mise, 23: which things," saith he, " are an allegory; for these are the two covenants: the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 24. For this Agar is mount Sinai, in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 25. But Jerusalem which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all." 26. And the few following verses declare believers to be, with Isaac,"children of the promise;" that the children of the flesh persecute these, as Ishmael did Isaac; that the son of the bondwoman was cast out, "for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free." And immediately upon these words the chapter concludes, "So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free." And the next very pertinently begins, "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Then instancing one particular rite he declares," If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you no thing;" that such as are so, are debtors to do the whole law; that Christ is become of no effect to those who seek to "be justified by the law," and positively asserts of them, "yé are fallen from grace."

Little do the zealous advocates for outward ordinances think how their attachment thereto hinders their real justification by the true and living faith and grace of the gospel, even amidst all their talk of justification by faith in Christ alone. Perhaps they never consider, that these foolish Galatians, with all their desires of bondage to the beggarly elements, might be as loud in profession of faith in Christ, and in their claim to justification by his blood, as any now are. I desire to know, if it is so, why it is more impossible for a man circumcised to be profited by Christ, or why he is any more fallen from grace than a man baptized in water? I cannot perceive that either circumcision or baptism prevents profit by Christ, any further than the mind is thereby turned from him, and from a single reliance upon the work of his grace in the heart for salvation; nor that either the one or the other, or any other outward performance, will ever fail to prevent it, so far as the mind is thereby turned away from an inward attention unto, and firm dependance upon him

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who remains to be the resurrection and the life, in all true believers, the word nigh in the heart and mouth, for counsel, direction, and salvation. In so far as any ceremonial diverts the mind of one that has truly "known God” in himself, from attention to his inward appearance and work in the heart, such an one is so far "fallen from grace," and no further than he is so diverted. And I can see nothing in circumcision, a whit more likely so to divert him, than in water baptism. One, as far as I can conceive, is just as likely to keep him from Christ, as the other. This may seem strange to many. But I think they can give no sound reason why one should be so hurtful, and the other so harmless as they may imagine. Distinctions, however ill founded, when long settled in idea, seem real; but examined to the bottom, are found to have no existence but in speculation. And believing many distinctions of long standing among christian professors are of this kind, I think I can truly say, I travail in spirit, if not in birth, for them, that they may dig deep for the foundation, and build on the sure rock of ages. Then their buildings will not fall, but stand all winds and weathers. It is much better patiently, with Paul, (v. 5.) “ through the spirit, to wait for the hope of righteousness by faith," than hastily to rush into bondage, v. 7. "Ye did run well; who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth? 8. This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." This I firmly believe is just the case with many, whom the Lord in these days calls, by his holy spirit working in them. They give up to the call; begin, like the Galatians, in the spirit; run well for a season. By and by, in steps the adversary of souls, or, by the art and address of some high in esteem with them, they are absolutely hindered from obeying the truth, in keeping singly to the spirit they began in; and by a persuasion that cometh not from him that called and still calleth them to persevere on in the spirit, they are diverted to the elements, take up a false rest in the shadows, and gradually, perhaps almost imperceptibly to themselves, depart from Christ, the inward life; and fall away from the lively influences of grace in their own souls, till the whole lump is leavened, with the leaven of the Pharisees-a fruitless, lifeless zeal VOL. II.-70

in rituals, a round of creaturely devotions and performances; drawing near the Lord with the mouth, and seeming to honour him with the lip, whilst the heart is far from him. In order to prevent which, I think Paul's direction, v. 25, very pertinent and proper: "if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit." And so walking, I am persuaded lifeless forms will be forsaken, beggarly elements abandoned, old things done away, all things become new, all things of God, in spirit and in truth, in the newness of divine life. For I can never believe, that the spirit, not only lived in, (as to what passed in the secret of the soul,) but also diligently and strictly walked in, (as to all our outward religious or devotional exercises,) will fail to lead out of, or preserve from, every undue attachment to signs and ceremo nials, or any thing that genders to bondage.

