Is. xxviii. 13. and wonder and perish because you was born of the Virgin, will come again in the believe not. Ac. xiii. 41. clouds without thee; and this truth must thou receive by that Spirit that he hath promised to send and give to them that ask him: And that shall dwell in thy heart, and shall shew thee what the Son of Mary the virgin, the Son of man, the Son of God, the true God hath in his body done for thy soul. Jn. xvi. 13, 14. And if thou receive him in truth, then though thou do not boast, nor brag of thy holiness, as those painted hypocrites called Quakers do: yet thou wilt do more work for God in one hour, than they, even all of them, can do in all their lifetime. A few words more, and so I shall have done, and they are words of counsel to thee. Have a care thou receive not every Christ that is proffered to thee, though it may appear very excellent to thy foolish heart: for under the name Christ, are men deceived, as it is written, many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.' Mat. xxiv. 5. But have a care that thou receive that Christ, that was born without thee, fulfilled the law in his human nature without thee; spilt his blood without thee, is risen again and ascended without thee, and maketh intercession without thee: And that he that very Man that Take my counsel, and the Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon thy soul and body. Farewell. SOME QUESTIONS TO THE QUAKERS, OR A FEW QUERIES TO THOSE WHO ARE POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DELUSION IN THIS GENERATION. • Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you,' 1 Pet. iii. 15. And I beseech you do it in sincerity. 1. IF thou sayest that every one hath a measure of the Spirit of Jesus Christ within him, why say the scriptures that 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. Jn. xiv. 17. 2. What is the church of God redeemed by, from the curse of the law? Is it by something that is done within them, or by something done without them? 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 hang upon the cross on Mount Calvary, without the gates of Jerusalem, for the sins of the people? Ga. iii. 3. 1 Pe. ii. 24. And why do the scriptures say, that through this Man, is preached to us the forgiveness of sins. Ac. xiii. 38. That is, through his blood, Ep. i. 7. Col. i. 20. which was shed without the gates of Jerusalem. He. xiii. 12. 3. What scripture have you to prove, that Christ is, or was crucified within you, dead within ? you, risen within you, and ascended within you pared with 50, 51. also Ac. i. 9-11. or did he with that body of flesh go into his disciples, as some fond dreamers think? 7. Hath that Christ that was with God the Father before the world was, no other body but his church? If you say no, as it is your wonted course; then again I ask you, what that was in which he did bear the sins of his children? If you answer, It was in his own body on the tree,' for so saith the scripture. 1 Pe. ii. 24. Then I ask you further, whether that body in which he did bear our sins, (which is also called his own body) was, or is, the church of God, yea, or no? Again if you say he hath no body but the church, the saints, Then I ask, what that was that was taken down from the cross, and laid into Joseph's sepulchre. Lu. xxiii. 53. Now I know, that as Christ is the head of his church, so the church is the body of the head, which is Christ. But as Christ is the mediator between God and man, I say, as he is mediator, so he is a man, 1 Ti. ii. 5. and absent from his saints in the world, as is clear, 2 Co. v. 6. Therefore as he is a mediator, and a Man, so he hath a body that is absent from his church, which body is ascended from his disciples, above the clouds into heaven. 5. Is that very Man, with that very body, within | Lu. xxiv. 51. Ac. i. 9—11. If you say no, then I ask you, you, yea, or no? 4. Is that very Man that was crucified on Mount Calvary between two thieves, whose name is Jesus, the Son of Mary, I say, is he the very Christ of God, yea, or no? 6. Was that Jestis, that was born of the Virgin Mary, a real Man of flesh and bones, after his resurrection from the dead, out of Joseph's sepulchre, yea, or no? For the scripture saith he was, as in Lu. xxiv. 39. If so, then did that Man that said handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have; I say, did that Man go away from his disciples (and not into them, in his body) as these scriptures declare, Lu. xxiv. 39, 40. com Did he leave the body behind him, which was born of the Virgin Mary, which walked up and down with his disciples in the world, was afterwards hanged upon the cross, Lu. xxiii. 26, 33, 53. buried, rose again from the dead, Mat. xxiv. 3, 6, 15, 41, 42, 39, 50. with which body he did eat, drink, and likewise walk with his disciples after his resurrection from the dead, Ac. x. 41. and did bid his disciples see if he were not flesh and bones, yea, or no? JOHN BUNYAN. OF GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED; ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, AND THE OPPOSITION MADE AGAINST IT BY EDWARD BORROUGH, 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 borne witness to, according to truth: With the Answer of EDWARD BORROUGH 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. 'I have found David a man after mine own heart,' (saith God, Acts xiii. 22.) Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:' (saith the Apostle) 23. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre: 29. But God raised him from the dead:' 30. