to proceed from Christ: it is to be attended with a looking to Abraham's call and Abraham's blessing; it is to be accompanied with joy and gladness, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody; it is to consist of a divine righteousness, of free salvation, and a firm trust and reliance on the arm of the Lord. This is called the law of God's people, and the law of his nation; a chosen people and a righteous nation are opposed to a sinful nation and a people laden with iniquity. This is the law that went forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord that went from Jerusalem; and it is in the hearts of all God's justified people. "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law: fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings;" even though they rage, and reproach you as Antinomians, who make void the law and lead people into licentiousness; while themselves are the servants of corruption, being enemies to, and destitute of, that grace that can make them clean.

When the Lord says, "Bind up the testimony, seal the law, among my disciples," believers are meant; as appears from John: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and his disciples believed on him." The testimony and the law is receiving the word in the power of the Spirit, so as to believe the truth. "Ye must be born again." This Jesus testified, John iii. 7, 11. And the angel tells John that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

To have the testimony bound, is to receive the truth in the love of the spirit; which love is the bond of the covenant of promise. To have the law sealed, is to mix faith with the word, and receive it in power, in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. "The day ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." This is the law of faith, and the seal of it. If my sister asks why this testimony bound up is called a law sealed? I answer, because every other law is included in this testimony, and is couched under this seal; on which account it is called a law. For instance; one law says, "This do, and thou shalt live." Life is the thing promised to the doer, and death threatened in case of non-performance; "The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death."

Another law says 'This shall be thy righteousness, if thou observe to do all the things which are written in this law.' This lies under the seal also; "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

The law of Circumcision lies under this seal: Circumcision is a seal of the righteousness of faith. Abraham received the promise in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of the uncircumcised Gentiles who believe through grace. Those who receive the Spirit of love, and of a sound mind, God has circumcised their hearts to love him; and such, and such only, "are the true circumcision,

who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."

If we speak of the law of the Leper, and of cleansing him, it is under this seal. Our Highpriest cleanses us by a look: and, when all our own comeliness is turned into corruption, as Daniel speaks of; when we cover the lip, and cry, Unclean! unclean! from the head to the foot there is no soundness in us; and in our flesh dwelleth no good thing; then are we said to be clean, as it is said of the leper. "And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the flesh of him that hath the plague, from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh; then the priest shall consider and behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean," Levit. xiii. 12, 13. Yea, all glorious within, though all the flesh is corrupt. What says the proud perfectionist to this? The Lord saves us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Thus the lepers are cleansed; "To the poor the gospel is preached, and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me."

If we speak of the jubilee trumpet, the jubilee year, and the law of release; here is the great trumpet that is to be blown, the Saviour proclaiming liberty to captives, and the acceptable year of the Lord; and the Spirit applying the same; "Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty."

"Whosoever looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

It includes the whole law of redemption. We are redeemed from a vain conversation by the precious blood of Christ; from the curse of the law also, from the wrath to come, from the pit of hell, and from the second death. "Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness."

The law of marriage is couched under this seal. Here is Christ the bridegroom, and Zion the bride; his choice of her, and her choice of him; his love of her love, and her love to him. Here is their mutual espousing each other; his betrothing her in righteousness, lovingkindness, and in great mercies, and that for ever. Of their being joined in one Spirit: yea, we are of his flesh, and of his bones. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and his church."

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The law of the manslayer lies under this seal. The elect sinner has destroyed himself; and has had a hand, by his sins, in crucifying Christ; yet he hated him; not aforetime, when he stood complete in Adam; but the devil seduced man into this state of enmity; and Justice is the avenger of blood; Zion is the walled city of refuge, to which the alarmed sinner flies; salvation is her walls and bulwarks; Christ is the high-priest he stands before, under whose wings he takes refuge, and by whose death he shall be restored to his heavenly

VOL. VIII.

home, from whence the devil and sin drove him at first.

Speak we of the law of washing, or of baptism; it is included in this law of faith. Our hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience; Christ has washed us, and we have a part in him. We are washed in regeneration; clean water is sprinkled upon us, and we are clean. We are baptized with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. All baptism short of this is washing the outside of the cup and the platter, and amounts to no more than carnal washing. It is not the washing away the filth of the flesh, but purgation from guilt, and a testimony by the Spirit to our justification and adoption, that is the answer of a good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter iii. 21, through whom, and by whom, the Spirit comes.

Some Jews say that there are three hundred and thirteen laws; and others tell us there are six hundred and thirteen. If there be six thousand, I will be bound to prove that the whole of them, in their spiritual sense and meaning, except the law of divorce, are couched in this text; "Bind up the testimony, seal the law, among my disciples."

The law made nothing perfect, and man makes nothing perfect: but the Spirit is God, and his work is perfect; and the bringing in of a better hope makes us perfect and complete in that hope. If this be Antinomianism, or licentiousness; be it so; it is all from heaven; and they do very little