New-York tribune., 1875-10-18
THE PRINCIPLE OF GODS LAW.
The Rec E. H. CAayin DID, at ne Church Of the DiCine Pa
nity, (UatCeTS1l,stl

The Rec f. H. Chaplin DID, at tte Cch 0i nc DoiHe fdt-
ntty tUHtrerSdt"D
At the Church of the Divine Paternity,
(Uniyersalisu, al Ffthsve. and Forty-ffthst., the
PASTOR the Rev. T. II. Chapn, DID, preached yesterday
morning. His text Matthew xxi, 40: "On these
two commandments hang all the law and the prophets"
lie said, in substance:
The chapter in which the text is included contains
three questions addressed to Jesus by the Jews The
first had reference paying tribute to Crsar and the
second involved the problem of tine Resurrection The
quesJOncrs being baflcd in both cases, young lawyer
said "Maser, which is the great commandment OF the
lawl" Jesus answered: "Thou shalt love TIC Lord thy
God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all
thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
Aud the second is like INTO il. Thou shalt love thy
neighur myself. On these Two commandments hang
all the law aud tnc prophets" Thus appears that back
of all law all the commands Of religious teaching,
there n principle which may ne called ihe coisinmae
principle OF Christianity IT. rs the essence OF all Chlls
tiin life and ac jon. 20 attitude of the SOUL posture
FIRST Let us consider the comprchensvencss Of this
principle. IL will help to understand The significance
of the lawyers question to remember that tnc laGbs
tie habi OF discussing the relative greatness oi
precepts Out the multitude of their requistoHs the
lawyer doubt thought Jesus would he en-
barf,sscd in choosing one which was pre-
en- nelt. But he went at once to the ROOT
or n. matt r. He did not regard the law bundle OF
precepts but simple principle, and he treated 1t
mus. aud lis uniy IL not disturbed by thc t"Oiod as
pct OF the principle. Loving ones neShbor IA ones
self an Indication and manifestation Of love to God
THUS tie Dccao-ue Is cohJons a III ShEe r'i'iIo".
But each commandment mus be lrpl ny MN VINO IoN's
the Lord ms God and lis ne'ghhar as himself Ia e
performance or neglect OF all duty the essence OF the W
consists re who Ofcnds in one point II gully oI al
~ IL easier 10 Dc yrtuOus IN large sphere OF diiy thh
in small | give all honor 10 men who have gone
shOutnG t0 the stake aud wLu Lave risen 10 gioy from
the midst OF the amphltheat"r; bus they nal me sth-
publicity But hOnOr nCse The men VINO WIN 10
- OF man upon them, down IL te aust Hl tde or mn
ness any loss any sacrifice, maintain the right
honor the domestic heroes, whd seen only NY GOD ana
angels hold 20 tine right against al; trial and 3 suttirS
Thdt is true principle which has been tried III the iuI
and is without aloy. Christianity Is aIchslon OF
great principles. lt has few details. Its sent"hces are
charged with great lcsuls Jesus vas not social re-
former in the ordinary sense oI mos Nords DIt no so
clal reforms compare with those when nave
sprung from Christianity. He did not, in the
strict sense, advocate human equality and freedom;
yet trucst principles OF equality and freedom have
been drawn from the New Testament. Conm9nwealihs,
states, and kingdoms nave be'll omit upon tcin ne
New Testament library in ITSELF it contains all the
lriide in All doubt and ali tIal The Gospel
resembles Hature-s elements are rev, Is pncnonciia
statutes or the law Of Old Testament. 1t does
contain any minute code, It docs not make man lecp
fhc law so much il makes Lin lawmJkar-a law unto
i,i- = +il na., who cam govern or he governed not
clashng with human law, hut rising above human law
ln n true state Oi society every man VIII De king
Secondg: Consider the depth of this principle It's
suirit OF life Human law, at the utmost, can only rgu
e "a " and d%s VIM CT IT, S r@vfr nah rSm
being tncf at heart In human eyes ian may pc
law bi,ug citizen, who, in the eyes of Go T. may he
owhraa k.r boast o their orthodoxy who are acis
from the true Church OF God. They have got as lar
them and they 20 crawling and crngin ttr way 10
heaven The Christian law Ia positive" thou shalt
This principle goes down. 10 thc core Of all acuOh aud
makes the onward conduct right
TkirdiJ: Let regard the essence and substance oi
this nriIripe Obedience 10 human law may be secured
py force by fear by policy. But true obedience can
not be secured this way. God cannot make YOU .oNe
what * nnldVaUc. II God great iDlnitc tyrdt as
.ome have described HIM. lie might compel the adOlTt-
zion Of multitude of lips but He cIui not win the allf
glance Of a single heart. That civilization Is imperfect
which rests law alone. Nothing could be more utuc
Than that moral reforms can b. carried On BY
law. by law you can never make tIe
drunEard sobcr,. the impure man chasie, The
fraudulent man honest. Penal laws are an lhdica-
fi0 of human impeTiectiOn But the CHRISTIAN principle
t0ncaes conseci7ucs ana cOmpcls the affections The
dlrIenCe hcl wccn philosophy and Christianity ls thdt
tie first consists teaching IN knowing the rlgl While
t'nristiany makes disposition To do right. Philosophy
eyokes reason docs Christianity, but It does more
works on the passions IL the highest sense IL u true
that evil affections only he cTadcdcd by higher ana
better affections The condition O all reform Is To over
come evil Win gOud.
Tue condtilns wnich furnish genuine test OF pruc
p4 arc when power s concined with the disposition 10
do right Tnls is the condition OF moral freedom God
gaye us the noblest condition lie could mpdrt wien He
gave US the power to do wrong, and We VIII, te dso-
Thine be done he has reached that disposition on wEcn
hang all the laws and the prophets. IL is not
an abstraction that VIII Eindle tho disposition
il is love which causes all high conduct anu
all noble achievement . Goodness can Gny be
aakcped by goodness. Gods love kndles our love. IL
il CuTists personality which does II. The revelation OF
Cbsfs life assures OF Gods love, even III ke DARK,
MYSTERIOUS passage OF our lives. In the night m msioI-
rre W. can feel that hand which aicts us L. Divine.
Ie Cross the mbOi OF the nCss Of Gods love and
.cuc that substance OF this pfincihc, and on
these twu commandments hang all inc law OF the
prophets"