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A77832 A vindication of the book called, Some Gospel-truths opened; according to the Scriptures, and the opposition made against it by Edward Borrough, a professed Quaker, (but proved an enemie to the truth) examined and confuted by the word of God. And also, the things that were then laid down, and declared to the world by me, are a second-time born witness to, according to truth: with the answer of Edward Burrough to the quæries then laid down in my book reproved. And also, a plain answer to his quæries, given in simplicitie of soul; and is now also presented to the world, or who else may read, or hear them; to the end (if God will) that truth may be discovered thereby. / by John Bunyan ... Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.; Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.; Bunyan, John, 1628-1688. Some gospel-truths opened according to the Scriptures. 1657 (1657) Wing B5606; ESTC R170889 81,202 76

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of their Ministers for indeed they are Ministers in this to minister ill example to their Congregations Again would the people learne to be covetous they need but look to their Minister and they shall have a lively or rather a deadly resemblance set before them in both riding and running after great Benefices and Pars●nages by night and by day Nay they among themselves will scramble for the same I have seen That so soon as a man hath but departed from his Benefice as he calls it either by death or out of covetousnesse of a bigger we have had one Priest from this Town and another from that so run for these tithe-cocks and handfulls of Barley as if it were their proper Trade and calling to hunt after the same O wonderfull impiety Ezek. 13. read that whole Chapter and you will find it as it was a looking glasse by which thou mayest notably see them with their marks and discoveries and ungodliness are you not ashamed of your doings If you say no. It is perhaps because you are given over of God to a reprobate mind Read Rom. 1. towards the end As it was with them so it is to be feared it is with many of you who knowing the judgments of God that they who do such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but have as I may so say pleasure also in them that doe them And now you that pretend to be the teachers of the people in verity and truth though we know that some of you are not Is it a small thing with you to set them you say are your flock such an example as this Were ever the Pharisees so prophane to whom Christ said Ye vipers how canye escape the damnation of hell doth not the ground groan under you surely it will fauour you no more then it favoured your fore-runners Certainly the wrath of God lyes heavie at your doores it is but a very little while and your recompence shall be upon your owne head And as for you that are indeed of God among them though not of them Separate your selves why should the righteous partake of the same plagues with the wicked O ye children of the harlot I cannot well tell how to have done with you your stain is so odious and you are so sensless as appears by your practices But I shall at this time forbear having in some measure discharged my conscience according to the truth against you hoping if God do give me opportunitie and a fair call that I shall a second time in this world give testimony against your filthy conversations though now I shall say no more onely thus much Be ashamed of your earthly-mindednesse if you can and be converted or else you shall never be healed Here might I also aggravate your sin by its several circumstances but I shall rather forbear supposing that you may entertain wrong and harsh thoughts of me though I have spoken the truth therefore I shall at this time rather keep silence and wish you to amend then to rake in your soars for thereby would your stink go more abroad in the world Therefore I say I forbear And now to the Reader I beseech thee to have a care of thy soul and look well to the welfare of it And that you may do so have a care what doctrine it is that thou receivest Be not contented untill thou indeed and in truth in the light of the Spirit of Christ see thy sins washed away in the blood of that Lamb who did offer up himself a ransom on the Crosse on mount Calvary for the sins of thy soul and body together with the rest of the Saints of God And let not the legall holiness of the one nor the loose prophane conversation of the other beat thee off from pursuing after the truths of Jesus as the truth is in Jesus and so laid down in this my discourse Neither let the plausiblenesse of the other beguile thy simple heart And now to you that are carried away with the delusions at this day broached in the World by the instruments of Satan and that after a profession of the truth I say to you turne againe if you can peradventure there may be hope and that you may escape that wrath which justly you have deserved But if you shall still refuse the Lord that speakes now from heaven in mercy to you you shall not hereafter escape the Lord that in his owne time will speake to you in his wrath and vexe you in his sore displeasure And now a few words to you that have indeed closed in with the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of Mary and they are these that follow First he of good cheer all your sins are forgiven you for his name sake 1 John 2.12 2. Know he that hath begun the good work of his grace in you will perfect it even to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 3. Know that though your Lord Jesus who is in you by his spirit be absent from you t●uching his bodily presence yet he is not forgetfull of you but is preparing a place for you Jo. 14.1 2 3. 