BISHOP SIMPSON ON THE LAW.
With all our heart we join in the applause with which the following utterances of Bishop Simpson were greeted by those who heard them. They constitute the closing portion of the fourth of the “Yale Lectures on Preaching,” recently delivered to the divinity students of that college, and published in the Independent of Jan. 2, 1879. Let them understand and expound the true meaning of the law, and then give it the place here recommended, and nothing more could be asked in this respect:— “The law of God should be distinctly set forth. The congregation should be gathered as around the base of Mount Sinai, as from the summit is heard the voice of God in those commandments which are eternal and unalterable in their character. The effect of preaching the law will be that some hearts will be opened; others may be repelled, and say, ‘Let not God speak to us any more.’ Some will object to the preaching of the law, and say, ‘Prophesy better things.’ But still the law must be preached. It brings the sinner to a recognition of his sins; that he has 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 that, deep as his transgression may be, the blood of Christ can wash it away. There are many preachers who love to talk of the gospel alone. They dwell especially on the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of Christ. This is well. It is more than well. It is essential. But sometimes they neglect these matters of the law, and assign them to a place in a past age, claiming that men now can be best moved by love alone. They may thus rear a beautiful structure; but its foundation is on the sand. No true edifice can be raised without its foundation’s being dug deep by repentance toward God. The gospel has no significance except as it is based on the positive law, which Christ came not to destroy, but to fulfill. The law without the gospel leads to service; the gospel without the law leads to antinomianism; the two combined produce ‘charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned.’ [Applause.]”