THE APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED
without faith? And how can the man Christ be adored as God? Since we are saved of free grace without any merit of our own, what need is there of any faith but this—that God the Father sent the Son to take away the curse of the law, to impute his merit to us, and so to justify us in His sight, and absolve us from our sins by the declaration of a priest, and then give the Holy Ghost to operate all good in us? Are not these doctrines agreeable to Scripture, and consistent with reason also?' All this the crowd who stood by agreed to and applauded. I heard what passed without the power of replying, being almost dead; but after three days and a half my spirit recovered, and being in the spirit I left the street and went into the city, and said again, 'Do the work of repentance and believe in Christ, and your sins will be remitted and ye will be saved; but otherwise ye will perish. Did not the Lord Himself preach repentance for the remission of sins, and that men should believe in Him? Did not He enjoin His disciples to preach the same? Is not a full and fatal security of life the sure consequence of this dogma of your faith?' But they replied, 'What idle talk! Has not the Son made satisfaction?
197
