position for us had been less needed ; it would have discovered far less love. The obligations conferred by it would have been comparatively small. He would have been less honoured by all. Some would have been saved without his aid. Many would, to eternity, have ascribed the honour of their salvation to themselves.]
In this view " the ministration of death was glo- rious s " —
Such a discovery of its excellency will immediately produce,
IV. An approbation of it with respect to our own particular case —
A person taught of God will cordially approve of this law : he will love it as the means of humbling him in the dust —
[It discovers to him, as in a glass, his manifold transgres- sions. It convinces him of his desert of punishment. It shews him the impossibility of making reparation to God. It constrains him to cry, " Save, Lord, or I perish ! " And thus it brings him to the state he most desires *.]
He will delight in it as endearing Christ to his soul —
[The depth of his disorder makes him value the Physician. He sees his need of one to " bear the iniquity of his holy things"." He finds that Christ is set forth for this very pur- pose x. Hence he rejoices in Christ as his Almighty Saviour.]
Such an approbation of it was expressed by Jere- miah7. St. Paul also highly commends it in this view2; and every true Christian can adopt his words3.
Application —
[Let us study this law as a covenant. Let us acknow- ledge our condemnation by it. Let it serve as a " schoolmaster to bring us to Christ b." Let that declaration be the ground of our hopec.]
s 2 Cor. iii. 7, 9, 10, 1 1 . ' Luke xviii. 13. u Exod. xxviii. 38. x Rom. x. 4. y Jer. xi. 3, 5. z Rom. vii. 12.
a Rom. vii. 22. * Gal. iii. 24. c Gal. iii. 13.