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

The Righteousness of the Law (as you have already heard) is an external Righteousness: ¹Thus the Author: We have heard so from the false Glosses of the Pharisees, we have had such a rumour from the Socinians, as if the Law were but a lame imperfect thing. Socinus (as I have him quoted by Calovius) was not afraid to say, That Praecepta Veteris Testamenti were levia, vana, parùm Deo digna; but surely this will not down with Christians: The Law is Sanctio sancta, the Image of the divine Sanctity, the Summary of all Duties. The Psalmist in the 19. Psalm, having set forth how the Glory of God breaks forth from the Sun and Heavens, elevates his discourse to the pure Law; which, as it enlightens the inner Man, is a brighter Luminary than the Sun, which shines to Sense; and, as it comprises all Duties within it self, is a nobler Circle in Morality, than the Heavens, which environ all other Bodies, are in Nature: The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is pure, making ⟨p. 370⟩wise the simple, saith the Psalmist in that place: So perfect it is, that nothing is to be added to it, or diminished from it, Deut. 4.3. so spiritual, that even the Saints under the Gospel are but carnal in respect of it, Rom. 7.14. It calls upon us to love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might, Deut. 6.5. to love him in such a divine degree, as to love nothing else suprà, aequè or contrà, and is this external Righteousness? Or what is inner purity, if this be not so? It tells us, Non concupisces, and so meets with the very first risings of corrupt Nature, with the very motions and titillations of the flesh; it would have an heart all of purity and holiness, without any [Greek or Hebrew] or relics of corruption in it, and what can be more divine? St. Paul therefore saith, that in his Pharisaism he was [Greek or Hebrew], without the Law, because without a sense of its spiritual Nature, Rom. 7.9. Unless we own its divine Spiritualty, we are as it were without it. In a word, whatsoever it be that makes up the just posture of Man towards God or his Fellow-creatures, is there delineated in such accuracy and full perfection, as no man in this life, but Jehovah