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

" I will bear the indignation of the L ORD , because I sinned against Him, until He plead my cause and execute judgment for me: He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold His righteousness." —Micah 7:9 [KJV] Sin, though atoned for by the blood of Jesus, and through the faith of this the soul be made holy and happy, yet dwelleth in us. Hence all our griefs, our sufferings, our wretchedness. God's judgments are sometimes secret, always just, ever in love to His own. Misery should never afflict us, if sin did not infect us. A good instrument may be out of tune; the hand of a skilful musician is necessary to set it, and display its harmony and sound. God disciplines by afflictions for our profit and His glory. The faith, patience, and valor of God's soldiers are best known in times of exercise: then how animating to view the love and trust to the faithfulness of a covenant God! To see a father's love to the soul in the rod of his displeasur...

"Master! where dwellest Thou?" -John 1:38 [KJV] Is this the earnest inquiry of my soul? Hear then the answer: "Thus saith the high and lofty One, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Pause, my soul. Are these qualities produced by grace in thine heart? Jesus, Master, make me what Thou wouldest have me to be; and then come, Lord, agreeably to Thy promises. Thou hast said, My Father will come, and I will come, and make our abode with him.  And Thou hast said, the Holy Ghost shall come and abide with us for ever. What, my soul, shall I indeed have such glorious personages for my companions? Behold, Lord, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, cannot contain Thee! Oh for grace and a sanctity of thought corresponding to such mercies, since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in ...

"The L ORD bless thee." -Numbers 6:24 [KJV] The key to the words, "The L ORD bless thee," is, I believe, to be found in Ephesians 1:3 : "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ ; " for the blessings prayed for in our text would seem to be chiefly spiritual blessings. Not that we are to think lightly of temporal favours. They are left-hand blessings, if not right-hand mercies; they are gifts to be thankful for on earth, if not graces that take to heaven; provision for the perishing body, if not food for the immortal soul. Health, strength, such a measure of worldly goods as shall keep the wolf from the door, and enable us to owe no man anything but love; children growing up to be a comfort to their parents; a kind and affectionate partner; warm and faithful friends; an untarnished name; and a little provision for those dear and near to us, that the...

" The L ORD God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places." —Habakkuk 3:19 [KJV] "The righteous are as bold as a lion." —Proverbs 28:1 The words of wisdom are not like the pithy sayings of the Heathens, which merely describe states and things to which men never arrive nor enjoy; but they assure us, such and such has been, and still is the knowledge and experience of God's saints. So children of wisdom are taught their privileges, and their souls are drawn out in prayer and diligence, that they may also partake of the fulness of the blessings described. Whence is the boldness and courage of the righteous derived? See the young stripling David, how boldly he advances to the mighty giant Goliath, with an insignificant weapon in his hand, yet assured of success. For the faith of Omnipotence was in his heart, and these soul-encouraging words in his mouth, "I come to thee in th...

"If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold." -Leviticus 25:25 [KJV] How poor was I and wretched before I knew Jesus! I had not only sold, as far as I had power to sell, some of my possession, but all. Indeed, dear Lord, I could not sell Thee, nor my oneness and union with Thee; for that was not saleable, since Christ had from everlasting betrothed me to Himself for ever. But in the Adam nature in which I was born, I was utterly insolvent, helpless, and ruined: one like the Son of man redeemed me. But what a double blessedness was it to my soul, when I discovered that this Redeemer was so very dear of kin to me, that He was my brother.  Hail, Thou precious, precious Jesus! Thou art indeed, a "brother born for adversity." Yes, blessed Jesus! Thou art He whom Thy brethren shall praise; and all Thy Father's children shall bow down t...

"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth ." -II Thessalonians 2:13 [KJV] There is the impartation of righteousness, as well as the imputation of it; and the impartation of it is the communication of a divine nature to the soul. Have I one grain of holiness in myself? Not one. Can all the men in the world, by all their united exertions, raise up a grain of spiritual holiness in their hearts? Not an atom, with all their efforts. If all the preachers in the world were to unite together for the purpose of working a grain of holiness in one man’s soul, they might strive to all eternity: they could no more by their preaching create holiness, than by their preaching they could create a lump of gold. But because, by a gracious act of God the Father, Jesus is made unto His people sanctification, He imparts ...

" Jesus said, Ye know not what ye ask . " —Mark 10:38 [KJV] Strange! what, James and John, two disciples of a despised and rejected Master, Who had not where to lay His head, yet dreaming of earthly pomp and worldly grandeur, and petitioning for the highest pitch of worldly glory? yes, nothing less than the right hand of preeminence, and the left hand of power, would suit them. Human nature, how earthly, carnal, and selfish! How low are we fallen! yet how lofty in pride! What are the best of men, when left to their own spirits? Truly, we know not what to pray for, as we ought. Jesus, Master, instruct us, what we are called to! Teach us what to pray for. Let Thy word, "My kingdom is not of this world , " be ever uppermost in our minds! Poor Baruch could not be honored of God, and commissioned to read the roll to the princes of Judah, but he thinks, Now I am somebody; I have got in the way of earthly honor and preferment. But his brother Jeremiah is se...