4. Consider That he is also at this very present in his very person in the presence of his Father now in the heavens praying and making intercession for you that you may be brought safe to glory Heb. 7.25 Father I will saith he that those that thou hast given me may be where I am that they may behold my glory John 17.25 5. Know also that he hath overcome in his own person when he was in the World Devill Death Sin Hell the curse of the Law the power of the Grave and all other evills in the body of his flesh for you Heb. 2.14 6. Beleeve also that while you are in the World all things shall fall out for your good at the end whether they be Temptations Doctrines of Devils workings of corruptions all things shall fall cut for your good who love our pretious Lord Jesus Rom. 8.28 7. Be assured that all your enemies shall very suddenly be under your feet even Satan and all Rom. 16.20 8. Consider That there shall no temptation befall you in the days of your pilgrimage but God will enable you to bear it I and make away also for you to escape the destroying danger of it 1 Cor. 10.13 9. When the time of your dissolution shall come your Jesus will deal with you as he did with Blessed Lazarus that is he will send his Angels to fetch your soules away to glory Luke 16.23 10. Beleeve also and know assuredly that at the last day he wil also raise your bodyes out of their graves and make them also for ever vessels of his glory Rom. 8.23 compar'd with Joh. 5.28 1 Thes 4.14.15 16 17 18. 11. And lastly consider That though now by the world and hereticks you be counted as not worth the looking after Yet you have your day a comming when as the
able to shew their lost state because of sins against the Law but also to lead them to the right Saviour and plant them into him which all other things are not able to do And thus much in answer to thy scolding against my Epistle the truth of which I blesse God through the strength of Christ I could be willing to seal with my blood And now friend in love to thy soule I say have a care of thy selfe that thou do not satisfie thy selfe with any thing untill thou seest by the operation of the Spirit of Christ which thou must have given thee from heaven as being without it before conversion that the blood of that man Christ Jesus that was crucified on mount Calvary did at that same time when it was there shed wash thee from all thy sins and be not so stout and so sterne against the truth because it suits not with thy beguiled conscience Beare with me in patience and seriously enquire into the truth of things according to the Scriptures For they are they that testifie of Christ how salvation doth come by him In thy entering upon my Book the first thing I find thee wrangle with is First by corrupting my words and then by calling me lyer Thou corruptest my words saying That I said The blood of Christ was shed before the ●world began Whereas I said that in the account of God marke in the accoun of God the blood of Christ was shed before the world began Friend art thou not able to distinguish betwixt a thing being done in God's account or according to his fore-knowledge and a thing that is reaslly and actually don Surely it was either thy folly to speake evill of the things thou knowest not or else thy madnesse doth much appear in that though thou understandest these things yet for to wrangle by corrupting my sayings here as also in other places as will afterwards appear This is in page 11. of thine page 3. of my book Then thou goest on pag. 12. and quotest the place where I say p. 37. How horribly are those deceived who look on Jesus but thou leavest out those words the Son of Mary to be but a type which thing you say you know none that do And again thou saiest that I say he is of something afterwards to be revealed My words thou corruptest thou wouldst fain gather thus much out of my words by corrupting them Here my words are corrupted That though I denied Christ Jesus the Son of Mary to be a type yet I my self say He was a type of somthing afterward to be revealed Which thing as there in my book so here again I do most positively deny and I quote the same words again for a second confirmation of the same saying as then I did How horribly are those deceived who look on Jesus the Son of Mary to be but a shadow or type of something that was afterwards to be revealed Whereas the Scriptures most lively hold him forth to be the Christ of God and not a type or shadow of a spirit or body afterwards to be revealed but himself was the very substance of all things that did any way hold forth or type out Christ to come And when he was indeed come then was an end put to the Law for righteousnesse or just●fication to every one that believeth Rom. ●0 4 And therefore friend though thou hast or wouldest corrupt my words yet have a care of corrupting Christs words least thou doest even heap up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God And whereas thou saiest Thou deniest not but Jesus is the substance Answ I doubt thou do'st not speak thine heart plainly but hidest thy self with so saying as with an apron if we enquire into what it is to hold forth Jesus the son of Mary to be the substance Therefore he that holds forth Jesus the Son of Mary to be indeed the substance and not a type holds forth and believs that that Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary did in his own body of flesh fulfil the Law