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

" And the L ORD went His way, as soon as He had left communing with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his own place." -Genesis 18:33 [KJV] Love is the bond of friendship. Unless love be mutual, friendship cannot subsist. The sweets of friendship are enjoyed in free communications. Friends are delighted with each other’s presence. Long absence causes pain. This is true between God and the soul. If you feel concern at the absence of God, you love God: you are a friend of the Lord’s. The Lord stoops to earth: He takes our flesh: He visits and converses with us as friends. This same Lord communes with Abraham.  Consider, (1st.) Abraham was a poor sinner, as we are; he could no more behold the essential glory of the Godhead, without a mediator, than we can. Nor can God in His essential glory, as perfectly holy and righteous, draw near to fallen man, without a mediator, but sudden destruction must be his awful doom. Therefore it was Jesus the Lord, the sinner’s Friend, ...

"And they shall call His name Emanuel, which being interpreted, is God with us." -Matthew 1:23 [KJV] My soul, hast thou never remarked what a peculiar beauty and sweetness there is in every name by which thy God and Saviour is made known to thee in His holy word? Surely, if nothing more had been intended by it, than to identify and prove His sacred person, one name would have answered this purpose: evidently, therefore, somewhat of great importance is designed from His many names. And depend upon it, my soul, so much loveliness is there in every individual name of thy Jesus; and at one time or other, in thy walk of faith, so very much wilt thou need every one, and find the preciousnes of every one, that thou wouldest not part with one of thy Redeemer's names—no, not for the world. This of Emanuel, by which thou art commanded to call Him, is a sweet one to endear Him to thee. Had He not been Emanuel, He could not have been Jesus, for none but God can save a s...

"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ ." -Romans 8:17 [KJV] This is the peculiar blessedness of being a child of God, that death, which puts a final extinguisher on all the hopes and happiness of the children of men, gives him the fulfilment of all his hopes and the consummation of all his happiness; for it places him in possession of "an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for those who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."   In this life we have sometimes sips and tastes of sonship, feeble indeed and interrupted, so that it is with us as Mr. Hart speaks: " Though thou here receive but little, scarce enough For the proof of thy proper title; " yet are they so far pledges of an inheritance to come. But this life is only an introduction to a better. In this life we are but children, heirs indeed, but heirs in their minority; but in the lif...

" Christ's house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope, firm unto the end." —Hebrews 3:6 [KJV] The tabernacle, with its furniture—the ark of the covenant— the institution of sacrifices, etc. were appointed by Jehovah, to shew the nature of His house—to typify God's dwelling in the human nature of Jesus—His sacrifice for and special presence with the household of faith. David asks, "LORD, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle?" —Psalm 15:1 The answer is, Only those whose hearts are furnished with the graces of Jesus, and whose lives evidence it. It bespeaks a person's propriety of and delight of residence in a house, when he adorns and furnishes it. This Jesus doth by the hearts of all His members. He is our brother in flesh. He complies with His own command, When thou lettest a servant go free, "thou shalt furnish him liberally." —Deuteronomy 15:14 Out of the fullness of Jesus, most liberally, His member...

"What, think ye that He will not come to the feast?" -John 11:56 [KJV] Is this thy inquiry, my soul, when at any time thou art seeking Jesus in His word, in His ordinances, at his table? Will He not come? Will Jesus not be there? Think how, He hath dealt in times past. Did not Jesus rejoice when the hour arrived for coming into the world for salvation? Doth He not rejoice, when coming to the heart of the poor sinner for conversion? and will He not come with joy in all the renewed visits of His love? Besides, doth not Jesus know that it is a time of need to thee? And hath He not opened a way to the throne of grace, on purpose that His poor helpless children might come boldly to a throne of grace to obtain help, and find grace in every time of need?  Oh then, mark it down as a sure thing, thy Jesus will be there. He spreads the feast, and He will be present, He waits to be gracious; waits to be kind to thee. Love is in His heart, and salvation in His hands. Hasten th...

"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; and He will shew you things to come." -John 16:13 [KJV] "He shall not speak of Himself." There is something peculiarly gracious in this feature of the Holy Spirit, that, if we may use the expression, He does not glorify Himself by speaking of Himself in the same direct, personal manner as the Father and the Son speak of themselves. Thus the Father speaks of Himself all through the word; and the Son speaks of Himself in Scripture after Scripture; but the Holy Ghost, though He speaks in the Scripture, for by His divine inspiration the whole was written, yet does not speak of Himself in a positive, direct manner, nor call upon us in a clear, personal way to believe in, worship, and adore Him.  But His office and work are to testify to our conscience and bear witness to our spirit of both th...

" The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion." —Proverbs 28:1 [KJV] WATCHFUL and BOLD, is the Christian's motto. Watchful, to avoid sin; bold, to resist the enemies of his soul. For he is engaged in a righteous cause, animated by righteous hopes, made righteous by a righteous Lord; from Whom he derives all his strength and courage. "In Jehovah (Jesus) have I righteousness and strength." —Isaiah 45:24 . This is the glorying of his soul. Not his own inherent strength, nor his own personal righteousness, are the cause of his fortitude; but the arm of Jehovah is his shield, and the perfect righteousness of Jesus is his breast-plate of defence against every enemy. Being cleansed from guilt by the blood of Jesus, and clothed with His righteousness, by faith the soul experiences a holy boldness at a throne of grace—appeals against the fury of the enemy and oppressor—and finds supplies of strength in every time of need. This ...