speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.-There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law. -Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God."*

it

From these portions of the inspired volume

appears, that the moral law is worthy of the Divine Legislator who framed it, and perfectly suited to the government of rational beings;— that one of the peculiarities of the new covenant is, the transcription of this law on the hearts of the redeemed; that those who sincerely love God are distinguished for their supreme delight in the law; that the grace of the gospel, so far from abolishing the law as a directory for our conduct, absolutely exhibits its importance and utility, and secures a sincere and spiritual obedience to its precepts;-that all who are benefited by the death of Christ, and sanctified

* Romans, vii. 12 and 14. Hebrews, x. 16. Romans, vii. 22 and 25. iii. 31. Galatians, iii. 21. Romans, viii. 3 and 4. xiii. 8 and 10. Galatians, v. 14. James, ii. 8. iv. 11. 1 John, 3 and 4. Romans, viii. 7 and 8.

by his Spirit, illustrate, in their obedience, the moral beauty of the law, and virtually fulfil its Divine requisitions; that love to God, and love to our neighbour, which are the prominent features of the Christian religion, are nothing more or less than a compendium of the whole law; that sin consists in violating the law, whether it be committed by a believer or an unbeliever; - and that the grand and indisputable proof of an unrenewed and carnal heart is a proud aversion to the moral law.

If these views of the passages just quoted be correct, we may well ask, with surprise, From what source can the notion which we are attempting to explode, have arisen? The pretence, which the abettors of that notion make, of keeping the gospel free from legal mixtures, is futile and irrelevant, since the question does not turn on the grounds of our acceptance with God, but on the rule of our obedience, which, in all moral points, must, in the nature of things, be eternally the same, unless it can be proved, that God has renounced his legislative authority, and that the gospel was intended to emancipate the human race from all obligation to their Divine Benefactor. Nor is any thing gained in the argument by regarding the New Testament only as the rule of a believer's life, since the morality

of the New Testament is the morality of the law, since Jesus Christ, and his Apostles, enjoin not one moral precept which is not virtually contained in the law; and since no part of it could be dispensed with, without reflecting on the wisdom, equity, and goodness of the Divine Lawgiver.

The Supreme Being has revealed his will also in the institution of positive precepts; which, though not arising, like moral precepts, from the nature of things, are obligatory on all those for whose use and benefit they were appointed.

Under the Levitical dispensation, positive institutions were very numerous; under the Christian, they are few and simple; Baptism and the Lord's Supper, being the only precepts of this class, which Divine Wisdom has seen proper to enjoin. It appears plainly, from express declarations of Scripture, that these two rites were instituted for the observance of the followers of Christ, to the end of time; and that the primitive Christians, fully understanding this, attended to them without hesitation or reserve. Now, though there is nothing of a moral nature in these institutions themselves, yet the obligation of Christians to observe them, as implying affection and reverence to the Divine Being, is perfectly moral. Therefore, it is highly necessary that we remind

ourselves, how great presumption it is, to make light of any institution of Divine appointment; that our obligations to obey all God's commands whatever, are absolute and indispensable; and that commands merely positive, admitted to be from him, lay us under a moral obligation to obey them: an obligation moral in the strictest and most proper sense."*

II. We shall endeavour to show, that it is highly just and proper, that God should require mankind to do his will.

1. This proposition is supported by the prerogative of God.

The fact of his being the Creator and Preserver of the universe supposes him to possess the right of adjusting every particular which relates to it, in such an order as to insure the accomplishment of his designs. As he called the earth into existence, and gave it form and beauty, he had a right to determine the laws of its rotation; — as he rolled the deep into its appointed channels, he had a right to regulate its tides, and set limits to its raging billows;-—

* Butler's Analogy, part ii. chapter 1.

as he imparted radiance to the sun, and fixed the glowing stars in the heavens, he had a right to assign them their respective stations, that they might be "for signs and for seasons, for days and for years;"-so, also, as he created man a living soul, an intelligent creature, capable of obeying him, and of enjoying immortal happiness, he had a right to demand of him all that homage and service for which his superior faculties have so well adapted him. Nothing can be more just and reasonable than that the beneficent Author of our existence and enjoyments should demand our obedience to his will.

2. This proposition is supported by the perfections of God.

Absolute power in the hands of an individual has ever been deemed, by men of correct judgment, a calamity of enormous magnitude; because, whatever may be the disposition of an individual in such circumstances, he must be, to say the least, under strong temptation to dispense with justice when its administration would clash with his interests; and to exercise arbitrary severity when influenced by pride or resentment. Acknowledging no rule of government besides his own will, and dazzled by the splendour of a throne, he would