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

"Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the L ORD their God, and David their king." -Hosea 3:5 [KJV] What a sweet scripture is this, and what abundant gospel contained in the bosom of it? "Afterward shall the children of Israel return." After having been long scattered on every high mountain, wandering over the face of the whole earth, the Lord will bring them back; "He that hath scattered Israel will gather him." There shall be abounding grace, for abounding transgression; and what sin hath ruined, grace shall restore. But to whom shall they return? To seek the Lord their God! Yes! This may be done, and this will be done, if the Lord incline their hearts; the same that gives the grace to seek, will give the mercy to find. "He hath never said to the praying seed of Jacob, Seek ye my face in vain!" But it is said also, that they shall return to "David their king."   Alas! David king of Israel, bad been dead many a y

"O wretched man that I am!" - Romans 7:24 [KJV] Now, these feelings which the Apostle groaned under are experienced by all the quickened family. Blessed then be the name of God most High, that He inspired him to trace out and leave upon record his experience, that we might derive comfort and relief from it. What should we otherwise have thought? We should have reasoned thus: 'Here is an apostle perfectly holy, perpetually heavenly-minded, having nothing but the image of Christ in him, continually living to the Lord's glory, and unceasingly enjoying communion with Him!' We should have viewed him as a perfect saint, if he had not told us what he was; and then, having viewed him as a perfect saint, we should have turned our desponding eyes into our own bosom, and seen such an awful contrast, that we should despair of ever being saved at all! But seeing the soul conflict which the Apostle passed through, and feeling a measure of the same in our own bosom, it encourag