deeds, its It was by

of God, in him, and in him alone, the law is seen as a whole, in all its precepts, penalties, and rewards. thus fulfilling the law, that our Lord finished transgression, made an end of sin, and brought in the everlasting righteousness* with which God is infinitely well pleased, and through which he can, consistently with all the perfections of his nature and the utmost rectitude of his government, pardon and justify the guilty children of men, and render them eternally blessed. It is in the revelation of this righteousness only, that the Lawgiver and Judge appears the just God and yet a Saviour. Those blessings of which we partake through abounding grace and mercy, were obtained for us by the deeds of the law and at the hand of justice. We receive an "abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, by Jesus Christ." That the believer in our Lord Jesus Christ is against the law, is a doctrine as revolting to the believer's heart, as it is repugnant to his under

Dan. ix. 24.

+ Rom. v. 17.

standing, and to the whole spirit of revelation. In the person of our Lord, the Mediator, who "was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners," the believer sees that purity which the law approves. In his life appears all that righteousness which the law demands. In his death is given all the honour which the justice of the law requires. It appears to be impossible either to know, to approve, to trust, to love, to imitate, to serve or desire conformity to the Lord our Saviour, with a mind averse to the holy, righteous, and good law of God, or with a heart disaffected to any of its just enactments. To the slightest sug gestion of such a frame of mind in the be. liever, one might most justly and naturally reply-1s the law of God sin then, that his servants should be against it? God forbid. The law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good;* and as such, has it not the highest claims on their esteem, affection, and obedience?

Had God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, such respect to the law, as to make the fulfilment of it the work which he gave

* Rom. vii. 7, 12.

his only begotten son to perform? In the execution of this work did he express his high approbation by a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him?"* As a reward for this incomparable service, the fulfilling his broken law, has God highly exalted him, and given him a name that is above every name ?† On account of his voluntary and righteous labours and sufferings, does God pardon, justify, and glorify unnumbered myriads of the fallen and guilty children of men? Had the Lord our Redeemer, when he came to save, the law of God in his heart? Did he, as the great expression of his love to God and man, magnify the law and make it honourable, that he might be the end of the law for righteousness to them that believe in him,‡ that God might be just and the justifier of the ungodly || And is it possible that the Divine Being should so supremely maintain the honours of his law in the redemption and

justification of believers, and that he should be in any degree inattentive to these honours in their sanctification and government? Or is there a possibility for the sinner who is enlightened, convinced, and led by the Holy Spirit to contemplate with the most cordial approbation this scene of wonders, righteous. ness and mercy, and by faith to receive this righteousness of God," which is unto all and upon all them that believe," to be either in judgment or heart' against the law?' With all the powers of his mind and feelings of his heart, the believer says, "Is the law then against the promises of God ?" or "Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law."

All that are born of God and believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, abhor and strive against sin, because it is the transgression of the law. They renounce all merit on account of their own deeds of righteousness, from first to last, because they want conformity to the law. They trust in, and plead before God, the right

*Rom. iii. 28.

+ Gal. iii, 21.

Rom. iii. 31.

eousness of Christ alone, because it is the fulfilment of the law, is fully answerable to all the demands of justice, and is exactly suited to their state as transgressors. They are "not without law to God, but under the law to Christ," whom they choose as the only leader and example whom they implicitly obey and follow, because his will and life alone are a perfect transcript of the law. The Holy Spirit has put the law of God into their minds, and written it on their hearts.t They delight in the law of God after the inward man, and serve the law with their minds. The law in their members, warring against the law of their minds, renders them wretched; and they earnestly desire deliverance from it.‡ In prospect of such deliverance, they thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, whose face they long to see in righteousness; and then, and not till then, will they be satisfied when they awake with his likeness. They, and they alone, respect the perfection of the law in the ground of their dependence, in the

* Cor. ix. 21.

+ Heb. viii. 10. || Psa, xvii. 15.

Rom. vii.