from the Life in the Eternal Word In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men § 3. Pr. Ibid. W. P's best Reason assisted with his Light within is Fondly at work to prove that the Light and Spirit and not the Scriptures were the Rule of their Faith that gave forth the Scriptures Answ Seeing he deridingly opposeth this we must take him as believing or speaking the contrary viz. That not the Light and Spirit of Truth within but the Scriptures were the Rule of their Faith that gave them forth Gross Ignorance as if the Scriptures were the Primary Dictater and Revealer of Scriptures and not the Light and Spirit of God within Contrary to plain Scripture Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Spirit of God Surely the Scriptures could not be the Rule before they were but the Holy Spirit was both the Mover Rule and Guide in giving them forth Pr. Ibid. Its matter of Lamentation that the Quakers false Light and their lying Spirit do counterfeit the true Light and holy Spirit to decry the Scriptures from being the Rule of Faith and Life Answ It s matter of Lamentation that such blind Guides as this should keep People in Darkness from the true Light and holy Spirit under pretence of the Scriptures being the Rule of Faith and Life Which though this be a main Article of his Faith yet for this very Point he has not produc'd any plain Scripture that saith the Scriptures are the Rule of Faith and Life Which if he cannot produce such proof for they are not that only Rule but rather a Rule or Instruction subordinate to the true Light and holy Spirit as directing to it Pr. p. 8. Surely this Quakers Light within burnt dim in his Socket the Light within is no such Infallible Teacher as the Quakers brag of like the Papists infallible Judge it s not without its gross Mistakes Answ See how again he blasphemously scoffs against the Light within in his Comparing it with the Papists pretended Infallible Judge wherein he is grosly mistaken but so is not that Divine Light of Christ within which we profess believe and own In him was Life and that Life was the Light of men Though men may Err yet this Light cannot § 4. Pr. Ibid. The real Quaker is for Go teach baptizing with the holy Ghost and with Fire If this be not to turn People from Light to Darkness from God to the Power of Satan let the sober-minded Reader judge Answ The true Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel in Spirit and Power wherewith Christs Ministers were and are endued was for the Conversion and turning People from Darkness to Light and from Satans Power to the Power of God which does no whit fall short of a Spiritual Baptism or dipping into the Name Power and Life of the Father Son and Holy Spirit Go teach baptizing them into the Name c. was a Commission by divine Power and Authority and in the same was fulfilled by Christs presence with his Ministers Lo I am with you alway even unto the End said he and therefore it was by virtue of Christ's Presence with them that they were made Instrumental in baptizing with the Spirit And this was not to turn them from Light to Darkness as most ignorantly is alledged by this Priest Pr. Pag. 9. Surely W. Penn was as Oxford to Lick Glass-Windows Answ A scornful Detraction which shews the Pride of the Priest's Heart Pr. Ibid. It is the Judgment of a real Quaker that Water-Baptism is none of Christ's Institutions and that Paul was of the same mind which is a most gross mistake Answ No Mistake at all that Christ sent not Paul to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel as he himself expresly saith 1 Cor. 1. And this he gave as his most general Reason why he Baptized no more of them than he did And surely his Commission was not short of the rest of the Apostles Wherefore Water-Baptism was not included in it § V. Pr Ibid. That the real Quaker confesseth himself guilty of a base Doctrine viz. That â—ustification by that Righteousness which Christ fulfilled WHOLLY without us is a Sin pleasing Notion Answ No such Confession of Guilt by the Real Quaker who confesseth to Christ's Righteousness both without and within as 't is received by Faith unto Justification or making men Righteous for he cannot own that men can truly be reckoned Righteous or Just while they have none of Christ's Righteousness within them or while his Image is not at all renewed in them nor they in any Degree sanctified None are justified without living Faith in Christ Jesus Therefore none are justified in an unsanctified State so not wholly without them especially if Christ's living Faith be the instrumental Cause of our Justification or Causa sine qua non without which there 's no real Justification he that believes not is condemned already though Christ who is the Author of Faith be the Principal Cause of Good to us Pr. Ibid. The Papists call it a Putative Righteousness This Justification by Christ's Righteousness imputed by Faith which is a comfortable Doctrine is basely murthered betwixt these two Thieves Answ He has here maliciously as well as basely slandered us called Quakers in his Comparison for we never denyed Christ's Righteousness as imputed or reckoned to us by Faith taken in the Real Scripture Sense But some Professors reckoning of it to men in an Unbelieving Unconverted and Unsanctified State or when no Good is wrought in them in which State I suppose he dare not directly say Men are justified for without Faith its impossible to please God and yet he says little or no less if he tell us that men are justified and acquitted before God by a Righteousness of Câ—aist WHOLLY without them for that leaves no room for Christ's Righteousness to have any place within them for their Justification And is not this a Sin-pleasing Notion I would ask what that Righteousness that Christ fulfilled wholly without them was Did