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

Believing it is a part of faith, but far short of recumbency; and how the Author leaves any room at all for recumbency, I see not, if Faith, which uses to rest ⟨p. 7⟩in the wounds of Christ, may be only totally lodged in the Evangelical Axiom's; I fear that Christ will be at odds with the Gospel; which (contrary to its Native Genius, which is to elevate faith unto him our Great Redeemer) reserves all of it to it self. But to go on, the Author saith, That they are for a recumbency on Christ in contradistinction to obedience to his Laws, which sets up a Religion of the Person of Christ in opposition to the Religion of his Gospel. I answer, They make true faith contradistinct from obedience, not that faith is alone in existence, as if it had no holy fruits of obedience hanging, on it, but that it is alone in the matter of Justification: And this I think is the Doctrine of Protestants, and Fathers. Which made Erasmus, as I have him quoted by the Reverend Morton, say, Haec Vox, sola fides, tot clamoribus lapidata hoc seculo in Luthero, reverentèr legitur & auditur in Patribus; if faith, though alone in justification, do yet spread forth it self into holy obedience; I hope the Gospel is not in the least opposed by such a recumbency, as gives Christ the glory of his blood and righteousness. But now we must hear the significations of the word (Christ.)

Believing it is a part of faith, but far short of recumbency; and how the Authour leaves any room at all for recumbency, I see not, if Faith, which uses to rest ⟨p. 7⟩in the wounds of Christ, may be only totally lodged in the Evangelical Axiom's; I fear that Christ will be at odds with the Gospel; which (contrary to its Native Genius, which is to elevate faith unto him our Great Redeemer) reserves all of it to it self. But to go on, the Authour saith, That they are for a recumbency on Christ in contradistinction to obedience to his Laws, which sets up a Religion of the Person of Christ in opposition to the Religion of his Gospel. I answer, They make true faith contradistinct from obedience, not that faith is alone in existence, as if it had no holy fruits of obedience hanging, on it, but that it is alone in the matter of Justification: And this I think is the Doctrine of Protestants, and Fathers. Which made Erasmus, as I have him quoted by the Reverend Morton, say, Haec Vox, sola fides, tot clamoribus lapidata hoc seculo in Luthero, reverentèr legitur & auditur in Patribus; if faith, though alone in justification, do yet spread forth it self into holy obedience; I hope the Gospel is not in the least opposed by such a recumbency, as gives Christ the glory of his blood and righteousness. But now we must hear the significations of the word (Christ.)