Status Updates From The Private Memoirs and Con...

“An exaltation of spirit lifted me, as it were, far above the earth, and the. sinful creatures crawling on its surface; and I deemed myself as an eagle among the children of men, soaring on high, and looking down with pity and contempt on the grovelling creatures below.”

“All the powers of darkness, shall never be able to pluck you again out of your Redeemer's hand. And now, be strong and sted-fast in the truth. Set your face against sin, and sinful men, and resist even to blood, as many of the faithful of this land have done, and your reward shall be double. Rejoice and be thankful, for you are plucked as a brand out of the burning, and now your redemption is sealed and sure”

“I can hardly describe the joy that it gave to my heart to see a wicked creature suffering, for though he deserved it not for one thing, he richly deserved it for others.”

“…the truth is, that one lie always pared the way for another, from hour to hour, from day to day, and from year to year; so that I found myself constantly involved in a labyrinth of deceit, from which it was impossible to extricate myself.”

“What was I to do, or what was to become of me?
(…) On the whole, I remember that I got into great confusion relating to my sins and repentances, and knew neither where to begin nor how to proceed, and often had great fears that I was wholly without Christ, and that I would find God a consuming fire to me.”

“There are the keys of your kirk, sir! I have carried them, but they have always been like to burn a hole in my pouch since ever they were turned for your admittance. Give them to wha you will, and muckle gude may he get of them. Old John may die a beggar in a hay barn, or at the back of a dike, but he sall always be master of his own thoughts, and give them vent or no, as he likes.”

"Man's thoughts are vanity, sir; they come unasked, and go away without a dismissal, and he canna help them. (…)”

“Ye canna hinder me to think whatever I like, sir, nor can I hinder myself”

'— A body canna help his thoughts, sir.
— No, but a man's thoughts are generally formed from observation.'

'A body canna help his thoughts, sir.'

“While we are in the world, we must mix with the inhabitants thereof, said he; and the stains which adhere to us by reason of this ixture, which is unavoidable, shall all be washed away. It is our duty however, to shun the society of wicked men as much as possible, est we partake of their sins, and become sharers with them in punishment.”

“…thou who art a worm, and no man in his sight?(…) and how can a being like thee judge between good and evil, that are both subjected to the workings of his hand; or of the opposing principles in the soul of man, correcting, modifying, and refining one another?”

“But O what a wretched state this unregenerated state is in which every effort after righteousness only aggravates our offences! (…) In particular, I felt great indignation against all the wicked of this world, and often wished for the means of ridding it of such a noxious burden.”

“I prayed three times every day, and seven times on the Sabbath; but the more frequently and fervently that I prayed, I sinned still the more.”

“Therefore, in the might of heaven I will sit down and write: I will let the wicked of this world know what I have done in the faith of the promises, and justification by grace, that they may read and tremble, and bless their gods of silver and of gold, that the minister of heaven was removed from their sphere before their blood was mingled with their sacrifices.”

“My life has been a life of trouble and turmoil; of change and vicissirude; of anger and exultation; of sorrow and of vengeance. My sorrows have all been for a slighted gospel, and my vengeance has been wreaked on its adversaries.”

“but yet I know him to be so puffed up with spiritual pride, that I believe he weens every one of his actions justified before God, and instead of having stings of conscience for these, he takes great merit to himself in having effected them.”

“If a demon could inherit flesh and blood, that youth is precisely such a being as I could conceive that demon to be. The depth and the malignity of his eye is hideous. His breath is like the airs from a charnel house, and his flesh seems fading from his bones, as if the worm that never dies were gnawing it away already?”

"We could easily put an end to thy sinful life, but our hands shall be free of thy blood.”

“We have nothing on earth but our senses to depend upon: if these deceive us, what are we to do.”

“My crimes have been great, but my sufferings have been greater.”

“the guilty must not always be suffered to escape, or what a world must we be doomed to live in!”

“It is the controller of Nature alone, that can bring light out of darkness, and order out of confusion.”

'some would despise, but I pity thee. If thou art not a limb of Satan, I never saw one.'