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

It is very observable, ¹that in all the histories of the Gospel, which gives us an account of our Saviours Sermons, and parables; whereby he instructed the people in all necessary truths, he makes no mention at all of imputed righteousness: but exacts from them a righteousness of their own, if they would find mercy with God: Now it is very strange, (if imputed righteousness be the great Gospel-mystery) that our Saviour should not once mention it, nor warn his hearers to beware of trusting in their own righteousness: but that instead of this he should severely enjoin them the practice of an universal righteousness, as the only thing that pleases God, and severely threaten those, who continue in any sin, who break the least of his commandments, that they shall not enter heaven: This to me is a very great prejudice against such notions, as are set up for the fundamentals of Christianity, when there is not the least foot-steps of them to be seen in the Gospel of our Saviour: Did not our Saviour instruct his hearers in ⟨p. 318⟩all things necessary to Salvation? Or have the Evangelists given us an imperfect account of our Saviours doctrine, and omitted so essential a part of it, as imputation of his Righteousness? Choose which side you please, and the consequence is bad; if the first, then Christ was not faithful in his prophetical Office; If the latter, you over-throw the credit of the Gospel and by both destroy the foundation of our Faith: Our Saviours Sermons were to be the rule of the Apostles, had the Apostles taught any thing, as necessary to Salvation, which our Saviour had not taught, especially any thing that did so plainly contradict the Doctrine of our Saviour, as this imputed righteousness doth, it would very much have weakened their credit with me; for this had been to preach another Gospel than our Saviour did, and we have St. Paul's command to reject all such Preachers; though they were Apostles, or an Angel from heaven, Gal. 1.8, 9.

It is very observable, ¹that in all the histories of the Gospel, which gives us an account of our Saviours Sermons, and parables; whereby he instructed the people in all necessary truths, he makes no mention at all of imputed righteousness: but exacts from them a righteousness of their own, if they would find mercy with God: Now it is very strange, (if imputed righteousness be the great Gospel-mystery) that our Saviour should not once mention it, nor warn his hearers to beware of tructing in their own righteousness: but that instead of this he should severely enjoyn them the practice of an universal righteousness, as the only thing that pleases God, and severely threaten those, who continue in any sin, who break the least of his commandments, that they shall not enter heaven: This to me is a very great prejudice against such notions, as are set up for the fundamentals of Christianity, when there is not the least foot-steps of them to be seen in the Gospel of our Saviour: Did not our Saviour instruct his hearers in