#jcryle

The world will let a man go to hell quietly and never try to stop him. The world will never let a man go heaven quietly; they will do all they can to turn him back.

Once sin is allowed to settle in your heart, it will not be turned out at your bidding. Custom becomes second nature, and its chains are not easily broken. The prophet has well said, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil" (Jeremiah 13:23). Habits are like stones rolling down hill--the further they roll, the faster and more ungovernable is their course. Habits, like trees, are strengthened by age. A boy may bend an oak when it is a sapling--a hundred men cannot root it up, when it is a full grown tree. A child can wade over the Thames River at its fountain-head--the largest ship in the world can float in it when it gets near the sea. So it is with habits: the older the stronger--the longer they have held possession, the harder they will be to cast out.

Extracto del libro "El Señor de las olas" (J. C. Ryle, 1816-1900)

En esta época se lee mucho. Se publican muchos libros, aunque muy pocos de ellos son realmente provechosos. Parece haber una pasión por la literatura barata. Abundan los periódicos de todo tipo, y el tono de algunos de los de mayor circulación muestra el mal gusto de esta época. En medio del peligroso diluvio de lecturas peligrosas, yo defiendo el libro de mi Señor, y te insto a no olvidar el libro del alma. No dejes que los periódicos, las novelas y las lecturas románticas dominen tus horas de lecturas mientras los profetas y apóstoles yacen olvidados. No dejes que lo excitante y licencioso acapare tu atención, mientras que lo que edifica y santifica no encuentra lugar en tu mente.

A small leak will sink a great ship, and a small spark will kindle a great fire, and a little allowed sin in like manner will ruin an immortal soul. Take my advice, and never spare a little sin.