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

" Woe unto them which justify the wicked for a reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him." -Isaiah 5:23 [KJV] Persons are said in the Scripture to do a thing, when they aim to do it, and, if it were in their power, would do it: so apostates are said “to crucify the Son of God afresh” (Hebrews 6:6.) But that is impossible. Yet, by denying Christ to be the Son of God, they justify the act, and, were it in their power, would do it again. So here, a woe is denounced against persons for teaching cursed, corrupt doctrine.  (1st.) “They justify the wicked for a reward.” This is the common and prevailing doctrine of our day. The wicked is the character of every natural man. Let the lives of such be ever so wicked, yet, instead of being told the necessity of being born again of the Spirit and justified by the Son of God, they are taught to believe they can bribe God’s justice, obtain His favour, and justify their souls in His sight, by their dut...

"He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." -Philippians 2:8 [KJV] My soul, dost thou not feel, at every step towards Calvary, somewhat of the angel's words when he cried, “One woe is past, and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.” -Revelation 9:12 Surely, never was there a manifestation of the holiness of Jehovah, nor the utter detestation of God against sin, as was set forth in the crucifixion of Jesus. Would men, would angels, see what sin really is, let them go to the cross of Jesus. The casting rebellious angels out of heaven, the curse pronounced upon the earth, the drowning the old world by water, the burning of Sodom by fire; nay, the millions of miseries among men, and the unquenchable fire of hell; though all these may make the souls of the awakened exclaim against sin, yet all these are slight and inconsiderable things, compared to the wrath of God poured out upon the person of God's own Son, w...

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." -Ephesians 6:18 [KJV] If we do not continually "pray in the Spirit," our limbs will, so to speak, shrink, and our armour drop off. The knights of old exercised themselves every day in their full armour, or they could not have borne it, nor used their weapons with dexterity and strength. So must the Christian warrior, by prayer and supplication, "exercise himself unto godliness." To this must be added, "watching thereunto."   To watch for the answer; to wait for the appearing of the Lord "more than they that watch for the morning." And this, "with all perseverance," never giving it up, taking no denial, begging of the Lord again and again, and wrestling with Him till He appear to bless, visit, and shine upon the soul. O how this heavenly recipe keeps every part of the...

Brethren, it is better for us to go without earthly praise for thus we escape the assault of temptations which might prove too strong for our strength. Let the world then form its own estimate, and let us patiently endure, and let us wait our reward. And we can endure, we can wait, if faith come in to our aid.  Faith shall brighten our vision, and give us to see, while looking through time's dim vapors, that 'our witness is in heaven, and record is on high.' Faith shall open our ears, and give us to hear, by anticipation, the music of that blessed plaudit, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servants! enter into the joy of your Lord!'    -preacher Andrew Broaddus (1770-1848 A.D.)

" But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not." -John 8:6 [KJV] Every, the most minute transaction of the life of Christ, should be precious to the faith of our hearts. For in all that He did in life, and by all that He suffered in death, He manifested Himself to be the Saviour of lost sinners. The love of His heart knows no bounds to such. He willingly came to seek, and to save them. It is His joy to find, and His glory to save the lost . O were it not so, the hand that writes must tremble, that holds the pen, drop it with terror, while his heart would be filled with distress, and his soul sink into black despair.  But, O this faithful saying, “That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners , ” braces every nerve with joy, and fills the whole man with triumph—See a vile prostitute brought before our Lord; and her crimes charged upon her. She was taken in the act. Here are witnesses to prove it. Her sin ad...

"He hath poured out His soul unto death." -Isaiah 53:12 [KJV] My soul! From the garden to the cross, follow Jesus. Behold Him apprehended and hurried away, both to judgment and to death. He who struck to the ground the band that came to take Him, might surely, by the same breath of His mouth, have struck them to hell, and prevented His being apprehended by them. But one of the sweetest and most blessed parts of Jesus' redemption of His people, consisted in the freeness and willingness of His sacrifice. Yes, Thou precious Lamb of God! No man (as Thou Thyself hadst before said) had power to take Thy life from Thee; but Thou didst lay it down Thyself: Thou hadst power to lay it down, and Thou hadst power to take it again. Delightful consideration, to thee, my soul! Now, my soul, let this day's meditation be sacred to the view of thy Redeemer pouring out His soul unto death. And to-morrow, if the Lord give thee to see the morrow, let the solemn subject of thy s...