Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

Direct. 4. Then choose out some of the weightiest points, and try by further Questions how they understand them. And therein be careful of these things following. 1. That you do not begin with less necessary points, but these which themselves may perceive are of nearest concernment to them. As, E. G. [What do you think becomes of men ⟨p. 428⟩when they are dead? [What shall become of us after the end of this world? Do you believe that you have any sin? Or that you were born with sin? And what doth every sin deserve? What remedy hath God provided for the saving of sinful miserable souls? Hath any one suffered for our sins in our stead, or must we suffer for them our selves? Who be they that God will pardon? and who shall be saved by the blood of Christ? What change must be made on all that shall be saved? and how is it made? Where is our chief Happiness? and what is it that our hearts must be most set upon?] with such like as these.

2. Take heed of asking them nice or needless or doubtful and very difficult questions, though about those matters that are of greatest weight in themselves. Specially be very cautelous how you put them upon definitions or descriptions. Some self conceited men will be as busy with such questions which they cannot answer themselves, and as censorious of the poor people that cannot answer them, as if life and death did certainly depend on them. You will ask them perhaps What is God? and how defective an answer must you make your selves? specially if it be the Quid, and not the Qualis that you mean. You may tell what he is not, sooner then what he is. If you ask What is faith? Or what is Repentance? how sorrily would many very learned Divines answer you? Or else they would not be at so great difference among themselves about them not only disagreeing about the Definitions of them, but so widely disagreeing. If you ask them what is ⟨p. 429⟩Forgiveness of sin? how many Ministers may you ask before you have a right answer? Or else they would not be so disagreed in the point? Much more may I say so about Justification (though perhaps the same thing with Remission) so if you ask them what Regeneration is? What Sanctification is? Why Divines be not agreed, what they are themselves? But you will say perhaps, If men know not what God is; what Faith, Repentance, Conversion, Sanctification, and Pardon of sin, or Justification be, how can they be true Christians and be saved? I answer. It's one thing to know exactly what they be, and another thing to know them in the nature of them in the main, though with a more general, indistinct and undigested knowledge: and its one thing to know and another thing to tell what this or that is. The very Name as Commonly used doth signify to them and express from them the thing without a Definition: and they partly understand what that Name signifieth, when they cannot tell it you in other words. As they know what it is to Believe, to Repent, to be forgiven; by custom of speech they know what these mean, and yet cannot define them, but perhaps put you off with the Country answer. To Repent is, to Repent; and to be forgiven is, to be forgiven, or if they can say, It is to be pardoned, it is fair. Yet do I not absolutely dissuade you from the use of such questions; but do it cautiously, in case you suspect some gross Ignorance in the point: