subjects; in such cases they are not subject.' | most cruel laws. They will not, if they can help (Dick's Lectures on the Acts). The laws of it, let persecuting statutes remain unexecuted; and men ought not to be obeyed, when they require those things which are contrary to the commandments of God: "Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." We may, indeed, be mistaken in our judgment, and our scruples may be groundless; but conscience is our immediate rule of action, and no human authority can justify us in violating its decisions, whatever painful consequences may come from adhering to them,' (Thomas Scott).

Nay, in all that immediately concerns the worship of God, or the meaning of his word, we are bound even to exercise a sensitive jealousy of every interference of man between our own consciences and the Father of our spirits; and that just because mankind are more ready to surrender to the fear or favour of their fellow-creatures those duties which they owe to God, than those which they owe to one another. It is specially worthy of observation, that the more direct examples of such resistance, on the part of God's servants and people, recorded in his word, refer entirely to the purity of God's worship, and the authority of his word, in which every man must be guided by the dictates of his own conscience, in the face of the highest human authority, and the clearest meaning of the existing human law. Such was the case of the three young Jews, who refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden image; of Daniel, who refused to restrain prayer to God, in obedience to the decree of Darius; and of the apostles Peter and John, who refused to refrain from preaching in the name of Christ, at the command of the Jewish rulers.

they will plead, that, if the religious tenets of the persecuted do not deserve punishment, yet their obstinacy and contempt of legal authority do. Thus princes have often been wrought up to the highest pitch of rage and fury against their most useful and inoffensive subjects, and their most faithful servants; and Christians have been dragged as the vilest malefactors before kings and rulers, and put to the dreadful alternative, either to risk the everlasting wrath of God by deliberate disobedience to his commandments, or to suffer every torture which the infernal rage and cruelty of man can devise. They, who have been long accustomed to be obeyed with unreserved servility, and to overpower all opposition, can scarcely conceive of a power above them, or a God able to deliver his servants out of their hands; but their impious boasts and proud menaces are real kindnesses to the persecuted, who need not be careful or fearful in answering, under such circumstances. Indeed, these fiery trials will not suit the superficial and hypocritical. Their fear of man, and love of the world, and want of fear or love to God; and above all, their want of faith, will concur in rendering them apostates in the time of temptation, nor will every real believer be able to stand with serene and unshaken fortitude, when first cast into such a trying situation. But the Lord will strengthen his people's faith in the time of need; and firm reliance on the divine wisdom, power, truth, and mercy, together with peace of conscience, and an assured joyful hope of heaven, will gradually compose their mind, and determine them to venture all consequences, rather than to sin against the Lord. He is as able, as he was in ancient times, to preserve the lives of his servants in the most imminent perils, to support them under the most exquisite suffer

'Whilst the multitude, in every age, nation, and rank in society, are servile in compliance with the will of their superiors, and ready to obey any laws about religion, which conduce to their outward ease, safety, and emolument, without fearings, and abundantly to recompense all their losses of God, or regard to conscience; there are a few witnesses for the truth, in the most degenerate times, who dare to be singular, and to venture all consequences, in obeying God rather than man. These will be sure to meet with malicious accusers, especially if the liberty, favour, or property, which they enjoy, be worth envying or coveting. Their enemies will speciously profess themselves to be the only loyal and dutiful subjects to their prince, and zealous for his welfare, and honour of the law, and the quiet of the realm; and they will represent the pious scruples of the servants of God as arising from contumacy, contempt of authority, and disaffection to the government; and as deserving of the severest punishment denounced by the

for his sake. A firm persuasion of these truths will fortify the soul against temptations to prevaricate or to be ashamed of Christ; for no plea of necessity, danger, obligation, or example will be sufficient, if we deliberately break God's commandments, for the sake of temporal safety or advantage. We should be meek in our replies, even when exposed to the most unmerited injuries, "Not rendering railing for railing," for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God; but we must also be decisive, that we will obey God rather than man, and take the consequences.' (Thomas Scott.)

