Charles Williams : The New Christian Year

Our critical day is not the very day of our death, but the whole course of our life: I thank him, that prays for me when my bell tolls; but I thank him much more, that catechizes me, or preaches to me, or instructs me how to live.

John Donne: Sermons.

Keep us, Lord, so awake in the duties of our callings that we may sleep in thy peace and wake in thy glory.

John Donne: Sermons.

God compasses us with songs of deliverance, we are sure he would not leave us; but he compasses us with cries too, we are afraid, we are sure, that we may drive him from us.

John Donne: Sermons.

The tree lies as it falls; it is true; but yet it is not the last stroke that fells the tree; nor the last word, nor the last gasp that qualifies the soul.

John Donne: Sermons.

24th Monday after Trinity

The whole life of Christ was a continual passion; others die martyrs, but Christ was born a martyr . . . His birth and his death were but one continual act, and his Christmas-day and his Good Friday are but the evening and morning of the one and the same day.

John Donne: Sermon of Christmas-Day, 1626.

This only is charity, to do all, all that we can.

John Donne: Sermons.

Here is the root then, the love of the Father, and the tree, the merit of the Son; except there be fruit too, love in us, to them again, both root and tree will wither in us, howsoever they grew in God.

John Donne: Sermons.

The Feast of St. Jude

In the Christian Church He hath given us means to be better to-day than yesterday, and to-morrow than to-day.  That grace which God offers us in the Church does not only fill that capacity which we have; but gives us a greater capacity than we had: and it is an abuse of God's grace not to improve it, or not to procure such further grace as that present grace makes us capable of.

John Donne: Sermons.

18th Thursday after Trinity

As I do no good action here, merely for the interpretation of good men, though that be one good and justifiable reason of my good actions: so I must do nothing for my salvation hereafter, merely for the love I bear to mine own soul, though that also be one good and justifiable reason of that action; but the primary reason in both, as well as the actions that establish a good name, as the actions that establish eternal life, must be the glory of God.

John Donne: Sermons.

Love is as strong as death; but nothing else is as strong either; and both, love and death, met in Christ.  How strong and powerful upon you then should that instruction be, that comes to you from both these, the love and death of Christ Jesus!

John Donne: Sermons.