But Nebuchadnezzar made a law, commanding all his officers and servants to worship a golden image, on penalty of being cast into a furnace of fire: Darius made a law, forbidding any of his subjects to worship God for thirty days, on pain of being cast into the den of lions: and many such laws have the tyranny, caprice, and pride of imperious princes and rulers produced. They are, however, evidently absurd and impious, and every man will abhor them in proportion to his wisdom and goodness. The three pious Jews who broke Nebuchadnezzar's edict, and Daniel who transgressed that of Darius, were indeed condemned by the laws; but they have been admired for their courage and constancy in disobedience, by all good men ever since. Nay, the very consciences of their enemies testified for them, that they had done nothing amiss. Nor would it have been right for them to have condemned themselves, but rather they might glory in serving God and keeping a good conscience in the face of danger and death.

Were the law of God in any degree like those oppressive edicts, we should have cause to be extremely grieved at the hardship put upon us, and alarmed at the sentence denounced against us: but we could not with any propriety condemn ourselves, or repent of our transgressions,

We ought not indeed to reply against God: but the absurdity of this presumption arises not so much from the consideration of his irresistible power and uncontroulable sovereignty, as from that of the absolute perfection of his justice and holiness. This we are bound humbly to allow and suppose, even when

we cannot perceive it; and to silence all our rising objections by saying, "Shall not the Judge of all the

earth do right?" Yet God condescended himself to argue the matter with those who thought his ways unequal: he even proposes his conduct in his own government of the world to our consideration, that we may see and adore his justice; and to our imitation, that we may be holy as he is holy: and the day of judgment will clear up all our difficulties, when the righteousness of God will be fully demonstrated, to the universal satisfaction of his holy creatures, and the confusion and silence of all his enemies. It is indeed blasphemy, to suppose God's law unreasonable, and his government oppressive: but it is a blasphemy congenial to our depraved nature, of which in our hearts we are all guilty, and of which we are with difficulty cured; "for the carnal mind is enmity against God,—is not subject to the law of God, "neither indeed can be."

As, therefore, no sinner can be truly penitent till he is convinced that the law of God is holy, just, and good; we should first establish this point, in endeavouring to bring sinners to repentance. This is the apostolical method: St. Paul, arguing in the epistle to the Romans against justification by the law ; aware of the false conclusions men of corrupt minds would be ready to draw from his reasonings; again and again purposely leaves his main subject, to assert and prove the goodness of the law notwithstanding. With one accord, also, do all the writers of the sacred volume speak honourably of the moral law, expressing their approbation of it, and delight in it; nor is there one exception to this rule.

This

may show us the great importance of this part of the subject: and how dangerous some inconsiderate expressions are, into which several good men have been betrayed, in their zeal for that fundamental doctrine, justification by faith alone.

We may be sure that the law is holy, just, and good; because given by a holy, just, and good God, whose work is perfect: and because after Adam's fall, when it became morally impracticable for any of his posterity to be justified by it; he is still pleased to continue them under it, judge them according to it, and condemn them to utter destruction for breaking it. "Is there unrighteousness with God?” He would not do these things, if they were not perfectly just. If they appear unjust to us, it is owing

↑ All who die in unbelief, perish for breaking this law: all who are saved, were thus condemned for breaking it; else why did Christ bear their sins for them? Some indeed talk of another and milder law; but where is it found, when promulgated, what it requires, who does keep it, or who is condemned for breaking it, hath never been nor ever can be determined. Others express themselves very ambiguously about our obligations to keep the law, prior to the consideration of redemption. But where there is no law, there can be no transgression; where there is no transgression, there can be no condemnation; and where no condemnation, no occasion for redemption. Thus we repeal the law, and subvert the Gospel. Surely we ought with precision to determine this matter: and to show that man, as God's creature, is bound to oboy his law; that sin is the transgression of the law; that the wages of sin is death; that Christ died (not for Adam's sin only, or mainly, but) for our transgressions of the law: that they who perish, are condemned (not only or principally because Adam sinned, but) for their own sins; that upon believing in Christ, we are delivered from the condemnation of sinners, but are never released from the obedience we owe as creatures; and that the obli gation to obey is enforced on us by most powerful additional mo. taken from redemption.

to our ignorance, self-love, low thoughts of God, and favourable thoughts of sin. Nay, so far was God from repealing this law, or abating its strictness, after man's transgression, that he republished it from mount Sinai with awful majesty he requires every one who would escape condemnation at the day of judgment, to condemn himself now for his transgressions of it, and to seek forgiveness from his sovereign mercy: Nor would he even thus pardon one sinner except as his own Son honoured the law in our stead, by his perfect obedience and death upon the cross. Moreover he gives it into the hand of all believers as a rule of life, a standard of sin and holiness; yea, writes it in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. Thus doth the most high God proclaim to the whole world his determination "to magnify the "law and make it honourable." And had we no other evidence of its excellency; this being abundantly sufficient, ought fully to satisfy us; yea, to humble us in the dust for acting so unreasonably as to break it.

May we not, however, ourselves discern the reasonableness of it, notwithstanding our partiality in our own cause, and our love of sin? God is evidently the Perfection of glory and beautyf, the Pattern and Fountain of loveliness; from whom all that is lovely in all creatures is an emanation, of whom it is a faint resemblance, which hath comparatively "no glory by reason of the glory that excelleth." In himself he is, therefore, worthy of all admiration, love, and worship. From him we derive our exist

+ Psalm i. 2. Out of Zion, the PERFECTION OF BEAUTY, GOÐ

hath shined.

ence, and all that rendereth our existence comfortable: our obligations, therefore, to him, as our Creator and Benefactor, are immense; he deserves, then, our entire and unreserved gratitude. Infinite love and gratitude, though he is worthy of them, his law requires not, because we are not capable of them. Nor doth it enjoin the love and service of an angel ; because he hath not endowed us with angelic capacities. The law runs thus: "Thou shalt love the "Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and mind, and "soul, and strength :" its requirements are proportioned, not to his worthiness, but to our capacities. Of this love the man of the slenderest abilities is equally capable with the sublimest genius; the infant as the aged. In proportion to the superiority or inferiority of capacity, more or less is required: if it be honestly our all, the law demands no more.

But the law makes no allowance for our disinclination and indisposition to love and serve God with our all; because this is that very malignity of heart which renders us abominable in his sight. Every degree of this temper is a degree of enmity to God; the very disposition arises from pride, love of the world, and love of sin; and in proportion as it prevails, is contempt of God, in comparison with the world, sin, and self. It is, therefore, in itself infinitely unreasonable, totally inexcusable, and the very temper of the devil; who is completely detestable, because completely of this abominable disposition. When we, therefore, show that the law is holy,

+ This disposition is properly original sin, the effect of Adam's transgression. Therefore he, as the root, and we in him as the branches, lost God's favour and image, and became liable to and