Charles Bridges > Quotes

“It is not easy to overcome our natural love of ease, our indisposition to self-denying devotedness, and our false tenderness in flinching from the declaration of unpalatable truths.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“ignorance is the field, on which the quackery of a political impostor ever reaps its most abundant harvest.”
― Charles Bridges, Proverbs

“Every present opportunity for the soul is worth worlds.”
― Charles Bridges

“He is surely a brute, and not a rational creature, who has swallowed poison, and will rather suffer it to take its course, than admit the necessary relief of medicine, lest he should be obliged to confess his folly, in exposing himself to the need of it.”
― Charles Bridges, Proverbs

“When we are least afraid, we have the most reason to fear.”
― Charles Bridges

“the Divine call to this sacred office will be evidenced by a supply of competent qualifications for its discharge.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“Thus our whole course is a struggle against the mighty current of sin—flowing out of that restless bias of the natural heart, which upon the highest authority is declared to be " enmity against God.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“Earthly wisdom is gained by study; heavenly wisdom by prayer. Study may form a Biblical scholar; prayer puts the heart under a heavenly tutorage, and therefore forms the wise and spiritual Christian. The Word first comes into the ears; then it enters into the heart; there it is safely hid; thence rises the cry, the lifting up of the voice. Thus, “the entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psa 119:130). God keeps the key of the treasure house in His own hand. “For this He will be enquired of”
― Charles Bridges, Proverbs: Selected comments on twenty-two proverbs

“A Pastor'—remarks Bishop Wilson—' should act with the dignity of a man, who acts by the authority of God'—remembering, that while we speak to men, we speak in God's stead.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“The office of "fellow-worker with God"  would have been no mean honour to have conferred upon the archangel nearest the everlasting throne.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high," the wilderness, notwithstanding the most diligent cultivation, must remain a wilderness still.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“Never, indeed, does the poverty of the worldling's portion appear more striking, than when contrasted with the enjoyment of the child of God,”
― Charles Bridges, An Exposition Of Psalm 119

“The school of adversity, of discipline, and of experience, united with study and heavenly influence, can alone give " the tongue of the learned.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“If a young man has capacity; culture and application may make him a scholar, a philosopher, or an orator; but a true Minister must have certain principles, motives, feelings, and aims, which no industry or endeavours of men can either acquire or communicate. They must be given from above, or they cannot be received.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“This sacred office is administered by agents, Divinely-called through the medium of lawful authority, and entrusted with the most responsible and enriching blessing; rendering the highest possible service to their fellow men, because that most nearly connected with the glory of the Saviour.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“How much more afraid are we of others going too far, than of coming short ourselves of the full requisitions of the Scriptural standard!—sometimes preferring intercourse with our brethren of a lower standard, or even with the world, rather than with those, whose Ministry most distinctly bears the mark of the cross!”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“it is but too plain, that we have lost that distinction of "the servants of Christ," which it would have been our honour to have preserved; that our Christian prudence has degenerated into worldly cowardice; and that our conversation with the world has been regulated by the fear of man, fleshly indulgence, and practical unbelief of the most solemn warnings of the Gospel.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“No one attains remarkable eminence or success, without a resolute and habitual self-denial in subordinating every secondary point to the primary object.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“If we cannot attain unity of opinion, “perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment” (1Co 1:10); at least let us cultivate unity of spirit—“Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule; let us mind the same thing” (Phi 3:16).”
― Charles Bridges, Proverbs: Selected comments on twenty-two proverbs

“The direct violation of Christian integrity has a necessary tendency to enfeeble exertion, by diverting our mind from that main object, which should be always directing our whole time and energies, and compared with which every other object is utterly unimportant—the edification and salvation of our people. The voice of conscience and duty speaks with a weaker tone in a worldly atmosphere. The habits of self-indulgence are strengthened, and the exercises of self-denial proportionably diminished in frequency and effectiveness.  ”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“and”
― Charles Bridges, Proverbs: Selected comments on twenty-two proverbs

“In the professing church—this restless enemy works his artful leaven with "all deceivableness of unrighteousness;" covering his spiritual wiles with some new and pleasing doctrines, adapted to the taste of the times; and thus poisoning the bread of life by the adulteration of man's devices.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“But what is this fear of the Lord? It is that affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father’s law. His wrath is so bitter, and his love so sweet; that hence springs an earnest desire to please him, and—because of the danger of coming short from his own weakness and temptations—a holy watchfulness and fear, “that he might not sin against Him” (Heb 12:28, 29).”
― Charles Bridges, Proverbs: Selected comments on twenty-two proverbs

“In the Church he " transforms himself into an angel of light" s— exhibiting either the attractive idol of self-righteousness—or that most inveterate form of antichrist—the dependence on the profession of a pure doctrine.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“The revelations made to the Church—the successive grand events in her history—and, above all—the manifestation of "the glory of God in the Person of Jesus Christ"—furnish even to the heavenly intelligences fresh subjects of adoring contemplation.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“Among all my conquests’ — said the dying emperor Valentinian — ‘there is but one that now comforts me. I have overcome my worst enemy — my own haughty heart.”
― Charles Bridges, Proverbs

“THE Church is the mirror, that reflects the whole effulgence of the Divine character. It is the grand scene, in which the perfections of Jehovah are displayed to the universe.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“It is not enough, that there is no poison in the tongue. It must be healing, not only purified from “corrupt communication,” but “ministering grace unto the hearers.”
― Charles Bridges, Proverbs

“want of Ministerial success is most extensively and mournfully felt. We are sometimes ready to believe, and to complain, that none labour so unfruitfully as ourselves. Men of the world expect their return in some measure proportioned to their labour. Alas! with us, too often, " is our strength labour and sorrow;" and at best attended with a very scanty measure of effect; and we are compelled to realize the awful sight of immortal souls perishing under our very eye; dead to the voice of life and love, and madly listening to the voice that plunges them into perdition!”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry

“ Indeed the difficulties of this work to the considerate conscientious mind must exclude any expectation of temporal ease and comfort. Many other tracks in life offer a large promise of indulgence.   But to this work is most especially linked the daily cross and in it must be anticipated severe and sometimes overwhelming trials—arising from the professing church, the world, the power of Satan, and ourselves.”
― Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry