4 
 
 iSfe. 
 
 ###♦♦■#### 
 
 fij O ZJ ^ , ^ "^ ^ *• ilZ 
 
 -^^'^ 
 
 A 
 
 
 If thou art borrowed by a friend. 
 Right welcome shall he be, 
 
 To read, to study — not to lend- 
 But to return to me. 
 
 Not that imparted knowledge dotli 
 Diminish learning's store ; 
 
 But Books. I find, if often lent, 
 Return to me no more. 
 
 Read slowly^ 'pause frequently^ think seriously, 
 keep cleanly, return duly, I'Jith the corners of 
 the leaves not turned down. 
 
 Baltimore, dth month, 1830 
 
 W^p ^sE^^ ^^SBSi*^ 
 
 THIS BOOK BELONGS TO 
 
 JOSEPH TOWNSEND. W" 
 
 .f.' 
 
 
 w 
 
rjtr^j^ c^ /'' 
 
 /r/r 
 
A N 
 
 HUMBLE, EARNEST, AND 
 AFFECTIONATE 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CLERGY. 
 
 By WILLIAM LAW, a. m. 
 
 TO WHICH IS PREriXED, 
 
 K SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 or ins 
 L II E AND CHARACTER, 
 
 STANFORD, IN NINE PARTNERS, 
 
 PraNTFJ) BY DANIEL LAWBENCE, FOR. SAMUEL THO^H 
 
 AND JOSEPH C, DfiANE. 1803. 
 
,n *? » > 
 
 ^QifJS ACCOUNT OF \ , fl^ 
 
 itTTl 
 Wl L L I A M L A W, 
 
 Author of the folloTuing Address^ and divers other 
 Religious Tra^s^ 
 
 HE was born at King's Cliff, a market town la 
 Northamptonfliire, (G. B.) in the year 1687. — 
 His parents were of good repute, and in circumflances 
 which enabled them to give him a liberal education.-— 
 He was lent early to the univerfity of Cambridge, and 
 was of Emmanuel College , where his fuperior genius 
 foon diilinguiihed itfelf by three letters to (Hoadiy ) the 
 bifhop of Bangor, fo greatly, that upon their publica- 
 tion, the celebrated biihop Atterbury waited upon him, 
 and made him this compliment: *^ Mr. Law, from 
 your writings, inftead of feeing a youth, I ihould have 
 cxpecled to fee grey hairs." The univerfal applaufe 
 thofe three letters met with, inftead of filling his mind 
 with pride and vanity, the two pregnant attendants of 
 fuperior abilities and human applaufe, only ferved to 
 make him the more retired from the world, in order 
 the more deeply to look into himfelf. 
 
 He lived a fmgle life, and the laft twenty years of it 
 in the fame town in which he was born ; but the reafons 
 of his not continuing in the miniftry can only be con- 
 jeftured : For it is not Is^nown that he ever acquainted 
 any one with them. 
 
4 SOME ACCOUNT OF 
 
 As to Viis fentiments concerning all churches of the 
 prefent time, they are fufficiently muni left in his wri- 
 ti igs ; and they are, that ail of theoi are in a fallen 
 llaie, both with refpe6l to do6lrine and pra6lice, having 
 wandered very fi'^r fronn the truth, and the ipirit of the 
 gofpel, placing religion in a regular round of formal, 
 dull duties, or perfornxances,' aild empty, groundlefs 
 do6trines, indead of the real love of God and man. — 
 The firfl fruits which his retirement produced were his 
 two. excellent treatifes of Christian PerfeElion and Scri^ 
 cus Call to a De^vout and Holy Life, From thefe inftruc- 
 tive writings, by a gradual progrefs in fpirituality and 
 found philoibphy, Providence called him (when he was 
 duly qualified for it) to illuftrate and unfold deep my Rio 
 writings, which he hath done with much fulnefs and 
 depth of penetration. 
 
 In the year 1 727 he founded a charity«fchool at King's 
 Cliff, and afterwards added two tenements for two 
 ancient \7omen, with a weekly allowance. 
 
 In the year V ^^5^ Elizabeth Huchinfon, reli6l of 
 Archibald Huchlnfon, Efq. of Weftminfter, founded 
 another fchool in the fame place, for the education and 
 clothing of eighteen poor boys, and afterwards added 
 to it four liule t:mements for four ancient widows.— 
 Thefe charities are under the dire61ion of fix truftees, 
 and are ahvays to be appropriated only to the benefit 
 of the town of King's Cliff. 
 
 The following circumftances whereby he was ena- 
 bled to be exteiifively ufeful, arc remarkable. — Atten- 
 ding the fc!iaO: of the fons of the clergy at St. Paul's Ca- 
 thedra!, a gentleman who was unknown to him came 
 to him and siked his name, to whom he modeftly an- 
 iVered^ '-My name, Sir, is William Law." Where- 
 upon the geniieman gave him a letter dire6led to our 
 author himfelf, wniich he, for the prefent, put into his 
 pocket, and v/hich, upon opening it at a convenient 
 opportunity, he found enclofed a bank note for one 
 thoufand pounds fterling j and at another time a bank 
 
WILLIAM LAW. S 
 
 note for five hundred pounds (terling, was fent him 
 from an unknown hand. Note here, thm the above 
 
 named Elizabeth HuchinfoHj and Gil}bons, 
 
 retiring from the diftracling eares that attend gentle- 
 women in high life^ lodged their money in the public 
 funds, and lived with W. Law for feveral years before 
 his death ; and afterwards refided very amicably in the 
 houfe which he left; never going up to London, but 
 enjoying the fweets of retirement. 
 
 George Ward, that feii'-denying myftic, to whom 
 feveral of Law's letters v/hich have been publifhed are 
 directed, a moft amiable man, fcarce known to the 
 world, commonly vifited them once a year. 
 
 That truly pious and catholic-fpirited writer, doftor 
 Philip Doddridgej in a fermon to young perfons^ has 
 the following pafiage concerning William Law. ' It is 
 an awakening faying of one of the moft lively and pa- 
 thetic, as well as moft pious writers which our age has 
 produced, '' that the condition of man in his natural 
 ftate, feems to be likcthatof a perfon fick of a variety 
 of.difeafes, knowing neither his diftemper nor cure, but 
 unhappily enclofed in a place where he could hear, or 
 fee, or tafte, or feel nothing, but v/hat tended to en- 
 flame his diforder." Law c^f Christian FerfcSiion, p. 11, 
 
 The writer of the Life of John Buncle (a noted deifl) 
 after having unreafonably cenfured William Law, as a 
 Vifionary and Enthufiaft, &c. v/as obliged to acknowl- 
 edge the followiBg excellent charadler of him and the 
 aforementioned treatifes. '^ The reverend nonjurer, 
 Mr. VV^illiam Law, was a man of fenfe, a fine writer, 
 and a fine gentleman- His temper was charming, 
 fv/eet, and delightful ; and his manners quite primi- 
 tive, and uncommonly pious : He was all charity and 
 goodnefs, and fo foft and gentle in converfation, that 
 I have thought myfelf in company with one of the m.en 
 of the frrft church at Jerufalem, while vfith himi. He 
 had likewife the jufteft notions of Chriftian Temper 
 apd pra^lice, aad recommended them in fo infinuating 
 
G SOME ACCOUNT OF 
 
 a manner, that even a rake would hear him with plefh^ 
 fure. I have not feen any thing like him among the fonft 
 of men in thefe particulars. He was really a very exr 
 traordinary man ; and to his honor be it remembered^ 
 that he had the great concern of human life at hearty 
 took a deal of pains in the pulpit, and from the prcfs— ^ 
 witnefs his two fine books on Chriftian Perfe6lion and. 
 a Devout lite ; to make men fear God and keep his 
 commandments. He was a good man indeed. Thefe 
 are good books, written in the true fpirit of chriftian-^ 
 ity, and well worth the confideration of chriftians." 
 
 This engaging chara6ter of Wm. Law brings to 
 mind the following anecdote we have fomewhere met 
 with. " The Earl of Peterlburg, after a vifit paid 
 by him to Fenelon, Archbiihop of Cambray, faid to 
 Alexander Pope, Fenelon is a man caft in a particular 
 mould, which has not been ufed for any body elie : 
 He is a delicious creature I But I was forced to get 
 from him as foon as I pofiibly could ; for elfe he 
 would have made me pious." 
 
 In his younger years Law exhibited, very confpicU^ 
 ouHy^ fufficient proofs of being learned in human arts 
 and fciences ; but he foon embraced the counfel our 
 Savior gave the rich young man, and renounced the 
 world v/hoity^and folely followed CHRIST, in meek- 
 neCs, humility, and felf-denial. In his latter years he 
 was looked upon as quite abforbed, and thoroughly, an- 
 imated with love to God and men ; fo that the powers 
 of life in him were nothing but heavenly love and 
 heavenly flames. 
 
 A writer under the fignature of Chrl&tofihihis, In 
 Lloyd's Evening Pod, in the year 1772, fpeaking of 
 William Law, and recommending his writings, fays, 
 ** Though I had no long acquaintance with him, yet a 
 few months before his deceafe, I was indulged with an 
 ample and intimate converfation with him, upon the 
 flate of religion in our time and nation, and on many 
 other the moft intere fling fubje^is* This I regard as a 
 
WILLIAM LAW. V 
 
 •fevor of Godfeeftowed on me, and which T would not 
 iiave been without on any confideration. I only wilh 
 to make the beft ufe of it, in all refpe6ls. Mr. Law 
 lived as he wrote, and died as he lived. I am pretty- 
 credibly informed, that amidft the moll excruciating 
 ^ainsof the (lone, and at the age of feventy-fivf^ years, 
 immediately before his diflblution, rifing up in his bed 
 he faid, '^ Take away thefe filthy garments ; I feel a 
 fire of love within, which has burnt up every thing 
 contrary to itfelf, and transformed every thing into 
 its own nature." Oh 1 might every minifter, and each 
 of their flocks, of every denomination, live the life, 
 and die the death, of this truly righteous man 1" 
 
 " To give a fliort fpecimen of the converfation 
 which paffed between us-^ — " Sir, fays he, I am not 
 fond of religious gofBping. My beft thoughts are ia 
 my works, and to them I recommend you. If I fhould 
 fecm to you a poffitivc old fellow, I cannot help it, 
 well knowing the ground from which I write. But, 
 dear fir, above all things be prefent with, and attend 
 carefully to your own heart ; there you will be fure to 
 meet with all the evil ; and there only you can meet 
 with God and all real goodnefs." Having already 
 reaped benefit from this advice, through God's mer- 
 cy, I communicate it to the public for the fame end ; 
 it is neediul ; and may it prove, together with his other 
 writings, a ftandard lifted up againft that inundation of 
 infidel profligacy and notional taith ; againft the num- 
 berlefs number of flagrant fmners and hypocritical, 
 falfe faints, which every where divide a fallen Chrift- 
 endom." 
 
 *^ Upon my own knov/ledge, fays the worthy Hart- 
 ley, Mr. Law was a gentleman of free converfation, 
 and often received company at bis houfe in King's 
 Cliff.'' 
 
8 SOME ACCOUNT, &c. 
 
 He died April 9th, 1761, aged 75 years, and the 
 whole of the following addrefs was fent by himfelf to 
 be printed, except a few pages, the laft of which v/as 
 written by him not many days before his death ; and 
 tho'it appears chiefly direfted to the Epifcopal clergy, 
 is of common concern to all profeffed minifters of tl^e 
 gofpel, and chrillians in general. 
 
7\ S|^)£5wfi r^3y i x1rn/ iia5t^i ^ ^^t£5^^ Ty i t^ i ?yT^ K^a» 
 
 AN 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CLERGY. 
 
 TH E reafon of my humbly and aflFe6lionately ad- 
 dreffing this difcourfe to the Clergy, is not, be- 
 caufe it treats of things not of common concern to all 
 Chriflians, but chiefiy to invite and induce them, as far 
 as I can, to the ferious perufal of it ; and becaufe what- 
 ever is effential to chriiiian falvation, if either negle6t- 
 ed, overlooked, or miflaken by them, is of the faddeft 
 confequence both to themfelves, and the churches in 
 which they miniiler. I fay essential to falvation, for I 
 would not turn my own thoughts, or call the attention 
 of chriftians to any thing, but the one thing needful^ the 
 one thing essential^ and only available^ to our rifingout 
 of our fallen ilate, and becoming, as we were at our 
 creation, an holy offspring of God, and real partakers 
 of the divine nature. 
 
 If it be aflced. What this one thing is ? It is the 
 Spirit of God brought again to his first powe?^ ^f^^fi 
 in lis. Nothing elfe is wanted by us, nothing eife in- 
 tended for us, by the law. the prophets, and the gofpel. 
 Nothing elfe is, or can be effedlual, to the miiking fm- 
 iul man become again a godly creature. 
 
 A 2 
 
10 LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 Every tiling elfe, be it what it will, however glorious 
 and divine in outward appearance ; every thing that 
 angtls, n^en, churches or reformations^ can do ior us, 
 5s dead and htlplels, but fo iar as it is the immediate 
 work of the Spirit ot God, breathing Mnd living in it. 
 
 All fcripture bears fuil witneis to this truth ; aiid the 
 end and defign of all that is written, is only to call U3 
 bacl< from the fpirit of Satan, the fl Jh, and the world, 
 to be again under full dependance upon, and obedience 
 to the Spirit of God, who out of free love, and thirft af- 
 ter Giu" fouls, feeks to have his iirft power oi life in us. 
 When this is done, all is done that the fcripture can do 
 for us. Read what chapter, or do61rine of fcripture 
 you will, be ever fo delighted with it, it will leave you 
 as^oor, as empty, and unreformed, as it found you, 
 unlefs it be a deliglu that proceeds trom, and has turn- 
 ed you wholij and foltly to the Spirit of God, and 
 Icrengthened your union with, and dependance upon 
 him. For love and delight in matteis of fcripture, 
 wiiilfl: it is only a delight that is merely human, how- 
 <;ver fpecious and faint-like it may appear, is but the 
 feif-love of fallen Adam, and can have no better a na- 
 ture, till it proceeds irom the infpiration of God, 
 quickening Ins own life and nature within us, which 
 alone can have, or give iorth a godly love. For \i it 
 be an immutable truth, that ' uu man can call Jefus, 
 Lord, bux by the Hol\ Ghoil,' it mui\ be a ti uth equal- 
 ly immulable, that no one can have any one ChriR-iike 
 temper, or pt;wer c-f goodncis, but fo iar, and in fuch 
 <lcgrv'e, as he is immedicitely led and governed by the 
 Jhoi} Sphit. 
 
 The giounds and reafons of which are as follow: 
 All poirrole gooduvrfs, that either can be niimed or is 
 .namelefs, was in God from all eternity, and mull to all 
 eternity be infc parable from him ; it can be no where 
 but where God is. As therefore, before God created 
 any thing, it was certainly true, that there was but one 
 that was good ; fo it is juft the fame truth^;Uicr Gcd 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 11 
 
 has created innumerable h- fts of bltffed, holy, and 
 heaverly beings, that there is but one that is good, and 
 that is God. 
 
 All that can be called goodnefs, holinefs, divine 
 tempers, heavenly aiFeftions, &c. in the creatures, are 
 no more thv ir own, or the growth of their created pow- 
 ers, than they were their own before they were creat- 
 ed. But all that is called divine goodnefs and virtue 
 in the creature, is nothing elfe, but the one goodnefs 
 of God manifefting a birth and difcovery of itfelf in 
 the creature, according as its created nature is fitted 
 to receive it. This is the unalterable ftate between 
 God and the creature. Goodnefs, for ever and ever, 
 can only belong to God, as essential to hittiy and m- 
 separable from him, as his own unity. 
 
 God could not make the creature to be great and 
 glorious in itself — this is as impoflible as for God to 
 create beings into a ilate of independence on himfelf. 
 The heavens, faith David, declare the glory of God j 
 and no creature, any more than the heavens, can de- 
 cl ire any other glory, but that of God. And as well 
 mi^ht it be faid, that the firmament Iheweth forth its 
 own handv-work, as that a holy, divine, or heavenly 
 creature, Ihewtth foth its ov/n natural power. 
 
 But now, if all that is divine, great, glorious, and 
 happy, in he fpirits, tempers, operations, and ei joy- 
 ments of thtTcreature, is only fo much of the greatnefsj 
 glory, majelly, and bleffednefs of God, dwelling in it, 
 and giving iorth various births oi his own triune life, 
 light, and lv)ve, and through the rnanif(;ld forms and 
 capacitits of the creature to receive them, then we 
 m iy infallibly fee the true ground and nature of all 
 true rt-ligion ; and when, and how, we may be faid to 
 fulfil all our religious duty to G(d. For the creature's 
 true religion, is its rendering lo God all that is God's ; 
 it is its continual acknowledging all that which it is, 
 and has, and enjoys, in and irom God. This is the one 
 true religion oi" all iiUcliigeut creatures, whether in 
 
1£ LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 heaven or OA earth ; for as they all have but one and 
 the fame relation to God, fo tho' ever fo different in 
 their feveral births, ftates or offices, they all have but 
 one and the fame true religion, or right behavior to- 
 wards God. Now the one relation^ which is the 
 ground of all true religon, and is one and the fame 
 between God and all intelligent creatures, is this ; it 
 is a total, unalterable dependance upon God ; an im- 
 mediate, continual receiving of every kind and degree 
 of goodnefs, bleffmg and happinefs, that ever was, or 
 cart be found in them, from God alone. The higheft 
 angel has nothing of its own that it can offer unto God ; 
 no more light, love, purity, perfe6tion, and glorious 
 hallelujahs, that fpring from itfelf, or its own powers, 
 than the pooreft creature upon earth. Could the an- 
 gel fee a fpark of wifdorti, goodnefs, or excellence, as 
 coming from, or belonging to itfell", its place in heaven 
 would be loft, as fure as Lucifer loii: his. But they 
 are abiding flames of pure love, always afcending up 
 to, and uniting v/lth God, for this reafon, becaufe the 
 wlfdom, the power, the glory, the majedy, the 
 love and goodnefs of God alone, is all that they 
 fee, and feel, and know, either within or without 
 thcmfelves. Songs of praife to their heavenly F.iiher, 
 are their ravilhing delight, becaufe they fef , andknov/, 
 and feel^ that it is the breatii and fpirit of their heav- 
 enly Father, that fmgs and rejoices in them. Their 
 adoration in fpirit snd in truth never ctafes, becaufe 
 they never ceafe to acknowledge the ALL of God ; 
 the ALL of God in themfth es, and the ALL of God 
 in the whole creation. This is the one religion of 
 heaven, and nothing elfe is the truth of religion on 
 earth. 
 
 The matter therefore plainly comes to this ; nothing 
 can do, or be, the good of religion to the intelligent 
 creature, but the power and prefjnce of God, really 
 and cffeiHialiy liviiig and working in it. But if this 
 be the unchangeable ^iature of that goodnefs and bkf- 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 13 
 
 fcdnefs, which is to be had from our religion, then 
 of all neceflity, the creature mud have all its religious 
 goodnefs, as wholely and folely from God's immedi^ 
 ate operation, as it had its firft goodnefs at its creation,. 
 And it is the fame impoOTibiiity for the creature to help 
 itfv4f to that which is good, and blcffed in religion^by 
 any contrivance, reafonings, or workings of its owa 
 natural powers, as to create iifelf. For the creature, 
 after its creation, can no more take any thing to itfelf^ 
 that belongs to God, than it could take it, before it wa$ 
 created. And if truth forces us to hold, that the nat- 
 ural powers of the creature could only come from the 
 one power of God, tht fame truth ihould furely more 
 force us to confefs, tliat that which comforts, that 
 which enlightens, that which blefies, which gives peace, 
 joy, goodnefs, and reft to its natural powers, can be 
 had in no other w^iy, nor by any other thing, but fromi 
 God's immediate, holy operation found in it. 
 
 Now the rcafon, why no work of religion, but that 
 which is begun, continued, and carried on by the liv- 
 ing operation of God in the creature, can have any 
 truth, goodnefs or divine blefling in it, is becaufe, no* 
 thing can in truth seek God, but that which com |#^ 
 from God. Nothing can in truth j^?/ifl^ God, as its 
 good, but that which has the nature of God living iii, 
 it ; like can only rejoice in like ; and therefore no re- 
 ligious fervice of the crc^ature, can have any truth^ 
 goodnefs, or blelTing in it, but that which is done in. 
 the creature, in, and througli, and by a principle and 
 power of the divine nature bcg'<tten, £md breathing 
 forth in it all holy tempers, aff 6li(MiS, and adorations. 
 
 All true religion is, or brings forth, an efiential uni- 
 on, and communion of the fpirit of the creature, with 
 the fpirit of the Creator, God in it, and it in God, 
 one life, one liglu, one Icve. The fpirit of God firfb 
 gives, or fows ihe feed of divint; union in the foul of 
 every man ; and religion is that by \vl>ich it is quick?- 
 cned, raifed, and brought forth to a fulnefs^ and 
 
 is 
 
S4 LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 growth of life in God,-?- — Take a fimUitude of this, 
 as follows. — —The beginning, or feed of animal breath, 
 mail firft be born in the creature from the spirit of this 
 V/orld, and then respiration^ fo long as it lafts, keeps 
 tip an essential iiryon of the animal life with the breath, 
 or fpirit of this world. In like manner, divine faith, 
 hope, love, and refignation to God, are in the reli- 
 gious life, its a£ls of respiration^ which fo long as they 
 are true, unite God in the creature, in the fame living, 
 and effential manner, as animal respiration unites 
 the breath of the animal, with the breath of this world. 
 
 Now as no animal could begin to refpire, or unite 
 with the breath of this world, but becaufe it has its 
 beginning to breathe, begotten in it from the air of 
 this world, fo it is equally certain, that no crerture, 
 angel or nian, could begin to be religious, or breathb 
 forth the divine affe<5lions of faith, love, and defire to- 
 wards God, but becaufe ^, living seed oi thefe divine- 
 i^ffedlions, was by the Spirit of God iirft begotten in it. 
 And as a tree, or plant, c^n only grow and fructify, 
 by the same poxver that firil gave birth to the feed, fo 
 feith and hope, and love tov/ard§ God, can only grov/, 
 ^id friidtify, by the same poxier that begat the first 
 ceed of them in the foui. Therefore divine, immedi- 
 ate infpiration, and divirie religion, are infeparable in 
 the nature of the thing. 
 
 Take a*>vay infpiration, or fuppofe it to ceafe, and 
 then no religious acls, or affecStions, can give forth any 
 ihlng that is godly or divine. For the creature can 
 crlFer, or return nothing to God, but that which it has 
 riril received from hini ; therefore, if it is to ofxer aixl 
 lend up to God affections, and afpirations, that are 
 divine and godly, it muft of neceflity have the divine 
 nrd godly nature, living and breathing in it. Can any 
 tailing refiecl hght, before it has received it, or any 
 other light, than jthat which it has received ? Can any 
 creature breathe forth earthly, or diabolical aaectlcns, 
 pefpre it is pofk.ffed of an earthly or diribcligal Uf^ture ? 
 
TO THE CLERgV. ii 
 
 Ifet this 13 as poflible, as for any creature to have di- 
 vine affe6lion5 riftng up, and chvelling in it, either be^ 
 fore^ or any farther^ than as it has, or partakes of th^ 
 divine nature, dwelling and operating in it. 
 
 A religious faith that is uninspired^ a hope^ or love^ 
 that proceeds not from the iiYimediate working*; of the 
 divine nature within us, can no niore do any divine 
 good to our fouls, or unite them with the goodnefs of 
 God, than an hunger after earthly foodi, can feed us 
 with the immortal bread cf heaven* All that the na^ 
 turaly or uninspired man does, or can do in the church, 
 has no more of the truth, or power of divine vvrorfhip 
 in it, than that which he does in the field, or fliop^ 
 through a deiirer of riches. And the reafon is, be*- 
 caufe all the acls of the natural man, v/hether relating 
 to matters of religion, or the world, rauft be equally 
 felfilh, and there is no poilibility of their being other- 
 wife. For felf-love, felf^efteem, felf-feeking, and living 
 wholly to felf, are as ftri6lly the whole of all that is, or 
 polTibly can be, in the natural man, as in the natural 
 bead ; the one can no more be better, or a£l above his 
 nature, than the other. Neither can any creature b^ 
 in a better, or higher Hate than this, till fcniething fu- 
 pernatural is found in it ; and this fupernatural fome- 
 thing,. called in fcripture the word, or spirit, or in- 
 spiration of God, is that alone^ from which man can 
 have the firft good thought about God, or the lea(t 
 power of having more heavenly defires in his fpirit, 
 than he has in his flefn. 
 
 A religion that is not v/holly built upon this fuperna- 
 tural ground, but folely ftands upon the powers, rea- 
 fonings, and conclufions of the natural, uninspired 
 man, has not fo much as the fhadow of true religioa 
 in it, but is a mere nothing, in the fame fenfe as an 
 idol is faid to be nothing, becaufe the idol has nothing 
 oi that in it which is ))retendcd by it. For the work 
 ©f religion has no divine good in it, but as it brings 
 forth; and keeps up an efftntial union of the fpiritof 
 
16 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 man with the fpirlt of God ; \Yhich cffc ntial union can- 
 not be made, but through love on both fides, nor by 
 love, but where the love that works on both fides is of 
 the fame nature. 
 
 No man therefore can reach Gcd with his love, or 
 have union v»^ith him by it, but he who is infpired with 
 that one fame fpirit of love, with which God lovtd him- 
 felf from all eternitV) and before there was any crea- 
 ture. Infinite hods of new created heavenly beings, 
 can begin no new kind of love to God, nor have the 
 lead power of beginning to love him at all, but fo far 
 as his own holy fpirit of love, wherewith he hath from 
 ail eternity loved himfelf, is brought to life in them. 
 This love that was then in God alone, can be the only 
 love in creatures that can draw them to God ; they can 
 have no power of cleaving to him, of willing that 
 which he wills, or adoring the divine nature, but by 
 partaking of that eternal fpirit of lore ; and therefore 
 the continvial, immediate infpiration, or operation of 
 the holy fpirit, is the only one poflible ground of our 
 continually loving God. And of this infpired love, and 
 no other, it is, that St. John faith, '^ He that dwelleth 
 in love, dwelleth in God." Suppofe it to be any other 
 love, brought forth by any other thing but the fpirit of 
 God, breathing his own love in us, and then it cannot 
 be true, that he who dwells in luch love, dwelleth ia 
 God. 
 
 Divine infpiration was effential to man's firft created 
 {late. The fpirit of God, breathed into, or brought to 
 life in him, was that alone, which made him a holy 
 creature in the image and likenefs of God. To have no 
 other mover, to live under no other guide or leader, 
 but the fpirit, was that which conftituted all the hoii- 
 nefs, which the firft man could have from God. Had 
 he not been thus at the firft, God in him and he in God, 
 brought into the world as a true ofl'spring, and real l^irth 
 of the holy Spirit, no dilpenfation of God to fallen man 
 ■would have directed hirn to the holy Spirit, or ever have 
 
TO THE CLERGY. If 
 
 made TnentioR of this infpiration in man* For fallen 
 man could be direclccl to nothing, as his good, but that 
 v/hich he had, and was his good, before he fell. And 
 had not the holy fpirit been his firfl life, in and by which 
 he lived, no infpirtd prophets among the fons of fallen 
 Adam, had ever been heard of, or any holy menfpeak- 
 ing as they were moved by the Koly Ghoft. For the 
 thin'g would have been impolTible; no fallen man could 
 have been infpired by the holy Spirit, but becaufe the 
 flrft life of man was a true and real birth of it ; and alfo 
 becaufe every fallen man had, by the mercy and free 
 grace of God, a secret rew.ains of his firil life, preferv- 
 ed in him, though hidden, or rather fwaliowed up by 
 fielli and blood ; which fecret remains, fignified and af- 
 fured to Adam, by ihe name of a bruiser of the serpent^ 
 cr seed of the xuornan^ was his only capacity to be call- 
 ed and quici^eneci again into his firll life, by new 
 breathings of the holy Spirit in him. 
 
 Hence it plainly appears, that the gofpel (late could 
 not be God's last dispensation^ or the finilliing of man's 
 redemption, unlefs its whole work was a work of the 
 fpirit of God in the fpirit of man ; that is, unlefs with- 
 out all vails, types and Ihadows, it brought the thing 
 itfeif, or the fubiiance of all former types and fliadows, 
 into real enjoyment, fo as to be poffefi'ed by man in fpi- 
 rit and in truth. Now the thing itself^ and for the 
 fake of which all God's difpenfations have been, is 
 X^i^X. Jirst life ofGod^ which -was essentially born in the 
 sold of the first man^ Adam, and to which he died. — 
 But now, if the gofpel difpcnfation comes at the end 
 of all types and fliadows, to bring forth again in man a 
 true and full birth of that holy Spirit, which he had at 
 lirft, then it muft be plain, that the work of this dif- 
 pcnfation mud be folely,and immediately the work of 
 the holy Spirit. For if man could no other poffible 
 way, have had a holy nature, and a fpirit at first ^ but 
 as an offspring, or birth of the holy Spirit, at his cre- 
 ation, it is certain from the nature of the thing, that 
 
It LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 fallen man, dead to his firfl: holy nature, c^n have tlir.t 
 f:\me holy nature again, no other way, but lolely by the 
 operation of that fame holy Spirit, from the breath of 
 whi^jh he had at firft a" holy nature and life in God* 
 Therefore, immediate infpiration is as neceffary to 
 make fallen man alive unto God, as it was to make 
 man at lirft a living foul after the image, and in the 
 likenefs of God. And continual infpiration is as ne-» 
 cefTary, as man^s continuance in his redeemed ftate. 
 For this is a certain truth, that that alone which begins, 
 or gives life, muft of all neceflity be the only continii- 
 ance, or prefervation of life. The fecondfttp can on- 
 \y be taken by that, which gave power to take the firft. 
 No life can continue in the goodnefs of its firft created, 
 or redeemed ftate, but by its continuing under the influ- 
 ence of, and working with, and by that powerful Kootj 
 or Spirit, which at firft created or redeemed it. Every 
 branch of the tree, though ever fc richly brought forth, 
 muft wither and die, as foon as it ceafcs to have con- 
 tinual union with, and virtue from that root, which 
 firft brought it forth. And to this truth, as abfolutely 
 grounded in the nature of the thing, our Lord appeals 
 as a proof, and full illuftration of the neceflity of his 
 immediate indwelling, breathing, and operating in 
 the redeemed foul of iTian, fayiig, 1 am the vine, ye 
 are the branches j as the branch cannot bear fruit of 
 itfelf, no more can ye, except ye abide in n\c. He that 
 abideth in me, and I in hun, the fame bringeth forth 
 much fruit. If a man abide not in me*, he is caft forth 
 as a withered branch : for without me ye can do no* 
 thing, yohh XV* 
 
 Now from thefe words, let this conclufion be here 
 drawn, viz. That thereiore, to turn to Chriftas a light 
 within us, to expert life from nothing but his holy- 
 birth raifed within us ; to give up ouif .^Ives wholly 
 and folely to the immediate, contir>ual mflux, and op- 
 eration of his holy Spirit, depending wholly upon it 
 ier every kind and degree cf gQodnef$ and holinefii 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 19 
 
 that we want, or can receive, is and can be nothing 
 dfe but proud, rank enthufiafm. 
 
 Now as infinitely abfurd as this Gonclufion is, no one 
 that condemns continual, immediate infpiration, as 
 grofs enthufiafm, can poffibly do it with lefs abfurdity, 
 or (hew himfelf a witer man, or better reafoner, than 
 he that concludes, that becaufe without Chriil we can 
 do nothing, therefore we ought not to believe, expefl, 
 wait for, and depend upon the continual, immediate 
 operation in every thing that we do, or would do well. 
 As to the pride charged upon this pretended enthufi* 
 afm, it is the fame abfurdity. Chrift faith, Without ras 
 ye can do nothing; the fame as if he had faid, As to 
 yourfelves, and all that can be called your ov/n, ye are 
 mere helplefs fm and mifery, and nothing that is good 
 • can come from you, but as it is done by the continual, 
 immediate breathing and infpiration of another fpirit, 
 ^iven by God to over-rule your own, to fave and de- 
 liver you from all your own goodnefs, your ov/n wif« 
 dom and learning, which always were, and always 
 will be, as corrupt and impure, as earthly and fenfual^ 
 as your own Aefa and blood. Now is there any felf* 
 ilh, creaturely pride, in fully believing this to be true^ 
 and in afting in full conformity to it I If fo, then he 
 that ccnfefies he neither hath, nor ever can have a 
 fmgle farthiug, but as it is freely given him from cha- 
 rity, thereby declares himfelf to be a purfe-proud, vain 
 boafter of his own wealth. Such is the fpiritual pride 
 cf him, v/ho fully ackrTowlcdges, that he neither hath,= 
 nor can have the leail fparlc, or breathing after good- 
 nds, but wiiat is freely kindled or breathed into hi oi 
 by the Spirit of God. 
 
 AgaiD, if it is fpiritual pride to believe, that no- 
 thing that v/e ever think, or fay, or do, either in the 
 church or our clofets, can have any truih or goodnefs 
 in it, but thc-t which is wrought folely and immedi- 
 ately by the Spirit of God in us, then it muft bs faid, ^ 
 ibat iu order to hare religious humility, yt^ muilnev- 
 
20 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 cr forget to take fome fliire of our religious virtues 
 to ourieivts, and not allow, as Chrift hath faid, that 
 without him we can do nothing that is good. It mufl 
 alfo be faid, that St. Paul took too much upon him- 
 felf» wh'c'n he faid, the life that I now live is not mine, 
 but Chrid's that liveth in me. 
 
 Behold a pride and a humility, the one as good a» 
 the other, and both logically defcended from a wifdom 
 that confefles it comech not from above. 
 
