guiltlesse then let mine enemy take me and persecute mee lay mine honor in the dust That he vvas a sinner the Scripture recordeth 2. Sam. 11 1. Chro 1.2 yet hee was a man according to Gods own hart because hee delighted in the law of God made it his studie and when he tripped and went wrong hee acknowledged his owne infirmitie and craved pardon for it God accepting in Christ his endevours not exacting perfection in his deeds Concerning your last obiection of Zachary and Elizabeth his vvife that they vvere both iust before God and vvalked in all the commandemeÌ„ts of the Lord without reproofe indeed they were iust before God but it was by imputation of the iustice of Christ for whose comming they dayly expected they walked in all the commandements of God without reproofe before meÌ„ but not perfectly before God For if they had not acknowledged theÌ„selues sinners they needed not haue expected Christ their redeemer Luk. 1.68.69 and albeit they be tearmed iust yet it doeth not follovve that they were without sin The worde iust doeth not alwaies signifie one vvithout sin but one that delighteth or endevoureth to be iust and holy according to that saying the iust falleth seveÌ„ times a day though a man sin seven times Pro. 24.16 1. Pet. 4.18 that is many times a day yet the scripture tearmeth him iust by reasoÌ„ of his affection and his endevour to be iust Zacharias and Elizabeth were iust before God man that is reputed taken accepted iust before GOD in respect of the merites of their redeemer on whom they beleeved and exspected their endevours vvere accepted of as iust though not iust perfectly for so no flesh is or hath beene iust Christ only excepted as it is plainely set down in the scripture eveÌ„ by Iobs own mouth whoÌ„ you alleadged to be without sin he saith plainly Iob. 9.20 Ps 51.9.7 if I should iustifie my selfe mine own mouth would condeÌ„ne me againe Eliphas saith generally not only of all the holy and iust men that ever were but of the Saintes in heaven what is man that hee should bee cleane he that is borne of a womaÌ„ that he should be iust Iob. 15.14 15. cap. 14 4. Behold God found not stedfastnesse in his Saints yea the heaueÌ„s are not cleane in his sight how much lesse a man This doe the Fathers also affirme Augustine saith there is nether Saint nor righteous man that is without sinne notwithstanding they cease not to be Saints and righteous because they haue their affection still set vpon holynes Aug de fide orthod cap. 40. al Jnnocens Pap. epâ—st 95 eachirid cap 32. Hier adve Pelag. idem ad Rustia Ambros de vocatione gent. lib. 5. â— Others of the Fathers are of the same opinion whose words to repeat would be tedious Again Zacharian and Elizabeth his wife were vnreproueable before men because they so behaved theÌ„sâ—lus as that no man coulde iustly complaine of any ill conversation in theÌ„ this doth not proue they were without infirmities or sinnes For externall actions may haue good shewes and yet they may be haynous sinnes yet commended as good so farre as they are externall actions yea further rewarded as good externall actions with temporall blessings As for example vvhenas Iehu had destroyed the house of Ahab the Lord saith vnto him 2 K ng 10 30. because thou hast diligently exequâ—ted all that which was right in mine eies and hast done vnto the house of Ahab according to all things that were in my heart therfore shall thy sons sit vpon the throne of Israell vnto the fourth generation if you look on the external action of Iehu in destroying Ahab and his posterity he did that which was according to Gods minde who would haue him destroyed because he persecuted his Prophets for his cruelty against Naboth But if you respect the minde of Iehu in the execution hereof he highly sinned for he did not destroy Ahab as to execute Gods iudgementes against Ahab but to settle himself in Ahabs kingdome and therefore that he might make the kingdom sure vnto himselfe went farther theÌ„ his commission he not only destroyed Ahab and Iezabell their children but also with great cruelty put to death those of his kindred least they should rebel against him Wherfore though in this place his externall action in destroying Ahab and his children be heere commended rewarded with a teÌ„porall blessing yet his sinne namely his ambitious minde to vsurp the kingdome and his cruelty against the bloud of Ahab is not only reproved but also he hath a heavy iudgment denouÌ„ced against him in the Prophet Hosea Hose 1.4 2. King 10 30. he did that which God had determined to be done but he did it not with that minde as he shoulde God would haue Ahab destroied the which Iehu effected but not because God wold haue it so done but being aÌ„bitious to serue his own turn that he might enioy his kingdome The like example you haue of the king of Assyria Nabucadnezer Esay 10.5.6.7.12 Ezech. 