, 1876-03-13

Christ, aud ho too stall DO sayedt
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
sEnMoN nY THE nKr. j. II. TRoWDn1DoE.
Tho following sermon was preached last Bun-
day at tho nivcrs!de Chapel by tho 1,oy. ). u.
Trowbr1dgo:
1IY thomo this morning IL "Rlghteousness."
Almost any ono Of hundred to1tB might scrvo
~ an introduction. have, however, chosnn
these two.
Aud 1t abail 10 cur Righteousness II We obser1e to do
all theso commandments before tho Lord ctr God
lie hath commanded us.-Dsut., r., n.
In lite Way Of I1Ehteouaness IL fo, aud In Tho path
way Mcrc0f iA no death--flfr., ill.,, ~.
III the first Of these paseages wo aro told what
righteousness IL III tho aecond to what It leads.
The primary Idea Of righteousness is simply that
OF conformity 10 rulp. Given = rulo or athnd-
ard Of conduct In nny department OF human nc-
tion, aud conformity to it will bo rghtucss, or
righteousness. No moral quality ts necessariiy
invol+nd.
Iu common and especially In Ectiptural uac,
however, tho word Ia nlgniHcant OF moral roctl-
tudc. But moral roctitudo Ia Of q greater or less
worth according aa the standard by which it Ia
measured ia hlgh or low. Tho standard Of
righteousness IN aocoty-go-calod-Is for tho
most part tho possession Of money or celebrity,
OF q certstn vencuring at mauners. 10 ono pos-
seased Of theae. ''society throws wido open all
its gatca, howevor wanting ita object. may bo in
moral worth or true gcntality. Tho standard Of
Righteousness upon 'Chauge Is tlxed so as TO ao-
commodato tho convenience OF thoso whose op-
eEattons aro often simply gambling, aud tho
righteousness Of tho legitimate tradc-the &c
copied mothod6 Of doing buHnosH-aB frequently
far enough from that Of tie Golden Rule. rho
righteousness Of politics fs an unknown guam
uty. Seldom Of very elevated quality. and is for
tho most part at tho farthoss possible rouove
from purity OF honesty.
our discourse la mt that Of society, trade, or
politics. rs these are known to uH. This, said
Moses to tho 1ttaolikos, shall be Our righteous
nens II wo observe to do all these commananeuts
u.s." Tho context shows LIB what rera the com
mandnents" roferrot to. They oouaiBted OF
tue Docaloguc, With "tha testimonies the
statutes, and tho Judgments Of the Lord thy
God"
Eyory reader Of tho Dible is aware Of The frs-
Qucncy with which this word righteousness ru-
ours throughout T.. In tho first verao Of tho
second chapter Of uonosis vo hear God saying
Me-" And from this onward, Il ii tho n'oat dis
tlnutivc aud characteristic vDta OF tho Script
urps. md OF mnte fronucnt rccu11euce
than almost sny Other. term. It flames niong
Tho 9u s rool Dof Of plo7orSs r. Is % pet,adoa viii il
throughout. It biszos forth IN tho Prophets,
tho key-uote 10 all tho promises aud Ail the
thyeateningn. Tho word and tho idea together
croBH tho chnBm between tho Old and Nov Tca-
tarsents, mud 1oappcsr On tho bither s!ds With
ITO dln,inition or change Of Significance. john
tho Baptist appearB and breaches Of righteous
noBs. Jchns nRyh to him. "vLus 1t occomoth
alitn;ioa Of Ills dist aud groatcst recorded sor-
mon NO lind blcssedness pronounced upon him
that oven 30 much 81 hungers and thrata after
it. pau! md tho other Apostles casch up the
word, and it rings cut upon tho hsr from ule!r
every epthtlo; aud tho lsoselation no loss EN-
phasisoA it..
Auil what should be unmarked hero, Is. that
always and everywhere. from QeneslH 70 Royo!n-
ton, not only tho word but tho Idea Ia tho sano.
Tho righteonhness is ono, as Tho standard Ia ono
There IL much said BY certain class Of writer's
Of tho comparative Ignorance and barbaristn Of
tho Mosaic period, md OF tho very gradual ad-
| vance Of tho Jcussh people in intelligence Ind
i risGtoousness Of Dasd Of Isaiah, Of Christ, and nd
OF Paul. There is abbolutoly uo change, 20 I'd
vance. Tho tightsousncsH OF the Old Tcstn-
mont Raiuts md that OF Tho New nro iIcnli-
| cal. Eyon TINT which Ia Of faith IN not
| which consisted In Keeping nll tho divine COM
| nlapin1ents Us 'enunc}ated by our Lord. Tho
| word religion, 30 otton on our lips, occura but
/ pbout f,ye times In tho D,blc, but this etroug,
its pages, lighting up the 900 years. Of its hla.
tory With Ai uniiickoring illumination. It 10 tho
| QUO steudfa1., .unvarying thought running
throags all ho dspona,at!9}ns sna I'd binding inw
Eaeh, ts,on, is tao Righteousness. Of tho Bib,e
---unyarying conformity to tho dirno rule Of
rectituao In every relation and in all ottr coll
duct. III word, 1t IL ncltber moro nor loss
than holiness, regarded ~ conformity 10 law.
And this ta nlso that Righteousness OF which wo
a1p told iu our to1t thas " III the way thereof IL
llfo, aud In tho pathway thereof no DEATH"
T -. lab III nf a1t