and impute the righteousnesse of his obedience unto them that he accomplished then without them and that his blood that was shed without on the Crosse doth and hath washed away all sin past present and to come from him that believeth this as it is written For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh that is through our flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of si●ful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That is he was condemned in the flesh that he took on him of the Virgin Ma y Rom. 8.3 And again hee bore our sins in his own body on the tree which was the Crosse on mount Calvary Jesus also saith the Apostle that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered Where Not in any believer but without the gate of Jerusalem Heb. 13.12 How say you do you really believe that at that time when Jesus did hang on the Crosse without Jerusalems gate even at that time he did give the justice of God a full and compleat satisfaction for all the sins of all believers that have been formerly or are now or hereafter shall be Or do you look upon Jesus at that time to be but a shadow or type of somewhat that was afterwards to be done within Answer plainly yea or no that the simple may understand you Now I come to answer thy Querie laid down page 12 in these words Did Christ Jesus put an end to the Law for them who live yet in the transgression of the Law Or doth he justifie that which the Law condemneth Indeed a right answer to this will be great satisfaction to some though I think some trouble to others And therefore in answer to thy question I shall lay down these following things First Christ Jesus did put an end to the Law for righteousnesse for all that the Father hath given him as it is written The bodie of Jesus was offered once for all for all that shall be saved for he shall not be offered a second time No but once for all Heb. 10.10 Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself and he hath done it once by himself for all Heb 9.26 Otherwise he must have often suffered since the world began But that must not be for he dieth no more Rom. 6.9 But say you Did he put an end to the Law for them who still live in transgression 2. Answ There are many poor souls that are given unto Christ who yet live in their sins But Christ did at that time when he hanged on the Crosse give a full and compleat satisfaction for them In due time Christ died for the ungodly For scarcely for a righteous man will one die but peradventure for a good man some one would even dare to die I but God
who seek to be justified by their obedience to it it is made an Idol of and a Saviour though it were given to no such purpose For if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have come by thy obedience to the Law Gal. 3.21 Now at thy conclusions somtimes thou doest utter thy self in this wise Learn what this means Answ Indeed thy words are dark and enough to deceive the hearts of the simple but blessed be God he hath given me to understand that thou doest all along in the drist of thy discourse disown Christ without by pretending to a Christ within whereas hadst thou indeed the Spirit of Christ within thee It would be thy great businesse to extoll and magnifie the Son of Mary the Christ of God without thee because it is the nature of the same spirit so to do even to glorifie Christ without who went away from his Disciples into heaven Luke 24.50 51. to prepare a place for them Then thou further saiest with a kinde of disdaining spirit Many things more thou passest by in my book as being not pertinent to the thing in hand But I believe they are so pertinent that neither thou nor thy friends or fellows are able to contradict without blaspheming in the view of all them that have eyes to see for if they could it should have been don by thee And whereas thou saiest Fools must be medling Answer It must needs be that the Saints of God should be call'd fools by the enemies of the man Christ Jesus without because that the doctrine of the man Christ Jesus crucified without for the sins of poor sinners is also held to be fooilshness by them although it be the wisdom and also the power of God unto every one that believeth 1 Cor. 1.23 24. And further thou sayest that the Pope can speak as much of Christ without as I. Answer Friend doest thou put no difference betwixt the speaking of Christ without and believing in Christ without I tell thee though there may be many that can speak of the Christ of God without yet there are but very few that can or do believe indeed in him without by the mighty operation of his holy spirit within Nay you your selves do testify this who deny that the salvation of sinners was compleatly wrought out by that one offering of Jesus Christ without upon the Crosse on mount Calvary and that he is ascended from his Disciples above the clouds touching his bodily presence as in 1 Cor. 5.6 compared with Acts. 1.9 10 11. Then again thou saist I do ask my selfe a question and do also answer it my selfe deceitfully The question is Do not the Scriptures make mention of a Christ within And thou saist I answer it deceitfully my selfe But I answer again that I am not ashamed of that answer I then gave because I know it is truth and whereas thou saiest it is deceitfull and yet canst not find fault with any point thereof it confirmes me that had there been falsity in it such an enemy to the truth as thou art wou●dst have taken that advantage as to have discovered it that thereby thou mightest have rendered the truth the more odious The answer I shall leave to the Christian