the minister of sin' by allowing themselves to live in disobedience, from confidence of being justifled by His righteousness, and saved sanctified." without being Scott. a Ro. vi. 6; Ga. yourself of this Sabat at once." He replied, "Not if his spirit were ten times more acrimonious and exasperating." Then, smiling in his gentle winning manner, he pointed upwards and whispered in low but earnest tones, "For Him." The whole of Christian life and of missionary work rests upon this principle, a presumptuous to Christ, not to ourselves. Such is the true law and impulse. Spiritual progress is measured by increasing delight in the habit of such self-abnegation and doing all for the glory of God. Every religious meeting and measure fails of its full and proper object, if this principle gain no additional strength in the soul. 20, 21. I.. Christ," I died to the law (v. 19) by being united to Christ, and involved in His death. yet.. I, it is not the Paul of the old time who lives now. but.. me, this life is one through all the tempers, purposes, ends of wh. Christ lives and rules. faith.. God, the spring and sustaining power of this life. who.. me," a strong personal motive. frustrate, set at nought. for.. vain, if righteousness might be obtained through law, then Christ's death were superfluous."f The nature of vital godliness examined.-I. The true characteristics of vital godliness: 1. Mystery; 2. Mortification; 3. Life; 4. Humility; 5. Christianity. II. Its grand principle. III. The approbation which it allows.-The life of faith.-I. It is a life attained through death,-death to the law. II. Faith is that which constantly nourishes and maintains it. How does it do this?-1. It brings humility, and empties us of self-will, the fruitful root of all our misery; 2. It binds us with gratitude to the one holy will. The Christian crucified.-I. What it is to be crucified with Christ. II. How is this crucifixion effected? 1. The power; 2. The instrument; 3. The manner. III. What is its natural result: 1. Freedom from the law; 2. Deliverance from sin; 3. Fitness for usefulness; 4. Possession of real happiness.i 66 Restraining grace.-The holiest and best men have been usually the most ready to acknowledge the natural depravity of their hearts, and the greatness of their obligations to the free and sovereign grace of God, in preserving or delivering them from the consequences of that depravity. During the ministry of the Rev. Ralph Erskine, of Dunfermline, a man was executed for robbery, whom he repeatedly visited in prison, and whom he attended on the scaffold. Mr. Erskine addressed both the spectators and the criminal; and, after concluding his speech, he laid his hands on his breast, uttering these words:-"But for restraining grace, I had been brought by this corrupt heart to the same condition with this unhappy man.' CHAPTER THE THIRD. c 1 Jo. v. 10-13; 2 Co. v. 7; 1 Pe. iv. 1, 2; Col. iii. 17. vii. 11. d Jo. x. 11; Tit. ii. 14; 2 Ti. i. 12. Ga. v. 4; He. f Lightfoot. "Christ is so willing to receive sinners who come to Him, that He does not reject the devil's casta way s." — G. Whitefield. g Dr. Dillon. Rev. M. Dods, M.A. tions of error a Ellicott. b Vulgate, Light 1, 2. foolish, witless, a inconsiderate. bewitched, fascinated. the fascinaset forth, clearly written, "posted up, placarded." See Gk., “publicly announced as a magisterial edict or proclamation." crucified.. you, i.e., the doctrine of the cross had been pro- foot. claimed in your midst. this.. you, answer this one question. Spirit, the pledge of your adoption, and earnest of your inherit- 26. ance. by..law, as the reward of obedience. the gift of God to the believing soul. or.. c 1 Co. i. 23 ; xi. faith? d Ac. x. 44-46; XV. 7-9; xix. 2 6; Ep. i. 13; He. ii. 3, 4; 2 Co. iii. 8, 9. "Morality de clines with the The Gospel.-I. The work of Gospel ministers, to present Christ crucified to men. This subject should be graphically presented to men, because it is the subject essential to-1. Rouse their religious thoughts-its extraordinariness-its relative imdecline of faith. portance; 2. Generate religious feelings in them,-awakening deep The tidings of penitence for sin, supreme concern for the soul, and solemn dread the gift of eternal of wrong; 3. Meet their religious wants, forgiveness of sin, and of God to re-purity of soul. II. The duty of Gospel hearers,-" to obey the generate man. truth"-its provisions and doctrines to be accepted as the only Take away the means of salvation, and the only infallible test of truth-its presalvation which God has given, cepts to be followed as the sovereign rule of all action. III. The and you take folly of Gospel rejectors-this folly is most infatuated-most away sanctifica- lamentable. life is the power works." D'Au bigné. e Dr. Thomas. "The two inse tion and good Salvation by faith.