--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You will want a book which contains not…" description: "\"You will want a book which contains not man's thoughts, but God's - not a book that may amuse you, but a book that can save you - not even a book that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/john-selden-7457_bible_you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not_2803041.jpg" --- # You will want a book which contains not man's thoughts… ![“You will want a book which contains not man's thoughts, but God's - not a book that may amuse you, but a book that can save you - not even a book that can instruct you, but a book on which you can venture an eternity - not only a book which can give relief to your spirit, but redemption to your…” quote by John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/john-selden-7457_bible_you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not_2803041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/john-selden-7457_bible_you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not_2803041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/john-selden-7457_bible_you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not_2803041.jpg) > “You will want a book which contains not man's thoughts, but God's - not a book that may amuse you, but a book that can save you - not even a book that can instruct you, but a book on which you can venture an eternity - not only a book which can give relief to your spirit, but redemption to your soul - a book which contains salvation, and conveys it to you, one which shall at once be the Saviour's book and the sinner's.” [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates a divine book that offers eternal salvation, surpassing mere entertainment or instruction. **In simple terms:** A holy book that saves the soul. Key Takeaway Seek spiritual guidance beyond worldly literature. Themes faith salvation eternity spirituality Mood contemplative reverent Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal study - sermon - spiritual counseling Key Concepts divine revelation redemption eternal truth Questions to Reflect On - What qualities make a text spiritually transformative? - How can one balance faith and critical thinking? A Different Perspective Might be seen as exclusive or dogmatic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption/) [Relief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relief/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) [Saviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saviour/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Your soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-soul/) ## Related quotes > [“God is the only book that can never be touched, open and seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/god-is-the-only-book-that-can-never-be-touched-open-and-seen/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“I am beginning to be sorry that I ever undertook to write this book. Not that it bores me; I have nothing else to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machado-de-assis/i-am-beginning-to-be-sorry-that-i-ever-undertook-to-write-this-book/) [Machado de Assis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machado-de-assis/) > [“God is a book I can no longer read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floriano-martins/god-is-a-book-i-can-no-longer-read/) [Floriano Martins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floriano-martins/) > [“We try too much and trust too little. Count the times God's Book tells us to "try." Now count the times it tells us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/we-try-too-much-and-trust-too-little-count-the-times-god-s-book-tells/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Chrysostom, I remember, mentions a twofold book of God: the book of the creatures, and the book of the scriptures. God, having taught us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cotton-mather/chrysostom-i-remember-mentions-a-twofold-book-of-god-the-book-of-the/) [Cotton Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cotton-mather/) > [There is no devil in the first two chapters of the Bible and no devil in the last two chapters. Thank God for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/there-is-no-devil-in-the-first-two-chapters-of-the-bible-and-no-devil/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [“Every creature is a word of God and is a book about God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/every-creature-is-a-word-of-god-and-is-a-book-about-god/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Apprehend God in all things, for God is in all things. Every single creature is full of God and is a book about God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/apprehend-god-in-all-things-for-god-is-in-all-things-every-single-2/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Paul Erdos has a theory that God has a book containing all the theorems of mathematics with their absolutely most beautiful proofs, and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-honsberger/paul-erdos-has-a-theory-that-god-has-a-book-containing-all-the/) Ross Honsberger > [“The earth is God's book but in our blindness, we have obliterated letters so we may say God has abandoned us. It is we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/the-earth-is-god-s-book-but-in-our-blindness-we-have-obliterated/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [I'm calling my book series the 'with God series.' And this next 'with God' book is Friendship with God, which comes out in November.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/i-m-calling-my-book-series-the-with-god-series-and-this-next-with-god/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [The Bible is a book of faith, and a book of doctrine, and a book of religion, of special revelation from God; but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/the-bible-is-a-book-of-faith-and-a-book-of-doctrine-and-a-book-of/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [As we look upon that agony and those tearful prayers, let us not only look with thankfulness; but let that kneeling Saviour teach us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/as-we-look-upon-that-agony-and-those-tearful-prayers-let-us-not-only/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Not simply the righteousness of our Saviour, not simply the beauty of His holiness or the graces of His character, are we to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson-gordon/not-simply-the-righteousness-of-our-saviour-not-simply-the-beauty-of/) [Adoniram Judson Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson-gordon/) > [“Whoever sees the Saviour, the light of life, shall be satisfied in spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-sees-the-saviour-the-light-of-life-shall-be-satisfied-in/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by John Selden > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [They that govern the most make the least noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/they-that-govern-the-most-make-the-least-noise/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [We look after religion as the butcher did after his knife, when he had it in his mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/we-look-after-religion-as-the-butcher-did-after-his-knife-when-he-had/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Those that govern most make least noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/those-that-govern-most-make-least-noise/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Idolatry is in a man's own thought, not in the opinion of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/idolatry-is-in-a-man-s-own-thought-not-in-the-opinion-of-another/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [No man is the wiser for his learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/no-man-is-the-wiser-for-his-learning/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Wise people say nothing in dangerous times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/wise-people-say-nothing-in-dangerous-times/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes; they were the easiest for his feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/old-friends-are-best-king-james-used-to-call-for-his-old-shoes-they/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Pleasures are all alike simply considered in themselves: he that hunts, or he that governs the commonwealth, they both please themselves alike, only we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/pleasures-are-all-alike-simply-considered-in-themselves-he-that-hunts/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [We pick out a text here and there to make it serve our turn; whereas , if we take it all together, and considered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/we-pick-out-a-text-here-and-there-to-make-it-serve-our-turn-whereas/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Talk what you will of the Jews,--that they are cursed: they thrive wherever they come; they are able to oblige the prince of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/talk-what-you-will-of-the-jews-that-they-are-cursed-they-thrive/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [They that are against superstition oftentimes run into it of the wrong side. If I wear all colors but black, then I am superstitious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/they-that-are-against-superstition-oftentimes-run-into-it-of-the/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The world cannot be governed without juggling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/the-world-cannot-be-governed-without-juggling/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Preaching, in the first sense of the word, ceased as soon as ever the gospel was written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/preaching-in-the-first-sense-of-the-word-ceased-as-soon-as-ever-the/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [Preachers say, "Do as I say, not as I do." But if a physician had the same disease upon him that I have, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/preachers-say-do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do-but-if-a-physician-had-the-same/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) [Explore all 91 John Selden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You will want a book which contains not man's thoughts, but God's - not a book that may amuse you, but a book that can save you - not even a book that can instruct you, but a book on which you can venture an eternity - not only a book which can give relief to your spirit, but redemption to your soul - a book which contains salvation, and conveys it to you, one which shall at once be the Saviour's book and the sinner's.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Selden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not-man-s-thoughts-but-god-s-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not-man-s-thoughts-but-god-s-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/john-selden-7457_bible_you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not_2803041.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/john-selden-7457_bible_you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not_2803041.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/john-selden-7457_bible_you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not_2803041.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You will want a book which contains not man's thoughts, but God's - not a book that may amuse you, but a…” — John Selden", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Selden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You will want a book which...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not-man-s-thoughts-but-god-s-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/you-will-want-a-book-which-contains-not-man-s-thoughts-but-god-s-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```