Psalm 119:96 I have seen an end of all perfection; but Your
commandment is exceeding broad.
A deeper insight into the Lord's testimonies is the sure result
of considering them. Weigh them in the balances against this
world's excellency; the world and the word-each with all its fullness. Of the one perfection we see an end- of the other none. This world is a matter of experience and observation.
We have seen an end-not of some-but of all its perfection. It
wants sufficiency. It stands us in no stead in the great
emergencies of affliction-death- judgment-eternity. It wants
solidity in its best substance. "In its wisdom is grief!" All its
delicacies and indulgences-after having, like the King of
Jerusalem, "not withheld the heart from any joy"-all end in the
verdict of disappointment-"Behold! all was vanity and vexation
of spirit!" Its continuance is but for a moment. The soul is born
for eternity. Therefore it must have a portion to last as long as
itself. But the world, with its lusts and fashions, passes away.
All that it can offer is a bubble-a shadow. In its best riches,
honors, and pleasures-in the utmost that its perfection can
yield-in its height and prime of enjoyment-what is it in it self what is it able to do for us? "All is vanity." And yet such is the
alienation of the heart from God, that it is first tried to the very
uttermost, before any desire to return homeward is felt or
expressed. And even then, nothing but the Almighty power of
God can bring the sinner back. He would rather perish in his
misery, than "return to his rest."
Now contrast with the emptiness of the world the fullness of
the commandment of God. Our whole duty to our God, our
neighbor, and ourselves, is here laid open before uscommanding without abatement, and forbidding without
allowance-making no excuse for ignorance-frailty or
forgetfulness- reaching not only to every species of crime, but
to everything tending to it. This is perfection, of which we
never see an end. Every fresh view opens-not the extent-but
the immensity of the field; and compels us at length to shut up
our inquiries with the adoring acknowledgment-Your
commandment is exceeding broad. Its various parts form one
seamless piece; so that no particle can be separated without
injury to the whole. As all the curtains of the tabernacle
connected by taches and loops, made but one covering for the ark, and the loosening or disjunction of the smallest point
disannulled the fitness of the whole; so it belongs to the
perfection of the commandment, that "whoever shall keep the
whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." The
spirituality of its requirements equally illustrates its Divine
perfection. An angry look is murder; an unchaste desire is
adultery; the "stumbling-block of iniquity"-"covetousness"-in
the heart is idolatry; the thought as well as the act-the first
conception of sin, as well as the after-commission-brings in
the verdict-Guilty-Death.
Can we, then, endure the sight of its exceeding breadth? the commandment of the gospel is equally broad, and
covers all. We know who has stood in our place-who has
satisfied Sinai's unalterable requirements, and borne its awful
curse. Broad as it may be, the love which has fulfilled it is
immeasurable. As a covenant, therefore, it has now lost its
terrors. As a rule, we love it for its extent, and for its purity; for
the comprehensiveness of its obligations, and for the
narrowness of its liberty for indulgence; nor would we wish to
be subject to a less severe scrutiny, or a more lenient
administration.
Reader! if you have learned the exceeding breadth and
spirituality of the law (the first lesson that is taught and
learned in the school of Christ), your views of yourself and
your state before God will be totally changed. Before, you
were "thanking God" in your heart, "that you were not as other
men are." Now you will be "smiting upon your bosom, saying God be merciful to me a sinner!" Before, perhaps, you might
have thought yourself, "touching the righteousness which is of
the law, blameless." Now you will glory in your new and more
enlightened choice-"What things were gain to me, those I
counted loss for Christ." Once you considered yourself "alive,"
when you were really dead. Now that "the commandment is
come" in its heart-searching spirituality and conviction to your soul, you "die" that you may live. Blessed change from the law
to the gospel-"from death to life!" "I through the law am dead
to the law, that I might live unto God."
Such is the effect of the transition from a legal to an
evangelical ground. Before, we were reckless of sin, and
therefore reckless of the gospel. As the one fell lightly upon
our conscience, the other held a light estimation in our
judgment. While we had no disturbance from the law, we had
no delight in the gospel. But now that we see in the true
mirror, we are at once alarmed and enlightened. Praised be
God! we now take the true estimate-we degrade to the
uttermost righteousness by works-we exalt to the uttermost
righteousness by faith. In the one we see pollution-in the other
