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

" Sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy word is truth." —John 17:17 [KJV] Thus prayed our great High Priest on earth. What He asked in His humiliation, is founded upon the word and will of His Father; and He hath power to effect in His exaltation. Hence we have the fullest assurance of the perfect sanctification of all His members . Hence the desires and breathings of souls after holiness are encouraged; and the prayers of the faithful gather the strongest confidence of success. While our Beloved expresses His affectionate concern for His people's salvation, we see an equal regard for the honor and glory of His Father's word. Love for holiness, and love of the truth are inseparable. As the gospel prevails in the heart, holiness is increased. It is first life, then liveliness in the soul: it is the ministration of the Spirit in the sanctification of the spirit. Whatever working we find of the Spirit in the heart, it is by the word of truth.  The life of be...

"And He shewed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the L ORD , and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the L ORD said unto Satan, The L ORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the L ORD that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee. Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" -Zechariah 3:1, 2 [KJV] Who shall say, how many such transactions as these are continually going on, for and against the people of God, in the court of heaven, while we upon earth are unconscious either of our misery or mercy? The Holy Ghost was graciously pleased to have this made known to the church. And John was again directed to tell the church, that a song in heaven was sung at the expulsion of the devil from heaven, because the accuser of the brethren was cast down. My soul, doth he that first tempts thee, then become thine accuser? Is he carrying on this practice day and night before God? And while Satan is thine accuser, is Jesus thine Advocate?  Oh precio...

"Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus." -II Corinthians 4:10 [KJV] The two aspects, if I may use the expression, of our gracious Lord, in which are wrapped up all our faith, and hope, and love, are a dying Jesus and a risen Jesus; Christ in His sufferings and death, Christ in His resurrection and life. This is the Christ of God, this is the Son of God in whom we believe unto life eternal, as He is presented to our view in the Scriptures of truth, and by the inward teaching and testimony of the Holy Ghost. If, then, you do not believe in a dying Christ and in a risen Christ, your faith is not the faith of a Christian.  Now just see how this bears upon our text. Why do we bear about the dying of the Lord Jesus? It is that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. As then we bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus; as we suffer with Christ, die with Christ, and enter by faith into the mystery of His crucifixion so as to...