wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;" (making one think "I wonder how much thought and time that has taken you to day:") "but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after .his manner, in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands." Here we find, that in these two things, considered by many trifling, narrow, insignificant, even here the Christian man and the Christian woman should say, "Is this pleasing to my God?" Ye fathers, consider it: ye children consider it; ye husbands consider it (the husband is the head of the wife): bring it to the touchstone of God's word; try it by "Thus saith the Lord." And when God fails in providence to make you know, that little things lead to great events, then you may think, that your little omissions, that your little commissions, may be of small importance before God. God give you and me a wise understanding, and loving heart, for that must throw its beams upon the precept; otherwise we shall legalize the precept, and turn the Gospel into law.

I love, too, to see how the Lord can bless one who seems to have been led by it. I love to quote that instance-I have quoted it before; the instance of old Anna, in Luke, ii. 37. She was "a widow of about fourscore years, which departed not from the temple, but served God." How did she serve God? "With fastings and prayers." Here we find a way in which we might, however unfavourably situated, however debarred, however kept back, yet here is a way of serving God, in things comparatively incongruous with any such idea. Here was Anna serving God, who could only serve him in fasting and prayer before the Lord. To take this to common life, see how it applies to the article of Christian service (I do not mean the service of Christian masters, for it is not Christian servants obeying Christian masters, but unchristian masters); "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart:" engaged, as I understand it in the common, what we might call the drudgery of life, the common occupations of the day, and yet doing it as the servants of Christ, doing it as the will of God. How does it dignify the operation, and raise a man above it: not in the temper of the present day, that of servant being master to his master. You don't find that in this book, but you find it in Satan's book: this book is peaceful, and holy, and pure, and from above; the other is fleshly, carnal, devilish, and from beneath. See, my dear Christian brethren, whom the Lord hath placed in servitude, see how you can please God, even in the common occupations of the day. How sweet shall it be for you to ask, "Is this the will of my Father; pleasing to my God through Jesus Christ?"

Observe, lastly, that THIS FORMS A SCHOOL IN which the LORD BRINGS HIS PEOPLE INTO A GREATER ACQUAINTANCE WITH HIMSELF. It is not in the school of theory; though I do wish that our people, and the inhabitants of this country, were taught the theory of divine truth. It is a really wonderful thing, that after so many thousand preachers of the Gospel in these realms, the great mass of our population should be as theoretically ignorant of the basis of Christianity, and of the system of divine truth, as heathens themselves. But it is not mere theory that teaches a man the substance of truth.

Now, observe, the order of the divine procedure here. The Apostle first prays, that they might know the will of God; then he prays that they might do his will; and then he mentions, urging it as a motive, that in the doing his will they should be brought into deeper acquaintance with himself. There are two or three passages of Scripture, that seem to throw some light on this point. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God:" "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord." Then shall we know, if we follow on to know. We are to understand this, that if we walk with God, in the way of simple, child-like obedience, we shall know and experience, and find the value of, that truth: then shall we truly know if we follow on to know. David says, he knew more than the ancients. Why? Because he kept the precepts of God. It is in the school of obedience that God shines on his own work.

My dear hearers, there are two reasons for this: in the first place, when we are brought to walk humbly with God, as a child with his father, by faith in Jesus, leaning upon him, our Beloved, resting our hope upon his great and glorious work-then we are led out to desire, to consecrate ourselves to his service. This is a pure and holy atmosphere; and what wonder is it, if in the pure and holy atmosphere, we see objects more clearly and more distinctly? What wonder is it, that we increase in the knowledge of God, when God has brought us into this more clear, this crystal atmosphere? The soul that walketh most near to God will practically become more acquainted with God and himself.

