then, is all that reproach to fall that has been heaped upon my head?

God has writ his law on the saint's heart, and put it in his mind; and this is the law of faith: therefore he is not without law to God. The law of the Spirit of life, in Christ, makes him free from the law of sin and death, and he is under this law to Christ. Bring any other yoke, or rule of life, from God's book, if you can. I defy every opponent I have to do it, or to bring one text to prove it. This law of the Spirit of life in Christ goes by various names: it is the old commandment which is the word, and that is the word of life. It is called Christ's sayings, which is life: "If a man keep my saying he shall never see death." It is called the law of the wise, which is the fountain of life; the law of liberty, that makes us free from the law of death. It is called the law of truth, that was with Levi; the law of kindness, that comes from love, that we may not die, but live. It is called the law of faith: "The just shall live by faith." It is called Christ's Father's commandment: "He gave me commandment what I should say, and what I should speak; and I know that his commandment is life everlasting." Here is the Father's commandment, and here is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. This is the law written in the mind, and put in the fleshly tables of a broken heart, where it appears a fountain of life springing up into life everlasting; while your only rule,

engraven on tables of stone, ministers nothing but death.

Fighting against these things is only beating the air; and blowing the old trumpet is giving an uncertain sound, for the watchman knows not what he says, nor whereof he affirms; and who can prepare for the battle, in hope of gaining the victory, when it is not the fight of faith that they are called to engage in?

'Faith is an eye, a hand, a leg; Ergo, no rule.' Answer. The law of faith includes, and affords, every thing that the law of Moses requires. And it is a perfect rule; for whatsoever the law of faith doth not point out, and whatsoever is not done in the faith of the gospel, is sin. If it be no rule of obedience, how can the saint's obedience be called the obedience of faith? And how can men be punished with everlasting destruction for not obeying it; and be condemned as hypocrites and unbelievers, if it be not a rule of obedience? It appears to me, that it is both a rule of life and a rule of judgment. The Scripture says, we are to walk by faith, and live by faith. How can a man walk by it, and live by it, if it

is no rule? The law of

faith is a perfect rule, and the grace of faith directs the steps of the saints to walk by it.

law of Moses, or ten commandments,

Nor is the

ever called

the believer's only rule of life or walk; nor is the believer ever said to walk by the law of Moses, or by the ten commandments. A believer is said to walk by faith; and a just man to walk in the

commandments, not by them; and to run the way of them and without faith there is no walking in these commandments; and, without love to enlarge the heart, there is no running the way of them; and both faith and love belong to the perfect rule that I contend for.

'The law is perfect, and eternal.'

Both these are true: and, had you seen the perfection of it, and felt its force, you would have called it, as others have done, a yoke that neither saint nor sinner is able to bear; and would have been glad to have found it magnified by, and secured in the heart of, a Mediator, rather than contend and desire to have your neck brought

under it.

Angels are under it.'

Is this speaking as the oracles of God? The law was delivered by God himself to Adam, and by Moses it was delivered to Israel; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator. But I never read that it was delivered to angels; nor were they ever circumcised to become debtors to fulfil it; nor is there one inspired penman in the Bible that ever applied it to them. God's voice by them is to the sons of men; nor did I ever hear of any modern divine applying it to them, till Sir Ham Cottish and Mr. Wake appeared in orders. If angels are under any law, I think they are under the perfect law of liberty, or what Solomon calls the law of kindness. It is their liberty that makes their service perfect freedom; and it is the law of

lovingkindness that makes them fly so swift as they do, and cover their faces and their feet, when they have done, in token of no boasting of merit : the glory is given to the Object they cry to; Holy holy, holy; Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Ghost. This law of liberty and love none but the real saint knows, and is most certainly the law of angels; and will be enjoyed in perfection by glorified saints when they come to be equal to the angels of God, being the children of the resurrection.

In these matters are manifested the children of the bond woman and the children of the free; the ministers of the letter, and the ministers of the Spirit. The minister that hath this new covenant made with him, and this law of faith written on his heart; who is made free from the law of sin and death by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus; is a minister of God's Spirit, not of the letter. He is an ambassador of Christ, and an ambassador of peace. He is an adopted son of God, and the Spirit of his heavenly Father speaketh in him. He is, according to the troubled sinner's wish, in God's stead. He takes forth the vile from the precious, and is as God's mouth. He has the Spirit and word of God, the keys of the kingdom. of heaven. What his ministry binds upon earth, in heaven is bound; and what such a ministry looses on earth, in heaven is loosed. Christ is with such always, even to the end of the world. The gospel is the ministration of the Spirit to the end

of time; and Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. As Christ was, so are such ministers in the world. He that receives them, receives Christ; for he dwells in their hearts by faith, and is in them the hope of glory; and they who despise them, despise Christ that sent them; and his Father, who sent him. They have power to shut heaven, that it rain not during their prophecy: for there can be no benediction from heaven but by the ministry of the Spirit. They have power to turn waters to blood as often as they will. Sinners, compared to water, must die in their sins, and in their blood, if they do despite to the Spirit of grace, or quench the Spirit in the Lord's ambassadors. And this power is not of them; they have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency and the power may appear to be of God, and not of them. Such men come not with excellency of speech, or men's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power: not with the words that man teacheth, but with such as the Holy Ghost teacheth; not comparing themselves with themselves, but comparing spiritual things with spiritual; appealing to every man's conscience in the sight of God; not knowing the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power; declaring that the kingdom of heaven standeth not in word, but in power; and that a saint's faith stands not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. And who will make me a liar in this, and prove my speech to be nothing worth?