finite imagination fully to comprehend ; and that he regarded a discovery of that excellency as the appointed means of accomplishing in men the whole work of divine grace, and of ultimately filling them with all the fulness of God. Hence it will be seen how appropriate these words are to our present sub- ject ; wherein I am to set before you, as God shall enable me, the Gospel of Christ, in all its excellency and in all its glory.
In prosecution of this great object, I will endea- vour to exhibit the Gospel, as honouring God's laxv ; as glorifying his perfections ; and as laying a founda- tion for greater happiness, both to men arid angels, than either of them could ever ham enjoyed, if man had never fallen.
First, I am to set it forth as honouring God's law.
This is a point of view in which it deserves the most attentive consideration. For, if we proclaim a free and full salvation, and that simply by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we immediately appear to men to set aside the law. And more particularly, when we state, that the law cannot justify any man — that it is not to be observed with any view to obtain justification by it — that we must not so much as lean to it in the slightest degree — and that the placing of the smallest dependence upon it will invalidate the whole Gospel — we are supposed to be downright Antinomians in principle, whatever we may be in practice ; and our doctrines are represented as quite dangerous to the community. Now, it must be remembered, that St. Paul's own statements were, in the judgment of many, obnoxious to this very reproach ; and that he was, therefore, constrained to vindicate them from this charge : " Do we, then, make void the law through faith ? God forbid," says he : " yea, we establish the lawa."
The law, you will remember, requires perfect obe- dience to all its commandments, and denounces a curse against everv one who shall violate even the
a Rom. iii. 31.