that it was weak through the flesh." The defects of the law are of a relative kind. It is not in itself weak or sinful—some part of it was holy, just, and good-other parts of it were elementary, shadowy, representations of good things to come. But that part of it written and engraven on tables of stone, which was holy, just, and good, failed in that it was too high, sublime, and spiritual, to regulate so weak a mortal as fallen man. And even when its oblations and sacrifices were presented, there was something too vast and sublime, for such weak means, such carnal commandments-such beggarly elements— such perishable and insignificant blood, to effect. So that the Apostle saith, the law made nothing perfect, it merely introduced a better hope. If the law had been faultless, no place should have been found for the gospel. We may then fairly conclude that the spirituality, holiness, justice, and goodness, of one part of the law, rendered it too high; and the carnal, weak, and beggarly elements of another part, rendered it too low; and both together became weak through the flesh. Viewing the law in this light, we can suitably apply the words of the Spirit uttered by Ezek. xx. 25, in relation to its incompetence-" I give them," says he, "statutes which were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live."

IV. We now have arrived at the fourth head of our discourse, in which we proposed to illustrate the means by which God has remedied the relative defects of the law.

All those defects the eternal Father remedies, by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemns sin in the flesh. "That the whole righteousness which the law required, might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit."

The primary deficiency of the law which we noticed, was, that it could not give righteousness and eternal life. Now, the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father, in the likeness of sinful flesh, makes an end of sin, makes reconciliation for iniquity, finishes transgression, brings in an everlasting righteousness, and completes eternal redemption for sinners. He magnifies the law, and makes it honourable. All this he achieves by his obedience unto death. He finished the work which the Father gave him to do; so that in him all believers, all the spiritual seed of Abraham, find righteousness and eternal life; not by legal works or observances, in whole or in part, but through the abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness, which is by him;-"For the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." This righteousness and its concomitant, eternal life, are revealed from faith to faith-the information or report of it comes in the divine word to our ears, and receiving the report of it, or believing the divine testimony concerning it, brings us into the enjoyment of its blessings. Hence it is that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Nor is he on this account the minister of sin-for thus the righteousness, the perfect righteousness of the law, is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Do we then make void the law or destroy the righteousness of it by faith? God forbid ! we establish the law.

A second thing which we observed the law could not do, was to give a full exhibition of the demerit of sin. It is acknowledged that the demerit of sin was partially developed in the law, and before the law. Sin was condemned in the deluge, in the confusion of human speech, in turning to ashes the cities of the plain, in the thousands that fell in the wilderness. But these, and a thousand similar monuments beside, fall vastly short of giving a full exhibition of sin in its malignant nature and destructive consequences. But a full discovery of its nature and demerits is given us in the person of Jesus Christ. God condemned sin in him-God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up-It pleased the Lord to bruise him, to pour out his soul an offering for sin. When we view the Son of the Eternal suspended on the cursed tree-when we see him in the garden, and hear his petitions -when we hear him exclaim, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!"—in a word, when we see him expiring in blood, and laid in the tomb, we have a monument of the demerit of sin, which no law could give, which no temporal calamity could exhibit.

We sometimes, in the vanity of our minds, talk lightly of the demerit of sin, and irreverently of the atonement. In this age of novelty, it is said, "that the sufferings of Christ were so great as to atone for the sins of worlds on worlds," or at least for the sins of the damned as well as the saved-that "one drop of his blood is sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world." That is, in other words, the sufferings of Christ so transcended the demerit of the sins of his people, as to be sufficient to save all that shall eternally perish. These assertions are as unreasonable as unscriptural. In our zeal to exalt the merits of the atonement-I say, in the warmth of our passions, and in the fulness of our hearts, let us be cautious lest we impeach the Divine wisdom and prudence. Doubtless, if the merits of his sufferings transcends the demerit of his people's sins, then some of his sufferings were in vain, and some of his merit unrewarded. To avoid this conclusion, some have affirmed that all shall be saved, and none perish, contrary to the express word of God. Indeed, the transition from these inconsistent views of the atonement, to what is called Universalism, is short and easy. But I would humbly propose a few inquiries on this subject. Why do the evangelists inform us that Christ died so soon after his suspension on the cross? Why so much marvel expressed that he was so soon dead ?-so much sooner than the malefactors that were crucified with him? It might be presumed his last words solve these difficulties-"It is finished, and he gave up the ghost." From these and similar premises, it would seem that his life and sufferings were prolonged just so long as was necessary to complete the redemption of his people. We are accustomed, on all subjects that admit of it, to distinguish between quantity and quality. In the common concerns of human intercourse, sometimes the quality of a thing is acceptable when the quantity is not; at other times the quantity is acceptable when the quality is not. If a thousand slaves were to be redeemed and emancipated by means of gold, the in whose custody they were could not demand any more precious metal than gold-when one piece of gold was presented to him, he might object to the quantity as deficient, though the quality is unobjectionable. In respect of the means of our redemption, it must be

