the oracle of heaven around which all denominations assemble, receive
their instructions, and believe according to the force of evidence.

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