Reader which is so indeed yet am confirmed my selfe concerning it and shall give thee an answer to thy question which is Doth not the Scripture say or witnesse that all that have not Christ within are Reprobates Answer Yes the Scripture saith so and it is true they that have not the spirit of Christ in them are reprobates But there are some that are reprobates that you will confesse Then by your own argument you must grant that some have not the Spirit of Christ in them Pray take notice they that have not the spirit of Christ in them are reprobates There are some who are reprobates therefore there are some who are sensual having not the spirit of Christ in them see thy folly how it is made manifest Jud. v. 19. The next thing thou art offended withall is because I say the Devill deceives poore soules by perswad ng them to follow the light within which all men have Answer Friend I say again and again That there is nothing lesse then the Spirit of Christ that can give a soule a sight of justification by the blood of the man Christ Jesus without by following of it Now as thou saiest thy selfe some are reprobates and have not the spirit of Christ Then is it any heresie to say that it is of the Divel to perswade a soule to follow that light which is no better then conscience or Nature it selfe which are not able to lead to Christ his things being foolishnesse to it Rom. 2.14 or is conscience which every one is lightened withall the Spirit of Christ give an answer in sincerity Then thou sayest that my whole purpose is a secret smiting at the light wherewith Christ hath lightened every man I Answer My whole designe in my book is and was these following things First to shew soules where salvation is to be had Namely in Christ without 2. To shew souls how they should lay hold of this salvation Namely by the operation of the spirit of Christ which must be given within And 3ly To forwarne poor soules that they should not deceive themselves neither by conscience nor the Law which are both inferiour and much below the Spirit of Christ even as much as he that buildeth the house hath more honour then the house Heb. 3. And 4. to shew how poore soules should know whether they had the Spirit of Christ or not within them or whether the spirit of the Divell had exalted himselfe above the Spirit of Christ by transforming himselfe into an Angell of light Farther thou thinkest I contradict my selfe because I admonish poor souls to beg of God to convince them by his holy Spirit and thou saiest This is my confusion When alas confusion is of and from thy selfe who wouldest make a defiled conscience the Law and the Spirit of Christ to be all one as I shall further clear to the reader by and by But I tell thee friend there are many who have not the Spirit of Christ and yet are convinced of sin by their owne consciences John 8.9 He doth not say by the light of Christ in their Consciences that is a saying of your owne without warrant from the Word of God but by their owne Consciences Mark that Now I knowing that a man may be convinced and yet not by the Spirit of Christ for he may be without that but by nature itselfe 1 Cor. 11.14 I do admonish every foule if they love themselves to beg of God for Jesus Christ his sake that he would not onely let them he convinced by these poor low empty beggerly things their consciences in respect of the spirit of Christ but that he would convince them by that spirit of his effectually which is not onely
the ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. That is the proper work of the Moral Law or Ten commandements is to condemne if it be not obeied and yet not to blesse until it be every jot fulfilled wh ch is impossible to be done by any man for justification in that exact and severe way which the Law calls for which makes the Apostle say as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse Mark he doth not say as many as are of the works of sin are under the curse though that be true but as many as are of the works of the Law a●e under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them But that no man is justified by the deeds of the Law it is evident For the just shall live by faith Gal. 3.10 11. If it be meant of the Ceremonial Law as I am most inclinable to believe because he saith it was our Schoolmaster he doth not say it is but it was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ being a Tutor or Governour holding forth Christ to come by its types and significations untill the time appointed of the Father which appointed time and so that Law was to have an end when God sent forth his Son made of a woman Jesus the Son of Mary who was made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law Now the Ceremonial Law did bring or lead to Christ these two waies First In that it did continue in full force until he did come into the world and had done that which was by it held out for him to do Secondly in that the several types and shadows as thc blood of Bulls and Lambs with diverse other services did lead to or hold forth Christ that was to come but the Moral Law or Ten Commandements is so far from leading us to Christ by our following it that it doth even lead those that are led by it under the curse Not because the Law hath an evil end in it but because of our weaknesse and inability to do it therefore it is forced as it is just to passe a sentence of condemnation on every one that in every particular fulfills it not In the next place thou art offended because I said It is not of works least any man should boast as those fond hypccrites called Quakers