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I DELIGHT IN THE

SERMON X.

ROMANS VII. 22.

LAW OF GOD, After THE INWARD

MAN.

THERE is something, at first sight, almost contradictory in the way in which the Apostle St. Paul speaks, at different times, respecting the law of God. But a little before, in this same epistle, he had said that Christian men were not "under the law" that they were "delivered from the law:" yea, that they had become "dead to the law." Yet what have we now in our text? declaration most distinct, and decided, of his own attachment to the law. "I delight," saith he, "in the law of God."

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I trust we shall see what his meaning is, and understand how entirely his several statements agree together. And may God grant us in our own hearts to feel how true it is that a Christian man, though not under the law, but delivered from it, and in a sense dead to it, yet does, from his heart, love it, and delight in it.

There are three matters which I would wish you to observe in order to understand the subject before us.

I. WHAT IS THAT LAW OF WHICH THE APOSTLE SPEAKS.

II. WHAT IS THE POSITION OF THe ChrisTIAN MAN IN RESPECT OF THAT LAW. And III. WHAT ARE HIS FEELINGS TOWARDS IT.

I. WHAT IS THAT LAW OF WHICH THE APOSTLE SPEAKS? It is the law of God: in other words, the will of God.

All that was wanted down to be a test of

The first law given to man was that to Adam in Paradise, "Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat." A A very simple law, but quite sufficient to serve the purpose for which it was given. then was some rule laid Adam's love to God. And for this that one command was quite enough. So long as he loved his Maker, so long would he refuse to touch the tree. Alas, too soon he took thereof, and did eat plain proof that his love was gone.

From that day other laws, more in number, more particular, and more defined, became requisite. Man was fallen. He needed to be told of duty he needed to be warned of sin he needed specific injunctions, and specific prohibitions, such as before were uncalled for.

Hence the multiplied rules which, from time to time, we find his Maker giving him. All these were parts of his law. The whole together constituted the statute book of the Creator's moral government.

The substance of this law is in various places collected together, and exhibited before us: some

times more fully than at other times: but the law is the same.

Thus in the ten commandments we have a short, but a most comprehensive setting forth of the will of God. All duties toward Him, all duties toward our fellow-men, are there enjoined: all sins against Him, all sins against our fellowmen, are there forbidden. Under a few heads every thing that God would have us do, or not do, is expressed. Hence the way in which those ten commandments are often alluded to in holy scripture and hence too the manner in which our Church in her Communion service recites them continually as the law of God.

But the ten commandments are not the only form in which the law of God is set before us. Again and again we meet with separate passages of holy writ in which the same representations are repeated, only in other words. Take an example the prophet Micah speaks: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." Examine those words: you will find the ten commandments all condensed there : justice and mercy to man: faith and obedience toward God.

To mention one other instance: Jesus Himself gives us, if I may so say, his version of the law: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and mind, and soul, and strength : and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' Here again, though in few words, is the whole

will of God concerning his creature's duty to Him, and to each other. Let a man love God indeed with all his heart, supremely and unceasingly; let a man love his fellow-creature even as himself; he is a perfect man: "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Such then is the law.

II. We inquire, WHAT IS THE POSITION OF A CHRISTIAN MAN IN RESPECT OF THIS LAW?

I answer that of course he is bound, as every man is bound who knows his Maker's will, to submit himself to it. It were folly to suppose that God should give a law, and any of his creatures be at liberty to disobey. As a creature of God every Christian is subject to the will and commandment of his Creator. He cannot be otherwise. But has he obeyed the law? No. He and all his race alike have broken it. "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin." His own heart confesses this: "All we like sheep have gone astray. If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?"

Then what is his desert? Having failed to keep the law, having broken it times without number, what is it that he justly merits? The sentence is written, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the law. to do them."

But if so, we then ask, how is any man to be saved? Can he make amends for his offence ? Can he atone for his sin?' No. The only atonement which the law knows of is death.

If he atones for himself he dies.

But some

will ask, will not obedience to the law for the time to come suffice to satisfy for past transgression? Most certainly not. The word of God gives no such hope. Besides, man could not now obey the law, as the Justice of God demands. Even if allowed to make the attempt, for the purpose of removing his guilt, and escaping punishment, he could never accomplish the task. The law commands strict unfailing holiness. Man is too weak, too corrupt, to come up to the standard of its requirements. Yet God cannot alter those requirements.

Then what is to be done? The Gospel replies-let the sinner, who feels that this is his condition, look to Jesus. What will he see in Jesus? One who has done for him what he could never do for himself. Jesus hath kept the law completely. Jesus too hath borne the curse of the law, the wrath which it threatens against sin. He hath done this for all who believe in Him, all who feel themselves guilty and helpless, and who do simply come to Him as their Redeemer, believing that He did all which the law required, and endured all which the law had threatened, and this for them. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."

But you will say at once, then the Christian man is free. If Christ for me hath kept the commandments of the law, and for me hath endured the curse of the law, the law hath nothing.

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