Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-12-11
THE LAW AMI THE GOSPEL.
M~editatiOns IN the Court House on
Sunday.

After worshlping in the Court House
for the past year and as We sat listen.
ing to the gospel for the last time be-
fore going into our new church some
very serious and unusual thoughts
were suggested to mind. 1 found my
self contrasting the law and the COS
pei, considering the question Of how
man deals with matters Of jLiispru-
dence and settles accounts with the
t-ransgreSS0rs Of law as compared with
Gods settlement with the sinner.
In the same room where the faithful
minister OF the gospel has been tell
ing sinners how they might get rid Of
their sins and escape the penalty OF
their transgressions, by repentance
towards God, and faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ. / have see seven ar
raigned for crime and sitting under
trial before a jury Of their country.
men. In the latter case it was sim
ply a trial OF guilt or innocence. The
indictment was read, the witnesses
were called and testified, the lawyers
delivered their plea, pro and con, the
judge gave his instructions TO the
jury, and they retired, deliberated and
brought in their verdict. The law
vas memorable and the transgressor
must suffer the penalty OF his trans
erosion. Repentance and tears could
avail nothing before this tribunal.
The law vas plain, the evidence con-
elusive the lawyers exhausted their
powers OF persuasion, IN impartial
jury could not &c otherwise than
bring in a verdict OF guilty. And so,
Notwithstanding the penltence OF the
guilty culprit, and the Tears aud sobs
Of the broken-hearted mother and the
hopeless despair OF the distracted
wife and children, the condemned pris.
oner must 20 to the penitentiary or
10 the gallows, The law must be
indicated and government upheld.
But ia this other court OF inquiry
with the Court House turned intola
church, the lawyer changed into a
preacher Of the gospel, and the sinner
arraigned before an invisible Judge,
with his WI conscience the witness
how changed are the results
The blessed Redeemer is both Judge
ana jury and when the WORD rafun-i
fully preached and accompanied by
the Holy Spirit brings conviction to
the heart Of the sinner and he is made
to CRY cut: What shall / do to be
Saved?' then comes quickly the
answer to every trembling penitent,
believe on the Lord Jesus and thou
shalt be saved" o, what q wonder.
full provision Of grace and pardon is
this, and what a wonderful privilege
has been that Of every sinner who has
come within the walls Of this old
Court House and heard the gospel
from Gods ambassador. Not one need
ever have gone out unpardOned and
unSayed. How strange thata single one
should have refused to accept pardon
and eternal life on such easy terms.
In what striking contrast is the ar
raignment OF the transgressor before
a human court with that Of the same
sinner before the divine tribunal. In
the former all the machinery Of the
law is brought to bear to convict and
punish the culprit; 10 the latter every
thing that divine law and wisdom can
conceive is brought to bear TO get the
sinner to see and confess his sin; not
that he may be punished, but par
doned and made pure and happy for
Human law calls for justice,
and with m unrelenting hand enforc-
es the penalty Of violated law. To be
sure, In some instances provision is
made for the ~pardoning power, which
Is occasionally exercised by the Gov
ern0r or President.
But in the gospel Of our blessed
Lord, the rich provisions Of grace for
and happiness ard available to-
every ~penitent, believing sinner, and
III the divine resources are exhausted
induce the sinner to accept pardon
md eternal life. o, what a privileged
o live under a gospel dispensation
where our cases a come before
rather than a human tribunal,
md where, falling 10 meet the strict
1actions Of the law, the sinner can
ind justice tempered by mercy, and
an plead the merits Of One, who
ying on the cross, has met every de-
~ thu Ian -