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A40076 Dirt wipt off, or, A manifest discovery of the gross ignorance, erroneousness and most unchristian and wicked spirit of one John Bunyan ... which he hath shewed in a vile pamphlet publish'd by him, against The design of Christianity ... Fowler, Edward, 1632-1714. 1672 (1672) Wing F1701; ESTC R8698 59,846 88

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invincibly defended by Abundance of the Orthodox Divines of the Church of England and by none more effectually than by Mr. Baxter in his Book against Crandon long since written and in many other of his works Which if it be possible thou shouldest yet be dissatisfied concerning it thou wilt do well to peruse and which if this I. B. had ever read or but anyone of them and had the wit to understand it he had never made himself so infamous as to publish to the world such filthy stuff nor brought out the worst of those woful arguments for the defence of his doctrine that have been answered a thousand and a thousand times In Page 66. and other places he makes woful work with Mr. F's saying that Christ trod every step before us of the way that leads to Gods Kingdom and cryes therefore he went to heaven by vertue of an imputative Righteousness and by vertue of his own intercession and faith in his own bloud and then Christ must come to God and ask mercy for some great wickedness that he hath committed But here he also discovers a most ill nature and perverse spirit for no man of any candour could otherwise have understood Mr. F. in those words than thus That Christ was an example of all those vertues or graces that qualifie men for the Kingdom of God was he not an example of all those graces that together denominate a man pure in heart can he dare to say he was not Now doth not our Saviour say Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God But then faith he what say you to going to heaven by vertue of an imputative Righteousness and of his own intercession and faith in his own bloud I say all these are no other than going thither by Faith in Christ that being faith in his bloud and Righteousness and intercession but those that understand the Christian Religion will tell him that the obtaining of this purity of heart or the graces Christ was an example of is the end of this Faith So much the Apostle intimates in those words purifying their hearts by faith and it is the business of the Design of Christianity to demonstrate this So that 't is most true that whosoever follows Christs example shall see the Kingdome of God but we cannot follow it without faith in his merits faith in his power or in one word without effectual believing the Gospel which takes in the whole of the Christian Faith And whereas he saith that if this doctrine be true Christ must ask God mercy for some great wickedness committed by him how does that follow Christ ask'd God mercy for us and do not we do as he did when we ask it for our selves But then he monstrously foolishly proceeds and saith if this be so then we cannot come to heaven before we be accursed of God we must first make our body and Soul an offering for the sin of others then we must go to heaven for the sake of our own Righteousness And then he insultingly cryes O Sir what will thy gallant generous mind do here This might be a Sad nonplus indeed were Mr. F. a perfect Changling But observe did Mr. F. say that Christ trod no steps but those we must tread is this saying that he trod before us every step which he hath told us leads to the Kingdom of God or that we must go in to the Kingdom of God the same with this that he trode no other but those we must tread Can any man be such a sot as not to discern the wide difference between these two propositions By the way take notice that it is blasphemy to say that Christ was accursed of God in any other sense than this that he suffered such a kind of death as was by the law of Moses pronounced accursed So the Apostle explains his being made a curse Gal. 3. 13. Christ was alwayes Gods beloved Son nor was he ever more a darling of heaven than when he hung upon the Cross. And that the Reader may be truly informed in the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction false notions whereof make this I. B. talk most gross things I entreat him to get and carefully peruse the Learned Dr. Stilling fleets Treatise upon that Subject there you will find that Christ did not suffer the very same punishment that is due to sinners but that what he suffered for sinners sakes was as Satisfactory and answered the ends of Government as much as if all mankind had perished And thanks be to God that Doctrine of Christs suffering the very same is now generally exploded But to return observe but these Scriptures and you will then need no more than what hath been said to discern how ridiculously and wretchedly this I. B. talks in several places about the life of Christ. Luke 9. 23. If any man will come after me or be a Christian let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and sollow me 1 Pet. 2. Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again c. 1 John 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked V. 29. If ye know that he is Righteous ye know that every one which doth righteousness is born of him 1 John 3. 7. Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous 1 Iohn 4. 17. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as he is or was the Analage of the tense being ordinary so are we in this world Now this I. B. saith p. 106. that our Saviours life in all duties that respected morals was not principally or first to be imitated by us but that the Law even in the preceptive part thereof might be fully and perfectly fulfilled for us Mark 1. he saith in all duties that respected morals what nonsense is this any body may see he does not know what Morals means 2. That our Saviours life in these duties was not principally to be imitated by us he dares not say not at all to be imitated though any body may see that reads his book he would be glad to say so with all his heart But what Scripture doth he bring for this none at all So that if you will not take his word for it he hath nothing to say to you 3. But saith he that the Law even in the preceptive part may be fulfilled for us was Christs principal design in living as he did What proof hath he for this Rom. 10. 5. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness the end saith he not only of the Ceremonial law but of the 10 commandments too but is he the end of both alike then we are no more now obliged to the one than to the other In short the meaning of those words is this that Christ by introducing his Gospel hath put an end to the Mosaical dispensation but how does this make for him And whereas he keeps such a stir with Christs fulfilling the law for
