“The two major views of history throughout time are that it is cyclical, and that it is linear. Both capture an element of Christian truth. Death and resurrection is cyclical. But the idea of progress is linear, it means the end is coming. If you put a circle and a line together, you get a spiral. So in the Christian view, history is a corkscrew—and every resurrection digs a little further into the wood.”—some forgotten NSA Disputatio speaker, c. 2016, found in a notebook.
[A comparison of the worth of orators to military commanders] “It was more important for the people of Athens to have tight roofs over their heads than to possess the famous ivory statue of Minerva; yet I should have preferred to be a Phidias than to be a master-roofer. Thus in weighing a man's significance it is not how useful he is that should enter in, but what is his real worth. There are few competent painters or sculptors, but no shortage of porters and laborers.”—Cicero, Brutus lxxiv (Loeb sec 257)
“To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child.”—Cicero, Orator xxxiv
“For it is true of all important arts that, like trees, their lofty height pleases us, but their roots and stems do not to the same degree; yet the latter are essential to the former.”—Cicero, Orator xliii
“Quod scis, nihil prodest; quod nescis, multum obest.” (What you know does not help, what you do not know greatly hinders.)—Cicero, Orator xlix
“As Augustine rightly states, the heretics, although they preach the name of Christ, have herein no common ground with believers, but it remains the sole possession of the Church.”—Calvin, Institutes II.XV.1
“Paul yokes faith to teaching, as an inseparable companion.”—Calvin, Inst. III.ii.6
“Piety always adapts God’s might to use and need, and especially sets before itself the works of God by which he has testified that he is the Father.”—Ibid. III.ii.31
“No man ever hates sin unless he has previously been seized with a love of righteousness.”—Ibid. III.iii.20
“If they reply [with additional material] which they do not include in their definitions, there is no reason to accuse me; let them blame themselves for not defining it more precisely and clearly. Now for my part, when there is a dispute concerning anything, I am stupid enough to refer everything back to the definition itself, which is the hinge and foundation of the whole debate.”—Ibid. III.iv.1
“No task will be so sordid and base, provided you obey your calling in it, that it will not shine and be reckoned very precious in the sight of Christ.”—Ibid. III.x.6
“Duties are weighed, not by deeds, but by ends.”—Ibid. III.xiv.3
“Now since God reveals himself to us partly in teaching, partly in works, we can hallow him only if we render to him what is his in both respects, and so embrace all that proceeds from him.”—Ibid. III.xx.41
“Temptations are either from the right or from the left. From the right are, for example, riches, power, honors, which often dull men’s keenness of sight by the glitter and seeming goodness they display, and allure with their blandishments, so that, captivated by such tricks and drunk with such sweetness, men forget their God. From the left are, for example, poverty, disgrace, contempt, afflictions, and the like. Thwarted by the hardship and difficulty of these, they become despondent in mind, cast away assurance and hope, and are at last completely estranged from God.”—Ibid, III.xx.45
“Where you hear God’s glory mentioned, think of his justice. For whatever deserves praise must be just. Accordingly, man falls according as God’s providence ordains, but he falls by his own fault.”—Ibid. III.xxiii.8
“He whose life is one even and smooth path, will see but little of the glory of the Lord, for he has few occasions of self-emptying, and hence, but little fitness for being filled with the revelation of God.”—Spurgeon, Morning and Evening M July 19
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