The Snake in the Grass Further Discovered, Part 2 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
The Quakers deny the tranſactions of Jeſus Chriſt, when he was manifeſt in the fleſh in Judea, above ſixteen hundred years ſince; or as he is now at the right hand of God, to have any influence into our Juſtification before God, and our Salvation.
SECT I IN this point they come not ſhort of themſelves, who in every path of Errour out-ſtrip all others who are found in the ſame c…ooked way. I ſhall proceed to the proof. All that are called PresbyteriansEd. Bur. Trumpet, &c. p. 17. and Independents, with their feeding upon the report of a thing done many hundred years ago. This he ſaith, by way of reproach, againſt all that act Faith on, and receive comfort from the bleſſed Effects of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, and ſuffering… by him wrought and ſuffered, when he was in the world.
What Righteouſneſs Chriſt performed without me, was Farnworthnot my Juſtification, neither was I ſaved by it. I believe it of himſelf, if he died in the ſame mind. Can outward Bloud cle…nſe the Corſcience? Can outward Penningtons Queſtions, p. 25.Water waſh the Soul clean? A plain denial of the Efficacy of the Bloud of Chriſt ſhed on the Croſs, to cleanſe the Soul from the guilt of ſin, by its ſatisfaction to the Juſtice of God. Seeing the Apoſtle ſpeaks Pennington.of purifying the heavenly things themſelves, Heb. 9. 23. it would ſeriouſly be enquired into, and the Lord waitedon to know, what nature th…ſe Sacrifices muſt be of, which cleanſe the heavenly things? Whether, they muſt not of neceſſity be heavenly? If ſo, then whether it was the fleſh and bloud of the Vail, or the fleſh and bloud within the Vail? Whether was it the fleſh and bloud of the outward earthly nature, or the fleſh and bloud of the inward ſpiritual nature? Whether was it the fleſh and bloud which Chriſt took of the firſt Adam's nature, or the fleſh and bloud of the ſecond Adam's nature.
§. 2 By theſe Queries you may ſee how far he is from believing, that the offering up of the Man Chriſt Jeſus, the Seed of the Woman, hath any influence into our remiſſion, and cleanſing from the guilt of ſin, contemning the value of the Fleſh and Bloud of the Man Chriſt Jeſus, as beneath and ſhort of ſuch an Efficacy; and that of neceſſity there muſt be fleſh and bloud myſteriouſly included in the outward, and viſible fleſh and bloud, of a more heavenly and ſpiritual nature; contrary to the words of the Apoſtle which he quotes, Heb. 9. 23. which is the Apoſtles moſt forcible and plain argument, to prove the Efficacy of the offering of Chriſts Fleſh and Bloud: For if the bloud of thoſe Beaſts, as they were ſhadows and types of Chriſt, were ſo effectual, how much more the true Sacrifice, ſhadowed out by them. But we may with pity and horrour behold the woful ſhifts men are put to, and bewildred in, who forſake the plain paths of the Lord in his Word, and are reſolved to lay hold on any fancy, and fooliſh imagination, rather than let go the lye in their right hand.
§. 3 And this we witneſs, who through the Lamb, our Saviour, Parnel's Shield of the truth. p. 30.do reign above the World, Death, Hell, and the Devil; but none can witneſs this, whoſe eye is outward, looking at a Redeemer afar off, and ſtill live in ſin.
As for the qualification of living in ſin, they frequently expreſs it, to put a blind before the Readers eyes, and are far from the true meaning of that phraſe in the Scripture: for whereas the Scripture intends it of the unconverted, and thoſe who are not ſincere in their hatred of ſin, and obedience to God, the Quakers will needs have all to be ſuch as live in ſin, who have any remains of ſin in them, or whoſe lives are not totally free from the ſtains of it. But nothing is more plain, than his utterly diſowning the Chriſt without, and Faith that looks at him; to have any thing to do in the victory over Death and Hell, &c. and that the Man Chriſt Jeſus, who lived and died as far off as Jeruſalem, is not the Lamb their Saviour.
