II. The price of its redemption. O! learn the value of your Souls by that astonishing truth, “God was manifest in the flesh.” (1 Tim. iii. 16.) “Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor.” (2 Cor. viii. 9.) He became “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah liii. 3.) He tabernacled thirty-three years in our evil world. He was obedient to the law for man. (Dan. ix. 24.) He was made a sacrifice for sin. (2 Cor. v. 21. Gal. iii. 13.) “He was wounded for our transgressions.” “He was bruised for our iniquities.” “He poured out his soul unto death.” (Isaiah liii. 5. 12.) By all he did and suffered, by the mystery of his holy incarnation, by his holy nativity and circumcision, by his baptism, fasting, and temptation, by his agony and bloody sweat, by his cross and passion, by his precious death and burial, by his glorious resurrection and ascension, and by his second coming to judge the world, an infinite dignity and incalculable value are stamped on the Soul. “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.” (1 Pet. i. 18, 19.) Shall such a price be paid, and will you not regard your Soul? If immortal Souls were so precious in the sight of God, that he gave his only begotten Son, that through him they might be saved. If they were so valuable in the sight of the divine Saviour, that he did not shrink from laying down his life for their sake, let then your own Soul be precious in your own sight, and seek its present and everlasting salvation through him, for he freely offers you his salvation, yea, beseeches you to accept it at his hands. (2 Cor. v. 20, and vi. 1.)
To this end, let it be your immediate object to consider,
III. The means appointed for the soul’s spiritual welfare. Ministers labour continually. “They watch for your Souls as they that must give an account.” (Heb, xiii. 17.) They are the appointed messengers of God to warn men to flee from the wrath to come, and to invite them to lay hold on eternal life. (Col. i. 28. 1 Tim. vi. 12.) By them the blessing and the curse are continually set before you. (Deut. xxx. 19.) The Gospel is preached, that faith may come by hearing. (Rom. x. 17.) And the spirit of God waiteth to apply it, and make it effectual. (Isa. xxx. 18. Rev. iii. 20.) It is brought near, and its blessings freely offered. (Rom. x. 8–13,) and the consequences of neglecting it are fully stated. (Acts iv. 12. 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.) The holy scriptures are written “for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.” (2 Tim. iii. 15–17.) They are an infallible guide, “a sure word of prophecy,” (2 Pet. i. 19,) a light to guide the soul into the way of peace. (Ps. cxix. 105–130.) Conscience admonishes and accuses. (Rom. ii. 15.) Oftentimes, with a voice too powerful to be altogether resisted, it whispers, “Take heed to thy soul.” (Acts xxiv. 25.) Providences are arranged by infinite wisdom in such manner, that they may speak a warning voice. (Luke xiii. 4. Mark xiii. 37.) Afflictions are sent to awaken a concern for eternity. (Isaiah xxxviii. 1.) And the Holy Spirit strives, yea, condescends to invite to a conference, with the promise of a happy result. (Gen. vi. 3. Isaiah i. 18. Acts iii. 19.) Destruction has no covering, that we may not fall into the pit, (Luke xvi. 23,) and Heaven darts its splendours from afar to attract the notice of immortal souls. (Ps. xvi. 11. Rev. xxi. 23–27.) Then neglect not to use those means which are placed within your power. Wait on God continually. (Isa. xl. 31.) Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day. (Isaiah lviii. 13, 14.) Search the scriptures daily. (Acts xvii. 11, 12.) Be earnest in prayer. Cry mightily unto God, to enlighten your mind, and renew a right spirit within you. (Luke xi. 9–13.) Plead the promises of God, and you will find them faithful and true for the welfare of your souls. (Isa. lxv. 24.)
Upon the whole, therefore, observe.—They who neglect the means of grace deprive their souls of good. (Heb. iv. 1, 2.) They who do not reverence the Son of God and trust in him, lose their Souls for ever. (John viii. 24.) In this there is great folly, as well as guilt. He who is more anxious about time than eternity, and disregards spiritual things, is more foolish and cruel than the man, who, when his house is on fire, looks after trifles, and exposes himself, or leaves his child to perish in the flames.
Will you postpone the consideration of these things? What, and if this night your soul should be required of you? Be ye therefore ready. (Luke xii. 20–40.) “Behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. vi. 2.) “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near;” (Isaiah lv. 6.) lest you resemble the Roman Emperor who, in his dying moments, said, “My poor vagrant Soul, whither art thou going;” or the unbelieving Voltaire, who declared to his physician, he would give half his fortune to have his life lengthened half a-year; or the Jewish Rabbi, who said to them that asked him why he wept, “If they were carrying me before a king of flesh and blood, who is here to-day, and to-morrow in the grave; who may bring me into bondage, but cannot keep me there, only for a season; who may destroy my body, but cannot touch my soul, even in these circumstances I should weep. But now I am going before the King of Kings, the only blessed God, who liveth and endureth for ever and ever, who, if I die impenitent, will consign me to the pit whence there is no redemption.”
Instead of being thus left, with Pagans, Infidels, and Jews, to dread uncertainty, on a subject so amazingly important as the future state of the immortal soul, instead of the dreadful risk which all must run who are careless or indifferent on such a matter, you may, by that grace of the Holy Spirit which you are encouraged to seek, by that repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, which you are invited to exercise, and which is the gift of God, be enabled to triumph over death, and say, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.” (2 Tim. i. 12.) “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. xv. 55.) You may carry your imagination beyond the grave, and say, in the prospect of an appearance at the judgment of the great day, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died.” (Rom. viii. 34.) You may look forward to eternity, and say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 1 have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.” (2 Tim. iv. 6, 7.)
That God of his infinite mercy and love may bless you with this grace, and lead you to the exercise of this repentance and faith; or, if you are now penitent believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, that you may be kept “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,” is the hearty desire of the friend who thus wishes to draw your attention to the Worth of your Souls, by leading you to consider, their nature, the price of their redemption, and the means of their spiritual welfare.
What were thy gain, couldst thou survey
The spacious land, and boundless sea,
And view a world at thy controul,
But lose thyself, th’ immortal soul?Blessings of mind, or better health,
Can well supply the loss of wealth:
A ruin’d soul what can restore?
That loss can be repair’d no more.Where will the trembling sinner find
A ransom for the guilty mind?
What jewel of uncounted cost
Can purchase back that jewel lost?What madness thus to throw away
A soul for trifles day by day!
For dear-bought joys yourself undo,
And barter bliss for certain woe!Amazing folly Lord we own
Our guilt, with penitential moan:
While our vain hearts have been engrost,
With meaner cares, our souls were lost.For what in nature’s spacious range
Would happy saints their bliss exchange?
Or what in time can sinners gain
To balance everlasting pain?
London: Printed by A. Applegath, Duke-street, Stamford-street; and sold by J. Davis, No. 56, Paternoster-row, and by J. Nisbet, No. 15, Castle-street, Oxford-street. [1]