Then, observe, there is another reason, that the Lord meeteth those that rejoice, those that walk in his ways, and remember him in his ways: "Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness." And if the Lord meets the man, breaking in upon him with light, and life, and love-by clearer developments of his own character, and of his tenderness, and of his grace; then we have the secret unfolding, why it is he shall increase in the knowledge of God. I have thus given an outline of my subject, which is one of great importance I will acknowledge, that among the many things that encourage me at this moment, there is nothing that more encourages me, than to hear of people willing to hear preceptive preaching, based upon the glorious foundation of free grace salvation; for, I will not believe that a people, loving the doctrines of grace, do not love the precepts of grace, and desire them to be written out as with the engraving of the Holy Ghost. May that be your portion and my portion, and God shall have all the glory.

THE NATURE OF THE LAW.

REV. J. F. DENHAM. A. M..

ST. BRIDE'S CHURCH, FLEET STREET, MARCH 7, 1830.

Wherefore, then, serveth the Law?"-GALATIANS, iii. 19.

THERE is a supreme importance attaching to the subject of the Law, arising, not merely from its grounds as connected with the Divine Being, but also from the close connexion it bears with your everlasting salvation. I hesitate not to affirm, that there can be no real religion without some knowledge of this subject; and that, where the principle of religion really exists, it is likely, by the divine blessing, to be increased in proportion as our knowledge of this subject is enlarged. A perception of the Law of God, can alone prepare us to receive, in all its fulness, the Gospel of Christ; while your minds being thus instructed, that Gospel will appear in every part, not a mere detail of uninteresting facts, but as one harmonious plan, exhibiting, in the most eminent degree, the wisdom, the goodness, and the power of its Almighty Author. To a mind thus enlightened, no repugnance will he felt with respect to the representations the Bible gives of the justice and holiness of God. The person and agency of the Holy Spirit will become subjects of the utmost importance. Humility, instead of being regarded with aversion as mean-spiritedness, will be recognised as the holy meekness of the soul. Gratitude will be supplied with inexhaustible fulness, zeal be furnished with permanent motives for exertion, faith will be found worthy of the importance attributed to it, being, first, the means whereby the soul receives the salvation that is in Christ, and then, the never failing source of holy obedience; while devotedness to God, to the utmost extent of all our powers, whether of body, of soul, or of spirit, will be considered as our most reasonable and most delightful service.

These assertions, I doubt not, will be readily agreed to by those who, in any degree, understand the subject. But should any other be unable to give full assent, I would beseech them to wait till the proof of these assertions is furnished; which I trust to do under the proper head.

The attention of all my hearers is most earnestly invited, since it may be repaid by the communication and increase of divine knowledge, in every mind present. But, in order to obtain these happy results from the investigation, we must pursue the subject in the exercise of prayer for the gift of the Holy Spirit, whose office it is to guide men into truth, and whose influence is promised in answer to supplication. "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" "If any lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be

given unto him." Fully recognising this important truth, our Church hath taught us thus to pray, in one of her admirable collects; which, let us, in entering upon this important investigation, endeavour to offer up in the spirit of supplication:

"O Lord, who didst, in old time, teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; grant us, by the same Spirit, to have a right understanding in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort, through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour; who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end."

The subject on which we now enter, namely, that of the Law of God, seems to offer itself as included under four parts:-first, the nature of the Law: secondly, the spirituality of the Law, or, the quality of the Law by which it extends to the spirits and thoughts of men: thirdly, the uses of the Law: and fourthly, the curse of the Law. On the present occasion, we will direct our attention to one of these topics only-namely, the Nature of the Law.

In the first place, I will endeavour to define WHAT IS MEANT BY THE Law OF GOD IN THE ABSTRACT.

