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

"We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." -I John 2:1 [KJV]   This advocacy is here called, as elsewhere, "pleading the cause"  of the believer, and is connected with deliverance, for such an Advocate can never fail: "O Lord, Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast redeemed my life" (Lamentations 3:58) . The figure is taken from a lawyer pleading the cause of a criminal, and using his best endeavours to bring him off uninjured. But such advocacy may fail for two reasons:  1. The incompetency of the advocate; or  2. The badness of the cause.  But there are no such hindrances to the success of the advocacy of Christ. How He can plead His own sufferings, blood, and obedience. His very Person as the Son of God, and yet Son of man, gives unspeakable value and validity to every plea of the great Intercessor. What validity, then, has His intercession in the court of heaven!  It is true that He cannot deny the ...

"Whose I am, and whom I serve." -Acts 27:23 [KJV] Here is a delightful subject for an evening meditation, if, like the apostle, who thus expressed himself, a child of God can take up the same words, and from the same well-grounded authority. Paul was in the midst of a storm, with not only the prospect, but the certainty of shipwreck before him, when he thus reposed himself in his covenant relations. An angel had informed him of what would happen; and had bidden him to be of good courage. But Paul's chief confidence arose from the consideration of whose property he was, and whose service he was engaged in . See to it, my soul, that thy assurance be the same; then thy security in every dark night will be the same also. For if thou art Jesus' property, depend upon it, thou wilt be Jesus' care. Hath Jesus bought thee with His blood; made thee His by grace; and hast thou voluntarily given up thyself to Him in a covenant not to be broken? Hath the Lord spok...

"Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God." -I John 4:2 [KJV] “You study too much, it will kill you,” says one and another. What! the study of Christ, who is the life, health, and joy of the soul, kill one? Precious death, to die in such sweet exercise. It is only to fall asleep in Jesus and awake with Him in glory. I am sure, (through grace) this delightful study will kill the life of sense, the power of sin, and the delusion of Satan. Christ help us to study Him more and more. The apostle here warns us against false spirits, which are not of God. He bids us believe not every spirit, but try them. For many false prophets are gone out under a spirit of delusion. We are in danger of being deceived by them. Here is a fixed rule to know whether they are of God or not.  (1st.) Know ye the Spirit of God. Many pretend to have received Him: to preach by His inspiration: to glory in ecstasies of com...