Of Yuf cation by Faith. 149 inftituted were of no fignificancy, farther S E R Nz than as they ferved,to promote this end, as VI. appears by many exprefs declarations of the Old Teftament itfelf. The Prophets often warn the Ifraelites not to truft in their obla- tions, and their ritual obfervances ; for God loved mercy more than facrice ; and the knowledge of him, and obedience to his moral law, more than all their burnt - (rings ; that he took no pleafure in the blood of bulls and goats ; nay thoufands of rams, and ten thoufand rivers of oyl, could not expiate the leaf' of their tranfgr /ions. And the only way to pleafe him was, to ceafè to do evil, and learn to do well ; to feek judgment, relieve the oppr fid, judge the fatherlefs, and plead for the widow : in fine, to do juflly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. Thus the apoftle teaches us to underftand the true fpirit of the Jewifh religion, and to diftinguifh between a nominal Jew, who is one outwardly, and him who is fincere; and comes up to the real defign of his pro - feflion. Roma ii. 28, 29. He is not a yew who is one outwardly ; neither is that circum- fion which is outward in the fief : but he is a Yew, which is one inwardly, and circum- fion is that of the heart, in the fpirit and not L 3 in
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