"For what if some did not believe, shall their unbelief make the faith
of God without effect? God forbid; yea let God be true, but every man
a liar." Romans iii:3, 4.
The doctrine of salvation by Jesus Christ, is worthy the solemn
consideration of all men. It is this, that rendered a revelation
necessary. It is this that kindled the flame of transport in celestial
bosoms, and raised that triumphant song, "glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, good will towards men." Salvation is the doctrine of
the Bible, and ought ever to be the theme of the pulpit. Salvation is
the oracle of heaven around which all denominations assemble, receive
their instructions, and believe according to the force of evidence.
Prefaced with these remarks, we will now proceed to state what we
conceive to be the _law and gospel_--point out the distinction between
them, and defend the gospel doctrine of salvation of faith.
The law was a conditional covenant between God and man. It was
predicated on works. Under this covenant, if a man were strictly moral
in his external deportment--if he lived up to its letter, he was
considered righteous. This covenant was imperfect, because it could be
kept externally without reaching the heart. They could exclaim like
the young man, who came to Jesus--"all these things have I kept from
my youth up," and still lack the one great point, charity. Therefore
by the deeds of the law no flesh could be justified in the sight of
God. The law, being temporary in its nature, had nothing to do with
eternal things.
Paul says, "sin is the transgression of the law. Where there is no law
there is not the knowledge of sin." From this it appears that sin,
being a transgression of that law, which was given us for the
regulation of our conduct in this life, can receive no punishment in
the future world. If sin should be committed in the future state, then
in the future state it would be punished. The same argument will apply
to our obedience to the law, which can receive, for the same reason,
no reward in that world. "No flesh shall be justified by the deeds of
the law." "Eternal life is the gift of God." If so, then it cannot be
"of works, lest any man should boast." God, being infinite in wisdom,
could not have failed to enact a law so perfect, and so exactly
adapted to the nature of man, that _obedience_ would render him a rich
reward, and _disobedience_ a condign punishment. The wise man says
that "the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth; much more the
wicked and the sinner."
We now turn to the spirit of the law.--"To love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself is the fulfillment of the
law;" and if we are not to be saved by the law, then our _love_ to God
and each other cannot save us; for that is the law. By what then are
we to be saved? Answer: by the gospel, which is God's love manifested
to his creatures. The conclusion then is that we are not to be saved
by our _love_ to God, but by God's _love_ to us. This, I presume, no
one will dispute. Here then we discern the difference between the law
and the gospel. God's love is the _cause_ of salvation--human love is
the _effect_. "Herein (says John) is love; not that we loved God, but
that he loved us." "We love him _because_ he _first_ loved us." How
many did he love? He so loved the world who were dead in trespasses
and sins, that he freely delivered up his Son for us all--he by the
grace of God tasted death for every man. This is the gospel-love that
God commendeth towards us, and the love that will finally save us.
Many persons contend that we must love God and do certain duties, or
we cannot be saved. This is preaching ourselves. It is preaching the
love of man as the cause of his salvation, instead of the love of God.
And while thus preaching, they will perhaps at the same time tell the
sinner that God is his enemy. But will the sinner's love make God his
friend--will it cause his Creator to love him? No; right the reverse
of this is the doctrine of Christ. "We love God because he first loved
us." If we deny God's _first_ love to the sinner, we then destroy the
very _cause_ by which _alone_ the sinner can be made to love God. If
we make men believe that God is their enemy and hates them, then we
use all the means in our power to drive them from the bosom of their
Father, and keep them in darkness and sin.
The sinner, in this situation, can never be made to serve God, only by
being driven to it by terror, the same as some wretched slave is made
to cower and submit in fear and dread to some revengeful tyrant. But
this is not the service God requires. He requires a service which is
delightful, and in which his creature feels an abundant reward. We
grant that men, under the first covenant, were called upon to fear
God. The reason of this obvious, when we reflect that God had
covenanted to bestow certain blessings upon them, providing they would
do their duty. If they failed, then he would execute the temporal
judgments upon them, which the law points out, and threatens. Under
this covenant men had just as much reason to fear, as they were liable
to transgress it.
But when an angel announced the dawn of a better covenant; he said
"fear not, for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy." In this
is nothing to be feared. All the fear lies in the first, and thunders
out to ever sinner, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things written in the law to do them?" But John, speaking in view of
the second covenant, says, "there is no fear in love; but perfect love
casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not
made perfect in love." The _first_ covenant is founded on works, and
is _conditional_;--but the _second_ is founded on the immutable
promise of God, and is _unconditional_. In the law, we are commanded
_to do_ according to the reasonableness of its requirements; but in
the gospel we are exhorted _to believe_ in view of evidence and fact.
And as no man can believe, or disbelieve what he pleases, therefore
conditions are excluded.
What is the meaning of gospel? It is good tidings of great joy. It is
life and immortality brought to light at the appearing of our Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ, who has abolished death by giving us the
assurance of a resurrection from corruption to incorruption and glory.
It is news. In view of news, what is the first thing necessary?
Answer, _belief_. It is impossible to work news; therefore the gospel
is not of works. In the law, the first requirement is _to do_;--but in
the gospel the first requirement is _to believe_. The law-covenant is
therefore temporary, fallible and uncertain; but the gospel-covenant
is eternal, infallible, and in all things well ordered and sure. The
_first_ rests on the obedience of the creature, but the _second_ on
the promises of Jehovah. Paul therefore calls it a better covenant
established upon _better_ promises.
