Biographies of George Whitefield, John Wesley, William Grimshaw, William Romaine, Daniel Rowlands, John Berridge, Henry Venn, Samuel Walker, James Hervey, Augustus Toplady, and John Fletcher.
The reader will soon discover that I am an enthusiastic admirer of the men whose lives and ministries I have narrated in this volume. I confess it honestly. I am a thorough admirer of them. I firmly believe that, with the exceptions of Martin Luther and his contemporaries and our own martyred Reformers, the world has not seen any such men since the days of the apostles. I believe there have not been any who have preached as much clear scriptural truth, none who have lived such lives, none who have shown such courage in Christ’s service, none who have suffered as much for the truth, and none who have done as much good. If anyone can name better men, he knows more than I do.
I now send forth this volume with an earnest prayer that God will pardon all its imperfections, use it for His own glory, and raise up in His church today men like those who are here described. Certainly when we look at the state of the church today, we may well say, “Where is the Lord God of Whitefield and of Rowlands, of Grimshaw and of Venn? O Lord, revive Your work!”
—J. C. Ryle
Stradbroke Vicarage, August 10, 1868

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1
Wisdom, encouragement, and exhortation is contained in these pages. Not because of the author’s brilliance, but because of the words of truth contained in the gospel of John. And just as the Apostle John didn’t draw any attention to himself, so also J. C. Ryle clearly and wonderfully directs his words and our thoughts towards the inspired words of scripture. If we truly love God, we will love His word; and the more study His word, the more we will love God.

It seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. – Luke 1:3-4
Wisdom, encouragement, and exhortation is contained in these pages. Not because of the author’s brilliance, but because of the words of truth contained in the gospel of Luke. And just as the Apostle Luke didn’t draw any attention to himself, so also J. C. Ryle clearly and wonderfully directs his words and our thoughts towards the inspired words of scripture. If we truly love God, we will love His word; and the more study His word, the more we will love God.

“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” – Mark 4:41
Wisdom, encouragement, and exhortation is contained in these pages. Not because of the author’s brilliance, but because of the words of truth contained in the gospel of Mark. And just as the apostle Mark didn’t draw any attention to himself, so also J. C. Ryle clearly and wonderfully directs his words and our thoughts towards the inspired words of scripture. If we truly love God, we will love His word; and the more study His word, the more we will love God.
About the Author
John Charles Ryle (1816-1900) graduated from Eton and Oxford and then pursued a career in politics, but due to lack of funds, he entered the clergy of the Church of England. He was a contemporary of Spurgeon, Moody, Mueller, and Taylor and read the great theologians like Wesley, Bunyan, Knox, Calvin, and Luther. These all influenced Ryle’s understanding and theology. Ryle began his writing career with a tract following the Great Yarmouth suspension bridge tragedy, where more than a hundred people drowned. He gained a reputation for straightforward preaching and evangelism. He travelled, preached, and wrote more than 300 pamphlets, tracts, and books, including Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Principles for Churchmen, and Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century. Ryle used the royalties from his writing to pay his father’s debts, but he also felt indebted to that ruin for changing the direction of his life. He was recommended by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli to be Bishop of Liverpool where he ended his career in 1900.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. – Matthew 7:24
Wisdom, encouragement, and exhortation is contained in these pages. Not because of the author’s brilliance, but because of the words of truth contained in the gospel of Matthew. And just as the apostle Matthew didn’t draw any attention to himself, so also J. C. Ryle clearly and wonderfully directs his words and our thoughts towards the inspired words of scripture. If we truly love God, we will love His word; and the more study His word, the more we will love God.
About the Author
John Charles Ryle (1816-1900) graduated from Eton and Oxford and then pursued a career in politics, but due to lack of funds, he entered the clergy of the Church of England. He was a contemporary of Spurgeon, Moody, Mueller, and Taylor and read the great theologians like Wesley, Bunyan, Knox, Calvin, and Luther. These all influenced Ryle’s understanding and theology. Ryle began his writing career with a tract following the Great Yarmouth suspension bridge tragedy, where more than a hundred people drowned. He gained a reputation for straightforward preaching and evangelism. He travelled, preached, and wrote more than 300 pamphlets, tracts, and books, including Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Principles for Churchmen, and Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century. Ryle used the royalties from his writing to pay his father’s debts, but he also felt indebted to that ruin for changing the direction of his life. He was recommended by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli to be Bishop of Liverpool where he ended his career in 1900.

John Charles Ryle’s best known works have been reissued and widely read over many years. The fine qualities of his writings have ensured that his books are still popular and useful. This volume has become a classic work and is known and loved by many throughout the world.In days when evangelical preachers are accused of being either superficial or dull, we have here a great example of one who was neither of these things. As Bishop Ryle explains and applies his texts with his customary simplicity and directness, the listener will find his conscience pricked and his soul examined. Ryle addresses hard and trying subjects that most modern evangelicals have chosen to ignore: the power and depth of indwelling sin, the necessity of a holy life, the struggle and fight of faith, counting the cost of following Christ—and that’s only in the first five chapters. Ryle’s Holiness has become essential reading on this most important subject, and the first chapter, “Sin,” has rarely been bettered.

A thorough study of sin, salvation by faith, and the Christian’s journey of sanctification.
He who wants a correct understanding of holiness must first begin by examining the vast and solemn subject of sin. He must dig down very deep if he wants to build high. Wrong views about holiness are generally traceable to wrong views about human corruption.
Practical holiness and entire self-consecration to God are not given adequate attention by modern Christians. The unsaved sometimes rightly complain that Christians are not as kind and unselfish and good-natured as those who make no profession of faith. Far too many Christians make a verbal proclamation of faith, yet remain unchanged in heart and lifestyle. But Scripture makes it clear that holiness, in its place and proportion, is quite as important as justification. Holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). It is imperative that Christians are biblically and truly holy.
The aim of this book is to instruct you, equip you, and encourage you in the pursuit of holiness.

