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To the servant God calls himself a Master; but to the son he calls himself a Father. "A son honoureth his Father, and a servant his Master. then, I be a Father, where is mine honour? and if I be a Master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of Hosts." If this be the case, reader, is not the Master's will the servant's rule? Let the Master's commanding will be resisted, or not obeyed or complied with, the place is lost, and the wages too, "for the servant abideth not in the house ever, but the son abideth ever." And is not the good-will of the father the son's rule, as hath been before proved; which is called our heavenly Father's will; his good will; the mystery of the Father's will, made known; the good pleasure of his will, which he fulfils in us, and the work of faith with power? Henceforth Christ calls us not servants," for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." Thou seest, reader, that the servant knows not this mystery of our heavenly Father's will: he is not acquainted with this rule; only sons and friends are intrusted with these secrets; God's secret is with them that fear him, and them only; and he shews them his covenant.

It is for want of knowledge in this mystery that thou hearest so much cavilling for the law being the only rule of life. They may have some knowledge of it literally and grammatically, but not spiritually nor experimentally. The natural

man discerns not the things of the Spirit, nor does he know the power: therefore they do err, not knowing the Scriptures, which are spiritual, nor the power of God. If the law of Moses be the believer's only rule of life, the gospel has no rule at all: so they make God's good-will, which is the law of faith, a mere nothing; and so the life, walk, and work of faith, is no obedience at all; for there is neither will, law, nor rule, to be obeyed. Surely these good men do not exalt Jesus at the expense of Moses, but they exalt Moses at the expense of Jesus: for our King, Sovereign, Lawgiver, and Ruler, has left us no rule to live by; though the man that does the will of our Father which is in heaven shall enter into his kingdom; while the servant that comes with "Lord! Lord! open to us!" shall be shut out.

Christ's voice is to his sheep, and everlasting life attends it. His sheep hear his voice, and follow him; and such shall enter into life, for he is the way, the truth, and the life. On the other hand, whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them that are under it: and this way to heaven by works seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. This is not the voice of Christ, but the voice of words: nor is it the new and living Way that God has consecrated, but the contrary. Nor is the old cry, 'The law is the only rule of life,' Christ's voice, nor any thing like it; it belongs to the old wives' fables, not to the lively oracles of God by Christ Jesus..

Satan has gained a deal of ground by the repeated cry, 'The law is the only rule of a believer's life.' It has served to keep many seeking sinners in chains; and to blind some discerning people, who have been so hoodwinked by the old veil, that a little dry morality will suffice. It has armed legions of light, trifling professors, with malice, and matter for slander; so that, as soon as a gospel minister brings forth the mystery of faith, it is blasphemed, and loaded with the name of black Antinomianism; and the preacher of it is viewed as first cousin to Simon Magus. By these means the bond servant keeps the pulpit, and the devil the palace; for Satan knows there is no fear of truth gaining ground upon the heart and affections while it is ridiculed and blasphemed. If this is not rebelling against the light, and doing despite to the Spirit of grace, what is? The gospel is set forth as having no sufficient rule, Christ is divested of his sovereignty, the old law as the better covenant, and Moses as worthy of more honour than Jesus his ambassadors are represented as encouragers of vice, and the truths of the everlasting gospel as leading to licentiousness; and what can the devil himself do or say more?

I have in this little piece endeavoured to furnish thee, reader, with a few arguments, that thou mayest have somewhat to answer them that glory in appearance, but not in heart. Love thou the truth, and peace: and be not dismayed and terrified at every minister of confusion; such must

come, but God will bring every work into judgment. If a preacher holds not the mystery of faith in a pure conscience, you know he has nothing to recommend him to the excellent of the earth: such always will be battering the middle wall, and warping to the flesh, and to the law; contending for no other holiness than a fair shew in the flesh, an outward reformation; dealing in general terms; drawing no line between the elect and reprobate, saint and sinner; obscuring the great truths of the gospel; dealing in invitations; speaking well of the erroneous, and ridiculing the just; aiming to affect and move the passions; coveting the name and applause of a gentleman of candid and liberal sentiments, and giving up nine doctrines of the Bible out of ten in order to gain it. But this is not rightly dividing the word of truth, nor doing the work of an evangelist; no real conversion work goes on here; God sets not his seal to this; this is not taking forth the vile from the precious, nor being valiant for truth; it is walking in craftiness, and handling the word of God deceitfully; and so it will appear when the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, in which he will" render his anger with fury, and his rebukes with flames of fire." The canting applause of hypocrites will be no shelter from that storm, nor armour proof sufficient to repel the force of those flames.

Take heed how, and what you hear; and, if a man hath not the doctrine of Christ, Truth de

clares that he hath not God: receive him not, neither into your heart, nor into your house, nor bid him God speed. Let others justify him, and caress him, as they may; be not thou a partaker of other men's sins; nor entail his evil deeds on thy head, by wishing him success.

Prize your liberty, and stand fast in it. If thou art a son of the free woman, with a great sum thou didst obtain this freedom; freedom from the bondage and curse of the law; freedom from the reigning and destroying power of sin; freedom of access to a throne of grace; freedom to call God Father; freedom of speech, and freedom of soul. Truth hath made thee free, therefore love the truth; the Spirit hath made thee free, therefore walk in the Spirit; Christ hath made thee free, and thou art free indeed. And may God bless thee with the joys of his salvation, and uphold thee with his free Spirit; and then thou wilt say with truth and wisdom, what many have uttered in falsehood and ignorance, namely, that God's service is perfect freedom.

But, if thou once turn thy back upon the truth, thou hast neither shield nor buckler. He who keeps the word of Christ's patience shall be kept from the hour of temptation. He that erreth from the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. The prudent are crowned with knowledge; and they must hold fast that which they have, that no man take their crown. It is not candour that secures the prize, but faithful