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

But if (as of necessity we must) we must answer to the Law also, then Faith, as it is in it self, and our Act, cannot possibly justify; it being but a piece of the Law, and that imperfect; God, who judgeth according to truth, will not esteem those perfectly righteous, who are not so indeed, nor accept of a partial Righteousness ⟨p. 137⟩for a total one. If reply be made, This is true, when God judgeth Judicio Justitiae, but not when he judges Judicio Misericordiae; he in his condescending Mercy accepts of Faith in the room of total, perfect Righteousness: I answer, this cannot possibly stand, God's Mercy and Truth are never at variance; his Truth will not esteem us righteous upon account of a partial imperfect righteousness, and his Mercy will not condescend so far, as to interfere with his Truth: But when he esteems us righteous upon account of a perfect Righteousness, which is not our own, but Christ's, then Truth and Mercy both shine forth; Truth, in that there is a perfect Righteousness to answer the Law; and Mercy, in that it is not our own, but our Sureties. But further; If Faith be taken for a perfect Righteousness, then it is lifted up into the room of Christ and his Righteousness: If you say, no, Christ's Righteousness is the foundation of this acceptance of Faith; I answer, Then will it follow, that Christ died not so much for Persons to justify them, as for Graces, to elevate Faith above it self into the estimation of a perfect Righteousness; and withal, that Faith is our proper ⟨p. 138⟩Righteousness in an immediate formal way, and Christ but a remote Cause only; much after the same rate as the Papists say, Bona opera tincta sanguine Christi justificant: Works are made the immediate Cause of Justification, and Christ the remote. Moreover, it is to be remembered, that nothing can be Instrumentum & instrumentatum; the Artificers Tools are not the House he makes; the Hyssop's sprinkling of Blood in the Jewish Sacrifices was not the Blood of Christ; Faith is not our Righteousness, but the Medium to it: Hence, Phil. 3.9. we read of righteousness by faith: it is not it self our Righteousness, but a means to it. Thus it appears, that Faith in it self and as our Act justifies not; therefore it justifies as it is that Evangelical Medium which receives Christ and his perfect Righteousness.