The signs of an apostle were abundantly manifested in the case of St. Paul. Some of these signs were outward and visible; the wonders which he wrought and the labours which he fulfilled were evidences to many of his high calling. There were other signs which were rather internal, revealed in his own spiritual nature and life. These were precious to himself, whether they were recognized or not by others.

I. THE ANOINTING OF THE SPIRIT.

1. This rite received a significance from its employment under the old covenant in the designation of the prophet, the priest, and the king.

2. This significance is enhanced by the application to the Son of God of the official appellation, the Christ, i.e. the anointed One, the Being consecrated and commissioned by the Eternal.

3. The anointing claimed by the apostle is the qualification, by a supernatural and spiritual power, for holy and responsible office.

II. THE SEALING OF THE SPIRIT.

1. By this sealing the apostle was stamped with the mark which was the sign of Divine property in him.

2. And he was thus inwardly and graciously authenticated as the Lord's messenger to men. By the seal we understand the mark set upon the moral nature, the character, indicating Divine possession and Divine authority.

III. THE EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT. The other operations of the Holy Ghost relate to this present state; this refers to the future.

1. The Spirit within the heart is the earnest of a fuller indwelling; they who receive the Spirit are assured that they shall he "filled with the Spirit."

2. The earnest of a clearer revelation. The light shall brighten until the dawn shall be succeeded by the splendour of noonday.

3. The earnest of a richer, purer joy. The measure in which gladness is experienced in the present is a foretaste of the joy which is unspeakable and full of glory.

4. The earnest of an eternal inheritance. They who are possessed by the Spirit and pervaded by his gracious influences have within them both an anticipation of heaven and a preparation for heaven. To whom the Lord gives the pledge, he will give the redemption; to whom he gives the promise, he will give the glorious fulfilment and the eternal possession. - T.

I. THE CHRISTIAN NEEDS NOT ONLY CONVERTING BUT ESTABLISHING GRACE. He that hath begun any good work in us must perfect it. The weakest with this grace will stand, and the strongest without it will fall.

1. The life of a Christian is a perpetual dependent life. He not only lives by faith in his first conversion, but ever after. He depends upon God for protection and strength throughout his whole course.

2. A Christian, then, should set upon nothing in his own strength (1 Samuel 2:9). God is all our sufficiency (Proverbs 3:6). What do we but make ourselves gods, when we set upon business without invocation and dependence?

3. Let God, therefore, have all the glory of our establishing, and depend on Him by prayer for the same. As all comes of His mere grace, so let all return to His mere glory (Psalm 115:1).

II. BY WHAT MEANS MAY A CHRISTIAN OBTAIN THIS STABLISHING GRACE? Labour for fundamental graces. If the root be strengthened, the tree will stand fast.

1. Humiliation. The foundation of religion is very low. Every grace hath a mixture of humility, because they are all dependencies on God.

2. Dependence upon God, considering our own insufficiency.

3. Beg it earnestly of God. Our strength in Him is altogether by prayer. Bind Him, therefore, with His own promise; beseech Him to do unto thee according to His good word.

(R. Sibbes, D. D.)

I. THE NATURAL CHARACTER OF MAN WITH REGARD TO STABILITY, AS DRAWN FOR US IN THE SCRIPTURES. If you look throughout the Scriptures, you will find instability stamped upon it. The instability of the natural man easily discovers itself. His understanding is not capable of comprehending the things of God; the natural affections of men will not embrace the things of God. It follows, then, very obviously that, while neither the understanding nor the affections take hold of the things of God, men may put on religion for a time, but the corruption of their vitiated nature soon breaks out, and they put off the form of godliness with as much indifference as they put it on. Thus did Saul, who seeks the Lord in his difficulties, but when he receives no answer he turns aside to enchantments. But while man is thus unsteady in the pursuit of that which is good, how determined is he in an evil course, even when the pursuit of it brings labour and toil, he makes light of the difficulty, and presses forward (Isaiah 57:10). Yet even in doing evil, man's fickleness betrays itself. As the sick man soon loathes one kind of drink, and calls for another, or when his symptoms are more aggravated, desires to be shifted from one couch to another, so the men of this world continually affect endless variety in their gratifications, finding no rest or satisfaction in any one of them. Let not any, therefore, who is stricken with a sense of his own shameful instability in everything good, draw back from closing with the terms of the gospel, and laying bald of the immovable rock of ages. It was for such Christ died, and such being transformed by the renewing of their mind He at last fixes in the firmament of eternal glory.

