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

"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man." -John 5:22, 27 [KJV] Here, my soul! here is a sweet and blessed portion to take with Thee, night by night, as a sleeping draught, to lie down with in holy composure; or if thou lie watchful, to give thee songs in the night. Everynight is a new watchword of the night of death; and none can tell thee when thou droppest asleep, whether, in the next opening of thine eyes, thou mayest not open them in eternity, and find thyself standing before the judgrnent-seat of Christ!     Dost thou not wish to be prepared for such an event, and not to leave so infinitely momentous a concern to a peradventure? Read then, again and again, this sweet scripture. I take for granted, that thou knowest Jesus; and art acquainted, yea, savingly acquainted with His glorious person, as thy Surety; and the merits of His blood and righteousnes...

"Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." -II Corinthians 4:9 [KJV] You may be cast down by many doubts and fears, and lose the sense of the Lord's love to your soul, but you cannot lose the reality, nor is your faith destroyed by the hottest flame. It is like gold; the fire melts away and separates the dross and tin, but never touches the gold. In your hottest trials your faith will not have lost a particle. Neither will your hope be destroyed, however you may be cast down about your state or standing; for not a particle of hope, or of any one Christian grace can ever be lost. They may seem to suffer diminution as the apostle speaks, "If a man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss" (1 Corinthians 3:15); but it is no real loss,—it is merely the dross taken away, that he may come forth a vessel for the finer. The work of the Holy Spirit is as indestructible as the work of Christ; and thus every grace which He implants in the soul...