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

"I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions; and as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee." - Isaiah 44:22 [KJV]   Thus, of miserable sinners, God makes happy saints. Here is the work of each divine person in the ever glorious Trinity. God the Father blots out sins in the court of heaven: God the Son by His atonement on the cross; and God the Spirit, in the court of a sinner’s conscience. Believe, and enjoy the comfort of this. Now, may the God of hope fill us with joy and peace in believing this, and make us to abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:13.)     When the dear women came unto the sepulchre, to see our Lord, they said, Who shall roll away the stone from the door? (Mark 16:3.) But behold, it was done. So a poor, broken-hearted sinner says, This thick, black, impenetrable cloud of my sins intercepts between my soul and the light of God’s countenance: it prevents the comforting rays of...

"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body." -Romans 8:23 [KJV]   It is blessed to receive from the Holy Ghost such gracious interpretations of His own most holy word as bear a correspondence with what we feel in a life of grace. We know that our adorable Jesus is the Saviour of the body as well as the soul; but we know also that these vile bodies of ours are not regenerated, as the souls of His redeemed are. In this tabernacle, therefore, we groan, being burdened. "I know , " saith Paul, "that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing." And I too often know, to my sorrow, the same.   Pause, my soul, this evening, over this solemn scripture, and look up to the great Author of it, to unfold its sacred truth to thy comfort. I hope I can humbly adopt the language, and say, that I "have t...

"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD." -Hosea 6:3 [KJV]   "To know the LORD" is to know experimentally and spiritually the power of Jesus' blood and righteousness; to know our eternal union with Him; to know Him so as to be led by the Spirit into soul communion with Him, that we may talk with Him as a man talketh with his friend; to know Him so that the secrets of His heart should be revealed to us, and we enter by faith into the length and breadth and depth and height of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge; to know Him so as to drink into His spirit, and to have His image stamped by the Holy Ghost upon our souls; to know Him as coming down into our hearts out of His glorious sanctuary, filling our souls with His presence and His love; to know Him as formed in us the hope of glory, making our bodies His temple, dwelling in us, breathing Himself into us, speaking in us, moving as it were every affection of our heart and ever...

"The very hairs of your head are all numbered."   -Matthew 10:30 [KJV]   I never can understand this, says carnal reason. Therefore, reject it, says human pride. What didst thou ever gain, O Christian! by indulging carnal reasonings, or giving way to human pride? Verily, many a sad hour, many an uncomfortable frame. O, how happy doth simple faith make the heart! It receives every word which the Lord speaks, and draws comfort from it. It serves carnal reason and pride, as David did his ten concubines: he put them in a ward, and shut them up, to the day of their death (II Samuel 20:3.)    For verily, they are like the spies which Moses sent out, “who brought up an evil report of the land” (Numbers 13:32.) Therefore, listen not to their suggestions. Our Lord never spoke a word as a subject for thy curious speculations; but, that thou shouldest humbly believe it, exercise thy believing mind upon it, and derive peace and comfort from it. Our Lord had been t...

"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." -Ephesians 4:30 [KJV]   Methinks I would make this scripture the motto of my daily walk, to keep in remembrance more than the dearest friend that wears the ring of love upon his finger, and bears it about with him whithersoever he goeth. And is the Holy Spirit grieved whenever a child of God forgetteth Jesus, and by indulgence in any sin, loses sight of those sufferings which He endured on account of sin? Yes, God the Holy Ghost is grieved, communion with God the Father is interrupted, and all the agonies and bloody sweats of Jesus, forgotten, if there be a loose and careless life. And shall I ever grieve the Holy Ghost by any one allowed transgression? Would not my soul feel shame at the consciousness of it, even if no eye but His had seen the foul act? Wouldest Thou grieve for me, O Lord, at such a sight? Can it be possible that a poor worm of the earth, such as I am, sh...

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." -Romans 8:5 [KJV]   None but those who are partakers of a heavenly birth feel heavenly realities to be their choice element, holy things their sweetest meditation, and the solemn worship of God their supreme delight. Look at this mark as a touchstone of divine life; for to be spiritually-minded a man must be spiritual, and to be spiritual he must have received the Spirit and been made a partaker of that "kingdom of God which is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17) .   Have you never found in reading the Scriptures a sweet peace distill over your soul, as the glorious promises came forth one after another as the stars in the evening sky, each one brighter and clearer, and you felt a blessed persuasion of your interest in them? When at the throne of grace, favoured with liberty of spirit and ac...

"I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good."   -Jeremiah 32:40 [KJV] A minister lately preaching on the tremendous solemnity of the last day, at the close of his sermon, thus addressed his hearers: “Most awful as my subject has been; most solemn as the things which you have heard have been—yet I have one thing more to add, which is as awful. ‘Tis this.—Ere to-morrow’s sun, perhaps, you will have forgotten all you have heard of this solemn subject!” Awful conclusion! is not this too much our case, respecting the covenant love and faithfulness of our God? Else, why those unreasonable doubts, groundless suspicions, heart-rending jealousies, and soul-dejecting fears which possess us?  Else, whence that slowness of heart to approach the Lord, to cast our care upon Him, put our trust in Him, glory of Him, live upon Him, and rejoice in Him? The Lord will ever be mindful of His covenant (Psalm 111:5.) But, shame t...