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

"Emmanuel, GOD with us."   - Matthew 1:23 [KJV]   This is the mystery which holy angels pry into, infernal devils envy, proud infidels reject with derision, humble sinners glory in, and which all the redeemed around the throne above are incessantly shouting, and everlastingly triumphing in. “Till God in human flesh I see, My thoughts no comfort find: The holy, just, and sacred Three Are terrors to my mind.” This is the language of every sin-convinced, spiritually-enlightened soul. O how did we talk of God in nature’s darkness, when we were without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world, even Atheists! But now, O wonder of converting grace! we see, we believe, we know God with us. This is the chief glory of our faith, the chief joy of our hearts.    (1st.) God with us, in the eternal council and covenant before time. There He had our persons in view, our case at heart, and undertook to be our Surety, our Jesus. Lo, we were then given to Hi...

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."   -John 1:14 [KJV]   Turn aside, my soul, this day, from every vain and worldly thought, as Moses did at the bush, and behold by faith the accomplishment of what he then saw in type and figure, of this great sight which the Lord hath made known unto thee. The Word, the uncreated Word, even the eternal Son of God, taking upon Him the nature of man, and uniting both in one Person, that by the union He might be a suitable Saviour for His people.    As God, He was mighty to save, and fully competent to the wonderful act. As man; He was a suitable Saviour, for the right of redemption belonged to Him. And as both, He, and He alone, could become a proper Mediator, to reconcile and bring together God and man, which by sin were at variance.   This was the glorious news angels posted down from heaven to proclaim. This was the song of heaven, for which they sung "glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,...

"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." -Philippians 2:6, 7 [KJV] The humanity of our blessed Lord was actual flesh and blood from the moment of its conception, a perfect human body, to which was united a perfect human soul; both without sin, or else He could not be the Lamb without blemish; both without sin, or His pure humanity would not have been that " holy thing " born of the Virgin, which should be called the Son of God. Thus He came forth as the Lamb of God, without spot or blemish. Well indeed might the apostle say, "Great is the mystery of godliness." Here as in a glass we see the wonderful love of Jesus, that He who is the Sort of God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Ghost, a sharer of the Father's essence, of the Father's glory, should stoop so low to l...

"Lo, this is the man that made not GOD his strength." - Psalm 52:7 [KJV] The following fact I had from my late beloved friend, and faithful minister of Christ, Mr. Jones. A poor infidel deist had conceived a strange notion, that men need not die unless they would. Upon his deathbed, he affected to be resolute, and bid God defiance. In his last moments, he sprang up, gnashed with his teeth, and with looks of horror cried out, “God! I will not die!”  With these words he expired. O the fearful death of the ungodly, who make not God their strength! They have hope in their death. For they make God their strength in their life.  What can a vile sinner do to make God his friend? Where is the impotent sinner, who can make God his strength? What meaneth this? Why, God is that to every poor sinner, which the word reveals Him, and faith takes Him to be. Consider this. You say, I am a weak needy creature. What saith the Lord? “Let him take hold of My strength”   (Isaiah 27:5.) “Tho...

"God sent forth His Son, made of a woman." -Galatians 4:4 [KJV] How little did Adam suppose, when he charged God foolishly, as by the way it may be observed all sinners do by this plan, in attempting to palm off his sin upon God, that the Lord in after ages would put distinguishing honour upon the woman, in which the man should bear no part. "The woman," said Adam, "whom Thou gavest to be with me, she tempted me, and I did eat."  Thus endeavouring to throw the whole blame of his transgression upon his gracious Benefactor. It is as if he had said, Hadst Thou not given me this woman, I should not have disobeyed Thy command. Now observe, my soul, God's benignity and grace upon this occasion. "The seed of the woman,"  said God, "shall bruise the serpent's head." Not the seed of the man, but of the woman. And when the fulness of the time was come for this promise to be accomplished, "God sent forth His Son made of a woman , ...

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." -Titus 3:5 [KJV] To view mercy in its real character, we must go to Calvary. It is not sufficient to contrast the purity of God with the impurity of man. That indeed affords us some view of what mercy must be to reach the depths of the fall; a sideface of that precious attribute. But to see its full face shining upon the redeemed, we must go by faith, under the secret teachings and leadings of the Holy Ghost, to see "Immanuel, God with us,"  groveling in Gethsemane's garden.  We must view Him naked upon the cross, groaning, bleeding, agonizing, dying. We must view Godhead and manhood united together in the Person of a suffering Jesus; and the power of the Godhead bearing up the suffering manhood. We must view that wondrous spectacle of love and blood, and feel our eyes flowing down in streams of sorrow, humility, and contrition at the sight, in order to enter a little in...

"All my springs are in Thee."   -Psalm 87:7 [KJV]   Philosophers, ignorant of the true God, who doth all things by His power, talk of an occult quality in nature; a certain some thing, which they can neither explain nor account for, but which doth wonders. Just as darkly do many speak of a light within, which, if they are obedient to, and do not resist, will guide and sanctify them. But they manifest that it is not a divine light; for it teaches them to slight and reject divine revelation. This is Deism. But the heavenly-taught soul speaks as the oracles of God. He confesses, Christ dwells in his heart by faith; and says, O Jesus, “All my springs are in Thee.”     Thou art that spring, which put and keeps my soul in spiritual motion. We see the vibration of the balance of a watch: we know its motion is from the main spring, and the union it has with it. Stop, say the sons of pride; compare not man to a machine. Truly, he is worse than a good machine, in ...