§. 4 Let us hear one more, that it may not paſs for only one, two or three of their Doctors Opinions. And conclude to themſelves a belief in Chriſt, and apply Morning Watch, p. 21his promiſes, what he did for them in the body that ſuffered without the gates of Jeruſalem; and by his death and offering all things is accompliſhed for them, and no ſin ſhall be imputed to them, though they live in it: And through his mediation and interceſſion for thom, as he is at the right hand of God, at a diſtance from them, they believe that they have acceſs to God, and are accepted of him, and yet they neither know God nor Chriſt, nor the place where they ſay he ſits at the right p. 22.hand of God; and being in their mind perſwaded that Chriſt hath ſatisfied, and hath reconciled them to God, though they be yet ſinners. Thoſe he calls ſinners, and condemns, are all that repair not to the light within as their Saviour, by his teaching and power within them, as is the ſcope of his Book. I ſhould but cloy you to cite more for this purpoſe. It is their Opinion, that Chriſt did what he did in the fleſh which he took of the Virgin Mary, and what he ſuffered therein alſo, as our Example, and no more.
The influence of Chriſts transactions without us, above SECT. II 1600 years ſince, into the Juſtification and Salvation of Believers, aſſerted, and vindicated
I ſhall not need to be voluminous in the agitating this ſubject, many far more able and worthy having wrote on it at large. And although amongſt perſons who deſerve not only the name of Chriſtian, but Venerable in the Church of God, there is not the ſame proſpect into ſome of the more curious parts of it; yet that the tranſactions of Chriſt without us, and before we were born, are the merit of our Juſtification and Salvation, they are ſo firmly agreed in, that they may as ſoon be perſwaded to condemn and throw away their Bibles, as to be of a contrary belief. I ſhall therefore conſider Chriſts Obedience as active and paſſive; and prove them to have in them the efficacy denyed by the Quakers, and anſwer ſome Objections. And then ſhew you what Righteouſneſs they profeſs Salvation and Juſtification by.
The righteouſneſs of Chriſt's active Obedience without and before us conſidered. § 2
And he received the ſign of circumciſion, a ſeal of the righteouſneſs of faith which he had yet being uncircumciſed, Rom 4. 8. 11. opened.that he might be the Father of all them that Believe, though they be not circumciſed, that rightouſneſs might be imputed to them alſo. The righteouſneſs here ſpoken of is in a compleat ſenſe, and unlimited to this or that particular caſe; 'tis a righteouſneſs without ſtain of ſin or unrighteouſneſs. And indeed there is no ſuch thing as a compleat righteounſeſs in the ſight of God, that hath any the leaſt crookedneſs, obliquity, or fault in it 'Tis that rightcouſneſs, of the Covenant of grace, or thereby expreſſed; for Circumciſion, the ſeal of this righteouſneſs, was a ſeal of that Covenant.
The imputation of it is according to this Text, § 3 a reckoning it to a perſon; verſe. 10, How was it then reckoned? verſe. 9. Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteouſneſs: not as James Naylor ſaith, And Love to the Loſt, p. 7.with him his righteouſneſs is freely imputed, or put into the creature; as if imputing were a putting in. It was imputed to James Nail…r that he was a blaſphemer; was it then, and thereby put into him to be a blaſphemer? A very fit Expoſitor of myſterious Scriptures! However he hit right of the Quakers mind, and therefore it muſt be no more but put in, to this day.
But to return: it being reckoned, and that as a grace of the new Covenant, it was not the righteouſneſs § 4 of Abraham by him wrought, or wrought in his own perſon, as the ſubject of it; for then it had not been any grace or favour from God to reckon it to him: therefore it was a righteouſneſs of another that was reckoned to him, not his own. Whoſe righteouſneſs it was then, may be gathered by the title of the imputed or reckoned righteouſneſs, verſe 11. A ſeal of the righteouſneſs of the faith, which he had being yet uncircumciſed.
Well then, this conſideration may lead us to the truth of imputed righteouſneſs; if we conſider faith, as being an act of the ſoul, and therefore not the righteouſneſs imputed: for ſo far as that is righteouſneſs in obeying the command of God, it is our own act. The juſt ſhall live by his faith. His faithHab. 2, 4. Rom. 4 5. is accounted for righteouſneſs. It muſt needs then be the object of faith, or that which faith acts on or looks to, and this is no other, but the Lord our righteouſneſs, Jer. 23, 6.the great ſubject of the promiſe and Covenant; and is therefore called. The promiſe, the Covenant, and frequently, The righteouſneſs of God, he being the worker of that righteouſneſs in his own perſon, which is of Gods appointment, to juſtifie a poor believer, which is not a believers, but as it is reckoned or imputed to him.
