represent the law as abolished, or as in some measure deprived of its jurisdiction, relate either to the Ceremonial Law delivered to the Jews; or to the condemning power of the Moral Law with respect to true believers in Christ Jesus, to Christians whose faith habitually and perseveringly proves itself by holiness and good works. All the numerous passages, which describe the law as entitled to reign over us, relate to its unimpaired and sovereign authority over every man as a rule of life; and pronounce beyond the possibility of dispute that, if we would enter into life, we must keep the commandments; that we must love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our mind, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and our neighbour as ourself; and exercise ourselves with unwearied diligence and earnestness to walk in the strength of divine grace in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Make it then, my brethern, your frequent prayer that God would dispose and enable you to feel warm and increasing gratitude for the inconceivable mercy of Christ, in freely becoming man and dying on the cross, that he might in your stead, and for your salvation, bear the curse and satisfy the penalty of the law. Compared with this deed of kindness, with

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with this inexpressible benefit; what are all the kindnesses which can be shewn by men, what are all the benefits which you can receive from men? If it is right that you should love your fellow creatures who love you: if it is right that you should be grate

ful to those who have conferred valuable favours upon you: how ought you to love the Son of God; what gratitude ought you to cherish towards Him, who died that you might be rescued from the wrath to come, and live for ever in glory! Beware of being beguiled into the fatal persuasion, that you may continue in sin that grace may abound. When Christ has died to purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works, is that man a Christian who pretends that, because Christ has paid the penalty of sin, he may safely indulge in sin, at least in some one sin; who turns the grace of our Saviour into a plea for working iniquity, for allowing himself in disobedience? The wrath of God is still revealed from heaven against all ungedliness and unrighteousness of men. Our God shall hereafter be revealed in flaming fire to take vengeance on those who know not God, and obey not his Gospel; on those who obey not that Moral Law, which a believer in Christ is, if it be possible, under stronger obligations

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than any person in former ages ever was faithfully to obey, because in addition to every motive to obedience, which could rest on persons who lived before the birth of our Saviour, the Christian is bound by the ties resulting from the clearer views with which he is blessed of the nature and authority of the Moral Law, and by the obligations of love and gratitude for the redeeming mercies of his Lord. Seeing himself bought with a price, the price of Christ's blood; he is above all men bound to glorify God in holy obedience with his body and his spirit which are God's.

Lastly be not ensnared to turn the grace of God into licentiousness by the language which is constantly meeting our ears, that our Saviour has mitigated the demands of the Moral Law, and will be satisfied with sincere though imperfect obedience. Undoubtedly our obedience must be sincere; and undoubtedly after our most faithful endeavours under divine grace, it will be grievously imperfect. In one sense, therefore, it is true that he who obeys sincerely will be saved, though his obedience be imperfect. The language, however, which has been quoted, is sometimes designed, and is always likely to bring men to conclude, that they need not to strive to be holy in all points; but may feel themselves

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themselves safe through Christ, if they take care to lead, on the whole, respectable lives. But if a man knowingly and wilfully persists in any one sinful habit, is his obedience sincere? Or has Christ mitigated the demands of the Moral Law? Has not he disclosed its extent, explained its purity, and enforced its authority, beyond all former ideas of men? If God demands the whole heart, is there any corner of it which may be reserved for sin? If, whatever we do, we are to do all to the glory of God, that God may in all things be glorified through Jesus Christ; is there any breach of his law in which we may indulge? My brethren, be not deceived. If you are accustomed to speak of being saved by sincere, though imperfect, obedience; examine yourselves whether you are not either trusting to be saved in part by the supposed merits of obedience, even of this imperfect obedience, or using such language as a plea for the wilful continuance of some unchristian practice, and the habitual neglect of some known duty. Look entirely to the cross of Christ for atonement and acceptance. Renounce, resist, every known sin, if you hope to find him a Saviour.

SERMON IV.

JUSTIFICATION not attainable by Acts of MORALITY.

ROMANS, iii. 28.

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law.

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N the minds of a very large proportion of the world a much higher degree of respect for morality prevails than for piety. Numbers who hold the dispositions in which piety consists, and the proceedings by which those dispositions are manifested, in low estimation, and personally are negligent of both, will be loud in their praises of moral virtue; and to a certain extent, and in ordinary circumstances, are practically observant of various moral rules. Others, by whom the duties of piety are more justly appreciated, and are outwardly discharged with decent punctuality, discover by their common dis

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