A77832:316
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.
First, that as they were not of the elect of God, so God by suffering them to be carried away finally, may make it appear, that they were not of his elect. They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But they went out from us, that it might be made manifest (or that men might see) that they were not all of us, 1 Joh. 2.9.
2. Because God will not have his Church so disturbed always, with such as are not of the truth. Now there are some men that have their time to walk with the Church of God by permission; and these men are ever and anon ready to broach their errors, even while they are among the Saints, to their trouble. Now God having a care of his Church, hath a time to suffer the Devil to run through the world with some erroneous doctrine or other, which when these men taste, being spirited before hand for that purpose, do presently close in with the same, to the purifying of the Church, and the manifestation of hemselvs. And thus every branch which the Lord's right hand hath not planted, shall and must have a time to be rooted up, Mat. 15.13.
2. Because God will not have his Church so disturbed alwaies, with such as are not of the truth. Now there are some men that have their time to walk with the Church of God by permission; and these men are ever and anon ready to broach their errours, even while they are among the Saints, to their trouble. Now God having a care of his Church, hath a time to suffer the Divel to run through the world with some erroneous doctrine or other, which when these men taste, being spirited before hand for that purpose, do presently close in with the same, to the purifying of the Church, and the manifestation of hemselvs. And thus every branch which the Lord's right hand hath not plantd, shall and must have a time to be rooted up, Mat. 15.13.