Have I then no work to work in this great matter of my pardon? None! What work can you work? What work of yours can buy Divine forgiveness — or make you fit for the Divine favor? What work has God bidden you work in order to obtain salvation? None. His Word is very plain and easy to be understood, “To him…

When God calls a man, He does not repent of it. God does not, as many friends do: love one day — and hate another; or as princes, who make their subjects favorites, and afterwards throw them into prison. This is the blessedness of a saint — his condition admits of no alteration. God’s call is founded upon His decree — and…

I am bound to speak well of my Physician—He treats me with great tenderness, and bids me in due time to expect a perfect cure. I know too much of Him (though I know but little) to doubt either His skill or His promise. It is true, I have suffered sad relapses since I have been under His care. Yet I confess,…

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 Upon some points, a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that an invisible hand is always on the world’s rudder. He also knows that wherever providence may drift — Jehovah steers it. That reassuring knowledge…

Fellowship with God is the highest, purest, sweetest mercy a saint of God can have on earth. Yes, it is the highest, purest, sweetest bliss the saints of God can have in heaven. What is the enjoyment of heaven? Not merely exemption from trial, and freedom from sorrow, rest from toil, and release from conflict. Oh no! it is the presence –…

Our Lord has many weak children in his family, many dull pupils in his school, many raw soldiers in his army, many lame sheep in his flock. Yet he bears with them all, and casts none away. Happy is that Christian who has learned to do likewise with his brethren. – J. C. Ryle

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 What a mercy it is naturally to have a sound mind! It is one of the greatest temporal blessings that God can bestow upon a man. It is far better than intellect, imagination, poetical gift, or reasoning power. And how wretched it…

A true recognition of God’s sovereignty will avow God’s perfect right to do with us as He wills. The one who bows to the pleasure of the Almighty will acknowledge His absolute right to do with us as seemeth Him good.  If He chooses to send poverty, sickness, domestic bereavements, even while the heart is bleeding at every pore, it will say,…

True religion is a serious and personal concern. It arises from a right knowledge of God and ourselves; a sense of the great things He has done for fallen man; a persuasion, or at least a well-grounded hope, of our own interest in His favor; and a principle of unbounded love to Him who first loved us.  True religion consists in an entire surrender of ourselves,…

Godly sorrow springs from a view of a suffering Savior, and manifests itself by . . . hatred of self, abhorrence of sin, groaning over our backslidings, grief of soul for being so often entangled by our lusts and passions, and is accompanied by . . . softness, meltings of heart, flowings of love to the Redeemer, indignation against ourselves, and earnest…