Perhaps someone may feel disposed to ask--whether faith is all that is
necessary? We reply that it is the cause which produces its effect.
Paul answers this question thus--"We conclude that a man is justified
by faith without the deeds of the law, Do we then make void the law
through faith? God forbid; yea we establish the law." Here let the
question be asked;--how do we establish the law by _faith_? Answer,
"Faith will have its perfect work." But what is that perfect work,
which faith produces? Ans. Faith works love in the soul; and if we
love God, we will keep his commandments. And _faith, love_ and
_keeping_ the commandments are the three exercises, that form the
christian character. Faith is the foundation; works are not. We cannot
begin to build on works. Instead of being the _first_, they are the
_last_ christian grace. They are the visible _effects_ of an inward,
living faith.
Faith and faith _only_ is the seed rooted and grounded in the truth,
and (to use a Bible figure) it becometh a tree, and produces all the
fruits of the spirit-love, joy, meekness, temperance, long-suffering,
forbearance. This is what the apostle calls the "righteousness of
faith" in contradistinction to "the righteousness of the law,"
produced by fear. Paul compares faith to a good olive tree. "The Jews
through unbelief were broken off," and "thou (the Gentile) standest by
faith." Jesus says; "if ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye
shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it
shall remove." Here, in parable, faith is represented as removing
mountains of sin. He further says--"Thy _faith_ hath made thee
whole";--not thy works. Paul exclaims, "Faith works by love, purifies
the heart and overcomes the world." John says, "and this is the
victory that overcometh the world even our faith."
It is a certain fact, that none of these salutary effects are ascribed
to human works. The apostles in no instance say, that _works_ purify
the heart, or overcome the world--or that this is the victory, even
your _works_; The whole is ascribed to _faith_; because that is the
living tree on which the good fruits grow. Works are, in scripture,
called fruits. "By their _fruits_ ye shall know them"--that is by
their _works_. "A good tree cannot bring forth evil _fruit_." To carry
out this figure, we would remark that, fruit can have no existence
till the tree is first produced. Therefore in a gospel sense, no good
works, acceptable to God, can be produced without a true and living
faith. The apostle declares, "without faith it is impossible to please
God." The gospel being good tidings, or news, are you satisfied that
thing necessary? I presume all denominations will assent to the fact,
that faith is the first religious exercise of the creature. We shall
then obey the command of the apostle, and "contend earnestly for the
faith once delivered to the saints."
But asks the reader, what matter is it which is first in order,
whether _love, faith_ or _works_? I reply that it is a matter of vast
importance, and without understanding this fact, we cannot come to the
knowledge of the truth, even though we should be ever learning. If
these three christian graces _faith, love_ and _works_, are preached
in a confused and mixed manner, we cannot arrive at a true
understanding of a gospel salvation, neither can we tell the
difference between law and gospel. The law is of works, and the gospel
is of faith. And no man can fulfill the spirit of the law without
faith in the gospel. When the sinner exercises faith in the love and
goodness of God in freely giving him eternal life, which infinitely
transcends all other blessings--that moment faith works love in his
heart, and causes him to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of
glory. He then loves God because God first loved him. And when the
sinner loves God, he is passed from death unto life, and that love is
the fulfillment of the law.
We are now led to see the consistency of faith being the first step.
It is the very _cause_ that produces _love_ to God, and _love_ induces
us to keep the commandments. "Faith works by love," and "if ye love
me," says Jesus, "ye will keep my commandments."
We will now introduce an example, which will plainly show the
distinction between the law and gospel and in what manner they affect
the sinner. Suppose a king sentences six of his subjects to
imprisonment during life, and commands them to spend their days in
hard labor. They are put in confinement, refuse to obey his commands--
refuse to labor, and in the midst of their miseries curse his name.
They are now in disobedience under the condemnation of the law.
The king says to his only Son, I love those subjects and I covenant
with you to set them free in three years. The Son says, Father I
delight to do thy will. Let me go and reveal to them, the glad tidings
of this covenant promise. The king answers--my Son, in the fullness of
time I will send you. Let them remain, one year, under the law. But
says the Son, they are now transgressing your law, and need
instruction. The king replies, I will send my servant to enforce that
law. Let him go and inform the prisoners, that I am angry with them
for their conduct; and if they will obey my commands, and labor
faithfully, they shall have excellent food and good clothing as a
reward. But if they will not comply, they shall be chained, and kept
on bread and water as a punishment for their disobedience.
The servant goes and delivers to them this message. Three of those
subjects, for fear of the punishment and in _hope_ of the reward, obey
the king, and outwardly respect his commands, but perhaps have little,
or no love for him. (Here we see the righteousness of the law which is
not acceptable to God.) They accordingly receive, day by day, the
promised reward. But the other three prisoners despise these
conditions and refuse to obey. They are chained, fed on bread and
water, and meet their deserts.
Here, then, are six prisoners laboring under the law, and groaning in
bondage with no hopes of deliverance. The law knows of no deliverance
--no redemption. It simply serves as a school master to teach them the
difference between right and wrong--to teach them the will of the
king, and thus prepare them to receive a better covenant, which is to
be revealed to them by the king's Son. But under the covenant they now
are, they have no motives to prompt them to obedience, but the _fear_
of punishment and the _hope_ of reward. In our next, this will be
fully illustrated.