ar dome in truth

'ness to our state and capacities, its reasonable and gracious demands, its tendency to diffuse merit and nudgment; order and happiness throughout the whole creaThey stand tion. While able by his power to compel our submission to his will; while competent by his excellence to frame an universal law for his creatures; while entitled by his bounties to require the utmost services of which we are capable; he prescribes precisely such a rule of conduct, as it is our own best interest and enjoyment to observe. This we might well be prepared to believe, though we should not be able fully to discern, or may not yet actually experience all the blessedness of its precepts. But clearly does that law approve itself to our acceptance as 'holy, just, and good,' even while we may feel our inability to fulfil all its demands; and our chief excellence and enjoyment, as spiritual beings, must ever consist in discerning more and more clearly, in all its parts, the most attractive displays of God's holiness in himself, and of his care for our happiness. us ever rejoice then to believe and to say with the Psalmist, 'The law of the Lord is perfect,' Thy testimonies, that thou hast commanded, are righteous and very faithful.'

the law of God may 2. you is absolute power to and hence may very aa, me madness of deliberately his will, or of allowing berty to set aside our obedience iments. But, though it is indeed censieration, never to be forgotten, ie Lord doeth according to his will, and 14. ne can stay his hand;' yet never is that si exercised in a mere arbitrary manner, with out any regard to what is right in itself, and conducive to the good of his creatures. He is indeed excellent in power,' but also, as it is added, in judgment and in plenty of justice;' and the supreme authority of his law rests not so much on his power to enforce, as on his right to receive, the utmost reverence and obedience of all his creatures.

Let

The law of God, thus founded upon his own perfections, and framed for the good of his creatures, must be immutable, as his holiness and his goodness. It is an emanation from himself, a faint resemblance of his glory and grace: Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.' Can it for one moment be imagined, that he should withdraw this glory that excelleth,' or fail in what he hath purposed, or change in his proclamation of what is right and good? There is blasphemy in the very supposition: 'He abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself.' But to abrogate or alter the moral law would be to deny himself; to deny his excellencies and his claims, and his counsels. It would be an apparent intimation that God was not so gloriously lovely and excellent, so worthy of all possible honour, admiration, and gratitude, adoration, submission, and obedience, as the law had repre

This right is founded upon his own inherent excellence, as not only the highest but the best of all beings, deserving the entire esteem and love of his rational creation, and worthy (if such a supposition can be made) of being entrusted from their own free choice with the uncontrolled direction of their entire interests, for time and eternity. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth,' but he sitteth on the throne of his holiness;' and hence it is said, 'let them praise thy great and terrible name, for it is holy.' Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool, for he is holy.' Besides this inherent right, founded on his own essential excellence, the most high God holds an acquired right to the entire submission and exclusive services of his creatures, as being nothing more than a return of justice and gratitude for his unspeakable and innumerable benefactions, as the Author and upholder of their existence, and of all the happi-sented him to be; or that man had at length ness which that existence imparts. Though no such return were required, the inquiry and the resolve of every righteous soul should naturally be, with the Psalmist, what shall I render unto the Lord, for all his benefits toward me?' thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes, and I will walk in thy truth.'

6

ceased to be under those obligations to God, or to stand in those relations to his Maker and to his neighbours, from which the requirements of the law at first resulted. The Lord may, consistently with the immutable perfections of his nature and the righteousness of his government, reveal truths before unknown; he may abrogate positive instiThere is still a farther view of the law tutions or appoint others; he may order various of God, which at once exalts its claims, and circumstances relative to the law in a new manour obedience; and that is, its own ner, according to the different situations in which beneficial effects, its suitable- his rational agents are placed; but the love of

const

follow his steps-that we should desire and do our endeavour and make it our prayer, to walk even as he walked, to have in us the same mind which was in him, and to purify ourselves even as he is pure. This he did, by satisfying its inflexible holiness, and sanctioning its irreversible