person

allowed that the sufferings of Christ were they. These sufferings, then, were the sufferings of a divine person-such doubtless was their quality. And a life and sufferings of any other quality, could avail nothing in effecting redemption for transgressors. If but one of Adam's race should be saved, a life and sufferings of such a quality would have been indispensably requisite to accomplish such a deliverance. Again, if more were to have been saved than what will eventually be saved, the quantity and not the quality of his sufferings would have been augmented. The only sentiment respecting the atonement that will bear the test of scripture, truth, or sober reason, is, that the life and sufferings of Christ in quality, and in length or quantity, were such as sufficed to make reconciliation for all the sins of his chosen race; or for all them in every age or nation that shall believe in him. There was nothing deficient, nothing superfluous; else he shall never see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; which would be the reverse of his Father's promise, and his own expectation. When the life and sufferings of Christ are viewed in this light, the demerit of sin appears in its true colours-all inconsistencies vanish, and all the testimonies of sacred truth, of Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, harmoniously correspond. But if we suppose that the sufferings of Christ transcended the demerit of the sins of "his people," then we have no full exhibition of the demerit of sin. Nor are "his people" under any more obligation of love or gratitude to him than they who eternally perish.

That which remains on this head is to show how the failure of the law in not being a suitable rule of life, has been remedied.

We noticed that example is a more powerful teacher than precept. Now Jesus Christ has afforded us an example of hunan perfection never witnessed before. He gave a living form to every moral, and religious precept which they never before possessed. In this respect he was the distinguished Prophet, to whom Moses and all the inferior prophets referred. In entering on this prophetic office, he taught with a peculiarity unexampled by all his predecessors. "He spake as never man spake." The highest commendation he gave of Moses was that he wrote of him, and that the was a faithful servant in Christ's house. From the beginning of his ministry to the end of his life, he claimed the honour of being the only person that could instruct men in the knowledge of God or of his will. He claimed the honour of being the author and finisher of the only perfect form of religion; the eternal Father attested all his claims and honoured all his pretensions. Respecting the ancient rules of life, the law and the prophets, he taught his disciples they had lived their day- he taught them they were given only for a limited time. "The law and the prophets prophesied until John"-then they gave place to a greater Prophet, aud a more glorious law. Malachi, the last of the ancient prophets, informed Israel that they should strictly observe Moses' law, until a person should come in the spirit and power of Elias. Jesus taught us that John the Baptist was he, and that the law and prophets terminated at his entrance upon his ministry; for since that time the kingdom of heaven is preached and all men press into it. To attest his character, and to convince the church of his being the great

Prophet, to whom all Christians should exclusively hearken as their teacher; to weaken the attachments of his disciples to Moses and the prophets, it pleased God to send down Moses and Elias from heaven; the one the lawgiver, and the other the law-restorer, to resign their prophetic honours at the feet of the Messiah, in presence of select witnesses. "Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, into a high mountain, and was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as snow, and behold there appeared Moses and Elias talking with him." Peter, enraptured with these heavenly visitants, proposes erecting three tabernacles-one for Christ, one for Moses, and one for Elias. But while he was thus proposing to associate Christ the great Prophet, with Moses and Elias inferior prophets, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice out of the cloud, an indirect reply to Peter's motion-" This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him." Thus when these ancient and venerable prophets were recalled to heaven, Christ alone is left as the great teacher, to whom, by a commandment from the excellent glory, the throne of the Eternal, we are obliged to heaken. That this transaction was significant of the doctrine above stated, must be manifest, when we take into view all circumstances. Might it not be asked, "Why did not Abel, Abraham, or Enoch, appear on this occasion ?" The reason is plain-the disciples of Christ had no hurtful respect for them. Moses and Elias, the reputed oracles of the Jewish nation, were the two, and the only two, in respect of whom this solemn and significant revocation was needful. The plain language of the whole occurrence was this:-Moses and Elias were excellent men; they were now glorified in heaven; they had lived their day; the limited time they were to flourish as teachers of the will of Heaven was now come to an end. The morning star had arisen-nay, was almost set, and the Sun of Righteousness was arising with salutiferous rays. Let us, then, walk in the noon-day light-let us hearken to Jesus as the Prophet and Legislator, Priest and King. He shall reign over all the ransomed race. We find all things whatsoever the law could not do are accomplished in him, and by him—that in him all Christians might be perfect and complete--" for the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

V. It now remains, in the last place, to deduce such conclusions from the above premises, as must obviously and necessarily present themselves to every candid and reflecting mind.