it not consist in his Obedience to the Father and fulfilled in his Sufferings and Death If this then has compleated Justification wholly without men then it must be compleated for all Mankind for whom he dyed And he dyed for all men tasted Death for every man for the whole World What then are all men yea the whole World that lies in Sin compleatly justified by this Priest's Doctrine they must if it be effected wholly without them See now what Sin-pleasing Work our Adversary's run into whereas Christ dyed for our Sins and rose again for our Justification Therefore 't was not wholly accomplished by his Death Pr. pag. 10. We are accounted Righteous before God ONLY for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith That we are JUSTIFIED by Faith only is a most wholsome Doctrine Answ Here he joyns Faith to the Merit of our Lord in the Matter of Imputation but then says We are justified by Faith
G's Terms viz. That God-man purchased and compleated Reconciliation Justification c. with God at once without us which I could not own to be a Scripture-Phrase or good Sense Hereupon instead of any Convincing Confutation the Priest flies out in Railery and Reviling at his wonted rate Pr. viz. That God purchased of God an old Socinian Cavil Thus the Light within is at unawares singing the old Cuckoes Song Thus the Quakers Ignis Fatuus c. What a blind pitiful Elf is this Quakers Light within that it cannot discern Redemption by Christ God-man as purchase made without us Answ Though he has herein revil'd me with Socinianism and a Cuckoes Song and shamefully blasphemed the Light within as an Ignis Fatuus a blind pitiful Elf c. This makes nothing to my Conviction but shews that this Proud man glories in his Shame Blindness Scorn and Blasphemy which is no convincing Argument Let him call it what he will I am not yet convinced that the Phrase viz. God-man purchased and compleated Justification with God at once without us is either Scripture-Language or good Sense why does he not produce us Scripture for it for it renders God in the first place as the Agent purchasing or buying Justification c. of God himself and so over-looks and confounds or mis-placeth his Mediators Office which as Man through God's Help he performed as God hath said In a Day of Salvation have I helped thee he was made lower than the Angels in respect of his Sufferings yet God the Father helped and supported him even in his Sufferings for Mankind Again If the Father's Kindness to Mankind was no whit inseriour to the Son's Kindness or that they were both alike kind to Man as 't is not to be doubted then it was in the freeness of the Father's Love that Christ came to redeem or purchase lost Man to God It was by the Grace of God that he tasted Death for every man and became a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God But where the Priest sayes God-Man purchased our Redemption of God this supposes him as God to be the chief Agent in purchasing Redemption of God Can this mean any otherwise than that either God did so purchase or buy this of himself or else that Christ as a God inseriour to the Most High God did buy it of him which so much borders on Socinianism denying the Deity of the Son of God or that he is the Most High God that I cannot be thus Socinianiz'd For though Jesus Christ be both God Man in absolute and wonderful Union yet those Works and Sufferings of his in the Flesh which concern'd Man's Reconciliation Eternal Redemption and Salvation with Respect to his Merit and Dignity therein they all related to Christ as Mediator between God and Man and as such he is called the Man Christ Jesus and in these Considerations he is made inferiour to the Father as he said My Father is greater than I We have one Mediator between God and Men even the Man Christ Jesus It was as Man that he dyed and gave himself a Ransom for all and it was by this One Man Jesus Christ that the Grace and Gift of God hath abounded unto many as by man came Death so by man came the Resurrection of the Dead this is Scripture Language and accordingly Redemption by Christ as his giving himself for us to Redeem us from ALL Iniquity from the Vain Conversation from the Earth c. is truly owned by us Pr. pag. 14. God the Son made Man purchasing our Redemption of God the Father by the price of his own Blood as God Intâ—rnate Answ Now he has mended the matter 't is as he was made Man that he purchased or rather obtained our Redemption By his own Blood he entered once into the Holy Place heb 9.12 having obtained eternal Redemption for us And this Redemption that he obtained for us was our Deliverance and Freedom from under Sin Death and Condemnation as the following words clear it For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh how MUCH MORE shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God Furge your Conscience from Dead Works to serve the Living God Hence it most clearly follows that that Eternal Redemption which Christ obtained for us by his Blood and Sacrifice without us must be partaken of and enjoyed within us by a real purging and sanctifying of our Conscience as before And since Remission of Sins Redemption and Justification are attributed to the Blood of Christ as Means or Cause thereof through Faith it follows that though these were obtained by the Sacrifice of Christ without us they are effected and compleated by him within us for our absolute discharge from the Guilt of Sin Condemnation and Curse by a real Purging our Consciences and Purifying of our Hearts by a true Faith in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby we partake of the Effects and Benefits both of his Merit and Sufferings outward and his effectual Work inward to our Salvation from Sin and the sad Effects thereof He hath obtained Eternal Redemption for us he hath gotteâ— the Power thereof for us that we might have it and enjoy it through his effectual Work in us in setting us free from the Bondage of Sin and Corruption and this allows not that men are compleatly justified and redeemed while no Good no Qualification is wrought in them by any Light or Spirit whatsoever as R. G. affirmed and whose Cause this Priest has espoused and therefore 't is Chargeable upon him wherein they have at once justified the Unclean the Wicked the Unbelievers the Unconverted the Impenitent c. and excluded the Light and Spirit of Christ Faith Repentance Conversion Sanctification Humility Sincerity c. which are Inward Qualifications and Fruits of the holy Spirit from being conterned in this great Work and State of Justification and Redemption contrary to Christ's own Testimony Except I wash thee thou hast no part with me Pr. pag. 15. This Quaking Proteus turn'd into a Socinian shape It s still no less than unscriptural that God-man hath purchased all of God without Farewell to the received Doctrine of the Church of England Answ Quaking Proteus a Fabulous Flout and Falshood The Quakers greatly differ from the Socinians both touching the Deity of Christ and his divine Light in man and Perfection in this Life as owned by Quakers not by Socinians The Doctrine of the Church of England allows of no such Doctrine as that Persons are compleatly justified while no good is wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ and that under the Pretence of God-Man having purchased all of God without For even E. Still Treat pag. 270. Stilling fleet in his discourse of the Sufferings of Christ against Socin Crel counts it an Opinion which few who have consider'd these things do maintain
only Well to make the best on 't 't is granted that by Christ's Merit and true Faith in him we are Justified Whence it therefore follows that our Justification is not fulfilled wholly without us unless our Faith must be wholly excluded or shut out as wholly without us Pr. Ibid. The Case is sad that IMPARTED Righteousness may not be retained but Imputed Righteousness like Ishmael must be câ—st forth yea LOATHED as a Sin-pleasing Notion rejected as that which is Horrible Wicked Answ Here is an Abusive Insinuation suggested against us We do not cast forth nor loath any Righteousness that God for Christ's sake imputes to us or reckons ours through true and living Faith We do not set Imparted Righteousness in Opposition to what is truly Imputed to us because 't is not truly Imputed unless Imparted As that of Faith which was reckon'd to Abraham and is still to his Children who are of Faith and walk in his steps But 't is here granted that there must be Imparted Righteousness and that it must be retained and therefore Imputed Righteousness not cast out nor rejected If not cast out nor rejected then it must be retained within So on the other hand I may justly argue that 't is sad that Imputed Righteousness may not be retained but Imparted Righteousness must be cast forth and loathed as Popery Or that we should be reckoned as denying Christ's Merits or Deservings while we are also asserting his inward Work Righteousness and Obedience of Faith unto Justification for these are not inconsistent Qr. To William Penn's affirming that Christ's Work was twofold 1st To remit forgive or justifie from the Imputation of Sins past such as truly repent and believe 2dly By his Power and Spirit working in the Hearts of such to destroy and remove the very nature of Sin to make an end of it to finish Transgression c. Pr. To this the Priest answers p. 11. viz. With this Distinction he doth only play the Mountebank's part This Counterfeit Balsom he Juggles like the Devil this real Quaker hath the Knack to deliver some Truth according to Scripture that he may the better mannage his Devilish Design to put off his bad Wares Answ 'T is no Mountebanks Part or Juggle to deliver Truth according to Scripture nor hath the Real Quaker any Devilish Design therein this Foul-mouth'd Slanderer is far louder in his Charge than in his Proof the Distinction is honest and just in the first the Merit Dignity and Interest of our Lord Jesus Christ is confest In the second is his Power and Work of Grace in the Heart unto Sanctification and Justification asserted which does not oppose but effectually speaks forth his Dignity and Merit for man's eternal good Pr. Ibid. The first part of this Quaking Distinction is very lame the latter part full of false Doctrine to make Justification by Christ's Righteousness without us a Counterfeit Doctrine and Justification by Inherent Righteousness only Thus the Papists and Quakers are in a great measure Hail Fellow well met only the Quaker hath the Honour to be the more perfect Dotard of the Two Answ Here is no Confutation but Scorn and Perversion which shews himself rather the Perverse Dotard For Christ's Righteousness and Merit as in himself or as it was without us is not excluded Remission or Justification from the Charge of Sins past on Repentance and Faith Nor is Justification wholly placed upon the inherent or inward Righteousness of Christ but both are concern'd in man's absolute Justification Only the Doctrine of Imputation to exclude or reject Christ's Inherent Righteousness in Justification of the Unrighteous Unconverted or Wicked this we oppose as unsound § VI. And further there is no such Correspondency between the Papists and Quakers in the point for the Papists place the Merit of Justification and Salvation upon their own Works after the first Justification by Christ's Merits thereby rendring God indebted to them for their Good Works Acts of Charity c. though done by his Grace The Quaker distinguishes between Merit in the strict sence as used by the Papists and obtaining Acceptance with God upon the Faithful Improvement of his Grace