LXIX.

October 25, 1805.

THE Doctor's respects to his old companion in travail. How goes on my fellow citizen of no mean city? Christ is the way of life, and the gate of life; and the chief blessing promised in the heavenly Jerusalem is this - "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." Here are his commandments. - And what are they? Why they are not grievous, but joyous; namely, that we believe on his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. Blessed are they that do them. And what is God's blessing? Life for evermore. And he that believes hath everlasting life; and he is passed from death to life who loves the brethren - There is life in the blessing, life in faith, and life in love. And what is the tree of life? Christ in us the hope of glory. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life." The believer carries Christ crucified into heaven with him; for Christ crucified is the tree of life for faith in this world, and Christ glorified is the tree of life in heaven.

Another blessing of the heavenly Jerusalem is liberty. - The heavenly Jerusalem above is free, and she is the mother of us all. "So then we are not children of the bond woman, but of the free." Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keepeth the truth may enter in." "Receive the truth," says Christ, "and the truth shall make you free; and if the Son make you free, you shall be free indeed." And Christ says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; " and every one that-is not in the truth, nor of the truth, is without the gates, through which nothing shall enter that loves or makes a doctrinal lie.

The third thing of this adorable city is righteousness. This holy city which is the bride, the Lamb's wife, is clothed in white linen, which is the righteousness of the saints. God granted to her to be arrayed in white raiment, that she might match her bridegroom. And what gates are those which lead to the enjoyment of this righteousness? "Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go in unto them; this gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter." This righteousness is Christ; he is "the end of the law for righteousness to all that believe." As our Mediator, he is the gate of life, that leads to the tree of life. He is the gate of truth, that leads to the freedom of this city; and he is the gate of righteousness, that leads to the enjoyment of the white linen, which is peculiar to the citizens of that free city. These three gates are open east, west, north and south, and so make twelve. "Go through, go through the gates; cast up, cast up the high way; lift up the standard," &c.

I have some suspicion that my friend is low, dark, and bewildered. So I think, and so I believe; and that these scraps will come in due season, which I must submit to your judgment.

THE DOCTOR.

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