the justice of the broken law-to fulfil its utmost demands upon human nature, and, by so doing, to purchase for the sinner a reprieve from the sentence of eternal death, a renewal of spiritual life, and a day of grace, in which, upon the merciful and possible conditions of the gospel, to regain the heaven he had lost.Oh! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of GOD; how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.

Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, as the mediator of this new covenant, now proclaims to a lost world that, whosoever believing in him as the only begotten Son of God and promised Saviour of sinners, shall heartily and truly repent him of his former sins, and for the time to come endeavour with all his might to obey sincerely though not without failures and infirmities all the commandments of GOD, shall, through the merits of his sufferings and death, have his sincerity accepted instead of perfect obedience. This is the condition of the gospel covenant, the grace and faith which came by JESUS CHRIST, the reasonable service of reasonable and redeemed creatures. This is that righteousness of faith so highly spoken of in the Scriptures, and it is so called, because faith in what God hath spoken unto us by his Son, is the root or spring of that turning to GoD or conversion from sin to which the gospel invites us and which it requires, not only as the condition of our acceptance, but as the only evidence that we really do believe. This is that righteousness of GOD without the law, which is by faith of JESUS CHRIST unto all and upon all them that believe, because it is of his appointment, and what alone he will accept at the sinner's hands for justification of life. And thus argues the apostle, Abraham believed GOD, and it was counted to him for righteousness, and not to him only, but to us also it shall be counted, or allowed, if we believe on Him who raised up JESUS our LORD from the dead, who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification. III. Thirdly, I am to consider by what means the claims of the law upon us are to be satisfied.

Now, these, by the wise and merciful appointment of Gop, can no otherwise be answered than by faith in CHRIST. What shall we do that we might work the works of GOD? was the ques

tion put by the Jews to our LORD, in the days of his flesh. This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent, was the answer of the living word which came down from heaven. And this short reply, my brethren, contains all that we need either know or practice to secure the salvation of our souls, as will appear by considering that we are debtors to the law in two accounts; first, for the penalty due to our disobedience, and secondly, for the renewed obedience we owe to it.

Coming into the world as sinners, and liable to the curse of the broken law, we continue such until by some act on our part we resort to the remedy provided for us. And here let those who think lightly of or reject infant baptism, consider the bearing it has upon this appointment of CHRIST as the end of the law for righteousness both to believing parents and their children, its efficacy on original or birth sin, and its purpose of bringing into a state of covenant relation with GoD those who have no claim upon him but what springs from their relation to CHRIST. Let them consider this, and be no longer led away after inventions of men to debar their infants from the mighty benefits conferred on them in this ordinance.

But being actual sinners also in our own persons, the law calls for our blood, for without shedding of blood there is no remission, and from this claim the blood of CHRIST is our only refuge, for God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in him. But this blood can be obtained or made over to us no otherwise than by believing in him as the Lamb of GOD which taketh away the sins of the world. By faith only can we be united to CHRIST. By our union with him only, and as found in him, can the satisfaction he hath made to the law be counted or made over to us, and we stand justified or acquitted from the claims it has upon us for the penalty due to our sins. And O that poor thoughtless sinners would consider that there is but this one way under heaven to pay their debt, and that the faith which justifies, to give either comfort or assurance, must be as much the subject of consciousness as the sin which demands an atonement before it can be given.

Secondly, we are debtors to the law under gospel grace for VOL. II.-23

renewed obedience. And this claim can only be satisfied in the renewal of our minds by the grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. In him as our living head all fulness dwells, and from him descend those streams of spiritual strength and nourishment which give health and increase to his body, the Church, and to every member of it. Without him we can do nothing. By his SPIRIT we are born again, by his grace we are strengthened, by his wisdom we are enlightened, by his providence we are defended and disposed of, and by his intercession our sincere though imperfect services find acceptance and reward. Thus we can do all things through CHRIST which strengtheneth us, and thus, from first to last, is salvation by grace through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast; and thus are sinners provided by the love of GOD in CHRIST JESUS to regain the glory lost by sin, but which shall again be revealed in them that believe. O that the thousands to whom it is now given to put forth the hand of faith, and pluck and eat of the tree of life, would but consider where their refusal of the gospel must end; how they will be able to meet the claims of the law, and the righteous judgment of GOD upon their sins, and upon this their crying sin, the rejection of CHRIST and him crucified; how they will endure the everlasting inflictions of the wrath of GoD poured out upon their souls in all the torments of eternal damnation. O bethink you of the unutterable horror and despair that will seize upon your souls, when this JESUS whom you now despise shall be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance, the vengeance of the law and of the gospel, on them that know not GoD and obey not the gospel of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, and now while it is called to-day, flee to the cross of CHRIST as the only refuge for all who have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

