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

" David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul ." -I Samuel 27:1 [KJV] Who will say, that, from the nature and reason of things, David had not cause to think so? The king’s wrath was incensed against him. “The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: yea, as the roaring of a lion” (Proverbs 16:14–19:12.) Saul wanted neither policy nor power to execute his cruel designs upon David: but only, he must have permission from David’s Lord, before he could hurt a single hair of his head.  Poor David’s heart seems to forget this, when, in a fit of fear and frame of unbelief, he says, “I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul.” Now, only think, “The Lord had appointed and anointed David to be king; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward” (ch. 16:12, 13.) Yet, we here find him doubting the truth of what had passed, giving way to unbelief, and suspecting that the Lord’s purpose might be prevented, by Saul’s malic...

"And the L ORD said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren." -I Samuel 16:12, 13 [KJV] Was David singled out from amidst his brethren, to be the Lord's anointed; and do I not behold in this the representation of Jesus, that Holy One, concerning whom the Lord spake in vision, and said, I have laid help upon One that is mighty; I have exalted One chosen out of the people ?  Yes, Thou Lord our righteousness, in this I behold Thee. And let my soul make this sweet subject the meditation of my morning song, for surely it is a lovely song, to hail Thee the chiefest among ten thousand. I behold Thee then, Thou dear Emanuel, by the eye of faith, as coming up from everlasting, when amidst that immense multitude of those Thou disdainest not to call Thy brethren, Thou stoodest forth, in the eternal view, as the glorious One, to be the Christ, the God-man Mediator, for the salvation of Thy chu...

"That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." -Hebrews 6:18 [KJV] No: it is utterly impossible for God to lie. The earth may be dissolved, and all creation reduced to chaos before God could lie. He would cease to be God if the faintest breath of a change, or the shadow of a turn should pass over the glorious Godhead. But it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore this holds out strong consolation for those that have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before them. And what is the ground of this strong consolation? This is the ground, that God has eternally determined and sworn by Himself—that He will save and bless those that have "fled for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel." This is the foundation of their consolation, this is the ground of their hope, that God has made such and such promises, and ...