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

"Give diligence to make your calling and election sure." -II Peter 1:10 [KJV] Without election there had been no Saviour given: no salvation wrought out: no promises made: no Spirit sent: no sinners effectually called to be saints: no love from God to comfort them; nor any heaven open to receive them. O how do poor sinners fight against their own mercies, when they call in question and reject the electing love of God.  But, says one, I tremble to think, if I should not be one of the elect, what a dreadful thing would that be ? Not at all more dreadful, but just the same, as if there had been no election. But what kind of argument is this, against any truth? Suppose a profane sinner says, If there is a hell, and I should be one of the damned, what a dreadful thing would that be ? What does this prove? People are apt to stand in nature and self, and judge of the truths of God. Hence they have hard thoughts of a God of love.  Behold, I shew unto you a more excellent...

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us." -Romans 8:37 [KJV] "More than conquerors?" mark that, my soul. Conquerors all the soldiers of Jesus must be, for in His strength they fight, and He has Himself subdued all our foes, even death, the last enemy, and Satan, whom the God of peace will bruise under our feet shortly. So that victory is sure. For we overcome by the blood of the Lamb, by the sword of the Spirit, and by the shield of faith, whereby we subdue all the fiery darts of the wicked.  But though conquerors, how are we more than conquerors ? Yes, through Him that loved us, believers absolutely conquer him that is himself unconquerable. For, by union with Jesus, we may be said to have power with God, and to prevail. "I will not let thee go," said the praying Jacob, "except thou bless me." A blessing he came for, and a blessing he would have. So all the praying seed of Jacob have powe...

"Those that walk in pride He is able to abase." -Daniel 4:37 [KJV] Amongst all the evils which lie naked and open before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do, pride seems especially to incur His holy abhorrence; and the outward manifestations of it have perhaps drawn down as much as, or more than, any other sin His marked thunderbolts.  Pride cost Senhacherib his army and Herod his life; pride opened the earth to Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and hung up Absalom in the boughs of an oak; pride filled the breast of Saul with murderous hatred against David, and tore ten tribes at one stroke from the hand of Rehoboam. Pride drove Nebuchadnezzar from the society of his fellow-men, and made him eat grass as oxen, and his body to be wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown as eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.  And as it has cut off the wicked from the earth, and left them neither son nor nephew, root nor branch, so it has made sad ha...

"Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure."   -II Peter 1:10 [KJV] Work for life, say the sons of ignorance and pride. Work not at all, Christ has left us nothing to do, say the sons of sloth and licentiousness. But, say the sons of wisdom, We labour and give diligence in the ways of God, not in order to obtain life; not to be saved for what we do; but to enjoy more of the life of Christ, the love of God, and the assurance of His Spirit, that we are His children.  To this Peter exhorts. Brethren! Ye who profess to believe in the Son of God, and long to know assuredly that ye are the children of God, “Give diligence.” Do not rest in a few idle wishes, cold desires, and formal duties, but be earnest—be active—be upon the stretch for God. As we say, leave no stone unturned. Study the Lord’s word of grace—dwell upon the rich promises of His love—meditate upon the finished salvation of Christ—confer with His people— be fervent in prayer—strive a...

"Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together." -Deuteronomy 22:11 [KJV] Though the true believer, who like the king's daughter is all glorious within, cannot but know, that as meat commendeth us not to God, so neither doth the necessary dress, which, since the fall, is become suited to cover our sinful bodies, make a part of our holy faith; yet it is highly proper, that persons professing godliness should use great plainness of apparel. The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, we are told, is of great price in the sight of God. But who should have thought that such a precept as this of Moses had a gospel signification! And yet as Christ was preached under types and figure through the whole law, we may reasonably suppose that not a single command was then given but what had an eye to Him and His great salvation. But if we find the Lord so strict respecting the outward dress of the body, what may we conclude the Lord would e...

"It shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary."   -Ezekiel 47:12 [KJV] There is always something new in the things of God. Here is a passage perhaps in the word of God that we have read and read again and again without seeing or feeling anything in it; but all of a sudden there may come a blessed flash of light upon it; we now see something in it that we have never seen before, something exceedingly sweet and precious. It is now all new; it is received as new, felt as new, fed upon as new, relished as new. It seems as though we never saw anything in the passage before. So with prayer; so with hearing. You may perhaps have had your soul shut up in distress and bondage and misery for months; you could scarcely trace anything of the life of God in you. But under the preached word, it may have pleased God to drop something which has come into your heart with warmth, and life, and feeling.  Oh, how new it...

"The joy of the LORD is your strength." -Nehemiah 8:10 [KJV] This is a precious, evangelical chapter. Glorious gospel truths are here held forth to us. Lord, help us to see them, and feed upon them .  Here is, (1st.) a solemn observation of the feast of tabernacles. This was appointed by the wisdom of God the Father, (Leviticus 23:34.) Did God solemnly command the people to dwell in booths for eight days, but to some glorious end? Christ is the substance of the whole law: here is a shadow of Him. Here is typified, God’s beloved Son, who was to tabernacle in our flesh, and all the Father’s glory to dwell in Him.  (2d.) “The people gathered together as one man.” So, “Unto Shiloh, the Messiah, shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10.)   (3d.) Ezra the priest reads and expounds to them the law, in the open street: (much such another crime as field preaching) the people were convinced of sin, and wept. The law ministers death and condemnation to th...