into our Justification an uncooth Phrase before God and our Salvation To prove which he brings forth three Passages of our Friends All that are called Presbyterians and Independents with their Feeding upon a Report of a thing done many hundred years ago E. Burroughs's Trump p. 17. Which J. Faldo wickedly construes thus This he saith by way of Reproach against all that act Faith on and receive Comfort from the Blessed Effects of Christ's Righteousness and Sufferings by him wrought and suffered when he was in the World Whereas in Honesty and Truth which J. Faldo shews himself wholy unacquainted with he meant no more then their Excessive Admiration of and the Regard to what Christ did without whilst they neglected undervalued and decry'd for Blasphemy and Euthusiasm the Appearance Work and Righteousness of Christ within But he thinks we have mistaken him and that he is better armed for us then we are aware of What Righteousness Christ performed without me was not my Justification neither was I saved by it R. Farnsworth he quotes for Author but no Book which is very unfair However this may be said in Defence of R. F. that what gives daily Access and Acceptance to and with the Lord is that Preparation of Clean and Righteous Adornment the Soul actually receives from Christ who is the Lord her Righteousness And take Justification in this sense and not for Remission in which he meant it if ever he said it and we do all own and acknowledge the same and let our Adversary do his worst Only I desire him to tell us the Book next time which affords that Expression § 2. But I. Pennington he thinks he has made his own Can Outward Blood clense the Conscience Can Outward Water wash the Soul clean Quest p. 25. I beseech you that read me hear his comment A plain Denial of the Efficacy of the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross to clense the Soul from the Guilt of Sin by its Satisfaction to the Justice of God I have had to do with many Enemies to God's Truth But I must profess to the whole World I never yet saw spoak to or read of a more disingenuous Man To pervert our Words alter Sentences draw Generals from Particulars and then call them Ours is Base and Unmanly I would fain have an impartial Man answâ—r me Doth I. P. deny or any way meddle with the Outward Blood concerning the Guilt of Sin past how far it had an Influence into Justification taking Justification in that Sense But does he not treat of the Outward Blood with respect to Purgation and Sanctification of the Soul from the present Acts and Habits of Sin that lodge therein Is he so Sottish as to make no Distinction betwixt being pardon'd Sin past and the Ground of it and being renewed and regenerated in Mind and Spirit and the Ground of that Conversion or else is he so impiously Unjust that because we do deny that Outward Blood can be brought into the Conscience to perform that Inward Work which they themselves dare not nay do not hold Therefore I. Pennington denys any Efficacy to be in that Outward Offering and Blood towards Justification as it respects meer Remission of former Sins and Iniquities This may give the Sober-minded some Relish of his Rancker We do say that Outward Blood can no more clense then Outward Water But we also say that Christ's Blood had an Influence into Justification as he phraseth it which I shall presently show § 3. He undertakes the Defence of what he falsly says we deny but so confusedly as ought to shame a modest Man and a Pretender to Controversy His first Scripture is this And he received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that Righteousness might be imputed to them Rom. 4. 11. His Observation and Inference run thus that Imputation is a Reckoning that to any which they have not from themselves nor actually from another otherwise it could not be Grace therefore it was the Righteousness of another not his own This is so base a Pervertion and Mis-using of the Word that Imputation both in Scripture and Common Discourse is always taken and used in the contrary sense Let him produce me one Scripture that countenanceth his Notion This imputed Righteousness is best understood by the Context Even as David also describeth the Blessedness of the Man unto whom God imputes Righteousness without Works saying Blessed are they whose Iniquitys are forgiven and whose Sins are covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord will not impute Sin Cometh this Blessedness then upon the Circumcision only or Uncircumcision also for we say that Faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness How was it then reckoned when he was in Circumcision or Uncircumcision And he received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had yet being Uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not Circumcised that Righteousness might be imputed unto them also vers 6 7 8 9 10 11. In which we may perceive First that the Righteousness was by the Apostle inferr'd from David's Words of the Blessedness of that Man unto whom God imputed not Sin As much as if he had said whom God forgives he imputes not Sin to and to whom he imputes not Sin such he lookes upon as Righteous that is to be as clear of the Guilt of former Sin by Remission as if it had never been committed Secondly that not Works of our own no though assisted by the Holy Spirit to perform them stricktly consider'd can justifie in this sense but Faith only in the Goodness Mercy and Promise of God to Pardon Remit and show Favour unto all such who Distrusting their own Weakness and Repenting of their former Miscarriages humbly yet firmly put their Confidence in him This being Abraham's Case with respect to himself and Posterity God no more lookt upon him as a Stranger at a distance from him but one who by Faith was brought nigh and became thus justified not by Works of Righteousness that he wrought but by Faith in God which was accounted unto him for Righteousness and that really too since he could not believe without an Inward Act of Righteousness but not of his own § 4. In short Justification bears a twofold sense in the Scripture and because we are frequently mistaken about it by such as understand not the Extent and Use of the Word I will explain it Justification is sometimes to be understood of Remission or non-Imputation of Sin upon Repentance and Faith in the Promise of God In which sense we say That all the righteous Works Man is capable of either from himself if such can be or from the Assistance of the Holy Spirit stricktly as such can never move one Jot to
is some thing more Immediate Living Spiritual and Inward and that brings Thoughts Words and Deeds to Light savours relishes discovers and accepts or condemns In short thus if whatever makes manifest is Light then because the Thoughts Words and Deeds of Men and Women have been manifested unto them in all Ages as well before Scritures were and where they have not been as since they were and where they have been it follows that they had Light and that the same Light cannot be the Scriptures though the Matter Written called Scriptures was manifested by that Light to the holy Pen-men before they were written which still makes for the Authority of the Light within The Priest exhorts us to that he endeavours to overthrow and with which holy Armour we have fairly foyl'd him in his own Field The same may be said of the Word of God though not of the Scriptures any further then the sharp-Word of God may speak or pierce through them into the Consciences for with good Reason do we affirm that the Scriptures or Writings are not that Sword but that from whence they came The word was a Fire an Hammer a Sword in the Prophets But the Words or Writings it spoke by were not that Fire Hammer nor Sword neither bad they any other Edge then what the Word put upon them To the same purpose may I argue against their being the Off spring of God properly for as such they could not be subject to Casuality God's Off-spring is more Living and Eternal that Word is to high for properly taken I mean as Writings they were the Off-spring of the Writers only but the Truth they declare of is of God and that will abide forever § 12. But upon the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God he has a pretty Fetch Faith in the 16. verse is preferred above the Word in the 17. verse Therefore it is not Christ the Word but the Scriptures the Word for Faith is not above Christ But neither will this do his Business and a Shame it is that this Man should bring these Places to prove that the Scriptures are Means whereby to resist Temptation which concern them not especially this in hand unless he would have Faith to be the Scriptures or Word of God in his Sense which as it is absurd so it will by him be denied since he allows the Faith to be preferr'd above the Word of God therefore distinct from it and not Consequently the same with it And should we grant to him That Christ is not understood by the Word of God but the Scriptures yet observe the fatal Blow his Cause receives at his own Hand Every true Christian hath Faith that Faith is above the Scriptures therefore every true Christian hath some thing in him above the Scriptures Every true Faith overcomes the World and quenches the fiery Darts of Satan consequently Temptations therefore not so properly the Scriptures but true Faith which is preferred above them and resists Temptations and overcomes the World The just they live by Faith but Faith is above the Scripture Therefore the Just live by that which is above the Scriptures and of course the Scriptures are not the Rule of Faith for how can any thing be ruled by that which is inferiour to it Thus much we get granting to him that the Scriptures are that Word of God But we deny that Gloss too For the Spiritual Sword as he says Beza renders it which is that Word of God must be at least of the Nature of that rest of the Armour mentioned in that Chapter I mean of an Invisible Spiritual Nature which the Bible as a meer Writing is not If any should say but the Truth it declares of I say so to and the very Words when by the living Word brought into the Conscience do Pinch Prick and Wound but then that Operation comes from the Power of the Word which through them reacheth into the Heart of the Creature and so the Words without and the Word within carry a double Conviction with them But said Christ to the Devil it is written what then therefore must the Quakers needs deny the Scriptures to be any Means to resist Temptation Or rather are they not such Means when God is