II. WHAT MEANS GOD HAS TAKEN TO CORRECT THE NATURAL CHARACTER OF MAN. He has ordained His own Son as the ground and pillar of a building which shall be immovable for ever. But when a man has closed with the Saviour, is he henceforth delivered from all tendency to the fickleness? Not so. Too speedily is he tempted to break his engagement with Him. The operation of the third person in the Godhead is necessary that the goodwill of God towards His people be not defeated. As the jeweller sets the precious diamonds to secure them, even so God by His Holy Spirit secures those who believe by firmly engrafting them into Christ. This operation of the Spirit is expressed in the text in three forms of speech. The first figure is that of anointing. Now the first communications of the Spirit, sweet and fragrant as they are known to be, are well represented by the pouring out of ointment'; but as its sweet savour wastes after a time, another figure is employed to represent His continual influence, to show that the savour of this ointment is not lost — that of sealing (1 John 2:27). There is something to express sweetness; there is something, moreover, to express perpetuity. It may be that your sweet experiences, which you felt, when first you were joined to the Lord, are greatly decayed; but God has given you something more fixed, He is sealing you with His Holy Spirit, and making more abiding impressions upon your souls. The visible impressions of holiness which are discernible in the servants of Christ, and more especially after a season of trial, when after having suffered for a while, they are established, strengthened, settled (1 Peter 5:10), are the broad seal by which they are known to be His. The apostle speaks here of another, a privy seal, "And hath given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (ver. 22). This is the inward testimony and pledge in the heart by which the children of God know that they have been adopted into His family.

III. WHAT SHOULD BE THE RESULT OF THE APPLICATION OF THESE MEANS? If God's purpose of love to us in Christ be so immovably fixed, and so continually testified by the gifts of the anointing, sealing Spirit, the earnest of our inheritance, there ought to be a corresponding purpose of heart on our part to cleave to Him, there should be no halting between two opinions, no lukewarmness, but an entireness of devotion to Him (Colossians 2:6, 7; Hebrews 13:9). Whatsoever labours at love you are engaged in turn not back, break not off from them lightly.

(H. Verschoyle.)

Notice —

I. THE DEEP SOURCE OF CHRISTIAN STEADFASTNESS. "Anointing" is the means of "establishing" — i.e., God confers steadfastness by bestowing the unction of His Spirit.

1. Notice how deep Paul digs in order to get a foundation for this common virtue.(1) From beginning to end of Scripture "anointing" is the symbol of the communication of the Spirit. Note the felicity of the emblem. Oil smoothes the surface, supples the limbs, is nutritive and illuminating, and is thus an appropriate emblem of the secret, silent, quickening, nourishing, enlightening influences of the Spirit.(2) And inasmuch as here this oil of the Divine Spirit is the true basis of Christian steadfastness, the anointing cannot be consecration to apostolic or other office, but must be the possession of all Christians. "Ye," says John, speaking to the whole democracy of the Christian Church, "have an unction from the Holy One."

2. This anointing is derived from, and parallel with, Christ's anointing. The "Christ" is the Anointed One. "He that establisheth us with you in the Anointed, and hath anointed us, is God." Does not this mean, "Each of you, if you are a Christian, is a Christ"? You, too, are God's Messiahs. On you the same Spirit rests in a measure which dwelt without measure in Him, and consequently you are bound to a prolongation of part of His function. Christians are prophets to make God known to men, priests to offer up spiritual sacrifices, and kings over themselves, and over a world which serves those that love God.

