Dire& Vï. OfSan 1jJcatien rot x g Eccl. vii. ao Yet they knew they were bound to turn to the. Lord with all their hearts, in fincerity and uprightnefs, and that God would accept of fin- cere obedience; for which caufe theymight better put it for the condition of the law, than we can of the gofpel, Pfalm. li. 6, to. Deut vi. 5. and xxx. io. So that, if the Apoftle had difputed againft thofe that held only perfedt obedience to be the condition of jufification, he had contended withhis own fhadow. And they might as readily judge fincere obedience to be the condition of jultification dnder the law, as we can judge it to be the condition under the gof- pel. Neither doth the Apoftle condemn them mere- ly for ac,:ounting fincere obedience to the law as giv- en by Mofes, tobe the condition of their juftification; but, more generally, for feeking falvation by their own works. And he alledgeth againft them, that Abraham, who lived before the law of Mofes, was not juftified by any of his works, tho' he did per- form fincere obedience ; and that ,David, who lived under the law of Mofes, was not juf:ified by his works, though he performed fincere obedience, and was as much bound to obey the law given by Mofes, as we are to obey any commands of Chrift in the ' gofpel, Rom. iv. 2, 3, 5, 6. Neither doth he con - demn them for feeking their falvation only by works, without refpeftingat all the grace and falvation that is by Chrift; for the judaizing Galatians were yet profeffors of the grace and falvation of Chrift, though they thought obedience to the lave a neceffary con- dition for the partaking of it, as alfo many other ju- daizingbelievers did. And, doubtlefs, they account- ed themfelves obliged thereunto, not only by the au- thority ofMofes, but of Chrift alfo, whom theyown- ed as their Lord and Saviour. And we may be fure it was no damning error, to account Mofes' law o- bligingat that time; for manythoufands ofthe Jews, that were found believers, held the ceremonies of Mofes tobe in force at that time; and Paul was ten-
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