pleased to use them which I am sure no right Quaker ever denyed Besides it was Reasonable that Christ should so answer set that Power aside which fill'd up those Words and chained Satan because the Devil used Scripture to prevail upon him as the place proves However we deny not but confess that where-ever God is pleased to speak by any place of Scripture to a tempted Soul the Scripture may be very well acknowledg'd to be a Means by which God scatters such Doubts and Dispondencies and gives Power over Temptations and that it may often so occur Yet we would not have People fly to them as what of themselves may be sufficient but rather have Recourse to that Divine Faith which the Scriptures testifie is able to Quench the fiery Darts and Overcome the Temptations of this World and which J. Faldo has largely confest is to be preferred above the Scriptures themselves § 13. The other part of his Charge to wit That they are dangerous to be read has been answer'd again and again We say Let them that read understand fear believe and Obey and then they will read worthily otherwise men read their own Condemnation and Destruction For the Holy Truths they declare of are not to be seen known or injoyed by every Prophane nor yet professing Person that reads them they are a sealed Book to all who err from and despise that Word of God nigh in the Heart which originally gave them forth and now bears living record to them Blessed are they that rightly Understand and Do them to such they are of great Price CHAP. IX That we do not put the Scripture and Holy Spirit in Opposition The Wickedness of the Priest in his Proof They accord and we acquiesce in their Testimony We do not say that they are not to be obey'd without extraordinary Apostolical Revelation as basely suggested His Proof fictitious and forg'd Such only are by us deny'd as are only Literal Formal Christians The Scriptures own'd and believ'd in by us according as they testifie of themselves § 1. TO close up his false Charges against us about the Scriptures though I thought not to bestow so much time about him be pleased to hear him and his Testimonies which he thinks sufficient to prove what he sayes of us to be true § 2. That the Quakers put the Scriptures and the Spirit of God in Opposition to each other To make this good he quotes W. Smith thus Traditions of Men Earthly Root Darkness and Confusion Nebuchadnezar's Image Putrefaction and Corruption Rotten and Deceitful all out of the Life and Power of God Apostacy the Whore's Cup the Mark of the Beast Babylon the Mother Bastards brought forth of
Justification that is to the Blotting out of former Iniquities for if Men could do more a thousand-fold then they do and that it were never so acceptable it is but their present Duty and cannot have Vertue enough in it to answer a present Obligation and cancel the old Debt of Disobedience too God only upon Faith in his Goodness Mercy and Holy Promise can give Remission Pardon or make free from the heavy Debt Transgression hath brought upon us and that not as thereby meriting but as obtaining such Remission from God upon his own free tender This is Evangelical Faith and Righteousness too of which Abraham was a Partaker as well before as after Circumcision that he might be the Father of all § 5. But Justification is not only taken for Remission of former Sins and Accounting of Believers as if they had never transgrest that is Righteous but for that Regenerate and Clean State of Soul and that Access to and Acceptance with God respecting Daily Duty In which sense no Man nor Woman ever was or ever will be Justified another way then by Inward and Real Righteousness Nor in this sense can any be further Justified and Accepted then as they are thus purified and regenerated Since it could be to say not only that God upon Repentance of former Sins and Belief in his Promise has blotted out their Iniquities which may be whilst habitual Sin is yet but a working out and not quite overcome for that is true enough but that God accepts such as purified sanctified and regenerated the other sense of Justification while they are actually Impure and Unregenerated this we abominate and then which nothing can be affirm'd more Reproachfull to and Destructive of his Eternal Holiness § 6. Having thus explained and exprest what we understand by the Word Justification I shall declare How far we believe Christ Jesus our Lord respecting his Coming both in the Flesh and Spirit influenceth into our Justification as the Priest terms it The Seed afterwards call'd Christ was and is God's free Gift Promise and Covenant of Light by whom alone Remission Justification and Eternal Salvation did or can come to Mankind That in the Fulness of time a Body was prepared in which he came to fulfill the Fathers good Pleasure that he preacht the Promise of Remission of Sin and Salvation to as many as believed in him and took up his Cross and followed him confirming the same by many Miracles For this Doctrine of Redemption and asserting himself to be the Off-spring of God one with God to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth was committed the Jews persecuted him stigmatizing him with the Name of Blasphemer and at last apprehended and crucified him We do say then that Faith in