New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-09
THE LAW OF GOD.

sample Gt the First Presbyterian church
The Rev. Robert F. Sample, of Minneapolis
preached at the First Presbyterian Church yesterday
HIS text was Galatians v 10: But when the fulness
of tho time came, God sent forth his Sou born of a
born under the law. that he might redeem them
which were under the law"
sin, said the speaker lies under the very founda
ton of the remedial system II Is OF the first import
ance, therefore, that have clear conviction Of our
state You observe that under law.
Wherever indeed. yen find the products Of Divine
power there you will find The plant is under law
1t derives nourshmcnt from earth AMI air by Divine
appointment. II 1t IL subject to foreign influence, II
whcrs and dies Fire. and hail are under the IN
Aucncc Of law Man is not exception Being com
pound being he IL under physical and moral law"
There necessity that mans moral nature should
be subject TO law.
But man has violated this law Tho whole world con
fcsses IT, II shown I'm pcrmagcs fasfings and pray
crs Moloch and Juggcrnaut declare the same. Reform
atorie and salaricd officials, from the policeman to the
Chief MAGISTRATE Of the Nation all declare The presence
OF sin and the necessity Of IT'S punishment All the
sophstries of inhdelty cannot remove this painful
truth.
Observe again that sin rorpcuatcs itself Volaors Of
the law continue to violate 10. II violate physical
law there is physical Bnt sin is moral faint
Recovery from that If nj ALL is made by external means
But meanwhile the disorder increases. The train which
is switched of track is continually rcccdng
from is destined course. One young man says to an
other Come this time; # is nothing" inviting him
upon the way Of sin. He goes at first as an observer
then as part'cpator in guilt.
There ia another fact 10 he observed in the crcum-
stances of sin We Influence others In order To escape
mi. order Of nature would be obliged to go ont Of
the world Go down TO the North River and throw
pebble intoit Though the great ocean steamers pow
their way down that stream yet, amid all the activity
ofconmcrcla life uponhe rivers surface, The influence
IL, falt &c d
that the pebble displaced every atom of that water
one man scornS Cross, rauplcs under foot the word
Of God and the blasting influence sweeps on. No man
lives unto himself We are living 10 the third and
fourth generations 90 TO the cemetery and stand by
the crave the ipndc I may be unable to read
the inscription upon his tomb yet | know
am I'm the presence Of a man who Is living unto the
third and fourth generations. His influence does not die
with him Can the Ethiopian chance his skin or the
leopard his spots II ones nfuencc ~ To DC changGd
or II there f. he reformation IL must come from the
very sources ~ human nature. This changes the whole
ct of opc' being and sets II in opp psitc direction
The influence Of sin that though the cause Of
the effect remains. me loren WhCh hd'
Ell whole civ in Annes may itself be extinct while
Therefore we say that our own reformation cannot
nonc for the crimes which have led others to com
nit SION must therefore, suffer in consequence OF 1t.
Punishment thus becomes essential 10 the MANURE of la"
c obligation to punish resides in the attributes Of God
fJrrslf Law Is lust and good ana holy Look the
history Of the world and find that sin and suffering
have gone hand I'm hand.
The mimi .ment Of unnelicvcrs is eternal They are
1rurd vays TO continue to sin, and, hence, continu
ally 90 suffer. Rut II may be SAID t'at pnmishment is
retorratorv and that in consequence unhcievers may
Tins he saved Not II Is directly opposite. Punish
mont l-zravatcs hostility 60 God. That was profound
philosophical statement OF an English Judge who sud,
In ecutcncug man to long imprisonment: q do this
for Engaud's good, moi y0urs. .. Of,
And how then about the judgment Of God: Ic shall
70 away into everlasting punishment ~ As heaven
Tools down on the -in OF the world IL sass Just
thy judgments. O God AlW'-hty.' Now observe that
This Judgment not arbitrary, but II Il the result 81
divHclT appointed law. which is good You have heard
Of the tyrau who ordered builder 10 construct an IN
sruIncnt OF torture II done The device was CN-
ahmed and pronounced perfect. "And now" said The
trat 10 the maker. get into n yourself, that its eli
,cv may be proved lie dd SO, anxious 10 prove the
excellence OF bis own work. But a. ,hc walls br2H !"
, tnr.tier lac brcaUc terrified lie then threw BIN
no nearer and nearer they their HcOn perfect
mud Inevitable for 90 he himself Gd constructed the
Then ne exclaimed. "oh walls rn- together an. terH
nat this miserable cEiscucc Bat 10, no faster Tor 80
lie himself had constructed them. Slowly, Slowly tiN
come on His body at length feels their contact pon'
by point, until every part OF ~ ldcsh"' S"W ot
crushed and death follows So the laws Of God operate
Now let turn to the point OF redemption thHs'
stands our representative lie never luis drlHy ,l
iii he has completed the obedience thGt the violated
laws Of Cod demand. lie wounded for orr trans
gressions Observe in the next place hat lie destroys
the pcrpeudtlng power OF sin. lie Is ~ mp above ~
uov,r and makes us like unto Himself Then, again DO
contcacts our influence upon the lives Of others The
Christian continually warning men against SIN Jesus
own gl0ry. Again., through simple faith In
me Lord Jesus Christ We are saved ctcInaHy' Ihcn
last lifted into that life beyond Cr-t e-us naln re-
deemed from tho curse Of sin and IL alone can 90
There is no from this curse-und am SIad OF II
save through Jesus Christ Ho Is the only ana sumc!eht
5lviom Dearly beloved brethren, have we not reason
for gratitude that He came down 10 bear our sins on me
cross aud to open the way the heavenly net sinners,
labor and arc heavy Laden God lead us TO the shelter
OF the cross!