They are now in disobedience under the condemnation of the law.

The king says to his only Son, I love those subjects and I covenant
with you to set them free in three years. The Son says, Father I
delight to do thy will. Let me go and reveal to them, the glad tidings
of this covenant promise. The king answers--my Son, in the fullness of
time I will send you. Let them remain, one year, under the law. But
says the Son, they are now transgressing your law, and need
instruction. The king replies, I will send my servant to enforce that
law. Let him go and inform the prisoners, that I am angry with them
for their conduct; and if they will obey my commands, and labor
faithfully, they shall have excellent food and good clothing as a
reward. But if they will not comply, they shall be chained, and kept
on bread and water as a punishment for their disobedience.

The servant goes and delivers to them this message. Three of those
subjects, for fear of the punishment and in _hope_ of the reward, obey
the king, and outwardly respect his commands, but perhaps have little,
or no love for him. (Here we see the righteousness of the law which is
not acceptable to God.) They accordingly receive, day by day, the
promised reward. But the other three prisoners despise these
conditions and refuse to obey. They are chained, fed on bread and
water, and meet their deserts.

Here, then, are six prisoners laboring under the law, and groaning in
bondage with no hopes of deliverance. The law knows of no deliverance
--no redemption. It simply serves as a school master to teach them the
difference between right and wrong--to teach them the will of the
king, and thus prepare them to receive a better covenant, which is to
be revealed to them by the king's Son. But under the covenant they now