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should be drawn from thence, and applied to the people, with an honest appeal to God and conscience; and, when a man has done that, he has delivered his own soul. But I suppose you were conscious that there is not a text in God's word that would supply your malice with slanderous artillery against either my life or doctrine; you, therefore, chose to spin one out of your own brains, when they were properly stirred with a consecrated bowl of negus; and the word of God must be brought in as subservient to your wicked designs, and for a cloak of maliciousness; while you discover your ignorance, in levelling your malice at those that are more useful and successful than yourself, and dishonour the cause that refuses to honour you.

You open your battery thus: Brethren, I will not spend your time,' it should have been, I will not intrude upon or take up your time time to-night 'with needless apologies; I am persuaded of your 'candour; but this I will say, that this subject is ' of infinite importance, and is of as great import'ance as any doctrine contained within the circle ' of Christianity; and that to oppose it is to sap the foundation of all religion, both moral and ' divine.'

These are home strokes, Such flourishes as these are as terrible as the brandished sword of Don Quixote, who, in his heroic frenzy, challenged even a windmill to a duel.

The moral law, you say, is the foundation of

all religion, both moral and divine. I read in my Bible, there is no other foundation that any man can lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ, who was laid in God's decree from all eternity, and therefore called an elect stone; and that from all eternity he was set up as the only head of influence," in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Yea, all the fulness of grace and eternal life is in him, and was given us of God in him, and in no other. And, if all spiritual life be in him, then it is from him, as the everlasting Father, that we receive it. If all spiritual blessings are given us of God in him, and are derived from him, then he is the fountain of them; and, if there is no other foundation that God has laid but him, then all our faith, hopes, and expectations, must be built on him; and, if so, he is the foundation of all religion. The law was added because of transgression, that sin by the law might become exceeding sinful; for we know, that where there is no law there is no transgression; "I had not known sin but by the law, for I had not known lust except the law had said thou shalt not covet." It is the ministration of death and condemnation to sinners. They that trust in Moses are accursed by him, for "as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse." If so, it is the foundation of every guilty sinner's eternal misery, ruin, and destruction, instead of religion; and so the hardened wretch will find that dies under the dreadful curse of that

divine law; for, if there was no law, what has a sinner to fear? Where there is no law, there is no transgression. Sin is a transgression of the law; and, as all have sinned, all are condemned by the law. And the law gives sin its destroying venom, and death its sting; "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law."

As to moral religion, distinct from divine, I do not understand it, nor you neither. If by the word 'moral' you mean the law, then all morality, or moral religion, must consist in obedience to that law. But, as the law is spiritual, and man is carnal, sold under sin; and as the law commands love to God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength; while man's carnal mind is enmity against God, not subject to his law, nor can be; then man can give the spiritual law no spiritual obedience, because he cannot love God; and on these two commandments, love to God and love to the neighbour, hang all the law and the prophets. If so, there is no morality, or moral religion, but in those happy souls who have the righteousness of Christ on them, and the love of God shed abroad in them. "The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in such, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit." But you go on, being first in your own cause to appear righteous, and I, your honest neighbour, come after to search you, whether you are so or not, Prov. xviii. 17.

All I wish for is, that one more suitable to 'the task it had fallen to, to have discussed the

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same; but you will bear with me patiently, while 'I endeavour, after my best manner, to explain it

to you.' It should have been worded thus: all that I wish for is, that this task had fallen to a more able hand.

This apology seems needless; for, however unequal you may think yourself to this task, yet my thoughts are far otherwise; I think there is no man more proper to slander the servants of God, and their service, than such an one as yourself. A man that can desert the honest labour of the hod, trowel, brush, lime, and hair, and jump into a surplice, gown and cassock, read the established church service, without any call or ordination either from God or man, and run to Oxford or Cambridge for a few incoherent scraps of Greek, while unable to write common sense in his mother tongue; who hides his religion and profession, in order to sculk by stealth into the establishment, though God discover his hypocrisy, blast his measures, and resist his pride; is qualified for any thing but the ministry of God's word, and a profession of his name. Now comes your explanation, such an one as it is:

'When Moses smote the rock of old, water came forth, which followed Israel, and refreshed ' and comforted them in a weary land; and God of his infinite mercy grant that, while we are speak

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ing concerning the law of the Lord, some refresh

ing comforts, some streams of happiness, may flow

'down to the refreshment of every mind in the 'presence of God to-night.'

If you smite the law in order to get refreshment, you had need to smite hard, for you will as soon get blood from a post as refreshment from the law. "He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doth he it by the [smiting] works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Gal. iii. 5. That which refreshes a soul must quicken or nourish life; but there is no such thing in the law; "for, had there been a law given that could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." "I do not frustrate the grace of God, for, if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain,” Gal. ii. 21. However, if you have a mind to smite, you may. You may get fire from the law, though you cannot get the water of life. God says it is a fiery law, Deut. xxxiii. 2. And take heed, Sir, that it does not serve you as it did Israel of old; it set them on fire, but they knew it not; it burned them, but they laid it not to heart, Isaiah xlii. 25. God calls his wrath, revealed in his law against sin, a fire that is kindled in his anger, which shall burn to the lowest hell, Deut. xxxii. 22. If so, the damned are the best judges of its contents, and they get no refreshment from it; for Christ says that those smiters of the law have called even to beggars for a drop of water to cool their tongue, Luke xvi. 24, which they had no call

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