Pbe.ri!lRic legalist.R or mere Ju<laists, but persons ignorant of the true nature itnd design of ~he ~aw; who a~stnined from things lawful and good, and were yet morally corrupt (Titus 1. 10; Rev. n. 9, 14, 20, 24). Ill. GROUND OF TBE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ITS LAWFUL AND UNLAWFUL UBE. •• Knowing "this, that the Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless." 1. The Law is 7wt made for a ri_ql,teou.s man. (1) This does not mean that a righteous man -that is, a man right with Go<l, whose experience has made the principles of righteousness habitual with him-has no relation whatever to the Law. (a) Because the Law had relation to (a) Adam in inr,ocence, who had the Law written in his heart• (/J) to Abraham, who was a righteous man; ('Y) to David, who was a righteous man'. (o) and to all the Old TestAfnent saints; ( •) it had even relation to Jesus Christ him: self, who was" made under the Law "-the very" Law that was in his heart" (.Pt<., :i:l. 8), of which he was "the end for righteousness" (Rom. x. 4), because he came to fulfil it (Matt. v. 16). (b) Because the Law has relation to believers under the Christia~ dispensation ; for this very apostle enforces the obligation to obey it, specifying six of its enactments (Rom. xiii. 8, 9; Eph. vi 1). James says that believers who show respect of persons become "tramgressors of the Law." Therefore, when the apostle says "the Law is not made for a righteous man," he does not mean that the righteous man is no longer bound to obey it. He delights in it; he actually serves it (Rom. vii. 25). If any should say that the apostle means that the righteous do not need the Law tl) direct them, we answer that they might as well say they do not need the Scripture to direct them, as the Law is already in their hearts. How is a righteous man to know sin but by the Law? "For by the Law is the knowledge of sin." (2) His statement has an abstract cast, like our Lord's saying, " I am not come to call the righteous, but ~inners to repentance." (a) The Law was not made because of righteous, but because of wicked. men. "It was added because of transgressions." It is similar to the statement of the apostle con- cerning the nine graces of the Spirit-" against such there is no Law" (Gal. v. 23). The Law does not, cannot condemn, any one of these graces. (b) The Law was never made for the righteous man in the sense in which it was made for the unnghteous man. to condemn him; for the righteous man is redeemed from the curse of the Law (GaL iii. 13). Its penalty cannot affect him; its burden does not weigh him down; its terrors do not bring him into bondage. On the contrary, he delights in it as he serves it. Thus, while in one sense the righteous man delights in it and serves it, he is in another sense" not under the Law, but under grace" (Rom. vi. 14). It may be further observed that if Adam had continued in his original ri_!!hteousness, the Law of Sinai would never have been given to man. "It was added because of transgressions." 2. The Law is made for the wicked. They are described according to the two tables of the Decalogue.. Those in the first table go in pairs. (1) The lawless and unruly. These termB describe opposition to the Law-the one in its more subjective, the other in its more objective side; the one representing, perhaps, a more passive, the other a more 31.:tive hostility to Law. (2) The ungodly and sinful These termB describe the opposi- tion to God-the one without reverence for him, the other living in defiance of him. (3) The unholy and profane. These terms describe the manifestation of the wicked and godless spirit toward the Name or ordinances of God. They touch upon the violation of the first four commandments. (4) Those in the second table begin with (a) sins against the fifth C'Jmmandment: "smiters of fathers and smiters of mothers;" (b) sine against the sixth: "man-slayers;" (c) sins against the seventh: "fornicators, sodomites;" (a) sins against the eighth : "men-stealere "-this special form of transgression being selected because the theft of a man himself is a far more serious offence than the theft of his goods; (e) sins against the ninth: "for liars, for perjurers"-the one being a great advance in enormity upon the other. (/) Strange that the apostle does not enumerate the tenth, which operated upon himself so powerfully (Rom. vii. 7). Perhaps it was designed by the inclw;ive reference no longer to the committers of sin, but to the sins themselves: "And if there be any'other thing that is contrary to the 110und instruction, acconling to the gospel of the glory of God which was committed to my trust." 'l'hi1 language implies (1) that the list is not designed to be exhaustive of the various form& of evil in the world ; (2) that the Law and the gospel are in perfect harmony respecting what is sin; (3) that the de~ign of the gospel is w set forth the glory of Gud"s mercy, goodne1111 and love; ( 4) that t.he gospel is a precioWI depo11it committed to human hanwi. OIL L 1-20,] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY.
to be diRpensed for the benefit of the mco of mitn. The apostle did not shrink from such a solemn trust, but rather rejoiced in it.-T. C.