the same Christ who then appeared who so preached worked Miracles and lay'd down his Life for the World and not in another does give Remission of Sins and as follow'd as become all true Disciples Eternal Salvation yea that Outward Blood was then and is now to be reverently believed in as a Seal Ratification and strong Confirmation of that glad Tidings of Remission of Sin and Eternal Salvation which he held forth in the Name of his Father to those who would take up the Cross and follow him And therefore with good reason was Remission of Sins preached in his Blood because it was the most visible eminent Act of his Life both fittest to recommend his great Concernment for poor Man and confirm the Truth of that blessed Gospel he preached to him in the World § 7. And as for Satisfaction Though we deny any strickt and rigid Purchase as carnally understood and irreverently held by many yet that the Offering up his Innocent Life did and doth turn to Account to as many as truly receive him we faithfully believe yea that he did bear that for Man I mean his Iniquity he could not for himself And has by that Suffering obtained precious Gifts that is that Victory Man could never have obtain'd yet still we do ascribe all that was done but instrumentally to the bodily Sufferings and principally to the Will of that Divine Life whose Body it was which offered it up and by the which Will it was Sanctified and so acceptable with God Otherwise more nay all would be ascrib'd to the Body which I affirm to be Blasphemy it self for it was not the Body eminently which saved the People from theâ—r Sins but that which dwelt in it whose it was so that though the Body bore the Name of the Whole yet was it not the Whole but by Syneedoche a part for the whole which is very familiar in the Scriptures § 8. To his Spiritual Coming into the Soul do we ascribe the Inward Righteousness We say That Christ as he is the Light Power and Righteousness of God being received into the Soul and diligently obey'd and communed with he doth first Convince of Sin then brings Trouble for Sin and Sin thus becoming a Load to the Soul he administers Strength to shake off every such Load and Burthen and to conquer and subdue the Power of Sin and Satan in the Soul In which sense he is more properly and particularly a Saviour when he binds the strong Man spoils his Goods casts him out destroys the Works of the Devil finishes Transgression and brings in Everlasting Righteousness Otherwise in vain would he have that Title And thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins not the Effect Eternal Death without the Cause Sin For the Wages of Sin is Death As men sow so shall they reap And a dreadfull Disappointment will it be to the Hypocritical Professors of this day that dream of Justification Redemption and Salvation and are yet carried away with the Temptations of Satan at his will being ignorant of the inward Power of Christ to bruise the Serpent's Head To conclude that Righteousness which Christ as God's true Light Power and Righteousness works in us therefore is not of us is that which alone brings into true Union with God and Membership with his Unspotted Church consequently no Man without that Qualification can be so accepted with him or have Access to him for God is of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity and without Holiness no Man shall ever see the Lord. But let none mistake me I do not intend that who is not quite Perfect is altogether to be condemned by no means but that Man is only so far accepted of God as he is really Regenerated and Beautified by the internal Righteousness of Christ And to this purpose is that other Scripture he quotes against us That as Sin has reigned unto Death even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord For all Men having actually sinned and Sin so becoming inherent Grace that teacheth to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly which is that Righteousness should also reign in all
Rich Benefices full and stately Livings many of you grew dry again were turned to Pillars of Salt my Soul wandered for Rest and at last found it in that Tender Holy Pure Principle of Life and Righteousness which had been wont from a Youth to attend me mollifie my Heart allay my Affections and preserve me out of gross Pollutions which whilest such of you in some Measure kept that are now manifestly gone from it there was another Kind of Spirit that rul'd in you And 't is to this First Love and Works we desire your Return such of you whose Day is not utterly past over your Head And what any shall think of me as this uncharitable Adversary hath expressed himself as that I should seek Credit a Party c. I heed not for what I am at this Day I am by through and to God Almighty the Righteous Lord of Heaven and Earth alone It is basely done of any Man that is a Professor who pretends to some Acquaintance with tender Conscience and those Tryals that attend it to censure another Man's Change and Afflictions for Counterfeit and meer Designe Oh! The Righteous God will reckon with such Uncharitable Disingenuous Perverse Spirits in the Day that hasteneth to Try all and then will he recompense this ungodly Censurer of an Innocent Stranger to him who were I upon my Tryal at the Bar