We are warned here that election unto salvation does not disregard the use of appropriate means: salvation is reached through "sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth."

We are not able of ourselves thus to discern the Scriptures without divine aid and assistance; for the psalmist, who was wiser than the wisest of us, and who had so earnest a desire after these things, yet would not trust unto his own reason, wisdom, ability, and diligence, for the understanding of them, but betakes himself unto God by prayer, acknowledging therein that it is the especial work of God by his Spirit to enable us to understand his mind and will as revealed in the Scripture.

The Story of this journey of recording audio-books that started back in December of 1985. The recordings were done for blind patrons of the Chapel Library, then in Venice, FL. How did this ministry evolve from that to where it is today.

October 2, 1864 Sealing, which is another name for assurance, for the witness of the Holy Spirit with our spirit—that we are born of God, is evidently distinct from faith—will you please to observe that—for the text says, "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Believing, then, is not this sealing; and assurance, although it be akin to believing, is not believing. There is a distinction between the two things.

Melancholy 1813 - He often thinks that, his day of grace is past, and that now it is too late for him to believe, to repent, or to expect mercy. Were anyone to declare to him that redeeming grace is infinitely free, or that the riches of saving mercy in Christ are always overflowing, or that the offers and calls of the gospel are directed to him in particular, he would still affirm that now it is too late, because his day of grace is undoubtedly past. No arguments will convince him that concluding his day of grace is past, or that God will never show mercy nor give grace to him.

Growth in grace is one way to be happy in our Christianity. God has wisely linked together our comfort and our increase in holiness. He has graciously made it in our interest to press on and aim high in our Christianity. There is a vast difference between the amount of sensible enjoyment that one believer has in his Christianity compared to another. You can be sure that ordinarily the person who feels the most joy and peace in believing (Romans 15:13) and has the clearest witness of the Spirit in his heart is the person who grows.