Prefaced with these remarks, we will now proceed to state what we conceive to be the _law and gospel_--point out the distinction between them, and defend the gospel doctrine of salvation of faith. The law was a conditional covenant between God and man. It was predicated on works. Under this covenant, if a man were strictly moral in his external deportment--if he lived up to its letter, he was considered righteous. This covenant was imperfect, because it could be kept externally without reaching the heart. They could exclaim like the young man, who came to Jesus--"all these things have I kept from my youth up," and still lack the one great point, charity. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh could be justified in the sight of God. The law, being temporary in its nature, had nothing to do with eternal things. Paul says, "sin is the transgression of the law. Where there is no law there is not the knowledge of sin." From this it appears that sin, being a transgression of that law, which was given us for the regulation of our conduct in this life, can receive no punishment in the future world. If sin should be committed in the future state, then in the future state it would be punished. The same argument will apply to our obedience to the law, which can receive, for the same reason, no reward in that world. "No flesh shall be justified by the deeds of the law." "Eternal life is the gift of God." If so, then it cannot be "of works, lest any man should boast." God, being infinite in wisdom, could not have failed to enact a law so perfect, and so exactly adapted to the nature of man, that _obedience_ would render him a rich reward, and _disobedience_ a condign punishment. The wise man says that "the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth; much more the wicked and the sinner." We now turn to the spirit of the law.--"To love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself is the fulfillment of the law;" and if we are not to be saved by the law, then our _love_ to God and each other cannot save us; for that is the law. By what then are we to be saved? Answer: by the gospel, which is God's love manifested to his creatures. The conclusion then is that we are not to be saved by our _love_ to God, but by God's _love_ to us. This, I presume, no one will dispute. Here then we discern the difference between the law and the gospel. God's love is the _cause_ of salvation--human love is the _effect_. "Herein (says John) is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us." "We love him _because_ he _first_ loved us." How many did he love? He so loved the world who were dead in trespasses and sins, that he freely delivered up his Son for us all--he by the grace of God tasted death for every man. This is the gospel-love that God commendeth towards us, and the love that will finally save us.