A ſecond ground of this Doctrine of imputedRom. 5. 21: § 5. righteouſneſs, is in Rom. 5. 21. That as ſin hath reigned unto death, even ſo might grace reign through righteouſneſs unto eternal life, by Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. That this righteouſneſs of Chriſt is imputed to Juſtification, and therein the abounding grace of God; is plain in the 17, 18, and 19 verſes, where the Apoſtle lays his argument for grace and righteouſneſs through Chriſt, in its ſimilitude to the influence of Adam's ſin by imputation. For if by one mans offence death Rom 5: 17, 18, 19.reigned by one, verſe 17. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men verſe 18. For as by one mans diſobedience many were made ſinners, verſe 19. much m…re they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteouſneſs, ſhall reign in life by one Jeſus Chriſt, verſe 17. ſo by the righteouſneſs of one, the free gift came upon all men, to juſtification of life, verſe 18. ſo by the obedience of one ſhall many be made righteous, verſe 19.
And further to clear this truth (if clearer evidence may be poſſible) the conſideration of verſe 14. will§ 6▪ contribute a good meaſure. Neverthel…ſs de…th reigned from Adam to Moſes even over them that had not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adam's tranſgreſſion, who is the figure of him that was to come. There are two reſpects wherein (at leaſt many of) thoſe over whom death reigned from Adam to Moſes, did not ſin after the ſimilitude of Adam's tranſgreſſion.
Firſt, They did not ſin againſt a revealed Law, which Adam did, in eating the forbidden fruit: and there was no revealed Law, or Covenant of life expreſly and explicitely given from God after Adam's time, before the fall, untill Moſes.
Secondly, They did not all ſin actually, and in their own perſons, as Adam did; yet death reigned over Infants, who were in reſpect of actual ſin, Innocents. And by what Law did Infants ſuffer death? if not as they were included in Adam the firſt man, and his offence becoming theirs thereby; according to thoſe words, 1 Cor. 15. 22. For as in Adam all die ſo 1 Cor. 15. 22in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive. So that if it were not by the imputation of Adam's ſin, Children or Infants ſuffered a penalty without all Law; which is contrary to the Apoſtles words, Rom. 5. 13. But ſin is not imputed when there is no Law. But there was a Law then in force, viz. the penalty of Adam's ſin, which by imputation reached to his poſterity. And in this very reſpect Adam was the figure of him that was to come viz. Jeſus Chriſt.
So that if the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, of that one man Chriſt Jeſus, be not imputed to juſtification of all his children by faith, or that are conſidered by God in Chriſt, the whole frame of the Apoſtle's arguing ſeems but trifling, and to conclude nothing of what it ſeems to aim at.
There are four Objections (among others) I have § 7 met with, againſt the evidence of theſe Texts, to the Doctrine I have vindicated.
Object. 1. Chriſt was our example, and therein did anſwer to Adam as his figure; for ſin came into the world by Adam's example, and righteouſneſs by Chriſt's.
Anſw. This is an old error; and what error ſo old and rotten, that the Quakers will not embrace who live in error as their element? The Texts I have quoted, have not the leaſt appearance of ſin entring the world by example; and the Infants over whom death reigned, were not capable of ſinning by example.
Object. 2. There might be a derivation of § 9 Adam's corrupted nature to all his poſterity, and ſo all of them might be guilty of ſinfull diſpoſition, and habits in their own perſons; yet by generation from Adam, and not by imputation of his ſin committed in his own perſon: ſo the righteouſneſs that juſtifies, may be derived in ſpiritual regeneration, whereby the ſoul is diſpoſed, and enabled to work righteouſneſs, by that ſpiritual life and vigour it receives from him as its root.
Anſw. That cannot be the meaning, frr then the condemnation ſpoken of would be by all and every one; which though it be true, that diſpoſitions to ſin are derived from Adam by natural generation, and diſpoſitions to holyneſs by regeneration from Chriſt, yet cannot be the meaning of theſe Texts: for the emphatical word which as upon the hinge the whole argument turns, is the word one; by one mans offence, by the obedience of one; whereas if the Objection did hit the meaning, the Apoſtle muſt rather have ſaid, So by all or every mans offence, condemnation came upon all: But there is no mention of that middle thing, mans corrupt diſpoſition to knit condemnation to Adam's ſin, as a more original and remote cauſe. Alſo it ſhould then be in or into all, and not upon all.
