the fish le for the water, the bird for the air. When he imparts spiritual renewal, it ia with a view to IL new spiritual life. In re-creating human natnrca in the likeness of his own Bon, God hne it, so to speak, in his purpose that they should serve him, and thnt in "newness of the spirit." I. CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW LORD TO SERVE. They are freed from the dominion ')f sin, from their state of bondage to the ty_rant; th~y are endowed with !!piritual liberty. And they are devoted to the personal service of Chrut, that they may do his will advance his co.use, promote his glory. ' II. CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW MOTIVE TO SERVICE. L The ground of their servics is redemption, the distinctive fact and doctrine of the new economy. 2. The impulse to their service is grateful love, awakened by the experience of Chrin's redeeming ·power and grace. III. CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW LAW OF SERVICE. This law is widely different from the "oldness of the letter." It extends to the spiritual realm, beginning in fact within, and working outwardly. IV. CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW EXAMPLE OF SERVICE. In the Lord Jesus they see the Servant of Jehovah, found in fashion as a man, assuming the form, the guise of a. servant, ministering unto God and unto man, and in both relations fulfilling a. perfect, flawless ministry. V. CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW POWER FOB SERVICE. This is the help of the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of zeal and holiness, of patience and of devotion. VI. CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW MAN1'"EB OF SERVICE. They are not as the hireling who serves for wages, or as the bond.man who serves from fear; bnt rather as the freedman who serves willingly and gratefully, as the child who serves from love. Christ introduced into the world a new style and tone of service; taught me!l the dignity and beauty of consecrated ministration. How precious and powerful this impulse and example have proved is known to every student of the history of Christ's Church. VII. CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW SCOPE POR SERVICE. L Mutual service is &!l obligation in the Church springing from mutual love, The great are to serve thG lowly, and the lowly the great. 2. Universal service is enjoined upon all who wonld do the will of the Divine Master. In both directions the service of those for whom Christ died is the service of Christ himself. VIII. CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW REWAII.D FOR BEBVICE. Nothing adventitiollS or external attracts those who are in sympathy with him who is at once the Servant and the Lord of all. Of all privileges, that most alluring and dear to their he:irts is the favour of their Master, the joy of their Lord. Ver. 1.-Knowledge of sin by th6 Law. Although the apostle aimed in this Epistle to show that the Law by itself was unable and unfitted to secure men's salvation, it is evident, both that he honoured the Law as an expression of the Divine char.icter and will, and that he considered it, from a Christian point of view, to fulfil a most important purpose. Especially in this verse does he set forth the Law as awakening conscience of sin, and so preparing the way for the introduction of the gospel, both in the order of the Divine dispensations and in the course of individual experience. His own spiritual history is represented as typical : "I had not known sin, but by the Law." I. LAW IS THE REVELATION OF THE SUPERIOR WILL TO THE SUBJECT AND INFERIOR WILL. There is a sonse in which the word "law" is commouly used in the exposition of physical science; it is in such connections equivalent to uniformity of antecedence and sequence. But this, though a proper employment of the torm, is secondary nud figurative; pnrt of the connotation is intentionally abandoned. The fuller meaning of law is seen when the reference is to requirement of certain modes of action; s.nd when the requirement is made by one who has a just right to make it, a just claim upon the submission and obedience of those to whom the command is addressed. The superiority in the Lawgiver does not lie simply in physical power, but in mol'3.i character and authority. II. BEING UNDER BUCH LAW lllPLIBS THE POSSESSION 01' INTIU.LIG~"T .,~ VOLUNTARY NATURE, 'L'he inferior animals are m,t, in the prop& sense of the term, uder law, Nor are babes, or idiots, or any whose moral nature is uudev,olo~ THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROM.ANS. [oa, vn.1-25,
Mnn. ns an int<'lligent being, can appNlhend law; as an active and voluntary being, can obey law. Kant h_as put the matter in a very striking and n very just light, in el\ying that, whilst the un~ntelligent creation acts accord.in~ to law, an intelligent being has the prer0;;stn-e of acting aooording to the represcutat1on of law; i.e. he can understand, c..0 nsciously adopt, and willingly and without constraint olx,t the law. Freedom is the power t-0 obey or to disobey. III. IN PROPORTION TO THE DEFINITENESS OF THB LAW 18 THE MEASURE OF RESPOXHBILITY ATl'ACHING TO THOSE WHO ABS SUBJECT TO IT, Confining attention t-0 huma.n beings possessed of thought, reason, and will, we cannot fail to detect degrees of acquaintance with the revelation which in various ways is vouchsafed to the race. There are those, as for example untutored savages, and the "waifs and strays" of a ciruized community, whose knowledge of the Divine will is both very imperfect and very indistinct. Such in former ages was the case of the Gentiles as compared with the highly favoured Jews. Now, our Saviour himself, and, following his teaching, the inspired apostles, have plainly taught that responsibility varies with knowledge and opportunity. IV. ()i. THE OTHER HO."D, THE POSSESSION OF EXPRESS AND VERBAL LAW INVOLVES BEIGHTEl>"l!:D RESP01'"'SIBILITY. When the knowledge of duty is clear, defection and rebellion a.re ag,,crravated in guilt. The sin of transgression is increased as the light sinned against is brighter. Such was the case with the Jews, who were worthy of sorer condemnation than the Gentiles, where both were disobedient. Comparatively, they only knew sin who knew the Law by which sin is prohibited. True, there is a general conscience, a,,crainst which even the unenlightened transgressors are offenders; but they are the worse culprits who, having the light, walk not in it. "'V. THus THE LAW, BY REVEALING A BIGHEB STANDARD OF DUTY, AND BY MAKING SIN "EXCEEDING SINFUL," PREPARES THE WAY FOB THE INTRODUCTION OF THE.DIVINE G-OSPEL OF SALVATION il"D LIFE. The apostle avers that, but for the Law, be had not known sin, i.e. comparatively. If this had been all, he would have had little reason to thank the Law. But, in fact, the Law, proving the holiness and righteousness of God, and the powerlessness of man to obey, served to make the introauction of a new dispensation-that of grace-doubly welcome, Men were brought to feel their need of a Saviour, and, when that Saviour came, t.o receive him with alacrity and gratitude, and to use the means prescribed by which the penalties of the Law may be escaped, and the blea.singB of eternal salvation enjoyed.