Children Quote by Gurnall, William
““Soul, take thy lust, thy only lust, which is the child of thy dearest love, thy Isaac, the sin which has caused the most joy and laughter, from which thou hast promised thyself the greatest return of pleasure or profit; as ever thou lookest to see my face with comfort, lay hands on it and offer it up: pour out the blood of it before me; run the sacrificing knife of mortification into the very heart of it; and this freely, joyfully, for it is no pleasing sacrifice that is offered with a countenance cast down —and all this now, before thou hast one embrace more from it. Truly this is a hard chapter, flesh and blood cannot bear this saying; our lust will not lie so patiently on the altar, as Isaac, or as a 'Lamb that is brought to the slaughter which was dumb,’ but will roar and shriek; yea, even shake and rend the heart with its hideous outcries.””
About This Quote
Source Sermon: The Christian Life, 1650s
The passage urges sacrificing personal desire for divine love, likening it to a painful but joyful offering.
In simple terms: Give up selfish lust for higher spiritual joy.
Key Takeaway
Embrace sacrifice for spiritual fulfillment.
Themes
spirituality
self‑sacrifice
love
Mood
solemn
introspective
Type
theological
poetic
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal prayer
- confession
- spiritual discipline
Key Concepts
theology
mortification
joy
Questions to Reflect On
- What does true sacrifice look like in daily life?
- How can one balance desire and devotion?
A Different Perspective
Such extreme self‑denial can be psychologically harmful if misapplied.