s. book so that the bare shewing how wofully he hath performed that one undertaking would have been a sufficient confirmation and defence of it But though I have not found so much as one thing in it that deserves to have a serious reply made to it I have so far denyed my self as not only to say enough to undermine but also to give an utter overthrow to the whole of it And to shew that so far as it opposeth The Design of Christianity 't is composed of nothing else but the most horrid absurdities belyings and revilings of that Treatise Nay it fully appeareth from what I have written that never did any writing more flatly that is in more evident consequences oppose the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ Iesus than this that he stileth a defence of it And that were Mr. F. a Iulian Celsus or Porphyry an utter enemy to Christianity as he wickedly accuseth him he could never have wished to have a greater dishonor done unto it than this man in his book hath done So that should I have considered every absurd and base passage from one end to the other of it and given it its due remark I should have made my self a most unmerciful drudg and swelled these leaves to a large Volume and been guilty of the most profuse and unaccountable expence of my time and Paper For I sedately and consideratively profess that I never read that I remember any thing that was half so full thrapt and crowded with both non-sensical and wicked stuff To conclude if any Reader is now able to think that there needs more than I have written or so much either to wipe off the dirt that is flung upon the Design of Christianity I must be so free with him as plainly to tell him that he is honor'd far beyond his merits in having one wise word bestowed upon him A Catalogue of some few of the abundance of absurd and most wicked Doctrinals and Assertions that are contained in John Bunyans Pamphlet against the Design of Christianity 1. HE calls this Paul's definition of a man There is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth c. page 4. Mark as he most absurdly calls this Paul's definition so he calls it too his definition of a man not of a wicked man And sutably to this fine doctrine 2. He makes no real distinction between the humane Nature and Sin p. 3. As if Sin were not the corruption of our nature but essential to it 3. He Saith that of mans supreme faculty the Scripture teacheth that man in his best estate is altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5. p. 5. When as David speaks there only of mans bodily frailty But I might have spared this as being but a peccadillo in this man 4. He saith that the Command of the Law was not the great and principal argument with Christ no not in its first and highest principles to do or continue to do it p. 14. Then the first reason of our Saviours obedience was not the Command of God 5. He interprets those words of the Apostle of moral duties viz. They speak of the world and the world heareth them 1 John 4. 5. p. 19. 6. He saith that the new man is dead to the Law as to principles of nature and interprets that of the Apostle you are become dead to the law of the moral as well as Ceremonial law and further saith that a man must first be dead to your principles both of nature and the law If he will serve in a new spirit if he would bring forth fruit unto God p. 22 The only sense of which sayings whatever he meant by them is this that a man must cease to be a man and turn beast nay and Devil too before he can bring forth fruit unto God 7. He interprets those words in 1 Cor. 15. 46. and after that which is Spiritual of Spiritual holiness p. 23 Whereas the words are only spoken of an immortal body 8. He saith that the holiness of Adam in his best estate even that which he lost and we in him it was no other than that which was natural even the sinless state of a natural man p. 24 Thus he makes Adam a mere Brute as to holiness but in this he contradicts himself elsewhere as hath been shewn 9. He saith that even the inward holiness that is in Saints it is none other than that which dwelleth in the person of the Son of God in heaven p. 27 Then there are no graces of the holy Spirit wrought in us then our holiness is perfect and infinite and then according to his rate of arguing with Mr. F. p. 66. Christ's righteousness is by Faith in himself and an imputative righteousness 10. He saith that Christ dyed to put us into a personal possession of pardon before we know it p. 33 He that hath read his or this Pamphlet knows his meaning in this saying viz. that Christ dyed to put men into a personal possession of pardon while they continue in their wickedness 11. He Saith that for Christ to come to establish this righteousness viz. the righteousness which we have lost is all one as if he should be sent from Heaven to overthrow and abrogate the Eternal purpose of Grace which the father had purposed should be manifested to the world by Christ. p. 37. Let the Reader match me this Saying for the horrid wickedness of it out of any other books than this mans if he can 12. The wrath that the Law is said to work Rom. 4. 15. he interprets to be murmure and anger against the Lord. p. 39 Whenas the next words shew that the meaning is it renders men for their disobedience to it lyable to the judgment of God 13. He saith that that Repentance which hath its rise originally from the dictates of our own nature is called the sorrow of the world and must be again repented of p. 40. So that to be sorry for my sins because my reason tells me that they are an unworthy requital of Gods goodness to me is the worldly Sorrow condemned by the Apostle and must be again repented of 14. He saith that he that looks to or seeks after that holiness we have lost is as sure to be damned and go to hell as he that transgresseth the law because that is not the righteousness of God the righteousness of Christ the righteousness of faith nor that to which the promise is made p. 42. So that according to this devilish doctrine to endeavour to bring our hearts to the love of God above all and to the hatred and abhorrence of all sin is as ready or sure a way to hell as living in disobedience to all Gods Commandments And take notice that it is Proved that that is the Righteousness of God of Christ and of Faith 15. He saith That it is a foolish and an heathenish thing nay worse to think that the son of God should only or especially
