The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-31

again we find the great apostle, writing
still of the Jew,saying that"as many as
have sinned without law shall also per-
ish without law" In 18th verse he |
says, that when the Gentiles, winch
have not the law"-that is of Moses !
do by nature the things contained In
the law, these, having not the law, are
a law unto themselves" He means to
say. that the Gentiles who have sinned
without the written law shall perish
also without that law. They have
sinned against the law of nature, for
there are many others who d by ma
ture the things contained in The law,
and are therefore saved. 1t is the
''doers of the law" who are Justified
n3th verse; and those with only the law
OF nature live up to 1t, Obeying it, ARE
a law unto themselves, are accepted OF
God" In this way some of the heather
will be saved. the Lord Jesus Christ hav
ing died for them, and having made full
atonement for them. There are now,
and have been all through the ages,
wise, prudent, obedient heather who in
their private estimate of right and
wrong, and their public laws for the
repression of crime, SOW some discern
ment of the will of God, whereby they
may be judged in the end" If this be
true how can the Jews, the apostle
argues escape punishment if they will
fully violate the written law, for "as
many as have sinned in the law shall
be judged by the law" n it is added
with great significance, For not the
hearers of the law are just before God,
but the doors of the law shall be JUS
titled" If the people of this time, with
the perfect, full, completed rev.
elation of God, dare to sin
against His law. to show in their
lives that they disregard His i'm
perious claims and express laws, and
in sin "are a law into themselves" how
much more have they to answer for?
They sin openly, boldly against light
and knowledge. They know how much
God has in love and mercy lone for
them; what great sacrifices He has
I1dOc LOT IQoIU, What lONe III has IIdIl-
ifested toward them; then will it not be
just and righteous that they shall be
severely punished, having so sinned and
rebelled with hardness and impenitent
hearts, and thus have treasured up
unto" themselves wrath against the
day of wrath and revelation of God?"
All know hat 1.-The goodness of God"
should lead them to repentance" They
know we'll that 1.-The very wrath which
He has recorded against unrighteous-
ness is designed to make them right
eous." So there is no xcuse and no
escape. The judgment and punishment
are inevitable "in the day when God
shall judge the secrets Of men by Jesus
Christ" Is it not marvellous that n
man with reason, who is not STEPPED in
ignorance, who knows his death is in
e~vitable, and has a proper understand
ing of God A~lmighty's pure and right
Gus laws, hall go on shining, disobey-
ing, rebelling when future judgment is
absolutely as sure as death, and severe
punishment to follow upon judgment?
How can any man with fair under
standing and a heart not filled with
hatred of God. refrain from repent
ing of his sins, from loving and obeYing
such a benignant, gracious, merciful
God, when forgiveness upon repentance
and faith, is positively as certain as
that God lives and the Saviour, the
Lord Jesus Christ died? What a re-
Election it is upon the people of this
time and country that they should re-
Ject the only Saviour, and live in sin
and folly, when thousands of years ago
there were Observation-Disclosures
showed the works of the law written
in their hearts?" Q5th verse;. They
bowed this in their Temperance, right
eousness and moral honesty" :