 The necCxTity of a continual infpiration of the Spirit 
 of God, both to begin the firft, and continue every 
 ftep of a divine life in man, is a truth to which every 
 life in nature, as wt-11 as all fcripture, bears full wit- 
 ness. A natural life, a be-flial life, a diabolical life, 
 can fubfift no longer, than whilft they are immediately 
 and continually under the working power of that root, 
 or fource, from which they i^^rung. Thus it is with 
 the divine life in man, it can never be in him, but as 
 a growth of life in and from God. Hence it is, that 
 rtjiifting the S.)irit, quenching the Spirit, grieving the 
 Spirit, is that alone v^diich gives birth and growth to 
 every evil that reigns in the world, and leaves men 
 and churches not only an eafy, but neceffary prey tQ 
 the devil, the world, and the fle(h. And nothing but 
 obedience to the Spirit, trulling to the Spirit, walking 
 in the Spirit, praying v;ith and for its continual infpi- 
 ^ ration, can poffibly keep either men or churches from 
 being finners, or idolaters, in all that they do. For 
 everv thing in the life, or rtllg'ion of man, that has 
 not the Spirit of God for it^ mover^ dire<5lor and end, 
 be it what it will, is but earthly, fenfual, or deviiiih. 
 The truth and perfc6lion of the gofpel fcate could not 
 fhew itfelf, till it became folely a mtnillration of the 
 fpirit, or akinr^d')m in which the Holy Spiiitof God 
 had the doir.g of all that was iloriQ 'm it. '1 he apofiies, 
 whilll ChriH wi\s with them in the flcih, were inftrudl- 
 cd in heavenly trains from his mouth, and enabled to 
 work miracles in his n^ime^^ yet nut qualified to knp^ 
 
TO THE CLERGY, 21 
 
 and teach the niyfteries of his kingdom. After his re^ 
 furre6lion, he conv^erfed with them forty days, fpeak- 
 ing to them of things appcrtaiirmg to the kingdom of 
 God. Nay, though he breathed on them, and faid. 
 Receive ye the Holy Ghoft, &c. yet this aU'o would 
 not do ; they were itlll unable to preach, or bear wit- 
 nefs to the truth as it is in Jesus, And the reafon is, 
 there was Hill a higher ciifpeufation to come, which 
 flood in fuch an opening of the divine life in their 
 hearts, as could not be effedled from an cutv/ard in- 
 ftru6lion of ChriR himfelf. For though he had fuffici- 
 ently told his difciples the neceffity of being bora 
 again of the Spirit, yet he left them unborn of it, till 
 he came again m the power of the Spirit. He breathed 
 on them, and faid, Receive ye the Holy Ghoft ; yet 
 that which was faid and done, was not the thing it- 
 feif, but only a type, or outv/ard fignification, of what 
 they fliould receive, when He, btirg glorified, fhould 
 come again in the fuinefs and power of the Spirit, 
 breaking upon the deadnefs and darknefs of their 
 hearts, with a hght and life from heaven ; which light 
 did, and alone could open and verify in their fouls, all 
 that he had faid and promifed to them, whilfl he was 
 with them in the fleih. All this is exprefsly declared 
 b} Chrili himfelf fay mg unto them, ' I teil you the truth, 
 it is expedient for you that I go away' — therefore 
 Chrift taught them to believe the want, and joyfully 
 to expeft the coming of a higher and more bleffed ftate, 
 than that of his bodily prefence with them. For he 
 adds, If I go not away^ the Comforter will not come ^ 
 therefore the comfort and blefling of Chrifl to his fol- 
 lowers could not be had, till Icmething more was done 
 to them, and they v/ere brought into a higher fialf, 
 than they could be by his verbal inflru6lion of them, 
 * Cut if I go away (fays he) I will fend him unto you ; 
 an] when the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth is come, 
 he will guide vou ii>to all truth j he Ihail glorify me 
 
312 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 (thaj is, fhall fet up my kingdom in its glory, 5n the 
 power of the Spirit) for he (hall receive oi mine, and 
 ihiall fhew it unto you : I faid of mine, becaufe all 
 things that the Father hath are mine.' 
 
 Now when Chrift had told them of the neceffity of a 
 higher ftate than that they were in, and the neceflity 
 t)i fuch a comforting, iliumiaating guide, as they could 
 not have, till his cutward teaching in human language 
 was changed into the infplration, and operation of his 
 Spirit in their fcrals ; He commanded them, not to 
 begin to bear witncfs of him to the world, from what 
 they did, and could in a human way know of him, his 
 birth, his life, do6lrines, death, fufferings. refurre6lion, 
 &c. but to tarry at Jerufalem, till they were endued 
 'with power from on high ; faying unto them. ' Ye 
 ihall receive power, aftef that the Holy Gholl is come 
 upon you. And then ihall ye bear witnefs unto me, 
 both in Jcirufalem and all Judea, and unto the utmofk 
 part of the earth.' 
 
 Here are two moft important and fundamental truths 
 fully demonitrated, lit. That the truth and perieftion 
 of the gofpel Hate could not take place till Chrift was glo- 
 rified, and his kingdom amongit men made wholly and 
 folely a continual, immediate miniftration of the Spir- 
 it : Every thing before this, v/as but fubfervient for a 
 time, and preparatory to this laft difpenfation, which 
 could not have been the lad, had it not carried man 
 sbove types, figures, and iliadows, into the real pofieff- 
 5oa and enjoyment of that, which is the fpirit and truth 
 of a divine life. For the end is not come, till it ha^ 
 found the Beginning, that is, the laft difpenfation of 
 God to fallen man, cannot be come, till putting an end 
 t© the bondage of weak and beggarly elements, it brings 
 man to that dwelling in God, and God in him, which 
 he had at ihe beginning. ^ 
 
 2dly. That as net tht Appftles, fo no man from their 
 lime to ihe end of the worM, can have any true and 
 Kal knowledge of the fpiriluXl Jf^kffmgs of Chrifi's re* 
 
TO THE CLFRGY. fi« 
 
 demption, or have a divine call, capacity, or fitncfs to 
 preach, and bear witnefs of them to the world, but folely 
 by that fame divine Spirit, operating all the myfteries 
 of a redeeming Chrift in their inward parts, as it did 
 in the apoilles, evangelifts, and firft minifters of the 
 gofpel. 
 
 For why could not the apoftles, who had been eye* 
 witneffes to all the whole procefs of Chrilt, why could 
 they not wiih their human appehenfion, declare and 
 teftify the truth of fuch things, till they were baptifed 
 with fire, and born again of the Spirit? It is becaufe 
 the truth of fuch things, or the myfteries of Chrift's pro- 
 cefs, as knowable by man, are nothing elfe in them- 
 felves, but thofe very things, which are done by this 
 heavenly fire, and Spirit of God in our fouls. There- 
 fore to know the myfteries of Chrift's redemption, and 
 to know the redeeming work of God in our own fouls^ 
 is the fame thing; the one cannot be before or without 
 the other. Therefore every man, be he who he will, 
 however able in all kinds of human literature, muft be 
 an entire ftrangerto all the myfteries of gofpei redemp- 
 tion, and can only talk about them as of any other talc 
 he has been told, till they are brought forth, verified, 
 fulfilled, and witncffed to, by that which is found, felt 
 and enjoyed, of the whole procefs of Chrift in hisfouL 
 For a redemption is in its whole nature, an inward, 
 fpi ritual work, that works only in the altering, chang- 
 ing and regenerating the life of the foul, fo it muft be 
 true, that nothing but the inward ftate of the foul can 
 bear true witnefs to the redeeming power of Chrift, 
 For as it wholly confifts in altering that, which is the 
 moft radical in the foul, bringing f >rth a nev/ fpiricuai 
 death, and a new fpirimal life, it muft be true, that no 
 one can know, or believe the myfteries of Chrift's re- 
 deeming power, by hiftorically knowing, or rationally 
 confenting to that, which is faid of him, or them, in 
 written, or fpoken words, but only and folely by an in- 
 ward, experimental finding, and feeling the operation 
 
24 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 of them in diat new death, and new life, both of which 
 mull be effe6led in the loui of man, or Chrift is not, 
 cann-jt be found and known by the foul as its falvation. 
 It mull aifo be equally true, that the redeemed flatc 
 of the foul being, in iifef, nothing elfe but the refurrec- 
 tion of a divine and holy life in it, muft as neceffarily, 
 from firft to lad, be the fole work of the breathing, 
 creating Spirit of God, as the firfl holy created ftate of 
 the foul WIS. — And all this becaufe the myfleries of 
 Chrift's redeeming power, which work and bring forth 
 the renewed (late of the foul, are not creaturely, finite, 
 outward things, that may be found and enjoyed by 
 verbal defcriptions, or formed ideas of them, but are 
 a birth, and life, and fpiritual operation, which as folely 
 belongs to God alone, as his creating power. For no- 
 thing can redeem, but that fame powt r which created 
 the foul. Nothing can bring forth a good thought in 
 it, but that which brought the power of thinking.— 
 And of every tendency towards goodnefs, be it ever 
 fo fmall, that faiTie may be truly affirmed of it, which 
 St. Paul affirmed of his higheft ilate, ' Yet not I, 
 but Chrift that liveth in me.' 
 
 Bat if the belief of the neceffity and certainty of im- 
 mediate, continual, divine inlpiration, in and for every 
 thing, that can be holy and good in us, be, as its ac- 
 cufcrs fay, rank enthufiafm, then he is tin only fober, 
 orthodox chriftian, who of many a good thought and 
 a6li0n that proceeds from him, frankly faith, in or- 
 der to avoid enthufiafm, w.y oxim power ^ and not 
 Clirift's fpirit living and breathing in me, hath done 
 this for me. For if all thut is gO('d is not done by 
 Chrift, then foniethiiig that is good is done by myfvlf. 
 It is vain to t'aink ti^at there is a mivld e way, and that 
 rational divines have found it out, c^s Dr. V\^r^rbiirton 
 has done, who though denying immtdiate, coiUinual 
 inf^^i ration, yet ailov/s that the Spirit's ' ordinary in- 
 fluenre afiiils the faithiul.' 
 
 Now this middle way hath neither fcripture noir 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 25 
 
 fenfe in it ; for an occasional influence or concurrence, 
 is as abfurd, as an occasional God, and neceffarily fup^* 
 pofes luch a God. For an occafional infmence of the 
 Spirit upon us, fuppofes an occafional abfcnce of the 
 Spirit from us. For there could be no fuch thing, un- 
 iefis God wasfome times with us, and fome times not ; 
 fome times doing us good, as the inward God of our 
 life, and fome times doing us no good at all, but leav- 
 ing U3 to be good from ourf^^lves. Occafional influ* 
 cnce neceffarily implies all this blafphemous abfurdity» 
 Again, this middle way of an occafional influence and 
 alliitance, necefiarily fuppofes that there is fomething 
 of man's own that is good, or the holy Spirit of God 
 neither would or could ailiil, or co-operate with it. But 
 if there was any thing good in man for God to affift, 
 or co-operate with, befides the Seed oiVi?, own divine 
 nature, or his ov/n Word oiXxl^^ driving to bruife the 
 ferpent's nature within us, it could not be true, that 
 there is only One that is good, and that is God. And 
 was there any goodnefs in creatures, either in heavea 
 or on earth, but the one goodnefs of the divine nature, 
 living, working, and manifelling itfelf in them, as its 
 created iijftruments, then good creatures, both in hea- 
 ven and on earth, would have fomevhing elfe to adore 
 befxdes5or along with God. For goodnefs, be it where 
 it will, is adorable for itfelf, and becaufe it is good- 
 nefs ; if therefore any degree of it belonged to the 
 creature, it ought to have a fliare of that fame adora^i 
 lion that is paid to the Creator. Therefore, if to be- 
 lieve that nothing godly can be alive in us, but what 
 has all its life from the Spirit of God, living and 
 breathing in us ; if to look folelyto it, and depend 
 Vfholly upon it, both for the beginning, and growth 
 of every thought and defire, that can be holy and good 
 JQ us, be proud and rank enthufiafm, then it muft be 
 the fame enthfi<>fm to own but one God. For he that 
 oy/ns more goodaefs than one, owns more Gods than 
 
 C ' 
 
26 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 one.' And he that believes he can have any good in 
 him, but the one goodnefs of God, manifefting itfelf 
 in him, and thro' him, owns more goodnefs than one. 
 Bat if it be true, that God and goodnefs cannot be 
 divided, then it mull be a truth for ever and ever, that 
 fo niach of good, fo much of God mull be in the crea- 
 ture. 
 
 And here lies the true, unchangeable diftinftionbe- 
 tv/een God and nature, and the natural creature. Na-r 
 tare and creature are only for the outward manifeftar 
 tion of the inward, invlfible, unapproachable powers of 
 God ; they can rife no higher, nor be any thing elfe in 
 themfelves, but as temples, habitations, or indriiments, 
 in v/hich the fupernatural God can, and does manifeft 
 himfelf in various degrees ; bringing forth creatures to 
 be good with his own goodnefs, to love and adore him 
 with his own fpirit of love, for ever fmging praifes to 
 the divine nature, by that which they partake of it. — 
 This is the religion of divine infpiralion, which being 
 interpreted, is Immcmutl^ or God within us. Lvery 
 thing fliort of this, is ihort of that religion, which 
 v/orihips God in fpirit and in truth. And every reh- 
 gious trufl or conhdence in any thing but the divine 
 operation within us^ is but a fort of image-worfhip, 
 which though it may deny the form, yet retains ti:je 
 power thereof in the heart. And he that places any 
 religious fafety in theological decilions, fcholaflic 
 points, in particular dcftrines and opinions, thatmuft 
 be held about the fcripture words of faith, jufcification, 
 ian6lification, election, and reprobation, to far departs 
 from the true worfhip of the living God within h'm, 
 -and fets up an iL/^/ of notions to be worfliipped, if not 
 inilead of, yet along with him. And I believe it may 
 be taken for a certain truth, that every fociety of chrif- 
 tians, whpfe religion (lands upon this ground, hovvever 
 lirdent, laborious, and good their zeal may feem to 
 be in fuch matters, ytt in fpite of all,' fooner or later, 
 it will be found^ that iVa^wr^ is at the bottom, and that 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 27 
 
 felfifh, eartHy, overbearing pride in their own defini- 
 tions, and doftrines of words, will by degrees creep 
 up to the fame height, and become that fame flefhly 
 wifdom, doing thofe very fame things, which they ex- 
 claim againft in Popes, Cardinals and Jefaits. Nor 
 can it poiTibly be otherwife ; for a letter-learned zeal 
 has but one nature, wherever it is ; it can only do that 
 lor Chridians, which it did for Jews ; as it anciently- 
 brought forth fcribes, pharifees, hypocrites, and cru- 
 cifiers of Chrift, as it afterwards brought forth hcre- 
 fies, fchifms, popes, papal decrees, images, anathe- 
 ma's tranfubilantiation ; fo in Proteilant countries it 
 will be doing the fame thing, only with other materi- 
 als : images of wood and clay will only be given up 
 for images of doctrines ; grace and works, imputed 
 fm and imputed righteoufnefs, ele6llon and reproba- 
 tion, will have- their Synods of Dortj as truly evan- 
 gelical as any Council of Trent. 
 
 This muft be the cafe of all fallen Chrifcendom, as 
 well Popifh as Proteftant, till hr.gle men and church- 
 es know, confefs, and firmly adhere to this one fcrip- 
 ture truth, that our salvation is in the life of Jesus 
 Christ in us. And that, becauFe this ?Jone was the di- 
 vine perfe6lion of man before he fell, and will be his 
 perfe6tion, when he is one with Chrift in heaven. — 
 Every thing befides this, or that is not folely aiming 
 at, and effentially leading to it, is but mere Babel in 
 all fefts and divifions of Chriftians, living to them- 
 felves and their own old man, under a feeming holi- 
 nefs of chriftian ftrife and contention about fcripture 
 words. But this truth of truths, fully pofTcffed and 
 firmly adhered to, brings God and man together, puts 
 an end to every lo here and lo there, and turns the 
 whole faith of man to a Chrift, that can no where be 
 a Savior to him, bat as eiTcntlally born in the-inmoft 
 fpirit of his foul, nor poilibly to be born there by any 
 other means, but the immediate infpiration and work- 
 ing power of the holy Spirit within him. To this man 
 
2S LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 alone, all fcnpture gives daily edification ; the words 
 of Chrift and his apoflles fall like a fire into him. And 
 what is it that they kindle there ^ Not notions, not 
 itching ears, not rambling defires after new and new 
 expounders of them, but a holy flame of love to be al- 
 ways with, ah,yays attending to that ChriH, and his 
 holy Spirit within him, which alone can make him to 
 be, and do all that which the words of Ghrift and his 
 apoflles have taught. For there is no poffibility of be- 
 ing like-minded with Chrift, in any thing that he 
 taught, or having the truth of one chriRian virtue, but 
 by the nature and Spirit of Chrift, become effentially 
 living in us. Read all our Savior's divine fermon on 
 the mount, confent to the goodnefs of every part of 
 it, yet the time of pra£tifing it will never come, till 
 you have a new nature from Chrill, and are as vitally 
 in him^ and he in you, as the vine in the branch, and 
 the branch in the vine. BlelTed are the pure in heart, 
 Ibr they fhall fee God, is a divine truth, but will do 
 us no divine good, uiilefs we receive it, as faying nei- 
 ther more nor lefs than, Bleffed are they that are born 
 iigain of the Spirit, for they alone can fee God. For 
 no bleffednefs, either of truth or life, can be found ei- 
 ther in men or angels, but where the Spirit and the 
 life of God is effentially born M^ithin them. And all 
 iTien or churches, not placing all in the life, light, and 
 guidance of the holy Spirit of Chrift, but pretending 
 to a6l in the name, and for the glory of God, from 
 opinions which their logic and learning have coUe6lcd 
 from fcripture words, or from what a Calvin, an Ar- 
 nainius, a Socinus, or fome fmaller name, has told 
 them to be right or v/rong ; all fuch are but where the 
 ApoHles were, when by the xvay there was a strife 
 amongst them^ who. should be the greatest. And how 
 much foever they may fay, and boaft of their great 
 seal for truth, and the only glory of God, yet their 
 own open, notorious behavior towards one another, is 
 proof enough, that the greateft ilrife amongCl them is, 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 29 
 
 which (liall be the greatest se£l^ or have the largeft 
 number of followers. A ilrife from the fame root, 
 and juft as ufeful to chriflianity, as that of the carnal 
 ApoiUes, who fhould be greateft. For not numbers 
 of men, or kingdoms profeffing chriftianity, but num- 
 bers redeemed from the death of Adam to the life or 
 Chrift, are the glory of the chriilian church. And in 
 whatever national chriilianity, any thing elfe is meant 
 or fought after, by the profeiTicn of the goir^el, but a 
 new heavenly life, through the mediatorial nature and 
 Spirit of the eternal Son of God, born in the fallen 
 foul*; wherever the fpirituality of the gofpel redemp- 
 tion is denied, or overlooked, there the fpirit of felf, 
 of fatanic and worldly fubtiUy, will be church arid 
 priellj and fupreme power, in all that is called reli« 
 gion. 
 
 But to return now to the do6lrine of continual infpi- 
 ration — The natural, or unregenerate man, educated 
 in Pagan learning, and fcholaftic theology, feeing the 
 flrength of his genius in the (earch after knowledge^ 
 how" eafily and learnedly he can talk and write, criticife 
 and determine upon all fcripture v/ords and fa6ls, looks 
 at all this as a full proof of his own religious wifdom, 
 power and goodnefs, and calls immediate infpiration, 
 enthufiafm ^ not confidering that all the woes denounc- 
 ed by Chriit, againil Scribes, Pharifees and hypocrites, 
 are fo many woes nov/ at this day, denounced againft 
 every appearance and ihow of religion that the natural 
 man can pra6life. 
 
 And what is well to be noted, every one, however 
 high in human literature, is but this very natural man, 
 and can only have the goodnefs of a carnal, fecular rie- 
 ligion, till as empty of all, as a new-born child, the 
 Spirit of God gets a full birth in him, and becomes the 
 infpirer and doer of all that he wills, does, and aims 
 at, in his whole courfe of religion. 
 
 Our divine Mailer compares the religion of the 
 learned Pharifees to whited fepulchres, outwarly beau- 
 
30 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 tifal, and inwardly full of rottennefs, ftenchj and dead 
 men'^s bones. 
 
 Now whence was it, that a religion, fo ferious in its 
 re{lraints,fo beautiful in its outward form and pra6lices, 
 and commanding fuch reverence from all that beheld 
 it, was yet charged by Truth itfelf, with having inward- 
 ly fuch an abominable nature I It was only for this one 
 reafon, becaufe it was a religion of felf. Thtrefore, 
 from the beginning to the end of the world, it mufl be 
 true, that where felf is kept alive, has power, and keeps 
 vip its own interefls, whether in fpeaking, writing, 
 teaching or defending the mod fpccious number of 
 fcripture do6lrines, and religious forms, there is that 
 very old Pharifee fiill alive, whom Chriil with fo much 
 feverity of language conftantly condemned. And the 
 reafon of fuch heavy condemnation is, becaufe felf is the 
 only root, or rather the fum total of all fin ; every fm 
 that can be named, is centered in it, and the creature 
 can fm no higher, than he can live to felf. For felf is 
 the fullnefs of atheifm and idolatry, it is nothing elfe 
 but the creature broken oft from God and Chriil ; it is 
 the power of Satan living and working in us, and the 
 fad continuance of that firft turning from God, which 
 was the whole fall, or death of our firfl Father. 
 
 And vet fad and Satanical as this felf is, what is fo 
 much cherilhed and nouriihed with our daily love, fears 
 and cares about it ? How much worldly wifdom, how 
 much laborious learning, how many fubtleties of con- 
 trivance, and how many flattering applications and 
 fuhmiiTions are made to the world, that this apellate 
 felf, may have its fulnefs both of inward joys and out- 
 ward glory ? 
 
 But to ail this, it mull yet be added, that a religion 
 ,of felf, of worldly glory and profperity, carried on un- 
 der the gofpel {late, has more of a diabolical nature 
 than tliat of the Jewifh Pharifees. it is the higheft 
 and lail working of the myftery of iniquity, becaufe it 
 lives to felf; Satan and the world; in and by a daily pre- 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 51 
 
 feffion of denying and dying to felf, of being crucified 
 with Chrift, of being led by his Spirit, of being rifen 
 fronn the world, and let with him in heavenly places. 
 Let then the writers againft continual, immediate, 
 divine infpiration, take this for a certain truth, that by 
 fo doing, they do all they can, to draw man from that 
 which is the very truth and perftclion of the gofpel 
 « flate : and are, and can be, no better than pitiable ad- 
 vocates for a religion of felf, more blamable and abom- 
 inable nov/ than that which was of old condemned by 
 Chrift. For whatever is pretended to be done m gof- 
 pel religion, by any other fpirit or power, but that of 
 the Holy Ghoil bringing it forth, whether ic be pray- 
 ing, preaching, or pradlifing any duties, is all of it but 
 the religion of felf, and can be nothing eife. For all 
 that is born of the fitfh, is fiefn, and nothing is fpiricu- 
 al, but that which has its vrhole birth irom the Spirit, 
 But man, not ruled and governed by thi^ Spirit, hach 
 only the nature of corrupt fitfh, is under the full pow- 
 er and guidance of fallen nature, and is that very nat-» 
 ural man, to v/hom the thirgs of God art fooiifhnefs. 
 But man boldly rejeeling, and preaching i?gainft a con- 
 tinual, immediate, divine infpiration, is an anti-apoftie 
 he layeth another foundation, than that which Chrift 
 hath laid, he teacheth, that Chriil needeth not, muft 
 not, be all in all in us, and is a preacher up of the folly 
 of feari<ig to grieve, quench and refill the Holv Spirit. 
 For when, or 'where, or hew could every one of us, be 
 in danger of grieving, quenching, or refifting the Spi* 
 rit, unleis his holy breathings, and inipirations Were 
 always within us r Or how could the fin sgaiaft the 
 Holy Ghoft, have a more dreadful nature, than that 
 againd the Fatlier and the Son, but becaufe the cont'« 
 nual, immediate guidance and operation of the Spirit 
 is the lait and liigheil manifcflation of God in the fall- 
 en foul of man ? It is not becaufe the Holv Giioft is 
 Biore worthy, or higher in nature, than tKe Father, 
 9dia ih^ SoDj but becsulc Father and Son cpme fbrih 
 
S2 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 in their own highefl power of redeeming lore, througlx 
 the covenant of a continual, immediate infpiration of 
 the Spirit, to be always dwelling and wc^rkjiig in the 
 foul. Many weak things have been conjtflared, and 
 publidied to the world, about the fin againit the Holy 
 Ghoft ; whereas the whole nature of it lies in this, that 
 it is a finning, or ftanding out againft the lall^ and 
 highell difpenfation of God, for the full redemption of 
 man. Chriil faidi, ' If I had not come, they had not 
 had fui,' that is, they had not had fuch a weight of 
 guilt upon them : therefore, the fianing againft Chrift 
 vome into the fleshy was of a more unpardonable nature, 
 thiin finning againfl the Father under the law. So 
 likewife finning againft the Holy Ghoft, is of a more 
 unpardonable nature, than finning againft the Father 
 under the law, or againft the Son as come in the fltflij 
 becaufe thefe two preceeding cliipenfations were but 
 preparatory to the coming, or lull maniieftation of the 
 Spirit. But when Father and Son were conae, in the 
 power and maniteltation of the Spirit, then he that re- 
 iufeth, or refiileth this miniftration of the Spirit, refift- 
 eth all that i4;e holy Three can do to reftore and revive 
 the firft life of God in the foul, and fo commits the 
 impardonable fin ; iind which is therefore unpardonable, 
 becaufe there remains i>o farther or higher power to 
 remove it out of the foul. For no fm is pardonable, 
 becaufe of its own nature, or that which is in itfelf, 
 but becaufe there is fjmethiiig yet to come, that can 
 remove it out of the foul ; nor can any fin be unpardorv 
 able, but beciiufe it has^withftood, or turned from that 
 v/hich was the laft, and higheft remedy for the removal 
 of it. 
 
 Hence it is, that grieving, quenching, or refifting the 
 Spirit, is the fin of all fins, that moft of all ftops the 
 work of redemption, and in the higheft degree feparates 
 man from all union with God. But there could be no 
 fuch fin, but becaufe the Holy Spirit is always breath.^ 
 iDg, willing and working within us. For Y/hf»t Spirit 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 55 
 
 can be grieved by us, but that which ha/'i its will with- 
 in us difobeyed? What Spirit can be quenched by us?^ 
 but that which is, and ever would be, a holy fire oi 
 life within us? What Spirit can be refitted by us, but 
 that which is, and has its working within us ? A 
 Spirit on the outfide of us, cannot be the Spirit of God, 
 nor could fuch a Spirit be any more quenched, or hin- 
 dered by our Spirit, than a man by indignation at a 
 llorm, could Hop its rage. Now, dreadful as the a- 
 bove-mentioned fin is, I would aik all the writers againfl 
 continual, immediate, divine infpiration, how they 
 could more effe6luaily lead men into an habitual ftate of 
 finning againft the Holy Ghoft, than by fuch do6lrine ? 
 For how can we pofiibly avoid the fin of grieving^ 
 quenching, &c. the Spirit, but by continually reverenc- 
 ing his holy pr^fence in us ; by continually waiting for, 
 trufting, and folely attending to that, which the Spirit 
 of God wills, works, and manifefts within us ? To 
 turn men from this continual dependance upon the ho- 
 ly Spirit, is turning them from all true knowledge of 
 God. For without this, there is no poffibility of any 
 edifying, faving knowledge of God. For though we 
 have ever fo many mathematical demonftrations or 
 vifible proofs of his being. Sec. we are without all real 
 knowledge of Him, till his own quickening fpirit with- 
 in us manifefts him as a power of life-, light, love and 
 goodnefs, effentially found, vitally felt, and adored in 
 our fouls. This is the one knowledge of God, which 
 is eternal life, becaufe it is the life of God manifefted 
 in the foul, that knowledge of which Chrift faith, No 
 one knoweth the Father but the Son, and He to whom- 
 foever the Son revealeth him. Therefore this knowl- 
 edge is only poffible to be found iji him, who is in 
 Chrift a new Creature, for fo it is, that Chrift reveal- 
 eth the Father. But if none belong to God, but thofe 
 who are led by the Spirit of God, if we are reprobates 
 unlefs the JSpirit of Chrift be living in us, who need be 
 
 C 3 
 
a4 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 told, that all t^it we have to truft to, or depend upon, 
 as children of God and Chi id, is the continual, imme- 
 diate guidance, uncSlion, and teaching of his holy Spirit 
 within us ? Or how can we more profanely fin againft 
 this Spirit, and power of God within us, or more ex- 
 pvefsly call men from the power of God unto Satan^ 
 than by ridiculing a faith and hope, that look wholly 
 and folely to his continual, immediate breathinngs, and 
 operations, for all that can be holy and good in Ub ? 
 
 ' When I am lifted up from the earth (faith Ch-rift) 
 I will draw all men unto me.* Therefore the one 
 great power of Chrift in and over the fouls of men, \% 
 after he is in Heaven ; then begins the true, full power 
 of his drawing, becaufe it is by his Spirit in man that 
 he draws. But who can more refifl this drawing, or 
 defeat its operation in us, than he that preaches againft 
 and condemns the belief of a continual and immediate 
 infpiration of the Spirit, when Chrift's drawingcan be 
 la nothing elfe, nor be powerful any other way ? 
 
 Now that which we are here taught, is the whole end 
 of all fcripturc ; for all that is there faid, however 
 learnedly read, or ftudied by Hebrew, or Greek fkilt, 
 fails of its onl}^ end, till it leads and brings us to aa 
 cfTential God within us, to feel, and find all that which 
 the fcriptures fpeak of God, of man, of life and death, 
 of good and evil, of heaven and hell, as effentially veri- 
 fied in our own fouls. For all is within man, that can 
 be either good or evil to him : God within him, is his 
 divine life, his divine light, and his divine love ; Satan 
 within him is his life of felf, of earthly wifdom, of 
 uiabcMcal falfenefs, v/iath, pride, and vanity of ev- 
 ery kind. There is no middle way between thefe 
 two ; he that is pot under the power of the one, is un- 
 der the power of the other. And the reafon is, man 
 was created in and under the pov/er of the divine life ; 
 fo far therefore as he lofes, or turns from this life of 
 God, fo far he falls under the power of felf, of Satan, 
 itnd v/orldly wifdoip.. When St* Peter^ full of aa /2U- 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 55 
 
 man good love towards Chrift, advifed him to avoid 
 his fufferings, Ghrift rejefted him, with a Get thee 
 behind me Satan, and only gave this reafon for it, for 
 thou savorest not the things that be cf God^ but ths 
 things that be of men. A phiin proof, that whatever is 
 not of, and from the holy Spirit of God in us, howev- 
 er plaufible it may outwardly feem to men, to their 
 wifdom and human goodnefs, is yet in itfelf nodiing 
 elfe but the power ot Satan in us. And as St. Paul 
 faid truly of himfelf, ^ By the grace of God I am what 
 I am ;' fo every wife, every fcribe, every difputer of 
 this world, every trufter to the ilrength of his own ra- 
 tional learning ; every one that is under the power of 
 his own fallen nature, never free from defires of hon- 
 ors and preferments, ever thirfting to be rewarded for 
 his theological abilities ; ever feanng to beabafed and 
 defpiied ; always thank tpl to thoie who flatter him 
 with his' diilinguiPaed merit; every fuch, be he who 
 he will, may as truly fay of himfelf, * Through mjr 
 turning, and trufting to fomething elfe than the grace 
 and infpiration ol God's Spirit, I am what I am.' For 
 nothing elfe hinders any profeffor of Chuifl from be- 
 ing able truly to fay with St. Paul, ' God forbid that 
 I Ihould glory in any thing but the crofs of Chrift, by 
 which I am crvicified to the world, and the world to 
 me.' Nothing makes him incapable of finding that 
 which St. Paul found, when he faid, ' I can do all 
 things, through Jefus Chrift that ftrengtheneth me*' 
 Nothing hinders all this, but his difregard of a Chrift 
 within him, his choofing to have a religion of felf, of 
 laborious learning, and worldly greatnefs, rather than 
 be fuch a gofpel fool for Chrift, as to renounce ail that 
 which he renounced, and to feek no more earthly ho- 
 nor and praife than he did ; and to will nothing, know 
 nothing, feek nothing, but that Vv'hich the Spirit of 
 God and Chrift knoweth, willeth, and feeketh in him. 
 Here and here alone lies the Chriftian's full and cer- 
 tain power of overcoming felf, the devil and the workU 
 
t^ LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 But Chriftians, feeking and turning to any thing elfe, 
 but to be led and infpired by the one Spirit of God and 
 Chrift, will bring forth a Chriftendom, that in the 
 fight of God will have no other name than a fpiritual 
 Babylon, a fpiritual Egypt and Sodom, a fcarlet 
 Whore, a devouring Beatt, and red Dragon. For all 
 thefe names belong to all men, however learned, and 
 to all churches, whether greater or lefs, in which the 
 fpirit of this world hath any Ihare of power. This was 
 the fall of the whole church, foon after the Apoftolic 
 Ages ; and all human reformations, begun by ecclefi- 
 allical learning, and fupported by civil power, will fig- 
 nify little or nothing, nay often make things worfe, till 
 all churches, dying to all own will, all own wifdom^ 
 all own advancement, feek for no reforming powder, 
 but from that Spirit of God which converted fmners. 
 Publicans, Harlots, Jews and Heathens, into an holy 
 apoftolical church at the firft ; a church which knew 
 they were of God, that they belonged to God, by that 
 Spirit which he had given them, and which worked ia 
 them. 
 
 ' Ye are not in the flefti (faith the apoftle) but in 
 the Spirit ; but then adds, as the only ground of this, 
 * if fo be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.' Sure- 
 ly he means, if fo be ye are moved, guided and gov- 
 erned by that which the Spirit wills, works, and in- 
 fpires within you. And then to fhewthe abfolute ne- 
 ceffity of this life of God in the foul, he adds, ' If any 
 man hath not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his,' 
 And that this is the ft ate to which God hath appoint- 
 ed and called all chriftians, he thus declares, ' God 
 hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, 
 crying Abba, Father.' The fame thing, moft furely, 
 as if he had faid. Nothing in you can cry, or pray to 
 God, as its father, but the Spirit of his Son, Chrift 
 come to life in you. Which is alfo as true of every 
 tendency in the foul towards God or goodnefs ; fo 
 much as there is of it, fo much there is of the Seedi 
 
TO THE CLERGY. sr 
 
 of the Woman, ftrivuig to bring forth a full birth of 
 Chrift in the foul. 
 
 ' Lo, I am always with you (faith the holy Jefus) 
 €ven unto the end of the world,' How is he with us i 
 Not outwardly, every illiterate man knoweth ; not in- 
 wardly, faith many a learned divinity dcclor, becaufe 
 a Chrid within us is a grofs enthufiafm, or Quaker- 
 ifm, as the light within us. How then Ihall the faith 
 of the common Chriltian find any comfort in thefe 
 words of Chrift's promife, unlefs the Spirit brings him 
 into a remembrance and belief, that Chrift is in him^ 
 and w^ith him, as the vine is widi and in the branch* 
 Chrill faith, ' Without me ye can do nothing;' and 
 alfo, ' If any man love me, my Father will love him^ 
 and we will come unto him, and make our abode with, 
 him.' Now if without him we can do nothing, then 
 all the love that a man can poffihj^^ have for Chrift, 
 muft be from the power and life of Chrift in him ; and 
 from fuch a love, fo begotten, man has the Father 
 and the Son dwelling and making their abode in him* 
 What higher proof, or fuller certainty can there be, 
 that the whole work of redemption in the-foul of maa 
 is, and can be nothing elfe, but the inward, continual^ 
 immediate operation of the Father, Son and holy Spi- 
 rit, raifing up again their own firft life in the foul, to. 
 which Adam our firft Father died ? 
 
