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

" Lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing." -Luke 22:35 [KJV] Precious words to me! One is unwilling to speak of oneself. There is danger of pride and self-seeking in it. Yet, with a view to our Lord’s glory, a sincere desire to exalt His grace and goodness, and to encourage fellow Christians’ confidence therein, a poor sinner may speak of his experience. With tears of thankfulness, I record the goodness of my Lord to the chief of sinners. Upwards of twenty years ago, when it pleased Him to call me by His grace, and make me happy in His love, my name was cast out—friends became foes—their hands were against me—they withdrew their favours from me, and derided me.  Under narrow circumstances, tender feelings for a large family, carnal reasonings of my corrupt nature, and strong temptations from the enemy, I was often sore distressed. But my Lord was gracious. Many, and many a time, did He bring this text to my mind; and, as it were, with all love and tendernes

" The secret of the L ORD is with them who fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant." -Psalm 25:14 [KJV] Who would trust the secrets of his heart with an avowed enemy? David could reveal all that was in him to Jonathan. Why? Because he was his loving, faithful friend. He could trust his very life in his hands. There was a secret between them two, which no one else was privy to. When Jonathan shot the arrows as a signal to David, even the lad that gathered them up, “Knew not any thing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter” (I Samuel 20:39.) Some professors are like this lad. The Lord will not trust them with His secret: they would abuse it.  It is common to hear such lads in religion say, Well, if I were sure that God loved me with an everlasting love, had chosen me from eternity, and would keep me by His power, through faith unto salvation, what need I care how I live? Do not such discover that they are strangers to the love and fear of the friends of