Of Believing in fefus Chr, 197 be afcribed to the moral precepts rather than S E x :vt. the levitical rites ; fo it cannot be conceived VII. that the defign of chriflianity was to put the `°'"Y" blood of Chrift in the room of the ceremo- nies, that faith in it fhould fland only inflead of that claim to acceptance which the Jews had by their law, which is now abrogated; but rather that Chrlft died to afcertain more fa- vourable terms for all men, of whatever nati- on, who (hall receive him, and fubmit to his law of faith. Since, then, as the apoftle fpeaketh, the law was fo weak that it could not give life, fince by an exa ± conformity to it we could not hope to be accepted, it bath pleafed God, in the gofpel, to publifh righ- teoufnefs by faith, through Jefus Chrift. But how are we to underftand this ? Not as if affent to the truth of the gofpel were fuf- ficient inftead of obedience to the divine pre- cepts, nor confident reliance on the obedience of Chrift, and the merit of his death and paf fion, which is fo to be accounted ours, as if we had fulfilled the law in our own per - fons ; which is not as far as I can fee, any part of the gofpel notion of faith. If we confider the general tenor of the fcrip- ture declarations on this fubjeft, it will appear, that God hatpin great mercy to mankind offer- ed the forgivenefs of fins upon moll gracious 0 3 terms ;
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