J.C. Ryle Quotes

Let us never be ashamed, in a day of abounding heresy, to contend earnestly for the Godhead and personality of the Holy Spirit, and the reality of His work on souls. Just as we clasp to our hearts the doctrine of the Trinity, and the proper Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, as great foundation verities of the gospel, so let us grasp tightly the truth about God the Holy Spirit. Let us ever give Him in our religion the place and dignity which Scripture assigns to Him.

~ J.C. Ryle

The Upper Room, “Victory”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1970], 140.

No Holy Spirit in you—no part in Christ! No part in Christ—no forgiveness of sins! No forgiveness of sins—no peace with God! No peace with God—no title to heaven! No title to heaven—no admission into heaven! No admission into heaven—and what then? Yes—what then? You may well ask. Where will you flee? Which way will you turn? To what refuge will you run? There is none at all. There remains nothing but hell. Not admitted into heaven–you must sink at last into hell.

~ J.C. Ryle

Old Paths, “Having the Spirit”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1999], 294.

The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit arises from the total corruption of human nature. We are all by nature “dead in sins.” (Eph. 2:1) However shrewd, clever and wise in the things of this world, we are all dead towards God. The eyes of our understanding are blinded. We see nothing correctly. Our wills, affections and inclinations are alienated from Him who made us. “The carnal mind is enmity against God.” (Rom. 8:7) We have naturally neither faith, nor fear, nor love, nor holiness. In short, left to ourselves, we would never be saved.

~ J.C. Ryle

Old Paths, “The Holy Spirit”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1999], 271.

“The ways by which the Holy Ghost leads men and women to Christ are wonderful and mysterious: He is often beginning in a heart a work which shall stand to eternity, when a looker-on observes nothing remarkable. In every work there must be a beginning, and in spiritual work that beginning is often very small.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Day by Day with J.C. Ryle, “Salvation”, [Ross-shire, UK: Christian Focus, 2004], 257.

“Be filled with the Spirit. Seek to be more and more under His blessed influence. Strive to have every thought, word, action, and habit brought under the obedience to the leading of the Holy Ghost. Grieve Him not by inconsistencies and conformity to the world. Quench Him not by trifling with little infirmities and small besetting sins. Seek rather to have Him ruling and reigning more completely over you every week that you live.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Old Paths, “The Holy Ghost”, 289.