IV. Fourthly, I am to show you what is meant by CHRIST'S being the end of the law.

The common meaning of the word end being liable to mislead us in the right understanding of this passage of Scripture, we must consider that, besides denoting the close or conclusion of a thing, it also frequently expresses the object or purpose in view, and it is used here in both those meanings. For,

First, he was the end or conclusion of the legal dispensation,

as it is called, or method of religion enjoined upon the Jews, which was imposed until the promised seed should come. But he was also the end or object to which all its sacrifices and expiations pointed, and on whom the devout worshipper was directed to fix his faith, as the true sin offering and propitiation shadowed out by the temple service; as he also was of all the sacrifices and acts of worship enjoined upon men from the beginning, as we see exemplified in the case of Abel, who was accepted as righteous because he offered by faith, or with faith in that great atonement for sin which was to be manifested in due time.

Secondly, as the original purpose or design of the law under which man was put, was the prevention of sin, and as CHRIST hath put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, therefore, having accomplished what the law could not do, he is said to be the end of the law as having answered its object. For thus the apostle argues, What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, GOD sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the SPIRIT.

Lastly, as the law required obedience or death, and its claims upon us grew out of transgression, therefore, he who fulfilled all its demands by the obedience of his life and the submission of his death, and did this that he might bring in everlasting righteousness, may rightly be said to have answered all its purposes, and, therefore, be styled the end of the law for righteousness; and thus, my brethren, we may discern why and how he is so to every one that believeth. The claims of the law upon us arising only from our sins, and the death of CHRIST having fully satisfied the demands of penal justice, a door is opened for mercy to enter in, while the law is magnified and honoured, so that GoD can be just and the justifier of him that believeth in JESUS. And hence we learn why faith in CHRIST is the indispensable condition of the new covenant purchased by his blood. By no other means can we become parties to this covenant but by a personal submission to the law of CHRIST in the gospel, for unless we believe it, the gospel is a dead letter. By no other means can

we escape from the condemnation of the law.-Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the law, to do them -For he that believeth not is condemned already. By no other means can we obtain that grace which renews the heart and guides the life to holiness.-He that believeth in me, as the Scrip ture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. By no other means are we reconciled to GoD and adopted as his children.-Ye are all the children of God by faith in CHRIST. JESUS. By no other means than faith in the Son of God can we obtain a happy life, a peaceful death, a joyful resurrection, and a glorious immortality.-I am the resurrection and the life, saith the LORD; he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Thus may every believer say with the apostle, I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God; I am crucified with CHRIST, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of GOD, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

God grant, dear brethren, that we may all make this application of what has been said, and of what this fruitful subject may present to our private meditations, and no longer live to another, but to him who hath bought us with his own blood, and made us kings and priests to GoD, even his Father; never forgetting, that though we are indeed dead to the law by the body of CHRIST as a covenant of life, yet we are not without law to GOD, but under the law to CHRIST, even the law of faith, which worketh by love, overcomes the world, and sits down at the right hand of GOD, whither JESUS is gone before to prepare a place for us, that where he is there we may be also, beholding his glory.

And may the same gracious GOD grant that these our dear friends and connexions present, and all under the sound of the gospel who are yet strangers to this JESUS, may be moved to lay these solemn truths to heart. May they hear the holy law of GOD requiring their obedience or their blood; and if love cannot draw, may the terrors of the LORD drive them to the cross of CHRIST as their only refuge from its claims. Oh! my poor fellow sinners, ask yourselves seriously why it is that the glad tidings of the gospel have no charms for you?