these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." In these words our blessed Lord, though using a general statement, has obviously a reference to the conduct and the instructions of the Scribes and Pharisees. They attempted, like the Romanists of modern times, to establish a distinction among the precepts of the law, alleging some to be of greater and some of less importance. But Jesus vindicates the law from all such unwarranted distinctions, plainly teaching that whosoever is guilty of transgressing in his own person or encouraging others to transgress any one of these commandments, would be accounted least in the kingdom of God, that is, he would be unworthy of a place in the Church of God, and would be thrust out from it as a corrupt and unworthy member. But, on the other hand, the man who shall seek faithfully to observe the holy law of God, and to promote its observance among all within the sphere of his influence, such a man shall obtain favour of the Lord, and shall occupy an exalted place in the kingdom of his Father. He has turned many to righteousness, and, therefore, he shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. The law of God, the holy Jesus maintains, is the highest object of the believer's regard. "O how love I thy law," is the exclamation of the true child of God, "it is my meditation all the day;" and such is the jealousy which he feels for the honour of God and of his law, that his eyes run down with tears because men keep not that law. The believer is an unwearied apostle of the law. He teaches it by his lips and by his life, and, instead of wishing, in the slightest degree to lower the standard of Jehovah's law, he holds forth the very fulfilment of it in the cross of Christ as the most powerful evidence that it is unchangeably holy, inflexibly just, and inexpressibly good. No doubt he has learned that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified, and, therefore, he rejoices that he is no longer under the law, but under grace. And yet the very thought of losing sight of the law of God he repels with the utmost indignation. "Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid! Yea we establish the law." Entertaining such views of the law of God he enjoys true spiritual peace, for "great peace have they who love thy law, nothing shall offend them." Such persons "delight in the law of God after the inward man ;" and though they often feel to their sad experience that they have "a law in their members warring against the law of their minds" they long for complete deliverance from the dominion of sin, that they may be holy as God is holy. It is this admiration and love of God's law, this growing desire after conformity to its pure and righteous ? these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." In these words our blessed Lord, though using a general statement, has obviously a reference to the conduct and the instructions of the Scribes and Pharisees. They attempted, like the Romanists of modern times, to establish a distinction among the precepts of the law, alleging some to be of greater and some of less importance. But Jesus vindicates the law from all such unwarranted distinctions, plainly teaching that whosoever is guilty of transgressing in his own person or encouraging others to transgress any one of these commandments, would be accounted least in the kingdom of God, that is, he would be unworthy of a place in the Church of God, and would be thrust out from it as a corrupt and unworthy member. But, on the other hand, the man who shall seek faithfully to observe the holy law of God, and to promote its observance among all within the sphere of his influence, such a man shall obtain favour of the Lord, and shall occupy an exalted place in the kingdom of his Father. He has turned many to righteousness, and, therefore, he shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. The law of God, the holy Jesus maintains, is the highest object of the believer's regard. "O how love I thy law," is the exclamation of the true child of God, "it is my meditation all the day;" and such is the jealousy which he feels for the honour of God and of his law, that his eyes run down with tears because men keep not that law. The believer is an unwearied apostle of the law. He teaches it by his lips and by his life, and, instead of wishing, in the slightest degree to lower the standard of Jehovah's law, he holds forth the very fulfilment of it in the cross of Christ as the most powerful evidence that it is unchangeably holy, inflexibly just, and inexpressibly good. No doubt he has learned that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified, and, therefore, he rejoices that he is no longer under the law, but under grace. And yet the very thought of losing sight of the law of God he repels with the utmost indignation. "Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace ? Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid! Yea we establish the law." Entertaining such views of the law of God he enjoys true spiritual peace, for "great peace have they who love thy law, nothing shall offend them." Such persons "delight in the law of God after the inward man ;" and though they often feel to their sad experience that they have "a law in their members warring against the law of their minds" they long for complete deliverance from the dominion of sin, that they may be holy as God is holy. It is this admiration and love of God's law, this growing desire after conformity to its pure and righteous |