Death is a passage to another world. It is the gate of glory and everlasting happiness. It is the beginning of all that is good, that is everlastingly and eternally good. Our death is our birthday. Indeed, death is the death of itself; death is the death of death.

—Thomas Brooks

Colossians 3:12-17

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself. He same yesterday, today, and forever.

—John Bunyan

Ecclesiastes 9:4

"A living dog is better than a dead lion."

Life is a precious thing, and in its humblest form it is superior to death. This truth is eminently certain in spiritual things. It is better to be the least in the kingdom of heaven than the greatest out of it. The lowest degree of grace is superior to the noblest development of unregenerate nature. Where the Holy Ghost implants divine life in the soul, there is a precious deposit which none of the refinements of education can equal.

The thief on the cross excels Caesar on his throne; Lazarus among the dogs is better than Cicero among the senators; and the most unlettered Christian is in the sight of God superior to Plato. Life is the badge of nobility in the realm of spiritual things, and men without it are only coarser or finer specimens of the same lifeless material, needing to be quickened, for they are dead in trespasses and sins.

A living, loving, gospel sermon, however unlearned in matter and uncouth in style, is better than the finest discourse devoid of unction and power. A living dog keeps better watch than a dead lion, and is of more service to his master; and so the poorest spiritual preacher is infinitely to be preferred to the exquisite orator who has no wisdom but that of words, no energy but that of sound.

The like holds good of our prayers and other religious exercises; if we are quickened in them by the Holy Spirit, they are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, though we may think them to be worthless things; while our grand performances in which our hearts were absent, like dead lions, are mere carrion in the sight of the living God.

O for living groans, living sighs, living despondencies, rather than lifeless songs and dead calms. Better anything than death. The snarlings of the dog of hell will at least keep us awake, but dead faith and dead profession, what greater curses can a man have? Quicken us, quicken us, O Lord!

—C.H. Spurgeon

The Lord employs no small trials when he tests his people, and not only does he treat them most roughly, but he often presses extreme necessity upon them and leaves them to languish for a very long time before he gives them the taste and savour of his sweetness.

—John Calvin

The door of God's mercy is thrown wide open, and Christ stands in the door and says to sinners, “Come.”

—Jonathan Edwards

Those who have no inkling of Your mercy may be silent and offer You no word of praise, but from the depths of my heart I acknowledge Your mercy.

—Augustine

The calling of all believers, however outwardly different it may appear, is a matter solely of the Lord’s grace.

—Ambrose

He drank for your sake, a cup of unmixed wrath, and only puts into your hand a cup of affliction mixed with many mercies.

—John Newton

There is none like Him; I would not exchange one smile of His lovely face with kingdoms.

—Samuel Rutherford

The worst creature under Heaven, that has not a penny in the world, may be welcome unto God.

—George Whitefield

What is Christ but the love of God wrapt up in flesh and blood?

—John Flavel

Be ashamed when you sin, not when you repent.

—John Chrysostom

Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you.

—J.C Ryle

When we have gifts from God, desire grace to manage them well.

—Richard Sibbes

Christ will never leave you that are his, nor forsake you.

—George Swinnock

Success without the gospel, is nothing but a prosperous conspiracy against Jesus Christ.

—John Owen

You were ungrateful for past mercies; yet God not only continued those mercies, but bestowed unspeakably greater mercies upon you.

—Jonathan Edwards