is reveal'd to us, will, it is likely,
conduct us best to a sight hereof. But our present business is not
this inquiry, but to see what those advantages are which we receive by
the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the design of whole coming into the
World appears to have been, to inforce the Rule of Rectitude, by
setting it in a clearer Light, with the manifest Attestation of Divine
Authority, and promulging it as the Law of God, by Declaration of
eternal Rewards and Punishments, annexed to the observance or breach
thereof.

Yet to deliver clearer and more excellent Precepts of Morality; to
attest to the Divinity hereof by Miracles; or to bring Immortalitie to
light, were not (as the means of inforcing Natural Religion) the whole
business for which Christ took our Nature upon him. It was a Decree as
immutable as the Divine Nature, that no unrighteous thing should have
everlasting Life: Wherefore all, both Jews and Gentiles having broken
the Law, and being thereby condemn'd (since the Law necessarily
requir'd perfect Righteousness, and could admit of no abatement
thereof) Christ came to establish betwixt God and Man, a Covenant of
Grace in order to Mens obtaining eternal Life, which they could not
obtain by the Works of the Law. The which Covenant of Grace was, that
to as many as believe in his Son, taking him for their King, and
submitting to his Law, God would grant remission of their Sins; and
that this _their Faith should be imputed to them for Righteousness_;
that is, accepted of by him, in lieu of perfect Obedience, in all such
who sincerely indeavour'd to live up to the Precepts of Christ, their
Lord.

Men have ever been solicitous, to reconcile Pardon of Sin to the
Purity of God's Nature, which has expos'd them (as we have seen) to
divers Delusions, and to wearisome and costly Superstitions; even
sometimes to the giving _the Fruit of their Bodies to attone for the
sins of their Souls_. All the Forms of Pagan Religion have abounded
with Institutions of this Nature; and that of the Jews consisted very
much of tiresome and unpleasant performances; which being Types and
Shadows of him that was to come, were practis'd to the same purpose.
All which things we are freed from by the Gospel; _Christ having
offer'd up himself once for all, through whom forgiveness of Sin is
preached to as many as believe in him_, truly repenting of their past
Sins, and _walking in newness of Life_, conformably to the Law of him
their Master