and Obedience of Faith God accepts us in and for Christ's sake in our Obedience to his free Grace but we do not thereby Merit Buy or Purchase Salvation to our selves as making God a Debtor to us in the Papists sence For 't was of his free Grace that we are what we are and that we obey and practise what 's our Duty For by Grace through Faith we are saved not of our selves it s the Gift of God to whom we must render the Praise of all Qr. Ibid. To William Penn's granting such as Repent and believe receive Remission or a Justifying from former sins through the Righteousness of God declared in by Jesus Christ But Compleat Justification is a making inwardly Just through a purging out of Iniquity mortifying of Corruption and bringing in Christ's Everlasting Righteousness Pr. To this the Priest gives his Answer viz. Here 〈◊〉 have the Real Quaker a down-right Papist he is professedly gone into the Tents of Rome he is become a stout Champion under the Popes Banner Behold this Real Quaker dabling in gross Popery Answ This is all a Slanderous and manifest Perversion 't is no Popery but Scripture-Testimony to assert That Compleat Justification is a making inwardly Just through a purging out Iniquity mortifying Corruption making the Soul to partake of Christ's Everlasting Righteousness seeing that according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3. And this is not a meriting Salvation by our own Works in the Papists sence For 't is placed upon the Kindness of God in Christ and washing of Regeneration Pr. Ibid. Acccording to the Tenour of his words Compleat Justification is a MAKING INWARDLY JVST through a purging out of Iniquity mortifying of Corruption and bringing in Christ's Everlasting Righteousness Answ And this Adversary hath said nothing in Confutation of this he only recites and reviles our words and rails at us but Reasons not to our Conviction or Confutation If to Justifie be Justum facere to make Just as some of his own Coat have confest and that on the place cited Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. then this must be inwardly effected through a purging out Iniquity and a bringing in Christ's Everlasting Righteousness even through the washing of Regeneration But see what the Priest offers to confute us in the Sequel Pr. p. 12. Thus the Doctrine of the Church of England is trampled under foot c. Answ He thinks he has gotten a strong hold in the Church of England there is his Castle and Garrison to Consute the Quakers by telling them Thus the Doctrine of the Church of England is trampled under foot but tells us not what that Doctrine is But it seems it is a Doctrine
and none need to think themselves obliged to do it which is that Christ paid a Proper and Ridgid Satisfaction * Let my Adversar reconcile his Doctrine to this of Christs Satisfaction as held by the Presbyterians where he sayes That Satisfastion made by Christ God-Man to God the rathers Justice is a precious Gospel-Truth Is not this such a Notion as Edw. Stillingfleet here opposeth for the Sins of Men considered under the Notion of Debt and that he paid the very same which we ought to have done c. And further saith If the very same had been paid in the strict sense Ibid. p. 271. there would have followed a Deliverance Ipso Facto for the Release immediately follows the Payment of the same c. But we see that Faith and Repentance and the Consequences of those two are made Conditions on our parts in order to the enjoying the Benefit of what Christ hath procured And he further argues and saith We are to consider that these very Persons assert that Christ Paid all for us Ibid. p. 272. and in our Name and stead c. But above all things it is impossible to reconcile the Freeness of Remission with the full Payment of the very same It is impossible the same Debt should be fully paid and freely forgiven And he counts that they give the Church's Adversaries too great Advantage who hold this Opinion built upon a Mistake that Satisfaction must be such a strict Payment However let it be noted That seeing Faith and Repentance and the Consequences of both are made Conditions on our parts in order to the enjoying the Benefit of what Christ hath procured It follows that Justification and Redemption are not compleated wholly without us or that men are justified and redeemed while no Good no Qualification is wrought in them by the Spirit and Light of Christ for Faith and Repentance are some Good wrought in us thereby Pr. Ibid. No such thing discoverable by the Light within any Quaker as that the Godhead and Manhood were joyned in one Person who suffered was dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a Sacrifice not only for Original Guilt but also for all Actual Sins of Men. Ibid. The Quakers deny Christ to be God-Man in one Person Answ 'T was discoverable by the Spirit of Christ in the Prophets that Christ should be called the Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 as also by the same Spirit and â—ight of it they did soresee his Sufferings as Man and the Glory that should follow and that thereby as a Sacrifice he should make a Reconciliation for Iniquity and also that he should bring in Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9. And accordingly God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and it is as in Christ who is truly God and truly Man inseparable that God and Men are reconciled and in Union but not so out of Christ in their Unbelief Sin and Transgressions § X. Pr. Ibid. If this with his Fellow-Quakers were enjoyned by the King's Majesty the Defender of the true Faith to subscribe to the Thirty Nine Articles then by their declaring their unfeigned Assent and Consent but to the two first Articles thereof their False Christian Paint would soon fall off these Saints Seed People Answ This man 's