No modification of principle has ever made any impression on our
mind, only the impression that he who proposes it, is ready for
_back-sliding_. There are some principles that are self-evidently
right. They _can not be modified_. We may depart from them, but can
not modify them. The law of God is supreme in its authority. It is
absolute. Those of us who have taken it can stand by and maintain it,
on the one hand, or depart from it on the other. We can not change it
or modify it. There are but two things for men to do, who are not under
the law of God. One is to come under the law. The other is to reject
it. There are also but two things for those who have come under it. One
is to observe it. The other is to abandon it.
We are thankful to be assured that the great body of those who have
come under the law of the Great King, are well pleased with him and
his law. They regard it as holy, just and good, and regard every man
who departs from it _untrue_. The _true_ stand by it, and the _untrue_
depart from it.
But, we have a few claims to put in for the law of King Jesus, and we
want the attention of our _liberal_ men to these claims:
We claim for the law of King Jesus that it is most magnanimous and
_liberal_. It excels in its _liberality_ all laws ever published. It
offers citizenship to all who will come and be naturalized, with full,
free and equal rights. It offers to all, the privilege of becoming
children in the heavenly family by _adoption_, and makes them all heirs
of God and joint heirs with Christ, on the _same terms_. It offers the
same pardon and on the same terms to all the world. It offers the same
divine designations to all, the same gospel, and the same spirit of
life; the same Bible, and the same law for all. The same grace of God
has appeared to all men. God is no respecter of persons, but he who
fears and works righteousness is accepted with him. It has the same
liberal terms of union and communion for all who come to God.