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

"Whose heart the Lord opened." -Acts 16:14  [KJV] It is always blessed to trace mercies to their source! And blessed when, through grace, we are enabled to give God His glory, and not put down to man's merit what wholly originates in God's grace. The opening of the heart can only be the province of Him that made it. Renewing work, as well as creating work, is His. He that hath the key of David, is He alone "that openeth, and none shutteth; and shutteth, and none openeth." What a beautiful illustration hath the Holy Ghost given the church of this precious truth, in the instance of this woman, whose heart the Lord opened!     We are told in her history, that she was of the city of Thyatira, a place remote from Philippi, where this sovereign act of mercy was shewn towards her. How long she had remained in a state of unrenewed nature, or what predisposing providence it was that brought her to Philippi, with other circumstances which we might have thought inter...

"Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me." - Matthew 11:6 [KJV] What is the feeling of your heart toward Jesus? What is the solemn desire of your soul? that He would come and make your heart His abode? that He would visit your soul with the light of His countenance? that He would sprinkle His blood upon your conscience? that He would make Himself very near, very dear, and very precious? Do you count one word from His lips worth a thousand worlds? a smile of His countenance worth thousands of gold and silver? Then you are blessed. You are not stumbling upon the dark mountains of error. You are not stumbling at the perfections of the Son of God. You are not offended at a free gospel, an unconditional salvation.   No; the Lord in mercy has slaughtered your prejudices, subdued your enmity, and brought you to receive the gospel as a little child. "Well," but some may say, "I believe all this; but, then, I have doubts and fears whether the Lord has beg...