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

"Teaching us, that, denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present evil world." -Titus 2:12 [KJV] We read in Esdras of three young men, who wrote of the strength of different subjects. The first chose Wine; the second, the King; the third Women and Truth. He fully demonstrated, that truth is superior to all the charms of women and the power of a king. “As for truth, it endureth, and is always strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore. And all the people shouted, and said, Great is truth, and mighty above all things”   (I Esdras 4:38, 41.) Surely, so it is with the truth of God’s grace. The stoutest rebels have been conquered by it: the most mighty kings have fallen before it. Whom it conquers, them it also teaches. When it has brought the heart to yield to its sovereign power, it captivates the affections by its sweet influence, and regulates the life by its salutary rules. There is a most vile sp...

"And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day." -Jude 6 [KJV] This scripture, concerning the rebellion, and consequent punishment of apostate spirits, will form a solemn meditation, my soul, for thy evening thoughts to be exercised upon. And perhaps, under grace, it may lead thee to some sweet improvements in the contemplation of the distinguishing grace manifested to our rebellious nature; while judgment the most awful, and everlasting, overtook the higher nature of angels. If we humbly inquire what was the nature of their sin, all we can gather of information concerning it, was, that it was rebellion against God. One part of scripture indeed tells us, that "There was war in heaven:   Michael"   (by which we understand, Michael our Prince, the Lord Jesus Christ, Daniel 10:2l.) and His angels fought against the dragon; and the...

"My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass." -Deuteronomy 32:2 [KJV] In the falling of the natural dew there is something soft, still, and gentle. We therefore read, "We will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground" (II Samuel 17:12) , that is, stealthily and unseen. It does not rush down like the pelting hail, but falls stilly and often imperceptibly; so that we scarcely know it has fallen, till we go out in the morning and see every blade of grass tipped with the sparkling dew-drops; by these bright gems we know that dew has fallen during the still hours of the night. So spiritually, the kingdom of God is not in noise, rant, or wild excitement. The Lord was not in the strong wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the still small voice (I  Kings 19:11-12) . And thus there may be a great deal of religious fire, but no presence of...