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SECTION XXXVII.

Unity of divine revelation.

The perfect unity of God's revealed will, is apparent throughout the whole series of the inspired records of Holy Writ. The essential principle, which he has made known to his rational creatures, is this; -namely, that obedience to his commands is not meritorious. Simple obedience to a superior and beneficent power, to whom everything is due, can possess no positive merit. The utmost which it can hope for, with all humility, is a gracious approval of services wholly due, but imperfectly performed. "Doth he thank that servant, because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So, likewise ye, when ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you,-say-We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do." (Luke xvii. 9, 10.)

But to that faith, which worketh obedience by love

to God, He will, of his own free grace, impute righteousness-and "since it must needs be that offences come" (Matt. xviii. 7.)-he has both provided and accepted an atonement for transgression. The " righteousness" and the "satisfaction," (both equally provided, and accepted, by Almighty God of his own free grace, through Christ Jesus our Lord, and by his Holy Spirit influencing the hearts of men,) comprise the three essential christian principles of "justification," "sanctification," and "redemption."

We have viewed this one and the same Divine will as perfect in Adam's state of innocence, and, therefore, requiring then no accomplishment. It was partially exhibited by the elders before the flood, who, in their successive generations, "obtained a good report."

Abraham was chosen by God, as its great example to the post-diluvian world. It was accomplished by our Lord and Saviour, in whom the whole Divine scheme centres. It was most clearly expounded by St. Paul, to the Christian Church: and, in all the subsequent corruptions of that church, Christ " left not himself without witness." From Abraham to Christ, and from Christ to the present time, there have been two long periods, of nearly equal duration,-two dark and middle ages, when the revelation of righteousness imputed to "faith, which worketh by love," has been superseded by the presumptuous claims of meritorious works; claims which

tend to elevate man as the creditor, and to make the Creator his debtor! But, as in the latter of these two periods, the spark of truth was never quite extinguished, till it burst forth at the Reformation; so let us see whether the chain of religious continuity, even when subjected to the rust of legal ordinances by the Israelites and Jews, did not contain some bright links of unimpaired purity.

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St. Paul has left us in no doubt upon this point. In his eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, he sets forth "faith," as the actuating principle of the judges of Israel, of David, of Samuel, and of the Prophets. (Heb. xi. 32.) Nor is Moses himself, though the mediator of the law of works, omitted in the catalogue of those holy men, who, "through faith wrought righteousness.' (verse 33.) The covenant of moral and ceremonial works, conditioned on the terms of temporal prosperity for their performance, or temporal adversity for their non-performance, was ordained by angels in his hands as a mediator. The Israelites must perform their part of this covenant completely, or they forfeited its privileges, and incurred its penalties. Thus it was a law of bondage. But this law, so covenanted, was the will of God. Its performance, therefore, might be founded on other motives than the mere temporal advantages, with which it was conditioned. An obedience to the law might proceed from simple devotion to the great Being, who caused it to be

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ordained. The Jews, generally, seem to have had little conception of their obligations under the law in the latter sense. But it will be a subject of great

interest to inquire, whether Moses himself did not contemplate a primary and spiritual obligation to God through faith, under that very law, of which he was the mediator in its secondary character, as a covenant of works.

Faith was the essential characteristic of Moses personally. By virtue of that principle he was called to, and undertook, the prodigious task, which God determined to accomplish by his means. His natural qualities would have made him shrink from the weighty responsibility of so vast an undertaking, as attempt to rescue his nation from the bondage of Egypt. "O my Lord"-said he, "I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue :" "Who am I-that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

God said "I will be with thee." (Exod. iii. 12.) That was sufficient-"O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send."

"Faith," that is, devotion to God, was with him a powerful influence, though worldly ambition and temporal prosperity had no influence in his mind. -for,

"By faith he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter."

It was a higher principle with him than the allurements of pleasure—for,

"By faith, he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."

It was a stronger motive than the temptation of riches-for,

"He esteemed the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt."

Moses knew how to estimate the reproach of Christ! Those gracious words had not then been uttered,— "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake ;-Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” Yet Moses had this faith! He knew how to value "the pearl of great price;" and to consider as nothing the favor or the fury of princes, when opposed to the true religion of Almighty God.

The Passover was observed, and the passage of the Red-sea was effected by him, in faith, for,

"He endured as seeing Him who is invisible."

But did Moses, afterwards, as the mediator of a covenant of works conditioned on temporal blessings of prosperity, lose sight of this vital principle of "faith," as the great motive to obedience? Or did he not rather view, with prophetic eye, the distant period, when his own people should finally set aside that "stumbling-stone" at which they stumbled

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