390 SALVATION DIVINELY APPOINTED. AUGUST 27. Salbation Dibinely Appointed. "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."-1 Thess. v. 9. THINK on the subjects referred to-the medium of salvation-and our appointment thereunto. He The subjects referred to.-" Wrath and salvation." We might have been appointed to wrath, as the angels that sinned were. The number and aggravated nature of our offences deserved it, and exposed us to the lightning of that eye whose burning flame might in a moment scorch and destroy. But that we are not appointed to wrath is evident, because God hath preserved us alive till now. has sent us his gospel, which brings salvation within our reach; and he is calling and urging us to accept its blessings in the name of Christ. He anxiously desires our salvation. The salvation of the gospel, which cost the Saviour his life, delivers from the guilt, dominion, and consequences of sin, and secures pardon, peace, and heaven; God has sent it to us, and employed faithful men to preach it, and persuade us to believe; and who are we that we should resist God? shall we not gladly receive his gospel, and be happy for ever? He The medium of salvation.—" By our Lord Jesus Christ." He is Lord, a divine person, and therefore able to save us. He is Jesus, a Saviour, wearing our nature, and therefore accessible and willing to save us. He is Christ, the anointed prophet, priest, and king of his church. teaches and makes wise unto salvation, he atones and intercedes for us, and he rules over us and all our enemies. Well may we call him "our Lord," and claim him as the portion of our souls, and appropriate him as the most valuable acquisition in the universe. He stands between SALVATION DIVINELY APPOINTED. 391 us and merited wrath. He died that we might never die, and he lives that we also may live an endless life. What a mighty Saviour is this! By one strong arm he brings us salvation, and by another he plucks us as brands from the burning. Our appointment thereunto.-Our appointment, not to wrath, but to salvation, is ancient in its date: "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." It is free and unmerited: "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. It is irrevocable. The plans of men are changed, and their appointments recalled; but God's never: "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good." It is productive of good fruits. There will be a ready belief of the truth, and a ready reception of Jesus revealed in it there will be a relish for gospel ordinances, a shunning of evil, and earnest efforts to do good. AUGUST 28. The Soul Required. "This night thy soul shall be required of thee."—Luke, xii. 20. THINK of man's soul. : "Thy soul." Its nature is spiritual. Its It is a living, thinking, invisible substance, capable of holding intercourse with God and with heaven. movements are swift as the lightning, and so mysterious as to elude our knowledge. "Ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." It is sinful. Once it was pure; but now the plague-spot of sin covers every soul. The testimony of Scripture, the misery of the world, and the reign of death over infants and over all, establish the fact that man has sinned, and 390 SALVATION DIVINELY APPOINTED. AUGUST 27. Salbation Dibinely Appointed. -For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain Lord Jesus Christ.”—1 Thess. v. 9. THINK on the subjects referred to the mediu tion-and our appointment thereunto. The subjects referred to.-" Wrath and salva. might have been appointed to wrath, as the sinned were. The number and aggravated na offences deserved it, and exposed us to the i that eye whose burning flame might in a mor and destroy. But that we are not appointed. evident, because God hath preserved us alive tili has sent us his gospel, which brings salvation reach; and he is calling and urging us to blessings in the name of Christ. He anxiou our salvation. The salvation of the gospel, wh Saviour his life, delivers from the guilt, don consequences of sin, and secures pardon, heaven; God has sent it to us, and employed fa to preach it, and persuade us to believe; and w that we should resist God? shall we not gladly gospel, and be happy for ever? The medium of salvation.-" By our Lord Jes He is Lord, a divine person, and therefore able He is Jesus, a Saviour, wearing our nature, and accessible and willing to save us. He is ( anointed prophet, priest, and king of his ch teaches and makes wise unto salvation, he a intercedes for us, and he rules over us and all ou Well may we call him "our Lord," and claim h portion of our souls, and appropriate him as valuable acquisition in the universe. He stands 393 his ether it who he sess did e is was kest ven. and As ; it they was il! >ther and heart, ence, 1 the be in 1, and with it live d one loved 392 THE SOUL REQUIRED. that his soul is polluted. It is immortal. "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul." The appearance of Moses and Elias on the mount of transfiguration, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, and the resurrection of Christ, prove the immortality of the soul. Yes, reader, thou carriest about with thee an immortal spirit. Thou mayest sin away thy time, but thou canst not sin away thy immortality. Think of man's soul required.-"Thy soul shall be required." Every man is accountable for the salvation or loss of his soul. This accountability is evident, because salvation is provided. In Christ's death, God is seen to be a just God and a Saviour, and that death procured salvation for the lost and perishing. To save sinners, even the chief, Christ came, and suffered, and died. Salvation is freely offered. Reader, "to you is the word of this salvation sent;" and if you disregard it, or neglect it, nothing else can save thee: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" Thou hast the power of accepting or rejecting: "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." "Choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Unless thou art a consenting party to the salvation of Christ, the whole world will unite in thy just condemnation. Man's soul required this night."This night thy soul shall be required of thee." Death is absolutely certain and irresistible. Scripture proves it, facts prove it, and our own experience proves it. Death may be very near, and very sudden: "There is but a step between me and death;" and if my soul is not yet saved in Christ, there is but a step between me and hell. If unprepared for death now, all may be lost. The rich fool was laying his plans for ease and enjoyment, without ever thinking of doing good with his wealth, or that he was only a steward of it for the good of others; and in a moment the summons is put into his hand, when the devil takes his |