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

" All scripture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." — II Timothy 3:16, 17 [KJV] The poor sinner who writes this, being in a dangerous illness, was in a very dark and comfortless frame of mind for two days. The third day, light, peace and joy overspread his soul by these words being brought to his mind: "After two days He will revive us, in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight." On this he called for a bible. O how was his inexpressible joy increased when he read these words in Hosea 6:2. On being asked, If he had done with the bible? he answered with a flood of joyful tears, 'No: never, never shall I have done with that blessed book, till I change time for eternity.' The Spirit of inspiration ever honors His own word of truth. All peace, comfort...

" Jesus said, Will ye also go away?" —John 6:67 [KJV] This, O soul, is the voice of thy Beloved. Thy Friend put this question to His own disciples. Our Captain keeps no pressed men [i.e., drafted ] in His service. All His subjects enter as volunteers. They are made willing to come to Him (Psalm 110:3) , believe on Him and greatly esteem the day of His power, to follow and cleave to Him. Force, restraint, and compulsion act not on their ingenuous minds. But what they find in Jesus now, present peace; what they expect from Jesus hereafter, glory and salvation, endears Him to their souls.  Daily observation furnishes with instances of many who profess to own Christ and to follow Him for a season; but anon, through not understanding His doctrine, not seeing their own misery and wretchedness, and not knowing His love, they are offended, forsake Christ, His truths and His ways. They go back again to the world, to the enjoyment of their lusts, and take up with carnal pre...

"No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." — I Corinthians 12:3 [KJV] "As the heavens declare the glory of the Lord, and the firmament sheweth His handy-work:" so every page of His sacred word proclaims His grace to His people, reminds them of the insufficiency of their natural power and will to any saving purposes. Formal professors say, that Jesus is the Lord. The confession is easy. It is common to the openly profane, and the most decent Pharisee; but is no more profitable to salvation than the true declaration from Satan, "Thou art the Holy One of God," — Mark 1:24 .  But saving confession of Jesus with the lips proceeds from inward believing on Jesus with the heart; and this from spiritual discoveries to the mind by the Holy Ghost. O believer, know thy distinguishing blessing! Esteem not this a common privilege, but special grace, that thou canst see, canst own, canst come to, trust in, and call the despised Nazarene,...

" And lo, an horror of great darkness fell on him." —Genesis 15:12 [KJV] There is somewhat very gloomy and awful in what is called 'a total eclipse of the sun.' When the earth is darkened, creation puts on a melancholy aspect and seems to mourn in silent sadness. But the surprise and astonishment which naturally affect us on these accounts are greatly abated, as these are not uncommon appearances in nature; and as they are foretold and accounted for. As in the natural, so it is in the spiritual world.  The children of God in all ages have experienced darkness of soul: therefore none should think this peculiar when they are exercised thus, "as though some strange thing had happened to them," — 1 Peter 4:12 . We see Abraham, the friend of God, and father of the faithful, under an eclipse of the bright shining of the sun of righteousness. The consequence of this darkness was a horror, yea a horror of great darkness fell on him. And this too, after...

" But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sin, for ever sat down on the right hand of God." — Hebrews 10:12 [KJV] The cross of Christ is the Christian's glory. Yet the small share that Jesus hath in the Christian's affections is his shame. Really disciples of Jesus do not love their Saviour as they ought. Why? because they are slow of heart to believe His love to them and His sufferings for them. How little are our hearts in meditation upon the labours of love, toils of sorrows, and agonies of soul, which Jesus in our nature sustained on our account. If a friendly arm is reached forth and snatches a poor mortal from the jaws of approaching death, O how does it call forth love to his kind deliverer! when he reflects on his danger, how does it excite his gratitude! he cannot think of his Preserver but he remembers His mercy.  But where is our warm affection, our fervent love to that precious MAN, whose heart was as a flame of love to us, and who...

" The L ORD thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed, to love the L ORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." —Deuteronomy 30:6 [KJV] Even Moses, who delivered the fiery law of wrath and terror, preaches like a Barnabas, a son of consolation. In this chapter we have a precious enumeration of new-covenant blessings and evangelical promises, all settled in the eternal counsels between Jehovah, Father, Son and Spirit; all founded in infinite wisdom, everlasting love, and immutable faithfulness; therefore sure to all the seed "who are chosen in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world." Such is the solid foundation of gospel faith and hope. The happy heirs of it the Lord God sets a special mark upon.  Hereby He owns them as His peculiar ones. This is also an evidence to them of their special relation to Him. As the Father loved His people before time, and gave them to Jesus, to be rede...

" Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities." — Romans 8:26 [KJV] How reviving to the soul! how encouraging to the mind of a disciple, is it to hear the experience of his brethren and companions in the faith of Jesus! To this end the blessed Spirit hath caused the saints of old to leave on record His dealings of love with their souls. Thus is the word of God most valuable for our instruction, edification, and comfort. Let no poor follower of the Lamb think he is singular in feeling an insupportable pressure of infirmities. No; the children of God in all ages knew and felt the same.  Whether prophets or apostles, none were perfectly free from inward distresses, temptations, fears, dejections, etc. All which arise from our still possessing a fallen nature, which subjects us to these sensations and feelings. They are our burdens. We cannot but feel them and groan under them. O sad and dreadful fall, which has so terribly maimed and bruised the royal offsprin...