galled her neck, spent her strength, and wasted her substance, with her rule of life, walk, and action, must come back again, and fetch virtue from the same vine, if ever she brings forth any fruit unto God. Without Christ she can do nothing. "If the branch abide not in the vine, it is cast forth, and withered." He that abides in Christ brings forth much fruit; and God purges such that they may bring forth more fruit. Blinding folks with Moses's veil is not sowing light for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Christ came to proclaim liberty to captives, and to open the prison doors to them that were bound: he, therefore, that brings thee into bondage, does not preach the gospel, but acts as Paul did with his commission from the high-priest; endeavours to bring all bound to Jerusalem. "You suffer if a man smite you; and so you do if he bring you into bondage." I once went to hear an ancient divine, who was the first man that honoured me with the name of an Antinomian; and who has dealt enough in law terrors to frighten the whole metropolis into holiness, could the ministration of death perform that work: but I saw nothing of any operation upon the people that appeared likely to produce fruit that would turn to any good account. There were fourteen persons, within twenty feet of me, in a sound sleep, and as unconcerned under all the storm as Jonah was in his voyage to Tarshish. There was nothing of the outgoings of God in the sanctuary; nor did he stir

up his strength, and come among them. The labourer spent his arrows, and his breath too, but to little purpose. Nor did his rage stay here; for when he rose to conclude in prayer, there was not one petition nor tribute of praise uttered; the audience were addressed, not God; the people were accused; and no little rage appeared against the Almighty himself. They that are under the law never can be subject to it; and those that are destitute of the Spirit of love are at enmity in their minds against God. I thought the legal cords of the ministry and the name of the meeting had a very apparent agreement: it was Ropemaker's Alley in more senses than one.

As thou art obliged to hear all sorts of preachers, good and bad, take the following advice. When any one of them begins to flog thee with the law, watch him narrowly, and hear him attentively; and, if you find that he can describe a saving knowledge of God, then depend upon it he will handle the law lawfully. The knowledge of God is first learned in the law; "Every one that hath learned of the Father cometh unto me," says Christ. Such know the terrors of God, and therefore persuade men. They know him by his powerful voice; "They shall know in that day that it is I that speak; behold it is I." By the discovery of their sins; "It is I that make a man know what are his thoughts." By his supporting hand; “ My hand shall be known towards my servants." By his "The Lord revealed himself to Samuel in

word;

.

Shiloh by the word of the Lord." As reconciled in Christ, he gives them an heart to know him, by pardoning them that he reserves. By a sensible enjoyment of his love: "He that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." If a man knows the bondage of the law of works, and the preciousness of the law of faith; if he knows the terrors of God in the law, and the love of God in Christ Jesus; he is the man to whom, and the man by whom, God speaks; "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness; the people in whose heart is my law." Others may begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh they may begin to build upon the rock, and then make Christ a rock of offence; destroy at one time, and then build again that which they destroyed. But it is not so with poor souls whose hearts are established with grace: "The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide."

God has written his law within him, and in his mind has he put it; and says he shall not depart from him. There is no handling the law lawfully without a knowledge of God in the law. When God speaks to a man in the secret place of thunder, and proves him at the waters of strife, Psalm lxxxi. 7, he will ever remember the storm, and the inquisition for blood; and, if God reveal his Son in him, he will ever keep the law of works and the law of faith apart. It is for want of a knowledge of God that we have so much linseywoolsey doctrine, and so many poor souls are kept

in perpetual bondage, groping like the blind for the wall. Of such preachers God complains; "The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not. The pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal," Jer. ii. 8. Such run, but I have not sent them, says God; "therefore they shall not profit this people at all." I know many will say in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and done many wonderful works?" Yet casting out devils is not converting souls to Christ. A devil in one man may command a devil in another; and the unclean spirit may go out, and Satan get praise by counterfeiting the power of Christ. There is not little of this among the Arminians. The seven sons of Sceva the Jew cast out devils, though the devil was at the same time in full possession of them, as we read in Acts xix. 14. Real conversion is not only casting the devil out of the heart, but is attended with forming Christ in his place: which is done by the power of the Spirit of God attending the word. The parched ground of a barren heart must become a pool, the thirsty land a spring of water; and the habitation of dragons must bear the herbage or green pastures of heavenly truth; there shall be grass, with reeds and rushes, Isaiah xxxv. 7. Thus Satan is supplanted; and not only cast out, but kept out.

I have considered all the texts that you refer me to. The gospel leads us to Zion; there God

is reconciled; there Christ was crowned; there is the king of saints, and the throne of grace. At Sinai God dwells in thick darkness: there is the flaming sword unsheathed, the throne of judgment, and a terrible Judge. There is Moses the accuser of them that trust in him; and a fiery law, before which there is no standing. Go there for rules, or whatever help thou wantest, thou wilt not be long there before sin will stare thee in the face: the law will bind thee, and hold thee; the old enmity will boil up afresh; a thousand doubts and fears will surround thee; heaviness, dejection, and dismay, will sink thee; the arrows of God will drink up thy spirit; spiritual strength will fail thee; relaxation, utter helplessness, and weakness, will seize thee; and thou wilt stand before the judgment-seat quaking and trembling, till despondency itself will overwhelm thy foolish heart. However, go on till you find, as Job did, that the arrows of the Almighty are within you. Judgment appears just before you; and then "Beware lest he take thee away with his stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." When thou hast had thy fill of this storm, and been broken with this tempest, thou wilt call about, as he did, for the mercy-seat; "O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. There [but no where else] the righteous may dispute with him: so should I be delivered for ever from my Judge."