possession upon earth; than to hear, that they had obtained an interest in the salvation of Christ: perhaps many of us in this congregation, hear about the servants of God, being set free from condemnation, with as much unconcern as if we heard, that they had been set free from some trifling inconvenience. One great cause of this unconcern, is our ignorance of the state of guilt and misery, from which Christ delivers his people and thus we know not the real value of that deli verance. Let us, therefore, look back to their former state of condemnation; let us look back unto the rock whence they were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence they were digged," that we may obtain a clearer view of their present happy state; and learn the value of that redemption, which the Gospel proclaims to sinners. The law of God, requires a strict and constant obedience to all its precepts: not only in our words, and actions, but also in the thoughts, and intents of our hearts. We may break the law by an angry, or a licentious thought; as well as by a lying word, or an evil deed: and if, for a single moment of our lives, we com * Isaiah, li. 1.. mit one crime which the law forbids, or omit one duty which it commands, the most unsinning obedience for the rest of our time, both before and after that one sin, cannot possibly atone for our guilt; for it is written, *"Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all :"-there is no mercy in the law-it makes no allowance for the weaknesses, and infirmities of our fallen nature; under the law every transgression, and disobedience, shall receive a just recompense of reward. I know that this truth is denied by many-many will tell us, that God is merciful-that he will not be so strictthat he will not require such exact obedience that he will overlook those trifling offences, that every person commits. Such persons echo that falsehood of Satan to our first parents, "ye shall not surely die." But the great Lawgiver, the Almighty God himself, declares, that he will require this exact and constant obedience; his own word pronounces, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." And we find in the * James, ii. 10. + Genesis, iii. 4. history of the Israelites, that these were not vain words, for we are told *"that when one of them blasphemed the Lord, and cursed-they put him in ward, that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp, and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.” And again we are told, "While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, the man shall surely be put to death all the congregation shall stone him with stones. without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses." These instances are sufficient to prove, that the Almighty Lawgiver; will maintain the authority of his holy law; how *Leviticus, xxiv. 11, 12, 13, 14. ever men may endeavour to degrade it, or presume to regard it as a mere empty sound, intended only to frighten sinners, but not to punish them. Nor is this law less binding upon us, than it was upon the Israelites. That law of God which is contained in the ten commandmentsthat law which requires us to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind." +" And to love our neighbour as ourself;" is now, in as full force as when it was given from Mount Sinai, amidst clouds, and darkness, and thunder and lightning : and it will continue in full force, so long as one accountable being breathes on this earth. The law of God reveals to us the mind of God, and it will never relax its demands it will never grow out of use by age; unless (if I may presume to make use of the expression,) the powers of the Eternal and unchangeable God himself shall become enfeebled by age. 'Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. It is from the condemnation of this most holy and just law; that the true dis * Deuteronomy, x. 12. + Matthew, xix. 19. ciples of Jesus are delivered: * 6 Christ has redeemed them from the curse of the law, being made a curse for them." The deliverance from condemnation, which the earthly minded expect: arises from an impious notion, that God will not require a strict fulfilment of his precepts. Such an idea, proves the grossest unbelief; for the possessor of it, evidently regards all the declarations of God's word, that pronounce sentence on the transgressors of his law as so many falsehoods, he gives the lie to the God of truth; and disgraces both the law, and the Lawgiver. the deliverance of the true Christian +"magnifies the law and makes it honorable," for it arises from the most exact, and unsinning obedience to the law; an obedience far more perfect, than Adam could ever have paid to it; even when he walked in Paradise, in the untainted purity of the divine image. The Christian looks for deliverance to the spotless obedience of his Lord and Saviour, who fulfilled the law in his stead, and thus But wrought out an everlasting righteousness, which is imputed to all those who put their trust in him, "even the righteous *Galatians, iii. 13. + Isaiah, xlii. 21. Romans, iii. 22. |