On Church Membership — Jonathan Leeman

“Just as the Bible establishes the government of your nation as your highest authority on earth when it comes to your citizenship in that nation, so the Bible establishes the local church as your highest authority on earth when it comes to your discipleship to Christ and your citizenship in Christ’s present and promised nation.”

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Jonathan Leeman, Church Membership

Unwavering Witness — B. B. Warfield

“May God grant that in times like these, when men will not endure the sound doctrine, we may be enabled by his grace to bear unwavering witness to the glory of the Lord God Almighty, who ‘hath made everything for its own purpose, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.’ ”

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Benjamin B. Warfield, "Incarnate Truth" in Princeton Sermons

On Total Depravity — Albert Martin

"If your attachment to Christ is not begun on the bass note reverberating through your breast that you are a vile, filthy, helpless, Hell-deserving, wretched son or daughter of Adam, you know nothing of true repentance and therefore of true and saving faith."

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Albert Martin, Sermon "Warning to Professing Christians"

Taste and See — John Calvin

“Let it then be noticed, that Peter connects an access to God with the taste of his goodness. For as the human mind necessarily dreads and shuns God, as long as it regards him as rigid and severe; so, as soon as he makes known his paternal love to the faithful, it immediately follows that they disregard all things and even forget themselves and hasten to him. In short, he only makes progress in the Gospel, who in heart comes to God.”

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John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles

Yielding to Grace: An Illustration — John Piper

“When I lost my footing as a little boy in the undertow at Daytona Beach, I felt as if I were going to be dragged to the middle of the ocean in an instant. It was a terrifying thing. I tried to get my bearings and figure out which way was up. But I couldn’t get my feet on the ground and the current was too strong to swim. I wasn’t a good swimmer any way. In my panic I thought of only one thing: Could someone help me? But I couldn’t even call out from under the water. When I felt my father’s hand take hold of my upper arm like a mighty vice grip, it was the sweetest feeling in the world. I yielded entirely to being overpowered by his strength. I reveled in being picked up at his will. I did not resist. The thought did not enter my mind that I should try to show that things aren’t so bad; or that I should add my strength to my Dad’s arm. All I thought was, Yes! I need you! I thank you! I love your strength! I love your initiative! I love your grip! You are great! In that spirit of yielded affection one cannot boast. I call that yielded affection “faith.” And my father was the embodiment of the future grace that I craved under the water. This is the faith that magnifies grace.”

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John Piper, Future Grace

On Feeding the Flock — C. H. Spurgeon

“Everybody knows that large flocks of pigeons assemble at the stroke of the great clock in the square of St. Mark: believe me, it is not the music of the bell which attracts them, they can hear that every hour. They come, Mr. Preacher, for food, and no mere sound will long collect them. This is a hint for filling your meeting-house; it must be done not merely by that fine, bell-like voice of yours, but by all the neighbourhood’s being assured that spiritual food is to be had when you open your mouth. Barley for pigeons, good sir; and the gospel for men and women. Try it in earnest and you cannot fail; you will soon be saying, ‘Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their windows?’ ”

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Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Feathers for Arrows

Not to Quench the Smoking Flax — Richard Sibbes

“Man for a little smoke will quench the light; Christ ever we see cherisheth even the least beginnings. How bare he with the many imperfections of his poor disciples. If he did sharply check them, it was in love, and that they might shine the brighter. Can we have a better pattern to follow than this of him by whom we hope to be saved?”

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Richard Sibbes, The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes, Vol. 1