A77832:308
A vindication of the book called, Some Gospel-truths opened; according to the Scriptures, and…
A vindication of the book called, Some Gospel-truths opened; according to the Scriptures, and the opposition made against it by Edward Borough, a professed Quaker, (but proved an enemy 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 Borough to the queries then laid down in my book reproved. And also, a plain answer to his queries, given in simplicity 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 ...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 ...
London: printed by Matthias Cowley, 1657
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.
2. He that will but observe the motions of that light which every man hath within him (say they) so as to obey and close in with it to follow it, shall undoubtedly be saved from the wrath to come. Now this is clearly a gross error; for first, If all men have not Christ, as they have not; then is it not an error to press men to seek for life, by following that which is not able to give life. Yet this they do, who labour to persuade men, yea the souls of men, that it is no less then the very Spirit of Christ in every man, that doth convince of si•, when the Scriptures say plainly, the Law, Rom 3.20. Conscience, Rom, 2.15. and Nature it self, Rom. 2.14. 1 Cor. 11.14. will and doth convince of sin; yet none of these is the Spirit of Christ. And the great argument that they bring to prove that it is the spirit of Christ, is, because the Spirit doth also convince of sin. Now what a poor argument is this, to say, That because the Spirit of Christ doth convince of sin, therefore whatsoever doth convince of sin, must needs be the Spirit of Christ As much as to say, because the Saints are called the light of the world,1 Mat. 5.14. therefore the Saints are the Saviour of the world; seeing Christ also doth call himself the light of the world. Or because the Moon hath, or is light, therefore the Moon is the Sun. This is but sophistical arguing, and doth beget most damnable errors and heresies in the world: but this is the way that they take, to entangle poor souls with their sad and erroneous doctrine; see page 22. of his book, line 12. and 13. They say, that it must be Christ within them, that must within them work out justification for them; when it is evident from the whole current of Scripture, that the Son of Mary was delivered to be crucified for our offences, and his Resurrection, through faith in it, is our justification; as all along through grace I have declared and cleared. And the work that the Spirit doth in point of justification, is, to show us what the Son of Mary hath done and suffered in his own body on the tree, and is now doing in the presence of his Father, in the highest heaven.