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

"Of late years there has been a very visible decline, and a night is coming on, which we are entered into; the shadows of the evening are stretching out apace upon us, and the signs of the eventide are very manifest, and will shortly appear yet more and more: coldness and indifference in spiritual things, a want of affection to God, Christ, his people, truths and ordinances, may easily be observed; the first love is left; iniquity abounds, and the love of many waxes cold; and it will wax yet colder and colder, and will issue in a general forsaking of assembling together, and in an entire neglect of the ministers of the gospel; when such who have been professors themselves will be shy of them, and carefully shun them." -preacher John Gill, 1697-1771 A.D.

“ Had our own righteousness any part or share in clothing us in our justification, how could the righteousness of another be said to be imputed to us, or Christ be said to be the ‘LORD our righteousness, or be made of God unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,’ I C ORINTHIANS 1:30 . As Christ was not made sin for us by any sin inherent in Him, so neither are we made righteous by any righteousness inherent in us, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us .”   -preacher Benjamin Keach (1640 – 1704 A.D.)

"I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." -I SAIAH 48:10 [KJV] According to God's own testimony, it is "through much tribulation" that we are to enter into the kingdom; and therefore there is no entering into the kingdom of grace here or the kingdom of glory hereafter without it. But let this be ever borne in mind, that whatever affliction befall the saints, it is laid upon them by the hand of God, and that for the express purpose of putting them into a situation and of making them capable of receiving those comforts which God only can bestow. None but Jesus Himself and the Father can comfort a truly afflicted heart. And He can and does from time to time comfort His dear people by a sense of His presence; by a word of power from His gracious lips; by the light of His countenance; by the balm of His atoning blood and dying love; and by the work and witness of the Spirit within. And as they receive this consolation from the mouth of God, ...