They do not really think what God says is true. They secretly flatter themselves with the notion, “It will surely not be fulfilled, there must be some other way to heaven beside that which ministers speak of, there cannot be so much danger of being lost.” In short, they do not put implicit confidence in the words that God has written and spoken, and so do not act upon them. They do not thoroughly believe hell, and so do not flee from it; nor heaven, and so do not seek it; nor the guilt of sin, and so do not turn from it; nor the holiness of God, and so do not fear Him; nor their need of Christ, and so do not trust in Him, nor love Him. Like the boy Passion, in Pilgrim’s Progress, they must have their good things now. They do not trust God, and so they cannot wait.

– J.C. Ryle

1816 – 1900