Good Testimony on the Law of God.
By Editor
WHILE at Tyrone, Mich., Bro. Isaac Cornell handed us a work on "Entire Holiness," by John H. Wallace, of the M. E. Church, and, pointed out Chapter IV, on the "Claims of the Law—Not abrogated—Can be Obeyed through Grace." This work had been circulated in that place by the Methodist preacher, who, had said much against keeping what he and others of his preaching brethren called, "the old law," and "the old Jewish law." This was said to injure the influence of those who keep all the precepts of the Law of God, in that place, and prejudice the people against the Lord's holy Sabbath. But as we found good testimony in this work for the moral law, we thought best to use it; so at an evening discourse, to a good congregation, we read some from the work. Please compare the following extracts from the work, with common expressions from Methodist ministers, such as, "the old law," "carnal Jewish ordinances," and "old Jewish law," and it will be seen that they stigmatize the sentiments of their own authors, as much as ours. See also Wesley's Sermon on the Law of God. It is not the religion of Jesus that leads men to such a course, but is in our opinion the spirit of the most narrow-souled sectarianism. Here are the extracts: "And here we take the liberty to say we understand the moral law to be still in force. Christ declared expressly that "he came not to destroy the law," and the apostle Paul affirmed that he did not make void the law through faith, but established it. Nor do we discover that it has ever been changed or modified in its requirements. This is the very law given to our fallen world; given in view of all our ignorance and infirmity; given as a rule of duty, with all its threatened penalties against moral delinquencies. All its elements enter into the New Testament requirements. It is incorporated with the Gospel, because its claims cannot be met without gracious aid, and because even pardon and peace cannot be secured without the benefit of the atonement."—pp. 39, 40. "This law, which we understand to be still in force, and by which it may be presumed God governs all rational and intelligent beings, is embraced in the moral code delivered on Mount Sinai."—pp. 42, 43. "This is the moral law; the law that admits of no repeal, and needs no amendment: nor does it require any modification in its application to any and all the unnumbered hosts that stretch along the line of moral agents, in its vast sweep, from the tallest angelic height to the most meager specimen of accountable humanity."—p. 45. "If we understand the matter, this view of the subject establishes the law, and makes it as unbending and enduring as the government of God. This also assigns to the atonement its true place, and its appropriate value and efficacy."—pp. 46, 47. The author says in the preface:— "The admission sometimes made, that we are only able to keep the law of love, which falls short of the claims of the moral law, places us where it is impossible to escape the charge of admitting the necessary continuance of sin. For if a violation of the moral law is not sin, then there is no sin."—p. 4.