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

The Doctor cites that Text, ¹Gal. 4. 4, 5. God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, and here he stops; but I shall take confidence to add, That we might receive the adoption of Sons: Now by being made under the Law, he tells us is meant, being disposed of in such a condition, that he must yield subjection and obedience to the Law; well, suppose this, and this was all to redeem us, and therefore our redemption is by the obedience of Christ imputed to us: Fairly argued, but can his obedience to the Law contribute no otherways to our redemption, but by being reckoned as done by us? But the truth is, this, us, is not in the text, it is not to redeem us, but to redeem them that were under the Law, that is, the Jews, who were in bondage under the Mosaical Law; from which Christ redeemed them by abrogating that Law, and introducing a better covenant, the adoption of sons: For in this Epistle, nay in this chapter, the Law is called a state of servants, and of an heir under ⟨p. 450⟩age, but the Gospel is the adoption of sons, puts us into such a free and manly state, as that of an heir at age, and therefore is called the Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8.15. So that the meaning of this Text is this, that God hath put an end to the dispensation of the Law, which is called redeeming them that are under the Law, in a state of servitude and bondage, and hath established a better Covenant in the room of it, which as much exceeds the Law as the adoption of Sons doth the state of Servants; and this God brought to pass by sending his Son made of a woman, made under the Law: For the understanding of which words we must consider, what influence Christ's appearing in the world had on the abrogation of the Law, and that was, that he accomplished all the Types and Figures of the Law in his own Person; and when all those Types were fulfilled, they grew out of date: So that his being made under the Law most probably signifies his being made such a Person, as should exactly answer all the Types and Figures of the Law, and so to put an end to it, as of no further use: Thus the Temple was God's House, but now the Shechinah or divine Glory rested on Christ: When Christ the great High-Priest ⟨p. 451⟩