inconfiftent with, or differing in the matter of it from, the law of the Old Teftament? Rather, doth not this fall under-thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself? Compare Gal. v. 14. This was to be obferved under the Old Teftament, as well as under the New; we find this exemplified in those familiar instances put Deut. xxii. 1-4. Nor was this to be confined to friends only, but to be extended to enemies. Exod. xxiii. 4, 5. Though the letter of these laws expreffed only things comparatively trivial, yet, doubtlefs, the fpirit of them extended to matters of more ferious confequence, and were rules for their conduct towards each other in whatever calamities they or theirs might be involved: a very striking instance of this appears (Pfalm XXXV. 12, 13,.14.) in the behaviour David obferved with refpect to fome of his ungrateful enemies-they rewarded me evil for good, to the Spoiling of my foul (-to the depriving it of comfort.) But as for me, when they were fick (or afflicted, as n alfo fignifies) my clothing was fackcloth-I bumbled my foul with fasting-I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother-I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother.

However, by the law of CHRIST, may we not suppose fomething more to be meant

than

Those phrases-the law of CHRIST-the Chriftian law-the law of the gospel-the morality of the gospel-the law of the New Teftament as they are commonly used and understood, have greatly confounded the ideas of mankind

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than as to the doctrine which He taught in conformity to the law of love? May we not fuppofe, that here is a reference to the * example He fet-to the principle of action (for fo vouos fometimes is to be understood-fee Rom. vii. 21.) which led Him to bear our

mankind with regard to true and genuine Ghriftianity, and have added no little strength to the cause of Socinianifm.

All this arifes from a want of duly confidering and understanding the nature, ufe, and properties of the divine law, as well as the place it holds in the economy of the covenant of redemption.

Its nature.-Spiritual-holy-just-and good-therefore can never fave, but be the miniftration of death and condemnation to us as tranfgreffors and guilty creatures. So that which was ordained unto life to the innocent, must be found to be unto death to the guilty. See Rom. vii. 10, 12, 14. 2 Cor. iii. 7, 9.

Its ufe. To convince of fin-and thus to lead the finner to the atonement, fatisfaction, righteoufnefs, and death of CHRIST, for pardon, juftification, acceptance, and life eternal. See Rom. vii. 7, 8, 9, 10. Gal. ii. 19, &c.; iii. 19, &c.

Its properties.-Being written in the heart, and put inta the mind, it becomes a rule of life to the believer, an holy directory to fhew him how he ought to walk and to pleafe GOD; and, in the fight of the purity, perfection, and holiness of the divine law, to live under conftant felf-abasement, and deep humility, looking for the mercy of our LORD JESUS CHRIST unto eternal life. See Jer. xxxi. 33, 34.. Eph. ii. 10. Tit. ii. 11, 12, 13. Jude 21. Phil. iii. 9..

Thofe who live under a practical view of these things, are not only almoft, but altogether Chriftians, and can no more think of a new law, than of a new gospel. Having drank of the old wine of divine truth, they defire not the new wine of human error (Luke v. 39.) for they fay the

old is better.

* John xiii. 15. Rom. xv. 5. 1 Pet. ii. 21.

See Parkhurft's Gr. & Eng. Lex. fub voc. No iv.

burden

burden of guilt and punishment, when He himfelf bare our fins in His own body on the tree, 1 Pet. ii. 24. according to the prophecy that went before, If. liii. 4. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our forrows. He fuffered, leaving us an example, that we should follow His Steps; and in particular, by obferving the fame rule or principle of action towards each other as He did towards us, in bearing, alleviating, removing each other's burdens of affliction and forrow, by every means in our power? The vouos-law-or rule-which CHRIST acted by towards us, is propofed to our imitation, with refpect to the forgiveness of injuries, (Col. iii. 13.) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as CHRIST forgave you, fo alfo do ye. So that when a man forgives an injury upon this principle, he may be faid to fulfil the law of CHRIST in this refpect, by acting agreeably to the rule-law-or principle of CHRIST, towards His redeemed people. But what is there in all this inconfiftent with the Old Teftament, or that is not exactly conformable to it? CHRIST did nothing for us but what the Old Testament exactly foretold. Acts xxvi. 22, 23. The Apoftle, in this paffage of Gal. vi. 2. fays only, in other words, what is faid, 1 John iv. 11. Beloved, if GoD fo loved us, we ought alfo to love one another. So OUR LORD, John xiii. 34. That ye love one another, as I have loved you. As it is written, If. lxiii. 8, 9. He was their Saviour; in all their affliction He was afflicted.

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How then ought Chriftians to obferve this rule towards each other! How ought they to weep with them that weep-as well as rejoice with them that do rejoice!-Who is weak, and I am not weak?-faith Paul, 2 Cor. xi. 29. Who is offended, and I burn not? Did CHRIST bear our burden-was this the voμos-the principle of action-the rule-the law-which governed Him in all He did and suffered for us? then let us fulfil this law towards each other, by interefting ourselves in each other's welfare and profperity; fo as, by our confolation, advice, and every other means in our power, to comfort thofe that mourn—raise up them that are caft down-bind up the brokenhearted-and, in the spirit of meekness, reftore thofe that are fallen. Thus fhall we bear each other's burdens, and fo fulfil the law of CHRIST. See If. lxi. 1, 2, 3. Laftly, it is not improbable that the apostle refers to what CHRIST faid, John xiii. 34, 35. XV. 12.

*

I have before obferved, that the idea of CHRIST'S fetting up a new law in oppofition to the law of the Old Teftament, as more pure and boly, is equally replete with †

*This is the more immediate fenfe of the Apostle, Gal. vi. 2. as appears by the context; but yet I have given a larger fenfe to the words, as doubtlefs containing a rule for the conduct of Chriftians to each other under all their burdens, from whatever cause they may be derived.

+ "At CHRISTI lex, ut res alias, ita & hanc conjugii "inter Chriftianos ad perfectiorem redegit normam." "But the law of CHRIST reduced, as it did other things, this law of marriage to a more perfect rule "among Chriftians." Grot. de Jure, lib. ii. c. 5. § 2.

folly

folly and blafphemy. This is true; for it not only carries us into the fundamental principle on which Mahomet founded his Koran, and into the very fink of Socinianifm-but it fets forth CHRIST as finding fault with the law of GOD as delivered by Mofes, and oppofing Himfelf to it. This runs us, though we perceive it not, very near the borders of that monster of herefy CERINTHUS, and his followers, against whom St. John is fuppofed to have written the beginning of his gofpel. They taught, that- the Creator of this "world, who was alfo the fovereign and

lawgiver of the Jewish people, was a Being "endowed with the greateft virtues, and "derived his birth from the fupreme GoD: "That this Being fell by degrees from His "native virtue and primitive dignity: That "the fupreme GOD, in confequence of this, "determined to deftroy His empire, and sent upon earth, for this purpofe, one of the

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ever-happy and glorious Eons, whose name was CHRIST; that this CHRIST chofe for "His habitation the perfon of JESUS, a man "of the most illuftrious fanctity and juftice, "the fon of Jofeph and Mary, and, defcend

ing in the form of a dove, entered into Him, "while He was receiving the baptism of John in the waters of Jordan: That JEsus, after His union with CHRIST, OP66 POSED HIMSELF WITH VIGOUR TO THE "GOD OF THE JEWS, and was, by His inftigation, feized and crucified by the Hebrew "chiefs.-Cerinthus required of his followY 4

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ers,