Salvation by Grace 11 7 ity of all. The law was fragmentary and rudimental then. There was but one command—a solitary test. But it was one too many for our first parents. Later, the flood-swept world was soon defiled again. Later still, there came a law to Israel, holy and just and good. Did they obey? Let the carcasses that strew the wilderness bear witness. Is there a perfect life in all Time’s annals? The Pharisees were pre eminent as professional religionists, yet Jesus said, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.” They, as it were, traveled in an express train, and, of course, first-class, but it was the wrong train! Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, and he was no hypo crite, mind you, but he, too, was on the wrong track, till he changed trains at Damascus Junction. There, he relinquished all confidence in the flesh, and thenceforth exclaimed: “What things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. Yea, verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excel lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” GRACE, NOT GRACES Personal experience bears similar testimony. Our own graces can never satisfy as does God’s Grace. He who is not far from the kingdom, nevertheless inquires, “What lack I yet?” One might as well think to lift himself by hauling at his boots, as expect to win heaven by the deeds of the law.[ The fact is, that fallen human nature is incapable of perfectly keeping the perfect law of God. It is well when this is un derstood and humbly acknowledged; it may be the dawn of better things, even as it was with one of whom I have heard,
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