be said strictly to merit, as a debt due to the creature: but on the other hand, that right faith, and good works, which arise out of it, or will follow it, may and do obtain the blessed immortality (which it pleaseth Almighty God to give and privilege the sons of men with, who perform that necessary condition) is a gospel and neces-sary truth. And this the Quakers ground upon, and therefore boldly affirm to the world.

So that men are not justified, because they are: sanctified, but for his sake that sanctifies them, and works all their good works in them and for them, and presents them blameless;* to wit,, Christ Jesus, who is made unto them as he was to the saints of old, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption; that he that glorieth: might glory in the Lord.t

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RICHARD CLARIDGE, in

a piece printed

in the year 1726, entitled "An Essay on the doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction for the Sins of Mankind," says, -As to the doctrine of Christ's satisfaction for the sins of mankind, that we unfeignedly embrace according to the Scriptures[but] that which we deny is the impossibility of God's pardoning of sin upon repentance, without a "plenary satisfaction to his "vindictive justice, by inflicting the penalty of " infinite wrath and vengeance on Jesus Christ,

- who for sins past, present, and to come, " hath wholly borne and paid it, whether for all or some,) to the offended infinite justice of his "Father.

This is that which we deny, because it is repugnant to the doctrine of the holy scriptures, which testify of the infinitely just and righteous God, that He is "merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin," Exod. xxxiv. 6,7; "good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon him," Psal. lxxxvi. 5; that his mercy "is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him," Psal. ciii. 17; "endureth for ever," Psal. cxxxvi. throughout; that "he delighteth in mercy," Mic. vii. 18; is "the Father of mercies," 2 Cor. i. 3; "long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," 2 Pet. iii. 9. "Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever." Jer. iii. 12. "Re pent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast

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away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves and live ye." Ezek. xviii. 30, 31, 32. And therefore God, who "sent not his Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through him, might be saved," John iii. 17. "commandeth all men every where to repent." Acts xvii. 30. For the sending of his Son, wherein "was manifested the love of God towards us," 1 John iv. 9, was not only to "be the propitiation for our sins," v. 10; but also "to bless us," in turning away every one of us "from our iniquities." Acts iii. 26. And therefore Christ testified of himself, saying, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance," Mat. ix. 13. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost," Luke xix. 10; such as are sick, and need a physician. Luke v. 31. Pursuant whereunto saith Peter, "him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince, and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins; and we are his witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." Acts v. 31, 32. For, " to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." Acts x.43. And this without "such a rigid payment or satisfaction," as the suffering of " infinite wrath and vengeance." Christ was made "Sin," or a sacrifice for sin for us. 2 Cor. v. 21. And "bore our sins in his own body on the tree." 1Pet. ii. 24. Yet he "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." v.22, and therefore "suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might

Acts

bring us to God. 1 Peter iii. 18. And his sufferings were exceeding great both in his soul and body, but they were finite. For he laid down his life, and took it up again. See John x. 17. "Having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holdon of it. ii. 24. And therefore not infinite, as [some] misunderstanding the Scriptures, erroneously assert. We do believe that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, that "he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John ii. 2. That it is through his blood, that we have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins. Col. i. 14. We do believe, that as he "was delivered for our offences," so he "was raised again for our justification," Rom. iv. 25, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Heb.vii.25. We do also believe, that he was and is both God and Man, in wonderful union God uncreated, see John i. 1,2,3, Col. i, 17, Heb. i. 8, 10, 12, "The true God." I John v. 20. "The great God." Tit. ii. 13. "The Lord of Glory." James ii. 1. "King of Kings and Lord of Lords." Rev. xix. 16. "The same yesterday, today, and for ever." Heb. xiii. 8. And man *conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, see Luke i. 31, 35, who suffered for our salvation ; "hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour." Eph. v. 2. And "by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained," or found, as the [Greek] word signifies, "eternal redemption for us." Heb. ix. 12. It was (see 1 Tim.ii.5) the Man Christ Jesus, the one Mediator between God and Men, that was conceived, born, suffered, died, and gave * Creed, commonly called the Apostles'.

himself a ransom for all; for through the eternal Spirit, he "offered himself without spot to God." Heb. ix. 14. Though by wicked hands he was "crucified and slain." Acts ii. 23. And in the offering of himself, he was a true and real sacrifice and propitiation for sin, acceptable and satisfaetory to God. But he was not a sinner, or reputed by God as such; for the apostle saith expressly, that he knew no sin, 2 Cor. v. 21, was " without sin." Heb. iv. 15, was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." Heb. vii. 26. But it was wicked men, that condemned him, the just and holy one, as a sinner, and numbered him with the transgressors. Isa. liii. 12:

-As it was the main design of Christ's life, doctrine and miracles, to call men to repentance, faith and obedience; so it was also the great end of his Sufferings and Death, to accomplish the same glorious design. For he "gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father," Gal. i. 4. He "loved the Church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word: that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy, and without blemish," Eph. v. 25, 26, 27. Не "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Tit. ii. 14. This was a principal end of his giving of himself for us, or offering himself a sacrifice of propitiation for the sins of mankind. For "lie died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again, 2 Cor. v.