would do Thou art offended it seemes because I call you boasters You need not for I do not know your fellows for boasting under heaven In that you Pharisees like do crye up your selves to be the men and condemne all others when you are the men that are the greatest enemies to the Christ of GOD without who is the Saviour of any man under heaven And in that you pretend you are perfect when you are the notablest lyars and corrupters of the sayings of the peopl of God yea and of the Scriptures also that ever I came neer in all the daies of my life And I doubt not but before I have done with you I shall make it appear to them that read or hear my lines aright Thy Quaerie in page 13. runs thus Will that Faith which is without works justifie I answ No Neither will those workes which are without faith sanctifie What then Is it faith and workes together that doth justifie No it is onely faith in the blood of the man Christ that did hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary that doth justifie in the sight of God and the soule and it is the fruits of faith good workes which do justifie in the sight of men So that when it is said wee are justified by workes It is not meant that workes will justifie in the sight of God No but shew me or shew men thy faith or justifie thy faith to be true and right before men by thy workes Shew men thy faith by thy workes it is in the sight of men So that wee conclude a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law in the sight of God and so his owne soule also and his faith is justified or made manifest to be indeed that which is right both to believers and to the world by it's works Though I must confesse that both Paul and Peter and the rest of the Saints may sometimes be deceived in the truth of the faith of others by their workes Again in page 17. thou seemest to be offended because I say Living by faith is to apply the Lord Jesus Christ his benefits as birth righteousnesse death blood resurrection ascention and intercession together with the glorious benefits of his second coming to me as mine and for me c. Friend methinks thou shouldest find no fault with this but that the man Christ Jesus the son of Ma y is not very pleasant to thee because thou hast swallowed down secretly another doctrine but friend I speak of applying these things and thou speakest of talking of them I know that there are many who talke of Christ that will fall short of heaven and glory But tell me what saiest thou to him tha● doth apply all these things to his soul is there not enough in them to justifie him that doth really and truly in the power of the Spirit believe this to be true which I have said Or doest thou deny it and preach another Gospell And whereas thou sayest The word of the Gospell saith not who shall ascend to fetch Christ from above for salvation Though there is never a scripture that saith these words word for word Yet the Scripture saith The word is mghthee even in thy mouth and in thy heart But marke it is the word of faith not the man Christ Jesus but faith which layeth hold on him Rom. 10.8 9. Read the 9. verse which is this Tbat if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus who was borne of the Virgin Mat 1.21 And sha●t believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved These great and precious Scriptures with which by corrupting of them the Quakers have beguiled many have this meaning That if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus that is in profession and practise own him and believ him to be the Anointed Saviour And shalt believe in thine heart there is the word of faith if thou shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt he saved for with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation But what should men believe with the heart Namely this that God raised him that is Christ from the dead ver 10. And therefore I wonder thou shouldest so scold as thou doest against the truth If this be not truth blame the Scripture which do testifie of these things for truth For I am ruled and would be ruled by them thtough the Spirit But farther thou art offended
Jesus to be head in us and over us and our selvs to be members of his body which thou saiest is his Church And what thou intendest by making so many foldings in one quaery saiest thou it may be judged it is to insnare and in that thou answerest thou answerest thy self for us in some things that thou mightest have a further ground to lay a deeper snare we do deny thee and thy spi it and see thee to bee onely feeding in thy imaginations upon the report of things without the life And thy Religion stands in Disputes and Controversies and Quaeries and many words But our Religion stands in the exercise of a pure conscience towards God and toward man whether we speak or be silent These are thy words Answ Now in my Quaery thou saiest I slander in that I say You Quakers allow of no other body of Christ but the Church of Christ yet doest thou not clear thy self at all onely thou wouldest say something to dazle the eies of the ignorant But friend if thou wouldst have made it appear that I slandered in saying you own no other body but the Church you should have said Yes we do own this That Christ hath a body that is now in glorie ascended from his Disciples according to the Scripture Act. 1.3 compared with ver 9 10 11. But thou doest onely fling up a few words into the air that thou mightest thereby puzzle thy simple Reader But I blesse God for my part I do see thee that thou doest like a beguiled man seek by all means to beguile others And whereas thou saiest It is sufficient to salvation to know Christ Jesus as head in us and over us To this I answer whatsoever thy meaning is by these words yet there is none shall be saved but those who through the mighty operation of the spirit of Christ are inabled to applie what the man Christ Jesus the son of Mary hath done and suffered and is now a doing for sinners and saints and for him in the presence of his Father now ascended in his body of flesh and bones from his children which are alive in this world I say there is none shal be saved but those that are thus established or shal be so as is clear from these 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 2.24 3.18 22. 