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

"Lo, this is the man that made not GOD his strength." - Psalm 52:7 [KJV] The following fact I had from my late beloved friend, and faithful minister of Christ, Mr. Jones. A poor infidel deist had conceived a strange notion, that men need not die unless they would. Upon his deathbed, he affected to be resolute, and bid God defiance. In his last moments, he sprang up, gnashed with his teeth, and with looks of horror cried out, “God! I will not die!”  With these words he expired. O the fearful death of the ungodly, who make not God their strength! They have hope in their death. For they make God their strength in their life.  What can a vile sinner do to make God his friend? Where is the impotent sinner, who can make God his strength? What meaneth this? Why, God is that to every poor sinner, which the word reveals Him, and faith takes Him to be. Consider this. You say, I am a weak needy creature. What saith the Lord? “Let him take hold of My strength”   (Isaiah 27:5.) “Tho...

"God sent forth His Son, made of a woman." -Galatians 4:4 [KJV] How little did Adam suppose, when he charged God foolishly, as by the way it may be observed all sinners do by this plan, in attempting to palm off his sin upon God, that the Lord in after ages would put distinguishing honour upon the woman, in which the man should bear no part. "The woman," said Adam, "whom Thou gavest to be with me, she tempted me, and I did eat."  Thus endeavouring to throw the whole blame of his transgression upon his gracious Benefactor. It is as if he had said, Hadst Thou not given me this woman, I should not have disobeyed Thy command. Now observe, my soul, God's benignity and grace upon this occasion. "The seed of the woman,"  said God, "shall bruise the serpent's head." Not the seed of the man, but of the woman. And when the fulness of the time was come for this promise to be accomplished, "God sent forth His Son made of a woman , ...

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." -Titus 3:5 [KJV] To view mercy in its real character, we must go to Calvary. It is not sufficient to contrast the purity of God with the impurity of man. That indeed affords us some view of what mercy must be to reach the depths of the fall; a sideface of that precious attribute. But to see its full face shining upon the redeemed, we must go by faith, under the secret teachings and leadings of the Holy Ghost, to see "Immanuel, God with us,"  groveling in Gethsemane's garden.  We must view Him naked upon the cross, groaning, bleeding, agonizing, dying. We must view Godhead and manhood united together in the Person of a suffering Jesus; and the power of the Godhead bearing up the suffering manhood. We must view that wondrous spectacle of love and blood, and feel our eyes flowing down in streams of sorrow, humility, and contrition at the sight, in order to enter a little in...