An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

for faith, or faith in Christ signifies such a firm belief of the Gospel, as brings forth all fruits of obedience, and the Grace of God is the Gospel of Christ, expressly so called, Tit. 2.11. As being the effect of Gods Grace, and Faith in the Blood of Christ is a belief of the Gospel; which was confirmed by his death, and ⟨p. 457⟩believing, that Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah, and Prophet, whom God sent to reveal his will, includes a general belief of the Gospel, which he preached; and believing that God raised him from the dead doth the same, because his Resurrection was the last and great confirmation of the truth of the Gospel. Hence the Apostles attribute such things to the Blood of Christ, as are the proper immediate office of the Gospel-Covenant, because the Blood of Christ is the Blood of the Covenant; and therefore all the blessings of the Gospel are owing to it, because the Gospel-Covenant was procured and confirmed by it: Thus the Gentiles, who were a far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ; and the Gentiles and Jews were reconciled unto God in one body by the cross, Eph. 2.14, 15, 16. That is, the Gentiles were received into the fellowship of God's Church, and the Jews and Gentiles united in one body: Now this union of Jews and Gentiles is owing to the Gospel, which takes away all marks of distinction and separation, and gives them both an equal right to the blessing of the New Covenant: This New Covenant belongs to all mankind; there is now no distinction of persons: Neither Jew, nor Greek, Barbarian, Scythian, ⟨p. 458⟩bond nor free; but Christ is all, and in all: No man is acceptable to God, because he is a Jew or Greek; but the only thing of any value is Faith in Christ, or a belief of the Gospel, which is indifferently offered to all. Now this is attributed to the Blood of Christ, and to his death, because thereby Christ put an end to the Mosaical Covenant; and sealed this New Covenant of Grace with Mankind, as the Apostle explains himself, in the following verses 17.18. &c. That Christ having abolished the Law of Commandments by his death, he came and preached peace, (that is, the Gospel of peace) to them who were a far off, to the Gentiles, and to them who were nigh to the Jews, he abrogated the Mosaical Law; That Law of Commandments contained in ordinances, which was peculiar to the Jews, and separated them from the rest of the World;