John Armstrong

“ Thou hast said through Thy prophet Daniel, “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Even our endeavours to save, though unblest to others, bring a blessing unto ourselves. “If thou warn the wicked of his way, to turn from it, if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” ”

“ Thou hast created me; I am a work of Thy hands, a vessel which Thou hast formed. When Thou didst will it, I was created; and when I was created. Thou madest me to be immortal. I am a living soul which Thou hast made; I am Thine; I know that Thou hast respect unto man, though he is “like a thing of nought,” and dost greatly regard the son of man. ”

“ I might well desire to be joined by devout men in my prayers, to be mixed and incorporated with them, to escape standing alone before Thee and feeling my own solitariness, oneness, singleness of my own individual personal life. I might well desire to cast myself among a multitude, that I might be, as it were, a part of a multitude. But yet it is good for me to be alone, to feel that I am one, single, separate, responsible soul, who must in my own self live eternally. ”

“ Thou whom I now adore in faith and worship with my flesh and with my spirit, Thou who art my God, God most glorious, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, blessed for evermore! ”

“ That I may truly serve Thee with a tender conscience, teach me, Christ, to set before my soul what Thou requirest at my hands, to approve myself before Thee as “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.” I must give Thee all my self, all my soul, all my strength, all my faculties, all my understanding, all my thoughts, all my time, all my affections, all my powers of mind and body, that in all ways, and in all things, and at all times, I may preach the Gospel. ”

“ For personal holiness, for personal holiness I do pray. Lord Jesus. if I should cause any single soul to err, if any fault in my example should weaken Thy blessed Gospel preached by me, or make my ministry of none effect to any single soul! if I err, it is not my own soul only that I harm; I can neither hurt myself by myself, nor save myself by myself, for I have the charge of souls. ”

“ Send to me the Holy Ghost the Comforter, to strengthen me with all gifts of grace necessary for my work, that I may have zeal with prudence, fervour with patience, love with boldness, earnestness with humility, aptness to teach, meekness in teaching, contempt of the world, and obedience to the law of the Cross. ”

“ Is it not enough to keep guard over myself? Must I, who need to be fed, feed others? Must I, who need to be ministered unto, be myself ministering? Must I, who can learn so much of so many, be numbered among the teachers of men? ”

“ I have shut the doors of my chamber and entered into my closet, that I might pray unto Thee in secret, for Thou hearest and lovest the secret prayer. No man seeth or heareth me; no man knoweth that I have come to pray ”