4.1 2 Pet. 1.17 Heb. 7.24 10.7 9. 7.24 25. 13.12 1 Tim. 2.5.6 Eph. 1.7 Act. 12 37 38 39. with many other Scriptures And again when you say I answer you in something if you mean that the body in which he did bear the sins of his children is his Church for that is partly my Quaery then do I say that your doctrine is desperate and divelish and you do thereby undervalue the death blood resurrection ascension intercession and second coming again of that man for salvation and therefore for a better satisfaction to all who may read your book I intreat you to answer Did he bear our sins in that body which is his Church or did he bear our sins in that body that did hang on the Cross on mount Calvary Answer plainly I beseech you And now friend passing by the rest of thy bawlings I shall come to thy several Quaeries and shall answer to them in the simplicitie of my soul not laying down any doubtful expressions but in all plainness and not as you do for the better understanding of them by those that read them These be the Quakers Quaeries and my Answers to them 1. Quaer Is any man justified in the sight of God but he that followeth Christ and is it not a work to follow Christ yea or nay and what is the sight of God Answ He that followeth Christ aright must first believe in Christ for how shall they follow him in whom they believe not Now then the Scripture saith He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Joh ●● 16 17 18. so then we are justified by believing and if so than to follow Christ is rather a fruit of our be●ieving than justification it self And whereas you ask What is the sight of God I answer To be justified in the sight of God by Jesus Christ is for God to look on such poor creatures as we are as compleat without spot or wrinkle in the obedience of the man Christ Jesus who otherwise could not behold them in love because of their iniquity Hab. 1.13 2. Quaer Whether will that faith justifie a man which hath not works seeing the Scripture or the Apostle saith faith witbout works is dead and what is that which worketh faith and where is it within or without Answ That faith that hath not works is dead being alone Yet it doth not follow that all that have works have faith No but contrariwise men may have works yea the works of the Law of God too and yet be under the curse which they could not bee if they had saving faith So then if faith without works is dead Gal. 3.10 11 12 13. and again if men may have works and yet no faith no saving faith I mean Then it will be good to enquire what it is to have a right faith which doth bring forth right good works and who have works without a right faith And first a right saving faith is for a man to be enabled of God's holy Spirit to lay hold on what the man Christ hath done in his own person when he was in the world as his birth righteousnesse death blood resurrection ascension and intercession and to apply the virtue and merit thereof to himself so as to see himself saved thereby Rom. 3.24 25. Being justified freely by his grace How Even through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation or reconciler through faith in his blood c. Again Be it known unto you that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe mark all that believe namely in his blood which was shed on mout Calvary are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.38 39. If the faith that applies these thing be of the operation of God it is very much accompanied with good works For the love of Christ constrains us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that we which live namely by the faith of this that Christ died for all Gal. 2.20 should not henceforth live to our selves but to him that died for us 2 Cor. 5.14 15. But secondly they that deny the merits of the birth death righteousnesse blood c. of the man that was born of Mary which he fulfilled in his own person by himself Heb. 1.2 I say they that do not venture their souls on these glorious mysterious truths but deny the belief of them to be sufficient of themselvs to save from hell and all other
