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THIRD MEDITATION.

THE STATE OF MAN BY THE LAW.

It is written, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them." (Gal. iii. 10; Deut. xxvii. 26.) Accordingly, I search the Book of the Law, and I there behold the Almighty clothed in all his attributes of terror.

"The people saw the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off, and they said unto Moses, speak thou with us, and we will hear, but let not God speak with us, lest we die." (Exod. xx. 18.) "Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, and a curse if ye will not

obey the commandments of the Lord your God." (Deut. xi. 26.)

Then dare I contemplate the severe exactness with which these holy precepts are commanded? Dare I contemplate the dreadful punishment with which their violation is charged? True, if I can attain them, my reward will be great; but if I fail, the punishment most dreadful, the wrath of God most terrible.

Then how do I stand before God?

I know that He is holy. I know that he has delivered his will to me and all mankind, and that will is contained in the law.

Unless

the law had been delivered, I could not have disobeyed the law; and if I had not disobeyed the law, I had not known sin. "For I was alive without the law once, and when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died, and the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death." (Rom. vii. 11.)

Thus behold in what "jeopardy I stand every hour." (1 Cor. xv. 30.) Perfection de

manded of me-unlimited perfection. Every thought, every word, every deed, such as shall not fear the examination, or shrink from the scrutiny of the Allseeing Searcher of hearts, and yet the ability to attain this perfection for ever absent. Knowing that "the law is spiritual, but that I am carnal, and sold under sin." (Rom. vii. 14.) To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. "The good that I would, that I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do." (Rom. vii. 18.)

But let me pursue this.

My thoughts :-Have they been pure, have they been holy? Have they been such that I can exclaim with any confidence to God, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts" (Ps. cxxxix. 23), or have I not rather been one of those ungodly, who are so proud that they care not for God, neither is God in all their thoughts." (Ps. x. 4.) My desires, the imaginations of my heart, have they been invariably towards God, or have

they not rather been only "evil continually." "| (Gen. vi. 5.) Have I done as the Apostle has bidden me? "cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. x. 5); or again, "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Phil. iv. 8.) Have I done so? No. I should not even in thought be justified by the works of the law.

My words :-Have they been pure ? Have they been temperate? Have they been holy? That noble gift of language, by which God has elevated man above the brute creation,-how have I employed it? Too frequently have I forgotten his praise who gave it. Too frequently have my words been careless and

inconsiderate; sometimes unchaste and foul, sometimes deceitful and blasphemous.

Yet what saith the will of God?

"Let no

corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (Eph. iv. 29.) “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." (James i. 26.) "For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." (1 Pet. iii. 10.) But above all, our blessed Lord himself has told

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me, Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matt. xii. 36.)

How then shall I dare to be justified by the works of the law?

My actions :-Is my duty towards God in worship and praise-Is my duty towards man