Now, notwithstanding the length of these quotations from the epistle to the endangered Galatians, and of the foregoing remarks, I am not easy to omit several passages to the Colossians; the epistle to them also being pointedly against subjection to ordinances.

Paul was fervent in spirit, in prayers and desires for them, that they might be "fruitful in every good work;" increasing in the knowledge of God, and "filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding," chap. i. 9, 10; but was so far from pointing out water baptism, or any other mere ceremonial, as promotive of this happy experience; as pertaining to fruitfulness in every good work; or as being included in the word every, in this sentence, or at all belonging to those purely spiritual things, wherein he wished them an increased understanding; that he plainly points out the fulness and sufficiency of Christ, without them, and warns the Colossians of their danger of being beguiled with enticing words from the simplicity of the gospel. In leading on, and preparing their minds for a single dependance on Christ alone, the living substance, and for the rejection of all that is not Christ, nor in, nor of, his life in religion, he tells them it is he, (v. 14,) "in whom we have redemption ;" that he is, (v. 15,) "the image of the invisible God;" yea, "the first born of every creature." 10, That "by him were all things created that are in heaven,

and that are in earth, visible and invisible." 17, "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." 18, That "he is the head of the body, the church:" that he is "the beginning, the first born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence." And 19, that "it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell." This was a good foundation; for having him actually living in us, in whom all fulness dwells, and he being truly our life, we need no addition of ceremonials. Therefore, the apostle, drawing on, (v. 23,) towards the substance, which he wishes them to continue "grounded and settled" in the faith of, not being "moved from the hope of the gospel," he comes, (26, 27, 28,) to the very thing itself; "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;" which he expressly says, as before noted, "is Christ in you, the hope of glory; whom we preach, warning every man," &c.

Observe, reader, we before saw that "the word of faith, which the apostles preached," was the "word nigh in the mouth, and in the heart," as Paul plainly testifies, Rom. x. 8. And here, in full confirmation of the same great truth, the same gospel salvation, we find the same apostle declares the Christ, the gospel, yea, the very "riches of the glory of this mystery," of life and salvation, "among the Gentiles," which they the apostles preached, " is Christ in you, the hope of glory." This is that "hope of the gospel," which a few verses before he wished they might not be "moved away from." And to keep them to this, and from ritual observances, his labour was fervent among them, "striving according" to the working of Christ in him, "which," saith he, v. 29, "worketh in me mightily." And this his fervent labour and striving with them, preaching, "Christ in them," as the substantial hope of glory, "warning every man, teaching every man, in all wisdom," was expressly in order, (28,) to "present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;" where all perfection in the divine life centres; where God and man are reconciled in the heavenly union; where "he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit;" and signs are superseded.

This was Paul's aim, his scope and exercise, in this epistle. In the beginning of the next chapter, he manifests great care or conflict for them, that "their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery, (he had spoken of,) of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom," says he, " are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Thus he lays, or proposes, a sure foundation, on the all-sufficiency whereof both he and they might safely depend; and that without aid or addition from things which may and must be shaken, in order that that alone which cannot be shaken may remain. For this alone is to remain in the fulness of the gospel state; and surely no ceremonials are the things which cannot be shaken.

That this was Paul's aim, in the foregoing expressions, I think we have his own authority to declare; for his next words are, v. 4, “ and this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words." And v. 6, he exhorts, "As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. 7, Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." And then comes on pointedly to warn them, and show them the danger of trusting or being drawn away to any thing else but the riches, glory, and sufficiency of the great mystery, wherein was all fulness for salvation: "Beware,' says he, v. 8. "lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (in the margin, elements) of the world, and not after Christ." Oh! the mischief of human philosophy, carnal reasonings, vain deceit, and the wisdom of this world, in the things of religion. It builds tabernacles for abolished ordinances, and leads thousands from Christ to the rudiments of the world; thereby spoiling them as to the increase of knowledge and stability in Christ, who is all-sufficient for and in his people; as the next words emphatically declare, v. 9, 10, " for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." The next verses show, that neither circumcision nor outward baptism is at all necessary; so entirely complete we are in Christ,