1st. From what has been said, it follows that there is an essential difference between law and gospel-the Old Testament and the New.*

* There are not a few professors of Christianity who suppose themselves under equal obligations to obey Moses or any other Prophet, as Christ and his Apostles. They cannot understand why any part of divine revelation should not be obligatory on a Christian to observe; nor can they see any reason why the New Testament should be preferred to the Old; or why they should not be regulated equally by each. They say, "Is it not all the Word of God, and are not all mankind addressed in it?" True, all the holy Prophets spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and men were the objects of their address. It is, however, equally evident, that God at sundry times and in diverse manners spake to men, according to a variety of circumstances, which diversified their condition, capacity, and opportunities. Thus he addressed individuals, and

No two words are more distinct in their signification than law and gospel. They are contradistinguished under various names in the New Testament. The law is denominated "the letter; "the ministration of condemnation;"" the ministration of death;" "the Old Testament or Covenant, and Moses." The Gospel in denominated "the Spirit;" "the ministration of the Spirit;""the ministration of righteousness;" "the New Testament, or Covenant;" "the law of liberty and Christ." In respect of existence or duration, the former is denominated, "that which is done away;" the latter, " that which remaineth." The former was faulty; the latter faultless. The former demanded, this bestows righteousness. That gendereth bondage; this liberty. That begat bond-slaves; this freemen. The former spake on this wise, "This do and thou shalt live;" this says, Say not what ye shall do the word is nigh thee, [that gives life,] the word of faith which we preach: if thou believe in thine heart the Gospel, thou shalt be saved." The former waxed old, is abolished, and vanished away; the latter remains, lives, and is everlasting.

2nd. In the second place, we learn from what has been said, that "there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." The premises from which the Apostle drew this conclusion are the same with those stated to you in this discourse. "Sin," says the Apostle," shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace." In the sixth and seventh chapters to the Romans, the Apostle taught them that " they were not under the law;" that "they were

classes of individuals, in a way peculiar to themselves. Witness his addresses to Noah, Abraham, Daniel, Jonah, Paul, and Peter. Witness his addresses to the Patriarchs, the Jews, and the Christians. Again, men are addressed as magistrates, fathers, masters, husbands, teachers, and their correlates. Now to apply to one individual what is said to all individuals and classes of individuals, would, methinks, appear egregious folly. And would it not be as absurd to say, that every man is obliged to practise every duty and religious precept enjoined in the Bible. Might we not as reasonably say, that every man must be at once a Patriarch, a Jew, and a Christian; a magistrate, a subject, a father, a child, a master, a servant, &c. &c. And, certainly, it is as inconsistent to say, that Christians should equally regard and obey the Old and New Testament. All scripture given by divine inspiration, is profitable for various purposes in the perfection of saints, when rightly divided, and not handled deceitfully. But when the above considerations are disregarded, the Word of God must inevitably be perverted. Hence it is that many preachers deceive themselves and their hearers by selecting and applying to themselves and their hearers such portions of sacred truth as belong not to them nor their hearers. Even the Apostles could not apply the words of Christ to themselves or their hearers until they were able to answer a previous question-"Lord, sayest thou this unto us or unto all?" Nor could the Eunuch understand the Prophet until he knew whether he spoke of himself or of some other man. Yet many preachers and hearers trouble not themselves about such inquiries. If their text is in the Bible, it is no matter where; and if their hearers be men and women, it is no matter whether Jews or Christians, believers or unbelievers. Often have I seen a preacher and his hearers undergo three or four metamorphoses in an hour. First, he is a moral philosopher, inculcating heathen morality; next, a Jewish rabbi, expounding the law; then, a teacher of some Christian precept; and, lastly, an ambassador of Christ, negociating between God and man. The congregation undergo the correlate revolutions: first, they are heathens; next, Jews; anon, Christians; and, lastly, treating with the ambassadors for salvation, on what is called the terms of the gospel. Thus, Proteus-like, they are all things in an hour.