"For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God."—John 16:27 See, my soul, how thy Jesus hath endeared to thee the Father in the assurance of his love. And wilt thou not feel thine whole affections going forth in continual love after him? Was it not thy Father which, from everlasting, gave thee Jesus as thy Saviour, and gave thee to Jesus that he might redeem thee? Was it not from the same precious source that Jesus came as a Saviour, and a great one, to redeem thee and other great sinners? Is it not thy Father that hath adopted thee into his family in Jesus, and given thee the Spirit of adoption, whereby…

"Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be."—Deuteronomy 33:25 What a thought that is which the word of God furnisheth, in the view of everlasting engagements, that a suitable strength is laid up for every emergency. God's love hath provided adequate supplies to the wants of all his people. What strength of enemies shall be equal to the everlasting strength of God? What shall drain the resources of everlasting love? What shall dry up the streams which flow from an everlasting fountain? Jesus therefore will proportion the back of his people to the burden. His grace shall be sufficient for all: it shall be sufficient for you, it shall be sufficient for me, for every one, for…

"He sent his word and healed them."—Psalm 117:20 Of all the subjects to comfort our minds in the recollection of the mercies in Jesus, the authority and name of Jehovah in the appointment comes home with the greatest comfort to the heart. This is faith's warrant—this is faith's confidence. Who sent Jesus; who sent his word; who is it that gives validity and efficacy to salvation? Jehovah. "Beware of him," saith the Lord, "my name is in him." And how then can my soul fail, or any promise in Christ pass unfulfilled, when Jehovah sends and Christ completes the work the Father gave him to do? Blessed Jesus! may I always look to thee under this precious character; and may I hear thee speaking under…

"And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people, as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men."—Micah 5:7 Observe, my soul, the character given of Jacob's seed, and bless the Lord for being included in the number.—For so saith the apostle, "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Mark then their characters. They are a remnant. But they are God's remnant, being in covenant with God in Christ, and as such, distinguished and separated from the world. "They are a people that dwell alone, and not reckoned among the nations." They are in the midst of many…

"And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant."—Exodus 2:24 This is a precious scripture. My soul, put a note upon it. No sigh, no groan, no tear of God's people can pass unobserved. He putteth the tears of his people in his bottle. Surely then he can never overlook what gives vent to those tears, the sorrows of the soul. Our spiritual afflictions Jesus knows, and numbers all. How sweet the thought! the Spirit maketh intercession for the saints with the groanings which they cannot utter. And do, my soul, observe the cause of deliverance. Not our sighs, nor our groanings, nor our brokenness of heart; not these, for what benefit can these render to an holy God? But God hath respect in…

"Whose names are in the book of life."—Philippians 4:3 How is this known? It must be a blessed privilege this, and highly desirable to attain, if there be a truly scriptural testimony to it. That there is a book of life, in which the record is made of the people of the Lamb, is without all dispute, from many parts of scripture. The church of the first-born are said to have their names written in heaven; such as are chosen of God in Christ before the world began. But these are secret things which belong to the Lord our God. Yet it is said, "the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant." Hence therefore, is…