29.19 both which did that in theit externall actioÌ„ which God would haue done yet grieuously sinned their externall actions were allowed of but their wicked minds condemned so that the commendations giuen to external actions doe not necessarily import that the doers thereof do not sinne Howbeit when it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth that they were vnreproue able no doubt it was meant that they were iust and righteous because they did seriously endevour so to be and were so in the estimation of men they had that kind of iustice or righteousnes vvhich divines call iustitiam viatoris the iustice of those that tende to heaveÌ„ wherein there is alwaies imperfection not that kinde of iustice which they call iustitiam comprehensoruÌ„ the iustice of those that alreadye haue obtained the everlasting kingdom in which kinde of iustice there is no imperfectioÌ„ Pap. I pray sir if there bee no man perfectlye good nor any works so good as that there is no imperfection in theÌ„ by reason wherof no man can iustly challendge eternall life as due vnto him by desert why doe the scriptures cal eternal life a rewarde of good works As where it is said Godlynesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4 8 Math. 5.12 Mat 10.42 Mat. 19.29 2. Tim. 4.7.8 Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you for my name sake and speake al manner of evill of you falsely Reioice and be glad for great is your reward in heaveÌ„ Hee that giveth a cup of cold water in my name veryly hee shall not loose his reward Hee that forsaketh house father mother brothers sisters c shal receiue life everlasting in the world to come And Paul saith I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith for henceforth is laid vp for
me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lorde the righteous iudge at thaâ— day shall not only giue me but also to al theÌ„ that loue his appearing Surely he claymeth it as his tight for that he had kept the faith and hee saith not the mercifull iudge will giue mee but the righteous iudge vvill giue mee not as of mercy but of right Scholl True it is that life everlasting is promised as a rewarde of good works and as a due debt vnto godlynesse but no where is it said that good works do merite eternall life the word merit cannot be found in all the scriptures eternall life is the reward for godlynes of life not because good works deserue it but by the savour of God through Christ life everlasting is a due debt to those that keep Gods commaundementes perfectly because God hath promised life everlasting to such as doe keepe it but none ever absolutely kept it therfore of due vvithout the grace of God by Christ who only of right hath purchased it no maÌ„ can challendge it of due and right yet are goods works all rewarded but not of desert for what can we do vnto God whereby we may make God a debter vnto vs since all that wee can do is but our duty to him nay not so much in duety as we ought If then it pleaseth him to promise good workes a rewarde it proceedeth of his goodnes so to doe and not our desert he doth binde himself by his promise to reward good workes but good workes doe not deserue either the promise or the reward it is a debt of a bountifull promise not of a due desert CoÌ„cerning that of Paul who as you say claymeth a crown of righteousnes not as a gift but as due vnto him for his desert it may be you wil accept of the answer to this if I bring it out of a father Heare then what S. Augustin saith commenting vpon these words of Paule Aug. homil 14. Aug de gratia libero arbiâ—rio cap. 6 7. He crowneth thee saith S. Augustine O Apostle because hee crowneth his giftes and not thy merits proving it out of the Psalm where it is said he crowneth them in mercy coÌ„passioÌ„ proceeding farther saith not thee only O man whatsoever thou art but eveÌ„ thy self ô thou Apostle howe great soever thou mayst bee I haue fought a good fight it remaineth I should receiue the crown of righteousnes that is the wages nay saith Augustin for the wages thou hast no power to coÌ„mand the same at all for in thee thine ovvne vvorke goeth not alone the crovvne belongeth to God to giue it to whom he list the worke is of thee but not without his aide and helpe When as therefore thou sayest he recompenceth good deeds this is as if that he having prevented himselfe in giving of good things should retribute make recompence for them by giving fresh and new good thinges he rewardeth them but vnto such good things as he already hath given For if he hath not given them wherfore saiest thou 2. Tim. 4. I haue travelled more then they all and yet not I but the grace of God in me if he haue not given thee to finish thy race wherefore saiest thou it is not in him that vvilleth nor in him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Beare with me O Apostle saith S. Augustine I see not any thing of thine owne but that which is evill and nought pardon mee Apostle thus we affirme teach because thou hast so taught I heare thee confessing and acknowledging GODS goodnes I doe not heare thee vnthankful I do not see thee to haue any thing that thou hast prepared and gotten of thy selfe but what is evill therfore when God crowneth thy merites he crowneth nothing but his owne giftes You see now that Austen differs farre from you he plainely affirmeth Aug. de gra lib. ar 6. 