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the Promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again :' 32, 33. 'Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:' 38. And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses:' 39. TO THE READER. SINCE it hath pleased the Lord to work in my soul by his holy Spirit, and hath translated me in some measure from darkness to light, I have seen and heard, that such things have been done by those who did once pretend themselves to be the servants of Jesus Christ, that it hath made me marvel: Partly, while I have beheld the vile conversation of some, and also the seeming legal holiness of others, together with their damnable doctrine; which have, notwithstanding their professions, made shipwreck of the faith, both to themselves, and their followers. I having had some in-sight into such things as these, was provoked to publish a small treatise touching the fundamentals of religion, supposing that God might add his blessing thereto, both for the establishing of some, and the convincing of others; which things I doubt not but they have been accomplished; and will be still more and more. But, as it was in former days, so it is now: That is, some in all former ages have been on foot in the world, ready to oppose the truth: So it is now, there are certain men newly started up in our days, called quakers, who have set themselves against the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and do in very deed deny, that salvation was then obtained by him, when he did hang on the cross without Jerusalem's gate. Now these men do pretend, that they do verily and truly profess the Lord Jesus Christ; but when it comes to the trial, and their principles be thoroughly weighed, the best that they do, is to take one truth, and corrupt it, that they may thereby fight As for instance: more stoutly against another. FIRST, They will own that salvation was obtained by Christ, this is truth, that salvation was obtained by Christ; but come close to the thing, and you will find, that they corrupt the word, and only mean thus much, That salvation is wrought out by Christ as he is within; and by it (though not warranted by the scripture) they will fight against the truth: Namely, that salvation was obtained for sinners, by the man that did hang on the cross on Mount Calvary, between two thieves, called Jesus Christ. I say, by what he did then for sinners in his own person or body, which he took from the Virgin Mary, according to the word of God. SECOND, They will own the doctrine of Christ within. This is truth, that Christ is within his saints: But this doctrine they will take to fight against the doctrine of Christ without, ascended from his disciples into heaven, by whom salvation was obtained, 'neither is there salvation in any other.' Ac. iv. 12. THIRD, They will own the resurrection of the saints, but their meaning is only thus much, That the saints are raised from the state of nature to a state of grace, and herewith they will fight against this truth; namely, the resurrection of the bodies of saints out of their graves, into which they were laid, some thousands, some hundreds of years before. And if they do say, they do own the resurrection of the saints out of their graves, they do mean out of the grave of sin only, and nothing else. These things I ness to. FOURTH, They will say, they do own the second coming of Christ to judge the world; am an ear wit- but search them to the bottom, and you will find them only to own him in his coming in spirit, within, in opposition to the glorious coming of the Lord Jesus, the Son of Mary, from heaven in the clouds, with all his mighty angels, to raise the dead, and bring them to judgment, according to the scripture. And so for the intercession of Christ, and the truths of the gospel, they only own them to be within; in opposition to the glorious intercession, and mediation of the man Christ Jesus in his own person without, now in the presence of his Father, between us and him, pleading and making intercession for his children. These things, together with many more, I might mention, but now I forbear, knowing that none shall be lost, nor altogether carried away by them, nor any heretics, but the sons of perdition. Now that they might the better make their doctrine take place in the hearers, they endeavour to make a fair shew in the flesh, that thereby they might now, as did their fathers in time past, compel and constrain them who are not by the Lord's right hand planted into the truth of Jesus, to follow their covered errors, as it is written. Ga. vi. 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh,' That is, according to works of the law; do 'by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.' Ro. xvi. 18. And indeed it doth clearly appear, that those that are carried away, are such as are not able to discern between fair speeches declared by heretics, and sound doctrine declared by the simple-hearted servants of Jesus. First, Now I shall lay down several grounds, not only why errors are broached in the world; but also, why so many are carried away with them. 1. One ground, why so many errors do from time to time come into the world, is because those that are not indeed of the planting of the Lord's right hand, might be rooted out. Mat. xv. 13. Now these are many times carried away by deceivable doctrines: And truly in this our God hath both a care of his own glory, and of his church's welfare. For first, should they not be swept away by some heresy or other, there might be great dishonour brought to his name by their continuing among his people: And secondly, that he might take away such grievances as such may bring, had they continued still in the society of his children. 2. Another ground why the Lord doth suffer VOL. II. such errors to come into the world is, because, those that are Christians indeed, might be approved and appear. 1 Co. xi. 19. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest.' Should not the Lord go this way to work (sometimes) there would be many that would make people believe that they are Christians, and yet are not. And again, that he might make it appear, that though there be heretics, yet he hath a people, enabled by his Spirit, to contradict, and oppose them, and plead to the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his glorious gospel against them. 3. Another ground why the Lord doth suffer, yea, even send delusions among the people, is, That those who were so idle and slothful, as not to seek after the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, might be taken away, and violently possessed with error, and be made to run greedily after the same; that they might smart the more for their neglect of the truth. For always, those who were lazy in seeking after the truth when it was proffered, and afterward hasty after the doctrine of devils, when that is declared to them, shall be sure to have their latter behaviour to rise up in judgment against them, in that when the truth was proffered to them they were idle and did not receive it, and yet when delusion did proffer itself, they were industrious, and labouring. Now mark, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness; because they received not the truth in the love of it, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they might believe a lie, and be damned. 