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

"By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left." -II Corinthians 6:7 [KJV] What sign shewest thou? Shew us a miracle, and we will believe you are inspired, says an evil and adulterous generation. A sign and a miracle! Why, every regenerate soul is both a sign and a wonder to carnal men. They are born from above—They live above—their views, end, and aims are to things above. They study to approve themselves to God, who is above. These words, though peculiarly applicable to the ministers of Christ, yet are true also of every disciple of Christ.  He studies to approve himself, (1st.) by the word of truth. What is that? Where is that to be found? God’s book, the Bible. O the Bible! Say some weak heads, and deceived hearts, the letter of scripture is not God’s word. Find a surer testimony of God, and from God, if you can. We will be content to fix our faith upon this word of truth, for it testifies of our ...

"These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful." -Revelation 17:14 [KJV] What an awful thing must sin, in its own nature be, which hath introduced such evil into the whole creation of God, in its consequences. One might have hoped, however, that the meek and gentle Lamb of God would have been exempt from the daring rebellion, and that sin would not have bid defiance and waged war against the peaceable, and holy, and harmless Jesus!  But so far is this from being the case, that, in all probability, war first broke out in heaven against the person of God's dear Son, as man's glorious Head and Mediator, even before the deadly malignity manifested itself against God and His Christ upon earth, in tempting the first man and his wife in the garden of Eden, to rebel against God. Pause, my soul, over this scripture. Who are they her...

"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." -Hebrews 12:11 [KJV] It may be said of spiritual exercises as the apostle speaks of chastening generally, of which indeed they form a component part, that "for the present they are not joyous, but grievous; but afterward they yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby." Why the Lord suffers so many of His people to be so long and deeply tried about their interest in Christ, why He does not more speedily and fully manifest His pardoning love to their souls, is a mystery which we cannot fathom.  But I have observed that, where the first work was not attended with deep and powerful convictions of sin, it is usually the case, as if what was wanting in depth has to be made up in length, and a slow, continuous work compensates, as it were, ...