Object. 3. The condemnation that came upon § 10 all, and that reigned from Adam to Moſes, was but tempopal death, and what is that to eternal; or to bear a prnportion with juſtification to life, ſpirtual and eternal.
Anſw. It is more than you prove, or can prove, that it was but corporal and temporal death; and we can prove that it was the guilt of eternal death, if we go no further to fetch the proof, than from what is oppoſed to it in the laſt verſe of the Chapter; righteouſneſs to eternal life. And temporal death is not remitted or diſcharged to thoſe, who enjoy the benefit of the grace by the ſecond Adam Jeſus Chriſt.
Object. 4. The Apoſtle James ſaith, what doth it § 11 Jam. 2. 14. opened. 21.profit, my brethren, though a man ſay he hath faith, and have no works? can faith ſave him? Was not Abraham our Father juſtified by works? &c. Ye ſee then how that by works a man is juſtified, and not by faith only. To the firſt Inſtance in the objection I anſwer, The ſaying a man hath faith, is not ſufficient to render him juſtified, or to juſtifie him.
Secondly, A dogmatical or hiſtorical faith cannot juſtifie, or ſo act on the promiſe and Covenant, as to put us under the imputation of juſtifying righteouſneſs: for ſuch a faith the Devils have; and there is a vaſt difference between believing the Hiſtory of the Goſpel, and believing in Chriſt. And this is the dead faith the Apoſtle ſpeaks of verſe 17.
To the ſecond inſtance: Abraham's works though they juſtified his faith, yet they did not juſtifie his § 12 perſon. And the Hiſtory of his offering up his Son, doth give evidence for this Expoſition: Now I know Gen 22. 12. Jam 2. 18.that thou feareſt God, ſeeing thou haſt not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me▪ And I will ſhew thee my faith by my works.
To the third Inſtance, which ſeems to joyn works§ 13. with faith in juſtification, that is, our works: I anſwer, That although juſtifying faith is not without works, yet faith juſtifies without works: as a man cannot have ſeeing eyes, if he have not lungs, and heart, and brains, which are eſſential to life, and the living motion of every member; yet the eye only ſees, and not the lungs, or brains, &c. but if you ſhould pluck the eyes out of the head, they would ſo alone be to little purpoſe. So works are eſſential to the being of juſtifying faith; yet faith alone is in the act of juſtitying, or ſo acts on Chriſt, as to juſtifie the perſon in the ſight of God, by cloathing the ſoul with Chriſts righteouſneſs. And although in the Text it is tranſlated, not by faith only, it may, and (I was going to ſay) ought to be tranſlated, alone; and then the ſenſe is but this. That faith which is alone without works doth not juſtifie a man in the ſight of God. And I ſhall give two good Reaſons for it: The one, becauſe it may be ſo without wrong to the Original. Secondly, It muſt be ſo, becauſe it will otherwiſe contradict the Apoſtle Paul, and the truth alſo, as expreſſed abundantly in other Scriptures.
foreign doth as well ſignifie alone as only and is very§ 14. often ſo rendred. as Joh. 8. 29. The Father hath not left me alone, foreign. Joh. 16. 32. And ſhall leave me, foreign alone. Yea it is rendred, apart Mat, 14. 23. He went up into a mountain apart to pray. I could inſtance abundantly in the like: Now whereas being rendred, only, it implies, that works alſo juſtifie; whereas if it were rendred, alone or apart, (which is as fair in the Greek) it would amount but to this, a faith which hath not, or is ſeparate from works, will not be a juſtifying faith.
And it muſt be ſo, becauſe elſe it oppoſes the great Doctrine of the Goſpel, or at leaſt looks like ſuch a thing: Rom. 4. 2, 5, 6. For if Abraham were juſtified by works he hath whereof to glory, &c. But to him that worketh not, (that is, aiming at juſtification thereby) but believeth on him that juſtifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſs,—The bleſſedneſs of the man to whom God imputeth righteouſneſs without works, that is, without reſpect to his works. But enough of this only take one Text, that needs no Comment to raiſe up this truth out of it, viz. That the righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed, is that alone or only which juſtifies by way of merit, and which true faith looks to for this end. For he hath made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we 2 Cor. 5▪ 2….might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him.
