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

"Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name." — Isaiah 62:2 [KJV] This is predicted of the church of God; which, according to covenant-transactions of the glorious Trinity, stands in the nearest and dearest relation to JESUS her head. She is here spoken of as a single person, THOU: she is called "Christ's body," —Colossians 1:24 , and "the bride, the Lamb's wife," —Revelation 21:9 , of whom, saith God the Father, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love," —Jeremiah 31:3 . Yea, saith the Son of God to His Father, of all His beloved members, "Thou hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me. . . .and Thou lovest Me before the foundation of the world , " —John 17:23, 24 .    O most comforting truths of God's word! how ancient is the love of God to His church! That God should love us miserable sinners at all is amazing; but that He should love us with the very same everlasting unchangeabl...

" And He that sat upon the throne said,  Behold, I make all things new." -Revelation 21:5 [KJV] My soul! thou hast been engaged in the morning of the new year, with contemplating the eternal and unchanging glory of thy Jesus, in His person, work, offices, character, and relations, as in covenant engagements for thy welfare: and thou hast found Him to be an everlasting and secure foundation to rest upon, and dwell in, for time and for eternity. Come now, in the evening of the day, and look up to thy Redeemer in another precious point of view, and behold Him as creating all things new, while He Himself, in the eternity of His nature, remains for ever and unchangeably the same. Behold Him on His throne; and remember that one and the same throne belongs to God and the Lamb, to intimate the unity of the Father and the Son in nature and dignity; in will, worship, and power. When thou hast duly pondered this view of Jesus, next listen to the important words He proclaim...

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." -Psalm 90:12 [KJV]   Casting our eyes back upon the year now past and gone, are there no mercies which claim a note of thankful praise? It is sweet to see the Lord's kind hand in providence, but sweeter far to view His outstretched hand in grace. Are we then so unwatchful or so unmindful of the Lord's gracious hand in His various dealings with our soul as to view the whole past twelve months as a dead blank in which we have never seen His face, nor heard His voice, nor felt His power?  "Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness?"   (Jeremiah 2:31,) the Lord tenderly asks. Has He been such to us also for twelve long and weary months? What! No help by the way, no tokens for good, no liftings-up of the light of His countenance, no visitations of His presence and power, no breakings-in of His goodness for all that long and dreary time—for dreary it must inde...