prepared to understand the uses of the law, as they shall be more fully developed in my future discourses. You will not then be ready to exclaim, as otherwise you possibly may, " This is a hard saying ; who can hear it?" You will see that our future statements necessarily grow out of this : and you will find no difficulty in adopting that sentiment, which is the ultimate drift of my whole argument, namely, that if ever you be saved at all, you must renounce all dependence on your own righteousness, and must possess a righteousness corresponding with the utmost demands of the law, even that righteousness which the Lord Jesus Christ wrought out by his own obe- dience unto death, and which he confers on all his penitent and believing people.
Gal. iii. 19. Wherefore then serveth the law?
NOW we begin to enter fully on our subject. Not that we could have omitted our last statement : for it was necessary that the spirituality of the law should be fully known ; since, without the knowledge of that, it is impossible for any man to understand the truths that are founded on it. But, having thus prepared the way, we may now state what we con- ceive to be the chief uses of the law ; namely,
1. As a monitor, to guard us against adhering to the first covenant.
2. As an instructor, to guide us to a better covenant.
3. As a rule to govern us, when we have laid hold on that better covenant.
These three uses will form the subject of our pre- sent and two future Discourses.
At this time, I am to shew, that the law is in- tended as a monitor, to guard us against adhering to the former covenant.