3. It is plain, therefore, how this Divine unction lies at the root of steadfastness. We talk a great deal about the gentleness of Christ; but we do not sufficiently mark the masculine features of the Christ who "steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem," and was followed by that wondering group, astonished at the rigidity of purpose that was stamped on His features. That Christ gives us His Spirit to make us inflexible in the pursuit of all that is lovely and of good report, like Himself. We are all too like aneroid barometers, that go up and down with every variation of a foot or two in the level; but if we have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us it will cut the bonds that bind us to the world, and give us a deeper love. The possession of the Spirit sets a man on an isolating stool, and all the currents that move round about him are powerless to reach him, If we have that Spirit within us, it will give us an experience of the certitude and the sweetness of Christ's gospel, which will make it impossible to "cast away the confidence which has" such "recompense of reward." When storms are raging they lash light articles on deck to holdfasts. Let us lash ourselves to the abiding Christ, and we, too, shall abide.

II. THE AIM OR PURPOSE OF THIS CHRISTIAN STEADFASTNESS. "He stablisheth us with you" into or "unto Christ." Our steadfastness, made possible by our possession of the Spirit, is steadfastness —

1. In our relation to Jesus Christ. What Paul here means is —(1) A fixed conviction of the truth that He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, and my Saviour.(2) In regard to Christ of our trust and love. He loves ever; we therefore should be steadfast in our answering love to Him.(3) Habitual obedience, which is always ready to do His will. So we answer Him "Yea!" with our "Amen!" and having an unchanging Christ to rest upon, rest upon Him unchanging. "Be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."

2. Such steadfastness has for its result a deeper penetration into Christ and a fuller possession of Him. The only way by which we can grow nearer to our Lord is by steadfastly keeping beside Him. You cannot get the spirit of a landscape unless you sit down and gaze, and let it soak into you. You cannot get to know a man until you live with him. "As the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in Me."

III. THE VERY HUMBLE AND COMMONPLACE SPHERE IN WHICH THE CHRISTIAN STEADFASTNESS MANIFESTS ITSELF. It was nothing of more importance than that Paul had said he was going to Corinth and did not, on which he brings all this array of great principles to bear. The highest gifts of God's grace and the greatest truths of God's Word are meant to regulate the tiniest things in our daily life. It is no degradation to the lightning to have to carry messages. It is no profanation of the sun to gather its rays into a burning-glass to light a kitchen fire with. And it is no unworthy use of the Divine Spirit to say it will keep a man from precipitate decisions as to little things in life, and from changing about without a sufficient reason. If your religion does not influence the trifles, what is it going to influence? Our life is made up of trifles. If your religion does not influence the little things, it will never influence the big ones. "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much."

2. And you can do no good in the world without steadfastness. Unless a man can hold his own, and turn an obstinate negative to temptation, he will never come to any good at all, either in this life or in the next, and there is only one infallible way of doing it, and that is to let the "strong Son of God" live in you, and in Him to find your strength for resistance, for obedience, for submission.

(A. Maclaren, D. D.)

Messiah signifies "anointed." Our nature is enriched in Christ with all graces. "He is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows" that we might have a spring of grace in our own nature, for "of His fulness we receive grace for grace."

I. WHAT ARE THOSE GRACES WHICH WE RECEIVE FROM CHRIST'S FULNESS?

1. The grace of favour and acceptance; for the same love that God bears to Christ, He bears to all His, though not in so high a degree.

2. The grace of sanctification, answerable to the grace of sanctification in Him.

3. The rich privileges and prerogatives that issue to persons sanctified.

II. WHY IS IT CALLED HERE AN ANOINTING? Because, as the holy anointing (Exodus 30:31-33), was not to be applied to profane uses, so neither are the graces of the Spirit to be under-valued.

