365 Quotations from Welsh Christians

I once lived by the ocean near a harbour protected by a great wall. One winter a storm no one ever forgot struck. By morning the wall was gone, yet the cliffs beside the harbour - battered for three days and night - stood unmoved. We give in under temptation; He never did. He faced evil with an intensity none of us has known and did not budge. When the worst comes, He understands. Stuart Olyott

There are only three passages in the Bible which declare what God is although there are thousands which speak about Him. God is a Spirit God is Light and God is Love. Thomas Rhys Davies 1790-1859

Grace ... The word in its proper import, signifies free, unobliged, undeserved favour: and hence, when we speak of the salvation of God's people, we consistently say, that they are saved by sovereign grace: for Jehovah the fountain of grace, is above all obligation to his creatures, and so is infinitely above any direction, influence and control from them in any thing that he perform. Micah Thomas 1778-1853

The greatest difference (that I know) in all the Book of God, between Saints and Sinners is, that the one hath the Spirit, and the other hath not. The spirit is all in all in religion. Walter Cradock,

It is the great duty of all Christians to put off anger. It unfits for duty… A man cannot wrestle with God and wrangle with his neighbor at the same time. Short sins often cost us long and sad sorrows. Philip Henry 1630-1696

The door of heaven shuts from below and not from above. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God. William Williams of Wern 1781-1840

Amidst the great variety of distinguishing privileges with which our happy land hath long been indulged, there is no one of equal value with that of a gospel ministry. Other blessings relate to the body and time only; the gospel and the ministry of it, to the soul and eternity Hugh Evans 1712-1781

Far before time, beyond creation's dawn, Before the sun and moon and stars were born, Salvation's way for sinners lost, undone Was counselled forth by God the Three in One. A store of grace unlimited was laid In Jesus Christ before the seas were made; And precious cov'nant mercies did abound In floods of blessing all the world around. The trumpet sounds the note of glad release On Calvary, by God's atoning grace: Glad hymns of praise in every tongue shall be For Jesu's blood and death that set us free. (from the Welsh original) Peter Jones, 1775-1845

The architect can rear a cathedral, the sculptor can cut forms of symmetry and grace from marble, the painter can depict life on his canvas ... but not one of them can create. They work with materials already in existence. They bring existing things into new combinations, this is all. God alone can create. David Thomas 1813-1894

I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand; Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more; William Williams Pantycelyn 1717-1791

Every believer must test all teachers to-day, for himself, by the Word of God, and their attitude to the atoning Cross of Christ, and other fundamental truths of the gospel, and not be misled into testing "teaching" by the character of the teacher. Good men can be deceived, and Satan needs good men to float his lies under the guise of truth. Jessie Penn-Lewis 1861-1927

We are here in the furnace, but after we have suffered a little we shall come out purified. Thomas Charles 1755-1814

People can never be helped too much and too often to repentance. Howell Harris 1714-1773

Brief (of small account) for the fearful and foolish soul is the Pope's pardon from hot purgatory. When God condemns to the pains of the black furnace, who is the man that can pardon? The best of pardons, I know, has been gained, the blood of the Lamb to save the soul. Let us rejoice, for there is sufficient cause; our happiness endures through the night and day: grace is given to every man that believes, and the words of God are published openly. John Penry 1559-1593

When the Spirit makes thin the canvas we see that the universe is a creation, That the worker, because he is a child of God, is a person, And we see The Christ rising from his Cross and Grave like the glory of The sun in the ailing snow to light up the seventh Heaven. David James Jones (Gwenallt) 1899-1968

Mystical experiences do not necessarily supply new ideas to the mind, rather, they transform what one believes into what one knows, converting abstract concepts, such as divine love, into vivid, personal, realities. R M Jones 1929-2017

And has the last great day arrived? Is that the sound of trumpet loud? It shakes the world - all graves deprived, Awak'ning those by earth's dust held; The great depths too they give up all, All those who died their graves have flown, Fearing the Judge of this world's call, Stood before his great white throne. (from the Welsh original) Dafydd Owen 1784-1841

When a man is speaking to God, he is at his very acme. It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s true spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life. Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer. Dr D Martyn Lloyd-Jones 1899-1981

Then the Lord had ended the work of creation, He rested, and the Sabbath began; so when the Lord hath finished the work of converting all His people, then the eternal rest and reign of His saints will begin. Vavasor Powell 1617-1670

