I wanted to speak with you alone, in order to reclaim you from the pernicious Errors of the Quakers, who deny Justification by Christ; affirming, That to expect to be justified by the Works of Christ without us, is a Doctrine of Devils."
The said I, "Friend, if thou hast any Thing to say to the young Man, relating to any Thing he hath done or said, I am here, at his Request, to hear it ; but if thou goest on thus to reflect against, and falsely accuse that People, I am one of them, and shall oppose thee, as I do return upon thee thy false Accusations already uttered ; in which thou hast shown thy great Injustice, Unworthiness, and ill Nature : For we do not expect Salvation by any other than the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father ; and I challenge thee to produce any Author, approved by us, that denies the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, done without us, and its Efficacy, for its proper End and Purpose, in the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind."
Then the Priest's Wife came into the Room with an Air of Rancour, and said, "Husband, Do not talk with these Men without Witnesses ; for, when they are gone, they will tell Lies of you." Upon this I said to the Priest, "If thou hast any Authority in this House, let us be rid of this Din :" And he desired her to withdraw, which she did ; but we observed the Effects of her Resentment afterwards in the Sequel.
Then the Priest said, "William Penn, in one of his Books, had called the Doctrine of Justification, by the Coming of Christ without, (in the Flesh) the Doctrine of Devils." I asked him, "If he had ever seen that Book?" and he confessed he had not. Then I asked him, "How he could charge William Penn with such a Position?" He replied, "He had seen it quoted out of the Book by Mr Bugg and Mr Keith." "Francis Bugg and George Keith, said I, once knew the Truth in some Degree, and made Profession of it with us ; but took Offences, first against some particular Persons, and then against the whole Body, and became Apostates, open Enemies, filled with Envy implacable ; and it is neither safe nor wise in thee to take any Thing upon Trust from them against us, or any of us, they having been, and still are notorious false Accusers, Perverters, and Misrepresented of us, our Books, Doctrines, and Principles : But I know William Penn, and his Sentiments on that Subject, and have read the Passage aim'd at ; which, to the best of my Remembrance, (not having the Book here) is to this Effect ; To teach that Men are justified before God, by the Righteousness of Christ, as wholly without us, whilst Sin is yet reigning in us, is a Doctrine of Devils."
Thomas Story, Journal (Newcastle upon Tyne, 1747), 326-330 passim.