 Again, Chrift, after his glorification in heaven^ 
 faith, ' Behold I ftand at the door and knock.' lies 
 does not fay, behold ye have me in the fcriptures. 
 Now what is the door at which Chrift, at the right 
 hand of God in heaven, knocketh ? Sttrely it is the 
 heart, to which Chrift is always prefent. He goeth 
 on, ' If any man hear my voice j' how hear, but by 
 the hearing of the heart, or what voice, but that which 
 is the fpeaking or founding of Chrift within him ? He 
 adds, ' and open the door,' that is, open his heart for 
 x»e, I will come into him,' that is, will be a iivingy 
 
 D 
 
S8 - LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 holy nature and fpirit born within him. ' And fup 
 with him, and he with me.' Beheld the laft finifliing 
 work of a redeeming Jefiis, entered into the heart 
 that opens to him, bringing forth the joy, the bleffing, 
 and perfeclion of that firll life of God in the foul, 
 which was loft by the fall, fet forth as a fupper, or 
 feaft of the heavenly Jefus with the foul, and the foul 
 with him. Can any one juftly call it enthufiafm to 
 fay, that this fupping of the foul w^ith this glorified 
 Chrift within it, muft mean fomething more heavenly 
 tranfa6led in the foul, than that lafl fupper which he 
 celebrated with his difciples, w^hilil he was with them 
 in the flefli. For that fupper of bread and wine wa^ 
 fuch as a Judas could partake of, aiid could only be 
 an. outward type or fignification of that inward and 
 bleffed nouriihment, with which the believing foul 
 flioidd be feailed, when the glorified Son of God 
 fliould, as a creating Spirit, enter into us, quickening 
 and raifing up his own heavenly nature and life with* 
 in us. Now this continual knocking of Chrift at the 
 door of the heart, fets forth the cafe or nature of a 
 continual, immediate, divine infpiration within us; 
 5t is always with us, but there muft be an opening of 
 the heart to it, and though it is always the're, yet i§ 
 only felt and found by thofe who are attentive to it, 
 and depend upon, and humbly wait for it. Now let 
 sny one tell me, how he can believe any thing of this 
 voice of Chrift, how he can liften to it, hear or obey 
 it, but by fuch a faith as keeps him habiiually turiied 
 to an immediate, conftant infpiration of the Spirit of 
 Chrift within him ? Or how any heatheiilfii, profane 
 perfon, can do more defpite to this preunce and pow- 
 er of Chrift in his own foul, or more eiftclually lead 
 others into it, than that Ecclefiaftic w^ho makes a mock 
 at the light within, a Chrift within, and openly blaf* 
 phemes that faith, and hope, and truft, which foltriy 
 relies upon being moved by the. Spirit, as its only 
 power of doing that which is right, and good, and pU 
 
TO THE CLERGY. S9 
 
 ocs, either towards God or man. Let every maa 
 whom this concerns lay it to heart. Time, and the 
 things of time will foon have an end ; and he that 
 in time truds to any thing but the Spirit and powet 
 of God working in his heart, will be but ill fitted to 
 enter into eternity. God muft be all in all in us here, 
 or we cannot be his hereafter. Time works only for 
 eternity ; and poverty etin^nal muft as certainly follow 
 him, who dies only fully fluffed with human learning, 
 as he who dies only full of worldly riches. The folly 
 of thinking to have any divine learning, but that which 
 the holy Spirit teaches, or to make curfelves rich in 
 knowledge towards God, by heaps of common-place 
 learning crouded into our minds, will leave us as 
 dreadfully cheated as that rich Builder of Barnes in 
 the gofpel, to whom it v/as faid, ' Thou fool, this 
 night ihall thy foul be required of thee, and tlien^ 
 Whofe fhall all thefe things be V So is every man that 
 treafures up a religious learning, that comes not whol- 
 ly from the Spirit of God. But to return — To this^ 
 inward, continual attention, to the continual working 
 of the holy Spirit within us, the apoille calls vis in 
 thefe words : ' See that ye refufe not him that fpeak-' 
 eth ; for if they efcapcd not, who refufed him that 
 fpake on earth, much more ihall not we efcape, if we 
 turn from him that fpeaketh from heaven.' Now what 
 is this fpeaking from heaven, which it is fo dangerous 
 to refufe or refift ? Surely not outward voices from 
 heaven. Or what could the apoPae's advice fignify to 
 us, unlcfs it be fuch a fpeaking from heaven as we 
 may, and muft be always either obeying or refufmg? 
 St. James faith, ' Rehft the devil, and he will flee 
 from you.' What devil? Surely not an outward crea- 
 ture or fpirit, that tempts us by an outward pov/^er, 
 Gr what refiftance can we make to the devil, but that 
 of inwardly falling away, or turning i'rom the work- 
 ings of his evil nature and fpirit within us? They 
 tiler e fore who call us from waiting for, depending 
 
40 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 wpon, snd attending to the continual, fecret infpira- 
 tions and breathings of the holy Spirit within us, call ^ 
 xis to refift God in the fame manner as the apoftle ex- 
 horts us to refill the devil. For God being only a fpir- 
 5tuai good, and the devil our fpiritual evil, neither the 
 one nor the other can be refilled, or not refilled by us, 
 but fo far as their fpiritual operations within us are 
 either turned from or obeyed by us. St. James hav- 
 ing fhewn us, that refifting the devil, is the only way 
 to make him flee from us, that is, to lofe his power 
 iin us, immediately adds, how we are to behave to- 
 wards God, that he mf)y not flee from us, or his holy 
 work be flopped in us. Draw near, faidi he, to God, 
 and God will draw near to you. V/hat is this drawing 
 near ? Surely not by any local motion, either in God or 
 US, But the fame is meant, as if he had faid, refift 
 not God, that is, let his holy will within you have 
 its full work ; keep v/hoUy, obediently attentive to that 
 ^hich he is, and has, and does within you, and then 
 God will draw near to you, that is, will more and 
 more manifeft the power of his holy prefence in you, 
 and make you more and more partakers of the divine 
 r.ature. Farther, what a blindnefs it is in the fore- 
 mentioned writers, to charge private perfons with the 
 cnthufiafm of holding the neceffity and certainty of 
 continual, immediate infpiration, and to attack them 
 as enemies to the eftabliflied church, when every bo- 
 dy's eyes fee, that coUedl after colle6l, in the eftab- 
 liflied Liturgy, teaches and requires them to believe, 
 and pray for the continual infpiration of the Spirit, as 
 that alone by which they can have the leaft good 
 thought or defire? Thus, ' O God, forafmuch as 
 without thee we are not able to pleafe thee, mercifully 
 grant, that thy holy Spirit may in all things dire6l and 
 rule our hearts.' Is it pofiible for words more ftrongly 
 to exprefs the neceflity of a continual, divine infpira- 
 tion ? or can infpiration be higher, or more immediate 
 in prophets and apoftles, than that which directs, that 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 41 
 
 lyKich ruks our hearts, not now and then, but irt all 
 things? Or can the abfokite necefllty of this be more 
 fully declared, than by faying, that if it is not in this 
 degree, both of height and continuance, in and over 
 our hearts, nothing that is done by us can be pleafmg 
 to God ; that is, can have any union with him ? 
 
 Now the matter is not at all about the different ef- 
 fe6ls, or works proceeding from infpiration, as whether 
 by it a man be a faint in himfclf, or fent by God with 
 a prophetic meffage to others, this effe6ls not the na- 
 ture and neceility of infpiration, which isjull as necef- 
 fary in itfclf, to all true goodnefs, as to all true pro- 
 phefy. All fcripture is of divine infpiration. But why 
 fo ? Becaufe holy men of old fpake as they were moved 
 by the Holy Ghoft. Now the above CoUedl, as well 
 as Chrift and his apoflles, oblige us in like manner to 
 hold, that all holinefs is by divine infpiration, and that 
 therefore there could have been no holy men of old, or 
 in any latter times, but folely for this reafon, becaufe 
 they lived as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft. 
 Again the Liturgy prays thus, * O God, from whom 
 all^ood things do come, grant that by thy holy infpi- 
 ration, we may think thofe things that be good, and by 
 thy merciful guiding may perform the fame.' Now, 
 if in any of my. writings I have ever faid any thing 
 higher, or farther of the nature and neceffity of contin- 
 ual, divine infpiration, than this church-prayer does, I 
 refufe no cenfure that fiiail be paffed upon me ; but if I 
 have, from all that we know of God, of nature and 
 creature, fliewn the utter impoffibility of any kind or 
 degree of goodnefs to be in us, but from the divine na- 
 ture, living and breathing in us, if I have ihewp, that 
 all fcripture, Chrift and his apoftles, over and over fay 
 the fame thing ; that our church liturgy is daily praving 
 according to it ; what kinder thing can I fay of thofe 
 churchmen, who accufe me of enthufiafm, than that 
 which Chrift faid of his blind crucifiers, ' Father for- 
 give them; for they know not what they do,' 
 
4B LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 It IS to no purpofc to obje£l to all this, that thefc 
 kingdoms are overran with enthufiaits of all kinds, and 
 Moravians, with their fevcraldivi lions, and Methedifts 
 of various kinds, are every wht re adling- in the wildeft 
 manner, under the pretence of beiiig called, and led by 
 the Spirit. Be it fo, or not io, is a matter I meddle 
 not with; nor is the doftrine I am upon in the leaft 
 affe6led by it. For what an argument would this be ; 
 Enthufivifts of the prefent and former ages have made a 
 bad ufe of the do6lrine of being led b^^the fpirit of God^ 
 Ergo> He is enthufuitical, or helps forward enthufiafm, 
 who preaches up the doclrine of being led by the Spirit 
 of God. Now abfurd as this is, was an}^ of my accu- 
 fers as high in genius, as bulky in learning, as CololTus 
 was in flatue, he would be at a lofs to bring a flrorger 
 argument than this, to prove me an enthunaft, or an 
 abettor of them. 
 
 But as I do not begin to doubt about the neceffity^ 
 the truth, and perfection of gofpel religion, when told 
 that whole nations and churches have, under a pretence 
 of regard to it, and for the fake of it, done all the bad 
 things that can be charged upon this, or that leading 
 enthufiaft, whether you call thofe bad things, fchifms, 
 perjury, rebellion, worldly craft, and hypocrify, &c# 
 So I give not up the neceffity, the truth and perfection, 
 of looking wholly to the Spirit of God and Chrift within 
 me, as my promlfed infpirer, and only w^orker of all 
 that can be good in me ; I give not this up, becaufe in 
 this, or that age, both fpiritual pride, and flefhly luiis 
 have profpered by it, or becaufe Satan has oflen led 
 people iiito uU the heights of felf- glory, and felf-feek- 
 ing, under a pretence of being infpired with gofpel 
 humility, and gofpel felf-denial. 
 
 Another charge upon me, equally falfe, and I may 
 fay, more fenfelefs, is, that I am a declared enemy to 
 the ufe of reafon in religion. And why? Becaufe ii^ 
 all my writings, i teach that reafon is to be denied, he. 
 I own; I have not only tr;Ught this; but have again anci 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 42 
 
 ^galn proved the abfolute neceflity pf it. And this be- 
 caufe Chrift has made itabfolutely neceff^ryjby faying, 
 ^ Whofoever will come after me, let him deny himfelf, 
 &c. For how can a man deny himfelf, without denying 
 his reafon, unlefs reafon be no part- of himfelf ? Or 
 Jiow can a rational creature, whofe chief dillindlion' 
 from brutes is that of his reafon, be called to dt^ny him- 
 felf any other way, than by denying that which is pe- 
 culiar to iiimfelf ? Let the matter be thus expreffed,— . 
 JVIan is .not to deny his reafon. Weil, hov/ then ? Why 
 (N. Bi) ""He is only to deny himfelf. Can there be a 
 greater folly of words ? And yet it is their wifdom of 
 words, who allow the denying of felf, to be good doc- 
 trine, but boggle, and cry out at the denying of reafon, 
 as quite bad. For how can a man deny himfelf, but 
 by denying that which is the life, and fpirit, and pow- 
 ■er of felf ?— ^What makes a man a finner ? Nothing 
 but the power and working of his natural reafon. And 
 therefore if our natural reafon is not to be denied, we 
 mxiii keep up, and follow that, which works every fm 
 that ever was, or can be in us. For w^e can fm no 
 v/here, or in any thing, but where our natural reafon 
 or underilanding has its powi:r in u?. What is meant: 
 in all fcripture by the fieili and its works? is it fome-» 
 thing diflincl and different from the workings of our 
 rational and intelligent nature ? No, it is our whole in- 
 telligent, rational nature, that con(tit*itcs the fiefn, or 
 the carnal man, who could not be criminally A?, any 
 more than the beafls, but becaufe his carnality has all 
 its evil, from his intelligent nature, or reafon, being 
 the life and power of it. And evtry thing Vv'hich our 
 Lord faith of felf, is fo much faid of our natural reafon, 
 and all that the fcripture f^ith of the {Idli and its evil 
 nature, is fo much faid of the evil ftate of our natural 
 reafon, v/hich therefore is, oucrht, and muft be denied, 
 }a the fame manner and decree, as fclf and flefli is, 
 ^nd mud be denied. 
 
 I have cifewherQ fliewn the grofs darkpefs and igno- 
 
u law's address 
 
 ranee, which govern that which is called M etaphyf*- 
 icks in the Ichools, that it is fo great, that if you were 
 to (ay, ^ That God firft creates a foul out of nothing, 
 and when that is done, then takes an underllanding 
 faculty and puts it into it, after that adds a will, and 
 then a meiT.ory, all as independently made, as when 
 a taylor firft m^kes the body of a coat, and then adds 
 fleeves and pockets to it ; were you to fay this, the 
 fchools of Defcartes, Male-branche, or Locke, could 
 have nothing to fay againft it.' 
 
 And here truth obliges me to fay, that fcholaMc di- 
 vinity, is in as great ignorance about the mod funda- 
 mental truths of the goipel, as I have again and again 
 fliewn, in regard to the nature of the fail of man, and 
 all the fcripture exprefSons concerning the new birth ; 
 and here alfo concerning the do6lrine of a man's deny- 
 ing himiclf, which modern learning fuppofes to be pof- 
 fible without, or different from a man's denying his 
 own natural reafon j which is an abfurdity of the great- 
 eft magnitude. For what is felf, but that which a man 
 is, and has in his natural capacity? Or v/hat is the 
 fulnefs of his capacity, but the ftrength and power of 
 his reafon ? How then can any man deny himfelf, but 
 by denying that which gives felf its whole nature, name, 
 and pov/er ? If man was not a rational creature, he 
 could not be called to deny himftlf, he could not need, 
 or receive the benefit and goodnefs of felf-denial : No 
 man therefore can obey the precept of denying himfelf, 
 cr have any benefit or goodnefs from it. but fo far as he 
 denies, or dits to his own natural reafon, becaufe the 
 felf of man, and the natural reafon of man, are Itridlly 
 the fame thing. — Agam our bleffed Lord faid in his 
 agony, ' Not my wiii, but thine be done.' And had not 
 this been the form of his whole life, he had not lived 
 without fin. Now thus to deny our own will, that 
 God's will may be done in us, is the height of our call* 
 ing ; and fo far as we keep from our ov*^n natural will, 
 £o far we keep from fm» Bnt now, if our own natural 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 45 
 
 Will, as having all fin and evil in it, is always to be de- 
 nied, whatever it coils us, I would fain know how our 
 natural reafon can ever efcape, or how we can deny 
 our own will, and not deny that rational, or intelligent 
 power, in and from which the will hath its whole cx- 
 i lie nee, and continual dire6lion ? Or how there can 
 be always a badnefs of our own will, which is not the 
 badnefs of our own natural, intellcdlual power ? There- 
 fore it is a truth of the utmoil cer-tainty, that as much 
 as we are obliged to deny our own natural will, that 
 the w^ill of God may be done in us, fo much are we 
 obliged to deny our own natural reafon and under- 
 flanding, that our own will may not be done or allowed 
 by us. For whoever lives to his own natural reafon, 
 he necefiarily lives to his own natural v/ill. For our 
 natural will, in whatever flate it is, is nothmg elfe 
 but our natural reafon willing this, or that. 
 
 Now hard as this may feem to unregenerate nature, 
 and yet harder to nature highly exalted, and big with 
 the glory of all that, which wits, poets, orators, critics, 
 fophills and hiftorians have enriched it v/ith, yet true it 
 is, and a truth as certain as the faU of man, that this 
 full denial of our ovv^n natural \vill, and our o^\ti natu- 
 ral reafon, is the only poilible way for divine knowledge, 
 divine light, and divine goodnefs, to have any place, or 
 power of birth in us. All other religious knov/ledge, 
 got any other way, let it be as great as it will, is only 
 great in vanity, emptinefs and delufion. For nothing 
 but that which comes immediately from God, can have 
 any thing Godly in it, and all that which comes from 
 felf, and natural reafon, however outwardly coloured, 
 can have no better a nature within, than felf-feeking, 
 felf efleem, and flelhly wifdom, which(N. B.) are thofe 
 very works of the devil in us, w^hich Chrlll came into 
 the world to deilroy. For the efforts of natural reafon, 
 and felf-abilities, to be great in religious knowledge 
 from our own particular talents, are as Satanical things 
 
 D 2 
 
46 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 as any we carry about us, and mod of all fix us in the 
 higheit contrariety to that (late, which our Lord af- 
 firms to be abfolutely neceiTary. 
 
 ' Except ye be converted, and become as little 
 children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' 
 Now as fure as this is neceffary, fo fare it is, that no 
 one can be thus converted, or come under the good 
 influence ofuhis child-like nature, till natural reafon, 
 felf, and own will, are all equally denied. For all 
 the evil and corruption of our fallen nature confiils in 
 this, it is an awakened life of our own reafon, own 
 will broken off from God, and fo fallen into the felfilh 
 ^vorkings of its own earthly nature. 
 
 Now whether this felf, broken off from God,reafon- 
 €th, wiileth, and contendeth about the diiFerencc of 
 icripture words and opinions, or reafoneth againfl them 
 all, the fame evil flate of fallen nature, the fame lofs 
 of life, the fame feparation from God, the fame evil 
 tempers of flefli and blood, will be equally flrenglhened 
 snd enflamed by the one as by the other. Hence it is, 
 that PapiRs and Proteftants are hating, fighting and 
 ifiUing one another, for the fake of their different, e.v- 
 c client opinions, and yet, as to the lufts of the flefli, 
 the lufl of the eye, and^the pride of life, they are in 
 the higheft union and communion with one another. 
 Por if you expe6l a j^ealous Proteftant to be tht-re- 
 iore a new born creature, alive unto God, or a zeal- 
 ous Papift to be therefore dead to all divine goodnefs, 
 you may be faid to have lived in the world without 
 either eyes or ears. And the reafon why it raufl be 
 io is, becaufe bad fylloglfms for tranfubftantiations, 
 and better fylloglfms againfl it, fignify no more to- 
 vi^ards the cafcir.g Satan out of our fouls, than a bad 
 or better tafle for painting. 
 
 Kence alfo it is, that Chriflendom, full of the niceft 
 tlecifions about faith, grace, v/orks, merits, fatisfac- 
 tion^ hereficsj fchifmS; &g* is full of all thofe evil tern- 
 
TO THE CLERGY. ^7 
 
 pers which prevailed in the heathen world, when none 
 of thefe things were ever thought of. 
 
 A fcholar, pilyingthe blindnefs and folly of thofe 
 who live to themfelves in the cares and pleafures of 
 this vain Ufe, thinks himfelf divinely employed, and 
 to have efcaped the pollutions of the world, becaufe 
 he is, day by day, dividing, diffe6ling, and mending 
 church-opinions, fixing herefies here, fchifnis there ; 
 forgetting all the while, that a carnal felf, and natural 
 reafon, have the doing of all that is done by this 
 learned zeal ; and are as bufy and a6live in him, as 
 in the reafoning infidel or proje6ling worldling. For 
 where feif is wholly denied, there nothing can be 
 called her^fy, fchifm, or wickednefs, but the want of 
 loving God with our whole heart, and our neighbor 
 as ourfclvts ; nor any iliing be called truth, life or fal- 
 vation, but the fpirit, nature and pov/er of Chrift, liv- 
 ing and manifefiing itfelf in us, as it did in him. But 
 where felf or the natural man is become great in relig- 
 ious learning, there the greater the fcholar, the more 
 firnay will he be fixed in their religion, whofe God is 
 their belly. 
 
 But that I may fully fliov/ the perverfenefs of my 
 accufers, in charging me with denying the ufe of rea- 
 fon in religion, fee here a word or two of what I have 
 faid at large, and in the plained words, more than 
 twenty-four years ago, which do6lrine I have main- 
 tained in all that I have fince written. My words are 
 thefe : 
 
 " You (hall fee reafon poffefied of all that belongs to 
 it. I will grant it^to have as great a fhare in the good 
 things of religion, as in the good things of this life ; 
 that it can alTift the foul, juft as it can aiTifl the body ; 
 that it has the fame power and virtue in the fpiritual, 
 that it has in the natural world r that it can communi- 
 cate to us as much of the one as of the other, and is of 
 the fame ufe and importance in the one as in the other. 
 
4s LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 Can you aflv more ?" All which I thus make out ia 
 the following manner : 
 
 '' Man, confidcred as a member of this world, who 
 is to have his ftiare of the good that is in it, is a fen- 
 lible and a rational <:reature ; that is, he has a certain 
 number of fenfes, as feeing, hearing, tafting, touch- 
 ing and fiuelling, by which he is fenfible of that v/hich 
 the outward world, in which he is placed, can do for 
 him, or communicate to him, and fo is fenfibie of 
 what kind and degree of happinefs he can have from it, 
 
 ^' Now befides thefe organs of fenfe, he has a pov/- 
 cr or faculty of reafoning upon the ideas which he has 
 received from the fenfes. 
 
 *' Now how is it, that the good things of this v/orld 
 are communicated to man ? How is he put in pofief- 
 fion of them ? To what part of him are they propof- 
 ed? Are his fenfes, or his reafon, the means of his 
 having fo much as he has, or can have from this 
 W^orld? 
 
 '' Now here you muft degrade reafon juft as much 
 as it is degraded by religion, •and are obliged to fet it 
 as low, with refpe6\; to the things of this world, as it 
 is fet with refpecl to the things of the fpiritual world. 
 It is no more the means of communicating the good 
 tilings of the one, than of Jthe other. And as St. Paul 
 fays, ' the natural man cannot receive the things of 
 the Spirit of God, becaufe^they are fpiritually dif- 
 cerned ;' fo you muft of neceiTity fay, the rational 
 man cannot receive the things of this world, for this 
 reafon, becaufe they are fenfibly received, that is, by 
 the organs of fenfe. Reafon therefore has no higher 
 omce or power in the things of this v/orid, than in the 
 things of religion ; and religion does no more vio- 
 lence to your reafon, or reje^ls It any other way, than 
 all the good things of this world reje£ls it : It is not 
 feting, it is not hearing, tafting or feeling the things 
 of this life j it can fupply the place of no one of thefe 
 fenfes* 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 4§ 
 
 ** Now it is only thus hclplefs and ufekfsin relig- 
 ion; it is neither feeing nor hearing, tafting nor feel- 
 ing of fpiritual things ; therefore in the things of re- 
 ligion, and in the things of this world, it has one and 
 the fame infignificancy* It is the fenfibility of the foul 
 that mufl receiv^e what this world can communicate to 
 it ; it is the fenfibility of the foul that mufl receive 
 what God can communicate, reafon may follow after ia 
 either cafe, and view through its own glafs what is 
 done, but it can do no more. Reafon may be here of 
 the fame fervice to us, as when we want any of the 
 enjoyments of this life ; it may dire6l us how, and 
 where they are to be had; it may take away a cover 
 from our eyes, or open our window^-lliutters, when we 
 want the light ; but it can do no more towards feeing, 
 than to make way for the light to aft upon our eyes. 
 This is all its office and ability in religion ; ic may re- 
 move that which hinders the fenfibility of the foul, or 
 prevents the divine light's a6ling upon it, but it can 
 -do no more : becaufe the faculty of reafoning, is only 
 the a6livity of the mind upon its own ideas or images, 
 which the fenfes have caufed it to form, from that 
 which has been flirred up in them; but has nothing 
 o fthe nature of that which it fpeculates upon by ideas i 
 It does not become dark, when it reafons upon the 
 caufe or nature of darknefs ;a= nor becomes light, when 
 it reafons about it ; neither is it religion, nor gets any 
 thing of the nature of religion, when it is wholly takea 
 up in defcriptions and definitions of religious do6lrines 
 and virtues. 
 
 ^' For the good of religion, is like the good of food 
 and drink to the creature that wants it. And if in- 
 ftead of giving fuch an one bread and wine, you 
 iliould teach him to feek for relief, by attending to 
 clear ideas of the nature of bread, of different ways 
 of making it, &c. he wouW be left to die in the want 
 of fuften^ince; juit as the religion of reafoning leaves 
 
 E 
 
50 LAYPs ADDRESS 
 
 the foul to periili in the want of that good, which it 
 was to have from religion. And j et, as a man may 
 have the benefit of food much aillfted by the right ufe 
 of his reafon, though reafon has not the good of food 
 in it ; fo a man may have the good oi religion much 
 affifted, and fecured to him, hy the right ufe of his 
 reafon, though reafon has not the good of religion in 
 it. And as it v/ould be great folly and perverfenefs, 
 to accufe a man as an enemy to the true ufe of reafon- 
 ing about food, becaufe he declares tliat reafon is not 
 food, nor can fupply the place of it ; fo it is equally fo, 
 to accufe a man as an enemy to the ufe of reafoning in 
 religion, becaufe he declares that reafoning is not reli- 
 gion, nor can fupply the place of it. We have no 
 Mmnt ot religion, but becaufe we want to have more 
 of the divine nature in us, than we have in our fallen 
 nature. But if this be the truth of the matter (and 
 who can deny it) then we are fure, that nothing can be 
 X)ur good in religion, but that which communicates to 
 TaS fomething of God, or Vv'hich alters our flate of ex- 
 5ftence in God, and makes us partakers of the divine* 
 nature, in fuch a manner and degree as we wanted. 
 What a folly then to put any truil in a religion of ra- 
 ilonal notions and opinions, logically deduced from 
 fcripture words. Do we not fee finners of all forts, 
 and men under the power of every corrupt paflion, 
 equally zealous for fuch a religion ? Proof enough,- 
 that it has not the good of religion in it, nor any con- 
 trariety to the vices of the heart; it neither kills them 
 nor is killed by them. For as pride, hypocrify, envy 
 or malice, do not take av/ay from the mind its geo- 
 metrical, or critical abilities ; fo a man may be moft 
 logical in his religion of reafon, words, dcftrines and 
 opinions, v/hen he has nothing of the true good of re*- 
 ligion in him. 
 
 *^ But as foon as it is l^nown and confefled, that all 
 
 Jthe happinefs or mifery of all creatures, confifts only 
 
 |i) thls^ ^3 t!)ey arc more or iefs poffeiTed of God, qi^ 
 
 I 
 
TO THE CLERGY. SI 
 
 as they differently partake of the divine nature ; then 
 it mult be equally known, that nothing but God can 
 do, or be any religious good to us ; and alio, that God 
 cannot do, or be any religious good to us, but by 
 the communication of himielf, or the manifeftation 
 ot his own life within us*" 
 
 Hence may be feen, the great and like blindnefs, 
 both of IntidLls and Chriftians ; the one in trufting to 
 their own reafon, dv/elling in its own logical conclu- 
 iVons ; the other in trufting to their own reafon, dwel- 
 ling in learned opinions about fcripture words and 
 phj afes, and do6trines built upon them." For as fooii 
 as it IS known and confeiTed, that God is all in all ; 
 that in him w^e live, and move, and have our being ; 
 that we can have nothing feparately, or out of him^ 
 but every thing in him ; that we have no being, or 
 degree of being but in him ; that he can give us no- 
 thuig as our good, but himfelf, ncr any degree of fal- 
 vation from our fallen nature, but in fuch degree as 
 he again communicates fomething more of himfelf to 
 us. As foon as this is known, then it is known, with 
 the utmoft evidence, that to put a religious truft in our 
 own reafon, whether confined to itfelf, or working in 
 do6lrines about fcripture words, has the nature of that 
 fame idolatry, that puts a religious truft in the fun, a 
 departed faint, or a graven image." And as image- 
 worihip has often boafted of its divine power, becaufe 
 of the v/onders of zeal and devotion, that have been 
 raifed thereby in thoufands, and ten thoufands of its 
 followers ; fo it is no marvel, if opinion-worfliip fhould 
 often have, and boaft of the fame effefts. But the 
 truth of the whole matter lies here : As the word 
 manifefted in the fleih, or become man, is the one 
 Mediator, or reftorer of union between God and man ; 
 fo to feeing eyes it muft be evident, that nothing but this 
 one mediatorial nature of Chrift, efientially brought 
 to life in our fouls, can be our falvation through Chrifl 
 Jefus. For that which faved and exalted that huma- 
 
$t LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 jiity in which Chrift dwelt, muft be the falvation of 
 every human creature in the world. But to return — 
 What poor divinity-knowledge comes from great 
 fcholars, and great readers, may be fufficiently feen 
 from the two following judicious quotations in a late 
 Differtion on Enthufiafm ; the one is taken from Dr. 
 Warburton's fermons, the other from a Paftoral Let- 
 ter of Mr. Stinflra, a preacher amongft the Menno- 
 mifis of Frielland. That from Dr. Warburton Hands 
 thus : " By them (that is, by the writings of the New 
 Teftament) the prophetic promife of our Savior, that 
 the Comforter fhould abide for ever, was eminently 
 fulfilled. For though his ordinary influence occafion- 
 ally affifts the faithful, yet his conftant abode, and fu- 
 preme illumination, is in the facred fcriptures." Dr. 
 Warburton's do6lrine is this, that Hhe infpired books 
 of the New Teftament, is that Comforter, or Spirit of 
 Truth, and Illuminator, which is meant by Chrift's 
 being always with his church. Let us therefore put 
 the Doclor's do6lrine into the letter of the text, which 
 will beft ftiew how true or falfe it is. 
 
 Our Lord faith, ' It is expedient that I go away, or 
 the Comforter will not come ; that is, it is expedient 
 for you that I leave off teaching you in words, that 
 found only in your outward ears, that you may have 
 the fame words in writing, for your outward eyes to 
 look upon ; for if I do not depart from this vocal way 
 of teaching you, the Comforter will not come, that is, 
 ye will not have the comfort of my words written on 
 paper. But if I go away, I will fend written books, 
 which will lead you into fuch a truth of words, as ye 
 could not have, whilft they were only fpoken from 
 my mouth ; but being written on paper, they will be 
 my fpiritual, heavenly, conftant abode with you, and 
 the moft fupreme illumination ye can receive from 
 me. 
 
 Chrift faith further ; ^ I have many things to fay un- 
 to you, but ye cannot bear Uiem now j howbeit when 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 53 
 
 He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He fliall guide you 
 into all truth ; for he fiiall not fpeak of himfelf, for He 
 Ihall receive of mine, and {iiall ihew it unto you ;" — - 
 that is, though ye cannot be fuiliciently inftru6led from 
 my words at prefent, yet when they {hall hereafter 
 come to you in written bookb, they will give you a 
 knov/ledge of all truth, for they Ihall not fpeak of them- 
 felves, but ihall receive v/ords from me,aAid Ihev/ them 
 unto you. Again, Chrifi faith, 'Thefe things have I 
 fpcken unto you in proverbs ; but the time comcth, 
 when I Ihall no more fpeak unto you in proverbs, but 
 will ihew you plainly of the Father,' That is, hitherto 
 ye have only had fpoken proverbs from me, and there- 
 fore ye have not plainly known the Father ; but the 
 time Cometh, when thefe fpoken proverbs fiiall be put 
 into writing, and then ye Ihall plainly know the Father. 
 Again, Chrift adds, ' Ye now therefore have forrov/, 
 but I will /ee you again, and your hearts ihall rejoice, 
 and your joy no man taketh from you.' Thatis, ye are 
 now troubled at my perfonal departure from you ; but 
 fome written books ihall be my feehig you again, and 
 in that vifit, ye ihall have fuch joy as cannot be taken 
 from you. 
 
 Chrift alfo faith, ' If any man love me, my Father 
 will love him, and we will come unto him, and make 
 cur abode with him :' That is, according to the Doc- 
 tor's theology, certain books of fcripture will come to 
 him, and make their abode with him ; for he exprcfsly 
 confineth the conitant abode, and fupreme illumination 
 of God to the holy fcriptures. Therefore (horrible to 
 fay) God*s inward preience, his operating power of 
 life and light in our fouls, his dwelling in our fouls, his 
 dwelling in us, and we in him, is fomething of a lov/- 
 er nature, that only may occafionally happen, and has 
 lefs of God in it than {he dead letter of fcripture, which 
 alone is his conftant abode and fupreme illumination, 
 Miferablc fruits of a paradoxical genius ! 
 
 Chrift from heaven faith, * Behold I ftand at the 
 
54 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 door and knock ; if any nman hear niy toice, and open 
 unto me, I will con\e into him, and fup with him.' This 
 is his true eminent falfiling of his prophetic promife of 
 being a comforter, and a fpirit of truth to his church, 
 to the end of the world. But according to the Doclor, 
 we are Vj underiland, that not the heavenly Chriil, hut 
 the New Teftament condnually ftandeth and knocketh 
 at the door, wanting to enter into the heart, and fup 
 with it; which is no better than holding, that when 
 Chrid calls himfclf, Alpha and Omega, he means not 
 himfelf, but the New Tellament. Agtin, * J «m the 
 vine, ye are the branches; as the branch cannot bear 
 fruit of itfelf, except it abide in the vine, no more can 
 y€, except ye abide in me ; for without me ye can do 
 nothing.' Now take the Do6lor's comment, and then 
 the truth of all thefe words of Chrift was only tempo- 
 rary, and could be true no longer than till the books of 
 the New Teftament were written ; for then all this, 
 which Chrift had affirmed of himfelf, of the certainty 
 and neceffity of his life, and power in them, ended in 
 the perfonal appearance of Chrift, and paffed over to 
 the written words of the New Teftament, and they 
 are the true vine, and we its branches, they are that, 
 without which we can do nothing. For thus it muii 
 be, if, as the DoClor affir-ms, the writings of the New- 
 Teftament are that, by which we are to underftand, the 
 conftant abode, and fupreme illumination of God in 
 man. Now abfurd, and even blafphemous, as this in- 
 terpretation of the foregoing text is, it muft be evident 
 to every reader, that it is all the Do6lor's own ; for 
 the letter of fcripture is only made here, to claim that 
 divinity to itfelf, which the Do6lor has openly af&rm- 
 ed to be true of it. 
 