fulfil or perfect the law and the prophets by giving more and higher instances of moral duties than were before expresly given This would have been but the lading of men with heavy burthens p. 46. Observe that those words and the Prophets are of his own adding But whereas he saith that our Saviours giving more and higher instances of moral duties c. would be but the lading of men with heavy burthens he should have said it would have been the lading of Hypocrites such as himself with heavy burthens none but such can think them so 16. Christs Exposition he saith of the Law was more to shew thee the perfection of his own obedience than to drive thee back to the holiness thou hadst lost p. 47 Can any Ranter talk at a madder rate Read but Matth. 5. and then believe this wretched assertion if you can could S. Paul be of his mind when he said Rom. 2. 13. not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified 17. He saith that in Heaven there shall not be in us only a likeness to but the very nature of God p. 63 For this he cites as hath been shewed that of the Apostle Heirs of God That is Heirs of his nature or substance Here is Blasphemy with a witness 18. He saith the dictates of humane nature are never urged in the New Testament but in order to shew men they have forgotten to act as men p. 72. That is they are not urged that they may be obeyed and yet almost all the precepts of the Gospel are dictates of humane nature He himself saith somewhere that trust in God is one and so are love to God and our neighbour humility meekness patience purity c. all such as we are told are our duty by the dictates of nature Never did wicked creature more industriously set himself to make the Gospel precepts mere insignificant and vain things 19. Whereas Christ is called a Prince and a Saviour he thus interprets it that is a Prince as a Saviour because the righteousness by which he saves beareth rule in Heaven and Earth p. 77 I want words to express my amazement at and detestation of his as senseless as wicked perverting this place to make it favour his Ranting doctrine Thus Reader thou seest he is as good at abusing and wresting of Scripture as of Mr. F's words God grant that his timely repentance may prevent his doing it to his own destruction 20. He saith that the obedience or inclination to obedience that is before faith or the understanding of the Gospel is so far from being an excellent preparative or good qualification for faith and the knowledge of the Gospel that in its own nature which is more than in its consequences it is a great obstruction thereunto p. 96 Still like himself a blessed faith that must be in the mean time that is obstructed by a readiness to obey whatsoever God reveals and would the Reader see what his Faith is let him go back to page 17. of his book there as hath been shewn 21. He saith God hath forgiven him that is enabled to believe and what is it with him to believe he tells you in the next words that is to trust to and venture the Eternal concerns of his Soul upon the righteousness that is no where to be found but in the person of the son of God p. 17 This is all and as much as any one can expect from him 22. He saith that for a man to confine himself only to the life of the Lord Iesus for an example or to think it enough to make him in his life a pattern for us to follow leaveth us through our shortness in the end with the Devil and his Angels for want of faith in the doctrine of Remission of Sins p. 108 1. How sottish is this Ranter For faith in Christ and his whole Gospel is enjoyned as a means to bring us to the blessed state of likeness to him as is fully proved in the Design of Christianity and we may not once suppose that we can obtain this likeness without that Faith 2. But how desperately wicked is it likewise as if a man may be damned that is exactly like Christ and hath all that done in him for the sake of which Faith in Christ is required That is is enabled from holy principles to perform all holy obedience But this is another discovery of his wickedness in contemning moral Righteousness and advancing only imputative and I never knew a brutish creature do it like him Nay he cannot forbear somewhere in his book to speak contemptuously of our Saviours life in asserting that Mr. F. hath given a mere heathenish account of it where he as is to be seen in the beginning of this Pamphlet gives the four Evangelists account of it I do assure the Reader that this I have read in his Book but I do not now remember the page Observe that I do not call these two and twenty doctrines nor yet distinct assertions for I have not nor will I so much trouble my self about them as to consider to how many or few heads they may be reduced the mere transcribing them must needs be trouble and discomposure enough to any man that hath the least affection for the Gospel of Christ and true goodness I could present not a few more but never was horse more tired at a mill than I am at this work and I assure the Reader as I shall answer it at the great day that I have been most severely just to him in this Catalogue as he may quickly see so far have I been from dealing with his Sayings as 't is shewn he hath dealt with Mr. Fowlers And now I conjure the followers of him and his Brethren as they have any the least regard for their Souls that for the future they abandon them as those that feed their hearers with the deadliest poison instead of the sincere milk of the word and the most wholesome food of the Gospel of Christ I say I conjure them to avoid such as they will Answer it at the dreadful day of our Saviours appearing with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him against the blessed doctrines of his Glorious Gospel and his faithful ministers And now I will present you with another Catalogue of the hard speeches of this man of whom whether he be one of St. Iudes ungodly Sinners or no the Reader is by this time well able to judge or at least will be anon A Catalogue of some of John Bunyan's horrible Revilings and most Abominable Scurrilities 1. IN the Title page he tells us that the design of Mr. F's Book is proved to be nothing more than to trample under foot the blood of the Son of