DISCOURSE: 1451
EXCELLENCE OF THE MORAL LAW
Mark 12:32-34. And the Scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
IT is the Christian’s duty to be ready at all times to “render a reason for the hope that is in him, with meekness and fear.” But there are some situations wherein this is extremely difficult. If a person obviously come only to cavil, we cannot but be pained on his account; and we are apt to feel a degree of irritation also on our own. But we ought to be much on our guard against the smallest degree of asperity, lest we increase the prejudices which we should labour to subdue. It is true, we have not in such cases much prospect of success: but we learn from the instance before us, that we ought not to despair.
It was a question much agitated amongst the Jewish doctors, What was the first of all the commandments; whether that relating to circumcision, (whereby they were admitted into covenant with God,) or that which respected sacrifices, (whereby they obtained acceptance with God,) or that about the Sabbath, (whereby they honoured God in a more especial manner,) or that respecting their phylacteries, (whereby they kept up the daily and hourly remembrance of God in their minds; for on their phylacteries, or borders of their garments, they wrote passages of the law,) or finally, whether the moral law were not superior to the ceremonial altogether? The Scribe who proposed this question to our Lord, though less captious than those who had preceded him, was under the influence of an improper spirit: yet our Lord returned to him, as he had done to all the others, a plain and incontrovertible answer, and thereby not only convinced his judgment, but in a very considerable degree conciliated his esteem, and disposed him for receiving further information.
The answer which our Lord gave to him has already been considered. That which we are now to attend to, is the Scribe’s reply; which naturally Suggests to us the following observations:
I. That the great practical duties of the law are supremely excellent—
The Scribe, not contented with the commendation bestowed upon the commandments by our Lord, gives them a decided preference to all the most sacred institutions of the Mosaic ritual: and in this he was perfectly correct: for, however excellent they were in their place, the love of God and our neighbour are of infinitely greater value.
1. The great practical duties of the law are good for their own sake; whereas the institutions of the ceremonial law were good only as means to an end—
[We must by no means depreciate the “burnt-offerings and sacrifices;” because they were the appointed means of reconciliation with God; they directed the attention of men to the great Sacrifice which was in due time to be offered; and they prepared the world for the coming of Christ. But still they had no intrinsic excellence: if separated from the ends of their institution, the blood of bulls and of goats was of no more value than “the cutting off a dog’s neck, or the offering of swine’s blood.”
But the love of God and our neighbour is really of inestimable value: it is the appropriate exercise of our faculties; and, if carried to the extent that is enjoined in the commandments, it would be an anticipation of heaven itself [Note: See 1 Samuel 15:22.]— — —]
2. The great practical duties of the law can be performed only by a renewed heart; whereas the institutions of the ceremonial law may be performed by the most abandoned of mankind—
[A wicked Balaam could offer sacrifices in abundance: but who can put forth all his intellectual and active powers in love to God and man? None, but he who has been renewed by the Spirit of God. It is not possible for an unregenerate man to offer such sacrifices as these: they are far too high, too pure, too spiritual: he may easily burn upon an altar the bodies of slain beasts; but he cannot “present his own soul a living sacrifice to God;” he cannot have that inflamed with the fire of divine love, unless he be regenerate and created anew in Christ Jesus — — —]
Respecting the practical duties of the law, we may farther observe,
II.
That they are such as must commend themselves to the conscience of every candid inquirer—
To those who are blinded by prejudice and passion, the words of truth and soberness appear as folly and madness [Note: Our Lord compares the attempting to instruct such persons, to a casting of pearls before swine, who will only turn again and rend us. Matthew 7:6.]. But, as our Lord’s answer constrained the Scribe to confess that he had spoken truth, so must it prevail over every one that has a mind at all open to conviction. Let any one bring the great practical duties of the law to the test; let him propose as severe a test as he will; and we will venture to affirm, that the more they are scrutinized, the more excellent will they appear.
1. Are they reasonable?—YES.
[What can be more reasonable, than that we should love Him who is infinitely lovely, and who has so loved us as even to give his only dear Son to die for us? — — —]
2. Are they conducive to our happiness?—YES.
[Wherein does the happiness of heaven consist, but in the exercise of love? Conceive of the whole heart, and mind, and soul, and strength being occupied in love to God; and our neighbour being in all respects loved as ourselves, and treated by us in every thing, as in a change of circumstances we should wish him to treat us; must we not be happy? With every bad passion so subdued, and every Divine affection so exercised, we say again, could we fail of being happy? — — —]
3. Are they perfective of our nature?—YES.
[The want of love is that which debases us even lower than the beasts that perish. “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib:” but we, with all our advantages, are blind to the highest excellency, insensible of the greatest obligations, and regardless of our best interests. No words can describe the full malignity of such a state. But let a principle of love possess our souls, and it instantly refines all our feelings, regulates all our dispositions, and transforms us into the very image of our God — — — More cannot be said in confirmation of this truth, than what St. John hath said, “God is love: and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him [Note: 1 John 4:16.].”]
