The rules of Christianity are always coadjuvant to those of justice. The
least deviation from justice begins to mark the unchristian character.
“Just balances, just weights, a just _epha_ and a just _hin_ shall ye
have.” _Lev._ xix. 36. “But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a
perfect and just measure shalt thou have; that thy days may be
lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” _Deut._ xxv.
15. “Ye shall have a just balance and a just epha, and a just bath.”
_Ezek._ xlv. 10.
“Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne; mercy and truth
shall go before thy face.” _Ps._ lxxxix. 14.
“As I hear I judge, and my judgment is just.”
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if
there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on those things.”
_Phil._ iv. 8.
But justice, as an act emanating from the rules of right, is wholly
dependent on the law: with the abolition of all law, justice or its
opposite would cease to exist.
We are aware there are a class who say that Christians have nothing to
do with the law of God; that they believe in Christ, and are excused
from obedience to the law; that they are not under the law, but the
gospel; that the law to them is of none effect; that the laws of God as
revealed to Moses have been repealed;—or rather they seem to have but a
confused idea of what they do believe touching the matter, while they
fashion a theory of Divine providence to suit their own fancies, and
substantially, by their own hands, fashion Jehovah into an idol,
although not of wood or stone, yet as much in conformity to their own
notions; perhaps but little thinking that their notions may have arisen
from pride or ignorance. We cannot promise any benefit by addressing
such. He who dares take the character of Jehovah into keeping, selecting
from among the manifestations of his providence, and decide this law to
be repealed, or this only in force, would seem to be as far beyond the
reach of human reason as his position is beyond the bounds of moral
sense.
But let us, who claim not so high prerogative, who are able only to
notice some faint emanations of the Divine mind, as He has seen fit to
reveal himself to our feeble perceptions,—who have been taught by the
exercise of faith to perceive them in the holy books of his record of
what is past, and the present display of his power and rule in the
government of the world,—take counsel together, and examine and compare
the teachings they may give of the unchangeableness of, and our relation
with, the laws of God.
The Creator of things may be deemed able to impose such relations
between the things created as he may judge suitable to effect the object
had in their creation. Such relations we call law; because, as we notice
things, they are the rules by which they act or are acted upon. So far
as human reason has been able to examine, such laws are as unchangeable
as the Deity who imposed them. To such certainty and unchangeableness we
give the name of truth, and hence we say God is truth, having reference
to the unchangeableness of his nature and of his laws.
With the idea of the changeability of his laws, of necessity must be
associated the idea of the changeability of God himself. The wickedness
of such argument is announced in its tendency to the dethronement of
Jehovah. It was the very argument used by the serpent in Eden.
The conclusion is, it is inconsistent with the Deity that his laws
should be repealed; the same circumstance, under which his law has been
noticed to manifest itself, reappearing, and it is again developed. They
are the laws of eternity. They are the voice of God. The doctrine of the
gospel is bold and plain upon this subject.
“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”
_Rom._ vii. 12.
“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who
are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law, there
shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for the law is the knowledge
of sin.” “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea,
we establish the law.” _Rom._ iii. 19, 20, 31.
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the
transgression of the law.” 1 _John_ iii. 4.
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not
come to destroy, but to fulfil. Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach so to do, he shall be called
the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach
them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” _Matt._
v. 17, 19.
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