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

The Dr. saith, ¹There can be no other reason assigned of Christ's Obedience to the Law of God, but only this, that he did it in our stead: Now this Argument would be good, were it true and were there not a great many things done, which we cannot assign the reason of, and yet done for great and weighty reasons; but this reason is sufficient, because he was as much bound to it as any other man. The Dr takes it for granted, That if Christ were not bound to obey these Laws upon his own account, it must be either for us, or to fit him for his Death and Oblation; but it was not to fit him for his Death, therefore it was for us: He tells us, that he answered all Types, and was every way fit to be made an offering for sin by his Union and habitual Grace: If his Obedience were not for us, and upon our account, there is no just cause to be assigned, why he should live here in the world so long as he did in perfect obedience to all the Laws of God. Had he died before, there had been perfect Innocence and perfect Holiness by his habitual Grace, and infinite Virtue and Worth from the dignity of his Person; and surely he yielded not that long course of Obedience but for ⟨p. 444⟩some great and special purposes, in reference to our Salvation: Yes truly; but must this needs be his actual fulfilling all Righteousness for us? What do you think of his preaching the Gospel throughout all Judea which would take up some time? What of the many Miracles which confirmed his Doctrine? What of training up his Apostles to succeed him in his Ministry as Eye-witnesses and Earwitnesses of his Miracles and Doctrine? What of the holy Example of his Life, which was no less necessary than his Laws? These are all great and special purposes in reference to our Salvation, though we should suppose him fit to have been a Sacrifice (as Herod designed he should have been) as soon as he were born; though by the way, I think he could not have answered the Types and Predictions of him, had he dyed so soon, notwithstanding his perfect innocence and holiness.

1. 1Mr. Sherlock.