of Christ-that we are not under the law, but under grace (a). Yet at other times we hear the apostles declaring, that the law is holy, and just, and good—and that without holiness, in other words without obedience to the law, no man shall see the Lord-that sin is the transgression of the law—that to speak evil one of another is to speak evil of the law, and to judge the law-and that he who presumes to judge the law is not a doer of the law-that whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all (b). We hear the great apostle of the Gentiles eagerly vindicating himself from the imputation of subverting the law: Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid! Yea, we establish the law (c). We hear the decisive words of our Lord: think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets (the prophets appear, from the following verse, to be mentioned in this place, not so much on account of their having foretold future events, as of their having confirmed and illustrated the law); think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot and one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. It is mainly owing to the neglect of applying to this subject the two rules which have been stated, that some persons fall into extravagant delusions, and others are involved in doubt and perplexity.

The law of God, as set before us in his holy word, consists of two parts; the Ceremonial Law, and the Moral Law. Let us endeavour, under the blessing of God, distinctly to understand our situation respecting each.

I. The Ceremonial Law consisted of those outward ordinances respecting the service of the tabernacle, the wide variety of offerings and sacrifices, the distinction of animals into clean and unclean, the forms to be observed for the attainment of legal purification, and many other rites of the same nature, which the Almighty enjoined to the Jews by Moses. One of the objects of this law was, to keep the Jews apart from the corrupting society of the heathen by interposing continual obstacles to the intercourse of the Children of Israel with other nations. But its grand purpose was, to direct the thoughts and the hearts of the worshippers to the promised Redeemer. Its typical sacrifices, the blood of bulls and of goats, which could never take away

sin, pointed to the effectual atonement which he was to make, by the sacrifice of himself upon the cross. Its figurative purifications, which could never cleanse the inward man, were emblems of that renewal of the heart, which was to be wrought by his Spirit. Its shadowy ceremonies and emblematical observances were con tinually representing beforehand, sometimes one part, sometimes another, of his office, and of the benefits to be conveyed through him. The Ceremonial Law then was evidently limited as to its extent, and temporary in its nature: not intended to be binding on any nation, except the Jews; for to them only was it delivered, and at Jerusalem only were many of its appointments to be celebrated: not designed to be of perpetual duration; for it was meant to prepare the way for a new dis-> pensation, and consequently, when that new dispensation should be established, was to

cease.

It was a scaffolding eminently useful. in the erection of the building; but when the structure should be completed, to be taken down. It was a schoolmaster to bring the Jews, and through their means other nations, to Christ; but, when it had answered: that purpose, to be dismissed. Hence, our Lord, after his ascension, pronounced by the mouth of his apostles the Ceremonial Law

abolished: pronounced not only that it was not entitled to authority over the Gentile Christians, but that it was no longer, in any respect, obligatory, even on the Jews. Hence, we hear St. Paul loudly exhorting his converts not to submit to any Judaizing teacher, who should seek to impose its yoke upon them, but to stand fast in the liberty with which Christ had made them free: not to regard its new moons, or its other seasons of ceremonial convocation: not to imagine themselves bound to observe its Sabbath, of the last day of the week, instead of the Christian Sabbath of the first: not to allow others to judge them with respect to its abrogated ordinances, touch not, taste not, handle not: not to consider animals as still distinguished into clean and unclean; but without scruple to eat the flesh of any animal fit for food, being assured that it is sanctified by divine authority to the use of man, when it is received with thanksgiving to God. And hence, not to en large farther on this subject, we hear him congratulating Christians universally, that the Lord Jesus had for ever relieved them from all its burthensome institutions: that he had blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and had taken it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

and

and there publicly exposing it as an obsolete statute, as a cancelled bond, But though our Redeemer thus abolished the Ceremonial Law, he did not come to destroy it. He only permitted it to die, as by a natural death, at its appointed time. He did not allow it to come to its end, until he had fulfilled it. He came to fulfil it. And sooner should heaven and earth have passed away, than he would have suffered one jot, or one tittle, in any wise to pass from the Ceremonial Law, till all were fulfilled. All its shadows he realised. All its types he exactly answered. All its prophetical allusions he precisely and perfectly accomplished. When he cried out, as he was resigning his breath, It is finished; he referred to his having effected, among other objects of his manifestation in the flesh, the fulfilment of the Ceremonial Law. Being thus fulfilled; having no longer any purpose to accomplish or to promote; having its place supplied to Christians by the two sacraments, which he, who had fulfilled it, had ordained in its stead; it came to an end. In the moment when the Son of God gave up the ghost, it expired,

II. The Moral Law, which we are now to consider, is a law under which we, no less than