But while St. Paul was exhibiting and urging these important truths,
on the wavering Galatians, he foresaw, that it would be objected, that
the scheme which he advanced, tended to licentiousness--that if men
might be saved by faith without the works of the law, they might
indulge themselves in sin--that this would render Christ the minister
of sin. The same objection appears to have been made at Rome, where a
faction existed similar to this at Galatia. This consequence the
apostle rejected with abhorrence. "Do we then make void the law
through faith? God forbid: Yea we establish the law."

The Levitical code included both the ceremonial and the moral law.
Though St. Paul declares justification unattainable by obedience to
either or to both, he did not set aside the moral law, as no longer
obligatory, as he did the ceremonial. This latter had answered the
ends of its appointment, and was abolished by fulfillment. It was only
a shadow of good things to come, and fled away before that of which it
was a shadow. Christ had therefore blotted it out and taken it away.
But the moral law was not done away. Christ hath fulfilled it for
those who believe on him; but it doth not therefore cease to be
obligatory upon them. It is of universal and eternal obligation. The
salvation of mankind, doth not, however, depend on their obedience to
it. If it did, they could not be saved, because all mankind have
broken it. "Salvation is of grace, through faith."

Instead of setting Christians free from obligation to keep the moral
law, what Christ hath done for them strengthens their obligations to
obey it. An increase of mercies is an increase of obligations to serve
the Lord.

But yet more is done to secure obedience from those who are Christ's