Hypocritical Paint is greatly defaced by his Scoffing and Flouting and shamefully Belying us therewith We hope to approve our selves True Christians Saints and People of God when he and such Temporizing Hypocrites and Scorners shall be had in universal Contempt for their Wickedness As to the two first Articles if that will either quiet him or he thinks it may make for him I can assent and subscribe to the substance of the two first that is To the One Living and True God infinite in Power Wisdom and Goodness the Maker and Preserver of all things and the Father Son and Holy Ghost as of one Substance Power and Eternity And to the Son his being the Word the very Eternal God of One Substance and that he took Man's Nature in the Virgin Mary and that so he is one Christ perfect God and Man who as Man truly suffered was crucified dead and buried and so became a Sacrifice for Reconciliation between the Father and us This without any Equivocal or Reserved Sense I can freely consent to let my Adversary make what he can of it Qr. G.W. Now if Professors come not to feel and experience these Things or Works of Christ viz. Reconciliation Redemption Salvation Justification fulfilled within them they are but meer empty Professors and Talkers of them without the true Life and Power of Christianity and true Religion Priest answers p. 16. They are Quakers in Heart ill principled in Christianity who do not see plainly how this Quaker 's Spirit hath put him upon playing the Sophister as well as an Ignoramus in it Answ Here he counts us Ill principl'd in Christianity Sophisters and Ignoramus's for asserting that Reconciliation Redemption Salvation Justification must be fulfilled within as much as to tell us that Professors possess the true Life and Power of Christianity without having these Works of Christ fulfilled within them as if they were all wholly compleated without them without respect to the Work of Christ within them This is still his old Antinomian Notion which he would father upon the Church of England but how contrary not only to Scripture but also to the Seventeenth Article of the Bishops concerning those who are Chosen in Christ let the serious Reader judge The words in the said Article are these viz. Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a Benefit of God be called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through Grace obey the Calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of his Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk Religiously in good Works and at length by God's Mercy they attain to Everlasting Felicity Here is as much said for me as I can desire to this Adversary's Confutation discovering not only his Abuse of the Quakers but of his own Church in his pleading for a Justification of men wholly without them so wholly excluding the Works of Christ from within leaving them under the Dominion of Sin and Satan But this is not all but also in the said 17th Article there are these words viz. And such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the Works of the Flesh and their Earthly Members and drawing up their Minds to High and Heavenly Things fervently kindle their Love towards God How plain is it that here is Confession to the working of God's Spirit even to the feeling if it within Obedience to his Calling being made Sons of God conformable to the Image of his Son c. included in the State of Justification contrary to our Adversary's
WHOLLY WITHOUT By which 't is still evident how he has contradicted the Church of England in this Point Pr. There is not one Syllable of Redemption by Purchase to be found in it p. 16. Answ He intends this of my sense of certain Scripture-terms relating to Christ and his Work pag. 8 9. of my Book Nature of Christianity but herein he has shamefully belyed me For Redemption is found and thus explained in it viz. A Ransoming Buying again a Rescuing or Recovering such as were under Bondage c. Pr. p. 17. Not only ignorantly but basely explain'd they must be all felt and experimentally fulfill'd within Professors Answ No base Explanation to feel and Experience Justification Salvation c. the Works of Christ fulfilled within But this man shews his Baseness in contemning this and his Contrapiction to the Bishops Article before cited else what mean those words therein viz. Such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the Works of the Flesh c. Pr. Ibid. Justification is altogether Popishly explained a plain Instance that the Quakers Light within is from Rome below and not from Heaven above This is an Abuse again 't is not Popishly explain'd by us For though the Papists place the first Justification of men through the Means and Merits of Christ to be when God finds no good Works to Reward but Sins to Pardon unto such as have Faith in him yet they hold a second Justification and Salvation through the Merits of their own Works by the Assistance and Co-operation of God's Spirit * Vide Rhemists Annot. in Nov. Test on Rom. 2 3 4 9 10. Chapters and on 2 Tim. 4. Chap. Vers 8. where they say That all good Works done by God's Grace after the first Justification be truly and properly Meritorious and fully worthy of Everlasting Life and that thereupon Heaven is the due and just Stipend Crown or Recompence which God by his Justice oweth to the Persons so working by his Grace by which Merit or Meritoriousness of their own Works they do not mean in a mild sence an obtaining acceptance with God as by doing their Duty but in a strict sence that they have so deserved their Hire or Reward at God's hand as that they reckon God as a Debtor to them Whereas we place the Merit Deserving or Dignity wholly upon Christ both in his obtaining Redemption for us and his working in us that which is well-pleasing to the Father and his enabling us to do those