 Rabbi, faith Nicodemus to Chrift, we know that 
 thou art a teacher come from God : — Now that which 
 was here truly faid of Chrift in the flelh, is the very 
 truth that muft be faid of the fcripture, teaching in ink 
 and paper; it is a teacher come from God, and there* 
 
TO THE CLERGY, is 
 
 fore fully to be believed, highly reverenced, and ftricl- 
 ly followed. But as Chrift's teaching in the flefli, was 
 only preparatory to his future, vital teaching by the 
 Spirit ; fo the teaching of fcripture by words written 
 v/ith ink and paper, is only preparatory, or introdudlo- 
 ry to all that inward, effsntial teaching of God, which is 
 by his fpirit and truth within us. Every other opinion 
 of the holy fcripture, but that of an outward teacher and 
 guide to God's inward teaching and illumination in our 
 fouls, is but making an idol-god of it : I fay an idol- 
 god ; for to thofe v/ho reft in it as the conftant abode 
 and fupreme illumination of God with them, it can be 
 nothing elie. For, if nothing of divine faith, love, 
 hope, or goodnefs, can have the leaft birth, or place in 
 us, but by divine infpiration ; they who think thefe 
 virtues may be fulBciently raifed in us by the letter of 
 fcripture, do in truth and reality, make the letter of 
 fcripture their infpiring God. The apoftles preached, 
 and wrote to the people by divine infpiration. But what 
 do they fay of their infpired docSlrine, and teachings? 
 What virtue or power was there in them ? Do they fay 
 that their words, and teachings, was the very promifed 
 Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, the true abode, and 
 fupreme illumination of God in the fouls of menf So 
 iiX'c from fuch a blafphemous thought, that they affirm 
 the direct contrary, and compare all their infpired teach- 
 ings and inftru6lions, to the dead works of bare plant- 
 ing and watering, and which muft continue dead, till 
 liie come into them from another and much hitrher 
 power. I have planted, faith St. Paul, Apollos hath wa- 
 tercd, but God gave the increafe. And then further 
 to fhew, that this planting and watering, which was 
 the higheft work that an infpired apofde could do, was 
 yet in itfelf, to be confidered as a lifelefs, powi-rlefs 
 thing; he adds, So then, neither is he that planteth 
 any thing, nor he that watereth ; but God that glvelh 
 the increafe. But now, if this muft be faid of all that 
 jSrhich the infpired apoftles taught ia oiuward y^ords^ 
 
S& LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 that it was nothing in itfelf, was without power, with- 
 out life, and only luch a preparation towards life as is 
 that of planting and v^atering ; muft net that fame be 
 faid of their infpired teachings, when left behind them 
 in writing ? For what elfe are the apoftolical fcriptures, 
 but thofe very inftru6lions and teachings put into wri- 
 ting, which they affirmed to be but bare planting and 
 watering, quite powerlefs in thcmfelves, till the living 
 Spirit of God worked with them ? Or will any one fay, 
 that what Paul, Peter, John, &c. fpoke by infpiration 
 from their own mouths, was indeed but bare planting 
 and watering, in order to be capable of receiving life 
 from God ; but when tlu:fe apollolical teachings and 
 in(lru6lions were written on paper, they were raifed 
 out of their firft inability, got the nature of God him- 
 felf, became fpirit and life, and might be called the 
 great quickening power of God, or as the Do6lor fays, 
 the conftant abode, and fupreme illumination of his 
 Spirit with us ? 
 
 It would be great folly and perverfenefs, to charge 
 me here with flighting or lefl'ening the true value, ufe 
 and importance, of the infpired apoftolical fcriptures ; 
 for if the charge was juft, it muft lie againft Paul, and 
 not againft me ; fince 1 fay nothing of them, but that 
 which he faith, and in his own exprefs words, viz. 
 that all their labor of preiiching, inftru6ling and writ- 
 ing by divine infpiration, had in themfelves no other 
 nature, ufe or power, than that of fuch planting and 
 watering as could not frudlify, till a higher pov/er than 
 was in them gave life and grov/th to that which they 
 pb.nted and watered. 
 
 I exceedingly love, and highly reverence, the di- 
 vine authority of the f^icred writings of the apoftles 
 and cvangc lifts, and would gladly perfuade every one 
 to be as dcjpiy affedled with them, and pay as pro. 
 found a regard to them, as ihey would to an Khjah, 
 a St. John Baptift, or a Paul, whom they knew to be 
 immediately feat from heaven, with God's mcffage tu 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 57 
 
 them. I reverence them as a literal truth of and from 
 God, as much the greateft heavenly bleflBng that can 
 be outwardly be ft owed upon us. I reverence them as 
 doing, or fitted to do, all that good amongft Chrifti- 
 ans now, which the apoftles did in their day, and as 
 of the fame ufe and benefit to the church of every 
 age, as their planting and watering v/as to the firft. 
 
 But now, if this is not thought that fulnefs of re- 
 gard that is due to the holy n^effengers of God ; if 
 any one will lliil be fo learnedly wife as to affirm, 
 that though Paul's preaching in his epiftles, w^hilfl he 
 was alive, was indeed only bare planting and water- 
 ing ; but the fame epiftles, being publifhed after his 
 death, got another nature, became full of divine and 
 living power ; fuch an one hath no right to laugh (as 
 the Do6lor doth) at the filly Mahometan, who be- 
 lieves the Alcoran to be uncreated. For wherever 
 there is divine efficacy, there muft be an uncreated 
 power. And if, as the Dodlor faith, the fcriptures of 
 the New Teftament are the only conftant abode, and 
 fupreme illumination of the Spirit of God with us, 
 all that is faid of the eternal Spirit of God, of the un- 
 created light, might and ought to be faid of them ; 
 that they are the word that was God, was with God, 
 and are our true Immanuel, or God within us. 
 
 I fhall now only add this friendly hint to the Do6tor, 
 that he has a remedy at hand in his fermon, how he 
 may be delivered from thus grofsly miftaking the fpir- 
 it of the gofpel, as well as the law of Mofes. St. Paul 
 (faith the Do61or) " Had a quick and lively imagi- 
 nation, and an extenfive and intimate acquaintance 
 with thofe mafters in moral painting, the claffic writ- 
 ers — (N. B.) all which he proudly iacrificed to the 
 glory of the everlafting gofpel.'' 
 
 Now if the Do6lor did that (tho' it was only from 
 humility) which he fays the apofUe did proudly, fuch 
 humility might be as great a good to him, ^ that 
 
 £ a 
 
58 LAWS ADDRESS 
 
 pride was to the apcftle. And indeed one would 
 have thought, that as foon as the Doclor had difcov- 
 ered thefe writers to be only great mafters in moral 
 painting, it fhould have had the fame efie6l upon him, 
 as if he had found them great mafters in delufion. 
 For where there is moral painting, there there is mor- 
 'A dekifion. And the fpirit, the Ufe, the purity and 
 divine fimplicity of gofpei truth, is more eluded, loft 
 aad deftroyed by moral paintings, whether in books 
 or pulpits, than by any material colorings put upon 
 images of wood or clay, to excite fpiritual devotion in 
 churches. Again, if the everlafting gofpei is now as 
 glorious a thing, as it was in St. Paul's days ; if the 
 higheft, moft accompliflied claffic knowledge, is fo 
 unfuitable to the light and fpirit of the gofpei, that it 
 is fit for nothing but to be caft away, or as the Doc- 
 tor faith, to be all faciificed to the glory of the gof^ 
 pel ; how wonderful is it, that this fliould never come 
 into his head, from the beginning to the end of his 
 three long Legotion- Volumes, or that he fliould come 
 piping hot with frefli and frcfli claflic beauties, found 
 out by himft^lf in a Shakefpeare, a Pope, &c. to 
 preach from the pulpit the divine wifdom of a Paul, in 
 renouncing all his great clafEc attainments, as mere 
 iofs and dung, that by fo doing he might win Chrift, 
 and be found in him I 
 
 Let it be fuppofed, that our Lord was to come 
 again for a while in the fiefli, and that his coming was 
 for this end, to do that for the chriilian world, cum- 
 bered with much learning, which he did to poor Mar- 
 tha, only cumbered with much ferving, and thereby^ 
 negle6led that good part, which Mary had chofen ; 
 muft we fuppofe, that the Do6lor would haften to 
 meet him, with his facred alliances, his bundle of 
 Pagan traih, and hiercglific profundities, as his full 
 proof that Mary's good part, which fhall never be ta- 
 ken from her, had been chofen for himfelf, and all his 
 readers? A^s well might it be thought, that the Pope 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 59 
 
 would come richly laden with his bleffed images, his 
 heavenly decrees, his divine bulls, as infallible proofs 
 of his being born again from above, and folely devoted 
 to the one thing needful. 
 
 Let the Do6lor figure to himfelf the gaudy pageant- 
 ry of a divine high mafs in a Romifh Cathedral ; let 
 him wonder at that flagrant, daring contrariety, that it 
 hath to that firft gofpel-church of Chrift, viz, ' Where 
 two or three are gathered together in my name, there 
 am I in the midft of them.' Would he not be flill full- 
 er of wonder, if he Ihould hear the Pope declaring, 
 that all this heatheniih fliew of invented fopperies, 
 was his proje6led defence of that firft church of Chrift? 
 But if the Dodlor would fee a proteftaat wonder, full 
 as great, he need only look at his own theatrical, 
 parading fhow of heathen myfteries, and heathenifli 
 learning, fet forth in higheft pomp. To what end ? 
 Why to bring forth what he calls (as the Pope above) 
 his projedled Defence of Chriftianity. 
 
 vaineft of all vain proje6ls I For what is Chrifti- 
 anity, but that which Chrift was, while on earth? 
 What can it be, but that which it is, and has from him? 
 He is a King, who has all power in heaven and on 
 earth, and his kingdom, like himfelf, is not of this 
 world. Av/ay then with the projects of Popifh pomps, 
 and Pagan literature to fupport it ; they are as wife 
 contrivances as a high Tower of Babel, to defend it 
 againft the gates of hell. 
 
 1 come now to the quotation from the paftoral Let- 
 ter of Mr. Stinftra. '' A judicious writer (fays the 
 Differtation) obferves, that found underftanding and 
 reafon are that on which, and by which, God princi- 
 pally operates (N. B.) when he finds it proper to 
 affift (N. B.) our weaknefs by his Spirit." 
 
 I cannot more illuftrate the fenfe, or extol the judg- 
 ment, both of the author and quoter of this ftriking 
 paffage, than by the following words : 
 
 'J A judicious naturalift obferves, that found and 
 
x60 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 flrong lungs are that on which, and by which, the 
 air or fpirit of this world principally operates, when 
 (N. B.) he finds it proper to aiTift (N. B.) the weaknefs 
 of cur lungs, by his breathing into them." 
 
 Now if any right minded man fhould happen to find 
 his heart edified, or his underflanding enhghtened by 
 the above pafiage on divine infpiration, he will be 
 much pleafed at my affuring him, that the Paftoral 
 Letter of Mr. Stinftra, and the Dilfertation on En- 
 thufiafm by Mr. Green, are from the beginning to 
 the end, full as good in every refpe6l as that. is. 
 
 Thefe two inftances are proof enough, that as foon 
 as any man truits to natural abilities, fkill in languages, 
 and common-place learning, as the true means of enter- 
 ing into the kingdom of God, a kingdom which is no- 
 thing elfe but righteoufnefs, peace, and joy in the Holy 
 Ghoil: ; he gives himfelf up to certain delufion, and can 
 efcape no error that is popular, or that fuits his ftate 
 and fituation in the learned, religious world. He has 
 fold his birth-right in the gofpel ftate of divine illum- 
 ination, to make a figure and noife, with the founding 
 brafs and tinkling cymbals of the natural man. 
 
 Whence is it, that we fee genius and natural abili- 
 ties, to be equally pleafed v/ith and equally contending 
 for errors and abfurdities of every fyftem of religion, 
 under which they are educated? It is becaufe genius 
 and natural abilities, are juft the fame thing, and muft 
 have the fame nature now, as they had in the ancient 
 fchools of the Peripatetic, Academic, Stoic, and athe- 
 iftical philofophers. — '' The temptation oi honor ^ which 
 the academic exercife of wit (as Dr. W. fays) wasfup- 
 pofed to bring to its proteffor ;" has ftlll its power a- 
 mong church difputants. Nor can it poffibly ever be 
 otherwife, till parts and genius, &c. do, as the blind, 
 the deaf, the dumb, and lepers formerly did ; go to be 
 healed of the natural diforders by the infpiration of that 
 oracle, who faid, " I am the light of the world, he who 
 followeth me, walketh not in darknefs. No naan com- 
 
TO THE CLERGY. M 
 
 cth unto the Father but by me." Well therefore might 
 St, Paul lay, " I have determined to know nothing 
 among you, but Chrift, and him crucified." And had 
 it not been for this determination, he had never known, 
 what he then knew, when he iaid, •* the hfe that I now 
 live, is not mine, but Chrlft's thatliveth in me." Now 
 did the apoflle here overftretch the matter? Was it a 
 fpirit of enthufiafm, and not of Chriil living in him, 
 that made this declaration? Was he here making 
 way for ignorance and darknefs to extinguifli the light 
 that came down from heaven, and was the light of th& 
 world? Did he here undermine the true ground and 
 rock, on which the church of Chrift was to ftand, and 
 prevail againft the gates of hell? Did he, by fetting 
 up this knowledge as the beft, and only knowledge 
 that an apoftle need to have, break down the fences 
 of Chrift's vineyard, rob the church of all its ftrong 
 holds, leave it defencelefs, without a pale, and a 
 ready prey to infid^-ls ? Who can fay this, but that 
 fpirit of Antichrift, that confelTeth not that Jefus 
 Chrift is come in the flefli? For as Chrift's intending 
 nothing, knowing nothing, willing nothing, but purely 
 and folely the whole courfe of his crucifying procrefs, 
 y/as the whole truth of his being come in the flefh, 
 was his doing the whole will of him that fent him, was 
 his overcoming the world, death and hell ; fo he that 
 embraces this procefs, as Chrift embraced it, who 
 is vrholly given up to it, as Chrift was, he has the will 
 of Chrift, and the mind of Chrift, and therefore may 
 vrell defire to know nothing elfe. To this man alone 
 is the world, death and hell, knov/n to be overcome ia 
 him, as they were in Chrift ; to him alone is Chrift: 
 become the refarredlion and the life ; and he that 
 knvoweth this, he knoweth v/ith St. Paul, that all other 
 knowledge, but that of a crucified Savior, which to the 
 Jev/ was a ftumbling block, and to the Greek foolifti* 
 ticfsp if he had afterwards wrote three fuch Legatiou- 
 
62 I^AW's ADDRESS 
 
 Volumes as the Do6lor hath done, for the food and 
 nourifliment of Chrift's flieep, who can have no life 
 in themfelves, but by eating the true bread that came 
 down from heaven ; muft they not have been called, 
 Paul's full recantation of all that he had taught of a 
 Chrift crucified ? 
 
 The other inflance of delufion from book learning, 
 relates to Mr. Green, who wanting to write on divine 
 infpiration, runs from book to book, from country to 
 country, to pick up reports wherever he could find then^ 
 concerning divine infpiration, from this and that judi-? 
 cious author, that fo he might be fure of compiling a 
 judicious differtation on the fubje^l. All which he 
 iliight have known to be mere d lufion, and loft labor, 
 had he but remem.bered, or regarded any one fingle 
 faying either of Chrift or his apoftles, concerning the 
 Holy Spirit, and his operations. For not a word is 
 faid by them, but fully (hews, that all knowledge or 
 perception of the Spirit, is nothing elfe but the enjoy- 
 ment of the Spirit, and that no man can know more of 
 him, than that which the Spirit himfelf is, and does, 
 and maniftfts of his power in man, 
 
 ^' The things of God, faith St. Paul, knoweth no 
 man, but the Spirit of God." Is not this decifive upon 
 the matter? Is not this proof enough, that nothing in 
 man, but the Spirit of God in him, can know what the 
 Snirit's work in man is, and does? The fruits of the 
 Spirit f ) often mentioned in fcripture, are not things 
 dift'erent or feparate from the Spirit, and if the Spirit 
 is not always working in us, his fruits muft be as ab- 
 fent from us as he is. St. John faith, "hereby we 
 know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath 
 given us.'' A demonftration that the Spirit can no other 
 way make himfelf known to us but by his dwelling and 
 •working in us. St. James faith, " Every good and 
 perfe6l gift cometh from above :" But now does not 
 he in reality deny this, who feeks for the higheft gift of 
 ^licwkdge iVoin selow^; from the poor contrivance of 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 63 
 
 a common-place book ? Again, *' If any man lack wif- 
 doni, let him afk it of God ;" St. James does not fay, 
 let him go to all Peter, or Paul, or John, bccaufe he 
 knew that divine wifdom was nothing elfe but divine 
 infpiration. But Mr. Green has got together his inge- 
 nious, his eminent writers, his excellent, learned, ju- 
 dicious authors, his cool rational-morality doctors Qx 
 fct of men, whofe glorious names we read no more of 
 in the gofpel, than of die profound Ariftotle, or the di- 
 vine Cicero) and thefe are to do that for him which 
 the whole college of apoRles could do for no body. — 
 Now this doclrine, that nothing but the Spirit caa 
 know the things that be of God ; and that the enjoy- 
 ment of the Spirit, is all the knowledge we can have of 
 him, is a truth taught us, not only by all fcripture, but 
 by the whole nature of things. For every thing that 
 can be feen, known, heard, felt, &c. mud be manlfeft- 
 ed by itfelf, and not by another. It is not poflible for 
 any thing but light to manifefl light, nor for any thing 
 but darknefs to make darknefs to be knov^^n. Yet thifi 
 is more poffible, than for any thing but divine infpira* 
 tion, to make divine infpiration to be known. Hence 
 there is a degree of delufion ftill higher, to be noted in 
 fiich writers as Mr. Green ; for his collection of inge- 
 nious, eminent, rational authors, of whom he afks 
 counfel concerning the neceility, or certainty of the 
 immediate infpiration of the Spirit, are fuch as deny<iif5 
 and write againfl: it. Therefore the proceeding was 
 jud as wife, as if a man was to confult feme ingenius 
 and eminent atheifls, about the truth and certainty of 
 God's immediate, continual Providence ; or aik a few 
 feleCl deiils, how, or what he was to believe of the na- 
 ture and power of gofpel faith. Now there are the 
 Holy Spirit's own operations, and there are reports 
 about them. The only true reports, are thofe that are 
 made by infpired perfons ; and if thei e were no fuch 
 perfons, there could be no true reports of the matter. 
 And therefore to confult uninfpired perfons, and 
 
m JLAWs ADDRESS 
 
 fiich as deny, arjd reproach the pretence to infpiratioD, 
 to be rightly i ft rubied about the truth of imraediate, 
 continual, divine infpiration, is a degree of blindnefs, 
 greater than can be charged upon the old Jewifh 
 Scribes and Pharifees. 
 
 The reports, that are to be acknowledged as true^ 
 concerning the Holy Spirit, and his operations, are- 
 thofe that are recorded in fcripture ; that is, the fcrip- 
 tures are an infallible hiitcry, or relation of that which 
 the Holy Spirit is, and does, and works in true believ- 
 ers.; and alfo an infallible direi;Vion how we are ta 
 feek, and v/ait, and truft in his good pov/er over us. 
 But then the fcriptures thcrnfelves, though thus true, 
 and infallible in thefe reports, and inftru6l2ons about 
 the Holy Spirit, yet they can go no farther, than to be 
 a true hiflory ; they cannot give to the reader of them, 
 the pofieffion, the fenfibility, and enjoyment of that 
 which they relate. This is plain, not only from the 
 nature of a v/ritten hiflory or inftru6tion, but from the 
 cxprefs words of our Lord, faying, "Except a man be 
 born again of the Spirit, he cannot fee or enter into the 
 kingdom of God." Therefore the new birth from 
 above, or of the Spirit, is that alone which gives true 
 knowledge and perception of that, which is the king- 
 dom of God. The hiflory may relate truths enough 
 about it J but the kingdom of God being nothing elfe 
 but the pov/er and prefence of God, dwelling and 
 yuling in our fouls, this can only manifeft itfelf, and 
 can manifeft itfelf to nothing in man, but to the new 
 birth. For every thing elfe in man, is deaf and dumb 
 and blind to the kingdom of God ; but when that 
 which died in Adam, is made alive again by the quick-- 
 cning Spirit from above, this being the birth which 
 came at firil from God, and a partaker of the divine 
 nature, this knows, finds and enjoys the kingdom of 
 God. 
 
 " I am the way, the truth and the life," faith Chrift : 
 this record of fcripture is true ; but what a delufion, 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 6ir 
 
 for a man to think, that he knows and finds this to be 
 true, and that Chriil is all this benefit, and bleffing to 
 him, becaufe he affents, confents and contends, it may 
 be, fur the truth of thofe words. This is impcfiible. 
 The new birth is here again the only power of entrance 
 —every thing elfe knocks at the door in vain ; I knew 
 you not faith Chrifl to every thing, but the new birth. 
 ♦'I am the way, the truth, and the life," tells us nei- 
 ther more nor lefs, than if Chrift had faid, '' 1 am the 
 kingdom of God, into v/hich nothing can enter, but 
 that which is born of the Spirit. 
 
 Here again may be feen in the higheft degree of cer- 
 tainty, the abfolute neceflity of immediate, divine in- 
 fpiration, through every part of the Chriftian life. For 
 if a birth of the Spirit, is that alone that can enter into, 
 or receive the kingdom of God, come amongft men ; 
 that alone which can find Chrifl to be the way, the 
 truth and the life ; then a continual life, or breathing 
 of the Spirit in us, mull be as neceffary, as the firit 
 birth of ihe Spirit. For a birth of the Spirit is only 
 to make a beginning of a life of the Spirit; birth is 
 only in order to life ; if therefore the life of the Spirit 
 continues not, the birth is loft, and the ceffation of its 
 breathing in us, is nothing elfe but death again to the 
 kingdom of God, that is, to every thing that is or can 
 be godly. Therefore the im^mediate, continual infpi- 
 ration of the Spirit, as the only poffible power and 
 prcfervation of a godly life, ftands upon the fame 
 ground, and is as abfolutely neceffary to falvation, as 
 the new birth. 
 
 Take away this power, and working life of the Spi- 
 rit from being the one life of all that is done in the 
 church, and then, though it be ever fo outwardly glori- 
 ous in its extent, or ever fo full of learned members, 
 it can be nothing elfe in the fight of God, but the wife 
 Greek, and the carnal Jew, become a body of water- 
 baptifed chriftians. For no fuch an one can be in a bet- 
 ter ftate than this j the wifdom of the Greek, the car* 
 
66 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 nality of the Jew, muft have the whole government of 
 him, till he is born of, and led by the Spirit of God ; 
 this alone is the kingdom of God, and every thing elfe 
 is the kingdom of this world, in which Satan is declar- 
 ed to be the prince. Poor miferable man ! that ftrives 
 with ail the fophiftry of human wit, to be delivered 
 from the immediate, continual operation and govern- 
 ment of the Spirit of God, not confidering, that where 
 God is not, there is the devil ; and where the Spirit 
 rules not, there all is the works of the flefti, though 
 nothing be talked of, but fpiritual and chriflian mat- 
 ters. I fay, talked of; for the bed ability of the nat- 
 ural man can go no farther, than talk and write no- 
 tions and opinions, about fcripture words and fa6ls ; in 
 thefe he may be a great critic, and acute logician, a 
 powerful orator, and know every thing of fcripture 
 except the Spirit and the Truth. 
 
 How much then is it to be lamented, as well as im- 
 poffible to be denied, that though all fcripture affureis 
 us, that the things of the Spirit of God are and muft, 
 to the end of the world, be fooliflmefs to the natural 
 man ; yet almoft from one end of learned Chriftendom 
 to the other, nothing is thought of, as the true and 
 proper means of attaining divine knowledge, but that 
 which every natural, felfifn, proud, envious, falfe, 
 vain-glorious, worldly man can do. Where is that 
 divinity-ftudent, who thinks, or was ever taught to 
 think, of partaking of the light of the gofpel any other 
 way, than by doing with the fcripture s that which he 
 does with Pagan writers, whether poets, orators, or 
 comedians, viz. exercife his logic, rhetoric, and crit- 
 ical fkill, in difcanting upon tlftm ? This done, he is 
 thought by himfelf, and often by others, to have a 
 fufficicncy of divine, apoftolical knowledge. What 
 wonder therefore, if it Ihould fometimes happen, that 
 the very fame vain, corrupt, puffing literature, that 
 raifes one man to be a poet-laureat, ihould fet another 
 in a diviaity-chair ? 
 
TO THE CLERGY. er 
 
 How is It, that the logical, critical, learned dei/l, 
 «omes by his infidelity ? Why jufl by the fame help ' 
 of the fame good powers of the natural man, as maijy 
 a learned Chriftian comes to knov/, embrace and con* 
 tend for the faith of the gofpeh For drop the power 
 and reality of divine infpiration, and then all is dropt, 
 that can fet the believer above, or give him any godly 
 difierence from the infidel. For the Chriftian's faith 
 has no goodnefs in it, but that it comes from Above, 
 is born of the Spirit ; and the deift's infidelity has no 
 badnefs in it, but becaufe it comes from below^ is bora 
 of the will of the flelh, and of the will of men, and re- 
 je6is the neceffity of being born again out of the cor- 
 ruption of fallen nature. The Chriilian therefore that 
 reje6ts, reproaches, and writes againft the neceility of 
 immediate, divine infpiration, pleads the whole caufe 
 of infidelity ; he confirms the ground on which it 
 ftands, and has nothing to prove the goodnefs of his 
 own chriftianity, but that which equally proves to the 
 deifl: the goodnefs of his infidelity. For without the 
 new birth, or which is the fame thing, without imme- 
 diate, continual, divine infpiration, the difference be- 
 tween the Chriftian and the Infidel is quite loft ; and , 
 whether the uninfplred, vmregenerate fon of Adam, be 
 in the church or out of the church, he is flill that child 
 of this world, that fallen Adam, and mere natural 
 man, to whom the things of the Spirit of God are and 
 Kiuft be foolilhnefs. For a full proof of this, no more 
 need be feen, than that which you cannot help feeing, 
 that the fame Ihining virtues^ and the fame glaring 
 vices^ are common to them both. For the Chriftian, - 
 not made fuch by the Spirit of God continually in- 
 fpiring and working in him, has only a Chriftianity of 
 his own making, and can only have fuch appearances 
 of virtue, and will have fuch reality of vlct^^s, as nat- 
 ural felf wants to have. Let him therefore renounce 
 what is called natural religion, as much as he will, 
 yet unlefg he is a new-born, and diviacly infpircd 
 
6« LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 Chriftian, he muft live and die in all his natural cor* 
 ruption. 
 
 Through all fcripture nothing elfe is aimed at, or 
 intended for man as his chriftianity, but the divine 
 life ; nor any thing hinted at, as having the kaft 
 power to ralfe or begtt it, but the holy, life-giving 
 Spirit of God. How grofs therefore is that blindnefs, 
 which reading the gofpcl, and the hiftory of gofpel 
 Chriftians, cannot fee ihefe two fundamental truths, 
 1ft. That nothing is divine knowledge in man, but 
 the divine life : — 2d. That the divine life is nothing 
 elfe, but a birth of the divine nature within him ? 
 
 But this truth being loft or given up, vain learning, 
 and a worldly fpirit, being in poffefTion of the gofpel- 
 book, fet up khigdoms of ftiiixi and divifion. For 
 what end ? Why that the unity of the church may not 
 be loft. Multiply fyftems of empty notions and opin« 
 ions : For what ? V7hy that words and forms may do 
 that for the church now, which to the firft church, of 
 Chrift's own forming, could only be done by being 
 born of the Spirit. 
 
 Hence it is, that the fcripture-fcholar is looked upon 
 as having divine knowledge: of its matters, when he is 
 as ready at chapter and verfe, as the critic is at every 
 page of Cicero. And nothing is looked upon as defec? 
 live in divinity -knov/iedge, but fuch fuppofed miftakes 
 of the genius of the Hebrew, or Greek letter, as the 
 lublime ftudents of the famed v/orks of a Milton, or ^ 
 Shakefpeare, charge as blunders upon one another, 
 
 Nov/ to call fuch fcripture ikill Divine K-iowledge, 
 IS juft as folid, and judicious, as if a man was faid, or 
 thought to know, that which St. John knew, becaufe 
 he could fay his whole gofpel and epiftles by hearty 
 vvithoat milling a word of them. For a literal knowU 
 edge of fcripture, is but like having all fcripture in the 
 memory ; and is fo far from being a divine perception 
 cKthe things fpoken of, that the moft vicious, wicked 
 fchoiar ia the world may attain to the hi^heft perfecliua 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 69 
 
 in It. But divine knowledge and wickednefs of life> 
 are fo inconfiftent, that they are mutual death and de- 
 ftruction to one another; where the one is alive, the 
 other muil be dead. Judas Ifcariot knew Jefus Chrift^ 
 and all that he faid and did to his crucifixion ; he knew 
 what it was to be at the Lord's table, and to partake of 
 his fupper of bread and wine. But yet with much more 
 truth it may be faid, that he knev/ nothing effentially of 
 all this, and had no better a knowledge of it than Ponti- 
 us Pilate had. Now all knowledge of Chriil, but that 
 which is from divine infpiration, or the new birth, is 
 but as poor and profitlefs, as Judas's knowledge was. 
 It may fay to Chrift as he did, " Hail Mafter ;"' — but 
 no one " can call Jefus Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.'* 
 This efnpty letter learned knowledge, which the natu- 
 ral man can as eafily have of the facred fcripture, and 
 religious matters, as of any other books, or human af- 
 fairs ; this being taken for divine knowledge, has fpreadl 
 fuch darknefs and delufion all over Chriftendom, as 
 may be reckoned no lefs than a general apoftacy fron^ 
 the gofpel ftate of divine illumination. For the gofpel 
 ftate is in its whole nature nothing elfe ; it has but one 
 Light, and that is the Lamb of GocT. Whatever is not 
 of, and from this Light, and governed by this Spirit^ 
 call it by what high name you will, is no more a part 
 of the gofpel ftate, nor will have a better end, than that 
 which entereth into the mouth, and corrupteth in the 
 belly. 
 
 That one Light and Spirit, which was only one from 
 all eternity, before angels, or any heavenly beings were 
 created, muft to all eternity, be only that light and 
 Spirit, by which angels or men can ever have any union 
 or communion with God. Every other light is but the 
 light whence beafts have their fenfe and fubtilty ; every 
 other fpirit is but that which gives to flcflf and blood all 
 its lufts and appetites. Nothing elfe but the departure 
 from the one Light and Spirit of God; turned. ^n order 
 
 F 2 
 
^0 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 of angels irUo devils. Nothing elfe but the Icfs of that 
 fame Light and Spirit, took from the divine Adam, his 
 £rii crown of parauifical glory, fiript him more naked 
 than the beads, and left him a prey to devils, and in the 
 jaws of eternal death. What therefore can have the 
 leaft fhare of power towards man's redemption, but the 
 Light and Spirit of God, making ag^ain a birth of them- 
 felves in him, as they did in his firft glorious creation ? 
 Or what can poiTibly begin, or bring forth this return 
 of his firft loft birth, but folely that which is done by 
 this eternal Light and Spirit. Hence it is, that the gof- 
 pel ftate is by our Lord, afSrmea to be a kingdom of 
 heaven at hand, or come amongft nun, becaufe it has 
 the nsture of no worldly thing, or creatureiy power, is 
 to ferve no v/orldly ends, can be helped by no worldly 
 » power, receives nothing from man, but man's full de- 
 nial of himfelf, flands upon nothing that is finite or 
 tranfitory, has no exiftence but in that working power 
 of God, that created and upliolds heaven and earth j 
 ^nd is a kingdom of God become man, and a kingdom 
 of men united to God, through a continual, immediate, 
 divine ilkiminadon. What fcripture of the New Teft* 
 sraent can you read, that does not prove this to be the 
 gofpel ftate, a kingdom of God, into which none caa 
 enter, but by being born of the Spirit, none can conti- 
 ivat to be alive in it, but by being led by the Spirit,. 
 r»nd in which not a thought, or defire, or adlion can be 
 allowed to have any part in it, but as it is a fruit of 
 Vne Spu-it ? 
 
 ^^ Thy Kingdora come, thy will be done on earth 
 ^s it is in heaven." What is God's Kingdom in hea- 
 ven, but the manifeftation of v/hat God is, and what 
 he does in his heavenlv creatures ? How is his will 
 done there, but becaufe his Holy Spirit is the life, the 
 Vovs'er, and niover of all that live in it? Many daily 
 read this prayer, extol it under the name of the Lord's 
 Prayer, and yet, for the fake of orthodoxy, preach and 
 irrice againit all that is pr;iyed for in It. For nothing 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 7i 
 
 but a continual, effential, immediate, divine i!Iumina- 
 tion can do that, which wc pray may be done. 
 
 For where can God's Kingdom be come, but where 
 every other power but his, is at an end, and driven, 
 out of it ? How can his will only be done, but where 
 the Spirit that wills in God, wills in the creature ? 
 
 What now have parts, and literature, and the natu- 
 ral abihties of man, that they can do here ? Judas much 
 as they can do at the refurre6lion of the dead ; for all 
 that is to be done here, is nothing elfe but refurreftion 
 and life. Therefore that which gave eyes to the blind, 
 cleanfed the lepers, caft out devils, and raifed the dead ; 
 that alone can, and mud do all that is to be done ia 
 this gofpel kingdom of God. For every the fmallcft 
 work or fruit of grace, mud be as folely done by God, 
 as the greated miracle in nature ; and the reafon is, be- 
 caufe every work of grace, is the fame overcoming of 
 nature, as when the dead are raifed to life. Yet vain 
 man v/ould be thought to be fomething, to have great 
 power and ability in his kingdom of grace, not becaufe 
 he happens to be born of noble parents, is clothed in 
 purple and fine linen, and fareth fumptuoully every 
 day; but becaufe he has happened to be made afchol- 
 ar. has run through all languages and hidories, has 
 been long exercifed in conjectures and criticifms, and 
 has his head full of all notions, theological, poetical, 
 and philofophical, as a di6lionary is full of all forts 
 of v/ords. 
 
 Nov/ let this fimple quedion decide the whole mat- 
 ter here : Has this great fcholar any more power of 
 faying to this mountain, be thou renioved hence, and 
 cad into the fea, than the illiterate chridian hath ? If 
 not, he is jud as weak, as powerlefs, and little in the 
 kingdom of God as he is. But if the illiterate man's 
 faith fl-ioukl happen to be nearer to the bulk of a grain 
 of mudard feed than that of the prodigious fcholar, 
 the illiterate Chridian ftands much above him in th^ 
 kingdom of God, 
 
?2 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 Look now at the prefent ftate of Chnftendom^ glo- 
 rying in the light of Greek and Roman learning 
 (which an age or two ago broke forth) as a light 
 that has^ helped the gofpel to IJiine with a luftre, that 
 it fcarce ever had before. Look at this, and you will 
 fee the fall of the prefent church from its iirft gofpel 
 Hate, to have n^uch likenefs to the fall of the firft di- 
 vine man, from the glory of paradifical innocence^ 
 and heavenly purity, into an earthly ftate and bcflial 
 life of v/orldly craft, and ferpentine fubtilty. 
 
