consistent are the Christian's dignified character and elevated hope, with the commission of sin! He who is now a son of God, and hopes, one day, to dwell with Him and enjoy Him for ever, ought, surely, to purify himself, even as God is pure. But sin, the Apostle adds, is not only inconsistent with Christian character and hope, it is also a daring rejection of the Divine authority. "Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth "also the law, for sin is the transgression "of the law."

But though these words of John had, primarily, a reference only to Christians, they may form a subject of meditation profitable to all. All are indispensably bound to abhor sin, and love the law, of which sin is the transgression. All, naturally, seek happiness, and avoid misery; but we cannot avoid misery, without avoiding sin, for sin infallibly subjects to misery. And why has sin this pernicious power? Because it is rebellion against God; because it is "the "transgression of his law."

Let us now consider, FIRST, The nature of the Divine Law; SECONDLY, The nature

and demerit of sin, which is the transgression of it; and THEN, The improvement to be derived from the subject.

FIRST, Let us consider the nature of the Divine Law.-Law, when founded on wisdom and goodness, may be defined, an authoritative institution, claiming the strict observance of all those to whom it is made known, and designed for their improvement and happiness. Now, the laws which God, who possesseth infinite wisdom and goodness, hath given to his creatures, are of three kinds; the judicial, the ceremonial, and the moral law. The judicial law was given to regulate the civil polity of the Jews; the ceremonial law, to regulate their ablutions and sacrifices; in one word, all their religious rites and observances. The moral law, again, which is the law now to be explained, has for its subjects no particular nation, to the exclusion of any other; it addresses itself both to Jew and Gentile; it is founded on the nature of man and the constitution of things, and will be felt binding, while there is a mind to perceive and a conscience to judge. It was delivered on Mount Sinai, and it is written, in more or less legible

characters, by the finger of God, on every human heart. It is contained in the ten Commandments which are recorded in the book of Exodus; it is urged by the prophets, and explained, extended, and enforced in the gospel of Christ. What it requires, are sobriety, righteousness, and godliness. "The grace of God, that bring"eth salvation, hath appeared unto all men,

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teaching us, that denying ungodliness, " and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present "world *." Indeed, all that the law requires, may be comprehended in one wordLove. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy "God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: This is the "first, and great commandment; and the "second is like unto it: thou shalt love thy "neighbour as thyself. On these two com"mandments hang all the law and the prophets t." To feel and cherish genuine and unbounded love, is to perform all our duty. "God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him ."

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* Titus ii. 11, 12.

Matt. xxii. 37, 38, 39, 40.

1 John iv. 16.

God beholds him with delight, and keeps him as the apple of his eye; for such a man is the image of God, and reflects the splendour of his moral glory.-Nothing can be more comprehensive or valuable than love. It is the end of the commandment, and "the fulfilling of the law." But if our love fail, in the least, either in degree or extent, it we do not fulfil the law; but transgress and such transgression, necessarily subjects the transgressor to punishment. The law makes no provision for guilt, and, from its very nature, cannot tolerate even the slightest defect. It requires us to fulfil it in every respect,-and to fulfil it from the heart, and to persevere in fulfilling it.-The law of God requires nothing short of perfect obedience: it does not, like human laws, extend only to outward conduct; it extends even to our thoughts and intentions: and, like its Divine Author, it is without shadow of change.

The law of God requires perfect obedience. Could we suppose that it admitted any thing less, we must suppose that it admits the violation of itself. We must suppose that it requires obedience, and yet counte

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nances disobedience, that is, that it is weak, contradictory and absurd, and consequently, any thing but the law of God.-Again, God the Lawgiver, is infinitely excellent, and therefore entitled to all our regard; to all the fervour of our hearts, and all the service of our lives. To withhold from Him, then, any, even the least, portion of this regard, is to withhold from Him his due; and to suppose Him admitting this, is to suppose Him admitting what is wrong: admitting sin which "is the transgression "of His law," which is contrary to His nature, and abominable in His sight.-Recollect too, that God is infinitely good, and must, therefore, have originally designed his children for perfect happiness. The law, then, which He gave them, must have required perfect obedience, (and it still requires it, for it has never been repealed,) because nothing short of perfect obedience is competent to the design of producing perfect happiness. All beings, from the Almighty Father himself, to the least and lowest of his intelligent offspring, are happy, in exact proportion, as they are holy. As He then, who is infinite goodness, could not but originally design his creatures to be perfectly