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

" I will lift up my hands in Thy name." -Psalm 63:4 [KJV] From the little which carnal men see of the conduct of saints, they pronounce them fools and madmen. But were they to follow them to their closets, and be witness to what passes there, between God and their souls, they would deem it the excess of folly, and the height of madness. Two Christian friends were conversing together of the plague of their hearts, and the workings of hypocrisy and evil in their best duties. An unconverted brother of one of them overheard, and upbraided them, saying, I always thought you were two hypocrites, now I have heard it from your own mouths. I have no wandering thoughts at church—I always go with a good heart.  Brother, replied the Christian, putting a piece of money in his hand, that is your own, if, when you go to church next, you will watch your heart, and tell me honestly, if you found no wandering thoughts. The poor man faithfully returned the money, and frankly owne...

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee ." -Isaiah 43:2 [KJV] How many of the dear saints of God, when they have been brought into tribulation and sorrow, have found the fulfilment of this most gracious promise! And is there not one of these waters through which all must go—that deep and rapid Jordan which every one must pass through? How dark and gloomy those waters have appeared to the eyes of many a child of God, in whom is continually fulfilled the experience of the words, "Who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."   But how often have these waters only been terrible in prospect, in anticipation. How different has been the reality. When he comes down to the river's bank and his feet dip in these waters, and it appears as though they would rise higher and higher, the Lord suddenly appears in His power and presence, and then the water sinks. He speaks a word of peace to his soul upon a dying bed—revea...

"For whatsoever is not of faith is sin." -Romans 14:23 [KJV] My soul, thou last long known, and I hope in a great measure felt, the vast importance of that blessed principle, faith, without the possession of which, "it is impossible to please God." But last thou also considered what the Holy Ghost here saith, by the apostle, that "whatsoever is not of faith, is sin?" Pause over the expression: "whatsoever is not of faith, is sin!" Why then it will follow, that whatever is undertaken without an eye to God in Christ, and for God's glory in Christ, is sin. All the acts of creatures, as sinful creatures, must partake of sin. It is by faith in Christ, that the iniquity of our most holy things is taken away.  Hence, love to our neighbour, is no love, unless it be a stream from the love of God: for what doth not begin in God, will never end in God. Such views of faith are striking; and this portion of God's word certainly opens to...

" He who eateth Me, even he shall live by Me." -John 6:57 [KJV] Why is the meek Saviour so very wroth against self-righteous people, while He is nothing but love and tenderness to poor sensible sinners? Why does He stamp the highest indignity and contempt on the character of the former, while He receives the publicans and harlots with open arms? Is it not hard, because a man esteems his own righteousness, and values his own perfection, that the Saviour should reject him? Are we not to do good, to be very good, yea, to strive to be as righteous as an angel? Yes, we are to have a better righteousness than angels ever had.  But if we think that righteousness is to be obtained by us, to cover our wicked nature, to recommend us to God, and to justify us either first or last, in whole or in part, we deceive ourselves—the truth is not in us—there is the pride of the devil at the bottom of all this. Woe unto us, we are full, but we shall hunger , (see Luke 6:25.) If full...

"But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." -Romans 5:20 [KJV] In order to know what grace is in its reign over sin, and in its super-aboundings over the aboundings of iniquity, we must be led experimentally into the depths of the fall. We must be led by God Himself into the secrets of our own heart; we must be brought down into distress of mind on account of our sin and the idolatry of our fallen nature. And when, do what we will, sin will still work, reign, and abound, and we are brought to soul poverty, helplessness, destitution, and misery, and cast ourselves down at the footstool of his mercy— then we begin to see and feel the reign of grace, in quickening our souls, in delivering us from the wrath to come, and in preserving us from the dominion of evil. We begin to see then that grace super-abounds over all the aboundings of sin in our evil hearts, and as it flows through the channel of the Saviour's sufferings, that it will never leave its f...

"Thus shalt thou say unto him, The L ORD saith thus, Behold, that which I have built, will I break down; and that which I have planted, I will pluck up." -Jeremiah 45:4 [KJV] My soul, ponder well these words; and when thou hast duly meditated, behold and see, in the instance of the church at large, and in thine own circumstances in particular, whether the powerful operations of the Lord's grace be not thus frequently carried on, by seemingly opposite means? Doth not the Lord appear to be often breaking down what His own right hand hath built, and withering what He hath planted, when providences appear to run counter to His promises, and the way to their accomplishment seems impossible? Thus the gourd of Jonah was blasted when the prophet needed most a covering: thus the poor man's child, in the gospel, when in the view of Christ, was thrown down by the devil, and torn more than ever he had been before; Mark 9:26 . Thus the children of Israel felt Phar...

"If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." -Hebrew 10:26, 27 [KJV] Awful words! enough to make one’s heart tremble, excite a holy fear, and provoke a godly jealousy. Wilful sin brings on woeful complaints. Yes, says a soul, I find it so by dreadful experience. I have received the knowledge of the truth of salvation by Christ Jesus, and O what have I done! Sinned wilfully, and now I must be punished eternally. There is no hope nor help. My sin is unpardonable. There remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain, fearful looking for of destruction. I am shut up in despair. I wait with terror my dreadful doom.  Stop a little. Write not such bitter things against thyself. True, thou art condemned for thy past wicked conduct. It is proper you should take shame to yourself, and rep...