law." The new covenant is based on the original condition, and points us to
Christ's atonement, as the source of grace, that we may fulfill the righteousness
of the law." Rom.viii,3,4. Notice, it is not the law of God which is represented by
the bond-woman, neither is it the gospel which is represented by Sarah. But
Hagar represents Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children,
and Sarah represents Jerusalem which is above, which is free, which is the
mother of us all. The son of the bond-woman represents the children of Old
Jerusalem by the first covenant, even as Isaac represents the children of the
New Jerusalem, by the new covenant. The bondage of literal Israel was not
because the law of God was given to them,
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but because they were its transgressors, - the servants of sin. John viii,33-36.
The freedom of those who are the children of the New Jerusalem is not that the
law has been abolished, but that they have been made free from sin. Rom.vi,22.
Gal.v. That the "yoke of bondage" here spoken of means "the law of
commandments contained in ordinances," and not the law of God, is evident from
many considerations. The ordinance of circumcision was not one of the precepts
of the royal law - was not a part of the ten commandments; but it belonged to the
law of Moses. John, viii,23. The apostles [Acts xv.] in treating of circumcision, and
the law of Moses in general, call it a yoke which neither they nor their fathers
were able to bear. But that the law of God, so far from being a yoke of bondage is
the delight of God's saints, both testaments prove. Ps.i,2,cxix,174; Rom.vii,7,22;
viii,1-7; 1John v,3. And the fourth commandment is particularly pointed out as
such, Isa.1viii,13,14. Those who observed circumcision were debtors to do the
whole law of Moses; for if one of its ordinances is binding all of them must be.
Then we should have to return to its offerings and atonements, and thereby
reject the one offering of Jesus Christ, the only ground of justification before God.
The typical service was succeeded by the antitypical, when the bond-woman was
succeeded by the free-woman. "Love is the fulfilling of the law?" Why so?
Answer: Because, "This is the love of God that we keep his commandments,"
and "love worketh no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
1John,v,3; Rom.xiii,10. - Love to God consists in rendering obedience to those
commandments which contain our duty to Him; love to our neighbor consists in
obeying those commandments which contain our duty to him. Those who love
God with all their hearts, and their neighbor as themselves, renders cheerful
obedience to those precepts which hang on these two great commandments, not
forgetting the "new commandment" of Jesus, that his people love one another
EVEN AS HE LOVED US. John, xiii,34; 1John iii,16,22-24. Love then does not
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make void the law, but fulfills it. Charity, the perfect love of God, is then the end,
the object,
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the design of the commandments of God. If we are led by the Spirit we are not
under the law, for AGAINST those who bring forth its fruit, there is no law. Gal.v.
18-23.
Eph.ii,11-17. The care with which Paul has stated what was abolished at the
crucifixion, will enable us to understand the subject in its true light. Does he