7. Aug. in 141 serm de tempo Psa 16. de verbis Apost serm 5 in Psal 51. Epist. 105. that this crowne of glory or righteousnes is not of due desert but a reward given of grace he affirmeth in many other places of his workes that no man can merite of God sith all â—he goodnes that is in men are the giftes of God Pap. Well then you will not haue good workes to satisfie for any sin you deny that they merit any thing at al you deny also that any hath or may possiblie obserue the lawe of God thus you make godlinesse not to be of anie worth therfore little to be set by or regarded which is as if you shuld disswade men froÌ„ it But since now you haue discovered your opinioÌ„ of good works I will tell you what talke passed betweeen this gentlemaÌ„ me before you overtook vs he told me you stood highly vpoÌ„ good workes at which I marveiled much coÌ„sidering this age wherein all preach nothing but faith onely without good vvorkes presuming that you shoulde not much differ from other of your religion I was boulde to lay a small vvager vvith him that ere I had done with you you would speake as much against good workes as you haue done for them the which you see you haue done making theÌ„ of no value my worse then nothing even doung Scholl If you haue laide any such wager theÌ„ you haue lost For vnto him I spake so of good works that according to the ordinarie course that God vseth in saving men no man shall be saued without them but since I beganne to argue with you I haue spokeÌ„ no one word against good works but only against that false accouÌ„t you make of theÌ„ placing them in too high a roome in the place of christ ascribing that vnto them which is due only vnto Christs merites robbing Christ of his due ascribing that to vs our workes which is no way due vnto vs vvithout iniurie done vnto our Saviour Gall. As I am true gentleman well saide scholler Sir he aunswereth you right For he that saith that siluer is not as good as gold doth not discoÌ„mende silver He hath denied that false estimatioÌ„ and too high rare you make good workes to be of He hath not denied them their due praise therefore you see I haue vvonne Scholl Sir you say I account good vvorkes worse then nothing even doung blame not me for so tearming theÌ„ S â— Paule so tearmeth theÌ„ Phil. 3.8 not simply in theÌ„selues but in the matter of iustification before God vvhich only I affirme that to iustifie vs before GOD they are of no greater force theÌ„ I haue spoken The which that you may the better vnderstand you must consider that the Scripture maketh but foure causes of our iustification of the vvhich good vvorkes are none the first is the efficient cause which is only the mercy and goodnes of God in giving his only begotten sonne for the redemptioÌ„ of the world The second cause of
said But I pray you vvhat was that Luther you speake of Pap. Hee vvas once himselfe a Frier had vovved chastity acknowledged the supremacie of the Pope for a time as others was devout in fasting praier other devotions but having the spirit of coÌ„tradictioÌ„ he cast off all care of obedience to his superiour denied the supremacy of the Pope renounced his vow married against his oath left off al good devotion moved such sedition in the Catholike Church that yet never could be ended whatsoever impiety you see in the people he was the first maÌ„ that loosed the raines vnto it hath bin the cause of all such licentiousnes which now you see too common amongst vs preaching liberty licentiousnes and by his pleasing doctrine drew such a nuÌ„ber after him that hee had not onely many followers but also mighty defeÌ„ders so that the Pope vvas faine to call the Counsaile of Trent against him Sleydan lib. 3. had hee not hid his head he had bin punished according to his desertes It is pitty he was ever born he hath done more hurt to the catholike church then ever vvill be throughly vvell salved such a deadly wound hath he given the church But I leaue to discourse further of his behaviour life referre it till we come to our Inne in Oxforde for it vvil require a whole daies discourse to set him out in his true colours You see the scholler is now come neere vnto vs therefore wee must leaue this talke be thâ—nke vs how wee may take occasion to enter into your former talke of good vvorks that our wager may be tried Gal. Let mee alone for that I will giue you occasion enough if you vvill take it when it is offered Papist Yes I warrant you I wil take it if it bee offered but hee is come Gal. Come sir I did well hope when I parted froÌ„ you that this gentlemaÌ„ woulde