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

"The heirs of promise." -Hebrews 6:17 [KJV] Consider, (1st.) An heir of promise, is one who has no just right, or legal title, to an inheritance; but as it is ensured to him, by the promise of the owner: just so the Lord makes sinners, who have no right, or title, to this heavenly inheritance, a free promise that they shall be heirs to it.  (2d.) When was this promise made? “Before the world began, God who cannot lie, promised eternal life” (Titus 1:2.)  (3d.) To whom could the promise be made, seeing man was not then created? It was not made to man, but for man: not for any thing in man: nor does the promise receive any stability, by any thing done by men. It was made in the eternal council and covenant, by God the Father, to His co-equal Son; for and in behalf of all the heirs of God.  (4th.) Who are the heirs of promise? God knows every one of them. We know their name: it is sinner. In the fulness of time, He makes them manifest, and they have blessed e...

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began." -II Timothy 1:9 [KJV] Mark, my soul, all the precious things, if thou hast power or time to do so, which are contained in this blessed scripture. Eternity itself will not be sufficient to allow space to enumerate them; neither will thy ripened faculties, even when full-blown and full-fruited, be found sufficient to enter into the complete apprehension of them all. Who is it that is here said to have saved us, and called us with an holy calling, but the holy, glorious, undivided Jehovah, existing in a threefold character of Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? For all have concurred in that blessed work; and all, in the essence of the One Jehovah, must have the joint praise and the joint glory to all eternity. Well, then, put thy salvation down to this glorious account: it is ...

"And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified ." -Matthew 28:5 [KJV] Whatever be our state and case, if it can truly be said of us what the angel said to the women at the sepulchre, "I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified," we have a divine warrant to believe that "He is gone before us into Galilee. There shall we see Him." He is risen; He has ascended up on high, and "has received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them."   He is now upon the mercy-seat, and He invites and draws poor needy sinners to Himself. He says, "Come unto Me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He allows us, He invites us to pour out our heart before Him, to shew before Him our trouble, to spread our wants at His feet, as Hezekiah spread the letter in the temple. If we seek communion with Him, we may ...

An old preacher once said, “False repentance damns many a sinner.”   Here is what he meant.  When men begin to see the enormity of their guilt and the fierceness of the wrath of God, they will run to anything for salvation, except to Christ the Lord.  They will even rely and depend upon their sorrow over sin, instead of looking to and casting themselves upon Christ the only Redeemer.  I would never lessen the importance of repentance, but repentance is not our Savior.  Yes, we must be brought by the Spirit to turn aside from our idols, dead works and self-righteousness, but in leading us away from those things, the Spirit of grace causes us to turn to and look only unto Christ and His work of redemption for righteousness, salvation and everlasting life.  Be warned.  Do not look to or depend upon any religious action.    Do not look to or trust in your repentance, or your faith; neither salvation or assurance is to be found in ...

"I am the LORD, I change not: therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." -Malachi 3:6 [KJV] Religion without feeling is like a dead carcass. Feeling without truth, is only nature warmed by fancy. Those are the only precious feelings which are caused by the word of God. That is a joyful season, when we can say, “I rejoice at Thy word, as one that findeth great spoil” (Psalm 119:162.) Why such exceeding great joy? Because, the word of God testifies of the immutable nature, and unchangeable love, of a covenant God, to poor sinners.  I am the LORD, Jehovah, Father, Son and Spirit. I change not. There’s the believer’s security from destruction. In this consists his safety, unto salvation. For alas! we are poor, changeable creatures. Now, our souls are strong in confidence, warm with love, joyful through hope, enlarged in prayer, with Christ in our view, and glory in our eye. Anon, a cloud arises in the horizon of our hearts— unbelief prevails—lust rages—corrup...

"And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it: it shall not be put out. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar: it shall never go out."   -Leviticus 6:12, 13 [KJV]   Pause, my soul! behold the precept in one verse, and the promise in the other. The Israelites was not to put out this altar fire; and Jehovah promised that it should never go out. Neither did it, through all the Jewish church, until Christ came. And if it be true that it actually did expire (as it is said it did) the very year Christ died, what is this hut a confirmation of the grand truth of God concerning the putting away of sin by the blood of Christ? For is not fire an emblem, through all the scriptures, of Jehovah's displeasure against sin? So not God said to be a consuming fire? And by its burning, and that miraculously preserved under all the Jewish dispensation, is it not meant to manifest Jehovah's perpetual wrath, burning like fire against sin? And as the fire was nev...

"Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness." -Psalm 112:4 [KJV] We often get into such dark paths, that we seem altogether out of the secret, and feel as if there were no more grace in our souls, than in one altogether dead in trespasses and sins. And whether we look back at the past, or view the present, or turn our eyes to the future, one dark cloud seems to rest upon the whole; nor can we, with all our searching, find to our satisfaction that we have one spark of true religion, or one atom of grace, or one grain of vital godliness, or any trace that the Spirit of God has touched our consciences with His finger. Now, when we are in this dark, benighted state, we want light; we want the blessed Sun of righteousness to arise; we want the south wind to blow a heavenly gale, and drive the mists away; we want the clouds to part, and the light of God's countenance to shine into our souls, so as to shew us where we are, and what we are, and make it cle...