-"I preached up sanctification very earnestly for six years in a former parish," says the Rev. Mr. Bennet in a letter, "and never brought one soul to Christ. I did the same at this parish, for two years, without having any success at parable properall; but as soon as ever I preached Jesus Christ, and faith in His ties of saving blood, then believers were added to the Church occasionally; then faith are, it is people flocked from all parts to hear the glorious sound of the missive to Divine Gospel, some coming six, others eight, and others ten miles, and revelation it is that constantly. The reason why my ministry was not blessed, dutiful and obe- when I preached up salvation partly by faith, and partly by dient to Divine works, is, because the doctrine is not of God; and He will prosper precepts." Dr. Bates. no ministers but such as preach salvation in His own appointed way, viz., by faith in Jesus Christ." humble and sub beginning 3-6. "It is true, and sincere Christian should aposta The reasons are 3, 4. begun.. Spirit, the only true beginning. are.. flesh ?a is legal obedience to complete what it could not even originate? suffered, in the way of persecution. vain ? on behalf of what neither originated, nor can perfect your spiritual life? i.e., the spirit as you seem to view it. if.. vain, if it be really true that you have gone back to the law. A Ritualistic Church a foolish Church.-Foolish in-I. Its origin. It is based on an Apostolic protest. "I stand in doubt of you." II. Its idea of the sustaining energy of the Church. Its tise, he could inspiration is bewitchment. III. Its retrogression. "Ye did run never be con- well; who did hinder you?" IV. Its estimate of the true position verted again and requirements of humanity. V. Having left its first love.c obvious. Не Superficial character.-Shallow soil is like superficial character. would have tried You meet with such persons in life. There is nothing deep about the only plan of them-all they do, and all they have, is on the surface. The salvation, and it would have superficial servant's work is done; but lazily, partially-not failed! Whether thoroughly. The superficial workman's labour will not bear lookthis, in fact, ever ing into, but it bears a showy outside. The very dress of such occurs, is quite another persons betrays the slatternly incomplete character of their minds. tion."-Barnes. When religion comes in contact with persons of this stamp, it c Douglass All- shares the fate of everything else. It is taken up in a superficial d F. W. Robertson. way.d port. ques the faith of Abraham a Ge. xv. 6; Ro. iv. 3. 5-8. he, an Apostle. that.. Spirit, preaching the doctrines of the Gospel. worketh.. you, the seals of his Divine calling. doeth.. faith? and if by faith, what becomes of your legal confidence? Abraham, ancient men of God as well as Christian Apostles. believed, lived by faith. it, his faith. righteousness," and not his obedience. they.. faith, of all c Ge. xii 3; 2 Pe. ages and peoples. same.. Abraham, like their father in this b Ro. iv. 11, 12, 16. was. one mark of true kinship. God.. heathen, who, being also i. 21; Ac. xxviii. without the law, could not be justified in any other way; or, who, 25; Jo. i. 1. having the law, could be justified only in this way. preached which a man is ..Abraham, made known the glad tidings bef. hand. in.. counted rightblessed,ci.e. in thy seed-the Messiah-the object of saving eous in the sight faith for the whole world. of God? Why, "What is it upon The heathen justified through faith.-In a sinner's justification he puts on the Lord Jesus are to be considered-I. The act itself, accepting as righteous and Christ, and God free from law charges. II. The Justifier-God in the person of puts him on, as the Father. III. The ground of it-Christ's righteousness (Rom. it were, so that the Scripture v. 19). IV. The situation in which it is effected-union with phrase is intelChrist. V. The instrument-faith. VI. The result-sanctifica- ligible enough." tion and eternal life.d -Howe. the whole tree; or as Victories of faith.-The undertakings of Alexander, of Han- d Rev. T. Robinnibal, of Cæsar, did not signify valour like to this; their achieve-son. ments were but toys in comparison to these; those famous "Faith in the obgallants would have found it infinitely harder to conquer the ject of adoration must precede the world in this way; to have subdued their lusts, and mastered act of adoration. their passions, would have proved far more difficult than to get It is as the root advantage in scuffles with armed men; to discomfort legions of supporting devils, would have been to them another kind of work than was the vanquishing squadrons of Persians, of Gauls, of Romans; to have set upon their own ambition and vanity, their intemperance. their revenge; to have quelled those inward enemies; to have sustained affronts, disgraces, afflictions, with a calm and contented mind, would have more tried their courage, than all which they attempted.e the reasoning soul informing dignifying and the whole body." -Bishop Sumner. e Dr. Is. Barrow. blessed with 9, 10. they.. faith,a who live and walk by faith. are true blessed, in association with: numbered with him in God's believers are favour here, and His glory hereafter. are.. law, relying upon Abraham their obedience to it. curse, condemnation, sentence. written, in that law wherein they trust. all things, particular, uni-xx. 27. versal, and continued obedience insisted upon. a Ga. iii. 26; Jo. b Ro. iii. 19; De. xxvii. 