Of .7uflification by Faith. 137 the apoftle pronounces fuch an attempt al- S E R Ivt, together vain, and declares in effect, that VI. we muff hold to the one and rejeft the other. `---""""4 For he fays, Gal. v. 4. according to this fcheme, Chrifi is become of no e f eW to you: Whofoever of you are juf ifed by the law, ye are fallen from grace. This notion of grace, fo much infifted on in the writings of St. Paul, is intended to fhow the obligations we are under to the mercy of God, in forgiving our fins, and ac- cepting us : It cuts off all pretences to merit, and excludes boafting. Rom. iii. 27. Where is boafting then? it is excluded. By what law? of works? nay ; but by the law of faith. But we are not to underftand all this, as if the gofpel were a mere uncondi- tionate declaration of pardon and offer of falvation : On the contrary, it eftablifhes the n.eceffary and perpetual obligation of the moral law, and is defigned to refcue merf from the dominion of fin : As the apoftle chows, Rom. vi. 14. Sin (hall not have do- minion over you : For ye are not under the law, but under grace. At the fame time, he teaches, that it is the groffeft abufe of the gofpel grace to imagine, that becaufe we are under it, we may take a liberty to fin:
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