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

" What profit is it, that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the L ORD of Hosts?" -Malachi 3:14 [KJV] These words were spoken to the carnal Jews. They may be applied to us. For the filthy leaven of the proud Pharisee, works in all our natures. At least, I know one who finds it does. What does it produce? Hard thoughts of God, and stout words against Him. We are apt to censure His good conduct towards others, and think He deals rather hardly with us.  (1st.) “We call the proud happy.” In a dark, tried, tempted, deserted hour, when we see the poor, proud sons of pride and folly, ranting and reveling in all the gay scenes of mirth and jollity, we are apt to look at them, think of them, and draw such conclusions from them as these—Well, surely these people are happier in their ways, than I am in mine. They are strangers to my heart burdens and soul distresses. Mirth sits on their countenance, while grief and sorrow weigh me down. T...

"Beloved of God, called to be saints." - Romans 1:7 [KJV] The very word "saint" has become, through man's perverseness and wickedness, a word of reproach and contempt. But God will honour it, let men dishonour it as they please. God has put a crown of glory upon it, let men despise it as they may. There is no privilege or blessing that God can confer so great and glorious as to crown you with the crown of saint. He might have given you titles without number; He might have showered riches upon your head in the greatest profusion; rank, fame, talent, beauty, health, all might have been poured at your feet; but what would all these be compared to making you a saint of God? But what is it to be a saint? It is to be sanctified by God the Father, set apart for Himself, to shew forth His praise. It is to be washed in the atoning blood and clothed in the justifying righteousness of the Son, and to be regenerated by the Spirit of God. It is to be introduced...

"God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem." -Genesis 9:27 [KJV] None but God Himself could do either. Who but God could enlarge the one, or persuade and overrule the other? Of Japheth came the Gentiles, Genesis 10:5; and Shem is the father of Israel. But Jesus, and Jesus only, can bring both Jew and Gentile into one fold, under one Shepherd. And when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be completed, then shall all Israel be saved. Then will the Deliverer arise out of Zion, to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. My soul, art thou, night by night, and morning by morning, besieging a throne of grace, that the Lord would hasten the latter day of glory? Surely, if thou feelest due concern for the Redeemer's glory, this must form a part in thy daily petition. Who indeed can be indifferent to the interests of Christ's kingdom? "In the multitude of the people," saith Solomon, "is the king's honour;" Proverbs 14:28 ...