4. Are they instrumental to the honouring of God—YES.
[We know of no other way in which God can be honoured; because these two commandments comprehend the whole of our duty. But by abounding in a regard to these, we may, and do, honour him. This our Lord has plainly declared; “Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit.” By the preaching of his word, his name is known; but it is by the practical effects of that word upon the hearts and lives of his people, that his image is reflected, and the efficacy of his grace displayed — — —]
A candid mind, we have said, must acknowledge the excellency of duties which are capable of standing so severe a test: and, for the encouragement of such candour, we observe,
III.
That an approbation of them argues a state of mind favourable to the reception of the Gospel—
When there is a readiness to approve the boundless extent of these commandments, there must of necessity be,
1. An openness to be convinced of our lost estate—
[It is an ignorance of the spirituality of the law, that causes men to deny their desert of God’s wrath and indignation. They think that a very small degree of love to God, and a very partial regard to their fellow-creatures, is the whole of their duty: and, if they have not violated the commandments by some gross and flagrant transgression, they imagine, like the Rich Youth in the Gospel, that they “have kept them all from their youth up.” But let a person once acknowledge it his bounden duty to love God with all his heart, and all his understanding, and all his soul, and all his strength, and to love his neighbour in all things as himself, and he can no longer resist the conclusion, that his whole life has been one continued act of sin; for there has not been one day, one hour, one moment, wherein the frame of his mind has perfectly corresponded with the demands of the law. It was such a view of the law that made Paul confess himself a lost sinner, under a sentence of eternal condemnation; and was the first thing which overcame his aversion to the Gospel [Note: Romans 7:9.]
2. A willingness to embrace the offers of salvation—
[This necessarily follows from the former. A man, who feels himself perishing, cannot despise an offer of deliverance. One who had not committed homicide, might view a city of refuge with indifference; but one who saw the pursuer of blood close upon him, would flee to it with all his might — — —]
3. A readiness to receive and improve the aids of God’s Spirit—
[No one can view the “exceeding breadth of these commandments,” without feeling the impossibility of keeping them by any strength of his own. While he thinks the law extends no farther than to the outward act, he supposes himself capable of performing all that is required: but when he sees that it reaches to the heart, he is easily persuaded, that he needs the agency of God’s Spirit to qualify him for a due discharge of his duty. He therefore will be glad to hear that God has “promised the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.” He will think it no indignity to stand indebted to a Divine agency: on the contrary, while his approbation of the commandments inclines him to obey them, he will thankfully accept the proffered influences of the Spirit, and rejoice in the prospect of being “able to do all things through Christ who strengthened him.”]
These things necessarily resulting from a just knowledge of the law, and being the characteristic marks of those who embrace the truth, they must needs be also good preparatives for the reception of the Gospel.
[Such was our Lord’s judgment in reference to the Scribe, when he had heard his approbation of the moral law. And to every one who manifests such a disposition, we may say with our Lord, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”]
We shall now conclude with a word,
1.
Of caution—
[Surely they who indulge prejudices against the truth, and cavil at the Gospel instead of embracing it, should well consider how awful their condition is: for if one who, like this Scribe, yields to conviction, and acknowledges that conviction before his ungodly companions, and exposes himself thereby to shame and reproach for conscience’ sake, may yet be only near to the kingdom of God, and not a partaker of it, what must be the state of cavillers, and of those who reject the truth?
They also who approve of the truth in their hearts, and shew a decided regard for those who preach or profess it, should take care not to rest in such a state. For to what purpose is it to be “not far from the kingdom of God,” if they be not after-wards brought into it? To what purpose is it to be “almost Christians,” if they do not become such altogether? To what purpose is it to have “a name to live,” if yet they continue “dead?” The Wise Virgins only, who had oil in their lamps, were admitted to the wedding-feast; the others who had the lamps without the oil, the appearance but not the reality of grace, were excluded from it. Alas! what a mortification must it be to such in the eternal world, to find that once they were not far from the kingdom, but that, after all, they fell short of a participation of it; that they dropped into hell, as it were, even from the gate of heaven! O! I would most earnestly caution you against sleeping in such imminent danger, and against resting in any thing short of a thorough conversion.]
2. Of encouragement—
[We trust there are many who, when they hear the demands of the law, and the declarations of the Gospel, are ready to say, “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth.” To such then we would address ourselves in the most encouraging terms; ye “are not far from the kingdom of God.” Only go on a little further, and you will be brought effectually into the kingdom. Seek to know the way of God more perfectly. Make your inquiries, if you will, provided you make them in a candid spirit. But endeavour to improve all opportunities of instruction. The word of God to you is, “Then shall ye know, if ye follow on to know the Lord.” Be thankful for the light ye enjoy, and for the smallest disposition to improve it. Take heed, however, that your knowledge lead you to Christ, and produce suitable effects upon your hearts and lives: so will you become members of Christ’s kingdom on earth, and finally be partakers of his heavenly kingdom.]