Zealous for God

A zealous man in religion is preeminently a man of one thing. . . .  He sees only one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up for one thing:  and that one thing is to please God.  Whether he lives, or whether he dies, whether he has health, or whether he has sickness, whether he is rich, or whether he is poor, whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offense, whether is is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish, whether he gets honor, or whether he gets shame, for all this the . . . man cares nothing at all.  He burns for one thing: and that one thing is to please God and to advance God’s glory.

J.C. Ryle, “Practical Religion,” pg.130