Further Discovery of the Quakers, Reply · Position 9
Poſition 9. That no man that commits ſin, or that is not perfectly holy, can ever enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, unleſſe there be a Purgatory.
Excep. 1 Nayler thus excepts, There is not a word to that purpoſe, as you have ſet downe.
Reply. This is ſtrange? Doth not he confeſſe there is this Quaere in it? Whether any imperfect one ſhall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, yea, or no? and if not, then how ſhall one dying in ſinne; and where ſhall he be made perfect and cleane, ſeeing the tree muſt lye as it falls? and whether you owne a Purgatory, yea, or no? this he confeſſeth to be his words. And is there not a word (as he chargeth us) there to that purpoſe?
… qu…r…es … to a… us.2. But the Reader muſt know, that what he there in that Booke layes downe by way of quaery, muſt be looked upon as his poſitive aſſertions, as thou wilt ſee by the adjoyning quaeries in the ſame page, where challenging thoſe that are ſo much offended at perfection, he puts theſe quaeries. 1. Whether any imperfect one committing ſinne be the Im…ge of God, yea or no? where a man may plainely ſee, he meanes ſuch an one is not the Image of God. 2. Whether any can witneſſe the worke of Redemption compleat in them by Chriſt, while they commit ſinne? where it is evident he intends the negative. So in this quaere, to reſolve it into a propoſition; we appeale to his conſcience, or the judicious Reader, that whileſt he puts …his quaere as a challenge to thoſe that deny perfection in this life. Whether any imperfect and uncleave one that lives in ſinne, ſhall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, yea or no? and if not, how ſhall one dying in ſinne? and where ſhall he be made perfect and cl…ane, ſeeing the tree muſt lye as it falls? and whether you owne a Purgatory, or no? we dare appeale to them, we ſay, if it runne not thus by way of aſſertion. That no uncleane or imperfect man can enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, unleſſe there be a Purgatory to waſh away his ſins that dyes imperfect.
And now thou wilt ſee how unjuſtly this man rayles with open mouth, as if we were the moſt wicked lyars in the world, when the aſſertion is ſo evidently his owne, and will ſo appeare to any that hath but halfe an eye of common underſtanding
Excep. 2 He tells us, They charge me to ſay, that no man that hath ſinned can enter into the Kingdome, and as though I owned a Purgatory.
Reply. N…y…e…s ſhuffling.Hath ſinned, what a miſerable ſhuffle is this, and what a pittifull conſcience hath this man? thy owne eyes Reader will informe thee, that we have not ſuch a tittle in our Booke▪ we charge him to ſay, No man that doth commit ſinne, and is not perfectly holy, can enter into the Kingdome; but who chargeth him to have ſaid, that no man that hath ſinned, &c. For charging him as if he owned a Purgatory its like the former; ſurely the man was put to a pinch, when he falls a doubling and ſhuffling ſo apparently. We ſay this muſt be his argument, Either there muſt be a Purgatory to waſh away the ſinne of him that dyes imperfect, or elſe he can never enter into the Kingdome of God. It ſeems Nayler knowes no other way, but a Purgatory to waſh away his ſinne that dyes imperfect. But we looke upon that clauſe, as the abſurdity which Nayler thinks to run us upon, if we will pleade, that a man may dye imperfect and yet be ſaved, then we muſt owne a Purgatory; And ſo becauſe he knew no other way to waſh away mens ſins,Quakers Popery. but either by perfect holineſſe here, or by a Purgatory, we found him out a medium, even the blood of the Lord Ieſus, which cleanſeth the ſoule (otherwiſe as to its perſonall actings, very guilty) from all ſinne.
Excep. 3 Againſt this he objects that Text, 1 Iohn 1.7. Doth it ſay any are cleanſed from ſinne while they perſonally act ſinne? or the quite contrary?
Reply. Naylers jugling vvith Scripture.How falſely doth Nayler deale with the Scripture, and imitate the Father of lyes; when Satan tempted Chriſt, Mat 4 6, to caſt himſelfe downe from the Temple, he takes that of Scripture that would be thought ſerve his purpoſe, and leaves out the reſt; as may be ſeene by comparing it with Pſal. 91.11.12. Juſt ſo deales Nayler with the Scripture and us, leaving out from that Scripture that which immediately followes, If we ſay that we have no ſinne we deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us; which would fully have made out the myſtery of perfect juſtification conſiſting with imperfect ſanctification; its ſpoken of Saints, that are actually cleanſed by the blood of Chriſt, and yet are told there is no truth in them; they make God a lyar, if they ſay we have no ſinne. That Text beyond exception alſo, Rom. 4.5. To him that worketh not, but beleeveth in him that juſtifieth the ungodly &c. he is ſilent unto, according to his cuſtome.