The following is a reprint of an old, much-worn clipping sent to us by one of our contributors. It has neither date nor name of author, but it seems in so many points to mark the distinction between the Mosaic Law and the higher understanding of the Gospel,—between the letter and the spirit,—that we give it to our readers. In form its tersely wedded contrasts suggest that the unknown author was familiar with the peculiar rhythm of Hebrew poetry. The declaration and answer of the antiphonal couplet is more frequently a parallelism of thought, but the contrast of thought yields the greater and more pleasing emphasis.
The law says, This do, and them shalt live.
The gospel says, Live, and then thou shalt do.
The law says, Pay me that thou owest.
The gospel says, I frankly forgive thee all.
The law says, Make you a new heart and a new spirit.
The gospel says, A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.
The law says, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
The gospel says, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He first loved us and gave His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
The law says, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.
The gospel says, Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin is covered.
The law says, The wages of sin is death.
The gospel says, The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The law demands holiness.
The gospel gives holiness.
The law extorts the unwilling service of a bondman.
The gospel wins the loving service of a son and freeman.
The law says, Do. The gospel says, Done. The law places the day of rest at the end of the week's work.
The gospel places it at its beginning.
The law makes blessings the result of obedience.
The gospel makes obedience the result of blessing.
The law says, "if."
The gospel says, "therefore."
The law was given for restraint.
The gospel was given for liberty.
God's dealings with man under the law were to show him his own helplessness.
His dealings with him under the gospel are to show him the mighty power of his Saviour.
