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

"...but ye have not so learned Christ." -Ephesians 4:20 [KJV] Believe, and live as you will. Love, and walk as you please. Will any say, This is fine licentious doctrine? We answer, Such do not know, nor consider the power of faith, nor the influence of Christ’s love. They are strangers to His teaching. Christians are His scholars. Christ is our one Master. He graciously condescends to teach us. He kindly says, “learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29.)   Our grand business is, to sit at His feet. We have no just ideas of the sinfulness of sin, the vileness of our nature, nor the preciousness of His person, but what we learn of Him. Christian, what hast thou learned of Christ this day?  If thou hast not learned somewhat of the heinous nature of sin, so as to abhor it, and of the preciousness of Christ’s person and salvation, so as to cleave to Him, verily, thou hast lost a day. Thou didst not so learn Christ. For this is His word daily to...

"That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee." -Proverbs of Solomon 22:19 [KJV] My soul, mark for thy morning meditation, what is here said. Observe, in the first place, the general knowledge the Lord hath given of His saving truth and mercies in Christ Jesus, and which becomes a sufficient warrant and authority for all the world to believe in Christ, and to accept of Christ, to the salvation of the soul.  Christ in the word is the Father's authority for every sinner to believe the record God hath given of His Son; and the rejection of this command will be the condemning sin to every one who despises this plan of salvation, because he hath heard and then turned his back upon this love of God in Christ Jesus the Lord. My soul, ponder over this view of the subject, and then turn to another sweet and distinguishing property of God's revelation which He makes by His blessed Spirit, in the particular apprehension of it. ...

"And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily." -Acts 16:5 [KJV] Oh what an inestimable mercy it is for a man to know the truth for himself by divine teaching and divine testimony ; to have it applied to his heart by a gracious influence and a heavenly power , so as to know for himself what salvation is, whence it comes, and above all to enjoy a sweet persuasion that this salvation has reached his heart!  He will then know where to go in the hour of trouble, to whom to resort when sorrow and affliction come into his house, or illness or infirmity shake his tabernacle. He will not be a stranger to the throne of grace, nor to the sweetness of the covenant ordered in all things and sure. But there will be given him from above, out of the fulness of Christ, such grace and strength as will support him in the trying hour. It is by these gracious dealings upon his soul, that a believer becomes "stablished in the faith." N...