We can never trust too little in man, nor too much in God. I am convinced of this by daily experience. Our main point and study should be to keep close to God in daily communion; and he will take care of us and of all that belong to us. Has he given his Son to die for us; and will he not take care of us the few days we are on our journey to our Father's house?  Thomas Charles 1755-1814

It is true that conscience is essentially the power which sets a man in God's presence. But eating and abstaining from eating are things indifferent. God condemns neither the one nor the other. If conscience condemns either, it places the man before a phantom tribunal, not before the living God. Thomas Charles Edwards 1837-1900

Whoe'er, of any sex or age, To heav'n above would learn the way, His guide must be the sacred Page -  Or else he needs must go astray. ... Take thou the lantern of thy God, To light thy falt'ring steps along, - Tread the strait path thy Saviour trod, Thou soon shalt be, the saints among. Rhys Prichard 1579-1644

It is very much easier to work than to pray .... are we all that we should be in the matter of prayer? Let us not suppose that just any sort of praying will do ... We must all wrestle with God. 'I will not let Thee go unless Thou bless China.' It must come to this if the conversion of the Chinese is ever to be an accomplished fact. Such is my conviction. Let me remind you that the greatest importunity is not incompatible with the profoundest submission to the Divine will. Griffith John 1831-1912

Consider how God's mercy is renewed unto thee every morning, in giving thee, as it were, a new life, and in causing the sun, after his incessant race, to rise again to give thee light. Let not, then, this glorious light burn in vain; but ... give God thanks and kneeling down at thy bedside, salute him at the day-spring with ... humble confession of thy sins, seeking the pardon of all thy faults, a thanksgiving for all his benefits, and a craving of his gracious protection to his church, thyself, and all that belong to thee. Lewis Bayly 1575-1631

Thanks to you, the Almighty God, For the holy gospel. Hallelujah, Amen. When we were in the prison, dark and black, You gave a heavenly light Hallelujah, Amen. O go, O go, beautiful dawn abroad, Light of all the earth around. Hallelujah, Amen. (from the Welsh original) David Charles 1762-1834

Faith hears the truth of the gospel, believes it and then acts upon it. Peter Jeffery 1937-2017

God the Father ... desired men's salvation with such ardency, that he sent his only-begotten Son to bestow everlasting life on those who perseveringly believe in him; so far was he from sending him to condemn them, as he had reason to fear. John 3:16 is one of those bright and heart-affecting passages in the gospel, which shines too strong to admit the least attempt at illustration in a commentator. Reader! may your soul and mine feel and experience its energy now and for ever! Thomas Coke 1747-1814

My food and drink was praising my God. A fire was kindled in my soul and I was clothed with power, and made altogether dead of earthly things. I could have spoken to the King were he within my reach – such power and authority did I feel in my soul over every spirit. I lifted up my voice with authority, and fear and terror would be seen on all faces. Howell Harris 1714-1773

Christ is making intercession on our behalf without us, and independently of us.  But the Holy Spirit is making intercession through us - pleading in our prayers “with groanings that cannot be uttered.”  He never acts without us.  True repentance and faith are his gifts, but they are also our exercises.  He draws us to Christ, but we must yield to his attractions.  He inspires us to pray, but the act of prayer is our own.  He “worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure,” but he does not will and do for us.  He gives us the life and the power, but he requires us to use them.  Christmas Evans 1766-1838

I have no more to say by way of evidence of my acceptance with God than I have always stated. I die as a poor sinner depending fully and entirely on the merits of a crucified Saviour for my acceptance with God. Daniel Rowland 1711-1790

Ah! if we had stood at the foot of the Cross, and watched the tremendous payment of our redemption with the precious blood of Christ, - if we had seen that awful price told out, drop by drop, from His own dear patient brow and torn hands and feet, till it was ALL paid, and the central word of eternity was uttered, ‘It is finished!’ should we not have been ready to say, ‘Not a mite will I withhold!’ Frances Ridley Havergal 1836-1879

Father, I know that all my life Is portioned out for me, And the changes that are sure to come, I do not fear to see; But I ask Thee for a present mind Intent on pleasing Thee. Anna Laetitia Waring 1820-1910

Who goes to bed and does not pray, Maketh two nights to every day. George Herbert 1593-1633

I see more need than ever to spend my remaining days in giving myself up daily and continually, body and soul, into the care of him who ‘is able to keep that which is given unto him against that day’. Not to give myself once, but to live constantly giving myself, right up to and in the moment when I put away this tabernacle. Ann Griffiths  1778-1805 (original in Welsh)