I muſt not forget to do ſomewhat to ſatisfie the SECT. III very weak, that the ſufferings of Chriſt the Son of the Virgin Mary, hath influence into the ſatisfaction of Gods juſtice, appeaſing wrath, reconciling us to God, &c
Who his own ſelf bear our ſins in his own body on the tree. &c. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our ſorrows, &c. But he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he 1 Pet. 2. 24. Iſa. 53. 4, 5, 6.was bruiſed for our iniquities, the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, and with his ſtripes we are healed.
That God was (not is, as George Fox▪ hath quoted it, to loſe the truth, and ſave his errour) in Chriſt, reconciling the world to himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them. Having made peace by the bloud of his Croſs. And without ſhedding of bloud there is no remiſſion. 2 Cor. 5. 19… Col. 1, …0. Heb. 9. 22. Rom 5. 9. Pſal. 85. 9, 10 11. opened.Much more then, being now juſtified by his bloud, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath through him. Surely his ſalvation is nigh them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land; mercy and truth have met to gether, righteouſneſs and peace have kiſſed each others Truth ſhall ſpring out of the earth, and righteouſneſs ſhall look down from heaven.
'Tis generally agreed, theſe laſt verſes reſpect Jeſus § 2 Chriſt, who is Gods ſalvation; the triumph and glory of whoſe effects for his people, are chiefly two: Firſt, The reconciliation of Gods mercy to us, with his truth, and his righteouſneſs, to our peace. The truth and righteouſneſs of God were engaged to deſtroy and ruine the whole race of mankind, for their ſinning againſt him, and breach of his Covenant, in thoſe words, For in the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt Gen 2. 17.ſurely die. Now whatever inclinations God might have to ſhew mercy to man, and bleſs him with peace, the truth and righteouſneſs of God (he having that word gone out of his mouth) ſeemed to oppoſe it, as not conſiſting with mercy and peace towards man; and to have bound up thoſe hands▪ and lockt up thoſe bowels, from whence mans peace (through the Lords mercy) might reach him. But through Chriſt (Gods ſalvation) and what he did and ſuffered in our nature, as our publick perſon, and in our ſtead, the mercy of God in reaching poor ſinners is ſet free, without any detriment to his truth; and the peace of a believing ſinner throws no ſcandal on the righteouſneſs, and juſtice of a gracious God, but theſe his glorious Attributes of mercy, truth, righteouſneſs, are at a full agreement, amity and union, not only in God, (as they alwayes were and never can be otherwiſe) but alſo in bleſſing man with a reconciliation with his offended Creator. This Jeſus ariſes like a divine Sun in his almighty ſtrength, with healing in his wings.
And this is no mean evidence of the ſatisfaction to the truth, juſtice and righteouſneſs of God, by what Chriſt tranſacted in the world, in the behalf of loſt and undone. To declare, I ſay, at this time his righteouſneſs, Rom. 3. 26.that he might be juſt, and the juſtifier of him that believeth in Jeſus.
The ſecond glorious effect of this ſalvation of God § 3 Jeſus Chriſt, by his tranſacting our redemption is, That righteouſneſs ſhall look down from Heaven. The righteouſneſs in the 11th. verſe (I ſuppoſe) is not the ſame with that in the 10th. Verſe: the former in the 10th. Verſe being the eſſential righteouſneſs and Iuſtice of God, which was to be reconciled to ſinners; which could not be done with a ſalvo to his Word, but by ſome means which might anſwer to, and ſatisfi… his juſtice. But the ighteouſneſs in the 11th. Verſe (ſeems to me to be) that ſinleſs ſtate, who which Chriſt came down from Heaven hath cloathed them with, by imputing to them, and putting upon them, that divine and glorious righteouſneſs, which he wrought in his own perſon, and in our nature, when he was in the world: and ſo renders his believing ones, not only free from the direfull ſtrokes, and heart piercing frowns of a juſt and offended God, but alſo the objects of his love of benevolence, yea, of delight and comp…acence.
