On March 18th, we visit the man who is perhaps the best-known theologian in American history (but who, over two decades before the Revolutionary War, would have considered himself a British theologian).
“Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected.” Jonathan Edwards
It’s day 17 of the march through church history. Today’s quote is from an English theologian who was considered a giant of interpreting the Bible by those who heard them. His influence remains with us to this day:
“When God will have any great matters done, he sets his people’s hearts to work at prayer by a kind of gracious instinct. He stirs them up and moves their hearts by the influence of his Holy Spirit.” Thomas Goodwin
With 2017 being the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, on this 16th day of our march through church history, we will be reading a quote from perhaps Christian history’s best-known reformer:
“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther
The Ides of March has come but it will not go until we visit a devotional writer of the 15th century whose book “Imitation of Christ” is the all-time best selling Christian writing after the Bible.
“At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.” Thomas à Kempis
Our march through church history takes us to the turbulent 14th century (when over 60% of Europe died of the plague in a few short years). The time was also turbulent spiritually as the beginnings of the Reformation were taking shape. Our quote is from an English cleric who sought to give his people handwritten copies of the Bible in English:
“Trust wholly in Christ; rely altogether on His sufferings; beware of seeking to be justified in any other way than by His righteousness. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for salvation. There must be atonement made for sin according to the righteousness of God. The person to make this atonement must be God and man.” John Wycliffe