III. WHAT ARE THE VIRTUES OF THIS OINTMENT?

1. It hath a cherishing power; it revives the drooping soul, and cheers a fainting spirit.

2. It hath a strengthening power. It makes our limbs vigorous. So doth grace fortify the soul.

3. Ointment doth excellently delight and refresh our spirits (John 12:3). So grace is a wondrous sweet thing, and that which makes a man sweet is grace. This cures our spiritual distempers, beautifying the inner man, and making the whole frame of a Christian's carriage sweet and delectable —(1) To God, who loves the scent of His own grace, wheresoever He finds it.(2) To angels (Luke 15:10).(3) To the Church. So far as a man is gracious, he improves his abilities to glorious uses. Grace is offensive to none but to wicked men.

4. An ointment consecrates persons to holy uses. Anointed persons are raised above the ordinary rank. The graces of God's Spirit elevate men above the condition of others with whom they live. (Psalm 105:15).

5. An ointment is a royal liquor. So the graces of God's Spirit, where they are, will be uppermost, they will guide and govern all.

(R. Sibbes, D. D.)

Corinthians, Paul, Silas, Silvanus, Timotheus, TimothyAchaia, Asia, Corinth, Judea, MacedoniaAnoint, Anointed, Christ, Commissioned, Confirming, Establishes, Establisheth, Faith, Firm, Grace, Makes, Making, Stablisheth, Stand, Stedfast, Strong, Union1. Paul salutes the Corinthians;
3. he encourages them against troubles,
5. by the comforts and deliverances which God had given him,
8. so particularly in his late danger in Asia.
12. And calling both his own conscience and theirs,
15. he excuses his not coming to them, as proceeding not of lightness,
23. but of his care for them.

2 Corinthians 1:21

     5184   standing
     8215   confidence, results

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

     5329   guarantee

2 Corinthians 1:19-22

     1613   Scripture, purpose

2 Corinthians 1:20-22

     1035   God, faithfulness
     8214   confidence, basis of

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

     1170   God, unity of
     1513   Trinity, mission of
     3120   Holy Spirit, descriptions
     3203   Holy Spirit, and assurance
     3239   Holy Spirit, anointing
     3278   Holy Spirit, indwelling
     3287   Holy Spirit, sealing of
     5518   seal
     6704   peace, divine NT
     6746   sanctification, means and results
     7304   anointing
     7336   circumcision, spiritual
     8112   certainty
     8459   perseverance

June the Eighteenth the Benefitted as Benefactors
"Who comforteth us ... that we may be able to comfort." --2 CORINTHIANS i. 3-7. And how does the Lord comfort us? He has a thousand different ways, and no one can ever tell by what way the comfort will come to his soul. Sometimes it comes by the door of memory, and sometimes by the door of hope. Sometimes it is borne to us through the ministry of nature, and at other times through the ministry of human speech and kindness. But always, I think, it brings us the sense of a Presence, as though we …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Corinthians. God's Yea; Man's Amen
'For how many soever be the promises of God, in Him is the yea: wherefore also through Him is the Amen.'--2 COR. i. 20 (R.V.). This is one of the many passages the force and beauty of which are, for the first time, brought within the reach of an English reader by the alterations in the Revised Version. These are partly dependent upon the reading of the text and partly upon the translation. As the words stand in the Authorised Version, 'yea' and 'amen' seem to be very nearly synonymous expressions, …
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Anointed and Stablished
'Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.'--2 COR. i. 21. The connection in which these words occur is a remarkable illustration of the Apostle's habit of looking at the most trivial things in the light of the highest truths. He had been obliged, as the context informs us, to abandon an intended visit to Corinth. The miserable crew of antagonists, who yelped at his heels all his life, seized this change of purpose as the occasion for a double-barrelled charge. …
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Seal and Earnest
'Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.'--2 COR. i. 23. There are three strong metaphors in this and the preceding verse--'anointing,' 'sealing,' and 'giving the earnest'--all of which find their reality in the same divine act. These three metaphors all refer to the same subject, and what that subject is is sufficiently explained in the last of them. The 'earnest' consists of 'the Spirit in our hearts,' and the same explanation might have been appended to both …
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Consolation Proportionate to Spiritual Sufferings
There are four things in my text to which I invite your attention: the first is the sufferings to be expected--"The sufferings of Christ abound in us;" secondly, the distinction to be noticed--they are the sufferings of Christ; thirdly, a proportion to be experienced--as the sufferings of Christ abound, so our consolations abound; and fourthly, the person to be honored--"So our consolation aboundeth by CHRIST." I. Our first division then is, THE SUFFERINGS TO BE EXCPECTED. Our holy Apostle says "The …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

