B02626:967
The plain mans path-way to heaven
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.
London: 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.
The Prophet Jeremiah testifies the same thing,1 saying, Behold, the day is come (saith the Lord) that I will raise to David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is the name whereby they shall call him, The Lord our righteousness. This Prophet jumps with the other. For he saith, that Christ is the righteous branch, and that he is our righteousness: which is all one, as if he had said, our sins are pardoned only through him, and through him we are made righteous. Moreover he affirms, that Judah and Israel, that is, the Church, shall be saved by him. The Prophet Zechariah, that I may speak it with reverence, telleth the same tale word for word. He avoucheth the same thing with the other two Prophets: for he saith, In that day a fountain shall be opened to the house of David, 2and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin, and for uncleanness. The meaning of the Prophet is, that in the days of Christs Kingdom, the fountain of Gods mercy in ⟨p. 409⟩Christ, should be opened and let-out to wash away the sins and uncleanness of the Church. So then we see, that these three great witnesses do all agree in this, that through Christ only we are washed from our sins, and through him only we are made righteous. Seeing then that eternal life is only in the Son, therefore he that hath the Son, hath life. Be of good courage therefore, O Asunetus: for no doubt you have the Son, and therefore eternal life. Fear not your sins, for they cannot hurt you: for as all the righteousness of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the most righteous men that ever lived on the face of the earth, if it were yours, could do you no good without Christ: so all the sin in the world can do you no hurt, being in Christ;3 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Pluck up a good heart therefore: be no more heavy and sad: for if you be found in Christ, clothed with his perfect righteousness (being made yours through faith) what can the Devil say to you? what can the Law do? They may well hiss at you, but they cannot sting you: they may grin at you, but they cannot hurt you. For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is God that justifies,