of his own Party there be of them enough to give Evidence of another Spirit then that of vain Glory or Self For where none of these things have induced but Sharpeness and Severities have met me there has been a Faithful Answering of Convictions to some of their knowledge who I believe to be better Men then to refuse me a ful Testimonial if sought for But as I shall not think my self so deeply engag'd or my Reputation so shaken in the Minds of Thousands as to need or desire it by any Power or Force J. Faldo can attacque me with so shall I leave the Concern of God's Truth the Innocency of his People in General and my own in Particular to his Holy Wisdom and Providence who we are well satisfied will plead our Cause in the Consciences of Ten Thousands to the Shame and utter Confusion of all our Obstinate Adversaries A KEY Opening a Way to every Common Understanding whereby to discern the Difference betwixt the Quakers Faith Doctrine and Practice and the Pervertions and Traducings of their several Adversaries Reader THere is not any thing more Indiscreet then for People to deny what they do not understand It has been our Unhappiness far more then all that our Adversaries have been able to say against us that hitherto we remain unknown by those who yet stick not to condemn us I will confess that our Principles as disguised and mis-represented in the World have given Offence or rather those who have so besmear'd them nor indeed can we be displeased that People should refuse them Entertainment under those frightfull Vizzards some make them to wear But it will be the Business of this little Key to explain the Difficulty and give Entrance into so clear and plain an Understanding of the Quakers Principles from the Priests Perversions as I doubt not but with Impartial Inquirers it may be an Ending of much of that Controversie which is now on foot between us and our Opposers Priest THe Quakers hold That the Natural Light in the Conscience of every Man in the World is sufficient to Save all that follow it and so overthrow Salvation by Christ Quaker This is false For our Belief and Assertion is that Christ who is the Word that was with God and was God and is so forever hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World with his own Light as he is that true Light or such a Light as there is no other to be compared to him which is the Meaning of the Emphasis True and that such as follow the Reproofs Convictions and Leadings of that Light with which he enlightens the Understandings and Consciences of Men shall not walk in Darkness but have the Light of Life which Life is a State of Salvation for which End he was given I will give him for a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth So that we assert the Light of Christ Sufficient not a Natural outward Light which may be properly so called in opposition to Spiritual nor yet that bare understanding Man hath as a Rational Creature Priest The Quakers hold the Light within them is God Christ and the Holy Spirit so that every Quaker has whole God Christ and Spirit in him which is gross Blasphemy Quaker This is also a Mistake of our Belief We never said That every Illumination in the Hearts of Men was whole God Christ or the Spirit whereby to be guilty of the gross and blasphemous Absurdity they would fasten on us But that God who is Light or Christ who is Light the quickning Spirit and God over all blessed for ever hath enlightned Mankind with a saving Measure of Light So that the Illumination is from God or Christ but not therefore whole God or Christ There are no such harsh and Un-scriptural Words in our Writings it is only a frightfull Perversion of our Enemies to bring a Scandal upon our Faith yet in a sense the Scriptures say I in them and they in me Christ in us the Hope of Glory Unless Christ be in you ye are Reprobates I travel again a second time until Christ be formed in you If they who deny'd his Coming in the Flesh though high professing Jews were Anti-Christs What must they be reputed who as stiffly disown his Spiritual Coming Formation and Dominion in the Soul Certainly though call'd Christians yet no whit less anti-Christs then the obstinate Jews of old Priest By the Quakers Doctrine every Man must be saved for every Man is savingly enlightened Quaker I deny that For though the Light or Grace of God hath and doth more or less appear to all Men and that it brings Salvation to as many as are taught by it to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly and Righteously and God likely in this present evil World yet it no way follows that Men must obey and learn so to do whether they will or not God tenders saving Light or Grace to all he strives and pleads with all but if they will not hearken his Spirit Grace or Light is clear of their Blood In short Though Men are Lighted or Visited with a saving Light or Grace yet we never Concluded nor is rightly Concludable that such Men must necessarily be saved whether they obey or Rebel Priest By the Quakers Light or Spirit they may be moved to Murder Adultery Treason Theft or any such like Wickedness Quaker This never was our Doctrine For herein know we the Spirit of God and Motions of it from the Spirit of this World and its Fruits that it condemns all Ungodliness