Vers. 6-8.-.A warning against watchlessness. The apostle says that, a.a children of light and of the day, believers ought to exercise vigilance and sobl'iety in view of the solemn prospects before them. I, THE BIN AND DANGER OF SPIRITUAL BLEEP. "Let us not steer, 88 do others." There are three kinds of sleep spoken of in Scripture-the sleep of nature, which restores the wasted energies of the body ; the sleep of death ; and the sleep of the text, which is always fraught with peril, its prevailing idea being insensibility. The sleeper is: 1. Not aware of his danger. 2. Forgetful of hi., duty. 3. Unconscious of the real world around him. 4. Immovable to all appeals. 5. May not even know that he is asleep. II. THE DUTY OF WATCHFULNESS AND SOBRIETY. "Butletuswatcb and he sober," so as to be always prepared for the Lord's coming. We are not to he overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, so that that day should overtake us unawares. Let us watch that we mo.y be sober. 1. The reason is that sleep and drunkenness are works of darkness done in the night. "They that sleep sleep in the night; and they that ht' drunken are drunken in the night." 'l'bose spiritually asleep "sleep through all life'~ agitations, beneath the thunders of Sinai, and the pleadings of mercy from the cru,s.H Like drunken men, they are intoxicated with life's delights, "minding earthly things," occupied supremely with "the unfruitful works of darkness." Believers are not so, intu whose heart" God has commanded the light to shine out of darkness, to give the li~ht of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus" (~ Cor. iv. 6). 2. .Another reason for watchful sobriety is that our life is a spirituul warfare, The believer is to be a sentinel always on guard, or a soldier on the battle-field-" having on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." As a good soldier, bound to endure hardness, he goes forth into the conflict of life, equipped in Divine armour, not for aggression but for defence. The pieces of armour here enumerated are for the protection of vital parts, the heart and the head. (1) Faith is the principal part of this spiritual armour. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John v. 4, 5). It is by faith they resist the devil (1 Pet. v. 9). It is by it all difficulties are overcome (Matt. xvii. 20). If it is by the "sword of the Spirit, the Word of God," we are to couquer, faitl1 is the arm that wields the sword. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews illustrates the power of faith as a principle or action and as a principle of endurance. (2) Love is joined with faith to form the breastplate, for "faith worketh by love" (Gal. v. 6). Love preserves from apostasy, and kuits the saints together, because it is the bond of perfection, and thus enables us to bear all trial through love to the Redeemer. (3) The hope of salvation is the helmet. In the corresponding passage in Ephesians, the helmet is salvation itself; but the difference is not material, the salvation in the one case being partially enjo) ed, in the other an object of future hope. Hope is a protection to the believer, as it nerves him to meet danger, and enables him to brave difficulties, by looking to the glorious objects in view. '!'lie, efore it is •• tbe patience of hope." Thus the three Christian graces make the soul watchful and ready for the Lord's coming.-T. C. Vera. 9-11.-The source, channel, and end of th-. salvation ho-ped for. The apostle is now led to illustrate the hope of salvation. I. ITS SOURCE. "Fur God ,Hd uot appoiut us to wrath, hut to the obtainin~ ul s>llvntion." 1. The calliny is according to the purpose. "Whom he predestinates, them he also calls." The security of the believer depends, not upuu himself, but upon God's unchangeable and loving purpose. 2. The purpose is not to wrath, but to salvation. Though believers were once "children of wrath,'' they are now reconciled to God, and saved from wrath to come. 3. God's purpose of mercy towa·rd us does ,wt free us from the necessi:ty of being watchful concerning the means of salvation. II. 'l'HE CHANNEL oF SALVATION, "By our Lord Jesus Christ." 1. The coue11a1<t was "ordained in the hand of a mediator." (Gal. iii. 19.) 2. His death, aol his doctrine or example merely, was _necusary to our ,alvation. " Who died for l1ll, • &. Hu cleat/& tUflll n,bstit-utionary. It WBI "for ua." llO THE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'l'HE THESSALONIANS. [oa. v. 1-28.
m. TR1i: END op THI8 SALVATION. "Who died for us, that, whether we wake or ~Jeep, we should live with him together." This WIIS "the joy set before him" for whioh "he endured the cross " (Rcb. xii. 2) that we might live to him in order to our living with him. 1. It 1'8 life with Ohrt'st. Not merely lite in him, but life with him in glory. "I desire to depart and be with Christ, whioh is far better" (Phil. i. 23). It is the greatest joy and glory of heaven (Rom. xiv. 8, 9; 1 Cor. v. 9). 2. It is life t11ith all bel,'etJers. They are to live with him. unsevered from one another• for whether they "are alive and remain," ,r whether they are of those who "have f;llen asleep," they will be together, in Christ's society. Thus the great salvation is the "common salvation." IV. THE OONBOLATORY ASPECT OF 'l'BESE TBOTBS, .. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edil'y one another, even as also ye do." These truths afforded a grand basis for mutual comfort and edification. 'l'he Thessalonians ought, therefore, to dismiss their despondency and alarm, and encourage each other with the blessed hopes of the gospeL-T. C.