is a fresh vision of the Cross. And may that mighty, all-embracing love of His be no longer a fitful, wavering influence in our lives, but the ruling passion of our souls. Evan Roberts 1878-1951

If I were called to preach on a great occasion, and if I had only two hours to prepare for it, I should surely spend every moment of them in praying. Henry Rees 1788-1869

When the true shepherd speaks, and a man hears him, the heart burns within, and the flesh quakes, and the mind lights up like a candle, and the conscience ferments like wine in a vessel and the will bends to the truth ... Morgan Llwyd 1619-1659

Scripture prefers negative descriptions of moral virtue, partly because Christianity necessarily assumes an antagonistic attitude towards the world's vices, partly because, as goodness is one and evil is many, the negative action of virtue consists in avoidance of many aspects of evil, while its positive action is comprehended in a few simple forms. Thomas Charles Edwards 1837-1900

Read much; think more. You know not as yet of what great future advantage learning may be to you. But learning without virtue will only do you harm; above all things, therefore, seek the grace of God, and the kingdom of heaven. Let your prayer be, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” Benjamin Francis 1734-1799

... redemption is of the most important and interesting nature. To all true believers, it secures, deliverance from the guilt and dominion of sin, from the curse of the law, and from future condemnation; yea so significant and comprehensive is this term, that it implies the whole work of a sinner's salvation. Micah Thomas 1778-1853

In whom therefore can we boast? Can we boast in anything other than the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ? What does a sinner have to boast in other than the cross of Christ? And as we consider his cross we mean all his sufferings from the beginning of his life to his ascension, through the cross to the right hand of God. William Williams Pantycelyn 1717-1791

... I thank God I am a christian man; and I hold no opinions contrary to the word of God: and if I do, I desire to be reformed out of the word of God, as a Christian man ought to be. Rawlins White c 1485-1555

Teach us the laws of God, is the cry of the Welsh people; deliver us from Satan! ...We are weary of the heavy bondage of the one, and desire the easy yoke of the other. John Penry 1559-1593

I seek not life's ease and pleasures, Earthly riches, pearls nor gold; Give to me a heart made happy, Clean and honest to unfold. Daniel James 1848=1920

When men forget the next world and concentrate only on this life, this world becomes a kind of living hell. Dr D Martyn Lloyd-Jones 1899-1981

Sin is worse than Hell - because it made Hell to be Hell. Christopher Love

It is the end of religion to have God for our portion, who is the Author, fountain, life and substance of all happiness, and the all-sufficient, yea, the only and sufficient support and felicity of our souls. It is God and his Christ, with the Holy Spirit, that is our all in all, the everlasting and overflowing fountain of bliss. It is from this fund of all-sufficiency that we must be supplied with all we want - all grace and mercy, all peace and pardon, all help and wisdom, all our righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Griffith Jones, Llanddowror 1684-1761

A saint is to put forth his faith in prayer, and afterwards follow his prayer with faith. Vavasor Powell 1617-1670

Jesus Christ is without parallel. Neither all the men upon earth nor all the shining myriads of glorified angels in heaven can, in any degree, equal Him who is the great Messiah, the God-man. Daniel Rowland 1711-1790

Onward march all conquering Jesus Gird thee on thy mighty sword Sinful earth can ne’er oppose thee Hell itself quails at the word Even today I hear sweet music Praises of a blood freed throng Full deliverance, glorious freedom Are the themes for endless song? Whiter than the snow their raiment Victor palms they wave on high As they pass with fullest glory Into life’s felicity. William Williams Pantycelyn 1717-1791

I felt great calmness and perfect peace. I had the feelings of a poor man who has just come under the protection of the Royal Family, and has obtained an annual pension for life-the dreadful fear of poverty and want having left his house for ever; I felt the safety and shelter which the little chickens feel under the wings of the hen. This is what it is to abide under the shadow of the Almighty, and to hide under His wings until all dangers are past. Christmas Evans 1766-1838

Though we call God our Father, own Him to be the disposer of all things, and that His word is truth; yet we will not give Him that trust which we give to mortal unfaithful man. Howell Harris 1714-1773

Truth is the most sovereign ingredient for curing the nation and church. Christopher Love 1618-1651

This I firmly believe - that it is not sufficient to make a minister of the gospel, to have a system of wholesome doctrines in the head, except he is led by the Holy Spirit to see and feel the glory of the person of Christ and the excellency of the work accomplished by him for sinners. Thomas Charles 1755-1814

The God of love my shepherd is,  And he that doth me feed: While he is mine, and I am his,  What can I want or need? George Herbert 1593-1633

See him stand among the myrtles, Object worthy of my mind, Though I only partly know him, Over all things, unconfined; Hail that morning, When I see him as he is. Ann Griffiths 1778-1805 (original in Welsh)

The Bread of Life, each there may meet, To feed the body and the mind - A lamp, to light his stumbling feet - A bridle, his loose tongue to bind. Thence milk, to nurse the weakling, flows - Thence manna, hungry souls to feed - Thence wine, to soften human woes, And comfort give, to all that need! An oil that can the pangs assuage Of conscience, and o'er sin prevail - A balsam is the sacred page - An antidote, ne'er known to fail! Ficer Rhys Prichard 1579-1644

Let us endeavour to act in everything for God's glory, not seeking our own interest in any respect or manner whatever. We should aim not only to appear before men as sincere in the Lord's work ... but we should also take care that our principles and motives are pure before God. John Elias 1774-1841

When I have communion with a saint, I must not look so much whether he be of such an opinion, or whether he have taken the covenant, or to have been baptized once or twice or ten times, but see if he have fellowship with the Father, and with Jesus Christ. Walter Cradock 1606-1659