reasonings chiefly, that we gain a clear insight into it. Though published in the form of a covenant, it is not really intended to be a covenant of life to man, nozv in his f alien state : it is intended only to shew him what this covenant is which he is under, and how impossible it is for him to obtain salvation by it. This will appear clearly, if we attend to its requirements and its sanctions, as they are expressed in my text: " Do this," is the command given : Do it all ; all without exception : continue to do it from first to last. On these terms you shall live. But a curse awaits you, even an everlasting curse, if you violate it in any one particular. Plead what you will, its denunciations are inflexible, irreversible. ' I wish to obey it.' ' Tell me not of your wishes ; but do it.' — ' I have endeavoured to obey it.' ' Tell me not of your endeavours : but do it ; or else you are cursed.' — ' I have done it in almost every particular.' ' Tell me not of what you have done almost: have you obeyed it altogether? have you obeyed it in all things ? If not, you are cursed.' — ' I have for a great number of years obeyed it ; and but once only, through inadvertence, transgressed it.' ' Then you are cursed. If you have offended in one point, you are, as St. James informs you, guilty of alla. If you have not continued to obey it from the first moment of your existence to the last, you are cursed.' — ' But I am sorry for my transgression.' ' I know nothing of your sorrows : you are cursed.' — ' But I will re- form; and never transgress again.' ' I know nothing of your reformation : you are cursed.' — ' But I will obey it perfectly in future.' ' I know nothing of what you may do in future : you are cursed. I cannot alter my terms for any one. My declaration to all, without exception, is, "Cursed is every one that conti- nueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them." If you have risen to these terms, I will give you life : if you have fallen short of them, in any one particular, nothing remains for
a Jam. ii. 10.