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

"And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in T hee ." -PSALM 39:7 [KJV] True religion is a very simple thing. Simplicity is stamped upon all the works of God, and especially upon the work of grace. The more genuine, therefore, our religion is, the more simple it will be. To be simple is to be child-like, and to be child-like is to have the mind and spirit without which no man can enter into the kingdom of heaven. Can we, then, with this child-like simplicity, walk step by step here with David, and follow him throughout? Can we put our seal to these things and say, "Lord, what wait I for?" Is your religion brought into this narrow point? "Truly my soul waiteth upon God; from H im cometh my salvation." "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from H im." Such a frame of soul is indeed from the hand of God, for no man ever did, or could bring himself into it. And if we can enter into one part of these heave...

It was highly proper that the unexampled benevolence, humility, and other graces which Christ displayed in condescending to obey, suffer, and die in our stead - should receive from His righteous Father a suitable reward; and that God should manifest, in a signal and illustrious manner, His approbation ( approval ) of such unequaled goodness to all His intelligent creatures. But the Son of God neither needed, nor could receive any reward for Himself; for He is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person, and possesses in the highest degree all possible perfection, glory, and felicity ( intense happiness ) . Since, therefore, it was necessary that Christ should be rewarded, and since He needed no reward for Himself - His Father was pleased, in the covenant of redemption, to promise Him what would be to His benevolent heart, the greatest of all rewards. He promised Him that if He would make His soul an offering for sin - then He should h...