God with all the powers of the soul, and the love of our neighbour as ourselves, must continue the indispensable duty of all reasonable creatures, however circumstanced, through all the ages of eternity.' (Scott). All his commandments are sure, they stand fast for ever;' and all the vain reasonings and daring rebellions of sin-righteousness, when he bare its full penalty in his ful man, from the beginning to the end of time, against the authority and stability of the divine law, shall prove only as the idle dashing of the waves, as they break themselves into foam upon the immovable rock-the Rock of ages; and joyfully may the believer say, in adoration of its eternal excellency and obligation: Concerning thy testimonies I have known of old,' and all shall know at last, 'that thou hast founded them for ever.'

Maw to God, and are
We
the law to Christ.

still see in him that law confirmed in its authority
over us by all that he hath done to save us from

THIRTY-FIRST DAY.-EVENING.

'For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,' Rom. viii. 3, 4.

Its clear

demnation the inevitable consequence of transgression. In this law there can be no change; and by this law life cannot now be given, or be gained. This arises not from any defect in the law, but from its absolute excellence. It is founded on the essential perfections of God as the lawgiver; adapted to the rational and spiritual nature of man himself; interwoven with the eternal relations of things which God hath established. It cannot be withdrawn, without admitting that

its condemning power, and commended to us in THE holy law of God was originally given to all its commanding power, as the will of his hea-man as a rule of life, and as giving life. venly Father-increased instead of lessened by and constant sanction was simply this, this do the unspeakable gift of his Son for our salvation. and thou shalt live; the soul that sinneth it We no longer think of our obedience to it, as shall die.' But man has sinned, and is under gaining favour with God; but of God's free favour this condemnation of death by the law; man is in Christ, as claiming our utmost obedience. We corrupt in his fallen state, and is unable to renno longer aim, by any work of righteousness on der obedience to this law. The law itself makes our part, to merit our soul's salvation; but we no provision for such a case. Perfect obedience delight to bring forth those fruits of righteous-is the invariable demand of its precepts; and conness, which are through Christ our Saviour to the glory and praise of God. We look to it no longer as a law of works, requiring our obedience, that we may escape its curse; but as a law of love, guiding us as a rule of life for our good here, and conforming us to the likeness of our Lord for our glory for ever. We hear the voice of the holy law as much as ever, saying to us in its majesty, Do not this great wickedness, and sin against God; and, at the same time, the voice of the blessed gospel, saying in its mercy, do it is wrong-in some degree unholy or injurious; not this great wickedness, and crucify the Son of God afresh.' We hear, in the name of the Redeemer, the solemn charge, 'cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God;' and, at the same time, the gracious entreaty, 'I beseech you by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.' We hear in the words of the Redeemer the promise of his own Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts, as the abiding power of our purification from all evil, and of our producing all its fruits of goodness, righteousness, and truth; But even these measures of obedience to the sanctifying us wholly in our whole spirit, soul, holy law of God, man, through the weakness and and body, blameless for his coming and presence. corruptions of his fallen nature, is both unable We hear and see and feel in all this the love of and unwilling to render. There is an enmity in Christ constraining us to live henceforth, not unto his heart against its pure and spiritual precepts; ourselves, but unto him who died for us, and rose and a disinclination to admit its righteous claims, again.' We are called to love him who first or to receive it as the sovereign rule of his heart loved us.' This,' we feel, is the love of God, and life. The more closely that its precepts are that we keep his commandments.' This voice of applied to his conscience, in all their authority the Lord we hear, if ye love me, keep my com- and excellence; the more bitterly does the spirit mandments.' In this one precept is now com- of rebellion rise up in his heart, and the more resoprised, and by this one principle is now accom-lutely does he require in his vain reasoning, that its commandments be abolished or relaxed: The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not

plish

elling of the law.

