Chapter XX
Reading edition
CHAPTER XX.
The Law, xx. 1–17.
What the law did. It could not justify. It reveals obligation, 280.—It convicts, not enables. It is an organic whole. And a challenge, 281.—The Spirit enables: love is fulfilment of law. Luther’s paradox, 283.—Law and Gospel contrasted. Its spiritual beauty: two noble failures, 283.—The Jewish arrangement of the Commandments. St. Augustine’s. The Anglican. An equal division, 284–6.
The Prologue, xx. 2.
Their experience of God, 286.—God and the first table. The true object of adoration: men must adore. Agnosticism, 287.—God and the second table, 288.—Law appeals to noble motives, 289.
The First Commandment, xx. 3.
Monotheism and a real God, 289.—False creeds attractive. Spiritualism. Science indebted to Monotheism, 290.—Unity of nature a religious truth. Strength of our experimental argument. 291.—Informal apostacy. Luther’s position. Scripture. The Chaldeans, 292.—Animal pleasure, 293.—The remedy: “Thou shalt have ... Me,” 294.
The Second Commandment, xx. 4–6.
Imagery not all idolatry. The subtler paganisms, 295. Spiritual worship, like a Gothic building, aspires: images lack expansiveness, 296.—God is jealous, 297.—The shadow of love, 298. Visiting sins on children, 299, 300.—Part of vast beneficent law, 300–2.—Gospel in law, 302.
The Third Commandment, xx. 7.
Meaning of “in vain,” 302.—Jewish superstition. Where swearing is wholly forbidden, 303.—Fruitful and free use of God’s name, 304–5.
The Fourth Commandment, xx. 8–11.
Law of Sabbath unique. Confession of Augsburg. Of Westminster, 305.—Anglican position. St. Paul, 306.—The first positive precept. Love not the abolition of the law, 307.—Property of our friends. The word “remember.” The story of creation, 305.—The manna. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, 309.—Christ’s freedom was that of a Jew. “Sabbath for man,” 310.—Our help, not our fetter. “My Father worketh,” 311.
The Fifth Commandment, xx. 12.
Bridge between duty to God and to neighbour, 312.—Father and child, 313.—“Whosoever hateth not.” Christ and His mother. Its sanction, 314.
The Sixth Commandment, xx. 13.
Who is neighbour? Ethics and religion, 315–16.—Science and morals, 317.—A Divine creature. Capital punishment, 318.
The Seventh Commandment, xx. 14.
Justice forbids act: Christ forbids desire. Sacredness of body, 319.—Human body connects material and spiritual worlds. Modifies, while serves, 320.—Marriage a type, 321.
The Eighth Commandment, xx. 15.
Assailed by communism, by Rome. Various specious pleas, 322.—Laws of community binding, 323.—None may judge his own case, St. Paul enlarges the precept, 324.
The Ninth Commandment, xx. 16.
Importance of words. Various transgressions, 325.—Slander against nations, against the race. Love, 326–7.
The Tenth Commandment, xx. 17.
The list of properties, 328.—The heart. The law searches, 329.
THE LESSER LAW, xx. 18–xxiii. 33.
A remarkable code. The circumstances, 331.—Moses fears: yet bids them fear not, 332–3.—Presumption v. awe. He receives an expanded decalogue, an abridged code, 334.—Laws should educate a people; should not outrun their capabilities, 335–6.—Five subdivisions, 337.
I. The Law of Worship, xx. 22–26.
Images again forbidden, 337.—Splendour and simplicity. An objection, 338.—Modesty, 339.