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

When this will not do, ¹they argue from their own preconceived Notions, and pretend to prove their own Scheme from Scripture, but in truth prove the sense of Scripture by its agreement with their Opinions; which is just such a trick as the Papists have got, to prove the Church from Scripture, and the Scripture from the Church. Thus after all their talk of ⟨p. 134⟩being justified by the Imputation of Christs Righteousness, the Scripture tells us, that we are justified by Faith, have remission by Faith, have peace with God by Faith, are sanctified by Faith, are the sons of God by Faith, are saved by Faith: Now how is this reconcilable with being justified by imputed Righteousness? Why, thus; Faith doth not justify absolutely, as Faith, but relatively, as it brings us to Christ, and apprehends his Righteousness: This is their own preconceived opinion, or else no man could have stumbled on this Distinction: But their Reason is plain; Should Faith justify as Faith, as our own Act, it would be as bad as good Works, and irreconcilable with the Grace of God; though modest men dream not of meriting, though Faith had justified as our Act; since the Reward doth so infinitely exceed the Work, that there can be no suspicion of Merit, and where there is no Merit, the Reward is of Grace.

When this will not do, ¹they argue from their own preconceived Notions, and pretend to prove their own Scheme from Scripture, but in truth prove the sence of Scripture by its agreement with their Opinions; which is just such a trick as the Papists have got, to prove the Church from Scripture, and the Scripture from the Church. Thus after all their talk of ⟨p. 134⟩being justified by the Imputation of Christs Righteousness, the Scripture tells us, that we are justified by Faith, have remission by Faith, have peace with God by Faith, are sanctified by Faith, are the sons of God by Faith, are saved by Faith: Now how is this reconcilable with being justified by imputed Righteousness? Why, thus; Faith doth not justifie absolutely, as Faith, but relatively, as it brings us to Christ, and apprehends his Righteousness: This is their own preconceived opinion, or else no man could have stumbled on this Distinction: But their Reason is plain; Should Faith justifie as Faith, as our own Act, it would be as bad as good Works, and irreconcilable with the Grace of God; though modest men dream not of meriting, though Faith had justified as our Act; since the Reward doth so infinitely exceed the Work, that there can be no suspicion of Merit, and where there is no Merit, the Reward is of Grace.