the God of Israel; and therefore rejects his law. soon as a man submits to this law, receives it into s heart, every idol falls before it. He then loves the rk of God; his heart, like Eli, trembles when he sees it in danger, and he had rather be deprived of every temporal enjoyment than part with it. All the pious people in Israel sat a high value upon the ark, because it contained the holy law of God; and every good man ever has, and will put a high estimation upon the holy oracles of God. Though sinners may permit the law of God to be among them, yet when they see its claims upon them, and their idols, they cry out against it; and their practice shows that they reject the law of God. IMPROVEMENT. 1. From what has been said on this subject, we learn, that every one who is an enemy to the law of God, or disregards it in practice, is in love with some idol. He has some wrong propensity to gratify; some forbidden object which he wishes to obtain; nothing else will dispose him to reject the law of God. Nothing but the love of some idol can create disaffection to the divine law, and dispose men to put it from them. This law forbids nothing, but what is unreasonable, and requires nothing, but what is perfectly suitable. How reasonable to love God with supreme affection and worship him as our God! 2. We can see in the light of this subject, what disposes mankind to reject Jesus Christ. He came into the world to honour the law of God, and to call sinners to repentance for their disobedience. He ex plained the nature, and stated the requirements of the divine law, and insisted on the obligation under which all men are to love and obey this law; and expressly declared, that heaven and earth should pass away, before this law should, in the smallest degree be relaxed. Love of idols leads men to reject the law, and of consequence Jesus Christ, who justified and enforced its obligation. Hence every one who rejects the law of God, rejects Jesus Christ. No man can reject the law and yet be a friend to Christ, whose business into the world was to condemn all wrong affection all false worship, and bring all men to the true worship of God, as his law required. So no man can love Jesus Christ, and yet disregard the law of God ás a rule of life. Love to both is always united. Hence a man may be certain, that he is an enemy to Christ, if he disregards that law which Christ died to support. The heart which rejects the law as a rule of life must reject the gospel. The whole gospel scheme is built upon this principle, that the law is holy, just, and good; and that Jesus Christ is worthy of love and confidence, because he magnified, and made this law honourable. What love what confidence could be placed in Christ had he not obeyed his Father's law? Some are ready to imagine, they are friendly to the Saviour, and his gospel, while they disregard the law of his heavenly Father. How vain is such an imagination. He that loveth Christ, loveth his Father also; and he, that loveth not the character and law of the God of Israel, is equally destitute of love to Christ, "who is 16 the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of his person." It is a truth not to be overlooked, that they who reject the law of God as a rule of life, are enemies to the true character of God; for the law is a transcript of his perfection, and the very expression of his heart, and can never be broken without a heart which is unfriendly to its blessed and glorious author. 3. This subject may afford matter for self examination. What are our feelings with respect to the bible, which contains the mind and will of God? Do we esteem it a privilege to have it in our hands?-A distinguished favour, that God hath cast our lot in a land where God's law and gospel are enjoyed? And if so, how do we manifest our esteem of the ark of God? The only way to make it evident that we esteem this a privilege-a peculiar favour, is to attend to it as a rule of duty, and be careful to conform our hearts and lives to it. Nothing short of this will prove us sincere friends to the word of God. Vain indeed will be every other pretence! What propriety is there in the expostulation of Christ, "why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I command you?" Are there no idolaters present? It is not necessary that a person should set up a molten image in his house, to denominate him an idolater; for he may set up idols And this is common, in his heart, if not in his house. even in a land where people do not set up idols of wood or stone. Every one of you, who loves any thing more than the true God has set up idols in his heart; and such reject the law of God. This may be, and in fact is your character, if there be any object you love and pursue in preference to the glory of God. You are considered by the God of Israel as an idolater, and unfriendly to his law. Whenever your hearts go after their covetousness, you forsake God, and worship Mammon. We are the professed worshippers of the living God; yet we cannot suppose, but that there are multitudes, who love other things more than God, their Maker ; and are therefore guilty of idolatry. And the apostle expressly declares, "that such shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Where is your treasure? Decide this question, and you may know where your heart is your love is. Look then carefully into your hearts, and critically examine your prevailing inclinations, and from these learn to what object your heart is devoted. You may determine whether you are in love with idols, by ascertaining your views and feelings with respect to the word of God. Do you esteem it as your necessary food? Do you make it the man of make it the man of your counsel; study and meditate upon it, and regard it as the rule of your life? Are you willing to govern your wishes and inclinations by its dictates? Have your idols, fallen before this holy law, like Dagon from his seat? And are you willing the ark of the God of Israel should abide with you-be with you when you go out and when you come in-abide with you in your shopsyour fields-in your intercourse and dealings with others? Do you carry it with you in your bargains in |