Christian man, and the fulfilment of all the commandments: for he who fulfils this first commandment, fulfils all the rest without any laborious working.

And moreover, works, as they are things insensible, cannot possibly glorify God, although they may be done, (if done in faith,) to the glory of God. But we are not now inquiring into the quality of the works that are done, but into the person who does them, who produces the works and glorifies God:-and this is, the faith of the heart, the head and substance of all our righteousness. Therefore, the doctrine which teaches that the commandments are to be fulfilled by works, is blind and perilous for the commandments must be fulfilled before any work is done, and works must follow that fulfilment : as we shall presently hear.

But, in order that we may behold more fully this grace which our inward man hath in Christ, it must be known, that God, under the Old Testament, sanctified unto himself every first-born male. And the first birth was always pre-eminently esteemed, and held in twofold honour above the rest, both in the priesthood and in the kingdom. For the first-born brother was priest, and lord, over all the rest. Under which figure Christ was shadowed forth, the true and only begotten Son of God the Father and the Virgin Mary, the true king and priest; not according to the flesh, and this world, for his kingdom is not of this world; he reigns and consecrates in heavenly and spiritual things, which are righteousness, truth, wisdom, peace, salvation, &c. Not that all things in earth and hell are not subject to him also, (else how could he preserve and save us from them) but his kingdom does not consist in these things, nor is it of them. Neither does his priesthood consist in the external pomp of robes and gestures, (as that earthly priesthood of Aaron was, and as our ecclesiastical priesthood is in the present day,) but in spiritual things; in which, by an invisible office in heaven, he intercedes for us before God, and there offers up himself, and does all those things which pertain unto a priest: as Paul describes him unto the Hebrews under the figure of Melchizedec. Nor does

he pray and intercede for us as Priest only, but he teaches us also in the spirit, by the living doctrines of his own Spirit; which two, are the peculiar offices of a priest, as is still represented by earthly priests, in their prayers and visible preaching.

And even as Christ by his first-birthright has obtained these two dignities, so does he impart them and make them common to each of his believing ones; according to the before-mentioned law of matrimony, by which, whatever belongs to the husband, belongs to the spouse: all we therefore who believe in Christ, are kings and priests in Christ: as Peter saith, "But chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a kingdom of priests, that ye should shew forth the praises of him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light," 1 Peter ii.

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The natures of which two privileges are these.First, as to the kingdom, every Christian is, by his faith, so highly exalted above all things, that, in his spiritual power, he is absolute lord of all things. So that, no one thing can possibly hurt him in any way: nay, all things are subject unto him, and compelled to be subservient unto his salvation. As Paul saith, Rom. viii, "All things work together for good unto the elect." Again, 1 Cor. iii., "All things are yours, whether death, or life, or things present, or things to come; and ye are Christ's."

Not that any Christian is ordained to hold, and have dominion over all things, in corporal power, (as certain mad Ecclesiastics every where furiously maintain,) for this dominion belongs to princes and rulers upon earth. And moreover, we find by daily experience, that, in this sense, we are subject to all things, endure many things, and even suffer death: nay, the greater Christian any one is, to the more evils, sufferings, and deaths, is he subjected: as we see in the great first-born king Christ himself, and in all his holy brethren.

The power of which we are speaking, is spiritual : which rules in the midst of enemies, and prevails in the midst of pressing troubles: which is nothing more or less than strength made perfect in my weakness, and all

things turning to my soul's profit: so that the cross, and death itself, are compelled to serve me, and to work together unto my salvation.-This is a high and glorious dignity, a power truly omnipotent, a spiritual dominion! In which, there is nothing, however good or however evil, which shall not work together for my profit, if I only believe. Not, however, that I have any need of these things, (for faith alone sufficeth unto salvation,) but that in them faith may exercise the power and dominion of its liberty.-Behold! this is the unspeakable power and liberty of Christians!

