Further Discovery of the Quakers, Reply · Position 7
Poſition 7. That men are juſtified by that Righteouſneſſe, which Chriſt wi…hin us enahled us to performe, or (which is in effect, and ſome of them have expreſſed) by inherent holineſſe.
We proved this to be their Doctrine by fix teſtimonies. None of which are denyed; onelyonly he quarrels at one expreſſion in one of them, viz. the third, which Nayler layes downe, viz. We are not reconciled to God, till we be perfectly holy, and able to ſtand ſo in our owne power; he quarrels at the laſt clauſe of this, of which we ſhall give you an account in the next Poſition, whether it properly is to be referred: but the firſt branch of it, viz. we are not reconciled to God, till we be perfectly holy, this he denyeth not, but aſſerts againe in his anſwer thus, No imperfect thing can be reconciled to God; ſo that the charge ſtands cleare againſt them, notwithſtanding the hereſie of the Tenet, and the loud out-cryes of Nayler, as if we ſlandered him.
And to put it further out of queſtion, we ſhall adde theſe beſides Naylers confeſſion in the preſent anſwer.New proof that quakers juſtificution is by inherent righteouſneſſe Iohn W…lkinſon of Hutton in the hearing of Mr. T W. Miniſter at Kendall, and Mr. G. affirmed, that the light within men would not onelyonly diſcover ſinne, but alſo redeeme from it, and juſtifie. Capt. Robert Lucas of Kellot in Lancaſhire, atteſteth under hand, that Robert Wither ſaid, that men are ſaved by the workes of Chriſt, which he worketh in them, and maketh them to worke. … Cham affirmed to Mr. T. and Mr. Gr. that holy and … walking with God, was a Saints covering from the wrath of … ſo that this Principle ſtands cleare, notwithſtanding his evaſions.
Excep 1 He chargeth us with wreſting truth to ſlander, by ſaying, that his affirming, that the light within men will bring to fe…re God, and ſo leade to iuſtification, doth hold forth juſtification by inherent righteouſneſſe.
Reply 1 To this we anſwer, that it is evident to as it is the ſenſe of his words: for let any ſober ſpirited Chriſtian conſider his words, the light within, by bringing a man to exerciſe a pure conſcience in the feare of God towards God and man in uprightneſſe, will ſo leade up to juſtification and peace: what doth this but plainely ſpeake, that we are juſtified by obedience to this light in the exerciſe of a good conſcience towards God and man: for, ſaith he, it doth ſo leade to juſtification &c.
Excep. 2 But what ſaith he againe, that no imperfect th…ng can be reconciled to God is plaine in Scripture. This he layes downe to prove (if it would ſerve) the truth of that Poſition, that no are juſtified by i…herent righteouſneſſe.
Reply. Juſtification conſiſtent vvith the Saints infirmities.We anſwer, That Paul was reconciled to God is plaine and that he was juſtified which are the ſame Rom. 5.1.9 10.11. but that Paul was imperfect, when yet he was …e…nciled to God, Rom. 7. will abundantly evidence He that …yes I am carnall, and ſold under ſinne. ver. 14 was not he t…en imperfect? What I doe, I allow not; what I would that I doe not; but what I hate, that doe I, ver. 15. he that was in this condition, was he not imperfect? He that had a Law i… his members warring againſt the Law of his minde, and leading him i…to captivity to the Law of ſinne, ver. 23. was not he imperfect? He that in the ſenſe of his body of death, cryed out. Wretched man that I am &c. was not he imperfect? How ignorant doth Nayler diſcover himſelfe to be of the conditions of the Saints of God. Was not Peter imperfect, when he curſed and denyed his Maſter, Mat. 26.72. but that then he was in a juſtified ſtate, we know none that ever queſtioned. But this groſſe fancy of his owne perfections, and ignorance of the miſtery of juſtification, runs him upon ſuch bold aſſertions and deſperate rocke: as theſe. What an uncomfortable Doctrine had this been to Paul, when he was complaining of the body af his ſinne, to have told him, therefore he was not juſtified, nor reconciled to God? with what a glorious Goſpel ſpirit would Paul have challenged ſuch a man as he doth Angels, Principalities, and Powers, Rom. 8.37.38. It is God that juſtifieth, who ſhall condemne me? It is Chriſt that died; fetching out a pardon and juſtification from the blood of Ieſus, notwithſtanding his owne imperfection in the worke of holineſſe.
Excep 3 To your Poſition, of being juſtified by our owne workes, we deny, for it is he that worketh in us to will, and to doe, &c. and herein we deny ſelfe-workes &c.
Reply. Ce…e…t of Papiſts and qu…ke…s about juſtification.This is the old thread bare ſh…f…lle of the Papiſts, when they are preſt by the Proteſtants, and their juſtification by workes or inherent holineſſe is confuted by Scripture; they conſtantly anſwer as Nayler doth: they deny their being juſtified by their owne workes which flow from a Princip e o… their owne power; but ſay, that the workes by which they are juſtified are ſuch as flow from grace, or the workings of God within their ſoules. They ſay that by the firſt,Bell. de juſtif. l. 1. c. 19 ne hominem juſtificare p…ſſe men cannot be juſtified; but, per opera qua ex fide Chriſti & gratiâ fluunt homines juſtificari, by the workes which flow from Chriſt. All this while both Papiſts and Quakers all… juſtification by inherent holineſſe, not by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed, onelyonly they pretend it is not by their owne power. The full confutation of which Pop…ſh and Anti-chriſtian Doctrine we have layd downe in the Perfect Phariſee at large. pag. 11. and to which Nayler, according to his wonted preſumptuous confidence, anſwers nothing.