The plain mans path-way to heaven wherein every man may clearly see whether he shall be saved or damned. / Set forth dialogue-wise for the better understanding of the simple, by Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex.
Arthur Dent d. 1607London: printed by Ja. Young for G. Lathum, 1643
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Asun. Soft and fair, Sir, you are very round indeed. Soft fire maketh sweet malt. I hope you know we must be saved by mercy, and not by merit. If I could do all my self, wherefore serveth Christ? I hope that which I cannot do he will do for me. And I hope to be saved by Jesus Christ as well as the best of you all.
Asun. Soft and faire, Sir, you are very round indeed. Soft fire maketh sweet malt. I hope you know wee must be saved by mercy, and not by merit. If I could doe all my selfe, wherefore serveth Christ? I hope that which I cannot doe he will doe for mee. And I hope to be saved by Jesus Christ as well as the best of you all.
Theol. Oh, now I see which way the game goeth. You would fain make Christ a cloak for your sins. You will sin that grace may abound. You will sin frankly, and set all upon Christs score. Truly there be many thousands of your mind, which hearing of Gods abundant mercy in Christ, are thereby made more bold to sin. But they shall know one day, to their cost, what it is to abuse the mercy of God.1 The Apostle saith, The mercy and loving kindness of God ⟨p. 271⟩should lead us to repentance. But we see it leads many to further hardness of heart. The Prophet saith,2 With him is mercy, that he may be feared. But many thereby are made more secure and careless. But to come nearer to the mark: You say, you hope to be saved by Jesus Christ. I answer, If those things be found in you which the Scripture avoucheth to be in all that shall be saved by him, then you may have good confidence, and assured hope, otherwise not. Now the Scriptures do thus determine it, and set it down, that if a man be in Christ, and look to be saved by him, he must be endued with these qualities following:
First, he must be a new creature.3
Last of all, he must serve God in righteousness and true holiness all the days of his life, Luk. 1.75.
Lo then what things are required of all that shall be saved by Christ. Now therefore if these things be in you in some measure of truth, then your hope is currant, sound, and good; otherwise it is nothing worth. For in vain do men say, they hope to be saved by Christ, when as they walk dissolutely. The reason hereof is, because the members must be suitable to the head; but Christ our head is holy, therefore we his members must be holy also: as it is written,
Be ye holy, for I am holy. Otherwise, if we will join profane and ungodly members to our holy head Christ, then we make Christ a monster.
Theol. Oh, now I see which way the game goeth. You would faine make Christ a cloak for your sinnes. You will sin that grace may abound. You will sin frankly, and set all upon Christs score. Truly there be many thousands of your mind, which hearing of Gods aboundant mercy in Christ, are thereby made more bold to sin. But they shall know one day, to their cost, what it is to abuse the mercie of God.1 The Apostle saith, The mercy and loving kindnesse of God ⟨p. 271⟩should lead us to repentance. But we see it leads many to further hardnesse of heart. The Prophet saith,2 With him is mercy, that hee may be feared. But many thereby are made more secure and carelesse. But to come nearer to the marke: You say, you hope to be saved by Iesus Christ. I answer, If those things be found in you which the Scripture avoucheth to be in all that shall be saved by him, then you may have good confidence, and assured hope, otherwise not. Now the Scriptures do thus determine it, and set it down, that if a man be in Christ, and look to be saved by him, he must be endued with these qualities following:
First, he must be a new creature.3
Secondly, hee must live, not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God, 1 Pet. 4.2.
Thirdly, hee must be zealous of good workes, Tit. 2.14.
Fourthly, hee must die to sin, and live to righteousnesse, Rom. 6.14.
Fifthly, he must be holy and unblameable, Col. 1.23.
Sixthly, hee must so walke as Christ hath walked, 1 John 2.6.
Seventhly, he must crucifie the flesh, with the affections & lusts, Gal. 5.24.
Eighthly, he must walk, not after the flesh, but after the spirit, Rom. 8.1.
⟨p. 272⟩Last of all, he must serve God in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the dayes of his life, Luk. 1.75.
