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

Christ the sufficient and only Foundation?¹ No doubt he is so; who can, who dares lay any other? Had not he satisfied divine Justice, there could have been no room for agreement or walking with God, but as cursed Exiles we must have gone to our own place in the lowest Hell: But what Foundation is he? Is he such an one, that profane persons, contrary to God, as Darkness to Light, Death to Life, Pollution to Holiness, and Hatred to Love, may, whilst such, agree or walk with God? Is he such, that such wicked ones, walking in darkness, may have fellowship with him, contrary to that of the Apostle? Or that such may, as the Authors phrase is, become bold, and look Justice in the face, and whet their knife at the Counter-door, all their debts being discharged by Christ? Doth the Dr. say so, or mean any such thing? No surely; hear what he saith, not in remote places, but upon this very point: God is Light, we darkness, he Life, we dead sinners, he Holiness, we defiled, he Love, we hatred; surely this is no foundation ⟨p. 78⟩of agreement, or upon that, of walking together; nothing can be more remote than this frame from such a condition: The foundation then of this is laid in Christ, he is our peace, he slew the Enmity in his Body on the Cross, he made an atonement with God; God lays down the Enmity on his part, and proceeds to slay the Enmity on ours: We receive the Atonement, lay down our Enmity to God, and have access unto the Father: Christ gives us an Understanding to know him that is true; he consecrates a new and a living way into the holiest of all; and this way is no other but himself, he is the Medium of communication between God and us; all influences of Love, Kindness, Mercy from God to us are through him; all our returns of Love, Delight, Obedience to God, are all through him; nay, all our Strength is from him, by the Spirit of life and power he bears us on Eagles Wings in the paths of walking with God; and in him we come to have an aim and design at Gods Glory. Thus and much more saith the Dr. in that place, his excellent words need no Apology; let the curious Palate taste them at the Fountain, and then tell me, if there be any Tack or Tincture of those black Consequences hinted by ⟨p. 79⟩the Author;

Christ the sufficient and only Foundation?