"Salvation is of the LORD." -Jonah 2:9

" I will put a division between My people and thy people: to-morrow shall this sign be." - Exodus 8:23 [KJV] Thus speaks the sovereign Jehovah to the haughty, stubborn monarch Pharaoh. Loving children delight to treasure up in their memories the words of an affectionate father: they love to reflect on them, and draw comfort from them. O that we may do so to-night, by this speech of our heavenly Father!  Consider, (1st.) here is a people distinguished from a people. The Lord has a people among a people, chosen out of a people . These He particularly calls His own— My people . They are so, by everlasting love, eternal choice, and covenant grace.  (2d.) Though near and dear as they are to the Lord, yet they may for a season continue under the power of, and suffer oppression from their enemies. Though the love of the Lord’s heart is ever set upon you, and the eye of His providence is ever over you, yet He may seem to leave you. O! tarry the Lord’s leisure, and be st...

"Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them." -Song of Solomon 4:2 [KJV] See, my soul, how Jesus sets off the beauties of His church, when made comely in His comeliness, which He hath put upon it. Jesus' whole church forms but one flock; for there shall be one fold and one Shepherd. And though it is called a little flock , and a flock of slaughter, yet it is a beautiful flock in the Lord's hand.  But wherefore are the teeth of the church said to be like a flock shorn? Probably, from their never being exercised but upon divine things: shorn to all desires in which unshorn and carnal persons delight. The believer feeds on Jesus: His flesh he finds to be meat indeed, His blood drink indeed : To the roof of his mouth this becomes, like the best wine, which goeth down sweetly, causing even the lips of those that sleep to speak. And how do believers, like...

"We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak." -II Corinthians 4:13 [KJV] There is a distinction to be made between faith and the spirit of faith. The spirit of faith is faith in exercise. Faith sometimes is like a day in which there is no wind blowing. It is so calm, that there scarcely appears to be any air stirring to move a leaf. But after a time a gentle breeze comes and blows over the earth. Thus it is with faith and the spirit of faith. Faith in repose is like the calm air of a summer's day, when there is nothing moving or stirring; faith acting, faith in exercise, is like the same air in the gentle breeze which makes itself sensibly felt.  If God has given me faith, that faith is never lost out of my breast. If once a believer, I always am a believer; for if I could cease to believe, I should cease to be a child of God; I should lose salvation out of m...