XII. The value and blessedness of wisdom. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better Her ways are ways of pleasantness, She is a tree of lifet to them that lay hold upon her: And happy is every one that retaineth her.-Prov. iii. 13-18. Pearls or precious stones generally. Gen. ii 9 + See XIII. Prophecy of Christ as a King and a Priest. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength* out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.+ The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, He shall fill the places with the dead bodies; 17, * The gospel. 21. + See Heb. vi. 20; vii. 1-3, 11, He shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: Therefore shall he lift up the head.* -Psa. cx. He, the Divine Redeemer, shall first humble himself to the meanest condition, and state of want, but shall afterwards be exalted to glory and dignity. XIV. The law and the gospel.-Redemption by Christ. As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.§ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: (for it is *Who think to be justified by the law. xxvii. 26. + Hab. ii. 4. ? Lev. xviii. 5. + Deut. written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:*) that the blessing of Abraham+ might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit + through faith.-Gal. iii. 10-14. *Deut. xxi. 23. The blessing with which Abraham was blessed. The promised Spirit. XV. All are sinful.-The law leading to Christ. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise* by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept undert the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that *Of justification by faith. Justification means accounting believers righteous for the sake of Christ's righteousness. As under a military guard. The law was our conductor to Christ, (for so the word signifies,) by its doctrines, precepts, types, and prophecies, and by showing the difficulty of performing a law of works. we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no - longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus.-Gal. iij. 22-26. XVI. God's message to Josiah after he had heard the law of the Lord, and humbled himself. As for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD. Behold, I will gather This copy of "the law of the Lord by Moses" (2 Chron. xxxiv. 14) was probably that written by him which he ordered to be laid up beside the ark Deut. xxxi. 26. |