design of the liberty of the Gospel: Christ formed in the heart—faith wrought, there embracing the atonement, purifying the conscience, whilst a good hope through grace leads and animates us with the purity of mind and conduct; this is the writing on the heart, not merely in the head or outward conduct. A man may have clear notions and a moral conduct, and yet nothing of this writing on the heart, because destitute of the new heart itself. This new heart are the faculties of the soul under the divine influence of the holy spirit. This is the paper or parchment; the understanding is enlightened, the will bent on God-ward, the affections led to Jesus, the thoughts occupied about divine things, and the conscience renewed quickened and made tender. On this heart these impressions are made for ever, the ink used, is the gracious influence of the spirit;—not literal ink, or the ink of human eloquence, nor merely moving the passions or affecting the body; but, the sacred powerful workings of the Holy Ghost; hence the Apostle calls it the demonstration of the spirit; the Saviour calls it shewing the things that are his: this is done in such power as proves it the work of God. All other religion but that which is attended with this power will fall to nothing like the lamps of the foolish virgins. This accounts for the apostacy of many who have run well for a time and then stopped for ever; what the spirit wrote on us can never be broken, or washed off, or erased, it may at times be hid from the possessor and from others, but it will be seen again when the Saviour shines, for it is in his light we are light; the hand that begun this letter will also finish it: hence the Apostle says, he was confident, that he who had begun the good work would finish it. Our spiritual Zerubabel whose hands begun to build, his hands will also finish it. God’s yea and amen in the eternal covenant is manifested in the hearts of all God’s elect people: hence he says;—yea, I have loved thee; this shed abroad in the heart is the spirit’s amen; the believer is thus fitted for glory by a principle of love to and delight in God, Father, Son and Spirit. This letter must be sealed; the seal upon this letter is the secret yet assuring influences of the spirit: hence the Apostle says, after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise; the church is called a fountain sealed, and God seals his law, his new covenant blessings; 1st among his disciples; this sealing is intended to shew that what passes between God and the soul is kept a secret from others:—2nd. the security of these blessings, none can rob us of them, they are secured to us:—3rd the assurance of interest in these mercies; this secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant the work of God on the heart, agreeing with the word, the spirit blesses us with a holy confidence that our experience is