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

" Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded." -Philippians 3:15 [KJV] Speaking of righteousness unto justification of eternal life, St. Paul says, “The election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded,” (Romans 11:7.) What were they blinded by? Their own righteousness . This, like a cloud, intercepted the glory of the Sun of righteousness [ Christ ] from their minds. Their own righteousness prevented them from feeling the want of the righteousness of Christ, to justify them before God. So of perfection. Many are so blinded with their own fancied perfection, that they see not the glorious perfection of Christ, and the way in which sinners in themselves, are absolutely perfect in Him.  St. Paul just before said, he was not perfect. Now he says, he is perfect. What can he mean? Ironically, say some; by way of severe sarcasm upon those who fancied themselves perfect. Say others, comparatively perfect, with respect to those who were ignorant of Ch...

"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have (i.e., let us hold fast-) grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." -Hebrews 12:18 [KJV] Grace is the very foundation of the kingdom which cannot be moved. It is all of grace, from first to last. By grace we are saved; by grace we are called; by grace we are what we are. In order, therefore, to maintain our interest clear in the kingdom which cannot be shaken, we must hold grace fast; for directly we cease to do this, we lose our comfortable prospects of this kingdom, and of our own participation in it and its heavenly blessings. It is a kingdom of present grace and of future glory, therefore built wholly upon grace and not upon merit; wholly upon the favour of God and not upon the works of the creature. As long, then, as we hold fast grace, we hold the kingdom; for the kingdom stands in grace. But why should this exhortation be needed? Is it not very easy to ho...

"Neither be ye of doubtful mind." -Luke 12:29 [KJV] My soul, it is a blessed thing to arrive at a fixed point, on the momentous concern of "the one thing needful." As long as there remains any doubt or uncertainty whether Christ be the soul's portion or not, there is always a proportioned degree of doubt and uncertainty in the soul's comfort. What the dying patriarch said to his son, may with equal truth be said of every one of this description: "Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel," Genesis 49:4. For as long as the soul forms conclusions of safety, not from what Jesus is, but from what the soul's views of Jesus are there will be always an unstable, unsettled state . And how many have I known, who are of doubtful. mind, whether they really do believe to the salvation of the soul, and yet have no doubt whether they be sinners, and both need and earnestly desire that salvation. They will tell you that Jesus is more precious ...