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

"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning Me." -Luke 24:44 [KJV] Christ’s work was to fulfil all Scripture. It is ours to believe, that the Scriptures are all fulfilled in Christ. Hence we are filled with all joy and peace in believing (Romans 15:13.) We complain of the weakness of faith. We neglect the means by which it is strengthened. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. By it faith is strengthened. That which comes not from the word, and is not supported by the word, is not faith, but phantom. It will soon evaporate.  Our Saviour was now risen. His work was finished. He appeals to the understanding of His disciples. He refers them to what He had spoken to them, before He died for them. Understanding the word in the heart, is like the stomach receiving, and digesting the food for the whole body. All par...

"One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." -John 9:25 [KJV] This is a great thing to say, my soul: on what foundation dost thou rest this knowledge? If the Lord Jesus hath opened thine eyes, then indeed thou canst not but discover thy former blindness; for during that state of nature thou literally couldst discern nothing. And if thy former blindness be discovered, then thy present sight hath brought thee acquainted with new objects. Pause over the review of both this morning. The blindness of nature to spiritual things is marked in scripture in strong characters. A poor blind sinner sees nothing of the light of life. The Sun of Righteousness is not risen upon him. He discerns nothing of the love of God in Christ. If he reads the scripture, the vail is upon his heart. If he hears of Jesus, he sees no beauty in Him.  Nothing is nearer to him than the Lord, and nothing further from his thoughts. To tell him of the sweetness of the word of God, is s...

"He giveth power to the faint." -Isaiah 40:29 [KJV] The Lord often gives His people power to take a longing, languishing look at the blood and righteousness of Jesus; to come to the Lord, as "mighty to save , " with the same feelings with which Esther went into the presence of the king: "I will go in, and if I perish, I perish." It is with them sometimes as with the four lepers who sat at the entering in of the gate of Samaria: "And they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die" (II Kings 7:3, 4) . And so the Lord's people are sometimes brought to this state— "If I perish, I will perish at His footstool." If He give no answer of merc...