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

"Giving all diligence: add to your faith." -II Peter 1:5 [KJV] Here is the Christian’s work. All diligence is required in it. O believer, be assured (the Lord impress it upon your heart and mine) there is no being a lively, comfortable disciple, without it. Beware you do not add to your faith licentious notions and Antinomian sloth, instead of Christian virtues, holy tempers, and heavenly affections, which adorn our profession, and glorify our Saviour.  Ever remember, you are called to honour Christ by your life on earth, as well as to be saved by and enjoy Him in heaven. By faith we receive Christ, rest upon Him, and look to Him alone for justification unto eternal life. But a lively faith will not leave us barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  If there be not an habitual disposition of soul, to add to faith, virtue, knowledge, patience, godliness, etc., we should examine and see to it; lest, instead of Christ dwelling in our hearts ...

"Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." -Hebrews 2:17 [KJV] What heart can conceive or tongue express the infinite depths of the Redeemer's condescension in thus being made like unto His brethren—that the Son of God should assume a finite nature, subject to the sinless infirmities necessarily connected with a time-state and a dwelling on earth; that He should leave the bosom of His Father in which He had lain before all worlds, and should consent to become a denizen of this world of tears; to breathe earthly air; to be an eye-witness of, and Himself share in human sorrows; to have before His eyes the daily spectacle of human sins; to be banished so long from His native home; to endure hunger, weariness, and thirst; to be subject to the persecutions of men, the flight of all His disciples, an...

"For I know that this shall turn to my salvation, through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." -Philippians 1:19 [KJV] Blessed frame of mind! when, like Paul, however unpromising circumstances are, to be able to say, `I know that this exercise, be it what it may, is among the all things which work together for good to them that love God, and are the called according to His purpose!' My soul, do thou, once for all, mark down this one certain and never-to-be-questioned truth: that thy God, thy Jesus, hath but one end in view from all the providences He appoints to His people, and is invariably and everlastingly promoting it, however to thy apprehension at times, things seem to run counter. And when thou hast settled this in thy mind, as a certain fixed principle, next take into the account all, or (at least as thou canst not know all,) some of the many foundations on which the certainty, for the accomplishment of a final issue of good ...

" Wisdom is justified of all her children." -Luke 7:35 [KJV] “O! could I but know, and be sure, I am a child of God, I should be quite happy. The want of this makes me very uncomfortable.” Such is the language of many a doubting believer. Well, soul, here is a mark laid down: by it judge of thyself, and know thy state. Art thou a child of wisdom? If so, thou wilt justify wisdom. But what is wisdom? What is it to justify wisdom?  (1st.) Thy Saviour is “the wisdom of God” (I Corinthians 1:24.) He is not only wise to win souls, but is wisdom itself. He makes all His children wise unto salvation, by knowing Him , “of God, made unto us wisdom” (I Corinthians 1:30.) Wisdom is here arraigned, and His ways censured by the calumny of fools. He is condemned as a licentious person; a sot; an epicure; a jovial friend, and companion of wicked sinners. If you are a child of wisdom, you will also meet with the same treatment from a carnal world and self-righteous men.   If ...

"A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked." -Psalm 37:16 [KJV] Hard may be your lot here below, ye suffering saints of the most High, as regards external matters; painful may be the exercises through which you almost daily pass, through the rebellion and desperate wickedness of your carnal mind; grievous temptations may be your continual portion; many a pricking thorn and sharp brier may lie in your path; and so rough and rugged may be the road, that at times you may feel yourself of all men to be the most miserable; and so indeed you would be but for the grace of God in your heart now and the glory prepared for you beyond the grave . Yet with it all, were your afflictions and sorrows a thousand times heavier, well may it be said of you— "Happy, thrice happy, art thou, O Israel!" Whom upon earth need you envy if you have the grace of God in your heart? With whom would you change, if ever the love of God has visite...

"I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister." -Job 17:14 [KJV] My soul, take a turn now and then to the grave. It will be profitable to look at the bed where thou art shortly to take up thy residence, before thou art sent there to remain. Nothing so profitable to allay all that heat and folly which keep men in a continual ferment, as a solemn view of "the house appointed for all living." To be sure, nothing can be more humbling than what Job here speaks of his relations: great men and nobles will not be very fond of the alliance; but in reality, all the other affinities of life are imaginary. Corruption is the common father of all. In this we all are formed; for corruption when dried, becomes the original dust it was before it was animated. And as corruption is the father, so the worm is both mother and sister; for here they burrow, and this is their proper element. But, my soul, while thou knowest th...

" Lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." -Judges 7:2 [KJV] Thus the Lord reasoned with Gideon. He knows what is in man. He sees the pride of the human heart: how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of His own glory. Gideon’s army of two and thirty thousand, is brought down to three hundred. By this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory of the Midianites. The Lord’s wisdom in this was, “Lest Israel should vaunt themselves, and say, Mine own hand hath saved me.”   But I have not transcribed the text right. There are two little words of great import, which I have omitted. Mind then, O Christian— against Me. Now remember, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy free-will, thy human goodness, thy works, ditties, conditions, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong. Thou vauntest thyself against the Lord . Thou art gloryi...