The yoke therefore is this, it is needful to circumcise the believers, and to command them to keep the law of Moses, Acts xv. 5; and you say the law is binding, and that the believer is under the law as his rule of life; you might just as well have stuck to the old text, for it amounts exactly to the same, nor doth your different way of expression alter the matter. Their need of keeping the law of Moses is your binding law as a rule of life; it is the spirit of legal bondage that obliges and binds you; and it was the same that influenced those who made it needful; different names make no alteration in the things. Those men tempted God by putting that yoke on the saints, and subverted their souls by saying ye must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, to whom God gave no such commandment, Acts xv. 10. 24; and they do no less than tempt God and subvert the souls of believers, who tell them the law is binding, and that they are under it as a rule of life, for God has given them no such commandment. Nor can men expect that the broad seal of heaven should attend a ministry that tempts God and subverts the souls of his saints, when it is expressly said that it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to the apostles, to lay on them no such burden. However, this is the way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death, Prov. xiv. 12; it is turning people from grace to works; from the liberty of the Spirit to the bondage of the law;

from the law of the Spirit of life to the law of death. Liberty and bondage, grace and works, Christ's yoke and the yoke of Moses, the true light and the old vail, death and life, can never stand together, one must give way; grace shall reign, and Moses must be subject. If a believer be a new creature, has a new heart, a new spirit, walks in the new and living way, and must serve God in the newness of the spirit, and walk in newness of life, old things must be done away: and if old things are done away the yoke of bondage is included among them, which Paul calls the law of death, or else the apostle's assertion cannot stand good; "therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new;" and he that sits upon the throne says, behold I create all things new. God has granted us "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated [or new made] for us through the vail, that is to say his flesh." Take heed, sir, that you despise not this new and living way; it is the old way that you contend for at present, which is stopped up; it is hedged about with thorns, namely, the curses of the law; and so poor sinners will find it, when, like Balaam, they fall before that terrible sword of God that turns every way to keep the way of the tree of life, Gen. iii. 24; none will ever get to God that old way; the sword that keeps the way of life

destroys all thieves and robbers that climb up any other way, or dare to look through, or gaze, where God has fixed his bounds, Exod. xix. 21–23.

I know the law is holy, just, and good, because it defends a holy, just, and good God, and will certainly cut off and destroy for ever every adversary that is found under it; but though the law is holy yet it sanctifies none; it is just, but it justifies none; it is good, but it imparts no goodness to men: God is our justifier and sanctifier; and Christ is our righteousness and sanctification. God's goodness to us comes by grace; severity comes by the law; "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off," with the sword furbished at that armory. It is the fiery law that gives the sword of justice its flaming edge; "where there is no law there is no transgression;" sin is the transgression of the law, and the law is the transgressor's adversary that makes his crimes appear exceeding sinful, and delivers him to the judge: here lies its power; strength of sin is the law." But with respect to our obedience, its lending us any help, pardoning of us, or justifying of us, it is weak through the flesh, Rom. viii. 3.

"the

I would to God, Sir, that you would pray a little more over your Bible, or ask wisdom of God. When Paul says, "the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin," he does not mean thereby

that spiritual life, spiritual health, spiritual help, or strength, is communicated from thence. The law gives neither righteousness, life, hope, help, nor strength. The law is strong to destroy, but never was mighty to save, nor is help laid upon that. It is called spiritual, because it reaches to the thoughts of men's hearts, and curses them for a lascivious look as being adultery itself, Matt. v. 28; for anger as murder in the abstract, 1John iii. 15; yea if a man break one command he is guilty of all, James ii. 10. It casts him for every idle word; for all that is more than yea yea, or nay nay, it brings him into judgment; and both heaven and earth shall pass away before one jot or tittle of that law shall fail, Luke xvi. 17.

It is called spiritual, because it reaches to spirits; yea to the wicked souls of men and devils also, for they are under one curse; it reveals wrath, spiritual death, damnation, and everlasting destruction, both to the bodies and souls of all them who die under it; and it will hold all rebellious spirits, whether men or devils, in the prison of hell till they can pay the very last mite, Luke xii. 59; which will be effected when lying in gaol can be called paying of debts. God says, this fiery law, which is a revelation of wrath kindled in his anger, shall burn to the lowest hell. Christ, our passover, was roasted in that fire, and it made his heart like wax, it melted in the midst of his bowels, Psalm xxii. 14; therefore take heed that thou attempt not to turn that ministration of death

into rules of life. Cleave close to him that is a hiding-place from that north wind, and a covert from that tempest, Isaiah xxxii. 2. In Christ Jesus thou shalt find refuge when God makes the wicked as a fiery wheel, and persecutes them with all these storms, Psalm lxxxiii. 13-15; but no where else.

If this be handling the law lawfully, and holding forth the word of life, as a faithful steward of the manifold grace of God; if this be rightly dividing the word of truth; if it be giving to each his portion in due season, a portion to seven and also to eight; if it be doing the work of an evangelist; if it be preaching the gospel according to Christ's command; if it be handling the word faithfully, as a minister of the Spirit; if it be acting like a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, being approved of God; in short, if this be preaching the mystery of faith, then where are legions of our present preachers got? and if this be the pure, unmixed, unadulterated gospel of Christ, what are nine parts out of ten of the doctrine that is delivered in our days under that name? and if this be error and Antinomianism, then what is gospel?

I understand your hint, Sir; those speak it more plain who call me in public a stinking Antinomian; and this doctrine antinomianism which leads to licentiousness. And I wish they would speak it plainer still; then they would appear in their proper colours, and be less capable of deceiving the simple. They must either prove this doctrine to