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"Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us."--2 Corinthians 1:10. WHEN children are learning their grammar, they have to pay particular attention to the tenses of the verbs; and it is important for Christians also to remember their tenses,--to recollect the past, the present, and the future. Our text brings all three very vividly before us, and reminds us that God hath delivered, doth deliver, and will yet deliver. First, let us think for …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 47: 1901

Eighth Day for the Spirit on all Christian Workers
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit on all Christian Workers "Ye also helping together on our behalf; that for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many on our behalf."--2 COR. i. 11. What multitudes of workers in connection with our churches and missions, our railways and postmen, our soldiers and sailors, our young men and young women, our fallen men and women, our poor and sick. God be praised for this! What could they accomplish if each were living in the fulness of …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

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1 Tim. i. 5.--"Now the end of the commandment," &c. We come now, as was proposed, to observe, Thirdly,(474) That faith unfeigned is the only thing which gives the answer of a good conscience towards God. Conscience, in general, is nothing else but a practical knowledge of the rule a man should walk by, and of himself in reference to that rule. It is the laying down a man's state, and condition, and actions beside the rule of God's word, or the principles of nature's light. It is the chief piece …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

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I bless Thee, O Heavenly Father, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for that Thou hast vouchsafed to think of me, poor that I am. O, Father of Mercies and God of all comfort,(1) I give thanks unto Thee, who refreshest me sometimes with thine own comfort, when I am unworthy of any comfort. I bless and glorify Thee continually, with thine only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, for ever and ever. O Lord God, Holy lover of my soul, when Thou shalt come into my heart, all my inward parts …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

St. Malachy's Apostolic Labours, Praises and Miracles.
[Sidenote: 1140, October] 42. (23). Malachy embarked in a ship, and after a prosperous voyage landed at his monastery of Bangor,[576] so that his first sons might receive the first benefit.[577] In what state of mind do you suppose they were when they received their father--and such a father--in good health from so long a journey? No wonder if their whole heart gave itself over to joy at his return, when swift rumour soon brought incredible gladness even to the tribes[578] outside round about them. …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

Seventh Day for the Power of the Holy Spirit on Ministers
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Power of the Holy Spirit on Ministers "I beseech you that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me."--ROM. xv. 30. "He will deliver us; ye also helping together by your supplication on our behalf."--2 COR. i. 10, 11. What a great host of ministers there are in Christ's Church. What need they have of prayer. What a power they might be, if they were all clothed with the power of the Holy Ghost. Pray definitely for this; long for it. Think of your own minister, …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Twenty-Sixth Day for the Holy Spirit on Young Converts
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Holy Spirit on Young Converts "Peter and John prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost; for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus."--ACTS viii. 15, 16. "Now He which establisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; who also gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."--2 COR. i. 21, 22. How many new converts who remain feeble; how many who fall into sin; how many who backslide …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Fifteenth Lesson. If Two Agree
If two agree;' Or, The Power of United Prayer Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them.--Matt. xviii. 19, 20. ONE of the first lessons of our Lord in His school of prayer was: Not to be seen of men. Enter thy inner chamber; be alone with the Father. When He has thus taught us that the …
Andrew Murray—With Christ in the School of Prayer

Sanctification.
PAUL ENTIRELY SANCTIFIED. I might urge a great many other considerations, and as I have said, fill a book with scriptures, and arguments, and demonstrations, of the attainability of entire sanctification in this life. But I forbear, and will present only one more consideration--a consideration which has great weight in some minds. It is a question of great importance, whether any actually ever did attain this state. Some who believe it attainable, do not consider it of much importance to show that …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