To conclude, The whole tranſaction of Jeſus § 4 Chriſt as Redeemer, is the ground of our juſtification, and its effects and conſequences, we being inſtated therein: although the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, conſidered as his obedience, and fulfilling that Law under which he was made as man, and imputed to us, be the glory of the Saints, wherewith they ſhine in the righteouſneſs of God in him. And with relation to our union with Chriſt, all thoſe holy fruits the Saints bring forth, by the ſtrength and life from Chriſt received, are accepted of by God, and ſhall be eternally rewarded: yet have no part nor portion in this matter of juſtifying our perſons in the ſight of God.
Having proved the Quakers diſowning that juſtifying SECT IV righteouſneſs which the Goſpel holds forth, and in ſome meaſure vindicated and explained it: I ſhall now addreſs my ſelf to a diſcovery of that righteouſneſs, which the Quakers adventure their juſtification before God upon. They will tell you, They are juſtified by no other righteouſneſs, but the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, with abundance of confidence: though (as we ſhall prove) they know not what they ſay, nor whereof they affirm; their righteouſneſs being as far from what is pretended, as darkneſs from light, and a poor puffed deluded creatures, errors and miſcarriages, from the obedience of him who is God-man, who is the brightneſs of his Fathers glory, and the expreſs image of his perſon.
Let us firſt ſee what they profeſs of juſtification by § 2 Smith … Cat. p. 74.Chriſts righteouſneſs. Queſt. Do not you depend on the things you do, for life and ſalvation? Anſw. Nay, We do not ſo, &c.
Queſt What is the righteouſneſs that juſtifieth in the Pennington▪ myſteries of the Kingdom. p. 17.ſight of God? Anſw. The righteouſneſs of Chriſt alone, &c.
One would think the Quakers in this point very ſound, by this part of their profeſſion: but their Bell ſounds not long, before its jarring with truth, diſcovers it to be foully crackt. It follows in the Anſwer to the firſt Queſtion: For we have lif… before we have motion, to act or do any thing that is pleaſing to God; and in that life we have ſalvation, and ſo life and ſalvation is freely given us of God.
The latter part of the Anſwer is brought to prove the truth of the former; and you will ſay, they are huge good at proving who reaſon at this rate; They are not the things we do, becauſe we have life from God, and that freely, before we can move or do any thing. This being one of the great deluſions of this poor people, wherein they ſhew ſo much ignorance, as without much grace from God, they are utterly uncapable of inſtruction: I ſhall (hoping in that grace for a bleſſing of conviction upon them) demonſtrate, by the moſt familiar and eaſie things, the falſity of their ſuch Concluſions.
By the ſame Reaſon, all your bodily motions and actions are the motions and actions of God, and you do nothing at all the while. Was there not life before motion? And did not God give you this life? Can any man move hand, or foot, or tongue, in any natural action, but by that life they firſt receive from God? but will you ſay therefore, theſe are Gods actions, and not mens? For you to ſay, Your good actions and motions are Chriſts righteouſneſs, becauſe you have life from him to perform them, is no leſs abſurd.
Let us ſee if Pennington (who had ſomewhat of a § 3 Scholar) will do any thing better, in the explanation and proof of his Anſwer to the ſecond Queſtion. This [righteouſneſs] conveyed to the creature, in and through the ſeed, and brought forth in the creature, by the ſeed, and the creature united to Chriſt, in the ſeed; here is juſtification of life. A ſtrange juſtifying righteouſneſs by Chriſt alone! brought forth in the creature, by the ſeed. I would ask any of this opinion, Whether their tongues and lips did not move in the words they call righteous words? And the hands in ſome of thoſe they call righteous actions? Sure they will not deny they do; and how then can they ſay it is the righteouſneſs of Chriſt alone, in which the bodies of Thomas, John, &c. are imployed? But yet the fine myſteries in this Doctrine (which I muſt confeſs, may puzzle many an honeſt Countreyman to find out the ſenſe of) amo…nts to no more than this great abſurdity.
What a contradiction there is in the creatures being united to Chriſt in the ſeed, the Quakers themſelves (if any liberty be left them ſo to do) will find out. Chriſt is the ſeed, and the ſeed is Chriſt, both but one and the ſame thing; and yet the creature is united to Chriſt, in the ſeed; that is, to Chriſt in Chriſt. But the blind ſwallow many a Fly.