2 Th. ii. 10–12. Second, Now in the second place, why so many are so easily carried away with errors in this day: The grounds are these that follow. 1. Because men count it enough to be professors of the truth, without seeking to be possessors of the same. Now because men are but only professors of the truth, not having it in their hearts in reality, they are carried away with an error, if it come in never so little power, more than the truth they profess. And this is the reason why so many are carried away with the errors that are broached in these days, because they have not indeed received the Lord Jesus by the revelation of the Spirit, and with power, but by the relation of others only; and so having no other witness to set them down withal, but the history of the word, and the relation of others concerning the truths contained therein, (though the knowledge of the truth this way shall abundantly aggravate their damnation) yet they having not had the Spirit of the Lord to confirm these things effectually unto them, they are carried away with delusions. 2. Another reason why so many are carried notable pattern before them. Would the people learn to be wanton, they may also see a pattern among their teachers. Would they learn to be drunkards? they may also have that from some of their ministers; for indeed they are ministers in this, to minister ill example to their congregations. Again, would the people learn 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 parsonages by night and by day. away with delusions, is, those differences that are among the children of God about smaller matters. O Friends! how is the hand of the enemy strengthened by our carnality, while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; many a poor soul is carried away with delusion. And why so? They are not satisfied that this is the truth, because the children are at difference among themselves, about some outward things. And again, it makes those that are not so desperately possessed with a spirit of delusion, as are others, but are mere moral men: I say it makes them to say within them-Nay, they among themselves will scramble for the selves, and one to another; There are so many sects and judgments in the world, that we cannot tell which way to take. And therefore you that have the Spirit, pray that these things may cease, least you blush for your folly, at the appearing of Jesus our Lord. 3. The pride, covetousness, and impiety of hypocrites, and carnal professors, are great stumbling-blocks to the poor world; and the cause why many at this day do drink down so greedily a deluding doctrine, and especially if it come with a garment of pretended holiness. But as for these, they shall go to their place in their time, with the curse of the Almighty poured out upon them, for their casting of stumbling-blocks before the simple by their loose conversations, if they do not hastily repent of their wickedness, and close in reality with our blessed Lord Jesus. 4. Another reason why delusions do so easily take place in the hearts of the ignorant, is, because those that pretend to be their teachers, do behave themselves so basely among them. And indeed I may say of these, as our Lord said of the Pharisees in another case, all the blood of the ignorant, from the beginning of the world, shall be laid to the charge of this generation. They that pretend they are sent of the Lord, and come, saying, Thus saith the Lord; we are the servants of the Lord, our commission is from the Lord (by succession) and the like; I say, these pretending themselves to be the preachers of truth, (but are not) do by their loose conversation, render the doctrine of God, and his Son Jesus Christ, (by whom the saints are saved) contemptible, and do give the adversary mighty encouragement, to cry out against the truths of our Lord Jesus Christ, because of their wicked walking. Now shall not his soul be avenged on such a nation as this, who pretend to be teachers of the people in goodness, when, as for the most part of them, they are the men, that at this day do so harden their hearers in their sins by giving them, even their hearers, such ill examples, that none goeth beyond them for impiety. As for example; Would a parishioner learn to be proud? he or she need look no farther than to the priest, his wife and family; for there is a 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 covetousness of a bigger, we have had one priest from this town, and another from that, so run, for these tithe-cocks and handfuls of barley, as if it were their proper trade, and calling, to hunt after the same. O wonderful impiety 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 Ro. i. 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 only do the same, but have (as I may so say) pleasure also in them that do 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 profane; to whom Christ said, ye vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell; doth not the ground groan under you? surely, it will favour you no more than it favoured your fore-runners. Certainly the wrath of God lies heavy at your doors, it is but a very little while, and your recompense shall be upon your own head. And chapter and you will find it as for that are you indeed of God among them, though not of them; separate yourselves. Why should the righteous partake of the same plagues with the wicked? Ö ye children of the harlot! I cannot well tell how to have done with you, your stain is so odious, and you are so senseless, 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 opportunity, 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, only thus much; Be ashamed of your earthly-mindedness, if you can; and be converted, or else you shall never be healed. Eze. xiii.; read that whole as it was a looking glass by which thou mayest notably see them with their marks and discoveries. Here might I also aggravate your sin by its |