, 1877-02-26
BISHOP AfERR1LI,.

0F NOn1 AANs
Bishop Merrill preached at uracc Methodist
streets, yesterday morning, on tho "Fult1lment
OF Gods Law" lie took his text from the
eighth chapter Of Romans, third and fourth
vcracs: "For what the law could not do, in
that 1t was weak through the flesh, Col sculinE
Ills own Son In the likeness Of sinfut 0cssl, and
for ain, condemned sin In tic lfes that the right
eousncss Of the law might be fuldlledin us, who
walk notustcr the flesh, but after the Bplrt.h Tho
term which led and concentrated tho passagu
wns tho word "1aw,n term that had various
applications in the Scriptures, but one which
always carried the idea Of command. somc-
times II meant tho decalogue, md sometimes
the Inv Of Jesus, but somottrnes # meant God's
wl,o1u law and plans for saving rebelllous sin
ncrs- TAern was unuucst,onotly law bf God
beyond these. tinchanhenbto anil nearly allied to
Moa lllmsc!f, and oae tuut governed Tod IN
lis deallms wit mcn III Ts ra "w rnstal,y was
u unlcrstnnl Il W. must understand God, Ynr
llc was tic cssence Ut the law, and all His
attributes wero tho attributes Of Ills law. II
tiDl was holy, faithful, and Just, thcn Ills
OF oil that nac up love, anllove was tbs fulfil,
ment Ut tlc law. On tllia pr!'elpto WIS that Of
Christ established.
This law, csnanating from Gods cwn essential
consequently boanl to the Throne the insclI-
gcnce Ut oycry sentlcnt being, and men. being
brought under the dominion Of the law, were
br9.ait int M i, harmony 9I H. communion Of tue
Tho law thus given for mems guidance must
be suprcmet and yct there appeared to llavo
been wcaknesa IN that Il was weak through
tho flesh. Tho weakness OF God mist be rcla.
tive, nnd not positive. since 1t sprang from its
relntiors to men who ind transGrcsecd tho Law.
Theru WAS no weakness ID tue law, for II, like
Col, was strong and interchangeable, but It could
not conIer the strength on men that 4 was Do
agrcd to confer, because Of the oesrnaltty Of men,
Titus there was something tl,e law could not DO,
because OF the weakness q the ncsh. II
could not forEvu ems, Justify unEollincss.,
rcsurrcct Q dead soul: Or anything Of that sort,
But there was something even more definite In
the mind Of the APOSTLE. 1[c lad been arguing
Upon the fats Of sinncrs, and as le pcrsoh'llcd
Btl the positions he took, he pcrsonftlel In tho
tercst ia the Savfor. ~ n1opting TIM first por-
son singular, Ie spokq of himself. but not linn
self a,ons, when he spoke OF tito suffering soul
md tue Hanger It was In.
was describing Christian, and whether 1t was
not the duty u tho Christian to always submit
20 tho auflarlng described. md II there was q
higher and puIcE md better life than that sllg-
law which condemned him, which would indl-
cate that he wns Christian, since That was one
Of thu tirst duties OF man tired Of ain aud be-
coming enlightened.
But what tAu Inv could not do, Coz. had found
way to accomplish, In tho likeness Of sinful
llcsl. It Was to secure to mcn tho right to walk
In tic patll Of Chrint. Tic law could not for
give, but God found a woy, and sent Hts Son,
who cnnlo Into tho world 70 save where tho 1.w
could hot. Upon Chrlst's coming thu Bishop
bascl his argument that tho law WIS law Of
love, mud thai, while It wna powerlcss to inter
fcro wllcre tnfractcd, III amendment In tho
shape OF the llfo Of Christ had crocted tho sal
vutt0u ot all who believe.
At the conclusion Of the discourse the Rev.
MI. Latarop. formerly pastor OF thu Church,
GIbio Aesustatio,, and tic annual collection was
takcn up.
Tho pastor announced that hereafter Dr.. 8.
c. Blake and Dr.. Higgins would be in attend.
aneo ut the Cliurch cvery hiontiay trom Ia u
o'clock to randor medical assIstancc to the
needy. lie spoke Of them ~ ablc and prom
snent pl,ys[clans, who had volunteered their
service In aid OF tho destitute, and urged all who
needed 1t to como freely to them.