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

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” -John 3:6 [KJV]   What, then, is the new birth? It is not the removal of anything from the sinner nor the changing of anything physical or fleshly in the sinner; instead, it is the communication of SOMETHING NEW to the sinner.  The new birth is the impartation of a NEW NATURE. When we were born the first time, we received from our parents their nature; so too, when we are born again, we receive from God His nature . The Spirit of God begets within us a spiritual nature (Galatians 5:17; II Peter 1:4) . That which is born of man is human; that which is born of God is divine and spiritual (I John 3:9).   Nicodemus was startled. He was amazed at the Saviour’s words. Yet he ought not to have been. Man, by birth and nature, is blind and opposed to the things of God. And no amount of religious training can change this evil nature.  His chief need is a NEW NATURE – to be born again...

"If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness." -Romans 8:10 [KJV] St. Paul was an experimental teacher. He applies himself to the heart. He appeals to the conscience. He aims to quicken and animate the soul, and to draw out the affections to Christ, from what it had inwardly experienced of divine grace. O Christians, let this be your study when you meet and talk together. Yea, often do as David did. Converse freely with your own soul.  If Christ be in you. That is, if He dwell in your heart by faith. If you have an inward approbation of Him, delight in Him, and love to Him in your heart: if you believe in Him as the Son of God, anointed by the Holy Ghost, to be the only Redeemer, Justifier, and Saviour of perishing sinners— what then? I will tell you, says the apostle, what will be the experience of your heart.  (1st.) “The body is dead because of sin . ” You will find, and groan under the weight of a dea...

"And there was a rainbow round about the throne." -Revelation 4:3 [KJV] Mark this, my soul, and connect with it what God said after the destruction of the old world by water: "I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh."   And was not this rainbow round the throne which John saw, to tell the church of Jesus, on whom the Father is always looking, to remember His everlasting covenant of grace? And what doth it say but this, there shall be no more a deluge, nor floods of vengeance poured out upon the sinner that believes in Jesus. He looks to Christ, while the Father beholds Christ: he trusts in Jesus, whom the Father hath trusted with His honour: he receives Jesus as the whole of the covenant, in whom the Father beholds the whole of the covenant fulfilled. Help me, Lord, in the vie...

"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not."   -Isaiah 35:4 [KJV] "Fear not." "Ah! but Lord," the soul says, "I do fear. I fear myself more than anybody. I fear my base, wicked heart, my strong lusts and passions, and my numerous inward enemies, the snares of Satan, and the temptations of the world. Thou sayest, 'Fear not.' But I do fear. I cannot help but fear."   Still the Lord says, "Fear not." Let us see if we cannot find something to explain this a little more clearly. There is a crowd yonder, and a weak woman in company with her husband. He says to her all trembling and fearing to pass through the crush, "Fear not; take hold of my arm, cling close to me." She takes hold of his arm and fears not. So with the timid soul and its enemies. It says, "How can I press through this crowd of difficulties; how elbow my way through these opposing doubts and fears?" Its Husband, t...

"I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing." -Romans 7:18 [KJV] This is the knowledge which puffeth not up; but like love, edifieth the soul in deep humility: while it excites overflowing gratitude in the heart to Christ for His righteousness, to justify vile sinners. It is the knowledge of regenerate souls . I know: not only doctrinally, in notion and theory, but it is a confirmed truth, by heart-felt experience. I know it from day to day: I have proved it again and again: I am fully assured of it, as I am of my own existence, “that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing . ”  St. Paul’s judgment of himself was confirmed by experience. “But was he not a most eminent apostle, and holy saint?" Yes; still he confesses publicly before God, angels, and men, that he was the subject of a nature, which was earthly, sensual, and devilish. If no good thing dwelt in his flesh, is it not implied, that every evil dwelt there? Doubtless, he would be so...

"He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted: neither hath He hid His face from him: but when he cried unto Him He heard him." -Psalm 22:24 [KJV] My soul, behold Jesus, the Lamb of God, in this sweet scripture. Is it not said of Him, that in the days of His flesh "He offered up strong crying and tears, and was heard in that He feared? Though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered . " And was Jesus the Holy One, the afflicted One, also?  Was He truly so, when He bore thy sins? And was this the time to which the scripture refers, when God the Father had respect to the sufferings of Jesus, and neither despised nor abhorred them? Did the Father behold Him then through the whole as the sinner's Surety, and graciously accept Jesus and the church in Him? Oh then, my soul, think of this in all thy trials and afflictions. Carry all thy sins and sorrows to the throne. Jesus knows them all, sees them a...

"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood." -Romans 3:24, 25 [KJV] Before we can have faith in Christ's atoning blood, we must see the glory of the Person of the Lord of life. "We beheld His glory , " said John, speaking of himself and the other favoured disciples, "we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." May I ask you a question, you who profess to know these things? Were your eyes ever anointed to behold the glory of Jesus? Did faith ever contemplate, did hope ever anchor in, did love ever flow forth to the glorious Person of Immanuel?  Was He ever precious to your souls? ever "altogether lovely" in your eyes? so that you could say, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth I desire beside Thee ? " Now, if you have seen His P...