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

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." -P SALM 139:23, 24 [KJV] The people of God cannot take their religion upon credit; they cannot be satisfied with the endorsement of this or that good man. They must have it wrought by God Himself. They are often exercised as to whence their religion came. Do you not find it so, and that it costs you many exercises? If, for instance, you are cast down, you are exercised whether it spring from godly sorrow for sin. If you are comforted, you cannot take the comfort for granted; you must have it weighed up in the gospel balance. If you meet with providential deliverances, you cannot take them as so many certain evidences that all is right with your soul. So that every step you take you have to examine, and weigh it whether it be of God. The dead professors, the hypocrites in Zion never have their religion tried and weig...

Augustus Toplady (author of the hymn "Rock of Ages" ) wrote a hymn in 1772 A.D. on the subject of SUBSTITUTION. It exalts the effectual, particular redemption of our Lord. From whence this fear and unbelief? Hath not the Father put to grief His spotless Son for me? And will the righteous Judge of men Condemn me for that debt of sin Which, Lord, was charged to Thee? Complete atonement Thou hast made; And to the utmost Thou hast paid Whatever Thy people owed; Nor can God's wrath take place If sheltered in Thy righteousness, And sprinkled with Thy blood. If Thou hast my discharge procured, And freely in my place endured The whole of wrath divine, Payment God cannot twice demand, First at my bleeding Surety's hand, A nd then again at mine ! Since all men by nature have stony hearts, all the threatenings in the world will do no good; the stony heart of natural man must be pierced by THE POWER OF GOD in order to be tender! One with a tender hea...