honour that was done to Jesus Christ, but all the gifts that His people get by being united to Him for the sake of His merits, that is, for the sake of His obedience to the law. This, indeed, may make us admire the wisdom of God, that the honour that is done to the criminal is done to the law; for the sinner that believes in Christ is made righteous through His righteousness, and the law is always honoured by the blessedness of the righteous.

V. The application of the work of Redemption through the Spirit magnifies the law. The law is magnified by everything that puts disgrace upon sin. That which puts disgrace upon sin puts honour upon obedience. We are justified by faith in Christ's righteousness; and by the Spirit we are enabled to render obedience.

1. Every one who despises the law despises Christ. 2. God, having magnified His law so wondrously, will have us always stand in awe of it. 3. We should 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. 4. 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. -John Maclaurin: "Select Works," pp. 242-271.

Among all the obscurities about the prophetical writings, the simple fact that there is a mysterious prophetic personage is plain and obvious. He is introduced in the beginning of this chapter in a very solemn and impressive manner. Who this is, it may

sometimes be found difficult to determine. Jesus is the key to the interpretation. That this chapter belongs to Christ, would seem to admit of very easy proof: just by the Bible interpret ing itself (Matt. xii. 17-21; Mark i. 11, and ix. 7). This passage is spoken of Christ.

It

I. A preliminary observation or two. 1. With respect to the "law." is a word used in Scripture in two ways. (1) As a universal thing-the moral law. (2) As a limited thing— the ceremonial institutions, given to a particular part of mankind, and for a particular time. 2. To "magnify the law and make it honourable cannot mean that Messiah was to produce any change in it-that what He did was to perfect the law itself; as if the law had any defect about it. The moral law, necessarily resulting from the Divine perfections and government, is incapable of improvement. Christ did not do anything in the way of enlarging the ceremonial law. 3. We cannot suppose that this means, that there was to be any change effected in the conceptions of God about the law-that the work of Christ was intended to affect the Divine mind in relation to it. 4. It must signify the manner in which created minds were to be affected by it. Something was to be done, by which there should be a certain impression with respect to law, produced upon the minds of the intelligent universe-that should, so to speak, give body and substance and visibility to God's own conceptions about His law.

II. The necessity for this. If sin had never entered into the universe, God's law would always have been a sublime and grand thing in the estimation of that universe. And if when sin was permitted to enter the universe, the penalties and sanctities of the law had been carried out fully and literally, then law would always have been magnified; it would then have been always a great and glorious thing. But if there is to be the fact, that there are sinners and violators of law, those that on just principle are exposed to the penalty, and yet they are to escape, and to be treated as if they were actually righteous, &c., then law so far seems to go for nothing,-there is danger of a certain effect being produced upon the minds of God's creatures, injurious to His character, and government, and law. And, therefore, there

was a necessity in the nature of things, that this escape from penalty and punishment should not only be agreeable to the principles of law, but that there should be a manifestation of that: that something shall be done, the moral effect of which upon the minds of God's rational creatures shall be equivalent to the impression which would have been produced by the literal carrying out of the principles of law itself. The work of Christ does this, and this prophetic declaration is realised.

III. The manner and way in which this thing, thus necessary, was done.

1. Christ's teaching always maintained the authority of the law (Matt. v. 17).

2. His personal character magnified and honoured it. He was "made under law," and obeyed it, and never wished to be free from it (Heb. vii. 26).

3. But these are but preparatory to that one great act which was the consummation of His work-His propitiatory sacrifice; in which, in a certain sense, He stood forth, as it were, bearing the penalty of the moral law, and in another sense manifesting the substance and casting a light and glory upon the ceremonial. (Heb. ii. 14-17.) There was a substitution in two senses: (1) of person—(2) of suffering-producing an impression upon all moral nature of God's regard to His own authority, and His determination always to act in harmony with law.

4. His people are redeemed unto obedience (Titus ii. 14; Rom. viii. 3.) Hence, saints love the law-respect it-rejoice in it.

The

The substitutionary work of Christ expounds those many representations of Scripture, harmonising with the text. The private and personal affections of our nature are not enough as an analogy to the work of God. case of the king of Babylon and Daniel will illustrate the whole of this subject (Daniel vi. See also, H. E. I. 376, 383, 391).-Thomas Binney: The Pulpit, vol. 40, pp. 234-240.

THE HONQUR WHICH THE GRACE OF THE GOSPEL REFLECTS UPON THE HOLINESS AND AUTHORITY OF THE LAW.