The nineteenth century was an age that witnessed great progress in many areas of exploration and learning. However, according to J. C. Ryle, it was an age of great ignorance too. “With all the stir made about education,” he wryly observed, “the ignorance of our own country’s history is something lamentable and appalling and depressing.” What particularly distressed Ryle was the scant knowledge of the English Reformation evident amongst his contemporaries. In this lay a grave danger: one of the reasons so many congregations drift from their evangelical foundations is their sheer ignorance of Christian history, and their lack of understanding of the major doctrinal controversies and why they matter. Therefore he taught that one of the best ways to stop Christians wavering “with every changing wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14) is to instill in them a deep love for Reformation and Puritan teaching, and a willingness to suffer for those gospel truths. The Bible often calls us to remember the past, Ryle explained, but the devil tries to make us forget. If the church is to be strengthened, then Christians must be persuaded to read the saints of the past and to learn the lessons of church history.

Ryle’s abiding hope for Light From Old Times is that our souls will be stirred to prayer and action by the great testimonies of Reformers and Puritans found within its pages, and then that we will dig deeper into the writings of these spiritual giants.

Old Paths is a collection of nineteen of J. C. Ryle’s most effective tracts on the leading truths of Christianity, which are, as he says, “necessary to salvation.” In including in such a series Inspiration, Election, and Perseverance, he allows that good Christians have disagreed and will still disagree about them, but he inserts them nevertheless on account of the immense importance of the first and the extraordinary neglect into which the last two have fallen. Ryle’s racy style, plainspokenness, and good taste are sure to secure your affection and hold your attention.

Clear, concise, and penetrating, Practical Religion contains a series of writings about the daily duties, dangers, experiences, and privileges of all who profess and call themselves true Christians. Ryle explains that a “practical religion” is not a religion of works but rather one in which those who are saved can put their faith into practice.

Except you repent, you will all likewise perish. – Luke 13:5
It is indifference that leaves people alone and allows them to go their own way. It is love, tender love, that warns them and raises the cry of alarm. The cry of “Fire! Fire!” at midnight might sometimes rudely, harshly, and unpleasantly startle a person out of his sleep, but who would complain if that cry was the means of saving his life? The words Except you repent, you will all likewise perish might at first seem stern and severe, but they are words of love, and they could be the means of delivering precious souls from hell.
1. The nature of repentance: What is it?
2. The necessity of repentance: Why is repentance needful?
3. The encouragements to repentance: What is there to lead people to repent?
About the Author
John Charles Ryle (1816-1900) graduated from Eton and Oxford and then pursued a career in politics, but due to lack of funds, he entered the clergy of the Church of England. He was a contemporary of Spurgeon, Moody, Mueller, and Taylor and read the great theologians like Wesley, Bunyan, Knox, Calvin, and Luther. These all influenced Ryle’s understanding and theology. Ryle began his writing career with a tract following the Great Yarmouth suspension bridge tragedy, where more than a hundred people drowned. He gained a reputation for straightforward preaching and evangelism. He travelled, preached, and wrote more than 300 pamphlets, tracts, and books, including Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Principles for Churchmen, and Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century. Ryle used the royalties from his writing to pay his father’s debts, but he also felt indebted to that ruin for changing the direction of his life. He was recommended by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli to be Bishop of Liverpool where he ended his career in 1900.

「但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。」（加六14）
那么，保罗是什么意思呢？他宣称，除了耶稣基督被钉在十字架上，赦免了他的罪并拯救了他的灵魂之外，他别无信靠，这就是他的意思。要是有人愿意到别处去寻找拯救，就随他们去吧；要是有人真这么定意去信靠别的东西以求得赦免和平安，也就随他们去吧。但是就保罗自己而言，这位使徒定意不立足于任何别的东西之上，他不依靠于任何别的东西，他的盼望也不本于任何别的事物，他的自信也不建立在任何其他事物之上，他断不以别的夸口，只夸我们的主耶稣基督的十字架。
读者啊，请让我来跟你谈谈这个题目。相信我，这是一个有着最深远的重要性的题目，绝非什么简单的争议的问题；绝非什么人们认为尽可以言人人殊，同时却觉得对他们进不进天堂并无大碍的观点。“你怎么看基督的十字架？”每个人都必须对这个问题有正确的答案，否则他就永远失丧。对这个问题的答案将决定：天堂或地狱，幸福或悲苦，生命或死亡，末日的祝福或咒诅，也就是说，将决定一切。让我来告诉你：
1. 使徒保罗断不以什么夸口
2. 使徒保罗以什么夸口
3. 为什么所有的基督徒都应像使徒保罗那样思考和感受到十字架
I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20
I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?”
Let me show you:
1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in.
2. What Paul did glory in.
3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20
I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the Apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which men may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A man must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day – all hinges on the answer to this question: “What do you think about the cross of Christ?”
Let me show you:
1. What the apostle Paul did not glory in.
2. What Paul did glory in.
3. Why all Christians should think and feel about the cross like Paul.

Speaker and writer J. C. Ryle once said, “The man who hears the word of God, and does it, is the true Christian. He hears the call of God to repent and be converted, and he obeys it. He ceases to do evil, and learns to do well. He puts off the old man, and puts on the new. He hears the call of God to believe on Jesus Christ for justification, and he obeys it.”

In The True Christian, Ryle details many more ways in which Christians can be uncompromising in their biblical principles.