without unsaying all that God hath said, and undoing all that God hath done, as good for man. It takes no notice of repentance, which, though agreeable to the spirit of the commandment, can never be admitted by any law, as a compensation for disobedience. It cannot be satisfied with what has been a sincere though imperfect obedience; for that is a rule so vague and varying, as to be nearly equivalent to a repeal of the whole law, or at least to an acknowledgment of its actual requisitions being unreasonable or oppressive.

subject to the law of God; neither indeed can be.' But the law can make no allowance for this disinclination on the part of man to receive its righteous precepts, or rather for this disposition to hate its purity, and resist its authority. For this is the very evil thing in the sight of God, which forms the spring and the aggravation of man's opposition to his will. Thus, by the law, man in his fallen state cannot be justified or accounted righteous in the sight of God; and this the law was weak and unable to effect, not through any thing defective in itself, but through the weakness and corruption of man himself. And one great use and effect of this holy law being proclaimed to the children of men is, to make them feel this their inability and depravity, and so prepare them to seek life by another dispensation, a dispensation of pure mercy and free salvation.

was able to effectuate with them by any power or persuasion of its own. This the law could not do this through their weakness, corruption, and enmity could not incline and enable them to do; but this their faith in what the Son of God hath done in their name and nature, brings them to do, binds them to do, and blesses them in doing. They condemn in their flesh, and cast away from their flesh, that sin which made the Redeemer suffer; they love that righteousness, and long to have wrought into their souls that righteousness, which their Lord so glorified and exemplified in their stead. They no longer live in the wilful fulfilling of the desires of the flesh and of the mind;' but learn to love the ways of holiness, and labour, to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, nay, to 'grow up in all things as a habitation of God through the Spirit.' Thus the law, beheld through faith in the Son of God, is This way of life and peace to sinful man the seen to be disarmed by him of its curse, and honmost high God, in his infinite grace, had previ- oured by him as our guide; so that we can look ously provided, and now in the fulness of time to it with complacency as the standard of holihath proclaimed, by sending his Son in the like-ness, and take it as the rule of our conduct, ness of sinful flesh. This mission of the Son of and examine ourselves by its precepts, as the God in man's nature is at once a manifestation test of our progress, and follow its directions as of grace, and a mystery of godliness, impart- our preparation for that eternal life, which is ing that life which the law could not give; and now purchased for us by the fulfilment of all its imparting it without any infringement of its holi- demands. ness, or abatement of its influence. This is accomplished by the wonderful fact of the Son of God becoming man, appearing in the likeness of those who had sinned, and in a capacity for suffering the penalty due to their sin; and, by the infinite value of the sacrifice which he offered for sin, hath so clearly condemned sin, or displayed its evil in the sight of God, as to admit of its now being forgiven; and so completely fulfilled all the righteousness which the law required, as to merit for his people that life which they could never have gained by that law-thus not only rescuing them from the condemnation due to their sin by bearing its curse, but raising them to the reward of righteousness by fulfilling it in their stead.

But much more even than this has been accomplished, by what the Son of God hath done in the flesh-not only satisfying .the law by his sufferings, and fulfilling it by his obedience, more than the sufferings or the obedience of the whole world could have done; but bringing even those transgressors, whom he thus sets free from its curse, and saves by other obedience than their own, to feel more deeply the evil of sin in themselves as a transgression of the law, and to fulfil more devoutly all righteousness in their own persons, as obedience to the law, than the law itself

Let us, then, understand aright the purpose of God's sending his Son in the flesh; not to secure for us a continuance in sin, but to show us the condemnation of sin; not to free us from the law of righteousness, but to fulfil in us the love of righteousness for his sake who dwelt among us, and by the power of his Spirit dwelling in us. Let us be on our guard against the delusion of supposing, that we may receive the Son of God as our Saviour, without receiving the Spirit of God as our Sanctifier; but, while we rejoice indeed to believe, that there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus;' let us rejoice also to experience, that, if any man be in Christ he is a new creature;' and so be willing and well-pleased to 'walk in him in newness of life, not after the flesh but after the Spirit.'