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

The Doctor is no enemy to Holiness,¹ but cannot assign it an Ubi in Justification; no more doth our Church, who, in the Homily touching the Salvation of Man, saith, All men are sinners and breakers of the Law, therefore can no man by his own Acts, Works and Deeds (seem they never so good) be justified and made righteous before God, but every man is constrained to seek for another Righteousness; which afterwards is declared to be Christ's fulfilling the Law and making satisfaction. In Justification no other Righteousness can take place but that Active and Passive one of Christ, which answers the pure and righteous Law in every point: He that doth righteousness is righteous, that is, his doing shows, but doth not make him righteous in Justification. Repentance ⟨p. 76⟩is an Evangelical Condition, but no Cause of Pardon: Holiness and Obedience are the way to Glory, but not the Cause of it: A Transformation into God's Image makes us meet for Heaven, but the Righteousness of Christ alone purchased a Title for us. As to what the Author adds, Though our Obedience be not perfect, if it be sincere, we shall be accepted for the sake of Christ; I answer, Our Obedience is accepted, but not to be the matter of our Justification; Christ's Righteousness alone is that which answers the Law for us.

The Doctor is no enemy to Holiness,¹ but cannot assign it an Ʋbi in Justification; no more doth our Church, who, in the Homily touching the Salvation of Man, saith, All men are sinners and breakers of the Law, therefore can no man by his own Acts, Works and Deeds (seem they never so good) be justified and made righteous before God, but every man is constrained to seek for another Righteousness; which afterwards is declared to be Christ's fulfilling the Law and making satisfaction. In Justification no other Righteousness can take place but that Active and Passive one of Christ, which answers the pure and righteous Law in every point: He that doth righteousness is righteous, that is, his doing shews, but doth not make him righteous in Justification. Repentance ⟨p. 76⟩is an Evangelical Condition, but no Cause of Pardon: Holiness and Obedience are the way to Glory, but not the Cause of it: A Transformation into God's Image makes us meet for Heaven, but the Righteousness of Christ alone purchased a Title for us. As to what the Author adds, Though our Obedience be not perfect, if it be sincere, we shall be accepted for the sake of Christ; I answer, Our Obedience is accepted, but not to be the matter of our Justification; Christ's Righteousness alone is that which answers the Law for us.