January 20

First, It is made to convince us of sin. For sin is the transgression of the law; and therefore we must judge of the one by the other. As we perceive the crookedness of the workmanship by applying the straitness of the rule, so by the law, says the Apostle, is the knowledge of sin. I had not known sin, says he, but by the law: for I had not known lust except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Secondly, when it urges us to the Saviour. Indeed nothing else can kill the self-righteous confidence which keeps man naturally alive to a vain hope, but an acquaintance with the spirituality of the law. This extends not only to the outward conduct, but the state of the heart, and our very motives. It demands nothing less than an obedience perfect in its principle, extent, and duration: for "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them." How then can any flesh living be justified? Therefore says the Apostle, "I, through the law, am dead to the law." And how through the law? But by the law's showing him his peril and danger? by its stripping him of all pretension to goodness and righteousness in himself? by its awakening his conscience with a sense of wrath, and driving him like the avenger of blood into the city of refuge? "For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." While therefore we dislike legal preaching, there is a preaching of the law which is allowable and necessary; namely, when it is preached, not as a substitute for the Gospel, but to show its absolute importance, and to induce us to believe on Him that justifieth the ungodly, and whose faith is counted to Him for righteousness.

Thirdly, we use it lawfully when we regard it as a rule of life. Many vain things have been said upon this part of our subject. But it is a fact that the Apostle—and surely he was not wanting in evangelism—did refer to the moral law as the rule of life to believers. He enforces love, as "the fulfilling of the law," by which he unquestionably means the moral law, which says, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." And he calls upon children to obey their parents in the Lord, because "it is the first commandment" of the second table "with promise." And if this be not the rule of life, what is? Produce any other rule of sin or duty—If it be less perfect, it could not have come from Him who is the same yesterday, today, and for ever—If it be more perfect, then he gave a defective law before. But what rule can we conceive equal to this? It binds man to God and to all his fellow creatures by love. And what can we think of those who view a deliverance from an obligation to love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves, as a privilege? A real Christian would regard such a state of exemption as the vilest bondage. He does not complain of the law, but of himself. He does not wish to bring down the law to his depravity, but he longs to rise into full conformity to its requirements. The more God does for him, the more does he feel himself bound to serve God. He also finds it every way useful to apply to this perfect rule. It humbles him by showing him his deficiencies. It makes him prayerful to obtain grace to do the will of God. It makes him long for heaven, where he will be completely happy, because he will be completely holy, and that law which is now put into his mind, and