Fasting.

Law said, thou shalt _do_ these things; and law, as mere law,
constrained them. Or again, law may express itself in maxims and
rules.

In rules, as when law said, "Thou shalt not steal"--not saying a word
about secret dishonesty of heart, but simply taking cognizance of
_acts_.

In maxims, as when it admonished that man ought to give a tenth to
God, leaving the principle of the matter untouched. Principle is one
thing, and maxim is another. A principle requires liberality, a maxim
says one-tenth. A principle says, "A merciful man is merciful to his
beast," leaves mercy to the heart, and does not define how; a maxim
says, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out thy corn. A
principle says, Forgive; a maxim defines "seven times;" and thus the
whole law falls into two divisions.

The ceremonial law, which constrains life by customs.
The moral law, which guides life by rules and maxims.

Now it is an illegitimate use of law. First. To expect by obedience to
it to make out a title to salvation.

By the deeds of the law, shall no man living be justified. Salvation
is by faith: a state of heart right with God; faith is the spring of
holiness--a well of life. Salvation is not the having committed a
certain number of good acts. Destruction is not the having committed a
certain number of crimes. Salvation is God's Spirit in us, leading to
good. Destruction is the selfish spirit in us, leading to wrong.

For a plain reason then, obedience to law cannot save, because it is
merely the performance of a certain number of acts which may be done
by habit, from fear, from compulsion. Obedience remains still
imperfect. A man may have obeyed the rule, and kept the maxim, and yet
not be perfect. "All these commandments have I kept from my youth up."
"Yet lackest thou one thing." The law he had kept. The spirit of
obedience in its high form of sacrifice he had not.

Secondly. To use it superstitiously.

It is plain that this was the use made of it by the Ephesian
teachers.--v. 4. It seemed to them that _law_ was pleasing to God as
restraint. Then unnatural restraints came to be imposed--on the
appetites, fasting; on the affections, celibacy. This is what Paul
condemns.--ch. iv., v. 8. "Bodily exercise profiteth little."

And again, this superstition showed itself in a false
reverence--wondrous stories respecting angels--respecting the eternal
genealogy of Christ--awful