Vindication of the Book Some Gospel-Truths Opened, Questions
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 hang upon the Croſſe on mount Calvary without the Gates of Jeruſalem for the ſins of the people? and why do the Scriptures ſay, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveneſs of ſins; that is, through his blood, Eph. 1.7. which was ſhed without the Gates of Jeruſalem, Heb. 13.12
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.
4. Is that very man that was crucified on mount Calvary be-between two theeves, whoſe name is Jeſus the Son of Mary; I ſay, is he the very Chriſt, yea or no?
5. Is that very man, with that very body within you, yea or no?
6 Was that Jeſus that was born of the Virgin Mary a reall man of fleſh and bones, after his reſurrection from the dead out of Joſephs Sepulcher, yea or no? for the Scripture ſaith he was, as in Luk. 24.39. 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, and not into them, as theſe Scriptures declare; Luk. 24. ver. 39.40. compared with chap. 5. ver. 50.51. alſo Act. 1. ver. 9, 10, 11. Or did he with that body of fleſh go into his Diſciples, yea or no?
7. Hath that Chriſt that was with 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 Scriptures, 1 Pet. 2.24. Whether that body in which he did bear our ſins (which is 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 Croſſe, and laid into Joſephs ſepulcher, Luk. 23.51.52.
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 Mediator between God and men; I ſay, as he is a Mediatour, ſo he is a man, 1 Tim. 2.5. Is abſent from his Saints in the world, as is cleer, 2 Cor. 5.6.
Luk. 24.51. Act. 1.9.10.11. Luk, 23.26. & 3….53. Luk. 24.3. & 6, & 15, & 41 & 42, & 39, & 50. Act. 10.41.Therefore as he is Mediatour, and a man, ſo he hath a body that is abſent from his Church, which is aſcended from his Diſcipls above the clouds into heaven. If you ſay, no; then I ask you, did he leave the body behind him which was born of the Ʋirgin Mary, which he walked up and down in the world with his Diſciples, was afterward hanged upon the Croſſe, buried, roſe again from the dead; with which body he did eat, drink, and likewiſe walk up and down with his Diſciples, after his reſurrection from the dead: and did bid his Diſciples ſee, if he were not fleſh and bones: I ſa…, did he leave that body of fleſh and bones behind him, when he went away from his Diſciples, yea, or no?
John Bunyan.
FINIS.
The Errata.
Page 8. Line 42. from his perſon in his perſon, Read from his people in his perſon, pag. 18. line 45. for day r. body, p. 25. l. 14. for if it r. it is p. 48 for Quaker r. a Quaker, p. 55. at the ſecond Quaerie r. is it by ſomthing done within them, or ſomthing done without them; if thou anſwer, c&.
End of the text · John Bunyan, Vindication of the Book Some Gospel-Truths Opened (1657)