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

“In that day shall the L ORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble among them at that day, shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the L ORD before them." -Zechariah 12:8 [KJV] My soul! in the calculation of times and seasons, thou art entering this day upon a new month; stand still and consider what progress thou art making in the spiritual path. Here is a sweet promise for the gospel dispensation. It is an old testament promise to be fulfilled in a new testament day. The weak and feeble, in our spiritual David, being really and truly in David, shall be as David, that is, strong in the grace and strength that are in Christ Jesus. And the whole house of David, every true believer in Jesus, shall be as Jesus; that is, so accounted before God, as one in Christ, and accepted in Him the Beloved; for in the eye of God, and of His holy law, they are one and the same.   But what a sad consideration is it that the progress in ...

"They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them."   -Jeremiah 31:9 [KJV] Until God is pleased to pour out upon us the spirit of grace and of supplications, we cannot worship Him aright; for God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth; nor can we without this spirit offer up that spiritual sacrifice which is acceptable to Him through Jesus Christ. When this spirit has been once given and kindled in a believer's breast, it never dies out. It is like the fire upon the brazen altar, which was first given by the Lord Himself from heaven, and concerning which God gave this command: "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out" (Leviticus 6:13) . This fire might sink low; it might be covered with the ashes of sacrifice, but it never was suffered to go out for want of supply of fuel.   So at times it may seem to you as if there were scarcely any spirit of prayer alive in your bosom; ...

“And above the firmament, that was over their heads, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stones and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it." -Ezekiel 1:26  [KJV] It forms the most satisfying consideration to the breast of the faithful that every event and every providence concerning the people of God is as much directed, arranged, and determined, as the purpose of redemption themselves. The covenant is "a covenant ordered in all things and sure." He who hath undertaken and completed salvation for them, hath no less secured the means that shall infallibly accomplish the end; and all things, how unpromising soever on the first view, shall work together for good to them that love God.     When the Holy Ghost would graciously lead the church into the proper apprehension of this great truth, the prophet is directed to the contemplation of a vision by the river Chebar, which opened before him. There...

"Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."   -Ephesians 1:11 [KJV]  By these words the apostle brings before our eyes God's omnipotent power as carrying into effectual performance the counsel of His own will towards the objects of His distinguishing favour. An especial blessing is couched in this. Next to a believing view of the purposes of God's grace, and a sweet persuasion of our interest in them, nothing is more strengthening and encouraging than a realising apprehension of the power of God to carry them into full execution. Feeling, as we do, our own miserable helplessness, sinking under the pressure of our daily weakness, mourning over continual failures, and grieving on account of perpetual backslidings, encompassed by foes, and distressed by fears, how strengthening it is to our faith, thus tried to the utmost, to believe that He who has purposed has power to perform.  This persuasion of the almighty power of God was the support and strength o...

"Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever." -Psalm 45:2  [KJV] I admire this blessed portion, as well as the method in which the sacred writer hath introduced it. He opens the psalm, professing his design of speaking of the King: but in a moment, as if beholding him, he breaks off, and speaks to him. The verse now quoted contains but three short sentences: but indeed within its bosom, there are folded up as many volumes. For who so fair, so lovely, so engaging, as Jesus? "He is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person:' and if all the accomplishments and perfections which can constitute excellency, be among the recommendations of beauty and loveliness; then it will be found, that in the person of Jesus they all centre and shine in one full constellation.     Well might the prophet therefore speak of him in this character: for he is a perfection of loveliness...

"The king's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework."   - Psalm 45:13,14 [KJV] This is a beautiful description of the bridal garments of the Church as the queen. The gold was to be wrought into her clothing, the raiment to be of needlework, intimating that her robe of justifying righteousness was wrought, as it were, as in needlework, stitch by stitch; yet that every thread was embroidered with gold. Here we have the thread of the humanity in union with the gold of Deity, and yet each in such close union that the thread is but one. In gold thread the beauty, the value is in the gold; yet how close the union. Gold by itself could not be made into embroidery.     So Deity cannot suffer, bleed, or die; but humanity can in union with it. Thus, as our blessed Lord went through the whole work which the Father gave   Him to do, His Deity, being in union with His obeying, suffering humanity...

"He shall not speak of Himself." -John 16:13  [KJV] I have found, in time past, a very great blessedness in this short but sweet account, which Jesus gives of the gracious office of the Holy Ghost; and therefore I would make it the subject of my present evening meditation. I find what the Lord Jesus said concerning the blessed Spirit, in this most delightful part of His divine ministry, to be true. For look wherever I may, through the bible, it is of Jesus only the Holy Ghost is continually speaking, and not of Himself.     And hence, by the way, I learn how to form a most decided testimony of the faithful preachers of the word. For, if God the Holy Ghost, in His glorifying the Lord Jesus, is never found to be speaking but of Jesus; surely all His faithful servants, who act by His authority, and are commissioned and ordained by Him to the work, will never preach themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. And how blessed is it to be taught of Jesus, by the Holy Ghost! It is a...