sin against light and knowledge, by walking in craftiness, and handling the word of God deceitfully.

"The law is good, if a man use it lawfully." I know it is but, what could you bring from that text against a man who loves the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth? What is there in that passage against one in covenant with God, under the dominion of grace, and that serves God in the newness of the Spirit? "Is the law against the promise of God? God forbid!" "The law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient," 1 Tim. i. 9. "Whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law." If the law is not made for a righteous man, how could you apply it to me, whom God has justified? and if what the law saith, it saith to them that are under it, how could you level its voice against them that are under grace? The law speaks to such as you, who seem to be under it; and to them who are without the law of faith, and disobedient to the gospel, called lawless and disobedient. But they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts;" "and against such there is no law." What, then, could you make the law, in your text, say against me?

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The law is handled lawfully when it is set forth as a transcript of the holiness, truth, justice, and immutability, of God.

When it is set forth in the hand of Justice, ac

companied with God's glittering sword, in all its spiritual meaning, and with all its unbounded demands, and against every sinner that is out of Christ Jesus, whether professor or profane.

When it is preached as a revelation of the righteous judgments of God, a revelation of his just wrath and holy indignation against all sin, and sinners who are under the law, for they are under the curse; and whatsoever things the law saith, it saith to them.

It is handled lawfully when its spiritual meaning is enforced, as reaching to the thoughts, words, acts, and workings of the very souls of men; working death in them by itself, which is good.

It is handled lawfully when the eternity of it is insisted on; so that devils and damned souls shall have a gaoldelivery when God shall cease to exist, when his eternal sentence shall be recalled, and an everlasting law be repealed; but not till then.

It is lawfully handled when it is set forth as added because of transgression; that sin by the law might appear sin, and become exceeding sinful; that the offence might abound, being viewed in that perfect glass; that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world be brought in guilty before God.

It is handled lawfully when it is set forth as magnified and made honourable by the Saviour; who gave a perfect obedience to every precept of

it in his life; and was obedient to his Father in submitting to the sentence of it in death, even the death of the cross.

When it is set forth in the heart of Christ, who is our Mercy-seat; and kept there, as the two tables of it were in the ark of old, never more to arrest them who put their trust under the shadow of Christ Jesus, who is the end of the law for righteousness to all that believe.

Again, It is lawfully handled when it is proved that the end of the commandment is charity; that love is the fulfilling of the law; and that all those who have laid hold on eternal life, in whose heart the love of God is shed abroad, and to whose faith the righteousness of Christ is imputed, that "the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in them, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

"If a man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God," saith the Spirit; and I will leave you to judge whether the law be not lawfully handled in this letter, and whether I have not spoken in it agreeably to the oracles of God: and if, upon examination, you find I have, then in future use all the lumber that you may rummage up, against the world, the flesh, and the devil; and leave me and my oddities to stand or fall to my own Master. There are plenty of sinners at Cranbrook to level your discourses at, without spouting or bending your tongue, for lies, at me; especially when you knew I was not present to answer for myself. If you will preach a discourse, and allow me to be

present, I shall have no objection to come down; and, if I cannot put you to shame, you shall put me to it. I have done nothing against the truth, nor have I corrupted the word. Let us see if you can say the same.

Your text is,

"The law is good if a man use it lawfully." First, You endeavoured to prove, Who they were that used it lawfully.

The unbeliever could not. 'Ergo, it must be the believer.'

The believer having no more to do with the 'law than a woman with a dead husband, is black 'Antinomianism.'

'A non-entity may be a rule as soon as love.' 'Faith is a hand, an eye, a leg; Ergo, no rule.' The law is perfect; therefore perpetual and 'everlasting.'

Angels are under it.'

Is this speaking as the oracles of God? Let us try it by the law and the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

The unbeliever cannot use the law lawfully. 'Ergo, it must be the believer.'

This, sir, was as crafty a beginning as you could make. It was a cunning step to put the unbeliever quite out of the question; and then to introduce the believer, as the only person that could make a lawful use of the law, for this had the face of truth, and carried a very fair show with it; and, doubtless, this was as wise a course as you

could steer to give your text a deceitful handling, in order to blacken your antagonist, and stumble the weak. But, though the context did not answer your end, it will answer mine, and therefore I shall produce it; and, without applying the words to unbelievers without restriction, I shall let them speak to suspected teachers, for to them they are directed, and especially to unbelieving, or faithless preachers, who run before they are

sent.

"Timothy, as I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine; neither give heed to fables, and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned; from which some having swerved, [or not aimed at] have turned aside to vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient," 1 Tim. chap. i.

If you had handled this context faithfully, and levelled its force against ministers of the letter, and spoken from your text, as the oracles of God, against such men, it would have established my doctrine, and saved you the trouble of making