And poor Creatures heating the name Christ being ignorant of the nature of Christ do presently close in with these things supposing nay verily beleeving that these are the Spirit of Christ Which things being thus received if at any time one come and oppose them and tell them that it is an errour that they have taken up to think that that which is in an unregenerate man is the Spirit of Christ and contrarywise telleth them plainly that it is but their own conscience that doth convince them or the law written in their hearts by nature Nay say they it is the light of Christ in the conscience when there is no Scripture hath any such manner of exp●essions onely a fancy of their own taken up without ground from the Word But the soul being possessed with this doctrine presently its heart riseth against any thing that doth contradict it and is filled with a secret enmity against it Now the way that Satan takes to bring this about is to perswade poor souls that all these thoughs that do any wise contradict the Principles received is but a temptation of the Devill And if at any time there be the doctrine of Jesus held forth in truth his death buriall resurrection ascension and intercession now without in the presence of his Father for sinners and that there is salvation no where else but in the merits of the first born of Mary which is Jesus Christ without the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 Presently with envie they are enraged and cry Doest thou not know that every man hath a measure of tbe Spirit given to him Follow that listen to that turn thy mind to that and walk in the light of that When alas there is no such thing as the Spirit of Christ in every man as I said and proved before at large onely the Devill hath gotten this way to call conscience Christ the law Christ and hereby to intangle the soul with the name of a thing without the thing it self But now the soul is set down in its principles and he that doth any way confute that Spirit presently it falls a raging and cries out Se●pent Li●r Wolfe Dragon Devill be silent with thy serpentine wisdom and smoak of the bottomlesse pit Now in this the Devill is wonderfull cunning for least he should indeed be discovered he doth set the face hard against the truth and counteth it such a deadly enemy that he will not cannot bear it but le ts flye against it all the hellish words and madnesse he can And now he begins first to cry avoyd Satan All which is onely to harden him in whom he doth dwell more and more against the truth Now he doth also harden souls in delusions by presenting the ugly and base conversations of a company of covetous wretches who do professe themselvs to be the Ministers of the Gospel but are not now poor creatures being shaking and doubtfull what way to take seeing the conversation of these men to be wicked and the doctrine of these deluders co●ered with a seeming holinesse they presently embrace it saying surely these men are in the right way they cry down the Priests whose lives we also see to be profane they are very strict in their ways and if such be nor good men who are But yet that which is most taking is through the corruption and pride that is naturally in the heart of man these men propose such a way to salvation as is in the compasse of a mans owe abilitie even works of righteousnesse done by him which is very agreeable to mans nat●re which would willingly be saved but would not be altogether beholden to God for it and these works not being wrought by the Priests or Nationall Ministers but by the other though in opposition to the righteousnesse of Christ the Messias God-man poor souls not onely suck in these erroneous principles but are hardened in them against the doctrine of God and his Son Jesus Christ by their ungodly conversation and thus dishonour the Son of God But come brethren let us be patient stablish our hearts wait but a while and I doubt not but you will see that those who dishonour our Jesus shall soon be brought down both Ranters Quakers P●iests and people also that shall continue in opposing him either in doctrine or practise for our God hath said Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries Now a few words more to those who do beleeve in Christ aright and lay him for their foundation First blesse God that you are not carried away with the delusions that are on foot in this generation Secondly see that you are laborers after a more experimentall knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ flye more to his birth death blood resurrection ascension and intercession and fetch refreshing for your souls more and more from him without through the operation of his Spirit within and though the fruits of the Spirit be excellent and to be owned where they are found Yet haue a care you take not away the glory of the blood of Christ shed on the Crosse without the gates of Jerusalem and give it them which you will do if you do content your selvs and satisfie your consciences with this that you finde the fruits of the Spirit within you and do not go for peace and consolation of conscience to the blood of Jesus shed on the Crosse Therefore learn of the Saints or rather of the Spirit Revel 5. who teacheth to sing this song Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood And as for you that cannot yet well indure to think you should be justified by the blood of the Son of Mary shed on the Crosse without the gate I say to you Kiss the Son least he be angry and you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they tbat put their trust in him Psal 2.12 FINIS Some Questions put forth to them commonly called Quakers for to answer whether in London or elswhere Be alwaies ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 1 Pet. 3.15 And I beseech you do it in sincerity 1. IF thou saiest that every man hath a measure of the Spirit of Jesus Christ within him Why say the Scriptures Some are sensual having not the Spirit Jude 19. And when Christ tells his Disciples of sending them the Spirit he also saith The world cannot receive it Joh. 14.17 2. What is the Church of God redeemed by from the curse of the Law Is it by something done within them or by something that is done without them or by something that worketh in them Gal. 3.3 Act. 13.38 1 Pet 2.24 Col. 1.20 c. If thou Answer It is redeemed from the curse of the law by something that worketh in them then I ask Why did the man Christ Jesus