For by the Law of faith, is ſelf-fanctification, ſelf-mortification, § 4. Naylor Love to the loſt. p. 6. 4. ….and ſelf-juſtification excluded; (right ſo far, the worſt will be in the tail. Though they who receive the Spirit were called to all this, by faith in his bloud, yet it is the work of God wrought by Chriſt in the beleiver. Two things are here obſervable for errour and ignorance.
Firſt, They who received the Spirit, were called to all this ſelf-work he talks of, and that by faith in Chriſts blood too; and yet by the Law of faith it is all excluded. So here faith does and undoes; calls for ſelf-juſtification, &c. and when it draws nigh, ſhuts the door againſt them; begets children, and that by Chriſt too; and ſo ſoon as they are born utterly diſclaims them: If he had ſaid, they were called to ſanctification, mortification, and not put that blot of ſelf in their Eſcutcheons, to render them baſe-born; and then have aſſerted, they were not the righteouſneſs by which we are juſtified, he had ſpoken like a man, and a Chriſtian: but they are two things in the Quakers account, adverſe and together by the ears; and therefore Nailor will have to do with neither. But that a man ſhould be called by faith to ſelf-juſtification, is a ſtrange riddle, and after all the condemnation of theſe things, it is (for all that) the wo…k of God, wrought by Chriſt in the believer.
But to finiſh Naylor's teſtimony of juſtifying righteouſneſs, obſerve what he faith ſomewhat more plainly: Whereby ſuch become his workmanſhip in Chriſt Naylor Love to the loſt p. 37.Jeſus, wrought into his obedience, and his obedience into them, in their meaſure, till they become of one heart, one mind, one ſoul, one ſpirit, one fleſh, one bone and bloud, and one obedience, and one life; that it is no more we that live, but Chriſt that lives in us. Here is ſome ſhew, but a great deal of abuſe of the holy Scriptures, and the Spirit of God, by whom they were given forth.
Whereas thoſe who are God's workmanſhip in Chriſt Eph. 2 10:Jeſus, created to good works, are thereby deſigned and diſpoſed by God to walk holily. Naylor will have the Saints wrought into the obedience of Chriſt, and his obedience into them, and blended together ſo perfectly, that the moſt diſcerning Quaker of them all can make no diſtinction between the one and the other; yea, untill body and ſoul, fleſh and ſpirit, bloud and bones, and the obedience of both Chriſt and his Saints, and their very life too, be no more diſtinguiſhed, but what is the one, is the other▪ the Quaker is Chriſt, (for which Naylor's tongue was bored with a hot iron) and Chriſt is—I am afraid to write it. From ſuch ſtuff as this, the poor ſouls who hug theſe Angels of darkneſs, talk at that confuſed and blaſphemous rate, as they do; and adopt whatever is the Product of an idle, proud deluded, raw und…rſtanding into the very acts and expreſſions of Chriſt himſelf.
He ſaith moreover, which may a little explain this § 6 p. 36.laſt Inſtance: Which obedience, ſtands not in any thing ſeen from man, or by man done, thereby to imitate or do the like; for that is two obediences.—That as the ſame Father calls for the ſame obedience in ſpirit, ſo in the ſame ſpirit doth the believer offer up himſelf, &c. I leave you to brood on theſe wild and worſe ſayings, I know their myſtery, and depth of Satan; but to ſpread them all in the light, will ask more Paper than I am willing to write out in this Book.
Another expreſſion and quality of the Quaker's § 7 Myſtery of great Wh…re, p 4▪ Pennington qu…ſtions. Smith Cat. p 5….juſtifying righteouſneſs is, That it is within them, not without them. Chriſt being within, there is juſtification. Now is the life, the Faith, the obedience of the Son▪ the thing which is of value in us. And by this power in us, all our works are wrought for us.