things that please him wherein our Acceptance is wholly in him both with respect to his Suffering for us and his working in us and his working by us and what good we do by his Assistance 't is but our Duty not our Merit 't is that wherein we obtain Acceptance through the Assistance of his free Grace and not that whereby we can be said strictly to merit buy or purchase Salvation to our selves For what 's of Grace is not of Debt as from God to us we are Debtors to him for Christ's sake but he is no Debtor to us in his Gracious Rewards For we have all that 's good Root and Branch from him who hath ordain'd Peace for us having wrought all our works in us and we are bound to give thanks to God always for what we have and are even by his Grace and Goodness in Christ to us § XI Pr. Pag. 19. To believe and wait for the Life Everlasting after Death is no Article of this Quakers Faith this is a putting Salvation at a great Distance Answ This is a foul Perversion as if I did not believe Life Everlasting after Death whereas I only detected R. G. his Mistake on Heb. 9.28 his making the Believers looking for Christ and his Appearance the second time without Sin to Salvation to be a hoping and waiting for Salvation after the Bodily Death whereas I intended a Salvation from Sin and consequently from Wrath that this Salvation ought not to be put off till the Life to come For all that truly know this Appearance of Christ for this end experience him to save them from Sin and can truly say Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ Rev. 12. Pr. p. 20. To affirm that the Salvation of Sinners yea of the whole World should be compleatly finished by Christ's Death upon the Cross above Sixteen Hundred Years since this is strange Doctrine to this Ill principl'd Quaker Answ If the Salvation of the whole World was compleatly finished by Christ's Death on the Cross so long since what should hinder any man of Salvation And if so compleatly finish't there is none like to miss of it let them be as Corrupt as they will in themselves there is no exception of Condition on Man's part But if Salvation was so long since compleatly finished for Sinners yea for the whole World why does this Priest so Rail against me and the Quakers He should think by his own Rule that we are compleatly saved as well as he But if he says that we want Faith Christianity and sound Principles and therefore are not saved this still confutes himself and grants an inward work of Christ to produce Faith Christianity c. for the compleating our Salvation although Christ dyed for all men Pr. Ibid. You see clearly it s no part of this Quakers Faith to believe that Christ is the Son of the Virgin Mary Answ This is an apparent Lye and gross Perversion we have alwayes believed the Scriptures even in this very matter of Christs being born of the Virgin Pr. Ibid. This Quaker is bold to say to this Purpose If any man believes that Christ shall come at the last day to judge the quick and the dead to adjudge the Righteous to Heaven to condemn the Wicked to Hell then he may look till his Eyes drop out c. Answ A Notorious Perversion again I said nothing to this purpose against Christ's coming to judge the quick and dead at the Last Day but against my Opposer's putting off Salvation till after the Bodily Death in reference to that Appearance of Christ without Sin to Salvation to them that look for him and this on Heb. 9.28 Upon which I said 'T is strange that Salvation of Sinners yea of the whole World should be compleated at once above sixteen hundred Years since and yet to be so long after Death look't for how long is not known to thee c. Nat. Christ p. 29. Here is not one word in opposition to Christ's coming to Judgment But what was argued by me in this Case was in respect to the Salvation of Sinners and Christ's Appearance to save from Sin For but in page before I mentioned his Saving us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the holy Ghost on Tit. 3.4 5 6. Pr. p. 21. As for Christ's Righteousness without us made ours by Faith this is the Doctrine which is disowned by
this Papal Quaker Answ This is False again for whilst we own a Life and Living by the Faith of the Son of God how can we disown his Righteousness that is made our's by Faith When 't is made ours we partake of it though it was without us in him before it was in us by him § XII Pr. Ibid. In this Quaking Account of Justification what hath this Quaker said more which the Council of Trent hath not determined to his hand viz. Council Trid. Cap. 3. Sess 6. Cum ea renascentia per meritu passionis ejus gratia qua justifiunt illis tribuatur Which he thus Englisheth Together with the New Birth through the Merit of Christ's Passion Grace whereby they are made Righteous is imparted to them Cap. 7. Sess 6. Justificatio est Sanctificatio Renovatio interioris hominis per voluntariam susceptionem gratiae As he interprets Justification is both the Sanctification and Renovation of the inward man by Grace received He should have said By the willing or free receiving of Grace Answ And what does our Adversary infer from hence but that Quakers and Papists agree together in the point of Justification by inherent Righteousness And yet he cannot deny but the Merit of Christ's Passion is confest to in the point But it seems he would not have the New Birth concern'd in the case or that Grace that makes us Righteous should be imparted to us and so included and joyned with the Merit of Christ's Passion in this great point of Justification or that Justification should be both the Sanctification and Renovation of the inward man by Grace received If these be not offensive to him why does he clamour against the Quaker for agreeing with the Council of Trent in this point as if his citing the Council of Trent having determin'd a point to the Quakers hand or which Quakers own though they never received it themselves and which he himself does not at all consute were enough to knock down the Quakers at one Blow Whence it follows that where the Council of Trent grants the Merit of Christ's Passion which the Papists place mens first Justification upon without Works Christ's Merit or deserving herein must be opposed because the Council of Trent and Papists hold it Is not this learned Logick Thus our Adversary has attempted to knock down the Quaker because the Council of Trent and Papists hold divers Errors but Papists render their own good Works after the first Justification strictly meritorious of Heaven which the Quakers do not therefore we must not hold any Truths which they intermix among their Errors but be branded derided for Papists Papal Quakers such kind of arguing savours more of an Atheistical Spirit than of a Christian And such measure have we from our Adversary But his main Design is to oppose the Saints being made Righteous by Grace imparted to them through Christ and to impose upon us a Justification or rather his false Imputation thereof without either Sanctification or Renovation of the inward man by Grace received seeing he has espoused the Cause of such as affirm Justification and Redemption of men while no good is wrought in them and that these are fulfilled or compleated WHOLLY WITHOUT THEM And yet to his own Confutation has granted that Righteousness must be imparted and retain'd in his 10th page but here because the Council of Trent has confest unto the New Birth and that the Grace that makes Righteous must be imparted to them rendring the Merit of Christ's Passion as a means thereof which is an Undeniable Truth I must be revil'd as a Papal Quaker and this Inherent Righteousness in the New Birth though wrought by the Grace of God opposed as to our Justification Thus my Adversary has not only Absurdly argued against me but Atheistically set himself against the Work of Christ inward by invalidating of it reckoning Persons justified Wholly without which must be whilst they are wholly Unjust and Poluted within or when no good is wrought in them else what does all his Quarrel against us amount to But he sillily goes on in his Comparison between Quaker and Papist as followeth Pr. Ibid. They do both disclaim the works of the Law before Grace received Ibid. Works not done in Christ the Seed do not justifie says the Canting Quaker Ibid. Justification is the Sanctifying of the inner man by Grace received say the Papists Ibid. The Righteousness by Faith is when the Law is performed in us by the Works of the Spirit saith the Quaker Ibid. By Grace received in the New Birth are we made Righteous say the Papists Thus the Light within which guides the Quaker to Scribble concerning Justification is nothing else but TRENT POPERY infused into them by subtil Popish Priests Answ We have nothing but his Comparison and Reviling here for Confutation The matter is answered before I would ask this man First If he does not disclaim the Works of the Law before Grace received Secondly If works not done in Christ do Justifie or render any Just If he says No why does he Scoff and Cry out Canting Quaker so saying they do not Thirdly Whether any do partake of the Righteousness by Faith without Christ's fulfilling the Righteousness of the Law in them according to Rom. 8.4 For it s them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit to whom there is no Condemnation and In whom the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled And this does not make void Christ's Passion or Suffering for man and fulfilling the Law in his Person without us for therein he was not only a Perfect Pattern of Righteousness but also came to condemn sin in the flesh and by his Sacrifice to make an Attonement and Pacification to stop the Wrath and suspend the severe Execution of the Law which man had incurred and to make way for Remission to us that we might be the more engaged to him to follow him in Spirit and come under the New Covenant terms But the Priest concludes with a notorious Falshood about what we write of Justification as being infused by Popish Priests This is a Wicked Slander for the work of the New Birth Being made inwardly Righteous by Grace received in Christ the sanctifying renewing the inner man by the holy Spirit these we never learned of the Popish Priests nor ever were we discipled by them but by the blessed operation of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ through Faith in his Name according to the Testimony of himself holy Apostles most plainly intimated in these Scriptures Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.3 5. And If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me said Christ to Peter John 13.8 And According to his Mercy he saved us by the Washing of Regeneration c. Tit. 3.5 6.
And also see 1 Cor. 6.11 where both Washing Sanctification and Justification are said to be in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And even Erasmus in his Paraphrase on Acts 13.38 39. saith expresly Through this same Jesus each man without respect of any Person or else offence hath Righteousness or Justification and Innocency profferred unto him so that he believe the Promises of the Gospel Note Surely then these are profferred to be received Therefore this Adversary's saying That the Quakers have a Pâ—pe in their Bellies and that the Quaker his Lines are hammered out upon his Popish Anvil as in pag. 22 24. These are some of his Abominable Scurrilous Slanders such Temporizers as he are more like to have a Pope in their Bellies that for their Bellies can Temporize Change and Turn their Coat in Religious matters And how like a Popish Incendiary has he acted in rendring the People called Quakers so guilty of Popery as if he had a Design to carry on for the Popish Interest either by endeavouring the Quakers Destruction because of their opposition to Popery or else by encreasing the Number of Papists by adding the Quakers thereto or rather falsly rendring the Popish Interest far bigger than it is Besides he grosly mistakes as well as shallowly argues about Popery in his rendring some Truths which the Council of Trent held to be Popery whereas Popery is the Gross Erronious Idolatrous and Superstitious part of their Doctrine and Religion and not any Scripture-Truths that they hold But this man it seems where they hold the New Birth and the Renovation of the inner man c. as necessary to our Justification this he 'll deem Popery because held by the Council of Trent But further Though Christ dyed for all all are not Partakers of the blessed Ends and Benefit thereof but those to whom it is communicated for unless in Adam they were faln and degenerate so as to dye in their own Injustice unto Righteousness they should not be unjust so unless they be regenerate in Christ they should never be justified and live to him Council of Trent chap. 3. Sess 6. Vnless they were born again in Christ they should never be justified Then it follows because that Regeneration is given to them by the Merit of his Suffering by Grace received whereby they are made Righteous What Protestant ever denyed this that only the Regenerate had the Benefit of Christ's Sufferings and that Regeneration was given freely and that thereby they were made Righte ous or Sanctified or Repentance wrought in them and Newnes of Life By Grace we are saved saith Paul through Faith and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God This Man appears in this Point an Adversary to the Papists and Protestants that are not Libertines And the Charge is true against him that the Papists untruly bring against the Protestants viz. of Libertinism And at this rate he may as well invalidate much of the Doctrine of the Church of England so much applauded by him for that she holds the same Truths which in divers things the Church of Rome holds and both have recourse in many things to the same Authors and Fathers for their Assertions And in this very Case of Justification inwardly the Rhemists in their Annot. on Rom. 3.22 cite St. Augustine speaking thus The Grace of Christ doth work our Illumination and Justification inwardly also De Pec. Mer. l. 1. c. 9 10. And again He giveth to the Faithful the most secret Grace of his Spirit which secretly he poureth into Infants also And again They are justiâ—â—ed in Christ that believe in him through the secret Communication and Inspiration of spiritual Grace whereby every one leaneth to our Lord. And again He maketh just renewing by the Spirit and Regeneration by Grace And also a Person of note who lately wrote the Book entituled The Middle Way of Perfection with indifferency between the Orthodox and the Quaker he vindicates us in this very Point of Justification as it is from the Charge of the Law and the Charge of the Gospel confessing That our Faith and Repentance is our Righteousness in regard to the Gospel but Pardon of Sin together with this Righteousness so both into universal Justification p. 5. And also pleads for God's justifying us by this Righteousness that is by Faith and Evangelical Obedience And farther saith he I do not find that the Scripture doth denominate or pronounce any one Righteous or a Just Man from one end to another upon any other account then his doing Righteousness As also saith That calm Protestants grant the Constitution of a real true Righteousness according to the Covenant of Grace pag. 15 16. And grants A having the Righteousness of a perfect Heart for Justification and yet no man justified but by the Grace of God through the Redemption which we have in Christ Jesus pag. 26. And also consesseth That we have their Divines on the blind side and that the Orthodox are quite out that will have any justified without a Righteousness that is perfect according to the Law that justifies him i. e. the Law of Grace pag. 26. And confesseth also on St. Augustine Aug de Spir. et Lit. That 't is possible for a Man to attainto such a perfection as to live without Sin by Grace or the special Assistance of God's Spirit granting it also to be our Duty But our Adversary tells us That it is an old Popish Trick to assert Justification by Works of the Spirit p. 23. Thus he still persists in his Antinomian Libertine Sin-pleasing Principle to shut out the Work of the Spirit from Justification that Impure and Poluted Persons may be deemed Just and Righteous under the Notion of Imputation contrary to the most Moderate and Learned of all sorts both Protestants and others and contrary to what 's before-cited out of their 17th Article for the Spirit 's working in due season and mortifying the Works of the Flesh And I would know where ever any Protestant Writers of note did charge the Council of Trent with Popery on the two Passages before cited out of the said Council against us As also contrary to many Passages in the Common-Prayer or Service Book as in their Absolution to be pronounced by the Priest viz. That Almighty God hath given Power to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his People being penitent the Absolution and Remission of their Sius he pardons and absolves all them which truly repent and unfeignedly believe c. Wherefore we beseech him to grant us true Repentance and his Holy Spirit that those things may please him which we do at this present and that the rest of our Life hereafter may be Holy But with what Heart or Faith can our Adversary thus pronounce or pray when he neither believes a Pureness of Life nor grants Repentance and such unfeigned Belief to concern our Justification while he shuts out the Works