The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-02-04

Moses when he fell on his face again and
again. aud imnlored God 10 spare the
transgressors of His law. IL was so
with Elisha when he fixed his eyes on
Hazel. and wept because he foresaw the
end of The course on which that wicked
man had entered IL was 80 with
Samuel when he tasted aud wept and
mourned because iniQuitv aboundcd. IL
was 80 with jeremiah when he struck
drops Of grief from every wire of his sad
harm II was so with Paul who went
when De wrote, wcpt when he preached,
went when be thought OF the end Of the
enemies OF the cross But look, my
hearers, will show you a sight more
affecting than all these
"lhc $ of God in tears.
Angels With wonder view"
Two SUNDAY nights ago this was the sub
icct Of my sermon, and this was my text;
"Whcn Jesus came near He beheld the
ciiy and wept over IT,.
"Did Chri.t o'cr sinners weep.
And shah or tears DO dry 2
No. nv friends. If we love Christ,
we shall be like Him. II we are like
Him. we shall have something OF His
compassion Our hearts will be warm
and render and full OF pity. We will say
and feel as David did when he cried |
beheld the trans .ressors and was grieyed.
DIVINE AND HUMAN LAW
Now. let M inquire into the reasons Of
This pious grief
David wepi because men made
void Gods law We have cause TO
do ,hc same. and for the same reason.
The law for which David grieyed when
hr saw it broken. means not only the law
contained in the Ten Commandments,
hui 10 includes tie will of God RS re-
ycalcd an through the Bible Many re-
gard the law of God only az something
Co Ice dreaded Many look on II as an
cnemyio human happiness. There never
WINS "a greater mistake. Gods law Tor the
world was meant 10 maintain order, JUS
tice. peace. and harmony. The laws
which men make are intended
for the same thing whether In the
State OF In the family How would
v0u Ike 20 live in IA country
where there IS no law,--where theft
and robbery and murder were not pro
hbiied and punished What kind of q
family would that be whose children
were not forbidden 10 insult their pa
rents or Ga abuse one another, allowed
to go wherever they liked and DO what
ever they pleased You DO not say that
good State laws and family laws are use
less or unkind You know that the laws
OF the State are designed TO protect hon
est and industrious people IN their rights,
and 20 restrain the wicked from those
acts which would destroy the safety and
happiness of society But Gods laW
gives support to all Just human law
gives IL authority and requires Il 70 be
administered fairly 1t does more than
human law can DO, for human law can
only control mans outward conduct
while Gods law seeks 10 control The
heart: and when mems feelings
purposes. and principles are right,
then their outward conduct will be right
also The mau who breaks a state law
IS an enemy 10 every good citizen. II he
is q thief or slanderer or a robbef all
nght-minded citizens have an interest IN
getting him put under restraint and pun
ished for his assaults on other people !
property. character, and lives. We have
a still greater interest in wishing every
one 10 obey Gods law. 1t is the harmony
of the world, and we have cause 10 grievt
when il is trampled under foot
LAW AND LOVE.
. Good men behold transgressors and
are grieyed because they see them tramp
ling not only on law but on love, when
they reject the only remedy for the evils
which sin has brought into the world
When God looked down from Heaven
and saw how The earth was filled with
wickedness, lie might have sent His de
stroving angel to sweep away It's guilty
inhabitants as the food swept away the
sinful generation In the days of Noah
But " God so loved the world az TO give
His only begotten Son that whOsoeyel
believeth on Him should not parish bu
have everlasting life He spared
the guilty but He did not spare
His Son The punishment which
transgressors deserved fell on His
innocent Son, because He, OF His Owl
win. took the transgTessOTs place ant
made himself responsible for the awiu
debt which sinners owed TO divine Jus
tice He was made a curse for US that We
might be blessed I'm Him He died tina
We might live that through Him W
might ind access 10 God, pardon
adoption and eternal salvation But th'
transgressOr rejects the only methot
contuyed bv infinite wisdom and low
for his redemption; treats with neglec
the bleeding Christ-bleeding and dyins
for him-that the charm Of such suffer
ings might soften his heart, win his at
lection and draw him TO the Saviour
feet there 10 lind forgiveness. Th'
+ tran-gressOr breaks down the onll
+ bridge by which he can pass from th'
ground OF condemnation and wrath Il
the ground. Of pardon and peace-throw
down the only ladder by which he cal
ascend into heayen--and can we behold
inlatuation aud ingratitude ike this AM
not grieve.
SIN ITS OWN AVENGEh.
g. But good men grieye over trans
/ gressors, not only because they breal
F Gods law and reject Christs great love
. bui because of tho Aarm and loss they
bring ON themselves by such conduct
+ They bring misery on themselves II
making the wrong choice, because "Th'
way of transgressors Is hard. 1t may
not be so al the beginning The com
mencement of the way may be smootf
and pleasant The Bible speaks OF "tht
pleasures of sin Then there are al
mitted enjoymeuts in a sinful life But
the Bible says the pleasures OF sin are
for season This world Is not the
place of final rewards and punishments
and many 20 on In sin long time with
ont meeting the retribution linked To il
hut God has SD made the world and has
so arranged lis moral government that
sin In some way and al some
time IS It's own avenger When iht
wisest of men declared that the
way of transgressOrs il hard he wa:
giving the results OF his own Obserya
ton, stating what Is true as a general
fact-a fact sustained In the long run by
the experience of the world There may
Doe apparent exceptions TO the general
law, for some sinners have no bands -
no remOrse or fear-"eyen IN their