So that the righteouſneſs which Chriſt wrought before we were born, even in the days of his fleſh, is to the Quakers a dead thing; and Chriſt was miſtaken ſhrewdly, when he tells his Father, That he had finiſhed the work which he had given him to do; intending thereby, the laſt ſcene of death, which he was then juſt entering upon; and therefore ſpeaks of all as accompliſhed. § 8
Another notion they have for the countenance of the opinion of juſtifying righteouſneſs, to be within them, not without them, and wrought in the time of their life, not by Chriſt in the dayes of his fleſh above 1600 yeares ſince, is, That becauſe the Scripture ſpeaks of juſtifying by faith, and faith being within, and wrought in the Saints in this life, and in every individual believer; therefore the juſtifying righteouſneſs is within the believer. This is abuſed by the Papiſts, to prove that works Iuſtifie, becauſe faith is a work or act of the ſoul; though that be falſe, for all grace conſiſts (eſſentially) in the habit and diſpoſition, not in acts; for elſe a man muſt be graceleſs when he is faſt a ſleep, for then he is not in action, nor grace in act But the Quakers though they embrace many of the Popiſh Tenets that are erroneous▪ they want wit to manage them as they. But to any▪ purpoſe, h…re their great Apoſtle. This juſtification is by the faith of Fox great myſtery, p. 46.Chriſt within—for all the holy men of God were juſtified by their faith, and that faith is in the heart. For… 9. the right underſtanding of this, we are to conſider faith as a diſpoſition and habit, and therein a principal part of the new creature. This diſpoſition of truſting in, relying on, adhering to God, hath its acts ſuitable to its ſelf. Now the acts of faith either reſpect its fruits and effects, other parts of ſanctification, as love, patience, ſelf-denial, &c. or its objects and aims.
Faith hath for its immediate objects the promiſes of God, leaning, truſting, hoping according to them: it is ſaid to lean on the Lord, truſt, hope in the Lord, its aims and ends for which, are the good things wrapt up in the Covenant of grace. Now faith is not accounted for righteouſneſs with reſpect to it ſelf, as a holy diſpoſition, or its acts as holy acts; but as it looks on, takes hold of, and truſts in the righteouſneſs of Chriſt. It is no rare thing for the act to be denominated from the object.
Though faith which Juſtifies, juſtifies as it hath for § 10 its object Jeſus Chriſt, who is the righteouſneſs of God; and ſo faith be within, the righteouſneſs of Chriſt which Juſtifies is not within, for faith Juſtifies as it looks at ſomewhat without, and above our ſelves. Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud, juſtified by faith in Jeſus Rom. 4. 25. Gal 2. 16, Heb. 11. 1Chriſt. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for. Again, Faith is made the condition of Juſtification, and that not only as it may be conſidered ſingly, but as it includes the whole body of ſanctification in ſome parts and meaſures of it. But to as many as received him, Joh. 1. 12.to them he gave power to become the ſons of God, even to them that believe on his name. So that faith is a receiving of Chriſt, who is both Prince and Saviour, Lord of life and prince of peace, and receiving him as ſuch, is conditional of this acceptation with God, and ſo may be ſaid to Juſtifie, as it performs the condition of Juſtification on our part.
But if faith were the meritorious cauſe of Juſtification, § 11 it were Juſtification by works. And if faith Juſtified, looking no further than it ſelfe, as it is ſubjected in the ſoul; it were a ſtrange faith indeed that hath it ſelf for its object, and then a man ſhould believe in himſelf. I might entertain you longer than your patience will hold out, in pregnant proofs out of their own writings: That as Chriſt's obedience, ſo his ſufferings, upon which depend our Juſtification, are all tranſacted within the heart of a believer, his agony, his crucifying and death, &c. But I will give you but one Inſtance, leſt I leave too little room for what I am willing to be ample in, the SubjectsSmith Cat. p. 12. of the ſucceeding Chapters. We believe that Chriſt in us, doth offer up himſelf a living ſacrifice to God for us, by which the wrath and juſtice of God is appeaſed towards us.
This is in ſtead of many, though their Books do generally ſpeak of the ſufferings of Chriſt as propitiatory, to be done over in every perſon before converſion. And the maddeſt humour of all is, ThatPenningtons queſt▪ p. 21. they make the ſeed, or the light, or Chriſt being crucified in the ſoul by the power of ſin and luſt, to be the crucifying and death of Chriſt, by which God is appeaſed. Do not they which dwell there (in ſpiritual Sodom) put his fleſh to pain, crucifieing it in and to themſelves? Take one Scripture to guard you againſt all the fancies of this ſort, and to cloſe this Chapter. But this man, after he had offered one ſacrifice Heb 10 12, 13▪for ſins for ever, ſate down at the right hand of God, from thence expecting till his enemies be made his footſtool; for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified.