they sit and recal it againe newly run over it fitly prepare it for their stomackes that it may so bee converted into their substance In like manner hee vvho vvill make a right vse of reading of the Scriptures must after the reading thereof ponder meditate and ruminate on it and make vse therof for his own edification Lastly wheras you say he is very silent it is most likely he hath a care hee offende not in his tongue For most commonly multiloquium est stultiloquium in much talke there is sin seeing wee must giue an accouÌ„t of every b Mat. 12.36 37. idle word Gall. But what neede all this ado I hope I shal be saved as vvell as he though I pine not my selfe away in melancholy reading of books I confesse I haue but little skil in divinity for my humour is not that way yet I hope I haue enough to bee saved for I know Christ dyed for me I beleeue to be saued by him only not by my workes I stande not on them Vide Bucanum de praedestinat quest 50. nor put any confidence in theÌ„ Scholl Why thinke you a bare beliefe without a careful endevor to liue according to the wil of God will be sufficient for you to salvation Gall. O sir I perceiue you are of the old stamp you trust to be saved by your good works and holynes I know that to be Papistical erroneous therfore I rely wholie on faith in Christ and not on my workes Scholl It is true I am of the old stamp of that stamp which the old Patriarks Prophets and all the Elect of God haue bin al vvhich were zealous of good works studious to approue their calling therby Heb. 11. Tit. 2. yet am I far from that blasphemous conceit of the Papists which you falsely call old but truely erroneous for so it is no lesse erroneous is your solitary faith without good workes This opinion of bare faith hath bin condeÌ„ned for an he resie long siâ—ce in the heretike Eunomius vvho thought that a man might be saved if he had faith how lewdly so ever he lived as S. Augustine reporteth in his 54. heresie ad Quodvultdeum and S. Augustine wrote his book de correctione gratia Aug. tom 4 li. octoginta quest c. 76. against certain that were of this errour in his time and the Apostle Iames tearmeth this kinde of faith Iam. 2.19 the faith of Divels and therefore it cannot saue Gall. I haue heard it I know not how often that wee are freely saved by faith without good vvorks and therefore I confesse I haue had the lesse regard of them Schol. You haue mistaken the matter you haue heard often that vve are iustified freely by faith without good works but not saved without good works Gal. That is al one Sch Nay there is great difference betweene iustification and salvatioÌ„ to iustification only faith without workes sufficeth Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2 16. Ps 15. 24 Fox de christo gratis iustifi lib. 2 pag 380. Mat. 5.20 August in Psal 30. despiritu lit ca. 9. Rom. 8.29 Luk. 1.74 Heb. 12 14 Reve 20.6 but to salvation is more required as first predestination then an effectual vocation by the preaching of the worde externally an internal operatioÌ„ of the holy Ghost Then iustification by faith only afterwards a measure of sanctification which consisteth of godlines of life good workes then salvatioÌ„ so that without sanctification good works you caÌ„not be saved Gall. It is a hard saying and I hope it is not so if it be true I must confesse Vide Foxâ— de Christa gratis iustificante li. 2 fol 359. 360. I haue hitherto reposed my only hope of salvation on faith without works and I am so deeply setled in this opinion that I shall hardly ever alter my opinion Scho. Yet if you haue manifest proofe heereof in the scripture you wil alter your opinion your life Gall. My opinion I shall for I hold the scripture the only rule of truth But for my life I feare I must craue pardoÌ„ a while til yeares grow on me But I pray sir since we are entred into this matter we haue no other matter to passe the time shew howe you prooue this point Heb. 1â— Exod. 40.32 Mat. â— Calu. instit li. 3. cap. 14 sect 1. 21 cap. 15 sect 8. ca. 16 sect 1. 2. Pet. 1 1â— Schâ—ll This matter is proved not only by the godly conversation of all the Patriarkes Prophets and holy men of God but also prefigured in the old law of Moses and set down in plaine tearmes in many places of the new Testament as Except your righteousnes exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises yee cannot enter into the kingdome of God Now although the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies was farre shorte of theirs who may be capable of the kingdom of heaven yet even they were very carefull not to kil not to wrong not to sweare falsely or forsweare not to commit adultery in a word not to breake any of the ten commandements in external action notwithstanding they were careful precize herein yet our Savior plainly pronounceth That excepte our righteousnesse exceede the r ghteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies wâ—e cannot enter into the kingdome of God Gall. If to abstaine from killing svvearing adulterie and the rest which you haue reckoned vp be not sufficient God helpe me a great many moe besides me what would you haue vs to do Scho. Our Savior in that place sheweth that we ought not only to abstain from the breach of these commaundements in externall action but also abstaine from evill thoughtes as namely we should not lust after a woman Mat. 5.28 for hee that looketh on a vvoman to lust after her hath alreadye committed adulterie in his hearte This lust the Scribes and Pharisies thought no breach of the law Again he requireth 〈◊〉 we should not svveare at all in our ordinary talke but our affirmatioÌ„s should be yea yea our negations nay nay The Scribes Pharisies thought they offended not in taking the name of the Lord in vaine in ordinary talke so they swore not falsely Againe the Scribes and Pharisies thought they might take an eie for an eie and a tooth for a tooth that they might revenge a wrong to the vtmost so that their revenge were not greater then the wrong received but our Savior requireth that vvee should not resist evil if any man take away our coat we must giue him our cloake also if any man strike vs on the one cheek we must turne to him the other also Gall. And do you indeed think in conscience you are bound to doe this Scholl Yes without al doubt Gall. Then by your good favour I meane to ease you of your cloake and purse but first I vvill proue your patience I must take my fist from your
right eare then you vvil turne me the other Why how now wil ye resist Scholl Why not sit Gal. O I did but proue whether you would stand to your doctrin or no I meant you no harme but you see that you will speake a great deale more then you wil do Scho. Why say you so Gal. Because cven in your last words you saide you were bound in coÌ„science not to resist evill that if any wil take your cloake away you must giue him your coate also and that if one strâ—ke you on one cheeke you must turne him also the other yet you see you obserue none of all this Scholl Sir you much mistake the matter if you thinke that these speeches resist not evill Aug. Epict. 5. ad Marcellinum Peter Martyr locis comm classe 4 ca. 15. sect 7 8. if any take your cloake avvaie giue him your coate also and if any strike you on the one cheeke turne also the other it you think I say these speeches are meant abâ—olutely and alvvaies to be done For the only drift of our Savâ—or in these speeches is to confute the false opinioÌ„ of the Scribes and Pharisies vvho thought it no offence to do wrong for vvrong so that their requitall vvere not greater then the vvrong done them he tels them that they may not resist evil that is maliciously hurt again if they bee vvronged As for to resist evill but not vvith evil that is revenge with malice and wronge it hath beene vsed allvvaies of the godly Exod. 2.12 opposing theÌ„selues against the wicked practises of the vngodly yea our Saviour Christ not only reproved those that sould doâ—es in the teÌ„ple Mark 11.15 but also overthrew the tables of the mony-changers and whipt them out of the temple Paule withstoode Peter to the face Gal 2.11.14 vvhen he went wrong Againe wee are not alwaies bounde to giue our cloake to him that will take our coate away Calvin institut lib. 4. cap. 20. sect 20. for this is spoken respectiuely and not absolutely that is rather yeelde our cloak vnto him then maliciously vvithstand him else vvhy hath God appointed vs iudges and magistrates if we may not vse their help Act. 22.1 24.12 25.10 wheÌ„as Paul was falsly accused he withstood his enemies vsed the help of magistrates appealing to Cesar vvhich no doubt hee vvoulde not haue done if it had bin vnlavvfull Lastly if one strike you on the one cheek turne also the other these vvordes must be vnderstood as those words of our Saviour Christ vvhere hee saieth Luk. 14 26. Mat 10 37 if any hate not father and mother he is not worthy of me where his meaning is not that anye shoulde hate his Father and Mother or not loue obey theÌ„ But he meaneth if it shall come to this rump that they must either forsake father mother or CHRIST their loue to their favior ought to be so great that they should hate father or mother rather then forsake Christ So likewise when we haue received a blovv on the one cheeke we must turne also the other if it shal make for the glory of God so to do or rather bee buffeted on both sides then to malice the party wronging vs. Nowe that we are not bound simply to turne the other side if any giue vs a blowe on the cheeke except it wil make for the glory of God it is most manifest by our Savior christ himselfe who is the best interpreter of himselfe the best expouÌ„der of his own meaning who vvhen as hee vvas striken turned not the other side vnto him that smote him but reproved him for so doing â—oh 18.23 if I haue evil spoken saith he beare witnesse of the evill but if I haue well spoken why smitest thou me where you may see that wheÌ„ he was stroken he did not offer himselfe to be strokeÌ„ againe so that you may see these wordes if one strike you on the one cheek turn also the other to him are not alwaies to be observed but vpon some circuÌ„staunces So likewise when Paul was sâ—itteÌ„ he doth not offer himselfe to be smitten again but reprooveth the high Priest for coÌ„manding him to be smitten saying god wil smite thee c. Act 23.3 HeÌ„ce may you see that I break not those commandementes in denying you my purse cloak in refusing to bee beateÌ„ at your haÌ„ds sith it maks not for the glory of God for you either to rob me for beat me And I may without brech of charity deny you both Gall. If these places are so to be vnderstood I must coÌ„fesse your deedes haue not swarved froÌ„ your doctrine But I meant a little to be pleasaÌ„t with you Now pray sit proceede in that which you vvere about to say concerning the necessitie of works to salvation If your doctrine be true I must take an other course or els I shal never come to heaven Scho. For the proofe of it harken and then iudge Besides the place which I haue already named concerning the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies which was an external observation of the law whose righteousnesse farre exceeded the righteousnes of many in these our daies who notwithstaÌ„ding vainely perswade themselues they shal be saved I terme it a vain perswasion because if an externall observation of the law such as was the Pharisies be not sufficieÌ„t much lesse manifest breakers of the law and such as continue therein can bee saved besides this place I say there are many most plaine to prooue the necessity of good-workes to salvation as that of the Apostle Heb. 12.14 followe peace with all men holynes without the which no man shall see God without a peaceable holy conversation then no man can be saved Iohn pronounceth those only blessed Rev. 20.6.13 who haue their part in the first resurrection for saith he on such the seconde death hath no power If they onely are blessed who haue their parte in the first resurrection which is holynes of life then without good vvorkes no man can bee saved further in the same chapter hee saieth having the day of iudgment represented to him in a vision that he saw that every one was iudged according to his works that is such as had done good to everlasting life such as had done evill to everlasting fire as it is also in the Athanasian Creede our Saviour Christes vvords are most plaine in this point Mat 7.21 Lâ—ge Chrysostomum in haec verba tom 2. Not everie one that saieth vnto me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heaven but hee that doeth the will of my fa her he shall enter into the kingdom of heaveÌ„ And further in the same chapter he doth more illustrat the point by the example of 2. builders He that heareth my words and doth them I will liken him to a wise maÌ„ which builded his house on a rocke and when the
raine fell and the fluddes came the windâ— blew beate vpon that house it fell not for it was grouÌ„ded on a rocke But vvho so heareth my words doth them not shall be likened to a foolish maÌ„ which buildeth his house on the sandes so that when the raine winde and flowds came and beate on it it fell Here he signifieth that they which endevour to doe the will of God shall never fall no not in the day of iudgment Psal 1.5 contrarywise the vvicked shall not be able to stand in iudgement Gall. I graunt if a man vvill seeke to get to heaven by his workes he must doe this but mee thinkes the Scripture teacheth an easier way namely by saith onely sure I am fullie perswaded that if I come vnto God with a stronge faith he will not reiect mee Scholl your strong faith will proue a stroÌ„g presumption if it bee destitute of good workes Calv in c. 18. ver 17. Ezech. Mat. 22. which point our Saviour Christ doth make most manifest by the parable of a Kinge who bidde certaine guestes to the wedding but wheÌ„ some made excuses some set light by it wheÌ„ they were invited he sent the secoÌ„d time some evil intreated his servants Wherefore the King being vvorth destroied those murtherers sent the third time commanded his servant to goe into the high waies and as many as they coulde finde bid them to the mâ—â—iage then his servants went brought all they could finde both good and badde so the wedding was furnished with guestes then the King Gall. Nay nay goe no further you haue said enough and as much as I can wish for you say that the good badde are received and I am sure if I bee not one of the good I shall bee one of the badde beleeue mee it iâ— a very comfortable place Scho. Nay but deceaue not your selfe such catching at pieces of the Scripture is the cause of many errours you offend against principal rules of interpreting the Scripture we may not beleeue that the scripture teacheth any thing contrarie to the nature of God Ang de doctrina Christ lib. 3. cap. 3. and if any place seeme to vs so to doe we vnderstaÌ„d it not aright Now wheras out of this place you miscoÌ„struing it vvoulde conclude that which is contrary to the nature of GOD namely that God receiveth the wicked into his kingdom God alloweth not of the wicked Psa 11.5 nay hee hateth them hath prepared everlasting tormentes for them God being good yea goodnesse it selfe cannot but abhorre that vvhich is badde Besides this in interpreting the scripture you must take heede that you doe not make one place coÌ„trary to an other as in this your interpretation you do and that against plaine evident places as that in the 25.41 of Matthew in the 21.27 of the Revelation In the former wherof is plainly shewed that the wicked and mercilesse shal go into everlasting fier In the latter that no vncleane thing shall enter into the kingdom of heaveÌ„ Againe in interpreting the Scripture you may not single out words or sentences without having consideration of the principall drifte vvhither they tende but consider that which went before with that which follows after Aug lib 3. cap 3. which precept if you had observed in the place which I was about to speak of you would haue made a contrary conclusioÌ„ to that that you haue made Suffâ—r mee therefore to alleadge the whole place and then if you will reply Gall. I pray then goe on Schol. The guestes being come the King came to see his guest savv a man not having a wedding garment this vvedding garment by the consent of al writers is charity consisting of good works the king coÌ„mandes his servants to take him and binde him hande and foote and cast him into vtter darknes where shall be wâ—â—â—ing and gnashing of teeth this maÌ„ came to the Kings Sonnes vvedding and tooke himselfe to be a bidden guest supplied the roume of a guest as many now a daies supply a roâ—me in the church of Christ beâ—re the name of Christians as hee the name of a guest vntill the time ofteâ— theÌ„ being found without a wedding garmeÌ„t must looke for the same doome This point is manifested also by the sentence of the fiâ—e foolish virgins who came also to the wedding but were shut out because they had no oile in their lampâ— all therfore that come are not received come they never so coÌ„fidently except they be qualified with some measure of regeneration Ioh 3. Mat. 19.28 without which no man can enter into the kingdome of God And lest you might imagine that this is done to some few for example sake to cause the rest to be more carefull of their life and conversation Rev. 3.17 and so you notwithstanding may escape this severity marke further vvhat our Saviour saith in another place Many shall come vnto me in that day say Lord Mat. 7.21 Lorde haue not vvee prâ—phecied in thy name and by thy name cast out devils and by thy name done many and greate works then wil I professe to them saith our Saviour I never knew you depart from me ye that worke iniquity Mark well these wordes many shall come yea plead an interest in Christ because in his name they had prophesied cast out devils and done great many workes Yet for al the they are cast of because they were wicked men A man may haue the the spirite of prophesying power to cast out Devils by the helpe of God power to do great and manie miracles and yet be a castaway if he haue not the spirit of regeneration wherby only he loueth God and delighteth in doing his vvill wherfore flatter not your self with bare solitary faith destitut of good works which kind of faith is not a saving faith Gall. But I am sure I haue heard it often read preached too that if a man haue faith it is sufficient Schol. It is true beeing truely vnderstood So likewise it is