I. It is necessary to have clear views of the characteristics and operations of the two dispensations.

1. The Law of God is simply the revealed will of the Creator. First proclaimed when the first intelligent creature was formed, and it requires from all moral beings unqualified and instant submission. This Law made known to man at his creation, revealed anew at Sinai, renewed and confirmed by Christ. No intelligent creature exempt from it. Disobedience involves condemnation and ruin, arrays God against transgressors. Thus it was with angels who sinned, with Adam, and is with man now. The holiness, faithfulness, authority of this law can never be annulled. It is the law of God, not of Moses.

2. The Gospel is a free offer of actual and finished salvation to man, who is under condemnation of law. It is a remedy for existing, actual evil; restores the transgressor of the Law, not by annulling, but by fulfilling the Law for him; announces a Saviour who has assumed the sinner's place, and rendered for him the satisfaction and obedience required by Law.

The same Divine Being who gave the Law also gave the Gospel. No inconsistency or change in Him.

II. Consider the direct assertion of the text that the righteousness of Christ magnifies the Law and makes it honourable. Gospel teaching does not set aside the Law or subvert moral obligations. In preaching justification through grace, we establish, confirm, and honour the Law. For we announce a salvation provided by God, in which He is well pleased; which satisfies every legal demand; makes the sinner secure; and infinitely glorifies the Divine character.

1. The Gospel honours and magnifies the Law by the voluntary obedience of Jesus. The Law is honoured by the obedience of angels, would have been honoured by man's obedience ;

Under

the spoilers, who track our steps, and give us no peace (H. E. I. 4603-4612). II. Sin robs us of liberty. the plausible pretext of giving us liberty, it takes it from us. (2 Pet. ii. 19.) Men think that by indulging evil desires they widen the bounds of their freedom, but soon they find themselves degraded slaves (H. E. I. 44824484). They think it a fine thing to to be allowed to do as they like, but ere long they become the captives of their sinful likings. We all know the enchaining power of habit. Sin is a hardening thing, but it is also cunning, deceitful, insidious (Heb. iii. 13). "Surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird," but foolish man rushes into the net. He harbours the thief who

will plunder him of his choicest treasures, and deprives him of his liberty. He dallies with the deceiver, till he is fast in its clutches. Priding himself on his freedom, he finds it only a freedom to do evil, a freedom from law, while he has lost the power of doing good. Milton speak of those

"Who bawl for freedom in their senseless mood,

And still revolt when truth would set them free:

License they mean when they cry Liberty!"

III Sin robs us of moral power and influence. Righteousness is bold, fearless, strong; but disobedience is weak and cowardly. A holy and upright life is an influence for good. The man who walks with God, who is much with Him in secret communion, reflects the heavenly rays that fall upon his own soul, and becomes a light and a guide to others. But once admit sin into the heart, and his moral power is so far lost. He no longer looks with reproving eye on the sins of other men, for he has allowed the spoiler to enter his own heart and to sap his spiritual strength. Take Samson as an example. Revealing to his temptress the secret of his strength, and suffering his locks to be shorn, he thought he might go forth as at other times and shake himself free of his assailants; but he wist not that the Lord was de

parted from him. He is a type of thousands who have been spoiled through sinful indulgence of their moral power. This result is brought about in a gradual, imperceptible way, just as a disease may for long have its seat in the system before it reveals itself outwardly; but meanwhile the man's strength is declining. The sin you indulge may be unknown to the world, but there will be a something in your life and demeanour which will betray a hidden weakness, a_waning power, a flagging zeal (H. E. I. 4491– 4495).

IV. Sin robs us of sensibility. A long course of wickedness deadens the moral sense, makes men think lightly of sin, and even disregard the divine threatenings and judgments (ver. 31). What spiritual blindness sin has wrought! what gross insensibility! The fire closes round him, yet he cares not. God contends with him, but conscience is so seared and deadened that nothing can rouse it. See, then, what sin can do. It can so rob and spoil us as to leave us destitute of any feeling to which either God's love or wrath can appeal.

The

These are some of the treasures of which sin robs us. It opens so many doors by which spoilers enter. theft may be perpetrated in a stealthy, secret way, so that for a time the sinner is not aware of his loss, nay, may be deluded with the notion that he is a gainer, and not a loser; but soon the deception is discovered when he finds that for a few glittering toys he has bartered away his choicest endowments, that the prowlers whom he never suspected have made off with his most precious treasures. Our subject presents a true picture of man's state; but a man may be robbed and not be aware of it. Some precious article may be surreptitiously taken from his house, and not be missed for a long time. So it is with the unawakened sinner. He knows not that he has been harbouring thieves who have carried off his substance and robbed him of his spiritual possessions. If he set any value on these