Reflection 3

How useful is it to meditate and study, to preach and explain the Law of God, and that not only for the Direction of our Life and Actions, but also for the same End that our Savior preached it in my Text to this young Man, (namely) to convince of Sin. So Romans 3:20. By the Law is the Knowledge of Sin, Romans 4:15. The Law works Wrath; it shows to the Consciences of Men the Wrath of God, which is due to Sin, and therefore says the Apostle, I by the Law am dead to the Law. Galatians 2:1, 19. By considering and studying the Purity, the Extent, and Perfection of the Law of God, I am dead to all Expectation of Righteousness and Life by it, for I see I cannot fulfill its pure and perfect Demands, and therefore I fly to the Gospel as my only Refuge and Hope.

We must be made sensible of our Guilt of Sin, our Liability to Death and Misery, and our Incapacity to save ourselves by the Law, that we may fly to the Gospel of Grace. We must be wounded by the Law that we may seek and find healing by the Gospel. The Law impressed on the Conscience is an excellent Preparative for the Gospel of Forgiveness; for Sinners that are not awakened to a Sense of Sin and Danger, will not hear the sweet Invitations of the Savior. Dare not charge and censure those as legal Preachers, who frequently preach the Law of God in its Demands and in its Curses. There is abundant Use of preaching the Law, for many excellent Purposes under the Dispensation of the Gospel. Jesus himself is our Pattern.