haue rode faster but hee loues to spare his horse as vvell as you besides he is iumpe of your opinion all vpon a godly life and good vvorkes Papist Indeed sir when this gentleman did imparte parte of the good communication that had past betvveene you I was the willinger to stay til you should overtake vs for I am very willing to haue acquaintaunce and conference with such men â—nd the rather because you so h ghly esteem of good vvorks vvhen as the most parte of preachers contente themselues with that dry doctrin of bare faith without works little considering that they are the very causes wherby we purchase the favor of God wherby we may merit heaven Schol. Those speeches are false blasphemous speeches I caÌ„not endure to hear theÌ„ the best works that ever were done excepte the works of Christ f you vvill stande to the vvorth of them deserue eternall daÌ„nation if God iudge theÌ„ in rigour and not in mercie because they answere not to the perfection of loue toward God which is required in our duty Much lesse are they of any value in that respect to purchase heaveÌ„ Paule was a man very full of good works yet he accounted his owne righteousnes but as douÌ„g Phil. 3.8 much differing froÌ„ the conceit of good works which you haue Pap. St St my wine Gall. It is gone I yeelde Papist Pardon me sir I spoke this but only to see howe you like their opinion vvho so teach therefore I pray take not these my words as my opinioÌ„ yet I must say this I haue bin in company with those whom you cal catholiks vvho giue shrewd reasons for their opinioÌ„ such as I confesse I am not able to answere Scholl I pray vvhat are they Pap. VpoÌ„ this coÌ„ditioÌ„ I will relate what reasons I haue heard that you shal not take that which I speak to be mine opinion Scholl Be it so Pap. Wel then they proue that we can satisfie for our sins and purchase the favor of God by good works Dan. 4 24. out of Daniel where the Prophet adviseth king Nabuchadnezzar having highly displeased God for his wickednes to break off or redeeme his sins by righteousnes and his iniquitie with mercie towards the poore againe SalomoÌ„ saieth loue covereth a multitude of sinnes and againe he saith by mercie and trueth iniquitye shall bee forgiven which me thinks are very manifest places to proue their assertioÌ„ Scho. Sir you must vnderstand that there are two sorts of sinnes the one directly against the Maiestie of God himselfe which is when wee transgresse the commandement of the first table the other sort when we sinne against our brother which is the transgression of the second table as when we wrong or oppresse theÌ„ as Nabuchadnezzar did who had violently destroied oppressed many As for the wrong we do to meÌ„ Calvin instit lib. 3. cap. 4. sect 36. we may by righting theÌ„ satisfie men of which kind of satisfying men not God Daniell speaketh when he saith to the King let my counsaile bee accepted Dan 4.24 breake of thine iniquitie by righteousnesse and by mercie to the poore as if hee had saide O King thou hast heretofore oppressed and iniured many now right them novve deale mercifully vvith the poore let thy true serious repentaunce be manifested by good workes novv if you vvill here by conclude that good works and mercy to the poore doe satisfie for our former sinne vvith God you not only wrest the words of the Prophet further then they are meant but also derogate from the passion of our only Savior For if vvee vvill satisfie for our former trespasses them must wee do it by some thing of our ovvne not due vnto God but all things vvee can do whatsoever are due vnto God by the right of creatioÌ„ so that not Adam before his fall could merite any thing For al the excellency in him he had of God much lesse can any of his seede merit Christ only excepted any thing seeing the best of them come not neere him in perfection before his fal Hence is it that the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 4.7 Yee haue nothing but that you haue receiued if thou hast receaved why boastest thou as though thou hadst not received the more thou hast received the more is required at thy hands Gal. 2.16 17. Eph. 2.8.9 And in an other place the same Apostle saith by grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God not of vvorkes lest anie man shoulde boast if any man can merite by good vvorkes hee hath vvherein hee may boast in which wordes the Apostle vtterly denyeth that any man may boast or attribute any part of his salvation to his own desert Concerning your second place you alleadge to proue this Pâ—o. 10.12 loue covereth a multitude of sinne it is manifest that you haue taken this place vpon trust but he that lent you this place deceaved you if you had but only looked vpon