26. Sinners under the curse.-I. A caution. There is no sin abso"A little rope suflutely little. Any sin makes a man liable to eternal death. II. ficeth to hang a Some arguments in proof of this: 1. The Lord's testimony to this great thief; & truth. "The wages of sin is death." 2. The fact that those sins little dross which men make light of are burdened by God with threatenings gold; & little abaseth much of everlasting wrath: (1) Omissions of good; (2) Secret evils; poison infecteth (3) Idle words; (4) Vain thoughts; (5) Motions to sin without much wholesome consent; 3. The least sin is infinitely evil. 4. The continuance of liquor; a little the law. Application:-In these small sins there is something of eth much sound heresy corrupt(1) Atheism; (2) Idolatry; (3) Murder; (4) Violation of the doctrine; a little whole law.c fly is enough to spoil all the alament, so the smallest sin, the least peccadillo, Sincere repentance.-Frank Teabout, a liquor-seller of Decorah, Io., during a religious revival in that place made up his mind to lead a new life. He had a fine lot of liquors on hand, but "did not sell off the bad beverage by the wholesale, or send it elsewhere to do its mischief, and so remunerate himself for his outlay; but he carted the whole stock down in front of the meeting house, and there he made a bonfire of it. While the people inside the house were rejoicing in the light of the Divine presence, outer glare denoted that a notable prodigal was returning. baster box of oint without God's mercy, is sufficient to damn our souls to all eternity."the 11, 12. evident, to the conscience of ea. one who must feel that he has often violated the law: esp. evident fr. the foll. fact. -P. Boskieri. the just shall i. 17. a Hab. ii. 4; Ro. for, because. just," the upright, who desires to serve God. live, the higher life. faith, by continual reliance upon God's mercy. law.. faith, but works, without any connection with 1.25-28; Ro.. faith. the.. them, with the hope of meriting mercy on the "The immediate score of obedience. shall.. them, in all the fears, doubts, etc., cause of this wh. a defective obedience inspires. b Le. xviii, 5; Lu. 5, 6, 9. faith in Christ is Redemption from the curse of the law.-I. The fearful condition Divine Revela- of men as transgressors of the law: 1. What the law requires; 2. tion. It is not the The reasonableness of this requirement; 3. The doom denounced effect or product of our own abili- upon all who do not comply with it-universal-unspeakably ties, the best of awful-present in its infliction-irremediable by ourselves. II. which are but The blessedness of those who are interested in the glorious proviThat faith which sions of the Gospel: 1. Our Redeemer; 2. From what He redeems renders them us; 3. How this redemption is effected; 4. Its results.c blessed in whom flesh and blood. it is, is wrought in them by the power of God revealing Christ unto their souls." -Owen. c Anon. Christ our Walking by faith.-Andrew Fuller was to preach before a ministerial association. On his way there, the roads in several places were flooded from recent rains. Mr. Fuller came to one place where the water was very deep, and, being a stranger to its exact depth, was unwilling to go on. A countryman acquainted with the water cried out, "Go on, sir! you are quite safe!" Fuller urged on his horse; but the water soon touched his saddle, and he stopped to think. "Go on, sir! all is right!" shouted the man. Taking the man at his word, Fuller proceeded; and the text was suggested, "We walk by faith, not by sight." 13, 14. redeemed," ransomed. curse.. law, He paid the penalty, endured the punishment for us. being.. us, through a Ga. iv. 4, 5; 1 the imputation of our sin to Him. cursed.. tree, a most Th. i. 10. b 2 Co. v. 21. c De. xxi. 23. d Is. xliv. 3; Ez. xxxvi. 27; Joel ii. 28, 29; Jo. vii. 38, 39; Ac. ii. 33. e Ep. i. 13, 14. "Had ignominious punishment, since the Jews did not inflict it. Gentiles, to whose mode of cap. punishment Jesus submitted. Christ, who suffered on the cross. promise.. Spirit, promised long since. faith,e through our faith in the Promiser's Word and plan. Redemption by Christ.-I. The mode in which we are redeemed. II. The authority on which Christ acted: 1. All creation obeyed Him; 2. He was the fulfilment of the prophecies and promises of not the the Old Testament; 3. His whole revelation, character, promises, punishment of and work, were perfectly adapted to man. III. He became a long ago abo- surety for us. IV. How this mode of redemption appears to lished, the stu- disagree with the known nature of God: 1. It appears counter pendous power to law; 2. It seems inconsistent with His independence and Christ would be magnificence.f the cross been of the Cross of f J. S. Spencer, D.D. more obviously The virtue of the Atonement.