7 We may infer, therefore, briefly from this doctrine, that every one who despises the law, despises Christ. Christ magnified the law; the that despises the law, shows a temper quite contrary to Christ, dishonours that which Christ honoured, and undervalues what he magnified. On the other hand, he that neglects faith in Christ, despises Christ; he neglects him who did the greatest honour to the law, and seeks salvation otherwise, to wit, by his own works and obe dience, trusting in them, and being proud of them. Though some think this a magnifying the law, it is really a dishonouring of it; because, to allow any honour in opposition to Christ, is a dishonour of the law. We may infer likewise, that God hath magnified the law so wonderfully, that he will have us always stand in awe of it. The practical use of this is, to magnify Christ's example, and to endeavour to follow it. It was a direction given of old by philosophers, that when a man inclines to behave himself aright in any difficult occasion, he should consider with himself, what such and such eminently wise and virtuous men would have done in such and such circumstances; what, for instance, a Plato or a Socrates would have done. What an unspeakable advantage is it to us, how powerful and influential should it be upon us, to consider what would the Son of God have done in such and such circumstances! What did the Son of God, when under strong temptations from the devil? He gave no place to them. What did he in face of the greatest afflictions? He sang a hymn of praise to God. What did he do when reviled and persecuted by cruel and ungrateful men? He prayed to God to forgive them. so in the like instances. And We should at the same time take encouragement to ourselves, if we truly repent of our sins, if we truly see our need of Christ, to hope for mercy, because justice is so gloriously satisfied. fied the law; and if our hearts him by faith, justice is satisfied. Christ hath magni be truly united to to say, that their sins are so great, that though God be merciful, his justice must be declared in punishing sin. This is an appearance an appearance of great humiliation; but it may be called a kind of pride; for a man is very proud when he thinks that God's justice, even after all that Christ hath done, must have his punishment added to Christ's, in order to glorify the law. We should be adoring the wonderful, immense wisdom of God in the work of redemption, the manifold wisdom of God, the many attributes manifested in it. It is the chief manifestation of his mercy, and also of his justice.To Him be glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen... SERMON V. THE NECESSITY OF DIVINE GRACE TO MAKE THE * WORD EFFECTUAL.* "And some of them were men of Cyprus, and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus, And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord."-ACTS xi. 20, 21. THE word of God assures us, that the end of the salvation of sinners is, that " they may be to the praise of the glory of his grace." All the causes and means of salvation work together for this good and glorious end. The Son of God, who is the chief gift of his grace, and the foundation of all grace, is he that quickens us; and we are said to be quickened with him, "that in the ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus," that is, the kindness of the Father in giving his Son for us. Spirit of God is called the spirit of grace; and it is given to make us know God's grace, and to make us partakers of it. The law of God entered, that sin The * Preached in the North-West Church of Glasgow, Jan. 6 1723, the Sabbath after Mr. Maclaurin was admitted as Minister of that church. might abound, that we might know the abounding of sin; and the end of this knowledge is, that grace might much more abound. The gospel is called the gospel of the grace of God; the end of it is, "that as sin hath reigned unto death, so grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life." The gospel offers salvation through faith; and it is of faith, that it might be of grace. For further advancing the same end it is, that faith is "not of ourselves, it is the gift of God." Faith comes by the word of God; and the word of God is designed to publish the unsearchable riches of God's grace. The way and manner in which it is published is also designed for advancing that glorious end, That treasure is committed to earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power, that is, of the power of God's grace, may appear. Nor can any run a greater risk, than an earthen vessel that shall endeavour to frustrate that grace of God, or to make it of no effect. If an apostle, or an angel, should attempt such a thing, there is a repeated curse pronounced against him. And no wonder: for certain it is, if any frustrate the grace of God, he loves not the Lord Christ in sincerity; and whoever loves not the Lord Christ, there is a strange curse, in a strange language, pronounced against him, Anathema, maranatha, accursed till the Lord come, till he come again to do justice on them for despised mercy and refused grace, and to put it out of their power to despise it any more. All God's works, and all his designs, are glorious and honourable, done in truth and uprightness. The design of advancing the glory of his grace must be, in an eminent manner, a glorious design, when he who is perfect in knowledge, and whose understanding is infinite, and a most just God, bestows so much pains upon it. When God is so jealous of the glory of his grace, it becomes us to be so likewise. We are under the strongest obligations in this matter to be followers of God as dear children. Particularly, in dispensing or attending on the ordinances of the gospel, in order to get benefit by them, it is necessary that we design the same end in making that use of them that God designed in appointing them," that the name of the Lord Christ may be glorified in us, and we in him, according to the grace of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ." On this account it is very needful for us to have lively impressions of these two great principles: First, That the knowledge of Christ Jesus, the doctrine of God's grace, is the means of turning our souls to God, and of cleansing us from our filthiness and our idols; and then, Secondly, That though that doctrine be an excellent means of turning us to God, that it is but a means, that it is but an instrument, that the efficacy of it depends upon the manifestation of that power of God, that exceeding greatness of his power, that raiseth souls from the dead. It is necessary for us to have a due esteem indeed of the planting and watering by the word; but at the same time, that though Paul should plant, and Apollos water, that it is God only that can give the increase; and that, on the other hand, though earthen vessels, incomparably inferior to those great master-builders, plant and water, yet if it be the same word that is preached, that the same power can make it as effectual as though the greatest instruments were employed in it. This is the way |