 In the firft gofpel church, ht^athen light had no 
 other name than heathen darknefs ; and the wifdom 
 of words was no more fought after, than that friend- 
 fliip of the world which is enmity with God. In that 
 new born chuch the ' Tree of Life, which grew in the 
 midft of Paradife,' took root and grew up again. In 
 the prefent church, the Tree of Life is hiff^d at, as 
 the vifionary food of deluded enthufiafts ; and the 
 tree of death, called the Tree of Knowledge of good' 
 and evil, has the eyes and hearts of prieil and people, 
 and is thought to do as much good to Chriftians, as it 
 did evil to the firft Inhabitants of Paradife. This tree, 
 that brought death and corruption into human nature 
 at fk'ft, is now called a Tree of Light, and is, day and 
 night, well watered with every corrupt ftream, how- 
 ever diftant, or muddy with, earth, that can be drawn 
 to it. 
 
 The fimplicity indeed, both of the gofpel letter and 
 do6lrine, has the faine and polifli of claiiic literature 
 laid thick upon it. Cicero is in the pulpit, Ariftotle 
 %yrite3 Chrlftian Ethics, Euclid demonftrates infidelity 
 and abfurdity to be the fame thing. Greece had but 
 one Longinus, Rome had but one Quintiiian ; but ia 
 our prefent church, they are as common as patriots ia 
 a ftate. 
 
 Eut now, what follows from this new rifen light ? ■ 
 Why Ariftotle's atlieifm, Cicero's height of pride and 
 depth of diffimuIaUoD; and every refined or gi'ois fpc- 
 
TO TKE CLERGY. m 
 
 ci^s of Greek and Roman vices, are as glaring in this 
 new enlightened Chriltian Church, as ever they were 
 in old Pagan Greece or Rome. Would you find a 
 gofpel-chriftian, in all this mid- way glory of learning, 
 you may light a candle, as the philofopher did in the 
 mid-day fun, to find an honefc man. 
 
 And indeed, if we confider tlie nature of our faU 
 ration, either with refpe<6l to that vv hich alone can fave 
 us, or that from which we are to be favcd, it will be 
 plain that the wit and elegance of claffic literature^ 
 brought into a chriilian church, to make the clcdlrines 
 of the crofs have a better falvation-effe<5l upon fallen 
 raan, is but like calling in the aHiilance of balls and 
 mafquerades, to make the lent-penitence go deeper in- 
 to the heart, and more effe61lfe\lly drive all levity and! 
 impurity out of it. How poorly was the gofpel at firft 
 preached, if the wifdom of words, and the gifts of na- 
 tural wit and imagination had been its genuine helps ^ 
 But alas, they (land in the fame contrariety to one an- 
 G^her, as felf-denial, and felf-gratification. To know 
 the truth of gofpel-falvation, is to know that man's na- 
 tural wifdom is to be equall}^ facrificed with his natu- 
 ral folly ; for they are but one and the fame things 
 only called fometimes by one name, and fometimes 
 by the other. 
 
 His inlellecSlual faculties are, by the fall, in a much 
 worfe (late than his natural animal appetites, and want 
 a much greater felf-denial. And when own v» ill, owa 
 \ioiderftanding, and own imagination have their nature 
 al ilrength indulged and gratified, and are made feem- 
 iagly rich and honorable with the treafures acquired 
 fiom a (ludy of the Belles-Lettres, they will juft as 
 much help poor fallen man to be like minded with 
 Chrift, as the art of cookery, well and daily ftudied, 
 will help a profeffor of the gofpel to the fpirit and 
 practice of chriilian abftinence. To know all this to 
 l>e ftriftly the truth^ no more need be known than 
 
 G 
 
jr4 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 thefe two tilings :— I ft. That our falvation confift* 
 wholly in being faved from ourfelves, or that which 
 we are by nature :«-— 2d. That in the whole nature of 
 things, nothing could be this falvation or Savior to us, 
 but fuch an humility of God manifefted in human na- 
 ture, as is beyond all expreffion. Hence the firft un- 
 alterable term of this Savior to fallen man is this, ' ex- 
 cept a man deny himfelf, and forfake all that he hath, 
 yea and his own life, he cannot be my difciple.' And 
 to (hew, that thie is but the beginning or ground 
 of man's falvation, the Savior adds, Learn of mc, for 
 I am meek and lowly of heart* V/hat a light is here, 
 for thofe that can hcdt or love the light I Self is the 
 whole evil of fallen nature. Sell-denial and humility- 
 are our capacity of being faved. This is every man'& 
 Ihort leffon of life, and he that has well learnt it is 
 fcholar enough, and has had all the benefit of a molt 
 fmiihed education. Then old Adam, with all his ig- 
 norance, is call out of him ; and when Chrift's humil« 
 5ty is learnt, then he has the very mind of Chrift, and 
 that which brings him forth a fon of God. 
 . Who then can enough wonder at that bulk of libra- 
 ries, which has taken place of this {hort leffon of the 
 gofpel ? Or at that number of champion difputants, 
 who from age to age have been all in arms, to fupport 
 •and defend a fet of opinions, doctrines and pra6li- 
 ce^nU which mivy be moft cordially embraced, with- 
 out the leail degree of felfrdenial, and moft firmly 
 held fall, without getilirig the leait degree of humility 
 by it. ' ' ' " ^ 
 
 What a groffnefs of ignorance, both of man and his | 
 Savior, to run to Greek and Roman fchools, to learn 
 how to put off Adam, and to put on Chrifl i To drink 
 at the fountains of pagan poets and orators, in order 
 ti^ore divinely to drink of the cup that Chrilt drank of? 
 \Vhat can come of all this, but that which is already 
 too much come, a Ciceronian-gofpeller, inftead of a 
 gofpel-penuent ? Inilead of the depthj, the truth and 
 
TO THE CLERGY. tS 
 
 fpirit of the humble publican, feeking to regain Para- 
 dife, only by a broken heart, crying, God be merciful 
 to me a fmner ; the high-bred claffic will live in daily 
 tranfports at the enormous fubMme of a Milton, flying 
 thither on the unfeathered wings of high founding 
 words. 
 
 This v/iU be more or lefs the cafe with all the falva- 
 tion-do6lrines of Chiift, whilft under claffical acqui* 
 fition and adminillration. Thofe divine truths, which 
 are no farther good and redeeming, but as they are 
 fpirit and life in us, which can have no entrance or 
 birth but in the death of fclf, in a broken and contrite 
 heart, will ferve only to help claffic painters (as Dn 
 W. calls them) to laviih out their colors on their own 
 paper monuments of lifelefs virtues. 
 
 How came the learned heathens by their pride and 
 Vanity, by their inability to come under the humility 
 of the crois ? It was becaufe the natural man fhined 
 in the falfe glory of his own cultivated abilities. Have 
 wit and parts, and elegant tafle, any more good or 
 redeeming virtue in Chriftians than they had in Heath- 
 ens ? As Weil might it be faid, that own will is good^ 
 and has a redeeming virtue in a Chriftian, but bad. 
 and deflru6live in a Heathen. I faid a redeeming vir- 
 tue in it, becaufe nothing is or can be a religious good 
 to fallen man, but that which hath a redeeming virtue 
 in it, or is, fo far as it goes, a true renewal of the di*^ 
 vine life in the foul. Therefore faid our only Redeem- 
 er, * Without me ye can do nothing.' Whatever is 
 not his immediate work in us, is at beft but a mere 
 nothing, with refpedl to the good of our redemption,' 
 A Tower of Babel may, to its builder's eyes, feeni 
 to hide its head in the clouds j but as to its reaching 
 of heaven, it is no nearer to that, than the earth on 
 which it (lands. It is thus with all the buildings of 
 man's wifdom, and natural abilities, in the things of 
 falvation ; he may take the logic of Arillotle, add to 
 tixat the rhetoric of Tully, and then afcend as high as 
 
?6 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 he can on the ladder of poetic imagination, yet no 
 3nore is done to the reviving the loft life of God in his 
 foul, than by a tower of brick and mortar to reach 
 heaven. 
 
 Self is the root, the tree, and the branches of all the 
 €vils of our falkn ftate. We are without God, becauie 
 V/e are in the life of felf. Stlf-lovc, ftif-efieem, and 
 felf-feeking, are the very efTence and life of pride ; 
 and the devil, the firft father of pride, is never abfent 
 from them, nor without power in them. To die to 
 thefe effential properties of fc4f, is to make the devil 
 depart from us. But as foon as we would have feU^- 
 abilities have a ihare in our good works, the fatanic 
 Ipirit of pride is in union with us, and we are working 
 for the maintenance of felWove^ felf-efteem, and feli- 
 feeking. 
 
 Ail the vices of fallen angels and men, have their 
 birth and power in the pride of felf, or 1 may bc-tter 
 fay, in the atheifm and idolatry of felf y for felf is 
 both atheift anxl idolater. It is atheift, becaufe it has 
 reje6ted God ; it is an idolater, becaufe it is its own 
 idol. On the other hand, all the virtues of the heav- 
 enly life, are the virtues of humility. Not a joy or 
 ^lory, or praife in heaven, but is what it is through 
 bumility. It is humility alone that makes the im- 
 paffable gulph between heaven and hell. No angels in 
 heaven, but becaufe humility is in all their breath ; no 
 devils in hell, but becaufe the fue of pride is their 
 whole fire of life. 
 
 What is then, or in what lies the great druggie for 
 eternal life ? It all lies in the ilrife between pride and 
 humility : all other things, be they what they will, are 
 but as under workmen, pride and humility are the two 
 mailer powers; the two kingdoms in Ilrife for the 
 eternal poffeflion of man. 
 
 And here it is to be obferved, that every fon of Adam 
 is in the fervice of pride and fdf, be he doing what he 
 will, till an humility tbat tomes folely from heaven has. 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 17 
 
 been his redeemer. Till then, all that he doth, will 
 be only done by the right-hand, that the left hand may 
 know it. And he that thinks it pofTible, for the natural 
 man to get a better humility than this, from his own 
 right reafon (as it is often mifcalkd) refined by educa* 
 tion, fliews himfelf quite ignorant of this one mofl 
 plain and capital truth of the gofj^el, namely, that there 
 never was, nor never will be, but one humility in the 
 whole world, and that is the one humility of Chrift, 
 which never any man, fxncc the fall of Adfcim, had the 
 leaft degree of, but from Chrift. Humility is one, ia 
 the fame fenfe, and truth, as Chrift is one, the Media- 
 tor is one, Redemption is one. There are not '^ two 
 Lambs oi God, that take away the fms of the world.'' 
 But if there was any humility, befides that of Chrift, 
 there would be fomething elfe befides him, that could 
 take away the fins of the v/orld. "All that came be- 
 fore me, faith Chrift, were thieves and robbers :" We 
 are ufed to confine this to perfons ; but the fame is as 
 true to every virtue, whether it hath the name of hu«« 
 mility, charity, piety, or any thing elfe ; if it comes 
 before Chrift, however good it may pretend to be, it is 
 but a cheat, a thief and a robber under the name of a 
 godly virtue- And the reafon is, becaufe pride and 
 felf have the all of man, till man has his all from Chrift. 
 He therefore only fights the good fight, whofe ftrife is 
 that the felf-idolairous nature, which he hath froiii 
 Adam, may be brought to death, by the fupernatural 
 humiHty of Chrift, brought to life in him. 
 
 The enemies to man's rifmg out of the fall of Adam, 
 through the Spirit and power of Chrift, are many. Bus 
 the one great dragon enemy, called Antiehrift, is Self* 
 Exaltation, This is his birth, his pomp, his pov/er, 
 and his throne j when felf-exaltation ceafes, the laft 
 enemy is deftroyed, and ail that came from the prida 
 and death of Adam, is fwailowed up in vi6lory. 
 
 There has been much (harp looking out, to fee where 
 and what Autichrift is, or by what marks he may be 
 
n LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 known. Some fay he has been in the chriftlan world 
 almoft ever fmce the gofpel times ; naj'', that he was 
 even then beginning to appear and Ihew himfelf. Oth* 
 ers fay he carne in with this or that pope ; others that 
 he is not yet come, but near at hand. . Others will 
 have it, that he has been here, and there, but driven 
 from one place to another, by feveral new rifen Pro- 
 teftant feSls* 
 
 But to know with certainty, where and what Anti-* 
 chrift is, and who is with him, and who againil him, 
 you need only read this Ihort defcription, which Chrift 
 giveth of himfelf.-^). " I can do nothing of myfelf. — - 
 2. I came not to do my own will. — 3. I feek not my 
 own glory.— *I am meek and lowly of heart." — Now 
 if this is Chrift, then felf*ability, or felf-exaltation^ 
 being the higheft and fulleft contrariety to all this, 
 tnuR be alone the one great Antichrift, that oppofeth^ 
 and withftandeth the whole nature and Spirit oiXhrift* 
 
 What therefore has every one fo much to fear, to 
 renounce and abhor, as every inward fenfibility of felf 
 exaltation, and every outward work, that proceeds from 
 it. But now, at what things (hall a man look, to fee 
 that working of felf, which raifes pride to its ftrongeft 
 life, and moft of all hinders the birth of the humble Je- 
 fus in his foul I Shall he call the pomps and vanities of 
 the world the higheft works of felf-adoration ? Shall he 
 look at fops and beaux, and painted ladies, to fee the 
 pride that has the moft of Antichrift in it ? No, by no 
 means. Thefc are indeed marks fhameful enough, of 
 the vain, foolifli heart of man, but yet comparatively 
 fpeaking, they are but the fkin-deep follies of that pride 
 which the fall of man hath begotten, and brought 
 forth in him. Would you fee the deepeft root, and 
 iron ftrength of pride and felf-adoration, you muft en- 
 ter into the dark chamber of man's Sery foul, where 
 the light of God (which alone gives humility, and meek 
 fubmiffion to all created fpirits) being extinguiftied by 
 tlie death which Adam dUd, Satan^ of which is thn 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 79 
 
 (fame thing, felf-exaltation became the ftrong man that 
 rkept poffeflion of the houfe, till a ftronger than he 
 ihould come upon him. In this fecret fource of an 
 eternal fiery foul, glorying: in the aftral light of this 
 world, a fwelling kingdom of pomps and vanities is fet 
 pp in the heart of man, of which all outward pomps 
 and vanities are but its childifli, tranfitory pk^-things# 
 The inward ilrong man of pride, the diabolical felf^ 
 Jias his higher works within ; he dwells in the ftrength 
 p{ the heart, and has every power and faculty of the 
 foul offering continual incenfe to him. His memory, 
 his will, his underflanding and imagination, are al- 
 >vays at work for him, and for no one elfe. His mem^ 
 ory is the faithful repofitory of all the fine things that 
 felf hath ever done ; and left any of them fliould he 
 Joft or forgotten, (he is continually ^.etting them before 
 bis eyes. His will, though it has all the world before 
 U, yet goes after nothing but as felf fends it. His un-. 
 derilanding is ever upon the ftretch for new proje6ls 
 to enlarge the dominions of felf ; and if this fails, im- 
 agination comes in as the laft and trueft fupport of 
 felf; flie makes him a king, and mighty lord of caftles^ 
 in the air. i* 
 
 . This is that full-born, natural felf, that muft be pul- 
 ed out of .the heart and totally denied, or there can be 
 no difciple of Chrift; which is only faying this plain 
 truth, that the apoftate, felf-idolatrous nature of the 
 qld man mud be put off, or there can be no new crea« 
 tpre in Chrift. 
 
 ^ Now what is it in the human foul, that moft of all 
 hinders the death of this old man? What is it, that 
 alicve all other things, ftrengthens and exalts the life of 
 f^lfj and snakes it the mafter tind governor of all the 
 Prowers of tb.e heart and foul? It is the fancied riches 
 oi parts, the glitter of genius, the flights of imagina- 
 ticn, the glory of learning, and the felf-conceited 
 •^rength of natural t-eafon : thefe are the ftrong holds of 
 fiJlen natui'e, the mafter^huilders of pride's temple in 
 
so LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 the heart of man, and which, as fo many priefts, kee[ 
 tip the daily worfliip of idol-fclf. And here let it be 
 well obferved, that all thefe magnified talents of the na- 
 tural man are ftarted up through his miferable fall from 
 the life of God in his foul. Wit, genius, learning and 
 natural reafon, would never have had any more a name 
 amongft men, than blindnefs, ignorance, and ficknefs, 
 had man continued, as ^it firfl, an holy image of Fath^ 
 er, Son and holy Spirit. Every thing then that dwelt 
 in him, or came from him, would have only faid fo 
 much of God, and nothing of himfelf, have manifeiled 
 nothing to him, but the heavenly powers of the light 
 and life of God dwelling in him. He would have had 
 no more fenfe or confcioufnefs of his own wit, or nat? 
 ural reafon^ or any power of goodnefs, in all that he 
 was, and did, than of his own creating power, at be- 
 holding the created heavens and earth. It is his dread- 
 fiil fall from the life of God in his foul, that h^s fur-r 
 niflied him with thefe high, intelleflual riches, juft as 
 it has furnifhed him with the fubftantial riches of his 
 beftial appetites and luils. And when the lulls of the 
 fiefti have fpent put their Vik^ when the dark thick body 
 of earthly fledi and blood, iliail be forced to let the foul 
 go loofe ; ail thefe bright talen^ts will end with that fyft- 
 em of fleihly lufts in v/hich they began ; and that of 
 man, which remains, will have nothing of its own, no- 
 thing that can fay, I do this, or I do that ; but all that 
 it hath, or doth, v^/ill be cither the glory of God mani- 
 ^fted in it, or the power of hell in full poffeffion of lU 
 The cime of man's playing with parts, wit, and abilities^ 
 and of fancying himfelf to be fomething great and con- 
 fiderable in the intelleftual world, mav be much fliort- 
 er, but can be no longer than he can eat and drink with 
 the animals of this world* When the time cometh, 
 that fine buildings, rich ftltlements, acquired honors, 
 and Rabbi, Rabbi, mail take their leave of him, all the 
 ftatcly ltru6lares which genius, learning, and flights of 
 iaiaginationj h?^\y painted ifiwardly on h;s brain and 
 
to THE CLERGY. 8t 
 
 Otitwar^ly on paper, mud bear full witnefs to Solo- 
 Jfnon's vanity of vanititrs. 
 
 Let then the high accomplifhed fcholar reflc^fl, that 
 he comes by his wit, and parts, and acute abilities, juft 
 as the ferpent came by his fubtilty ; let him rtfte6t, 
 that he mi^^h t as well dream of acquiring angtlic purity 
 to his animal nature, by multiplying new invented de- 
 lights for his earthly paffions and tempers, as of raifirig 
 his foul into divine knowledge, through the well exer- 
 •cifed powL-rs of his natural reafon and imagination, 
 
 Tne fi ;eft intelle6tual po/er, and that which has the 
 bed help in it towards bringing man again into the 
 region of divine light, is that poor defpifed thing, call- 
 ed fimplicity. This is that, which Hops the workings 
 of the fallen life of nature, and leaves room for God 
 to work again in the foul, according to the good 
 plcafure of his holy will. It ftands in fuch a waiting 
 poilure before God, and in fuch readintfs for the 
 divine birth, as the plants of the earth wait for the 
 inflowing riches of the light and air. But the felf 
 lafTuming workings of man's natural pov/ers, fiiut him 
 up in himfelf, clofel/ barred up againft the inflowing 
 riches of the light and Spirit of God» 
 
 Yet fo it is, in this fallen flate of the gofpel church, 
 that with thefe proud endowments of fidlen nature, 
 the clailic fcholar, full fraught with Pagan light and 
 (kill, comes forth to play the critic and orator with 
 the fimplicity of falvation myfteries ; myftc ries which 
 mean nothing elfe but the inward work of God in the 
 foul of man, nor any other work there, but the raifmg 
 up a dead Adam into a living Chriil of God. 
 
 However, to make way tor pans, criticifm, and lan- 
 guage learning, to have the full management of falva- 
 tion do6lrines, the well-read fcholar gives out, that the 
 ancient way of knowing the things of God, taught and 
 pradlifed by filhermen-apoitles, is obfolete. They 
 indeed wanted to have divine knowledge from the iai* 
 
 G 2 - 
 
S2 LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 Hiediate, continual operation of the holy Spirit; but 
 this ftate was only for a time, till genius and learning 
 entered into the pale of the church. Bthold, if ever, 
 the abomination of defolation (landing in the holy 
 place I For as foon as this do6lrine is fet up, that 
 man's natural parts, and acquired learning, have full 
 fight and power to fit in the diyinity chair, and to 
 guide men into that truth, which was once the only 
 office and power of the holy Spirit ; as foon as this is 
 done, and fo far as it is received, it may with thd 
 greateft truth be faid, thq^t the kingdom of God is en- 
 tirely fliut up ; and only a kingdom of fcribes, pha- 
 rifees and hypocrites can come inltead of it. For by 
 this dodlrine, the whole nature and power of gofpel 
 religion is much more denied, than by fttting up the 
 infallibility of the Pope ; for though his claim to inial- 
 libility is falfe, yet he claims it from and under the 
 holy Spirit ; but the Proteftant fcholar has his divin- 
 ity knov\rledge, his power in the kingdom of truth, 
 from himfclf, his own logic and learned reafon. Chrift 
 has nowhere inilituted an infallible Pope; and it is 
 full as certain, that he has no where fpoke one fingle 
 v/ord, or given the kail power to logic, learning, or 
 the natural powers of man, in his kingdom ; he has 
 never faid to them, ' whatfoeverye (hali bind on earth 
 lliall be bound in heaven ;' never faid to them, ' go ye 
 and teach all nations,' no more than he hath ever faid 
 to v^'olves, ' go ye and feed my Iheep.** Chrilt indeed 
 faid of himfelf, according to the fleih, ' it is expedi- 
 v€nt for you that I go away ;' but where has he faid of 
 himfclf, according to the Spirit, it is alio expedient 
 for you that I go away, that your own natural abili- 
 ties, and learned repf .n, may have the guidance of you 
 into all truth ? This is no where faifl, uidefs logic can 
 prove it fr::»m thefe words, ^ v/ithout me ye can do no- 
 thing ; and lo i am wiui you, to the end of the 
 world.' 
 
 The firft and mc;m dcftrine of Chrift and his apof* 
 
 n 
 
TO THE CLERGY. §5 
 
 ties was, to tell the Jev/s, that ' the kingdom of God 
 was at hand,' or was come to them. Proof enough, 
 fureiy, that their church was not that kingdom of 
 God, though by God's appointment, and under laws 
 of his own commanding. But why not, when it was 
 thus fet up by God ? it was becaufe it had human and 
 ^ worldly things in it, confided of carnal ordinances, 
 and had only types and figures, and Ihadows of a king- 
 dom of God that; was to come. Of this kingdom 
 Chri(\ faith, my kingdom is not of this world ; and as 
 a proof of it he adds, if it was of this world, ' then 
 would my fervants fight f(jr me ;' which was faying, 
 that it was fo different in kind, and fo fuperior in nar 
 ture to this world, that no fort of worldly power could 
 either help or hinder it. But of this world, into 
 which the kingdom of God was come, the holy one 
 of God liiith, ' In the world ye fliall have tribulation, 
 but be of good comfort, I have overcome the world.' 
 Now, how was it, that Chriil's victory was their 
 vi6lory ? It was, becaufe he was in them, and they 
 in him ; ' becaufe i live, ye Ihali live alfo j in that day 
 ye fliail know that I am in the Father, and ye in me, 
 and I in you.' 
 
 This was ihe kingdom of God come to them, the 
 fame kingdom of God in which Adam v/as borr», and 
 began his fivit glorious life, v/hen the image and like- 
 nets oi tue holy Spirit had an outward glory, like that 
 \vhi»:h broke thrcmgh the body of ChriiV, when on 
 * Moutit Fabor his face did ihine as the fun, and his 
 raiment was white as the iighi.' To the children of 
 this kingdom, faith its almighty King, ' when they 
 :Y,bring you before magiftrates and powt^rs, take no 
 ^ thought how or what ye IhrJl anfv/er, or what ye (liall 
 fay unto tkem, for the Koly Ghoil ihali teach you in 
 that fame hour what ye ought to fliy. For it is uf)t ve 
 that fpcak, but the Spirit of your Father thatfpeak-. 
 fith in you.' 
 Ko higher or other thing is here f^id, than in thcfe 
 
m LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 other words, < Take no thought what ye Ihall eat or 
 drink, or where wiih all ye (hall be clothed, but feck 
 firft the kingdom of God and his righteoufnefs, and all 
 thefe things Ihall be added unto you.' This is the 
 truth of the kingdom of God come unto men, and 
 this is the birth-right privilege of all that are living 
 members of it, to be delivered from their own natu- 
 ral fpirit, which they had from Adam, irom the ipi- 
 rit and wifdom of this world, and through the whole 
 courfe of their lives, only to fay, and do, and be that 
 which the Spirit of their Father worketh in them. 
 
 But now, is not this kingdom gone away from us ? 
 are v/e not left comfordefs, if inftead of this Spirit of 
 our Father fpeaking, doing, and working every thing 
 in us and for us, we are left again to our own natural 
 powers, to run to every Lo here, and Lo there, to 
 find a (hare in that kingdom of God which once was, 
 and never can be any thing elfe but God, the wif- 
 dom and power of God manifefted in our flefh i Had 
 it not been as well, nay better for us, to have been 
 Hill under types and figures, facrificing bulls and goats 
 by divine appointment, than to be brought under a re- 
 ligion that muft be Spirit and Life, and then left to 
 the jan'ing interefts of the v/ifdom of the Greek, and 
 the carnality of the Jew, how to be living members 
 of it ? For where the Spirit of God is not the con» 
 tinual, immediate governor of fpiritual things, noth- 
 ing better can come of it. For the truth and full proof 
 of this, no more need be appealed to, than all the 
 libraries and churches of Chriftendom, for many ages 
 to this day. 
 
 What is the difference between man's own right- 
 eoufnefs, and man's own light in religion ? They are 
 ftri6tly the Htme thing, do one and the fome work, 
 namely, keep up and ftrengthen every evil, vanity and 
 corruption of fallen nature. Nothing faves a man 
 from his own righteoufnefs, but that which faves and 
 delivers him froriv his own light. The jew, ihatwaa 
 
TO THE CLERGY. ^5 
 
 mb{\. of all fet againft the gofpel, and unable to receive 
 it, was he that trulled in his own righteoulhels ; this 
 was the rich man, to whom it was as hard to enter in- 
 to the khigdom of heaven, as for a camel to go thro^ 
 the eye ot a needle. Bat the Chrlilian that trulls in 
 his ov/n light, is the very Jew that trufted in his own 
 righteoufncfs ; and all that he gets by the gofpel, is 
 only that which the Pharifee got by the law, namely, 
 to be farther from entering into the kingdom of God 
 than the publicans and harlots. How comes it that a 
 Baaft, a Scarlet Whore, a Horned Dragon, and other 
 the mod horrible deferiptions of diabolical pov/ers, 
 have been by the Spirit of God made deferiptions of 
 the chrillian church ? How comes it, that the Spirit 
 defcribes the gofpel church as driven into a wilder- 
 Kefs ; the two faithful witneffes, Mofes and Jefus, a& 
 prophefying fo many ages in fack -cloth, and fiain in the 
 flreets of fpiritual Sodom and Egypt ? It is becaufe 
 man's own natural light, man's own conceited righte- 
 oufnefs, his ferpentine fubtilty, his felf-love, his fen- 
 fual fpirit, and v/orldly power, have feized the myf- 
 teries of falvation that came down from heaven, and 
 built them up into a kingdom of envious flrife and 
 contention, for learned glory, fpiritual merchandize, 
 and worldly power. This is the Beaft, the Whore 
 and Dragon, that has and will govern in every private 
 chrillian and public church, till dead to all that is felf, 
 they turn to God ; not to a God that they have only 
 heard of with their ears, and their fathers have told 
 them, but to a God of life, light and power, found 
 living and^working within them, as the eiTential life, 
 light and powir of their own lives. For God is only- 
 cur God, by a birth of his own divine nature within 
 us. This, aaJ nothing but this, is our whole relatioa 
 to, our only fellowfiiip with him, our v/hole knowl- 
 edge of him, our whole power of having any part in 
 the myileries of gofpel falvation! Nothing can feek 
 the kingdom of God; or hunger and thirft after his 
 
 H 
 
86 . LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 righteoiifnefs ; nothing can cry Abba Father, nothing 
 can pray, Thy kingdom come, nothing can fay of 
 Chrift, my Lord and my God, but that which is born 
 of God, and is the divine nature itfelf in us. Noth- 
 ing but God in man, can be 4 godly life in man.— 
 Hence is that of the apoftle, ' the letter kilknh, but 
 the Spirit giveth life.' But you will fay^ can this be 
 true of tliett^iritual divine letter of the gofpel? Can 
 it kill or give death ? Yes, it killeth when it is refted 
 in ; when it is taken for divine power, and fuppofed 
 to have goodaefs in itfelf; for then it killeth the Spirit 
 pf God in man, quencheth his holy lire within us, and 
 13 fet up inRead of it. It giveth death, when it is 
 built into fyftems of ftrife raid contention about words^ 
 notions and opinions, and maketh the kingdom of God 
 to confift, not in power, but in words. When it is 
 thus ufed, then of neceiTity it killeth, becaufe it keep- 
 eth from that, which alone is life, and can give life. 
 This tjien is the whole of the matter ; all the literal 
 truths, and variety of do6\rine3 and exprellions of the 
 written word, have but one nature, one end, and one 
 errand ; they all fay nothing elfe to man, but that one. 
 thing v/hich Chrift faid in thefe words, ' Come unto 
 3ne, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
 refrefa you ;' juft the fame as when faid, ' Jefus 
 Chrift, who is />f God made unto us wifdom, righte- 
 oufaefs avid fan<^iincation :' this is the only refreUw 
 nient from Chrift. Again, ^ but \ e are walhed, but 
 ye are cleanfed, in the name of our Lord Jefus ;' juft 
 the Gim^ as v hen it is faid, ' except ye abide in me, 
 and I in you, ye have no life in you.' Agfiin, * by 
 grace ye are laved, by faith ye are faved,' faith nei=- 
 ther more nor iefs than, 4ie that eateth my fleih, and 
 dririketh my blood, hath eternal life ;' the fame as 
 when Chrift faith, ^ v/lthout me ye can do nothing ;' 
 the fame as the apofde faith, ' yet not I, but Chrift 
 that liveth in m.e ,' the fame as Chrift ' in us, the 
 itiope of t,lory j if Chrift be pot in yoU; ye are reprp- 
 
TO THE CLERGY- Sf 
 
 bates.' Therefore to come to Chrift, to have our 
 heavy laden, fallen nature refreilicd by him ; to b^ 
 born Spirit of his Spirit, to have his heavenly flefil 
 and heavenly blood made living in 113, before we put; 
 oil' the bellial body and blood of death, ^vhich v/e have 
 from Adam, is the one only thing taught and meant 
 by all that is fo varioudy faid in the fcriptures, of the 
 merits and benefits of Cbrid to us. It is the Spirit^ 
 the Bocjy^ the Blood of Chrift within us, that is our 
 whole peace with God, our whole adoption, our v;hoIe 
 redemption, our whole juflincationj our v^'hole glori- 
 fication ; and this is the one thing faid and meant by 
 that new birth, of w^hich Chriit faith, * except a triaii 
 be born again from above, he cannot enter into the 
 kingdom of God^' Now the true ground why all that 
 is faid of Chrift in fuch a variety of expreiTions, hath 
 only one meaning, and pointeih only to one and the 
 fame thing, is this, it is becaufe the whole ftate and 
 nature of fallen man wants only one thing, and that 
 one thing is a real birth of the divine nature made liv- 
 ing again in him as at the firft ; and then all is done 
 that can be done, by all the myfteries of the birth and 
 v/hole procefs of Chrift for our falvation. All the law, 
 tlie prophets, and the gofpel are fulfilled, w^hen there 
 is in Chrift a new creature, having life in and from 
 him, as really as the branch hath its life in and from 
 the vine. And when all fcripture is thus underfloody 
 and all that either Chrift faith of himfeif, cr his apof- 
 tles fay of him, are all heard or red only as one and 
 the fame call to come to Chrift, in hunger and thirft, 
 to be filled and bleffed with his divine nature mads 
 living within us ; then, and then only, the letter kill« 
 eth not, but as a fure guide leadeth dire£lly to life. — 
 But grammar, logic and criticifm, knowing nothing of 
 fcripture but its words, bringeth forth nothing but its 
 own wifdom of v/ords, and a religion of wrangle, ha* 
 tred and contention, about the meaning of them. 
 But lamentable as this is, the letter of fcripture hath 
 
«3 LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 been fo long the ufurped province of fchooUcntics, 
 and learned reafoners making their markets of it, that 
 the difference betv/een literal, notional, and living, di- 
 vine knowledge, is almofl quite loft in the chriflian 
 -^^rld. So that if any awakened fouls are here or 
 there found amongft chrifli^ns, who think that more 
 Tnuft be known of God, of Chrift, and the powers of 
 the world to come, than every fcholnr can know by 
 reading the letter of fcripture, immediate^ the cry of 
 <.Tithufrafm, v/hether it be prieil or people, is fent af- 
 ^er them. A procedure which couid only have fome 
 excufe, if thofe critics could firft prove, that the apof- 
 tie''s text ought to be thus read, ' The Spirit kiliethy 
 but the letter giveth life.' 
 
 The true nature, and full diriin6lion between literal 
 and divine knowledge, is fet forth in the highefl de- 
 gree of clearnefs, in thtfe words of our Svivior, 'The 
 kingdom of God is like a treafure in a field ;' Thus 
 far is the true ufe, and benefit, and utmoft power of 
 the letter, it can tell us af a treafure that we want, a 
 treafure that belongs to us, and how and where it is to 
 be found ; but v/hen it is added, that a man goeth and 
 feileth all that he hath, and buyeth that field, then be- 
 ginneth the divine knowledge, which is nothing elfe, 
 but the treafure poffeffed and enjoyed. Now what is 
 here faid, is the fame that is faid in thefe other words 
 of Chrift, ' except a man deny hiir.fclf and forfake all 
 that he hath, he cannot be my difciple ; that is, he 
 cannot partake of my mind, my fpirit. and my nature, 
 and therefore cannot know me ; he is only a hearer of 
 a treafure, without entering into the poffeffion and 
 enjoyment of it. And thus it is with all fcripture, 
 the letter can only dire6l to the doing of that which it 
 cannot do, and give notice of fomething that it cannot 
 give. 
 
 Now clear and evident as this diflinflion is, be- 
 tween a mere literal dire6lion to a thing, and a real 
 participation of it, which alone is a true perception of 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 8$ 
 
 it, the generality of Chriftiaiis feeni quite infenfible of 
 any other religious perception, or knowledge cf di- 
 vine things, but fuch ideas or notions of them, as a 
 man can form from fcripture words* Whereas good 
 Pand evil, the only oljjtdts cf religious knowledge, are 
 an inward ftaie, and growth of our life, they are in us, 
 are a part of us. jai\ in the fame manner as feeing and 
 hearing are in us, and we can have no real knowledge 
 cf them any other way, than as we have of our owa 
 feeing and hearing. And as no m.an^can get or lofe his 
 feeirg cr hearing, or have lefs or more of them, by 
 any ideas emotions that he forrn^ about them, juft fo 
 it is w^ith that which is the powder of good, and the 
 power of evil in us, notions and ideas have no effect 
 upon it. Yet no other knowledge is thought of, or 
 fought after, or efleemed of any value, but that which 
 is notional and the work of the brain. 
 
 Thus as foon as a man of fpeculation can demon- 
 ftrate that which he calls the Being and Attributes of 
 God, he thinks, .and others think, that he truly knows 
 God. Eat v/hat excufe can be made for fuch an im- 
 agination, w^hen plain fcripture has told him, that to 
 knov/ God is eternal life ; that is, to know God is to 
 have the power, the life, and the Spirit of God ma- 
 nifefted in him, and therefore it is eternal life. ' No 
 man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom 
 the Son revealeth him.' Becaufe the revelation of the 
 Son is the birth of the Sen in the foul, and this new 
 creature in Chrift hath alone kno^ylcdge of God, what 
 he is, and does, and works in the creature. 
 
 Again, another, forming an opinion of faith from 
 the letter of fcripture, flraitway imagines, that he 
 knows what faith is, and that he is in the faith. Sad 
 delufion ! For to know what faith is, or that we are 
 in the faith, is to know that ChriR is in us of a truth ; 
 it is to know the power of his life, his fufferings, his 
 death, his refurreClion and afcenfion, made good in 
 our fouls. To bs in the faith, is to have done with 
 
VO LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 all notions and opinions about it, becaufe it is found 
 and ftlt by its living power and fruits within us, which 
 are righteoufuefs, peace, and joy in the Holy Gl>pft:. 
 All which are three names or powers, peculiar to 
 Jefus Chrift ; he alone is our righteoufncfs, our peace^ 
 our joy in the Holy Ghoft. And therefore faith is not 
 in us, by reafon of this or that opinion, alTent or con- 
 fent, but it is Chrift^ or the divine nature in us, or its 
 operations could not be righteoufuefs, peace, and joy 
 in the Holy Ghoft. ' By faith ye are faved,- has no 
 other meaning than by Chriil ye are faved. And if 
 laith in its whole nature, in its root and growth, was 
 any thing elfe but Chrift, or a birth of the divine na- 
 ture v/idiin us, it could do us no good, na power 
 could be afcribed to it, it could not be cur viclory, it 
 could not overcome the world, the ftefn and the de- 
 vil. Every faith, that is not Chrift in us, is but a 
 dead faith. 
 
 How^ trifling therefore (to fay no worfe of it) is that 
 learning, v/hich fets up a difference between faith and 
 its works, between a juftincation by faith, and juftift* 
 cation by its v/orks. Is there any difference between 
 Chrift as a Redeemer, and his redeeming works ? — 
 Can they be fet above one another in their redeeming 
 efficacy? If not, then faith and its works, which are 
 nothing elfe but Chrift in us, can have no feparation 
 from, or excellency above one another, but are as 
 ftriclly one, as Chrift is one, and no more two things, 
 than our Savior and our falvation are two different 
 things in us. Every thing that is laid of faith, from 
 Adam to this day, is only fo much faidt^f the power 
 and life of a one redeeming Chrift, working within 
 us ; fo that to divide faith from its w_orks, is as ab- 
 furd as to divide a thing from itfelf, a circle from its 
 roundnefs. No falvation wotild have ever been af- 
 cribed to faith, but becaufe it is, in the ftri6left fenfe, 
 Xhrift himfelf, the power of God hving and working 
 in us. It never would have been faid of faith, thai 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 91 
 
 every power ..of the world, the flefh and the devil, 
 muft yield to it, but becaufe it is that very Chrift 
 within us, without whom we can do nothing. But if 
 without Chrift v/e can do nothing, and yet all things 
 are poffible to our faith, can there be a fuller demon*« 
 ilration, that our faith is nothing elfc but Clvriii born 
 and living within us ? Whatever therefore there is of 
 power v/ithin us, that tendeth to falvation, call it by 
 what name you will, either ftath, or hope, or prayer, 
 cr hunger after the kingdom of God and his righte- 
 cuinefs, it is all but one power, and that one power is 
 Chrill within us. If therefore f^iith, and its good 
 works, are but one and the fame Chrift living ia us, 
 the diflinclion between a good faith and its good 
 works, and all the contentious volumes that have beea 
 written about it, are as mere ignorant jargon, as a 
 diilin6lion made and contended for, between life and 
 its living operations. 
 
 When the holy Church of Chrift, the kingdom of 
 God come amongil men, was flrft fet up, it was the 
 apofde's boaft, that all other wifdom or learning was 
 funk into nothing. ' Where (fays he) is the wife, the 
 fcribe, the difputer of this v/orld ? Hath not God 
 made them fooliihnefs ?' But now, it is the boaft of 
 all churches, that they are full of the wife, the fcribes, 
 the difputers of this world, v/ho fit with learned pomp 
 hi the apoftles chair, and have the myfteries of the 
 kingdom of God committed to them.. 
 
 Hence it is, that from a religion of heai^enly love, 
 built upon the redeeming life and do6lrines of the Son 
 of God, dying to fave the whole v/orld) divifion, bitter- 
 nefs, envy, pride, ftrife, hatred and perfecution, n;^y 
 every outrage of war and blood-flied, I-reathe and break 
 forth with more ftrength in learned Chrillendomj^thaa 
 e\^er tliey did from a religion of Pa^an idolatry, fet 
 vrp by Satan. 
 
 It may perhaps be here faid^ muft there be no learn- 
 ing or kliQhrihtp-y no recondite erudition in the chrif- 
 
m . LAV/'s ADDRESS 
 
 ti.m church ? IMuft there be nothing thought of, or 
 gotten by the gofpel, but mere falvation ? Muft its 
 minifttrs know nothing, teach nothing, but fuch falva- 
 tion doftrines i?s Chrilt and his apofties taught ; noth- 
 ing but the full denial of felf, poverty of fpirit, meek^ 
 nefs and humility, and unwearied patience, a never 
 ceifmg love^ an abfolute renunciation of the pomps 
 and vanities of the vrorld, a full dependance upon cur 
 heavenly Father; no joy or rejoicirg but in the Holy 
 Glioft ; no wifdom but that which God gives ; no 
 walking but as Chrifl walked ; no rev/ard or glory for 
 their labors of love, but that of being found in Chrill, 
 fiefii of his fiefli, bone of his bones, fpirit of his Spirit, 
 and clothed with tli^ v/edding garment, when the 
 Bridegroom cometh, v/hen ' the Lord himfelf fliall 
 defcend from heaven with a fliout, vvith the voice of 
 the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the 
 dead in Chriil fliall rife firft.^ 
 
 To this the firil anfwer is, Happy, thrice hnppy 
 are they who are only the thus learned preachers of 
 the gofpel, v/ho through all their miniRry, feek noth- 
 ing for thenifelves, or others, but to be taught of God ; 
 hunger after nothing but the bread of life that came 
 down from heaven, owning no mailer but Chrifl, no 
 teacher but his holy Spirit; as unable to join v/ith the 
 diggers In Pagan pits of learning, as with thofe that 
 iibor for the wi-id, and give their money for that 
 which is not bread. 
 
 Secondly, with regard to the demand of learned 
 knowledge in the chriiiian church, it may be anfwered, 
 that all that has been faid above, is only for the increafe 
 and promotion of it, and that all ignorance and dark* 
 nefs rnay be driven quite out of it. The church of 
 Chriil ib the feat or fchool of ail the highell knowledge 
 that the human nature is capable of in this life. Igno- 
 rance is every where but in the church of Chrilt. — = 
 The lav/, the prophets, and the gofpel are the only 
 treafures of all that can be called thw kr.ovdcdge either 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 93 
 
 of God or man ; and he hi whom the law, the prophets 
 and the gofpel are fulfilled, is the only well educated 
 man, and one of the firft rate fcholars in the world. 
 But now, who is he that has this wifdom from thefe 
 rich treafures? Who is he, in whom ail is known and 
 fulfilled which they teach? The lip of truth has told 
 us, that it is he, and he alone, ' who loves God with 
 all his heart, with all his foul, with all his mind, and 
 with all his llrength, and his neighbor as himfelf.' 
 This is the man that is all wifdom, all light, and let 
 into full poffciFion of all, that is meant by all the myil- 
 eries contained in the law, the prophets and the gofpel. 
 Where this divine love is wanting, and a diabolical 
 felf fits in its place, there may be great wits, fhining 
 critics, orators, poets, &c. as eafily as there may be a 
 profound Machiavel, a learned HGbbs,cr an atheil\ical 
 Virtuofo. But would you divinely know the mylleries 
 of nature, the ground and reafon of good and evil in 
 this world, the relation and connexion between the 
 vifible and invifible world, how the things of time 
 proceed from, are influenced by, and depend upon the 
 things and powers of eternity, there is but one only 
 key of entrance ; nothing can open the vifion, but fee- 
 ing with the eyes of that fame love which began and 
 carries on all that is, and works in vifible and invifible 
 nature. Would you divinely know tlie myfieries of 
 grace and falvation, would you go forth as a faithful 
 witnefs of the gofpel truths, Hay till this fn-t of divine 
 love has had its perfe6l work within you. For till 
 your heart is an altar, on which this heavenly fire ne- 
 ver goes out, you are dead in yourfelf, and can only 
 be a fpeaker of dead words, about things that never 
 had any life within you. For without a real birth of 
 this divine love in the effence of your' foul, be as lear- 
 ned and polite as you will, your heart is but the dark 
 heart of fallen Adam, and your knowledge of the king- 
 dom of God will be only like that which murdering 
 
^4 ' law's address 
 
 Cain had. For every thing is murder, but that ^hick 
 love doth. If love is not the breath of your life, the 
 fpirit that forms and governs every thing that pro- 
 ceeds from you, every thing that has your labor, your 
 allovv'ance and confent ; you are broken off from the 
 works of God, you have left his creation, you are with- 
 out God, and your name, and nature, and works, can 
 have no other name, or nature, but that which is call- 
 ed pride, vvrath, envy, hypocrify, hatred, revenge and 
 felf-exaUation, under the power of Satan in his king- 
 dom of darknefs. Nothing can pofiibly favje you frora 
 being the certain pre}^ of ail tliefe evil fpirits, through 
 the v/hole courfe of your life, but a birth of that love, 
 %vhlch is God hlmfelf, his light and Spirit within you. 
 There is no konwledge in heaven but what proceeds 
 from this birth of love, nor is there any difference be- 
 tv/een the higheft light of an angei, and the horrid , 
 darknefs of a devil, but that which love has made. 
 .But now, fince divine love can have no beginning, 
 hut from a birth of the divine nature in us, therefore, 
 faith St. John, we love him becaufe he firft loved us ; 
 the fame is faving, we defire God, becaufe he firfl de- 
 fined us, for we could not defire God, but becaufe he 
 iirft clefired us, we couicTnot turn to God, but becaufe 
 lie firil turned to us. And fo it is, that we could not 
 love God, but becaufe he firit loved us, that is, becaufe 
 he artt by our creation brought forth, and by our re- 
 /jc mption continued and kept up that fame birth of his 
 v>\ra fpirit of love in us. For as his holy Spirit mull 
 hi R be a gift to us, or born in us, and then we have 
 that which can worfliip Gcd in Spirit ; fo his love muft 
 of all necefiity be a gift to us, or born in us, and then 
 w-e have that of God in us, which alone can love him 
 with his own love. A truth abfohitely afferted in 
 thefe w^ords : * Love is of God, and he that loveth is 
 born of God.' 
 
 Let this be the excufe to the learned world, for 
 owning no fchool of \yif4ojBj but where the one only 
 
TO THE CLERGY. fif 
 
 leffon IS divine love ; and the one only teacher the 
 Spirit of God, Let no o^,ie call this v/ild or extrava- 
 gant ; it is no wilder a lUp, no more injurious to nnan, 
 to truth and goodneis, than the owning no God but 
 one. For to be calkd from every thing but divine 
 love and the Spirit of God, is only being called from 
 every thing that has the curfe of fallen nature in it. — ■ 
 Aiid no man can come from under this curfe, till he 
 is born again of divine love and the Spirit of God. 
 For dius to be born, is as much the one fole happinefs, 
 joy and glory of men^ both now and ever, as it is the 
 fole joy and glory of angtis tternaily in the heavens. 
 Believe me then, thou great fcholar, that all that thou 
 hail got of wifdom or learning, day after day, in any 
 other fchool than this, will (land thee in as much 
 (lead, fill thee with as high, heavenly comfort at the 
 hour of death, as all the long dreams, which night 
 after night thou hall ever had in thy lleep. And till a 
 man knows this, with as much fulnefs of convi6lion as 
 he knows the vanity of a dream, he has his full proof, 
 that he is not yet in the light of truth, not yet taught 
 of God, nor like-ifiinded with Chrift. 
 
 One of ChriU's follov/ers faid, ' Lord, fuffcr ms 
 iiril to go and bury my father ;' the aufwer was, ' let 
 the dead bury the dead, follow thou me.' Another 
 faid to him, ' Let me firft go bid them farewell, that 
 are at hom*e in my houfe.' Jefus anfwered, ' no man 
 having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, 
 is lit for the kingdom of God. Now let it be fuppof- 
 ed, that a third iiad faid. Lord, I have left feveral 
 deep learned books at home, written by the greateft 
 inafters of grammai'-logic and eloquence, fuftcr me 
 firft to go back for them, left lofiiig the light which I 
 had from them, I might rniftake the ciepth and truth 
 of thy heavenly do£lrines, or be lefs able to prove 
 and preach them powerfully to others. Would not 
 fuch a requeil as this have had a folly and abfurdity 
 -ta'it, .not chargeable upon thof^ tv/o other requefts 
 
f* LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 which Chrlft rejected ? And yet, what can fcholaf* 
 tic, chiffic and critical divinity fay for itfelf, but that 
 rery fame thing which this requefler here faid ? 
 
 The holy Jefus faid, ' I am the light of the world, 
 he that foUoweth me, walketh not in darknefs.' Here 
 fpiritual light and darknefs are as immutably fixed, 
 and feparated from oi;ie another, as the light and dark- 
 nefs of this world were divided on the firft day of the 
 creation. Jefus Chrill, the eternal Son of God, is the 
 only one light both of men and angels. Fallen nature, 
 the felfifli will, proud tempers, the higheft abilities, 
 the natural fagacity, cunning, arts and fubtilties, that 
 are or can be in fallen men and angels, are nothing 
 elfe but their fulnefs of fpiritual darknefs, from which 
 nothing but works of darknefs can come forth. In a 
 word, darknefs is the whole natural man ; Light is the 
 Bew born man from above. Therefore faith the Chrift 
 of God, ' I am the light of the world,' becaufe he alone 
 is the birth of heaven in the fallen fouls of men. But 
 nov/ who can more rejecl this divine light, or more 
 plainly choofe darknefs inftead of it, than he who feeks 
 to have his mind enriched, the faculties of his fallea 
 fouk cultivated by the literature of poets, orators, phi- 
 ofophers, fophi fts, fceptics, and critics, born and bred 
 up in the v/orlhip and phrafes of idol gods and goddeff- 
 cs ? What is this, but like going to the ferpent, to be 
 taught the innocent fpirit of the dove ; or to the elegant 
 lufts of Anacreon and Ovid, to learn purity of heart, 
 and kindle the fiame of heavenly love in our fouls f — 
 Look w^here you will, this is the wifdom of thcfe who 
 feek to Pagans for {kill to v/ork in Chriil's vineyard ; 
 who from long labors in redoring the grammer, and 
 liullng out the hidden beauties of fome old vicious 
 book, fet up for qualified artifts to polifli the gofpel 
 Pearl of great price. Surely this is no better a proof 
 of their favoring the things that are of God, than 
 Peter gave, when his Mailer faid to him. Get thee 
 behind me Sataa — A grave ecclefiaftic bringing forth 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 97 
 
 from his clofet, ftilful meditLUions on the commenta- 
 ries of a murdering Csefar, or the fublime rhapfudy of 
 an old Homer, or the afionifliing beauties of a moclern 
 Dunciad, has as much rtalon to think that he is walk- 
 ing in the light of Chrifl, and led by the Spirit of 
 God, as they have who are only ' eating and drinking, 
 and nfi ng up to play.* 
 
 But to fee the exceeding W.ly of expe6ling ability in 
 divine knowledge, from any thing that is the v/it, wif- 
 dom, or fpirit of the natural man, you need only read 
 thefe words of the holy Mellen^ijer of God, the Elias 
 that w'ds to come, I indeed, fays he, baptize you with 
 water, but he that cometh after me, whole ihoeslatch- 
 ct I am not worthy to unloofe, he fl:iall baptize you 
 with the Holy Ghoft, and with Fire. Now if this^ 
 which the Baptiil faid of Chriil: is not our faith, if w^ 
 do not receive it as the ti^uth, in w^hich we are firmlr 
 to iland, then be as learned as we will, we have no 
 better a faith, or higher wifdom, than thofe blind Rab- 
 bies who received not the tellimony of John. A Fire 
 and Spirit from above, was the news which he pub- 
 liflied to the world ; this, and nothing elfe, was his 
 kingdom of God that was at hand. Now- if this Fire 
 and Spirit from above has not baptized us into a birth 
 of the life of God in our fouls, we have not found that 
 Chrifl, and kingdom of God, to which John bore 
 witnefs. But if (what is ftlll worfe) we are fo be- 
 witched through the forcery of learning, as to turn 
 writers and preachers againft tl 's inward, and only 
 redeeming heavenly fire and fpirit, we are baptized 
 with the fpirit of thofe to whom our Lord faid, ' Wo 
 unto you fcribes, pharifees, hypocrites, for ye fliut up 
 the kingdom of heaven againll men ; for ye neither 
 go in yourfelves, neither fuifer ye them that are en- 
 tering to go in.' 
 
 For what is or can be the fall of a divine Adam, 
 under the power of fm, fatan a»d hell^ but the ex* 
 
 I 
 
9« LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 tin6lion of that heavenly fire and fpi lit, which was 
 his firft union with God and all heavenly btings. Say 
 now, that he had not this heavenly fire and Tpirit at 
 the firft, that nothing lived or breathed in him, but; 
 that aftral fire and fpirit, which is the life and fpirit 
 of all earthly animals, and then you have a religioa 
 as divine as that of the old Sadducees, who allowed 
 of no refurre6\ion, angel or fpirit. For deny the 
 truih and fulnefs of a divine life in the firft man, and 
 then his fall and redemption are equally empty founds 
 about nothing. For what can he be fallen from, or re? 
 deemed to, if he has now all that fire and fpirit of 
 life which he ever had, or ought to have ? and if all 
 that is m jre than this, h but the fiction and dream of 
 a diitempered brain, tell me why that burning ancl 
 fhining Light, that man that was more than a prophet, 
 Ihould come with his water, and the Son of God 
 ihould come v/ith his fire-baptifm. If a man neither 
 wanted, nor could receive a higher water aiid fire of 
 life, than th^t which he has in conrimon with the beaft^ 
 of the field, why is there all this ftir about religions, 
 expiations and atonements ? Why all thefe prieftly 
 ordinations, confecrations, churches, facramcnts and 
 prayers? For if the fire and fpirit of this world is the 
 one life, and higheft life, both of men and beafts, 
 we have it unalkcd for, and on the fame terms as the 
 beafts have it, and can only lofe it as they do, when 
 they lofe their exiftence. 
 
 But if Fire and S^'t'ii from heaven can alone make 
 heavenly creatures, and us, to be children of an heav- 
 enly Father ; if the Son of God took our fallen nature 
 upon him, that the firft heavenly Fire and Spirit might 
 again come to life in us ; if divine life, divine light, 
 and divine goodnefs, can only tome from them, and 
 onlv in fuch de^^rte as thev are kindled in our fouls, 
 what a povefty (^f fenfe is it in thofe who are called to 
 a refurre6lion of the firft divine life, where a new crea- 
 lure is taught by that fame Unclicn from above, 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 99 
 
 whence all the angels and principalities of heaven have 
 their light and glory ; what a poverty of fenfe, I fay, 
 in fuch, to fet themftlves down at the feet of a Maf« 
 ter Tully, and a M after Ariflotle, who only differ 
 from the meantft of all other corrupt men, as the 
 teaching Serpent differed froai his fellow animals, by 
 being more fubtile than all the beafts of the field. 
 
 Bi hold then your fiatCj ye minifters that wait at 
 chriftian altars, who will have neither faith nor hope, 
 nor de fire of heavenly fire kindled in your fouls, ye 
 have a prieflhood, and an altar, not fit to be named 
 with that wli^ch, in Jewnfli days, had a holy fire from 
 God defcending upon it^ which made prieft and fac«", 
 rifice acceptable to God^ though only type and pledge 
 of that inward celeftial fire, which Chrift would kin- 
 dle into a never ceafing burning, in the living temples 
 of his new born children from above. 
 
 Complain then no more of atheius, infidels, and fuch 
 like open enemies to the gofpel kingdom of God ; for 
 w^hilft you call heavenly fire and fpirit, kindled into 
 the fame effential life in us as they are in holy angels^ 
 downright fren5?;y, and myftic madncfs, you do all 
 that infidel work within the church, which they do 
 on the outfide of it. And if through a learned fear 
 of having that done to your earthly reafon, which was 
 done to Enoch when God took him, ye will own no 
 higher a rt- generation, no more birth of God in your 
 fouls, than can be had by a few cold drops of water 
 fprinkled on the face, any of the heathen Gods of 
 wood and flone are good enough for fuch an elemen* 
 tary priefthood. For let this be told you as a truth 
 from God, that till heavenly Fire and Spirit have a 
 fulnefs of a birth within you, you can rife no higher 
 by your higheft learning, than to be elegant orators 
 about fcripture words. 
 
 Our Lord hath faid, ' the kingdom of God is within 
 you,' that is, the heavenly Fire and Spirit, which are 
 the true kingdom and manifeftation of God, are within 
 
100 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 you. And indeed, where can it be elfe ? Yet what 
 learned pains ?trc taken, to remove the literal meaning 
 from thcfe words, as too vifionary a thing for learned 
 cars. And yet it is a truth obvious to common fenfe, 
 that even this outward world of ftars and elements, 
 neither does nor can belong to us, or we to it, but fo 
 far as it is, literally fpeaking, a kingdom within us. 
 For the outward kingdom or powers of this world fig- 
 nify nothing to a w^orldiy man that is dead ; but no 
 man is dead, but becaufe the kingdom of this world, 
 with all its powers of fire, light and fpirit, (land only 
 outwardly about him, but have loll their life and 
 power within him. 
 
 Say now, oat of reverence to found literature, and 
 abhorrence of enthufiafm, that the kingdom of God 
 is not really and virtually within, that its heavenly fire, 
 light and fpirit, are not, ought not to be born in a 
 fober, right-minded follower of Chrift, and then you 
 have a good difciple of Chrift as abfolutely dead to the 
 kingdom of heaven, as the corpfe that hath nothing of 
 the fire, fpirit and light of this world in it, is dead to 
 all the outward world round about it. 
 
 What a fobriety of faith and found do£\rine is it, to 
 preach up a neceifity of being living members of the 
 kingdom of heaven, and at the fame time the necefli- 
 ty of orthodoxly holding, that a heavenly birth nei- 
 ther is nor can, nor ought to be Vithin us ! For if it 
 cither is or could, or ought to be within us, then it 
 could not be a brain-fick folly to believe, that the lite- 
 ral words of Chrift had no deceit, falfity, or delufion 
 in them, v/hen he faid, ' except a man be born again 
 from above, he cannot fee or enter into the kingdom 
 of God."* That is, he cannot poflibly have any god- 
 like or divine goodnefs ; he cannot be a child of an 
 Heavenly Father, but from the nature and fpirit of 
 his Heavenly Father brought to a real birth of life in 
 hiai. Now if without this divine birth, all that we 
 hj^ve in us is but fallen Adam, a birth of fin, the flefti 
 
TO THE CLERGY* 101 
 
 and the devil ; if the power of this heavenly birth is 
 all the power of goodnefs that is, or was, or ever can 
 be in a foa of Adam ; and if logic, learning and 
 criticifm, are almolt every where fet in high places, 
 to pronounce and prove it to be mere enthufiafm, 
 and fpiritual frenzy, what wonder is it, if foliy of 
 do6lrine, wickednefs of life, lufts of the flefli, pro- 
 fanenefs of fpirit, wantonnefs of wit, contempt of 
 goodnefs, and profeffion of Chriftianity, {hould all 
 of them feem to have their full eftabliHAment amongft 
 us? 
 
 ' What wonder if Sacraments, Church-prayers and 
 Preachings, leave high and low, learned and unlearn- 
 ed, men and women, priefts and people, as unaltered 
 in all their aged vices, as they leave children un- 
 changed in their childifh follies ? For where the one 
 only fountain of life and goodnefs is forfaken ; where 
 the feed of the divine biith is not alive, and going 
 forward in the birth, ail the difterence between man 
 and man is as nothing with refpe6l lo the kingdom of 
 God. It matters not what name is given to the eld 
 earthly man of Adam's beflial flefli and blood, wheth- 
 er he be called a zealous Churchman, a ftilf necked 
 Jew, a polite civiilized Heathen, or a grave Infidel ; 
 under all thefe names, the unre generate old man has 
 but one and the fame nature, without any other dif- 
 ference but that which time and place, education, com- 
 plexion, hypocrify and worldly wifdom., happen to 
 make in him. By fuch a one, whether he be Papifl or 
 Fi;>)leflant, the gofpel is only kept as a book, and all 
 that is within it is only fo much condemnation to the 
 keeper, jufl as the old man, a Jew, hath kcpt4:he bock 
 of the law and prophets, only to be more fully con- 
 demned by them. 
 
 That the Jev/lih and Chriftian church, {land at this 
 day in the fame kind of apoilacy, or fallen ftate, mud 
 be mPinifeft to every one, that will not fliut his eyes 
 againll it. Why arc the Jews in a fallen ftate ? It is 
 
102 LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 becaufe they have refafed him, who in his whole pro* 
 cefs was the truth, the fubllance, the hfe and fulfill- 
 ing of ail that which was outwardly taught and pre- 
 fcribed in the law and prophets. 
 
 But is it not as eafy to fee, that the whole Ghriflian 
 church are in a fallen ftate, and for the fame reafon^ 
 becaufe they are fallen, or turned away from that holy 
 Spirit who has promifed, and given to be the one only 
 power, life, and fulfilling of all that, which was out- 
 wardly taught and prefcribed by the gofpel. For the 
 Holy Spirit to come, was juft the fame all, and fulfill-* 
 ing of the whole gofpel, as a Chrift to come, was thq 
 all and the fulfilling of the law. — ^The Jew therefore, 
 with his old Teftament, not owning Chrift in all his 
 procefs to be the truth and life, and fulfiller of their 
 law, is juil in that fame apoftacy, as the Chriftian with 
 his new Teftament, not owning the Holy Spirit in all 
 his operations, to be his only light, guide and govern- 
 or. For fis all types and figures in the law, were but 
 empty fliadows without Chrift's being the life and 
 power of them, fo all that is written in the gofpel is but 
 dead letter, unlefs the Holy Spirit in man be the liv* 
 ing reader, tht living rememl3crer, and living doei* 
 of them. Therefore, where the Holy Spirit is not 
 thus owned and received, as the whole power ^ and life 
 of the gofpel/flate, it is no marvel, that Chriftians have 
 no more gofpel virtues, than the Jews have of patri* 
 archal holinefs, or that the fame lulls and vices which 
 profper amongft Jews, fnould break forth with as much 
 ilrengih in fallen Chriftendom. For the new Tefta- 
 ment not ending in the coming of the Holy Spirit, 
 with fulnefs of power over fm and hell, and the devil, 
 is but the fame and no better a help to heaven, than 
 the old Teftament without the coming of a MeflTiab, 
 Need I fay any more, to demonftrate the truth of that, 
 which I firft faid was the one thing ablolutely effential, 
 and only available to man's falvation, namely, the Spi- 
 rit of God brought again to his firft power of life in 
 
TO THE CLERGY. lOS 
 
 us. This was the glory of man's creation, and this 
 alone can be the glory of his redemption.— *All befides 
 this, that paffes for a time betwixt God and man, be it 
 what it will, fliews only our fall and diilance from 
 God, and in its bed (late has only the nature of a good 
 road, which is only good becaufe that which we want, 
 is at the end of it. Whilft God calls us by various 
 outward difpenfations, by creaturely things, figurative 
 inititutions, &c, it is a full proof, that we are not yet ia 
 our true flate, or that union with God, which is inten- 
 ded by our redemption. 
 
 God faid to Mofes, ^ put off thy (hoes, for the place 
 whereon thou ftandell is holy ground,' Now this Nvhich 
 God faid to Mofes, is not only that very fame thing, 
 which circumcifion, the law, facrifices, and (acraments 
 fay to man. They are in themfelves nothing elfe but 
 outv.^ard figniflcations of in\yard impurity, and loft ho-? 
 linefs, and can do no more in themftlves, but intimate, 
 point and dire6l to an inward life, and new birth from 
 above, that is to be fought after. 
 
 But here lies the great miftake, or rather idolatrous 
 abufe of all God's outward difpenfations. They are 
 taken from the thing itfelf^ for the truth and effence of 
 religion. That which the learned Jews did with the 
 outward letter of their law, that fame do learned Chrif- 
 tians do with the outward letter of their gofpeK Why 
 did the Jcwilh church fo furioufly and obftinately cry 
 out againft Chrilt, let him be crucified? it was be- 
 eaufe their Itttei -learned ears, their worldly fpirit, 
 and temple orthodoxy, would not bear to hear an in-* 
 w«ird Savior, not bear to hear of bt iiig born again of 
 his fpirit, of eating his fl ih and driiiking his blood, 
 ot nis dwelling in them and they in him. To have 
 their law of ordinances, their temple pomp funk into 
 fuch a fulfilling Savior as this, was fuch enthufiaftic 
 jargon to their ears, as forced their fober, rational 
 theologyj to call Chriit Beelzebub, his dodrine blaf-? 
 
a04 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 phemy^ and all for the fake of Mofes and his rabbinic 
 orthodoxy. 
 
 Need it now be afked, v/hether the true Chrifl of 
 the gofpel be lefs biafphemed, lefs crucified bv that 
 Chriitian theology which rej-6ls an inward Chrift, a 
 Savior living and working in the foul, as its inward 
 light and life, generating his own nature and fpirit 
 in it, as its only redenaption ; whether that which re- 
 je6ls all this as myftic madnefs, be not that very fame 
 old Jewilh wifdom, fprung up in Chriftian theology, 
 which faid of Chrift, when teaching thefe very things, 
 he is niad, why hear year ye him ? Our blefi'ed Lord 
 in a parable fets forth the blind Jev/s, as f:\ying of 
 hirpfeif, ^ we will not have this man to reign over us.' 
 The fober minded Chriitian fcholar has none of this 
 Jewiih blindnefs, he only faith of Chi ill, we will not; 
 have this man to reign in us, and fo keeps clear of 
 fuch myftic abfurditiy as St. Paul fell into, when he 
 enthufiaftically faid, ' Yet not I, but Chrill that liveth 
 in me.' 
 
 Chriftian doftors reproach the old learned Rabbies, 
 for their vain faith and carnal defire of a glorious, ten> 
 poral, outward Chrift, who fhould fet up their tem-t 
 pie worihip all over the world. Vanity indeed, and 
 learned blindneis enough! 
 
 But neverihelefs, in thefe condemners of rabbinic 
 blindnefs, St. Paul's words are reniarkably verified, 
 VI?. ' Vvjhercin thou judgeft another^ thou condemneft 
 thyfelf, for thcu that judgeft doeft the fame thing.'— 
 For take away all that froni Chrift, which Chriftian 
 dofilors call enthufiafm ; fuppofe him not to be an in- 
 ward birth, a new life and fpirit within us, but only 
 anouiv/ard, feparate, diilant, heavenly prince, no more 
 really in us, than our high cathedrals arc in the third 
 heavens, but only by an inviiible hand from his 
 throne on high, fome way or other helping and raifing 
 greuc fcholars, or great temporal powers, to make a 
 rock in every nation fur his church to ftand upon i 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 105 
 
 fuppofe all this (which is the very marrow of modern 
 divinity) and then you have that very outward Chrift, 
 and that very outward kingdom, which the carnal Jew 
 dreamed of, and fi)r the fake of which the fpii itual 
 Chrift was then nailed to the crofs, and is (liil crucified 
 by the new rifen Jew in the Chriflian church. If it 
 now be aiked, whence or from Vv'hat comes all this 
 ipiritual blindnefs, which iVom age to age thus miRakes 
 and defeats all the gracious deiigns of God towards 
 lalien mankind I Look at the origin of the firft fin, 
 and you fee it all. Kad Eve defired no knov/lcdge, 
 but what came from God, Paradife had been the hab- 
 itation of her and all her ofispring. If after paradife' 
 lofl, Jews and Chrillians had defired no knowledge 
 but what came from God, the law and prophets had 
 kept the Jew clofe to the firll tree of life ; and the 
 Chriflian church had been a kingdom of God, and 
 communion ot Saluts to this da}'. 
 
 But now corruption, fin, death, and every evil of the 
 world, have entered into the church, the fpoufe of 
 Chnft, jufi as thisy entered into Eve, the fpoufe of 
 Adam in Paradife, in the fame way, and from the fame 
 caufe, viz. a defire of more or bther knowledge, than 
 that v/hich comes from God alone,' This defire is the 
 ferpent's voice within every man, which does all that 
 to him, and in Him, which the ferpent at the tree did 
 to Eve. It carries on the firft deceit ; it fhev/s and re- 
 commends that fame beautiful ti'ee of own will, ow^n 
 wit, and own wifdom, fpringingup within him, which 
 Eve faw in the garden ; and yet fo blind is this love 
 of wifdom, as not to fee that his eating of it is, in the 
 ftri(51eft truth, his eating of the fame forbiddv^n fruits 
 as Eve cJid, and keeping up in himfelf all that death 
 and feparation from God, which the firll knowledge- 
 hunger brought forth. 
 
 Let then the eager fearcher into words for w ifdom^ 
 the book-devQKerp the opinion-broker; the exalter of 
 
 I 2 
 
106, LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 human reafon, and every projedling builder of relig* 
 
 ious fsltenfis, be tol(J this, that the thirft and pride of 
 
 being learnedly wife in the things of God, is keeping 
 
 vjp the groffeft ignorance of them, and is nothing elfe 
 
 but Eve's old ferpent, and Eve's evil birth within 
 
 them, and does no better work in the chiirch of 
 
 Chrift, than her thirft after wifdom did in the Para* 
 
 dlieot'God. ' Speak, Lord, for thy fervant heareth,' 
 
 is the one only v/ay by which any man ever did, or 
 
 ever can attain divine knowledge and divine good- 
 
 iiefs. To knock at any other door but this, is bui like 
 
 aiVing of that v/hich is itfelf dead, or praying to him 
 
 for l)read, who has nothing but (lones to give. 
 
 Now ilrange as all this may ft em to the labor-learn* 
 ed proieffor of far-fetched book riches, yet it is faying 
 tjO more, nor any thing elfe, bat that which Chriit . 
 iaid ill thcfc words, ' Except ye be converted, and be* 
 come as litde children, yc cannot enter into the 
 kingdom of God.' For if clctliic gofpellers, linguift 
 critics, fcripture logicians, falvation orators, able deal* 
 crs in the gramm.itric powers of Hebrew, Greek and 
 Roman phndes, idioms, tropes, figures, &c. &c. can 
 ihew, that by raifing themfelves high in thefe attain* 
 nients, they are the very men that are funk down 
 from themfelves into Chrift's little children of the 
 i^ngdom of God, then it may be alfo faid, that he 
 vAio is laboring, fcheming and fighting for all the 
 3:5ches he can get from both the Indies, is the very 
 man that hath left all to follow Chnft, the very man 
 that laboreth not for the meat that j)eriflieth. 
 
 Shew me the man, whofe heart has no defire or 
 prayer in it, bat to love God widi his whole foul and 
 fpirit, and his neighbor as himfelf, and then ycu have 
 iht wn me the man who knows Chrift, and is known 
 of him.— The bell and wifeft m.an in the world, in 
 v,'hom the firfl paradifical wifdom and goodnefs is 
 Come to life. Not a fingle precept in the gofpel, but 
 is the precept of his owu heart, aud the joy of thati 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 1(J^ 
 
 new-born heavenly love, which is the life and light of 
 his foul. In this man, all thai came horn the old 
 ferpent is trod under his fcer, not a fpark of felf, of 
 pride, of wrath, of envy, of covetoufaefs, or worldly 
 wifdom, can have the leail abode in him, becaufe 
 that love, which fulfilleth the whole law and the proph* 
 cts, that love which is God and Chrill, both in angels 
 and men, is the love that gives birth and life, and 
 growth to every thing that is either thoughts, or 
 words, or a6lions in hirn. And if he has no thare or 
 part wnth fooliih errors, cannot be tofled about with 
 tvtr\ wind of dc£lrine, it is becaufe to be always gov* 
 criied by this love, is the fame thing as to be alw^ays 
 taught of God. 
 
 On the other hand, fhev/ me a fcholar as full of 
 lean/u-ig, as the Vatican is of books, and he will be 
 jufl as ilkciy to give all that he hath for the gofpel- 
 pearl, as he would be if he was as rich as Crccfus. Let 
 no one here imagine, that 1 am writing againfl all hu- 
 man literature, arts and fciences, or that 1 wifti the 
 world to be without them* I am no more an enemy 
 to them, than to the common ufeful labors of life, ft 
 is literal learning, verbal contention, and critical ftrife 
 about the things ol God, that I charge vv^ith folly and 
 mifchief to religion. And in this 1 have all learned 
 Chriftendom, both Popiih and Proteflant on my fide* 
 For they both agree in charging each other with a bad 
 and faife gofpel-ftate, becauie of that w^hich their learn* 
 ing, logic and criticiim do for them. Say not then, 
 that it is only the illiterate enthufiafl that condemns 
 human learning in the gofpel kijigdom of God. For 
 when he condemns the blmdnefs and mifchief of Po- 
 piih logic and criticiim, he has all the learned Prot- 
 eitant world wiih him ; and when he lays the fame 
 charge to ProtelVant learning, he has a much larger 
 ' kingdom of Popiih great fcholars, logically and learn- 
 edly affirming the fame thing. So that the private 
 pcrfon; char£,ing human learning with fo much mif« 
 
108 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 chief to the church, is fo fer from being led by cnthiw 
 fiafm, that he is led by all the church learning that is 
 in the world. 
 
 Again, all learned Chriftendom agrees in the f^me 
 charge againll temporal power in the church, as hurt- 
 ful to the very being and progrefs of a falvation-king- 
 dom that is not of this world, as fupporting doctrines 
 that human learning has brought into it. And true it 
 is, and muft be, that human power can only fupport 
 and help forward human things. The Proteftant brings 
 proof from a thoufand years learning and dodlrines, 
 that the Pope is an unjull ufurper of temporal pov/er 
 in the church, which is Chrift's fpiritual fpoufe. The 
 Papill brings the learning of as many ages to {hew, 
 that a temporal head of the church is an antichriilian 
 ufurpation. And yet (N. B.) he who holds Chrifl 
 to be the one only head, heart and life of the Church, 
 and tb^ct no man can call Jefus Lord, but by the Holy 
 Ghoil, paffes with the learned of both theie people for 
 a brain-fick enthufiaft. Is it not then high time to look 
 out for fome better ground to Hand upon, than fuch 
 learning as this ? Now look where you will, through 
 all the whole nature of things, no divine v/ifdom, 
 knowledge, gocdnefs, and delivefance from fm, are 
 any Vv'here to be found for fallen man, but in thefe 
 two points : 1. A total, entire entrance into the whole 
 procefs of Chrlft. 2, A total ref)gnaticn to, and fole 
 depcndance upon the continual operation of the Holy 
 Ghoft, or Chrifl come again in the Spirit, to be our 
 never ceafmg light, teacher ?nd guide, into all thofe 
 ways of virtue, in which he himfelf walked irv the 
 flePa. All befides this, call it by what name you will, 
 is but dead work, a vain labor of the old man, to new 
 create himfelf. And here let it be Vv'ell obierved, that 
 in thefe two points confifls the v/hcle of that divinity, 
 to which a Jewifii orthodoxy at this day is fo gre^ an 
 enemy. For nothing e'fe is mesnt or taught by it, 
 but a totul dying to feif (called the procefs or crcfs of 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 109 
 
 Chrift) that a new creature (called Chrifl: in. us, or 
 Ghrift come in the Spirit, may be begotten in !lie pu- 
 rity and perfe6lion oi the firft raan'b union with God. 
 Now let the Chriftian world forget, or depart fronv 
 this fpiritual way of falvaiion ; let any thing t lie be 
 thought of, or truiled to, but the crois of Clii ifl, and 
 the Spirit of Chrlil, and then, though churches and 
 preachers, and prayers and facraments, are every 
 where in plenty, yet nothing better can come of it, 
 than a Chrillian kingdom ol Pagan vices, along with 
 a mouth-belief of an holy catholic church, and com- 
 munion of faints. To this melancholy truth all Chrift- 
 endom, both at home and abroad, bears full witntfs. 
 Vv'ho need be told, that there is not a corruption or 
 depravity of human nature, no Icinds of pride, wrath, 
 envy, malice and felf-love ; no forts of hypocrify, falfe- 
 nefs, curfuig, fweai ing, perjury and cheating ; no wan- 
 tonnefs of iuil in every kind of debauchery, but are as 
 common all over Chriflendom, as tov/ns and villages, 
 But to pafs thefe by, I fhall only inftance in two or 
 three particulars, which, though little obferved, and 
 lefs condemned, yet fully Ihew that the Beaft, the 
 Whore, and the Fiery Dragon, are in poffefiion o£ 
 Proteftant, as vrell as Popifli Churches. 
 
 And firft, can it be faid, that Mammon is lefs ferv- 
 cd by Chriftians, than by Jews and Infidels ? Or caa 
 there be a fuller proof that Chrillians, Jews and Infi- 
 dt^ls, are equally fallen from God, and all divine wor- 
 fhip, fince truth itfelf has told us, that we cannot ferve 
 God and Mammon. Is not this an unalterable truths 
 and of as great moment, as if it had been faid, Ye can- 
 not ferve God and Baal. Or can it with any truth or 
 fenfe be affirmed, that the Mammonift has more of 
 Chrifl in him than the Baalift, or is more or lefs an 
 idolator for being called a Chriflian, a Jew, or an In- 
 fidel ? Look now at all thofe particulars, which Chrift 
 cjiarged unon the Jewifh prieflsj fcribes and nharifees, 
 
 K 
 
110 LAW'S Address 
 
 tind you vrHl fee them all a6led over again in the fal* 
 len {late of Chriilendom. And if God's prophets were 
 again in the world, they v/ould have juli the fame 
 complaints againft the fallen Chriftian church, as they 
 had againft the old carnal, ftilf-necked Jew, namely, 
 that of their filver and gold they had made themfeives 
 idols. For though figured idol Gods ot g< Id are not 
 fiOw worlhipped either by Jews or Chriftians, yet fil- 
 ver and gold, with that which belongs to thtm, is the 
 Ivlammon God that fits and reigns in their hearts, 
 Hov;- elfe could there be that univerfal ftrife through 
 all Chriftendom, who iliould ftand in the richeft and 
 feigheft plage, to preach up the humility of Chrift, and 
 6ffer fpiritual facrifices unto God? What God but 
 Mammon could put into the hearts of Chrift's ambaf- 
 fadors to make, or v/ant to make a gain of that gcfpel, 
 which, from the beginning to the end, means nothing 
 elfe but death to feU, and feparation from every view, 
 temper and affeclion, that has any conne6lion with the 
 lulls of the fleih, and the pride of life ? Our blefled 
 Lord faid a word to the Jev/s, that might well have 
 5Tiade their ears to tingle, when he told them, that they 
 had made his fa therms houfe n den of thieves ; becaufe 
 iheep and oxen were fold, and money-changers fitting 
 in the outer court of the temple. Now if you will fay, 
 that Mammon has brought forth no profanation like 
 this in our Chriftian church, your beft proof muft be 
 this, becaufe our church-<fale is not oxen and flieep, 
 but holy things, cures of fouls, parfonages, vicarages, 
 &c. and our money-changers, our buyers and fellers, 
 are chiefty confecrated perfoiis. 
 
 Lock at things fpiritual, and things temporal, and 
 fay if you can, that the fame arts, the fame pafiions, 
 jmd worldly wifdom, are not as viiEbly a6live in the 
 cue as in the other. For if Chrifl, at leaving the 
 world, had faid to his difcipks. Labor to be richj 
 mhhe full provifion for the flelh, be conformed to the - 
 woildj court the favor and intercut of great men^ 
 
TO THE CLERGY* tU 
 
 dbthe yourfelves with all the worldly honors, dlftinc-. 
 lions and powers ye can get ; I appeal to every man^ 
 whether Popifti and Prottftant Churches need do any 
 thing- eUV, than that which they now do, and have 
 done ior ages, to prove their faithfulnefs to fuch a maf< 
 t€r, and their full obedience to his precepts. And 
 now, what is all this in trutVi and reality, but the fame 
 Whore riding upon the fame Beaft, not here or there^ 
 but through all fallen Chriftendom, where God has^ 
 only, i[. every age, people and language, his fevet\ 
 thoufands, who have not bowed the knee to Mam». 
 men. 
 
 Again, 2dly. 'Ye have heard^ faith our Lord, that 
 it haih been faid by them of old, thou {halt not for- 
 fwear th\ feU, but Ilialt perform unto the Lord thine 
 oaths.' The Jews pnv6tifed promifibry oaths, and 
 thought all was well, when there was a performance 
 of them. But this, with num.bers of other Jewilll 
 pra6lices, was not to be allowed in this kingdom o£ 
 God that was then come into the world. Chrifl: to- 
 tally rejedls, and abfolutely forbids it, faying, ' I fay 
 unto you, fwear not at all.' But inftead of it he ap- 
 points, and abfolutely demands, a mofl perfe6l fim- 
 plitity of language, to fupport and adorn the mutual 
 communication of thofe whom he had created again 
 unto righteoufnefs, and given power to become fons 
 of God ; faying, ' Let your communication be Yea, 
 Yea, and Nay, Nay, for (N. B.) whatfoever is more 
 than this cometh of evil.' What more could have been 
 done by Chrift to prevent the ufe, or hinder the en». 
 trance of an oath into his church ? What then flmll v/e 
 fi\y of the prefent univerfal Chriftendom ? For if Chrifl 
 had commanded the dire6l contrary, had he faid, be- 
 hold I give you this new commandment, let not a Am- 
 ple yea and nay be of any avail in all your communi- 
 cation, but let oaths be required of all that bear my 
 name, as a proof that they belong to me, and 2cl in 
 all their dealings as becometh faints j for whatfoever 
 
112; LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 is lefs than this cometh of evil. Had this been Chnft^s 
 new commandment, ail the churches of Chriflendom, 
 Jis well Popiih as Proteilant, and thefe reformed 
 kingdoms of Great-Britain and Ireland, might have 
 much to boaft of their obedience to it. For through 
 town and country, in all ignorant villages, in all learn- 
 ed colleges, in all courts fpiritual and temporal, what 
 with law oaths, corporation oaths, office oaths, trade 
 oaths, qualification oaths, fimony oaths, bribery oaths, 
 €le6lion oaths, Sec. &c. there is more fvvearing and 
 forfwearing, than all hiilcry reports of any idol-wor- 
 iliipping nations. It was faid of old, ' becaufe of 
 fwearing the land mourneth ;' it is full as true to fay 
 ncv/, becaufe of fv/earing the land rejoiceth in ini- 
 quity, is full of profanenefs, and without any fear or 
 awe of the Divine iVIajefty, daily fwallowing down all 
 manner of oaths in the fame good ftate of mind, and 
 with as much ferious refle6lion, as pot-companions 
 Iwallov/ down their liquor. 
 
 * He thatdtfpifeth me, faith Chrift, defpifethnot me, 
 but him that fent me.' Can that church which abfo- 
 lutely requires that, v/hich Chrift hath abfolutely for- 
 bidden, be free from the moil open and public defpi- 
 fmg of Chrid ? Which in full contrariety to his ex- 
 prefs word, refufeth the fufficiency of that yea and nay, 
 which he hath commanded to be fufficient. And what 
 is ftill more v/onderful, compels all orders of chrifti- 
 ans to fwear by that very bo^k, which faith to all, 
 whether high or low, prince, prieft, or people, swear 
 710 1 at all. 
 
 If the fwearing law was to order, that inftead of 
 kiffing the 'gofpei-book, the fwearer fliould fay, ' In 
 remembrance of, and in regard to the words of ChrifV, 
 forbidding me to fwear, I make this oath,' who would 
 not fee the open contempt of Chrift and his gofpel ? — 
 But the contempt of both is as truly there, when the 
 gofpel-book is kiffed by the fwearer; for the book has 
 nothing relative to oaths, but thofe words of Chrift^ 
 
TO THE CLERGY. il3 
 
 V/hich abfolutely forbid the ufe of them. Inftead 
 therefore of a so help me God and his holij gospel^ it 
 Blight have been much better, if every fwearing law 
 through all Chriftendom, had obliged every fv/earer 
 to finiih his oath with thefe" words, Let God and holy 
 gofpel pardon me in this one thing. 
 
 In a word, That which calls for, and requires oaths 
 amongft Chriilians, requires that which Chriil forbids ? 
 but governing Chriftendom every where eftablifhes, 
 requires, and even compels Chriilians to fvvear, there- 
 fore governing Chriflendom is fallen from Chriil, and 
 a6ls by and through that fpirit, which being contrary 
 to Chriil, is and muil be Antichriil. 
 
 But to proceed now to a third and lail inilance, 
 which I fhall mention, of the full power of Antichriil 
 in and through every part of governing Chriilendom. 
 
 In the darkeil ages of Romilh fuperRition, a martial 
 fpirit of zeal and glory for the gofpel, broke forth in 
 kings, cardinals, billiops, monks and friars, to lead 
 the iheep of Chriil, faints, pilgrims, penitents and fm- 
 ncrs of all kinds, to proceed in battle array, to kill, de- 
 vour, and drive the Turks from the land of Faleilinej 
 and the old eju'thly Jerufalem. Thefe blood-thirily 
 expeditions were called an holy war, becaufe it was a 
 fighting for the holy land ; they %vere called alfo a Croi- 
 fade, becaufe croffes and crucifixions made the greateil 
 glitter amongil the fharpened inilruments of human 
 murder. Thus under the banner of the crofs, went 
 forth an army of church wolves, to deilroy the lives 
 of thofe whom the Lamb of God died on the Crofs 
 to fave, * 
 
 . The light which broke out at the Reformation, ab- 
 horred the bloody, fuperilitious zeal of thefe catholic 
 heroes. But (N. B.) what followed from this new rifen 
 reforming light? what came forth inflead of thefe holy 
 croifades.^ — Why wars, ifpoiTible, ilill more diabol- 
 ical. Chriilian kingdoms with biood-thirily piety, de- 
 ftroying, devouring and burning one another^ for thc> 
 
114? LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 Cake of that which was called Popery, and that which 
 was called Proteftantifm. 
 
 Now who can help feeing, that Satan, the prince of 
 the powers of darknefs, had here a much greater tri- 
 nmph over Chriftendom, than in all the holy wars,, 
 and croifades that went before? For all that was then 
 done, by fuch high-fpirited fighters for old Jerufalem's 
 earth, could not be faid to be fo much done againft 
 gofpel-iight, becaufe not one in a thoufand of thofe 
 holy warriors, were allowed to fee what was in the 
 goipel. But now, with the gofpel opened in every 
 one's hands, Papift and Proteftant make open war a-» 
 gainft every divine virtue, that belonged to Chrift, or 
 that can unite them with the Lamb of God, that tak* 
 eth away the fins of the world : — I fay againft every 
 divine, redeeming virtue of the Lamb of God, for 
 thefe are the enemies which war conquers. For there 
 is not a virtue of gofpel-goodnefs, but has its death- 
 blow from it. For no virtue hath any gofpel-goodnefs 
 in it any farther, than as it has its birth and growth, 
 in and from the Spirit of Chrifl ; where his nature 
 and Spirit is not, there is nothing but the heathen to 
 be found, which is but faying the fame truth, as whea 
 the apoftle faid, that he who hath not, or is not led by , 
 the Spirit of Chrift, is none of his. 
 
 Now fancy t© yourfelf, Chrift, the Lamb of God, 
 after his divine fermon on the Mount, putting himfelf 
 at the head of the blood-ihirfty army, or St. Paul 
 going forth w^ith a fquadron of fire and brlmllone, to 
 make more havock in human lives, than a devouring 
 earthquake. 
 
 But if this be too blafphemous an abfurdlty to be 
 fuppofed, what follows, but that the Chriftian who a6ls 
 in the deftroying fury of the war, a6ls in the full con- 
 trariety to the whole nature and Spirit of Chrift, and 
 can no more be faid to be led by his Spirit, or be one 
 with him, than thofe his enemies, v/ho ' came forth 
 with fwords and ftaves for to take him.' 
 
TO THE CLERGY. lU 
 
 ' Blinded Proteftants think they have the glory of 
 flaughtering blind Papifls ; and the vlftorious Papift 
 tlaims the merit of having conquered troops of here- 
 tics — but alas I the conqueft is equally grc:at on botk 
 fides, both entitled to the fa«ie vi6lory; and the glo- 
 rious vi6lory ou both fides, is only that of having gof- 
 pel goodnefs equally under their feet. 
 
 When a Most Christian Majefly with his Catholic 
 church, fings a Te Dt^um at the high altar, for rivers 
 of Proteftant blood poured out ; or an Evangelic church 
 fings praifes and glory to the Lamb of God, for helping 
 them from his holy throne in heaven, to make Popilh 
 towns like to Sodom and Gomorrah, they blafpheme 
 God, as much as Cain would have done, had he offer- 
 ed a facrifice of praifc to God, for helping him to mur-# 
 der his brother. Let fuch worfhippers of God be told 
 this, that the field of blood gives all his glory to Satan, 
 who was a murderer from the beginning, and will to 
 the end of his reign, be the only receiver of all the 
 glory that can come from it, 
 
 A glorious Alexander- in the heathen world, is a 
 flianae and reproach to hum.an nature, and does more 
 miichief to mankind in a few years, than all the wild 
 beafts in every wildernefs upon earth have ever done 
 from the beginning of the world to this day. But the 
 fame hero making the fame ravage from country to 
 country with Chriftian foldiers,has more thanks from 
 the devil, than twenty pagan Alexanders would ever 
 have had. To make men kill men, is meat and drink 
 to that roaring adverfary of mankind, who goes about 
 feiiking whom he may devour. But to make chriilians 
 kill chridians for the fake of Chrift's church, is his high- 
 eft triumph over the higheft mark which Chriil hath 
 let upon thofe v/hom he has purchafed by his blood. 
 ' This commandment, faith he, I give unto you, that 
 ye love one another. By this fliall all men know that 
 ye are my difciples, if ye love one another as 1 hay^ 
 loy^d you,' 
 
lis LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 Can the dueliftj who had rather fheath his fword in 
 the bowels of his brother, than ftiflie that which he 
 calls an affront, can he be faid to have this mark of his 
 belonghig to Chrill ? and may not he that is called his 
 Second, more juflljr be fai4 to be fecond to none in 
 the love of human mm-der? Now what is the differ- 
 ence between the haughty duelift with his provided 
 fecond, meeting his adveifary with a fword and piftol 
 behind a hedge or houfe, and two kingdoms with their 
 high-fpirited regiments, (laughtering one another in 
 the field of battle ? It is the difference that is between 
 the murder of one man, and the murder of an hun- 
 dred thoufand. 
 
 Now imagine the duelift fafting and confeffing his 
 fins to God to-day, becaufe he is engaged to fight his 
 brother to-morrow ; fancy again the conqueror got 
 into his clofet on his bended knees, lifting up hands 
 and heart to God, for blefling his weapons with the 
 death of his brother, and then you have a picture in 
 little, of the great piety that begins and ends the wars 
 all over heavenly Chrlftendom. 
 
 What blindnefs can well be greater, than to think 
 that a Chriftian kingdom, as fuch, can have any other 
 goodnefs or union with Chrill, but that very goodnefs 
 which makes the private chriftian to be one with liim, 
 and a partaker of the divine nature? Or that pride, 
 VrTath, ambition, envy, covetoufnefs, rapine, refent- 
 ment, revenge, hatred, miichief and murder, are on- 
 ly the works of the devil, whilft they are committed, 
 by private or fingle men ; but when carried on by all 
 the ftrength and authority, all the hearts, hands and 
 voices of a whole nation, that the devil is then quite 
 driven out of them, lofes all his right and power in 
 them, and they become holy matter of church thankf- 
 givings, and the facred oratory of pulpits. 
 
 Look at that which the private chriftian is to do to 
 his neighbor, or his enemy, and you fee that very- 
 thing which one chriftiaa kingdom is to do to another. 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 117 
 
 JLook at that which proves a man to belnot led and 
 governed by the Spirit of Chrift, and 5^011 fee that 
 which proves a kingdam to be under the dominion 
 and power of fatan. Wherever pride is, there the 
 devil is riding in his firfl: fr^ry chariot ; and v/herevcr 
 wrath is, there he has his firft nriurdering fword at 
 work. What is it that fallen nian wants to be re- 
 deemed from, but pride and wrath, envy and covet- 
 oufnefs ? He can have no higher feparation or apofta- 
 fy from God, no fuller union with fatan and his an- 
 gels, than he has of the fpirit of thefe tempers ; they 
 conftitute that which, whether you call it felf or fatan 
 in him, the meaning is the fame. Now fuppofe man 
 not fallen into this felf or fatan, and then there could 
 be no more war or fighting in him, than there was in 
 the Word made man in our fleih. Or fuppofe hiin 
 redeemed from his fallen nature, by a new birth of 
 the Lamb of God born in his foul, and then he can no 
 more be hired to kill men glorioufly in the field, than 
 to carry a dark laiuhorn by night to a powder-plot. 
 
 Love, goodnefs, and communication of good, is 
 the immutable glory and perfection of the divine na- 
 ture ; and nothing can have union with God, but that 
 which partakes of this goodnefs. The love tliat 
 brought forth the exigence of all things, changes not 
 through the fall of its creatures, but is continually at 
 work to bring back fallen nature and creature, to theiic 
 firil Rate of goodnefs. 
 
 O poor finner, v/hoever thou art, repent and turn to 
 God, whilft thou haft Adam's fielh upon thee ; for if 
 triou dieft without Adam's repentance, black lakes, 
 bottomlefs pits, ages of a gnawing worm, and fire that 
 never ceafes to burn, will ftand between thee and a 
 Kingdom of Heaven afar off. 
 
 To prevent all this, and make thee a cliild of the 
 firft refurredlion, Jefus Chrift, God and man, the only 
 begotten Son of his infinite love, came into the world 
 in the name; and under the character of infiniie pity^ 
 
 K 2 
 
118 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 boundlefs compallion, inexprefnble meeknefs, bleeci* 
 ing iove, namelifs humility, never ending patience, 
 long fuffering, and bowels of redeeming mercy, called 
 the Lamb oi God, who with all thefc fupernatural vir- 
 tues, taketh away the fins of the world. 
 
 Now from this viev/ of God's infinite love and mer- 
 cy in Jefus Ohrift, v/illing nothmg, feeking nothing 
 through all the regions of his providence, but that fin- 
 ners of all kinds, the boideft rebels againft all his good- 
 nels, may have their proper remedy, their neceffary 
 means of being fully delivered from all that hurt, mif- 
 chief and deihu6lion, which in full oppofition to their 
 God and Creator, they had brought upon themfelves ; 
 from this viev/, I fay, of God and Chrifl, ufing every 
 mh-acle of love and wifdom, to give recovery of life, 
 health and falvation, to all that have rebelled againft 
 them, look at the murdering monfter of War. And 
 what can its name or nature be, but a fiery great Dra- 
 gon, a full figure of Satan broke loofe, and fighting 
 againfl every redeeming virtue of the Lamb of God I 
 
 The temporal miferies and wrongs v/hich are car- 
 ried along with itVv'herever it goes, are neither %o be 
 numbered or exprefftrd. What thievery bears any pro- 
 portion to that, which with the boldnefs of drum and 
 ti limpet, plunders the innocent of all that they have ? 
 And if themfelves are left alive, with all the'^r children, 
 and their daughters unravilhed, they have many times 
 only the afiies of their confumed houfes to lie down 
 upon. What honor has war not gotten, from its tens 
 and tens of hu\idreds of thoufands of men flaughtered 
 on heaps, Vvitb* as little regret or concern, as at loads 
 of rubbiia thrown into a pit ? Who but the fiery Dra- 
 gon would put wreaths of laurel on fuch heroes' heads? 
 Who but he could fay unto them, * Well done, good 
 and f-\ithful ilrrvants ?' 
 
 But there is ilill an evil of war much greater, though 
 lefs rtg.irded. Who refieds how many hundreds of 
 thoufauds; nay millions of young menp born into this 
 
TO THE CLERGY. llf 
 
 world for no other end, but that they may be born 
 xigain of Chrift, and from fons of Adam's mifery be- 
 come fons of God, and fellow heirs with Chrift in ev- 
 erlafting glory; who refle(51s, 1 fay, what numberlefs 
 numbers of thefe are robbed of God's precious gift of 
 life to them, before they have known the one foul 
 benefit of Uving ; who are not fuffered to flay in this 
 world, till age and experience have done their beft for 
 them; have helped them to know the inward voice 
 and operations of God's Spirit ; helped them to find 
 and ftel that evil, curfe and fting of fm and death, 
 which raufi be taken from within them,' before they 
 can die the death of the righteous ; but" inftead oi all 
 this, have been either violently forced or tempted in 
 the fire of youth, and full llrength of finful luft, to 
 forget God, eternity and their own fouls, and rufh on 
 to kill or be killed, with as much furious hafte, and 
 goodnefs offpirit, as tigtr kills tiger for the fake of 
 his* prey. 
 
 Arnongft uni^^.llen creatures in heaven, God's name 
 and nature is Love, Light and Glory. To the fallen 
 fons of Adam, that which was Love, Light and Glo- 
 ry in heaven, becomes infinite Pity and Compaffion on 
 earth, in a God clothed with the nature of his fallen 
 .creature, bearing all its infirmities, entering into all its 
 troubles, and in the meek innocence of the Lamb of 
 God, living a life, and dying a death, of all the faf- 
 ■ferings due to fin. Hence it was, that when this Di- 
 vine Pity fufFered its own life-giving blood to be 
 poured on the g!xund, all outward nature made full 
 declaration of its atoning and redeeming power; the 
 flrength of the earth did quake, the hardnefs of rocks 
 was forced to fplit, and long covered graves to give 
 up their dead. 
 
 Sing, O ye heavens, and fliout all ye lower parts of 
 the earth, for this is our God that varies not, whofe 
 fnTc creating Love knows no change, but into a re- 
 deeming pity towards ail his fallen creatures. 
 
t2o law's address 
 
 Look now at warring Chriftendovn, what fmallcft 
 drop of pity tov/ards finners is to be found in it ? Or 
 how could a fpirit all hellilh, more fully contrive and 
 hailen their deftruclion ? It ftirs up and kindles every 
 paSion of fallen nature, that is contrary to the all 
 humble, all meek, all loving, all forgiving, all faving 
 Spirit of Chrift. It unites, it drives and compels 
 narnelefs numbers of unconverted fiRners, to fall mur- 
 dering and murdered amongft flafhes of fire, with 
 the wrath and fwiftnefs of lightning, into a fire infi- 
 nitely worfe than that in which they died. O fad fub- 
 jcct for thankfgiviRg days, whether in Popifli or 
 Proteftant c!»urches ! For if there is a joy of all the 
 angels in heaven, for one finner that repenteth, what 
 a joy mull there be in hell, over fuch multitudes of 
 fainers net fuffered to repent? And if they who have 
 converted many to righteoufnefs, fnall fiiine as ftars 
 in the firmament forever, what chorazins woe may 
 they not juftly fear, whcfe proud wrath, and vain 
 ^lory, have robbed fuch numberlefs troops of poor 
 wretches, of all time and place of knowing what right- 
 eoufnefs they w^anted, for the falvation of their im- 
 mortal fouls. 
 
 Here my pen trembles in my hand ; but when, O 
 when will one chriftian church, people, or language, 
 tremble at the iliare they have in this death of fin- 
 ners I 
 
 For the Glory of his Majestifs armSy fald once a Most 
 Christian king: Now if at that time, his catholic 
 church had called a folemn affcmbly to unite hearts 
 and voices in this pious prayer, ' O blefied Jefus, dear 
 redeeming Lamb of God, who cameit down from hea- 
 ven, to fave men's lives, and not to deftroy them, go 
 along, we humbly pray thee, Vvith our bomb-veffels 
 and fire-fhips, fuiier not our thundering cannon to 
 roar in vain, but let thy tender hand of love and mer- 
 cy, direft their balls to more heads and hearts of thine 
 cwn redeemed creaturee; than the poor Ikill of maa 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 121 
 
 15 able of itfelf to do :' Had not fuch prayers had more 
 of the man of the earth, more of the Son of Perditioa 
 in them, than the Moll Chrittian King's glorying in 
 his arms ? 
 
 Again, would you farther fee the f^dl of the univer- 
 fal church from being led by the Spirit of ChriO:, to 
 be guided by the Infpiration of the great fiery Dra- 
 gon, look at all European Chriftendom, failing round 
 the globe with fire and fword, and every murdering 
 art of war, to feize the pofiedions, and kill the inha- 
 bitants of both the Indies. What natural right of man, 
 what fupernatural virtue which Chrift brought downt 
 from heaven, was not here trodden under foot ? All 
 that you ever read or heard of Heathen barbarity, was 
 here outdone by Chriilian conquerors. And to this 
 day, what wars of Chrillians againft Chriftians, blend- 
 ed with fcalping Heathens, ftill keep ftaining the 
 earth and feas with human blood, for a miferable fhare 
 in the fpoils of a plundered Heathen world I A world 
 v/hich fhould have heard, or feen, or felt nothing from 
 the followers of Chrift, but a divine love^ that had for- 
 ced them from diftanc lands, and through the perils of 
 long feas, to vifit ftrangers with thofe glad tidings o£ 
 peace and falvation to all the world, which angels 
 from heaven, and (hepherds on earth, proclaimed at 
 the birth of Chrift. 
 
 Here now, let the wifdom of this world be as wife 
 as ever it will, and from its learned throne condemn alt 
 tjiis as enthufiafm ; it need be no trouble to any one, 
 to be condemned by that wifdom, which God himfelf 
 hath condemned as fooliftmefs with him. For the 
 v/ifdom of this world hath all the contrariety of falva- 
 tion wifdom, that the fleih hath to the Spirit, earth to 
 heaven, or damnation to falvation. It is a wifdom, 
 whofe fpirit and breath keep all the evil that is in fall- 
 en man alive, and which, in its higheft excellence, has 
 onlv the full grown nature of that carnal miud; which 
 
 L 
 
125 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 is enmity againfl God. It is a wiidom that is fenfual, 
 and devilifli, that hinders man from knowing, and dy- 
 ing all thofe deaths, without which there can be no 
 new life. It is a wifdom, that turns all falvation truths 
 into empty, learned tales, and infVead of helping the 
 finnsr to confefs his fins, and feel the mifery that is 
 bid under them, helps him to an art of hiding, nay of 
 defending them. For that which the lufts and the 
 pafTions do, contrary to the wifdom from above, is 
 proved to be right reason^ by this wifdom from be- 
 low, whofe' greatell flcill is {hewn, in keeping all the 
 pov/ers and paflions of the natural man in peace and 
 profperity ; and fo the poor blinded fmner lives and 
 <iies in a total ignorance of all that light, blefling and 
 fcilvation, which could only be by a broken and con« 
 trite heart. For (N. B.) with refpeft to confcience, 
 this is the chief office of worldly wifdom, it is to keep 
 all things quiet in the old man, that v/hether bufied in 
 things fpiritual or temporal, he may keep up the lufts 
 of the fleih, the lull of the eye, and the pride of life, 
 without any dillurbance from religious phantoms, and 
 dreams of myftic idiots^ who for want of fober fenfe^ 
 :^nd found learning, think that Chrift really meant what 
 he faid in thefe words, ^ Except a man be born again 
 of the Spirit, or from above, he cannot enter into the 
 kingdom of God,' For this wifdom, come to its high» 
 «ft perfe6lion, is a claiTic, moral painter, v/hich, tho' 
 It cannot alter the nature, yet can change the colors 
 of every thing ; it can give to the moft heavenly vir- 
 tue fuch an outward form and color, as will force the 
 ^loutell: of aged and learned m^^n to run away from it; 
 r.nd to a vice of the greateft deformity, it can pencil 
 fuch charming features, as will make every child of 
 this w^orld wiQi to live and die with it. Its next per- 
 jfe6tion is that of a flattering orator, who hath praife 
 and difpraife at his ow^n free difpofal ; for as they are 
 pll -of his own making, fo he can difpofe them on 
 \^hoai3 ^nd on w^hat he will j not only as outward, in- 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 123 
 
 tel'efting Gccafions call for them, but alfo as the in- 
 ward neceffities, the ups and downs of his own poor 
 felf want them. For felf, however willing to be al- 
 ways ftrong, has its Weak hours, and w^ould be ever 
 tottering, unlefs this elbow-orator kept him every day 
 (though perhaps not every night) free from the dif-^ 
 turblng whilpers of a feed of God in his foul. Now 
 join (if you pieafe) learning and religion to a£l in fel« 
 lowihip with this worldly wifdom, and make their befk 
 ot it, and then you will have a depravity of craft and 
 fubtilty, as high as fleih and blood can carry it, which 
 will bring forth a glittering Pharifee, with a hardnefs 
 of heart greater than that of the finner Publican. 
 
 Demas, faith St. Paul, hath forfaken me, having 
 loved this prefent world. Here you fee all the good 
 and blefTmg that is infeparable from the wifdom of this 
 world j it always does the fame thing, and has the 
 fame effeft, wherever it is ; it will do to high and low, 
 learned or unlearned^ clergy or laiety, that fame una- 
 voidably which it did to Demas; it will make them 
 forfake Chrift, turn their backs on every grace and 
 virtue of his Holy Spirit, as certainly as the love of 
 the world made Demas to forfake Paul. 
 
