ON THE NEW TESTAMENT AND APOSTOL

IC DOCTRINE IN ALL ITS PARTS.

CHAPTER 1.

THE INWARD SPIRITUAL LAW OF GOD, THE ONLY RULE BY WHICH WE SHALL

BE JUDGED.

SEC. 1st. The holy law of God, by which the hearts and consciences of men are righteously governed under the gospel dispensation, is wholly spiritual, as God is a spirit and the Father of our spirits. which spirits constitute the inward man to be governed as the angelic

nature.

ROM. 7. 14. "For we know that the law is spiritual.” 16. "I consent unto the law that it is good.'

This is not spoken with reference to the law of Moses, which law imposed carnal ordinances and divers outward washings, contrary to the law of the Holy Spirit.

SEC. 2nd. This spiritual law excels the law of Moses, for with that, inspiration finds fault; but recommends this: Rom. 7, 12. "The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good." Whereas the law of Moses commanded carnal outward ordinances.

SEC. 3rd. This holy, just and good law of God, is not written on outward tables of stone, but in the mind and heart of mankind. Heb. 10. 16. "I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will write them." Rom. 7. 22. "I delight in the law of God after the inward man.' Ps. 40.8. "I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart."

SEC. 4th. This inward law is perfect and instructive to the mind of man. Ps. 19. 7. "The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." "By the law is the knowledge of sin."

SEC. 5th. This perfect law of God in man, is a rule by which our faith must be tried, and by it be justified or condemned. Rom. 3. 27. "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith." Verse 31. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid yea we establish the law." Thus in faith we keep this law, and without faith we transgress it, but the outward works of the law of Moses are excluded.

SEC. 6th. This law of faith not only requires that we should have faith towards God, but also a true exer cise of divine love in our hearts. St. Matt. 22. 37, 38. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 40th verse. "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Chap. 5. 44. "I say unto you love your enemies."

SEC. 7th. This law demands that we should be conformed to the image of the son of God in holiness of heart; so that our love must be of an holy nature. Lev. 11. 45. "Ye shall therefore be holy for I am holy.". Chap. 20. 7. "Be ye holy." Eph. 14. "Be holy and without blame before him in love." 1st Pet. 1. 15. “As he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all inanner of conversation."

SEC. 8th. The holy law of God will abate no part of what it demands, but all must be fulfilled. Matt. 5.18. "One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

SEC. 9th. This law requires nothing to be done in our hearts, but what is for our best good. Does it require faith? It is for our good. For he that believeth not, is thereby in a state of misery under condemnation as long as he remains unbelieving. St. John, 3. 18. "He

that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten son of God." Mark 16. 16. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." And if it requires love in our hearts, then it demands that which will enable us to enjoy the God of love, "For God is love."

Does this holy law demand holiness of heart in us? Then it requires that which is for our greatest happiness, as, "Without holiness no man can see the Lord." Now except all which this holy, inward, spiritual law of love requires to be done in us, is done and fulfilled, we must remain in sin and misery. For no substitute in the place of what the law demands, can possibly suffice in any man. There is no imputed righteousness to us, but through the fulfillment of the law in the very place where it makes all its demands, which is in our hearts. For righteousness is imputed through faith that works by love and purifies the heart. So that righteousness in one person, can never save another in his sins.

SEC. 10th. This pure law of God requires mercy and not sacrifice as Christ said. "Learn what this scripture meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice." Therefore, no purgatorial flame for any particular length of time can be a sacrifice of suffering, to supply the place of what the law actually demands in all men. For it is not misery the law requires, but holiness, love and faith; in a word all true obedience and conformity to God.

SEC. 11th. Every man is amenable to this law; hence no individual of the human family can be truly happy, unless it is fulfilled in his own soul. For what is fulfilled in Christ the head of every man, must take root in every heart, before all can reign with him in glory. So that until we partake with him in holiness, we cannot participate with him in felicity.

SEC. 12th. It is plain to be seen that the holy, inward law of God, demands all to be done in man that can possibly constitute our perfect reconciliation to his divine nature: Hence we may infer, that God so loved

the world, that he has given us this spiritual law through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Whereas, the outward law as a shadow of this, was given to the house of Israel through the medium of Mo

ses.

SEC. 13. As none but the willing and obedient under that dispensation could enjoy the outward blessings of the law of Moses, even so, none under the gospel dispensation, can realize the inward blessings of the law of the spirit of life in Christ, until it is fulfilled in their hearts.

SEC. 14th. Where the outward law leaves us, there the inward law takes us; the one could only govern the body, the other takes cognizance of the mind. The outward law could never by killing the body of a sinner, rob the inward law of its prerogative over the soul or spirit, nor thereby make the spirit to delight in the in ward demand.

SEC. 15th. The spiritual law is a rule by which spirits are governed, and is not confined to spirits in the flesh, any more than God who is a spirit, should cease to be our God, when the body dies.

SEC. 16th. This law is in the constitution of Christ's kingdom, where he reigns Lord of both the dead and living, and is judge of both, i. e. judge of quick and dead. The Father hath committed all judgment unto the son, so that by the son, the world is judged according to the inward law of the holy spirit; and we cannot reasonably expect that any one will pass as justified, until the mind is conformed to what the law requires; Seeing #othing short of what is demanded can qualify us for hea To suppose that righteousness in Christ is sufficient to save the sinner, without any exercise of holiness in the subject saved, would be to suppose the sinner is saved in his sins. But Jesus never came to save any in their sins. "But to call sinners to repentance," and to "Save his people from their sins." But as there are many people who never are in this life, brought to repentance, nor saved from sin, we are left to conclude, either first, that Christ never came to call and save such,

ven.