Preaching the Law of God.
If the rank and file of the churches would only follow the teachings of the best men in the different denominations there would be more conversions than there are now. The following extract from one of Bishop Simpson's Yale Lectures on Preaching, has appeared in the SIGNS before, but it will bear repetition. We commend it to the careful consideration of all, especially our Methodist brethren, and would ask them to remember when they read it that the law to which the Bishop refers, says, "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." The law of God, in its great and solemn injunctions, should be distinctly set forth. Our congregations should be gathered as around the base of Mount Sinai, while from its summit is heard the voice of God in those commandments which are unalterable and eternal in their character. The effect of these utterances will be, that consciences will be awakened, and hearts will tremble. Some will say, with Moses, "I do exceedingly fear and quake," when they behold the majesty of the law, the purity of God, and their own impurity. Others may be repelled and will say, "Let not God speak to us any more." Some will object to the sternness of the law, and will say, "Prophesy smooth things;" but still that law must be preached. It brings the sinner to a recognition of his sins in having transgressed God's holy law, and shows him the fearfulness of the doom which is impending over him. The law must be followed by the gospel; the awakened sinner must be pointed to the Saviour, that he may see and feel that, deep as are the stains of his transgressions, the blood of Christ can wash them all away. There are many preachers who love to dwell on the gospel alone. They talk sweetly and beautifully of the fatherhood of God. This is well. It is more than well; it is essential. But sometimes they go beyond this, and declaim against the preaching of the law—intimate that it belongs to a past age, a less civilized society; that men can best be moved by love alone, and they rely wholly on its attractive power. Such a gospel may rear a beautiful structure, but its foundation is on the sand. No true edifice can be raised without its foundations being dug deep by repentance toward God, and then shall the rock be reached, and the building shall be through faith in Jesus Christ. The law without the gospel is dark and hopeless; the gospel without law is inefficient and powerless. The one leads to servitude, the other to antinomianism. The two combined produce "charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned."