us. And, there us "from the curse of the law, being made a curse for If absolute obedience to the letter of the commandments were to be the ground of our justification in the sight of God, who could be saved? fore, the law is not made for a righteous man. It is not to be urged against him, that he is not "without sin;" that "in many things he offends:" that "the flesh lusteth against the spirit:" that "he cannot do the things he would." This is not to be urged against him; because he does not plead innocence as the ground of his justification. When asked at the bar of God, Hast thou transgressed the law in thought, or word, or deed? Guilty, or not guilty? he does not pretend that in nothing has he transgressed. He does not plead his own righteousness, but the merits of Him who died for his unrighteousness. But the law is made for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for whatever is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God. For these the law is used lawfully; used to show to the wicked and impenitent the heinousness of their sin; to show them the holy nature of Him "with whom they have to do;" to prove the justice of their condemnation; that they may cast away the rebellious arms which they have wielded against the Most High, and lay them at the foot of the cross; and so may obtain mercy, and partake of the blessings of redemption. The law was made for Zaccheus, whilst practising the covetous and fraudulent habits of the class to which he belonged. For him the law was made, saying, "Thou shalt not steal;" "thou shalt not covet;" "and whatsoever ye would that men Had he should do to you, do ye also unto them." persisted in the habits of covetousness and extortion, that law would have condemned him "at the great day." But, on the other hand, the law was not made for Zaccheus, after he had repented of his covetousness, and showed his repentance by restitution, and his change of heart by active and ample charity. It would not be his condemnation, that for many years he had committed those offences against the law, of which he had now repented. Neither would it be his condemnation, that if God were to mark every deviation from the strict holiness of the law, he could not abide the test, even now that he was a converted man: because the "promise by faith of Jesus Christ is unto all them that believe," and they look to eternal life, not as merited by them, but as purchased for them. Those, therefore, who desire to be teachers of the law, ought to understand what they say. Otherwise, they may make those hearts sad, which God does not purpose to afflict; or, on the other hand, they may leave those hearts secure and at ease, which ought to be humbling themselves in dust and ashes. The law is good, if a man use it lawfully. It is, as it were, the mark at which the Christian should aim, in all he says, and thinks, and does. And the more carefully he aims, the nearer to the mark will he come; and the nearer he comes to the mark, the more he will resemble what the gospel is designed to make him. So, to teach the law, is to use it lawfully; to use it in agreement with that word, which "is truth;" and which tells us, that not according to 2 Gal. iii 22. N works of righteousness which we have done, doth God save us, "but according to his mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 3 XLVIII. THE OLD AND NEW COVENANT JOHN i. 17. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. A COMPARISON is here drawn between the first and second dispensation. And the difference is strongly marked by the circumstances attending them. The law was given by Moses. Moses was a highly favoured servant of God, selected to communicate his will to the chosen nation. Yet he was a man: one of the fallen race of Adam. But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. God, having a design of mercy, sent forth his Son-his well-beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased :—and he, "the mighty Lord," was proclaimed as "the Prince of Peace." 3 Titus iii. 5. Again, when Moses was summoned to receive the declaration of God's purposes, Mount Sinai burned with fire; blackness, and darkness, and tempest surrounded it, and there was heard "the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.”1 But the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ, was characterised by its different announcement. All was condescension in God, and comfort to mankind. "Fear not; I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” "Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace, good will towards men." Still it was an advantage which we must not undervalue, that the law was given by Moses to the Israelites. It was an "advantage, great every way, that unto them were committed the oracles of God." God did not pass them by; or give them up, like other nations, "to a reprobate mind," ignorant of him and of his will. They were taught his "statutes and his judgments, which if a man do, he shall continue in them." And they were many, more than we pretend to number, who were thus led to "do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with their God," and to direct their lives "according to the commandments and ordinances of the law." What, however, would be the effect of this law of God, if we had no other revelation of his will? What, but to condemn all mankind? As the apostle says, to "conclude all under sin," that "every mouth may be 1 Heb. xii. 18-21. stopped, and all the world become guilty before God?" This law, whether given to the Israelites by Moses, or repeated by Jesus in his discourses, may all be summed up, as he has himself summed it up, under these two heads: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart; and thy neighbour as thyself." And who can hold up his hand and affirm, I am guiltless of any transgression against these commands? If, then, the terms of the law are such as to condemn those who transgress it-and such must be the terms of every law,—it is clear that "by the law is the knowledge of sin:" that "by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified : " and we have eternal reason to be thankful, that grace and truth came by the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle has taught us how to feel and reason; saying, "The strength of sin is the law: but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." It is right to be often reflecting upon this: to call to mind, how many things we have done which we ought not to have done: how many things we have left undone that we ought to have done and that our only comfort must be, "By grace are ye saved;" "by Jesus Christ all that believe are justified from all things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses." Thus the law is used by the Spirit to "convince of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment;" becomes "a schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ:" to awe the transgressor into a thankful acceptance of his mercy. In earthly cases, we often find the criminal hardened in his denial of guilt, confident of escape, sullen, obstinate but when an unexpected witness appears against |