J.C. Ryle Quotes

John Charles Ryle was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool.

✵ 10. May 1816 – 10. June 1900
J.C. Ryle photo
J.C. Ryle: 62 quotes11 likes

Famous J.C. Ryle Quotes

J.C. Ryle Quotes about God

“The heart is the part of man which God chiefly notices in religion.”

J.C. Ryle

Mark VII: 1–13, p. 136
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Mark (1857)

J.C. Ryle Quotes about Christ

“Before Christ comes, it is useless to expect to see a perfect Church.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Practical Religion (1878), Ch. XX: "The Great Separation", p. 449

“The love of Christ towards His people is a deep well which has no bottom.”

J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859), Vol. II, Luke XXII: 54–62, p. 438

“The heart that has really tasted the grace of Christ, will instinctively hate sin.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. II, Luke XIX: 1–10, p. 294
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859)

“Nothing is so offensive to Christ as lukewarmness in religion.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. II, Luke XI: 21–26, p. 25
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859)

J.C. Ryle: Trending quotes

“Hell is truth known too late.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: The Upper Room (1888), Ch. XIX: "Thoughts for Young Men"

J.C. Ryle Quotes

“All the sciences in the world never smoothed down a dying pillow. No earthly philosophy ever supplied hope in death.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 530.

“So long as you do not quarrel with sin, you will never be a truly happy man.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 297.

“Assurance of hope is more than life. It is health, strength, power, vigor, activity, energy, manliness, beauty.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 16.

“With all the stir made about education, the ignorance of our own country's history is something lamentable and appalling and depressing.”

J.C. Ryle

"John Hooper: Bishop and Martyr", p. 70
Light from Old Times (1890)

“Let it never surprise true Christians if they are slandered and misrepresented in this world. They must not expect to fare better than their Lord.”

J.C. Ryle

Mark XIV: 53–65, p. 329
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Mark (1857)

“The world's idea of greatness is to rule, but Christian greatness consists in serving.”

J.C. Ryle

Mark IX: 30–37, p. 187
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Mark (1857)

“It must not content us to take our bodies to church if we leave our hearts at home.”

J.C. Ryle

Mark VII: 1–13, p. 136
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Mark (1857)

“Do something, by God's help, to make heaven more full and hell more empty.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Old Paths (1878), Ch. II: "Our Souls", p. 62

“The Bible in the pulpit must never supersede the Bible at home.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots (1877), Ch. 19: "Wants of the Times", p. 381

“[T]he devil has more knowledge than any of us, and yet is no better for it.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. III, John XV: 22–27, p. 123
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. John (1865–1873)

“Ignorance of Scripture is the root of every error in religion, and the source of every heresy.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. I, Preface, p. xiii
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. John (1865–1873)

“We are all naturally self-righteous. It is the family-disease of all the children of Adam.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. II, Luke XVIII: 9–14, p. 259
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859)

“Wealth is no mark of God's favour. Poverty is no mark of God's displeasure.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. II, Luke XVI: 19–31, p. 212
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859)

“The highest form of selfishness is that of the man who is content to go to heaven alone.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. I, Luke VIII: 16–21, p. 257
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859)

“A converted man will not wish to go to heaven alone.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. I, Luke V: 27–32, p. 150
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859)

“However corrupt our hearts, and however wicked our past lives, there is hope for us in the Gospel.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. I, Luke V: 12–16, p. 137
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859)

“Jesus hears us, and in His own good time will give an answer.”

J.C. Ryle

Matthew XV: 21–28, p. 182
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Matthew (1856)

“It is neglect of the Bible which makes so many a prey to the first false teacher whom they hear.”

J.C. Ryle

Matthew VII: 12–20, pp. 68–69
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Matthew (1856)

“Knowledge of the Bible never comes by intuition. It can only be got by hard, regular, daily, attentive, wakeful reading.”

J.C. Ryle

Matthew IV: 1–11, p. 26
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Matthew (1856)

“Take away the cross of Christ, and the Bible is a dark book.”

J.C. Ryle

"What Think You of the Cross?", p. 276
Startling Questions (1853)

“Prayer will consume sin, or sin will choke prayer.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: A Call to Prayer (1867), p. 16

“Let us receive nothing, believe nothing, follow nothing, which is not in the Bible, nor can be proved by the Bible.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Knots Untied (1877), Ch. XVII: "The Fallibility of Ministers", p. 383

“The Lord Jesus is a friend who never changes. There is no fickleness about Him. Those whom He loves, He loves unto the end.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Home Truths (1859), Ch. II: "Do You Want a Friend?", p. 21

“The blood of Christ can cleanse away all sin. But we must "plead guilty" before God can declare us innocent.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Knots Untied (1877), Ch. XII: "Confession", p. 261

“Where no visible fruit can be found, there you may be sure is no conversion.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Old Paths (1878), Ch. XII: "Conversion", p. 335

“There is only one door, one bridge, one ladder, between earth and heaven,—the crucified Son of God.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. III, John XIV: 4–11, p. 60
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. John (1865–1873)

“[T]here is more to be learned at the foot of the cross than anywhere else in the world.”

J.C. Ryle

"What Think You of the Cross?", p. 284
Startling Questions (1853)

“Never let us be guilty of sacrificing any portion of truth upon the altar of peace.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: Knots Untied (1877), Ch. XVII: "The Fallibility of Ministers", p. 373

“Fear puts an end to openness of manner; fear leads to concealment; fear sows the seed of much hypocrisy, and leads to many a lie.”

J.C. Ryle

Source: The Upper Room (1888), Ch. XVI: "The Duties of Parents"

“Laughter, ridicule, opposition, persecution, are often the only reward which Christ's followers get from the world.”

J.C. Ryle

Vol. II, John XII: 20–26, p. 334
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. John (1865–1873)

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