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

Thus the Reverend Hooker, Faith is the only hand, which putteth on Christ to Justification, and Christ the only Garment which being so put on covereth the shame of our defiled Natures, hideth the imperfection of our Works, preserveth us blameless in the sight of God; before whom otherwise the weakness of our Faith were cause sufficient to make us culpable, yea, to shut us from the ⟨p. 139⟩Kingdom of Heaven, where nothing that is not absolute can enter: Thus our Church;¹ The true understanding of this Doctrine, That we are justified by Faith in Christ, is not, that this our own Act, to believe in Christ, which is within us, doth justify us, and deserve our Justification; for that were to count our selves justified by some Act or Virtue that is in our selves. And in another place: This Righteousness, ²which we receive of Gods Mercy and Christs Merits, embraced by Faith, is accepted by God for our perfect Justification.

Thus the Reverend Hooker, Faith is the only hand, which putteth on Christ to Justification, and Christ the only Garment which being so put on covereth the shame of our defiled Natures, hideth the imperfection of our Works, preserveth us blameless in the sight of God; before whom otherwise the weakness of our Faith were cause sufficient to make us culpable, yea, to shut us from the ⟨p. 139⟩Kingdom of Heaven, where nothing that is not absolute can enter: Thus our Church;¹ The true understanding of this Doctrine, That we are justified by Faith in Christ, is not, that this our own Act, to believe in Christ, which is within us, doth justifie us, and deserve our Justification; for that were to count our selves justified by some Act or Vertue that is in our selves. And in another place: This Righteousness, ²which we receive of Gods Mercy and Christs Merits, embraced by Faith, is accepted by God for our perfect Justification.