imself. There is nothing which can force Him to show favour. If
He say, die, He is as justly glorious as He was before. If then, there
is _no_ obligation upon God to save: and if He _does_ determine to be
gracious, the salvation _must be_ of grace. Oh, is it possible to
conceive the solemnity of that moment when the destinies of untold
millions were in the balance? Can you picture the suspense of heaven and
hell when waiting Jehovah's fiat? Surely for the moment the pulse of
nature throbbed not; heaven's music ceased to flow, and the howl of the
pit was hushed. Then God, on his azure throne, holding in one hand the
sword, and in the other the sceptre, stretched out the sceptre saying,
"Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom."

Your salvation is of grace. You are required to _pray_; but you are
saved by grace. You are required to _believe_; but you are saved by
grace. You are required to _labour_; but you are saved by grace. You
are required to _suffer_; but you are saved by grace. You will have to
_die_; but when you stand a spirit glorified before the throne, it will
be by grace.

(iii.) Salvation in _its object_ is the soul. "Receiving the end of
your faith even the salvation of your _souls_." By the soul we
understand the immaterial principle or spiritual part of man; which
though united with the body, is perfectly distinct from it.

As to its _nature_, it is possessed of intelligence, volition, sensation.
It has capacities for enjoyment and suffering: for both good and evil.
Its _immortality_ is assured to us by the mouth of God. It may be lost.
With all its dignity and glory, it may be for ever crushed by the divine
hand, but never destroyed. While, however, it may be lost, it may be
saved. The grace which can calm its fears, and satisfy its hopes, and
purge its impurity, and consummate its bliss is now manifested. How
insignificant does everything appear when compared with _its_ salvation.
The blotting of the sun, the desolation of an universe is a trifle when
put in the balance with an immortal spirit. Let the sceptic doubt its
immortality, and the atheist deny, and the scoffer jest; but let us look
forward to the judgment-seat and beyond it, for "the soul, immortal as
its sire, shall never die."

(iv.) Salvation, _in its attainment_, is _by faith_. "The end of your
faith."

There is no article of our religion more plainly revealed than this--"By
grace are ye save