said Ioh. 17.3 this is life euerlasting to know thee the only living God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ if you doe not expound this place by conferring it with other places of the Scripture you may as vvell conclude that a bare knowledge of Christ or God is sufficient to eternall life without any faith in him or loue towards him Then may you conclude that they vvho prophecied in Christes name cast out devils and did great many works in his name shal be saved though wicked men coÌ„trary to the expresse words of our Saviour for they al knew Christ Nay then the very devils are more sure to be saved then any man for their knowledge of god is more perfect then the knovvledge of men Mark 5.7 yet the scripture is most plain that they shal not be saved But confer this place with others you
I first overtooke you I thought I should haue a tedious iourney but now me thinkes we haue pleasantlye passed our waye And for this daies iourney I wil buy me a bible that I may bee able to talke when I meete with the like cōpany For if I light in such company as talke of the scripture I sit mute or leaue their company because I haue read nothing in it Scholl I am very glad to heare you resolved to reade the scriptures although as yet you meane to reade it to no other purpose then to be able to talke of it yet if you read it I doubt not but God will so blesse your labor therin that it will worke better effects in you then onlie abilitie to talke of it for the reading of it will bring you to the true knowledge of God the knowledge of God to the loue of God the loue of God to a desire to liue according to his will Wherfore David saith Ps 19.7.11 Ps 1119.9 Heb. 4.12 the word of God converteth the soule it giveth wisedome to the simple and maketh the readers therof circumspect to avoide those things that are evill it causeth men to be new men it is mighty in operatiō So that by one sermon of Peter three thousand were cōverted Acts 2.41 Felix though a bad man yet hee trembled vvhen hee harde Paule preach of righteousnes tēperance and the iudgement to come Wherfore I pray neglect not the reading of it Act. 24.26 Rom 1.16 1. Cor. 1.19 since it is the power of God to salvation aboue all conforme your life vnto it and thinke not that it is an easie thing to attaine vnto the kingdome of heavē They that vvill enter into the kingdome of heaven must vse violence constraine themselues to leaue off carnal and worldly affections the way that leades to destruction is broad Mat. 11.12 Luk. 16.16 and vvide and manie there are that enter therein but the way that leades to heaven is straite and narrow few there are that enter therein The ofspring of Adam is devided into fowre sorts Consider the whole of-spring of Adam what a number never come vnto the true knowledge of God but vanish a way in ignorance and idolatry all these are in the way of perditiō An other sort there are that know god and acknowledge al the articles of the Creede yea the trueth of the whole Scripture Titu 1.16 Ioh. 5.44 Ioh 12.42.43 yet denye God in their works and these are also in the way of perdition A third sort pretend they know God pretende an externall kinde of holynes but deny the force of it 2. Tim. 3.5 Ioh. 12.42.43 loving the praise of men more then God these also are in the broad way of perdition A fourth sorte there is vvho knowe God in sincerity loue him beleeue in him and conforme themselues to liue according to his word these only are in the strait way to heaven Calvin institut lib. 3 cap 14. sect 1. Wherefore as you tender your ovvne salvation haue a care to vnderstand the worde not that you may be able to talk of it but that you may know how to rectifie your faith and life Gall. 6.7.8 Gall 5.21.23 For be not deceiued God is not mocked that which a man soweth that shall he reape hee that liveth aefter the flesh that is liveth carnally shall be damned but he that liveth after the spirit that is endevoureth to liue according to the wil of God shall haue life everlasting And thus because we are nowe entred into the citty I leaue to talke further of this point Gall. Sir for your good advise I thanke you most hartily this I promise you that hereafter I will haue a greater care of these matters 〈◊〉 I haue had heretofore Now sir if you wil doe me that favour as to ride with me to my Iune I shall accept it for great kindnesse and I will bestowe the best wine in Oxford on you as good a pipe of Tobacco as ever you tasted Schol. I am beholding to you for your good will I praye pardon me at this time I must to my Colledge thus I leaue you to the almighty Gall. A due withal my heart FINIS