The simple sense of the term Law, and the most general sense, is this—It is that mode by which an agent proceeds. The mode by which the government of a country proceeds to rule its subjects, is called the law of that governmentThe term will be found to have the same signification when applied to the very highest class of objects-I mean, the government of God: the constant procedure of the divine will, with respect to any object in any part of his dominions, is called the Law of God, in respect of that particular object. The natural philosopher finding that, throughout the universe, matter gravitates-that is to say, that a less portion of matter exhibits an undeviating tendency to approach a larger mass the natural philosopher says that gravitation is a law of nature; or, it is that mode whereby God proceeds in the government of the material universe. The same remark might be made respecting all the Laws of Nature, as they are called, whether chemical or mechanical; the sense of the term, law, being, the mode in which an agent proceeds in respect to that particular object. The sense of the term is, also, precisely the same when applied to the moral government of God: by which we mean, the government of God over the understandings and affections of mankind. Here the term signifies that Law, or those rules, whereby he designs to regulate the affections and actions of men. While we are upon the Nature of the Law, let it be observed, that these modes by which the Divine Being governs either the moral or the natural world, are not merely arbitrary regulations imposed upon its objects solely with a design to exercise his authority; but, that they are the necessary perceptions of the divine mind, as to what is proper or benevolent, in regard to each of the objects to which they relate. Whence it follows, that the Law of God, in relation to any class of beings in his government (but, in relation to man, preeminently) is the result of infinite wisdom and infinite goodness, the Lawgiver himself being infinitely wise and good. The law is always an expression of the will of the lawgiver; or, in other words, an expression of the character of the lawgiver. This is pre-eminently applicable to the Law of God. The things which it requires, are the things which God requires; the things which

it approves, are the things which God approves; the things which it delights in, he delights in. To suppose any thing different, is to suppose that the Divine Being had disguised its character, and given to its creatures, the most direct proof of its moral insufficiency: for, while it is true that a different measure of the Divine will may be revealed to creatures possessing different capacities, corresponding to those capacities; it is also true that these different portions of the Divine will must be all capable of harmonizing with each other, and with the whole character of God.

One more remark may be added, which is, that the Law of God being the transcript of his own benevolence and wisdom, proposes and accomplishes the best possible results. The only ultimate good is happiness, by which I mean enjoyment; but the original and essential glory of God, is to promote happiness to the utmost extent of which the object to which it is communicated may be capable. This is the inherent, eternal perfection of the Divine mind; it must, consequently, have influenced all his regulations in regard to his rational creation; it must be the end proposed by his infinite goodness, and which the resources of his infinite power were employed to achieve.

It may be further observed, in relation to this subject, that this Law may be expressed and promulgated by different modes. It would be possible for God to impress this Law, as we see he has done, upon mute inanimate matter, causing it to act as a matter of necessity in the way he has. It would be also possible and proper, to impress his Laws upon the instincts of animals, iu causing them to act as we observe and experience them to do. At the same time, it would be equally becoming, to promulgate them and propose them to his rational and accountable creatures; thus inducing them to obey, not as a matter of necessity, but as the result of their own choice; this being a state of things in which alone obedience could be the subject of approbation and reward, and disobedience the subject of disapprobation and punishment.

But, then, we say, that while the Divine Being has impressed upon all nature below man, the various laws by which he governs that part of his dominions, he did create man in a state of probation, and with powers which render him capable of becoming an accountable creature; and did not impress his laws upon him, rendering the obedience a matter of mechanical certainty: but proposed his Law to man in such a manner as to render his obedience the result of free choice. The distinction I am now endeavouring to lay down, appears to be expressed by the poet in language which I cannot explain and understand consistently with the subject-" And binding nature fast in fate, left free the human will"-unless by fate he means law. This is the very state in which the universe was originally created. Nature, the kingdom of inanimate matter, was bound fast in laws impressed upon it, under which it was compelled to act; but the mind of man was an exception, it was left free, and rules proposed to it, rewards and punishments provided for it, and motives suggested to it, whereby the obedience of his powers should be constantly a matter of free choice and capable of reward, and his disobedience of punishment.

The origin of these Laws is in the wisdom and benevolence of the divine mind: the origin of the whole constitution of things being a desire on the part of Deity to communicate happiness. Consequently, when God prescribed the law to the creation, which he did in Eden, his intention was, that, mute inanimate matter should take the forms of greatest beauty, loveliness, and utility, of which