ive no punishment in
the future world. If sin should be committed in the future state, then
in the future state it would be punished. The same argument will apply
to our obedience to the law, which can receive, for the same reason,
no reward in that world. "No flesh shall be justified by the deeds of
the law." "Eternal life is the gift of God." If so, then it cannot be
"of works, lest any man should boast." God, being infinite in wisdom,
could not have failed to enact a law so perfect, and so exactly
adapted to the nature of man, that _obedience_ would render him a rich
reward, and _disobedience_ a condign punishment. The wise man says
that "the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth; much more the
wicked and the sinner."

We now turn to the spirit of the law.--"To love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself is the fulfillment of the
law;" and if we are not to be saved by the law, then our _love_ to God
and each other cannot save us; for that is the law. By what then are
we to be saved? Answer: by the gospel, which is God's love manifested
to his creatures. The conclusion then is that we are not to be saved
by our _love_ to God, but by God's _love_ to us. This, I presume, no
one will dispute. Here then we discern the difference between the law
and the gospel. God's love is the _cause_ of salvation--human love is
the _effect_. "Herein (says John) is love; not that we loved God, but
that he loved us." "We love him _because_ he _first_ loved us." How
many did he love? He so loved the world who were dead in trespasses
and sins, that he freely delivered up his Son for us all--he by the
grace of God tasted death for every man. This is the gospel-love that
God commendeth towards us, and the love that will finally save us.

Many persons contend that we must love God and do certain duties, or
we cannot be saved. This is preaching ourselves. It is preaching the
love of man as the cause of his salvation, instead of the love of God.
And while thus preaching, they will perhaps at the same time tell the
sinner that God is his enemy. But will the sinner's love make God his
friend--will it cause his Creator to love him? No; right the reverse
of this is the doctrine of Christ. "We love God because he first loved
us." If we deny God's _first_ love to the sinner, we then destroy the
very _cause_ by which _alone_ the sinner can be made to love God. If
we make men believe that God is their enemy and hates the