A30137:105
A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ
A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ: showing, true Gospel-holiness flows from thence. Or, Mr. Fowler's pretended design of Christianity, proved to be nothing more then to trample under foot the blood of the Son of God and the idolizing of man's own righteousness. As also, how while he pretends to be a minister of the Church of England, he overthroweth the wholesome doctrine contained in the 10th. 11th. and 13th. of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same, and that he falleth in with the Quaker, and Romanist, against them. By John Bunyan.A defence of the doctrine of justification, by faith in Jesus Christ: shewing, true Gospel-holiness flows from thence. Or, Mr. Fowler's pretended design of Christianity, proved to be nothing more then to trample under foot the blood of the Son of God and the idolizing of man's own righteousness. As also, how while he pretends to be a minister of the Church of England, he overthroweth the wholesom doctrine contained in the 10th. 11th. and 13th. of the Thirty Nine Articles of the same, and that he falleth in with the Quaker, and Romanist, against them. By John Bunyan.
London: printed for Francis Smith, 1673
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. The holy Ghost is not obtained by your description, that consisting only in principles of Nature, and in putting forth it self in acts of Civility and Morality. When the Apostle would convince the bewitched Galatians, that your Doctrine which was also the Doctrine of the false Apostles, was that, which instead of helping forward, did hinder, and pervert the Gospel of Christ; he applieth himself to them in this manner. This only would I learn of you; 1Received you the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? By the works of the Law, that is, by putting of your principles into practice, Nay, may I not add, by putting of your principles into practice, by a more bright, and clear rule, then in the beginning of your description is inserted by you; for the Law as written and engraven in stones, with the addition of all the Mosaical precepts,2 was a more ample, and full discovery of ⟨p. 19⟩the mind of God, then can be obtained by your virtues of Soul, your purity of humane nature, or the first principles of morals, as they are written in the heart of man; and originally dictates of humane nature. Yet by these, by following these, by labouring to live up to the light of these, their own experience told them, that they neither could, nor did obtain the enjoyment of the holy Ghost; but that rather their now declining the word of Faith, by which indeed they receive it at first (whatever pretences of holiness, and godliness were the arguments to prevail with them so to do) was in truth none other but the very witch-craft, and enchantments of the Devil.
1. The holy Ghost is not obtained by your description, that consisting only in principles of Nature, and in putting forth it self in acts of Civility and Morality. When the Apostle would convince the bewitched Galathians, that your Doctrine which was also the Doctrine of the false Apostles, was that, which instead of helping forward, did hinder, and pervert the Gospel of Christ; he applieth himself to them in this manner. This onely would I learn of you; 1Received you the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? By the works of the Law, that is, by putting of your principles into practice, Nay, may I not adde, by putting of your principles into practice, by a more bright, and clear rule, then in the beginning of your description is inserted by you; for the Law as written and engraven in stones, with the addition of all the Mosaical precepts,