 This wifdom hath afked me, how it is pdffible for 
 Chriftian kingdoms, in the neighborhood of one ano- 
 ther, to preferve themfelves, unlefs the ftrength and 
 Aveapons of war are every one's defence againft fuch 
 invafions, incroachments and robberies, as would oth. 
 erwife be the fate of Chriftian kingdoms from one 
 another. 
 
 This queftion is fo far from needing to be anfwered 
 by me, that it is wholly on my fide ; it confefies all, 
 and proves all that I have faid of the fallen ftate of 
 Chriftendom, to be ftriftiv true. For if this is the 
 governing fpirit of ChriPiian kingdoms, that no one of 
 them can fubfift in fafety from its neighboring Chrift- 
 ian kingdoms, but by us weapons of war, arc not all 
 Chriftian kingdoms equally in the fame unchriftian 
 
124 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 ftate^ as two neighboritig bloody knaves, who cannot 
 be fafe from one another, but as each others murJer- 
 ing.arms preferve and prote6l them ? This plea there- 
 fore for Chriftendom's wars, proves nothing elfe but 
 the want of Chrlllianity all over the chriftian world, 
 and ftands upon no better a foundation of righteouf- 
 nefs and goodnefs, than when one murdering knave 
 iills another that would have killed him. 
 
 But to know whether Chriftianity wants or admits 
 of war, Chrlllianity is to be confidered as in its right 
 Itate. Now the true llate of the v/orld turned Chnft- 
 ian, is thus defcribed by the gofpel-prophet, who 
 lliewed what a change it was to make in the fallen flatc 
 of the v/orld. ' It ihall come to pafs, faiih he, in the 
 laft days, that is, in the da}s of Chriilendom, that the 
 mountain of the Lord's houfe (his Chriftian kingdom) 
 Ihall be eflabliihed in the top of the mountains, and all 
 nations fliall flow into it ; and many people iliall fay, 
 let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord's Houfe, and 
 he will teach of his ways, and we will walk in his 
 paths.' 
 
 Now what foUov/s from this going up of the nations 
 to the Mountain of the Lord's Hcuie, from his teach- 
 ing them of his ways, and their v/alking in his paths ? 
 The holy prophet exprefsly tells you in hi^ following 
 words — 'They fhall beat their fwords into plough- 
 Ihares, arid their fpears into prunlng-hooks : Nation 
 fnall not lift up its fwcrd againll nation (N, B.) neither 
 Hiall they learn war any more.' This is the prophet's 
 true Chriftendom, with one and the fame effential di- 
 vine maik fet upon it, as' when the Lamb of God faid, 
 * By this fnall all men know that ye are ray difciples, 
 if ye love one another as I have loved you.' Chrift's 
 kingdom of God is no where come, but where the 
 works of the devil are deflroyed, and men are turned, 
 from the power of Satan unto God. God is only an- 
 other name for the higheft and oply good ; and the 
 higheft and only good^ means nothing elfe but love 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 12^ 
 
 with all Its works. Satan is only another name for the 
 whole and all of evil ; and the whole of evil is nothing 
 elfe but its v/hole contrariety to love. And the fum 
 total of all contrariety to love, is contained in pride, 
 wrath, f\rlfe, felf, envy, hatred, revenge, mifchief, 
 and murder. Look at ihefe, with all their fruits that 
 belong to them, and then you fee all the princely pow- 
 er that Satan is and has in this fallen world. 
 
 Would you fee when and where the kingdoms of 
 this fallen world are become a kingdom of God, the 
 gofpel prophet tells you, that it is then and there 
 v/here all enmity ceafeth. ' The wolf, faith he, ihall 
 dwell with the lamb, and the leopard ihall lie down 
 with the kid. The calf and the young lion and the 
 fatung together, and a litde child faall lead them. 
 The cow and the bear inall feed, and the young ones 
 fliall lie down together, and the lion Ihall eat iiraw 
 like the ox. The fucking child ihall play on the hole 
 of the afp, and the weaned child (hall put his hand on 
 the cockatrice's den. For (N. B.) they fhall not hurt 
 or deftroy in all my holy Mountain,' that is, through 
 all holv Chriftendom. 
 
 See here a kingdom of God on the earth ; it is no- 
 thing elfe but a kingdom cf mere love, where all Hurt 
 and Deilroying is done away, and every work of en- 
 mity changed into one united power of heavenly love. 
 But obferve again and again, whence this comes to 
 pafs, that God's kingdom on earth is and can be no- 
 thing elfe but the pov/er of reigning love ; the prophet 
 tells you, it is becaufe in the day of his kingdom, ' the 
 earth fhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the 
 waters cover the fea.' Thereiore, O Chriftendom, 
 thy wars are thy certain proof, that thou art all over 
 as full of an ignorance of God, as the waters cover the 
 fea. 
 
 As to the prefent fallen ftate of univerfal Chriften- 
 dom, working under the fpirit and power of the great 
 feery Dragon, it is not my intentioD, in any thing I 
 
125 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 am here upon, to fhew how any part of it can fubfift, 
 or preferve itfelf from being dtrvoured by every other 
 part, but by its own dragon weapons. 
 
 But the Chriftendom which I mean, that neither 
 wants nor allows of war, is only that where Chrift is 
 king, and his Holy Spirit the only governor of the 
 wills, aifedlions and defigns of all that belong to it. 
 It is my complaint againti, and charge upon all the 
 nations of Chriftendom, that this neceffity of murder- 
 ing arms is the dragon's monfter, -that is equally 
 brought forth by all and every part of fallen Chriilen* 
 dom ; and that therefore all and every part, as well 
 Popilh as Proteftant, are at one and the fame diftance 
 from the Spirit of their Lord and Savior the La^mb 
 of God, and therefore all want one and the fame en* 
 tire reformation. 
 
 In thefe lall ages of fallen Chriftendom, many re- 
 formations have taken place ; but alas ! truth muft be 
 forced to fay, that they have been, in all their vari- 
 ety, little better than fo many runaway births of one 
 and the fame mother, fo many lefler Babels come out 
 of Babylon the great. For amongft all the reform-* 
 ers, the only one true reformation hath never been 
 thought of. A change of place, of governors, of opin- 
 ions, together with new formed outwiird models, ia 
 all the reformation that has yet been attempted. 
 
 The wifdom of this world, with its worldly fpirit^ 
 was the only thing that had overcome the church, and 
 had carried it into captivity. For in captivity it cer- 
 tainly is, as foon as it is turned into a kingdom of this 
 world ; and a kingdom of this world it certainly is, as 
 foon as worldly wifdom has its power in it. Not a 
 falfe do6trine, not a bad difciple, not an ufurped pow- 
 er, or corrupt pra6lice ever has prevailed, or does 
 prevail in the church, but has had its whole birth and 
 growth from worldly wifdom. 
 
 This wifdom was the great evil root, at which the 
 reforming axe fhould have been laid, and muft be laid^ 
 
TO THE CLERGY. i2r 
 
 before the church can be again that virgin fpoufe of 
 Chrift, which it was at the beginning. ' If any man, 
 faith St. Paul, will be wife, let him beconrie a fool ia 
 this world.' This admits of no exception, it is a max- 
 im as univerfal and unalterable, as that which faith, 
 * If any man will follow Chrilt, let him deny himfelf,* 
 For no man has any more to deny, than that which 
 the wifdom and fpirit of this world are, and do ia 
 him. For all that is in the world, the luftg of the 
 flefh, the lull of the eye, and the pride of life, are the 
 very things in which alone the wifdom of this world 
 lives and moves, and has its being. It can be no 
 other, can rife no higher, nor be any better, than they 
 are and do. For as heavenly wifdom is the whole 
 of all heavenly goodnefs, fo earthly Vt^ifdom has tha 
 whole evil of all the earthly nature. 
 
 St. Paul fpeaks of the natural man, -that cannot 
 know the things of God, but to whom they are mere 
 fooliflmefs. This natural man, is only another name 
 for the wifdom of this world; but though he cannot 
 know the things that be of God, yet he can know their 
 names, and learn to fpeak that, which the faints of 
 God have fpoken about them. He can make profeifionfi 
 of them, be eloquent in their praife, and fet them forth 
 in fuch a dtfirable view, as fliall make them quite 
 agreeable to the children of worldly wifdom. This is 
 the natural man, who having got into the church, and 
 church power, has turned the things of God into things 
 of this world. Had this man been kept out of the 
 church, the church had kept its ftril purity to this day; 
 for its fallen iUite is notbiiig elfe, but its fall into the 
 hands of the natural man oi this world. And when 
 this is the (L-fte of the ch irch,the wifdom of this world 
 (which ahvays loves its ov/p) y/ill be in love with it, 
 will fpare no coil to m iintain it, v/ill make laws, fight 
 battles in defence of it, and condemn ev^ry man as 
 b^X€ticalj v^ho darca fp^ak a word agj^ini^ the glorious . 
 
123 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 image of a church, which the wifdom of this world 
 has fet up. 
 
 This is the great Antichrift, which is neither better 
 nor worfe, nor any thing elfe, but the fpirit of Satan 
 working againft Chrift, in the ftrengih and fubtilty of 
 earthly wifdom. 
 
 Jf therefore, you take any thing to be church refor- 
 mation, but a full departure from the wifdom of this 
 world, or any thing to be your entrance into a falva- 
 tion-church, but the nature, fpirit, and works of Chrift, 
 become living in you, then, whether P.ipift or Protefl- 
 ant, reformatton or no reformation, all will be jufl: as 
 much good to you, as when a Sadducee turns Publican, 
 or from a Publican becomes a Pharifee. — For the 
 church of Chrift, as it is the door of falvatlon, is noth^ 
 ing elfe but Chrift himfelf. Chrift in us, or we in his 
 church, is the fame thing. When that is alive, wills 
 and works in you, which was alive in Chrift, then yoii 
 are alive in his church ; for that which he was, that 
 muft they be who are his. Without this, it matters 
 not what pale you are in. To every thing but the 
 new creature, Chrift faith,^ *I know you not;' and to 
 every virtue, that worldly wifdom puts op, ' Get thee 
 behind me Satan, for thou favoreft not the things that 
 be of God.' And the reafon why it muft be thus, why 
 worldly wifdom, though under a religious form, is, 
 and can be nothing elfe, hut that which is called Satan 
 or Antichrift, is becaufe all that we are, and have 
 from this world, is that very enmity againft God, that 
 whole evil which feparates us from him, and conftitutes 
 all that death and damnation that belongs to our falU 
 en ftate. And fo fure as the life of this world is our 
 reparation from God, fo fure is it that a total departure 
 from every fubtilty and profperity of worldly wifdom, 
 is abiolutely neceffary to change an evil fon of Adam 
 I ito a holy Ton of God. And here it is well to be ob- 
 f^rved, that the church of Chrift is folely for this end, 
 to n-iakc us holy as he is holy.' But nothing can d^ 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 129 
 
 tills, but that which hath full power to change a finner 
 into a faint. And he who has not found that power 
 in the church, may be affured, that he is not a true fon 
 of that church. For the church brings forth no other 
 births, but holy children of God ; it has no other end, 
 no other nature, or work, but that of changing a fmner 
 into a faint. But this can only be done, jull as the 
 change of night into xlay is done, or as the darknefs is 
 quite loft in the light. Something as contrary to the 
 whole nature of lin, as light is to darknefs, and as 
 powerful over it, as the light is powerful over darknefs, 
 can alone do this. Creeds, canons, articles of relig- 
 ion, ftately churches, learned priells, finging, preaching 
 and praying in the beft contrived form of words, caa 
 no more raife a dead finner into a living faint, thaaa 
 fine fyftem of light and colors can change the night 
 intoday. For (N. B.) that which cannot help you to all 
 goodnefs, cannot help you to any goodnefs, nor can that 
 take away any fin, but that which can take away all fin» 
 On this ground it is, diat the apoftle faid, ' circum- 
 cifion is nothing, and uncircumcifion is nothing ;' and 
 on the fame ground it mud be faid, that Popery is no- 
 thing, and Proteftantifm is nothing, becaufe all is no- 
 thing, as to falvation, but a finner changed into a faint, 
 or the apoftle's new creature. Call nothing therefore 
 your holy. Salvation-church, but that which taketh 
 away all your fins : the whole is fully told us in thefe 
 words, ' To as many as believed, to them he gave 
 power to become fons of God.' This is the true tak- 
 ing away, or forgivenefs of fins ; not a ftrong imagina- 
 tion, or brain fancy, that on fuch an hour, on fuch a 
 day, or in fuch a place, you felt and knew affuredly 
 that all your fins were forgiven you : by fuch a forgiv- 
 nefs of fins, that v/hich made you a finner is not def- 
 troyed, but you will have every day the fame necefTity 
 of confeiTaig yourfelf a miferable finner, as you had 
 that morning, when your fins were not forgiven ygu 
 
^lao LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 till the Jifterncon. The true forgivnefs of fins, Is only 
 then, when that v*^hich finned in us is done away, or 
 become powerlcfs in us ; but nothing can do this, but 
 that power by which we become funs of God. A bhnd 
 man has then only a deliverance from his blindnefs, 
 when he is put in full pofiefTion of feeing eyes ; this 
 is the only doing away of his darknefs. Jufl fo, and 
 no otherwife, are our fins forgiven us, or done away, 
 when the power by which we become fons of God, or 
 the new creature, is fo given to us, fo poifefied by us, 
 as feeing eyes are given to, and poiTcffed by the man, 
 v/ho before that was ail blindnefs. And as our old 
 p*)an can only then he faid to be truly put off, when the 
 new man in Chriii: is raifed to life in his ftead, fo our 
 iins are only then truly blotted out, or done awaj', 
 Vv'hea an unfinning n.^ture, or a birth of God that fm- 
 neth not, is come to be the ruling life in us. 
 
 Many are the marks v/hich the learned have given 
 us of the true church ; but be that as it will, no man, 
 ^vhether learned or unlearned, can have any m:ark or 
 proof of his own true church-memberlliip, but his be- 
 ing dead unto all fin, and alive unto all righteoufnefs* 
 ^I'his cannot be more plainly told us, than in thefe 
 words of our Lord, ' He that committeth fin, is the 
 fervant of fin ; but furely that fervant of fin cannot at 
 the fame time be a living member of Chrift's body, 
 or that new creature who dv/elleth in Chrift, and 
 Chrift In him. To fuppofe a man born again from 
 above, yet under a neceiTity of continuing to fin, is 
 as abiiird as to fuppofe, that the true Chriftian is only 
 to have fo m.uch of the n?t\ire of ChrifL born in him, 
 as is ccnfiftent with as real a power of Satan fiill dwel- 
 ling in him. *■ If the Son, faith Chrift, ihall make you 
 free, then (hall ye be free indeed.' What is this but 
 faying, if Chrift be come to life in you, then a true 
 freedom from all heceffity of finning is given to you. 
 Kow if this is hindered, and cannot come to pafs in 
 As faithful fcllcyer of Chrill; it muft be, becr»uf« 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 131 
 
 both the willing and working of Chrift In man, is too 
 weak to overcome that which the devil wiileth and 
 worketh in hinfi. All this abfurdity, and even b!af- 
 phemy, is neceffarily implied in that common do<Slrinc 
 of books and pulpits, which teaches, that the ChriU- 
 ian can never have done finning as long as he lives. 
 Well therefore may Chriftendom deep as fecurely as 
 it does, uiidcr the power of hn, without any thought, 
 hope, or dtfire, of doing God's Vvill on earth as it is 
 done ia heaven ; v/ithout any concern at their not be- 
 ing pure, as he who hath called them is pure, or 
 walking as he walked. 
 
 The fcripture knows no chriilians, but faints, vrho 
 in all things acl as becometh faints. Bat now if the 
 fcripture faint did not mean a man that tfchewed all 
 evil, and v/as holy in all his converfation, fbiint and no 
 faint would have only fuch difference, as one carnal 
 man will always have irom another. Preachers and 
 writers comfort the half chriftians, %viih telling them, 
 that God requireth not a perfeft, hnlefs obedience, but 
 accepteth the fmcerity of our weak endeavors infkead 
 of it. Here if ever, the blind lead the blind. For St. 
 Paul comparing the v/ay of falvaticn to a race, faith, 
 * In a race all ran, but One obtaineth the priz^^ ; fo rua 
 that ye may obtain.' Novf if Paul had feeing eyes, 
 muft not they be blind vv^ho teach, that God accepteth 
 of ail that run in the religious race, and requireth not 
 that any ihould obtain the prize. Kow eafy was it to 
 fecj that the fmcerity of our weak endeavors was quite 
 a different tiatig from that, vv-hich alone is and caa 
 be the required perfe61:ion of our lives. The firft, 
 God accepteth, that is, beartth with. But v/hy, or 
 ho-v : Not becaufe he feeketh or requireth no more, 
 bat he beareth with them, becaufe, though at a great 
 diilance from, they are, cr may be making tov/ards 
 that perfecllon, or new creature, which he abfolutely 
 requires, which is the fulnefs of the ftature of Chrift", 
 and is that which Paul fiaitb, is th^ one th?»t obtaiiieth 
 the pris;;. 
 
132 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 The fame which St. Paul faith, is faid by Chrlft in 
 other words, ' Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate.' — • 
 Here our beft endeavors are called for, and therefore 
 accepted by God, and yet at the fame time he addeth, 
 * that many fnall flrive to enter in, but fliall not be 
 able.' Why fo, whence comes ftiis ? It is becaufe 
 Chrift himfelf is the one door into life. Here the dri- 
 vers mentioned by Chrift, and thofe which Paul calls 
 Runners in a race, are the very fame perfons ; and 
 Chrift calling himfelf the one door of entrance, is the 
 fame thing as when Paul faith, that one only receiveth 
 the prize ; and that one, which alone obtaineth the 
 prize, or that entereth through the right door, is that 
 nev/ creature in which Chrift is truly born. For whe- 
 ther you confider things natural or fupernatural, noth- 
 ing but Chrift in us can be our hope of glory. 
 
 The pleader for imperfe6tion, farther fupports him- 
 felf by faying, no man in the world, Chrift excepted, 
 Avas ever without fm. And fo fay I too ; and with the 
 apoftle I alfo add, ' That if we fay we have not fmned, 
 we make him a liar.' But then it is as true to fay, that 
 we make him a liar, if we deny the poflibility of our 
 ever being freed from the necelTity of finning. For 
 the fame word of God faiih, ' If we confefs our fms, 
 he is faithful and juft to forgive our fms, and (N. B.) 
 to cleanfe us from all unrighteoufnefs.' 
 
 Bat furely he that is left under a nectfTity of finning, 
 as long as he lives, can no more b^faid to be cleanfed 
 from all unrighteoufnefs, than a man who muft be a 
 cripple to his dying day, 'can be faid to be cured of all 
 his lamenefs. What weaker conclufion can well be 
 jnade, than to infer, that becaufe Chrift was the only 
 man, that was born and lived free from fm, therefore 
 no man on earth can be raifed to a freedom ffom fm- 
 liing; no better than concluding that becaufe the old 
 man is every one's birth from Adam, therefore there 
 can be no fuch thing as a new man, created unto right- 
 coufnefs; through Chrift Jcfus, liviKg and being all in 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 133 
 
 Jill in him — no better fenfe or logic than to fay^ that 
 becaufe cur Redeemer could not find us any thing elfe 
 but iinners, therefore he muft of all neceility leave us 
 to he fniners. Of Chrift it only can ba faid, that he is 
 in himfelf the true vine ; but of every branch that is 
 his, and groweth in him, it muft be as truly faid, that 
 the life and fpirit of the true vine, is the life and fpirit 
 of its branches, and that as is the vine, fo are its bran- 
 ches. And here let it be well noted, that if the branch 
 hath not the life and goodnefs of the vine in it, it can 
 only be becaufe it is broken off from the vine, and 
 therefore a withered branch fit for the fire. But if the 
 branches abide in the vine, then Chrift faith this glo- 
 rious thing of them, ' Ye fiiall alk vv4iat ye v/ill, and 
 it fliall be done unto you.' Tlie very fame glorious 
 thing, which he had before faid of himfelf, * Father, I 
 thank thee, that thou haft heard me (and N. B.) I 
 knew that thou heareft me always.' Now fay that this 
 new creature, who is in fuch union, communion andl 
 power with God, becaufe Chrift is in him, and he in 
 Chrift, as really as the vine is in the branches, and the 
 branches in the vine, fay that he muft be a fervant of 
 fin, as long as he lives in this world, and then your 
 abfurdity will be as great, as if you had faid, that 
 Chrift in us muft partake of our corruptidn. 
 
 The fober divine, who abhors the pride of enthufi- 
 afts, for the fake of humility, faith of himfelf and all 
 inen, we are poor, blind, imperfeft creatures, all our 
 natural faculties are perverted, corrupted, and out of 
 their right flate, and therefore nothing that is perfe6l 
 can come from ua, or be done by us. Truth enough ! 
 And the very fame truth, as when the apoftle faith, 
 * The natural man knov/eth not tl\e things that Le of 
 God, he cannot know them, they are foolifhnefs to 
 him.' This is the man that we all are by nature. But 
 what fcripture ever fpoke of, or required any perfeft 
 works from this mw^ any more thaa it requires the 
 
 M 
 
154 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 Ethiopian to change his Mn ? Or what an inftru^led 
 d'ivine mufl; he be, who conriders this old natural man 
 lis the chriHian, and therefore rejtdts chriftian perfec- 
 tion, becaufe this old man cannot attain to it ? What 
 greater blindnefs than to appeal to our fallen ftate, as 
 a proof of a weaknefs and corruption, which we muft 
 have when we are redeemed from it ? Is this any wifer 
 than faying, that fm and corruption mufl be there 
 where Chrift is, becaufe it is there where he is not? 
 
 Our Lord hath faid this abfolute truth, that unlefs 
 T/e be born again from above, there is no poflible' 
 entrance into the kingdom of God. What this new 
 birth is in us, and what we get by it, is as exprefsly 
 told us by his beloved apoPde, faying, ' That which 
 is born of God fmneth not.' This is as true and 
 unalterable, as to fay, that which is born of the devil, 
 can do nothing elfe but add fin to fm. To what end 
 do we pray, tliat, 'this day may v/e fall into no fin,' 
 if no fuch day can be had ? But if fmning can be made 
 to ceaie in us for one day, what can do this for us, 
 but that which can do the fame to-morrow ? What 
 benefit in praying that ' God's will may be done on 
 earth, as it is heaven,' if the earth, as long as it lafts, 
 rnuft have as many finners as it has men upon it ? 
 How vainly does the church pray for the baptifed 
 perfon, ' That he may have power and flrength to 
 have vi6\ory, and to triumph againft the devil, the 
 world, and the fleih,' if this vidlorious triumph can 
 never be obtained ? If notwithfianding this baptifm 
 and prayer, he' mull continue committing fm, and fo 
 be a fervant of fm as long as he lives ? What fenfe 
 can there be, in making a communion of faints to be an 
 article of our creed, if at -the fame time we are to 
 believe that chriftians, as long as they live, mufl in 
 fome degree or other follow, and be led by the lufls 
 of the fiefh, the lull of the eye, and the pride of Hfe ? 
 
 Whence now comes all this folly of do6trines ? It 
 is becaufe the church is no ior^ger thut fpiritual houfe 
 
TO THE CLERGY- . 13*? 
 
 of God, in which nothing is intended and fought after* 
 but fpiritual power and fpiii aal liie, but is b>.coine a 
 mere human building, nriade up of worldly power, 
 worldly learning, and worldly profperity in gofpel mat- 
 ters. And therefore all the frailties, folliLS and im- 
 perfe6lions of human nature, mult have as much life 
 in the church, as in any other human fociety. And 
 the bed fons of fuch a church, mud be forced to plead 
 fuch imperfe6lions in the members of it, as mull: be, 
 where the old fallen human nature is ftill alive. And 
 alive it there muft be, and its life defended, where the 
 being continually moved and. led by the fpirit of God, 
 is reje(Sled as grofs enlhufiafm. For nothing but a 
 fall birth, and continual breathing and infpiration of 
 the holy Spirit in the new born creature, can be a de- 
 liverance from a^l that which is earthly, fenfual, and 
 deviliih in our fallen nature. This new creature, boni 
 again in Chrift, of that Eternal Word which created 
 all things in heaven and on earth, is both the Rock 
 and Church, of which Chrift faith, ' The gates of hell 
 ihall never prevail againft it.' For prevail they will» 
 and mud againft every thing but the new creature. — 
 And every fallen man, be he where he will, or who he 
 will, is yjet in his fallen ftate, and his whole life is a 
 mere Egyptian bondage, and Babylonian captivity^ 
 till the heavenly church, or new birth from above, has 
 taken him out of it. 
 
 See how St. Paul fets forth the falvation-church a« 
 being nothing clfe, and doing nothing elfe, but merely 
 as the mother of this new birth. ' Know ye not, faith 
 he, that fo many of us as were baptized into Jefus 
 Chrift, v/ere baptized into his death? Therefore we 
 are buried v/ith him by baptifm into death, that like 
 as Chrift was raifed from the dead by the glory of ths 
 Father, even fo we alfo fnould walk in newnefs of; 
 life.' Here we have the one true church infallibly de- 
 fcribed, and yet no other church but the new creature. 
 He goe^ Qn«*-^ For if we have been plarited together 
 
1!55 LAW'S ADDRESS 
 
 in the likenefs of his death, we fliall be alfo In the 
 likenefs of his refurreftior..' Therefore to be in 
 Ghrid, or in his tlmrch, belongs to no one, but be- 
 caiife the old man is put off, and the new creature rif- 
 en in Chrift is put en. The fame thing is faid again in 
 thef^ words : ' Knowing this, that our old man is cru- 
 cified with him, that the body of fin might he deflroy- 
 ed, that (N. B.) henceforth we fhould not ferve fm ;^ 
 therelore the trtic church is no where but in the new 
 creature, that henceforth finneth not, nor is any lon- 
 ger a fervant to fin. Away then with all the tedious 
 volumes of church unity, church power, and church 
 falvation. Ail; neither a Council of Trent, nor a Sj'^n- 
 od of Dort, nor aif Affembly of Divines, for a defini- 
 tion of the church. Hie apollle has given you not a 
 definition, but the unchangeable nature of it, in thefe 
 words: ' But now being made free from fin, and be- 
 come fervants to God, ye have your fruit unto holi- 
 nefsj and the end everlafiing life.' Therefore to be in 
 the true falvation church, and to be in Chrill that new 
 creature which finneth not, is (Irictly the fame thing. 
 What now is become of this true church, or where 
 nvdil the man go, who would fain be a living member 
 of it ? He need go no where, becaufe wherever he is, 
 ihat which is to fave him, and that which he is to be 
 foved fiom, is always with him. Self is all the evil 
 that he hath, and God is all the goodnefs that he ever 
 can have ; but felf is ahvays with him, and God is al- 
 ways with him. Death to felf, is his only entrance 
 into the church of life, and nothing but God can give 
 death to felf. Self is an inward life, and God is an 
 inward fpirit of life ; therefore nothing kills that 
 which muft be killed in us, or quickens that which 
 mufl come to life in us, but the inward vfork of God 
 in the foul, and the inward work of the foul in God* 
 This ts that myftic religion, which, though it hath 
 nothing in it but that fame fpirit, that fame truth, and 
 ihat faiue life, ^yhlgh Always was and always muft bp 
 
TO THE CLERGY. l$r 
 
 the religion of all God's holy angels and faints ia 
 heaven, is by the wildom of this world accounted to 
 be madaefs. As wifely done, as to reckon him mad 
 who fays, that the vanity of things temporal cannot be, 
 or give life to the things that are eternal ; or that the 
 circumcifxon of the flelh is but as poor a thing as the 
 whettmg the knife, in comparifon of that inward, myft 
 tic eircumcifion of the heart, which can only be done 
 by ^ that word of God, which is (harper than any two-» 
 edged fword, and pierces to the dividing afunder the 
 foul and fpirit.' Now fancy to yourfelf a Rabbi-Doc- 
 tor laughing at the circumciiion of the two-edged 
 fword of God, as gofpel madnefs, and then you fee 
 that very fame Chriilian Orthodox}^ which at this 
 day condemns the inward working life of God in the 
 foul as myflic madnefs. 
 
 Look at all that is outward, and all that ye then 
 fee has no more of falvation in it, than the flars and 
 elements. Look at all the good works you can think 
 of, they have no goodnefs for you, but when the good 
 Spirit of God is the doer of them in you. For all 
 the outward works of religion may be done by the na- 
 tural man; he can obferve all church duties, fcick 
 clofe to doclrines, and put on the femblance of every 
 outward virtue ; thus high he can go. But no chrift- 
 ian, till led and governed by the Spirit of God, can 
 go any higher than this feigned, outward formality 
 of this natural man ; to which he can add nothing, but 
 bis own natural flelhly seal in the defence of it. For 
 all zeal muft be of this kind, till it is the zeal of that 
 which is born of God, and calls every creature only 
 to that fame new birth from above. * My Httle chil- 
 dren, faith St. Paul, of whom I travail again in birth, 
 till Chrift be formed in you.' This is the whole labor 
 pf an apoftle to the end of the world. He has nothing 
 to preach to finners, but the abfolute neceffity, the true 
 way, and the certain mearxs of being born again from 
 abDve. But if dropping this one thing only necellliryj 
 
1S3 LAW^s ADDRESS 
 
 and only available, he becomes a cJifputing reformer 
 about words and opinions, and helps Chriftians to be 
 zealoufly feparated from one another, for the fake of 
 being faved by different notions of fciith, works, JAifti- 
 fication, or ele6lion, &c. he has forgot his errar.d, 
 and is become a blind leader of all who are blind enough 
 to follow him. For all that is called faith, works, 
 juflification, fan£lification, or eleftion, are only fo ma- 
 ny different expreffions of that which the reftored di- 
 vine Ufe is and does in us, and have no exigence any 
 where, or in any thing, but the new creature. And the 
 reafon why every thing that is, or can be good in us 
 or to us, in nothing elfe but this divine birth from 
 above, is becaufe the divine nature dead in Adam, 
 was his entire lofs of every divine virtue, and his 
 whole fall under the power of this world, the flefh and 
 the devil ; and therefore the divine nature brought 
 again to life in man, is his faith, his Iwpe, his prayer, 
 his \vorks, his juftification, fanftlfication, ele6iion or 
 falvation. And that eleftion which fyftematical doc- 
 tors have taken out of its place, and built it into an 
 abfolute., irreverfible decree of God, hath no other 
 nature, no other effe6l or power of falvation, but that 
 v/hich equally belongs to our faith, hope, prayer, love 
 of God and love of our neighbor ; and juft fo far as 
 thefe divine virtues are in us, juft fo far ar€ we the 
 ele6l of God, which means nothing elfe but the belov- 
 ed of God ; and nothing makes us the beloved of God, 
 but his own nrft image and likenefs rifmgup again in 
 us. Would you plainly knov/ what is meant by be^ 
 ing elected of God, the fame is plainly meant as when 
 the fcripture faith, God ' heareth thofe who call up* 
 on him,' or that he can only be found by thofe who 
 fcek him ; fo he only ele6leth thofe and that which 
 ele6l him. Again, 'He that honoreth me him will 
 I honor,' faith God. ' He that Icveth me, faith Chrift, 
 fhall be loved of me and my Father.' This is the myf- 
 t^ry of QleftionXN. B.) as it relates to falvation. At 
 
TO THE CLERGY. 139 
 
 divers times, and in fundry manners, God may have, 
 and hath had his chofen veffels for particular offices, 
 meffages and appoinf?hents ; but as to falvation from 
 our fallen ftate, every fon of Adam is a chofen veffel, 
 and this as certainly, as that every fon of Adam has 
 the Seed of the Woman, the incorruptible Seed of 
 the Word born along with him ; and this is God's 
 unchangeable, vmiverfal eleflion, which choofeth of 
 willeth the falvation of all men. • For the ground of 
 all union, communion, or love between God and the 
 creature, lieth wholly in the divine nature. Th^t 
 which is divine in man, tends towards- God, eU6ts 
 God ; and God only and folely elects his own. birth, 
 nature and likenefs in man. But feeing his ownj^irth, 
 a iQtd of his own divine nature is in every 'man, to 
 fuppofe God, by an arbitrary power, willing and de- 
 creeing its eternal happlnefs in fome, and willing and 
 decreeing its eternal mifery in others, is a blafphem- 
 cus abfurdity, and fuppofes a greater injuftice in God, 
 than the wickedeft creatures can pofTibly commit 
 agninfl one another. 
 
 But truth, to the eternal praife and glory of God 
 will eternally fay, that his love is as univerfal and un- 
 changeable as his being ; that his mercy over all hi^ 
 works can no morey^ceaie, than his omnipotence can 
 begin to grow weak, God's mark of an univerfal 
 falvation fet upon all mankind, was firft given in thefe 
 words, ^The Seed of the Woman ih?.i\ bruife the head 
 of the Serpent.' Therefore, where ever the Serpent 
 is, there hi^ head is to be bruifed. This was God's 
 infallible afTurance, or omnipotent promife, that all 
 that died in Adam, fliould have its firll birth of glory- 
 again. The eternal Son of God came into the world 
 only for the fake of this new birth, to give Gcd the 
 glory of reftoring it to all the dead fens of fallen 
 Adam. All the myfleries of this incarnate, fufferirg, 
 dying Son of God, all the price that he paid for cur 
 redemption, all the walhings that we have from hi3 
 
140 LAW^s ADDRESS , 
 
 all cleanfmg blood poured out for us, all the life that 
 we receive from eating his fiefli and drinking his 
 blood, have their inhnlte value, their high glory, and 
 amazing greatnefs in this, becaufe nothing Icfs than 
 thefe fupernatural myfteries of a God-man, could raife 
 that new creature out of Adam's death, which could 
 be again a living temple, and deified habitation of the 
 Spirit of God. 
 
 That this new birth of the fpirit, or the divine life 
 in man, was the truth, the fubilance, and fole end of 
 his miraculous myfleries, is plainly told us bj Chrift 
 himfelf, who at the end of all his procefs oh earth, 
 tells his difciples, what was to be the bleffed, and full 
 effect of it, namely, that the Holy Spirit, the Comfort- 
 er (being nov/ fuiiy purchafed for them) fliould after 
 his afcenfion. come in the ftead of Chrifl in the flefh; 
 *If I go not away, faith he, the Comforter will not 
 come, but if I go away, I will fend him unto you, and 
 he fiiall guide you into all truth.' Therefore all that 
 Chrift was, did, fuffered, dying in the flefli, and afcen- 
 ding into heaven, was for this fole end, to purchafe 
 for all his followers, a new birth, new life, and new 
 light, in and by the Spirit of God rel^ored to them, 
 and living in them, as their fupport. Comforter, and 
 guide into all truth. And this was his, ' Lo, I am 
 With you aways, even unto the end of the world.' 
 
 FINIS. 
 
/ i 
 
m- 
 
 ,--.K- 
 
 I