Loe then what things are required of all that shall be saved by Christ. Now therefore if these things be in you in some measure of truth, then your hope is currant, sound, and good; otherwise it is nothing worth. For in vaine doe men say, they hope to be saved by Christ, when as they walke dissolutely. The reason hereof is, because the members must be sutable to the head; but Christ our head is holy, therefore wee his members must be holy also: as it is written,4 Be ye holy, for I am holy. Otherwise, if wee will joyne profane and ungodly members to our holy head Christ, then we make Christ a monster.
As if a man should join unto the head of a Lion, the neck of a Bear, the body of a Wolfe, and the legs of a For, were it not a monstrous thing? would it not make a monstrous creature? Even such a thing they go about, which would have swearers, drunkards, whoremongers, and such like, to be the members of Christ, and to have life and salvation by him. But sith you do so much presume on Christ, I pray you let me ask you a question.
As if a man should ioyne unto the head of a Lion, the necke of a Beare, the body of a Wolfe, and the legs of a For, were it not a monstrous thing? would it not make a monstrous creature? Even such a thing they goe about, which would have swearers, drunkards, whoremongers, and such like, to be the members of Christ, and to have life and salvation by him. But sith you doe so much presume on Christ, I pray you let me aske you a question.
Theol. But all men shall not be saved by Christ. How therefore do you know that you are one of them that have special interest in Christ, and shall be saved by his death?
Theol. But all men shall not be saved by Christ. How therefore do you know that you are one of them that have speciall interest in Christ, and shall be saved by his death?
Theol. Answer directly to my question. How do you know in your self, and for your self, that you are one of the elect, and one of those for whom Christ died?
Theol. Answer directly to my question. How do you know in your selfe, and for your selfe, that you are one of the elect, and one of those for whom Christ died?
Antil. I know it by this, that I have always had as good a meaning, and as good a faith to God-ward, as any man of my calling, and that is not book-learned. I have always feared God with all my heart, and served him with my prayers.
Antil. I know it by this, that I have alwayes had as good a meaning, and as good a faith to God-ward, as any man of my calling, and that is not book-learned. I have alwayes feared God with all my heart, and served him with my prayers.
Theol. Tush, now you go about the bush, and hover in the air: answer me to the point. How do you ⟨p. 274⟩know certainly and […] that Christ dyed for you particularly and by name?
Theol. Tush, now you go about the bush, and hover in the aire: answer mee to the point. How doe you ⟨p. 274⟩know certainely and 〈…〉 that Christ dyed for you particularly and by name?
Antil. You would make a man mad. You put me out of my faith: you drive me from Christ. But if you go about to drive me from Christ, I will never believe you. For I know we must be saved only by him.
Antil. You would make a man mad. You put mee out of my faith: you drive mee from Christ. But if you goe about to drive me from Christ, I will never beleeve you. For I know we must be saved onely by him.
Theol. I go not about to drive you from Christ, but to drive you to Christ. For how can I drive you from Christ, seeing you never came near him? How can I drive you out of Christ, seeing you were never in him? But this is it that deceiveth you and many others, that you think you believe in Christ, because you say you believe in Christ: as though faith consisted in words; or as though a man had saith, because he saith so. If every one that faith he hath faith, therefore hath faith; and every one that saith he believeth in Christ, doth therefore believe; then who will not have faith? who will not believe? But in very deed, your faith, and the faith of many others, is nothing else but mere imagination. But all this while you have not answered my question touching your particular knowledge of Christ.
Theol. I goe not about to drive you from Christ, but to drive you to Christ. For how can I drive you from Christ, seeing you never came neere him? How can I drive you out of Christ, seeing you were never in him? But this is it that deceiveth you and many others, that you thinke you beleeve in Christ, because you say you beleeve in Christ: as though faith consisted in words; or as though a man had saith, because hee saith so. If every one that faith he hath faith, therefore hath faith; and every one that saith hee beleeveth in Christ, doth therefore beleeve; then who will not have faith? who will not beleeve? But in very deed, your faith, and the faith of many others, is nothing else but meere imagination. But all this while you have not answered my question touching your particular knowledge of Christ.