Nor are we the most free of all kings only, but priests for ever and ever! This is far more glorious than even the kingdom. For by our priesthood, we are worthy to appear in the presence of God, to pray for others, and to instruct each other in the things of God. For these are the offices of priests, and which never can be permitted to any unbeliever. But Christ has obtained these for us, if we believe in him; that, as we are brethren, heirs, and kings together with him, so we may be priests together with him also, having boldness with confidence, by the spirit of faith, to present ourselves before God, crying, "Abba Father," to pray for each other, and to do all those things, and perform all those offices for each other, which we see to be performed and represented by corporal and visible priests. But he that believeth not, to him nothing can be subservient or work together for good, but he himself is the bond-slave of all things, and all things work together for his destruction: because, he impiously uses all things to his own profit, and not to the glory of God. And therefore, he is not a priest but profane, whose prayer tendeth only unto sin; nor can he ever appear in the presence of God, for "God heareth not sinners."

Who then can comprehend the greatness of the Christian's dignity! He, by his kingly power, has dominion over life, death, sin, and all things; and by his priestly power, is all-prevalent with God; for God does whatever he asks and desires of him; as it is written,

"He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them," Psalm cxlv. To this glory, certain it is, that he attains not by any works, but by faith only!

From these things, any one may clearly perceive how it is, that a Christian man is free from all things, and above all things, so that he wants no works in order to become righteous and saved;-because faith alone abundantly supplies the place of all these. And if at any time he should become such a fool as to presume to make himself righteous, free, saved, and a Christian, by any work, that moment he would lose faith, together with all saving benefits. Which folly is strikingly represented in that fable, where the dog, swimming across a stream, and carrying a piece of real flesh in his mouth, is deceived by the shadow of that flesh appearing in the water; and in attempting, with open mouth, to grasp at that, he loses both the real flesh and the shadow together.

But, here you will ask, if all that are in the church of Christ be priests, by what name shall we distinguish those, whom we now call priests, from the laity? I answer there is violation committed in our day upon these appellations, Priest, Minister, Ecclesiastic: they are taken from all other Christians, and given to a certain select rabble who are called by the violated appellation, Ecclesiastics. The holy scripture makes no difference between Christians; except that, it calls those, who serve others in the ministry of the word, in teaching faith in Christ and the liberty of them that believe, ministers, servants, and stewards: (who are now dignified with the titles of popes, bishops, and lords.) For although it be true that we are all alike priests, yet we all cannot, and if we could, ought not to minister and teach publicly. And therefore Paul saith, 1 Cor. iv., "Let a man so account of us, as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."

But this dispensation has now degenerated into such a pomp of power, and such a terrific tyranny, that no

empires of nations, nor of the whole world together, will bear any comparison with it: so that one would think the laity were any thing else but Christians. By which utter perversion, it has come to pass, that the knowledge of Christian grace, faith, and liberty, yea, of Christ altogether, has utterly disappeared; and there has succeeded in its place, an intolerable bondage-captivity of human works and ordinances; and, according to the lamentations of Jeremiah, we are made slaves to the most vile of all men that are upon the face of the earth; who, abusing our misery, make us submit to all turpitude and ignominy according to their own lust.

But to return and sum up this first proposition.-I think, from these things, it has been made sufficiently evident, that to preach the works, the life, and the words of Christ in an historical way, as things that once took place, and to form an external mode of life from the knowledge thereof, is not enough to make a Christian; as those preach, who are now considered to be the greatest men. Much less can the teaching of the ordinances of men, and the decrees of the fathers, where Christ is not preached at all, make a Christian. And there are at this day, not a few, who preach and read Christ, in order to move the human passions to condole with him, and to vent an indignation against the Jews: together with many other puerile and effeminate delusions of the same kind.

Whereas Christ ought to be preached to this endthat faith in him may be drawn forth; that he may not only be Christ, but Christ to me, and to thee; and may work that in us which is spoken of him under the name of Saviour. And this faith is begotten and preserved by this-by preaching why Christ came; what he brought with him, and gave; in what way, and to what end, he is to be received. And this is done, where the liberty which we have in him, is taught; where it is set forth, how it is, that all we who are Christians are kings and priests; how it is, that we are lords of all things; and how it is, that whatever we do, we have a confidence is pleasing and acceptable unto God; as I have before shown.