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his commands, and a reliance on him for the daily supply of all our wants as he sees good.

We cannot close this brief explication of the divine law, (in which we find nothing redundant, nothing defective, nothing injurious, but all things holy, and just, and good,) more properly, than by the words of our church-service, Lord, have 'mercy upon us,' (forgive all our past transgressions,) and write all these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee.'

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ESSAY V.

On Man's situation, as a Sinner, in the present

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world.

HE apostle has defined sin to be "the transgression of the law,"" and whatever, in any respect or degree, deviates from that perfect rule, is sin, and exposes a man to condemnation. "By "the law," therefore, "is the knowledge of sin :" the better we understand the holy, just, and good commandments of God, the more enlarged will be our acquaintance with the vast variety of sins that are continually committed, as well as with the evil and desert of every transgression: and a comprehensive knowledge of our whole duty is essential to a just estimate of our own character, or of our situation in respect to eternal judgment.

But we should not attend only to the require-. ments and prohibitions of the divine law: its sanctions also demand our most serious consideration. Indeed, strictly speaking, the law, as distinguished from the gospel, is merely a rule and a sanction: a rule formed by infinite wisdom, holiness, and

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goodness, and enforced by supreme authority; a sanction to be awarded by immutable justice and almighty power, according to the declarations of eternal truth. Repentance and amendment are right, and accord to the spirit of the commandment; but they make no compensation for transgression, and are not noticed by the law: and the mercy exercised by the Law-giver has reference to the provisions of another covenant. Perfect obedience is the uniform demand of the precept; condemnation inevitably follows transgression.

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Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet "offend in one point, he is guilty of all;" even as a man is condemned for violating one of the many statutes of the realm, in a single instance, though no other offence be charged upon him. The apostle therefore declares, that "as many as "are of the works of the law, are under the curse; "for it is written, Cursed is every one that conti"nueth not," (during his whole life,)" in all

things which are written in the book of the law, "to do them:2" and the moral law must at least be included in this general language. They alone, who have at all times perfectly kept the whole law, can have any claim to the reward which it proposes, for "the man that doeth" the commandments "shall live in them," but "the soul that "sinneth shall die." And as "all have sinned, "and come short of the glory of God," (of ren

James ii. 8-11.

2 Gal. iii. 10. Deut. xxvii. 15-26.

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dering to him the glory due to his name:) so in this respect 66 "there is no difference:" Every "mouth shall be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God;" though an immense difference will be found between some men and others, in respect of the nature, number, and aggravations, of their offences. All attempts, therefore, in a sinner to justify himself, must result from ignorance of God, of the divine law, and of his own character; or from a disposition to impeach the strictness of the law, and the justice of the Lawgiver.

Our Lord himself explains the import of "the er curse of the law," (from which he redeemed his people, "being made a curse for them,") when he forewarns us, that he will say to the wicked at the day of judgment, "Depart from me, ye cursed, "into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and "his angels and these shall go away into ever"lasting punishment."" In reflecting on this awful subject, we should recollect that man is constituted of body and soul; and that the soul purposes the act of disobedience, while the body erecutes its purpose: so that it is highly reasonable to suppose, that the soul will at least share the punishment which the law denounces against the offender. When, therefore, the apostle would remind his brethren of their obligations to the Lord Jesus, he says, "Who delivereth us from the

Rom. iii. 9-23.

Matt. xxv. 41-46.

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"wrath to come;" whence it is evident, that he considered himself, and all the christians in the world, as having been exposed, not only to present effects of the divine displeasure, (from which Jesus does not deliver his people,) but also to future condemnation. The original transgression, when, "by one man sin entered into the world, "and death by sin," was indeed a violation of a positive injunction; but love to God, to himself, and to his posterity, absolutely required Adam to obey it so that by disobedience he fell under the curse of the law, which doubtless existed and was in full force from the creation, in respect of its essential requirements. And the event sufficiently proves, that all Adam's posterity were interested in that transaction, and fell with him: for it is an undeniable fact, that men are universally prone to break the law of God, and universally liable to pain, suffering, and death. All who truly believe the Bible, will rest satisfied with the scriptural account of this mysterious subject: others will never be able to account for the state of the world on any principles that are more rational: and the proper answer to those, who object to an evident fact as inconsistent with divine justice, wisdom, and goodness, has been already given by the apostle, 'Nay but, O man, who art thou, that repliest "against God?"

1 Thes. i. 10.

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