an act of obedience to the moral law: this may be seen by his confidence and boasting, which Paul says that covenant does not exclude, though the other really does. However, Peter clave to the law; and he found, as the Galatians did, that Christ profited him nothing in that way; he fell from grace, from supporting grace; though not from the habit of grace, nor from the bond of the covenant, nor from the faithfulness of the covenant Head: "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted [from thy legality, self-confidence, and fleshly boasting,] strengthen thy brethren;" not by sending them to the law for self-confidence and vain trust, lest they fall into the devil's sieve, as you will shortly do; but by pointing them to my powerful arm and faithfulness, which will most surely lift thee up when fallen, and abide faithful when thou dost not believe. And Peter remembered this; for, when certain of the sect of the Pharisees said the believers must be circumcised, and keep the law of Moses, Peter withstood them to the face, telling them, that God, who knew their hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost; and had purified their hearts by faith; that they tempted God in putting that yoke upon them; and that he believed that, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, they would be saved, even as the apostles themselves, Acts xv. 8-11.

I do not believe that Peter's tears were either

crocodile ones or criminal ones. He had cause enough for grief and compunction when he reflected on his having made so glorious a beginning in the Spirit, and then foolishly attempted to be made perfect by the flesh. However, Peter gained more by his fall than he had done by any of his preceding acts of obedience to the moral law. This prophecy was fulfilled in Peter, and many others, "And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end." But this trying, purging, and making white, comes not from the law, nor does any act of our obedience thereto procure it; but, in mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

'Many there are, who do not at all scruple to ، assert, that believers have nothing at all to do ، with the law, as a rule of life, any more than as ' a covenant of works. We trust you have not so 'learned Christ. If you have truly drank into the

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spirit of the Gospel, you will be so far from con'sidering it as a burden to be under the law to Christ, that you will esteem it as a privilege.'

I desire to declare what the word of God does, and nothing else. The Holy Ghost declares, that "whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law." That the believer is not under the law, but under grace, Rom. vi. 14. That the Son of God did redeem them that were under

the law, that they might receive the adoption of sons, Gal. iv. 5. And that those who are led by the Spirit are not under the law, Gal. v. 18.

We are under the law to Christ, says Paul, 1 Cor ix. 21. But, what law is that which, in Christ, the believer is under? “ A law shall proceed from me,” saith the Saviour, “and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people." This law and judgment is called a testimony bound, and a law sealed, among the Lord's disciples, Isa. viii. 16. Which testimony is the Gospel; the bond of which is love; and they are disciples who receive the true testimony in the love of it. The law is the law of faith; the seal is the Spirit of God: The day "ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." Here is the law and judgment proceeding from Christ; and this is a testimony bound, a law sealed, among his disciples. This testimony and bond, this law and seal, is the everlasting Gospel in the hand of the Spirit; and under this law Paul was to Christ: for this is the law that is in the Saviour; He is not a priest "after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." In being under this law of faith, in the hand of the Spirit, Paul glories, and calls it being not under the law

but under grace: "For the law of the Spirit of

life, in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death." This is the law of faith; this is the dispensation of the Spirit and life in Christ Jesus, which made Paul free from the reign

ing power of the law of sin that was in his members, Rom. vii. 23-25; and from the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, 2 Cor. iii. 7.

There is not only a being made free, but a deliverance also from the law, and that for God's glory and our good: "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." Men can make no more of the law of Moses than what is called the letter; and a killing letter; they cannot get the Spirit nor life from it, do what they will. It is opposed to the dispensation of the Spirit, and proved that it cannot give life. Men may make it their only rule of life, walk, conduct, and conversation, or what they please; they can call it no more than living, walking, and serving, in the letter; to which the life of faith, a walk in newness of life, a service in the newness of the Spirit, an union with Christ, and a good conversation in him, are opposed. Nor does this evangelical doctrine, or doing the work of an evangelist, lead the evangelized to a licentious life. If sin hath not dominion over a man, it is because he is not under the law, but under grace. Nor has Christ, in magnifying the law and making it honourable, altered the nature of the law: it is a covenant of works still; a killing letter, and the ministration of death, still; a yoke of bondage, and will entangle a foolish Galatian still. I came not to destroy the law; I

came to give my people an easier yoke, and a lighter burden: but you that cleave to the letter, you that do not believe Moses's killing writings, how shall you believe my words? You have one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust; and, dying under that dispensation, heaven and earth shall pass away before one jot or tittle of the law shall fail.' But, you add

'We trust you have not so learned Christ.'

It should have been worded thus; We trust you have not so learned Moses. The subject in hand is the law, and the doctrine you are defending is that of the law's being the believer's rule of life; but, whether the believer is to get life from this rule, or by this rule, or from a Saviour's fulness by faith, we are not informed: whether a supply of the Spirit, and grace to help in every time of need, are to be obtained by eyeing and living by this rule; or by looking to Jesus, and living by the faith of him; is not as yet made known to us. But, you should take care not to confound things: you have charged some with confounding permissive and preceptive will together; and you, Sir, do little less, when, in the character of a minister of Moses, enforcing an obedient life, or a service in the oldness of the letter, you conclude with an evangelical phrase, 'We trust you have not so learned Christ,' when the leading subject of your discourse is none other than Moses.

No man who has tasted that the Lord is gracious will ever think it hard to be under grace,