-In a conversation the Rev. Mr. bef. our eyes."- Innes had with an infidel on his sick bed, the latter told Bengel. Mr. Innes that when he was taken ill, he thought he would rely on the general mercy of God; that as he never had done any"There is some thing very bad, he hoped all would be well. "But as my weakdifference be-ness increased," he added, "I began to think, is not God a just tween God's pur- Being, as well as merciful. Now, what reason have I to think He poses and His will treat me with mercy, and not with justice; and if I am promises. Both of them, so to treated with justice," he said, with much emotion, "where am I?" speak, are gold;"I showed him," says Mr. Innes, "that this was the very diffibut the one is gold culty the Gospel met and removed, as it showed how mercy could other is gold in be exercised in perfect consistency with the strictest demands of the mintim- justice, while it was bestowed through the atonement made by pressed and pre- Jesus Christ. After explaining this doctrine, and pressing it on cur- his attention and acceptance, one of the last things he said to me in the mine, the pared for before leaving him was, "Well, I believe it must come to this. rency and use."I confess I here see a solid footing to rest on, which, on my former Jay. principles, I could never find!" 15, 16. I.. men, use such arguments as men would use: as the promise human analogies. covenant, agreement, promise. confirmed, to Abraham with solemn assurance. man, much less God, His promises. a Ge. xii. 3, 7; disannulleth, abolisheth. addeth, conditions. now.. made,a xvii. 7. made by God. The promise itself-the promises-the Promiser, all to be noted, as grounds of faith. and.. not, etc., but to Christ, who included "the many," who assures the fulfilment of the prom. to all the believing seed of Abraham. 6 Ro. ix. 7, 8; 1 Co. xii. 12, 13. Disannul, to annul completely. L. dis, intensive, and God's covenant with Abraham.-This covenant is-I. Compre- annul, to make hensive in its import-contains many promises, blessings for null, to reduce to himself for his natural descendants-for his spiritual seed-all nothing. Fr. nations (Gen. xii. 3; xv. 1-6; xvii. 4-8). II. Precise in its to, nullus, nullum, application-it points to Christ as the only true seed, in whom no one, nothing all blessing centres-all the chosen seed are united, 1 Cor. xii. 12,-ne, not, ullus, -and from whom all happiness flows to the world, especially to believers.c annuller; L. ad, any. c J. Lyth, D.D. nor Result of faith in the promises.-Rest ensues,-a holy, satisfy. ing rest to the weary soul,-to the soul heavy laden with sins, temptations, doubts, and griefs. Finding Christ, the heart finds, with a tradition, like the magnet, its pole. A Scottish penitent, at the place of nor with an idealexecution, was enabled to lay hold on this promise, saying, "Iity, but with a challenge Thee, Lord, by that promise which Thou hast made, sonal beingthat Thou perform and make it good unto me, who call for ease with Christ. and mercy at Thy hands." 17, 18. confirmed.. Christ, Christ the fulfilment of the great promise of redemption, and the pledge of all the rest. law, in wh. you are now trusting. four.. after [iii. 57], prophetically called 400 in round nums., in hist. statement more exact, 430. cannot, was not intended to. that.. effect, by taking its place, or limiting its force. inheritance, the promised land, to the Jews; heaven, to us. God.. promise, without reference to the law. real living, per not annulled "God could have an nouncing it, and The promise made of none effect by the law.-I. The nature of people the promise: 1. Made to the Patriarchs; 2. Christ was the sub- previously ject. II. The connection between the law and the promise. bringing Himself There is none. The law is not mentioned in it. III. How the under an engagelaw makes the promise of none effect. By superseding it. IV. ment; but in this The fact that this covenant cannot be set aside, and that conse- case His design quently the law must suffer: 1. God's word to Abraham; 2. The promise confirmed to the prophets. could not have been known, believed, expected, pleaded. But the promise gives rise to a life of faith, hope, patience, and prayer."-Jay. Surety of the promises. Promises are like bonds, which depend altogether upon the sufficiency of the surety. If a beggar seal a instrument for the payment of ten thousand pounds, who esteems it to be any better than a blank? but if a man of estate and ability do bind himself to pay such a sum, it is looked upon as so much real estate, and men value themselves by such bills and e A. Barton. bonds as well as by what is in their own possession. God, who A breaks his word, hath made rich promises to believers, is able to perform what He bids others be hath spoken. He is rich in mercy (Eph. ii. 4). Abundant in false to him. goodness and truth (Exod. xxxiv. 6). He is the God of truth (Ps. f Spurstowe. xxxi. 5). The father of mercies (2 Cor. i. 3). man that |