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

Doth the necessity of an holy Life overthrow the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness?¹ No surely, it's a very gross mistake; a holy Life is so far from overthrowing Imputed Righteousness, that it presupposes it: We are married to Christ, that we might bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. 7.4. And our Church in the 12. Article tells us, That good Works follow after Justification: ⟨p. 144⟩Those, who are true Believers, and have Christ's Righteousness imputed to them do, above all other men, obey God's Commands, glorify his Name, and walk in holy Obedience towards the Crown of Glory above: Obedience is necessary, but not in that sense, as if the least breach of a Command should finally exclude from Heaven, for then it were, Woe, woe, to us: Nor yet so absolutely, as that a Believer, dying in the first instant of Faith and before actual Obedience, should be shut out of Heaven: Our Church hath taught us better:² I can show a man that by Faith without Works lived, and came to heaven, but without Faith never man had life; the Thief, that was hanged when Christ suffered, did believe only, and the merciful God justified him: If any say, that he lacked time; truth it is, and I will not contend therein; but this I will surely affirm, That Faith only saved him.

Doth the necessity of an holy Life overthrow the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness?¹ No surely, it's a very gross mistake; a holy Life is so far from overthrowing Imputed Righteousness, that it presupposes it: We are married to Christ, that we might bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. 7.4. And our Church in the 12. Article tells us, That good Works follow after Justification: ⟨p. 144⟩Those, who are true Believers, and have Christ's Righteousness imputed to them do, above all other men, obey God's Commands, glorifie his Name, and walk in holy Obedience towards the Crown of Glory above: Obedience is necessary, but not in that sence, as if the least breach of a Command should finally exclude from Heaven, for then it were, Wo, wo, to us: Nor yet so absolutely, as that a Believer, dying in the first instant of Faith and before actual Obedience, should be shut out of Heaven: Our Church hath taught us better: