The Law and the Gospel.

A final Proof that even this highest and best Conclusion is still of the natural man, lies in the fact that no preacher of the gospel would select this text as one containing the gospel.

Did he do so, he would contradict the high truth of the Old Testament itself, "the just shall live by faith," and would wrench this book out of its proper place in the organic structure of the Old Testament, as throughout a preparation for Christ and his redemption. This "Conclusion," and obedience to it, are not Christianity, with its cross and its grace; nor does it contain the wonderful things God has revealed to the spiritual man.

Or should a "Preacher" read, to an un saved assembly, the book of Ecclesiastes in stead of preaching an ordinary sermon, he would never, if he knew the gospel of the grace of God, on reaching the conclusion of the whole matter, " Fear God and keep His commandments," dismiss the congregation with the benediction, as if their assent to that final word had now set them right with God, and "its practice would issue in their salvation! " Would he not, at that very point, begin to preach to them justification by faith in Christ alone, and to testify that whosoever believes in the Son of God receives eternal life, and will never, as a sinner, come into judgment?

The use of either the Text or Book, or both, would be to convince of vanity and convict of sin, and to lead to Christ, the Righteousness of God and the Bread from heaven, the Chief Good and Real Portion of men under the sun; — Whose words and example are His changeless law for the conduct of life.

This Hebrew Preacher to natural men, can only tell them what they ought to be, and there he leaves them. The very suddenness of the Conclusion is suggestive of subsequent failure and despair. It has been so with all who knew what law means. The great height attained in the final conclusion, proves to be but a Sinai, with its fire, and blackness, and tempest, and tremblings. Who has so feared God and kept His commandments as to be able to meet Him in judgment? But just here the grace of God in Christ Jesus meets the sinner, perplexed, weary, unsatisfied, condemned, on his way to the darkness of the grave and eternal judgment.

When man ends then God begins. When all the world had become guilty before God; when the Hebrew in his self-righteousness had utterly failed to fear God and keep His commandments; when the Persian loved darkness rather than light; when the Greek by his wisdom knew not God; when the Roman had stupefied his conscience and liked not to retain God in his knowledge even though there was still taught by Hebrew Scripture and by .Pagan creed, by seer and sybil, the coming of a day of wrath, and the impending judgment of Gehenna; then God, in His love, wisdom and power made Himself manifest, a just God and a Saviour.

Where man ends there God begins. The Book of the Natural Man comes to its close so that the Gospel of the Son of God may open; the all of man, under the sun, of the first and fallen Adam, only convicts him of failure and guilt, to lead him to the All of the last Adam, the Lord from heaven. Over the highest Thought of Man " under the sun," touching the Good, over this loftiest Conclusion concerning Ideal Righteousness and future Judgment," God's heaven of gracious Thoughts toward man as vain and sinful, bends out of infinite depths. The Book of the Natural Man is the Preparation for the Gospel of the Son of God, the Redeemer.