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To Theoctista, Patrician [153] . Gregory to Theoctista, &c. We ought to give great thanks to Almighty God, that our most pious and most benignant Emperors have near them kinsfolk of their race, whose life and conversation is such as to give us all great joy. Hence too we should continually pray for these our lords, that their life, with that of all who belong to them, may by the protection of heavenly grace be preserved through long and tranquil times. I have to inform you, however, that I have …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

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Concerning Baptism. [967] As there is one Lord, and one faith, so there is one baptism; which is not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience before God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And this baptism is a pure and spiritual thing, to wit, the baptism of the Spirit and Fire, by which we are buried with him, that being washed and purged from our sins, we may walk in newness of life: of which the baptism of John was a figure, which was commanded for a time, …
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters Purely Religious, and Pertaining to the Conscience.
Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters purely Religious, and pertaining to the Conscience. Since God hath assumed to himself the power and Dominion of the Conscience, who alone can rightly instruct and govern it, therefore it is not lawful [1226] for any whosoever, by virtue of any authority or principality they bear in the government of this world, to force the consciences of others; and therefore all killing, banishing, fining, imprisoning, and other such things which are inflicted …
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

Vanity of Human Glory.
"The world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not."--1 John iii. 1 Of St. Simon and St. Jude, the Saints whom we this day commemorate, little is known[1]. St. Jude, indeed, still lives in the Church in his Catholic epistle; but of his history we only know that he was brother to St. James the Less, and nearly related to our Lord and that, like St. Peter, he had been a married man. Besides his name of Jude or Judas, he is also called Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus in the Gospels. Of St. Simon we only …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Christ all and in All.
(Colossians iii. 11.) Christ is all to us that we make Him to be. I want to emphasize that word "all." Some men make Him to be "a root out of a dry ground," "without form or comeliness." He is nothing to them; they do not want Him. Some Christians have a very small Saviour, for they are not willing to receive Him fully, and let Him do great and mighty things for them. Others have a mighty Saviour, because they make Him to be great and mighty. If we would know what Christ wants to be to us, we …
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It

Epistle vii. To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius.
To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius. Gregory to Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius, Bishops [1688] . I rejoice exceedingly that you welcomed with great joy the ordination of the most holy Cyriacus, my brother and fellow-priest. And since we have learnt from the preaching of Paul the apostle that If one member rejoice, all the members rejoice with it (1 Cor. xii. 26), you must needs consider with how great exultation I rejoice with you in this thing, wherein not one member, but many members of Christ have …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Epistle xxxix. To Anastasius, Bishop .
To Anastasius, Bishop [1602] . Gregory to Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke ii. 14), because that great river which once had left the rocks of Antioch dry has returned at length to its proper channel, and waters the subject valleys that are near, so as also to bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty-fold, and some an hundred-fold. For now there is no doubt that many flowers of souls are growing up in its valleys, and that …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Letter xvi to Rainald, Abbot of Foigny
To Rainald, Abbot of Foigny Bernard declares to him how little he loves praise; that the yoke of Christ is light; that he declines the name of father, and is content with that of brother. 1. In the first place, do not wonder if titles of honour affright me, when I feel myself so unworthy of the honours themselves; and if it is fitting that you should give them to me, it is not expedient for me to accept them. For if you think that you ought to observe that saying, In honour preferring one another …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

How the Obstinate and the Fickle are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 19.) Differently to be admonished are the obstinate and the fickle. The former are to be told that they think more of themselves than they are, and therefore do not acquiesce in the counsels of others: but the latter are to be given to understand that they undervalue and disregard themselves too much, and so are turned aside from their own judgment in successive moments of time. Those are to be told that, unless they esteemed themselves better than the rest of men, they would by no …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Why all Things Work for Good
1. The grand reason why all things work for good, is the near and dear interest which God has in His people. The Lord has made a covenant with them. "They shall be my people, and I will be their God" (Jer. xxxii. 38). By virtue of this compact, all things do, and must work, for good to them. "I am God, even thy God" (Psalm l. 7). This word, Thy God,' is the sweetest word in the Bible, it implies the best relations; and it is impossible there should be these relations between God and His people, and …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

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