like maÌ„ner doth our Saviour vse these wordes for or because in the place you alleage for the merit of good works namely he signifieth the necessary consequution of good workes to abound in those that are predestinated to eternal life Mat. 19.28 â—oh 14.23 For as a badge or cognizaÌ„s point out the maÌ„ that weares it whose man hee is or as a Friers weede be it blacke or gray causeth men to take theÌ„ that weare them to be a black or a gray Frier because it is a vveede peculier to their order So are the charitable workes of the elect so eminent in them that thereby as by badges they are distinguished from other men for hee will glorifie none but whom he first sanctifieth Coloss 3.10 Ezech. 44.7.10 Rom. 12.1 1. Thess 5.23 Ioh. 13.35 1. Ioh. 3.9.10 Eph. 4.24 Ioh. 8.39 by their fruites you shall knowe them By this charitablenes one towards another are the true Disciples of our Saviour knowne from other men By this our Saviour Christ disproveth the vvicked Ievves not to be the sonnes of faithfull Abraham If saith he ye were the sonnes of Abraham you would do the workes of Abraham herevpon is it that our Saviour saith come inherit the kingdome prepared for you by your good workes charitable deeds as by badges you haue shevved your selues to be those men for whom it was prepared Your deedes haue shewed that you are the right sons of Abraham the right cause why they enioy it our Saviour setteth downe in the same chapter namely the free mercy goodnesse of God only Mat. 25.34 saying come yee blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world this kingdome then was predestinated vnto them before they were borne before they had done good or badde neither can any maÌ„ imagine that God chose out such as he foresaw wold do good as some haue vainely imagined for in that one man liveth better then another it proceedeth of the speciall grace of God Iob would haue bin as bad as Iudas or Iulian the Apostata if the grace of God had not bettered him For not onely to do wel Phil. 2.13 but also wil wel is of the Lords speciall grace Yet further for your better satisfactioÌ„ in this point that it may plainly appeare that we caÌ„ no way ment any thing with god much lesse eternall life you must consider that in a merite there are these three things necessarily required First that that wherewith we merite Iames 1.17 be a thing of our owne not his with whom we woulde merit but good works are not our own but the graces gifts of God bestowed on vs. Secondly it is required in a true merite that that vvherevvith we woulde merite be profitable to him with whom vve would merite but there is nothing in the power of man that God staÌ„deth in neede of Luk. 17.9.10 Thirdly it is required that the thing vvherewith we would merit be of equal value with that which we would merite but there is no coÌ„parison between the best works of any of the Saints in this life Psal 16.2 and the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen Now if all these three are necessaryly required in a merite and not so much as one of these three can be found in our good vvorkes I may safelye conclude that it is impossible vvee shoulde merite anye thing at Gods hands especially seeing we are bound by the right of creation sith we are his creatures to obserue and doe his will and no man ever perfectly kept his coÌ„mandements as hee ought to do but came short of his duety much lesse did more then was his duety vvhereby hee might merite Pap. No Did never any man perfectly keepe the lavv of God This is plaine against the scripture vvhich you make the only rule of truth Iob. 1.8 God himselfe gaue testimony of Iob that hee vvas a righteous man and it is saide that David was a maÌ„ according to Gods ovvne hart Psalm 7. Yea David himselfe is not afraid to say vnto God try mee and examine mee and if there bee any fault founde in mee then let mine enemie prevaile against mee and laie mine honour in the dust surely if hee vvere not very confident that hee had perfectly kept his lavve hee would never haue spoken so boldly And is it not said of Zacharias and Elizabeth Luk. 1 6. that they were iust and without faulte The scripture is full of such speeches it is a shame for you to denye that vvhich the scripture so plainely affirmeth and yet pretende that you holde nothing but that vvhich the Scripture teacheth Scholl Stay be not too confident that the scripture is on your side and against vs that you may â—ee you haue small cause heare your places alleadged answered then vaunt if you haue iust occasion First concerning your first reason you say that God himselfe gaue testimony of Iob that he vvas a iust man therefore he absolutelie observed thâ— lavve In citing the testimonie of God of Iobs righteousnes or iustice you leaue out halfe the testimonye vvhich God giveth of him vvhich if you had recited al it would much haue made for the vnderstaÌ„ding of that place The whol testimony or title vvhich God giveth of him is this None is like Iob in all the earth Iob. 1.8 an vpright man iust one that feareth God escheweth evill Now these words import not so much as you woulde make them for they are spoken coÌ„paratiuely as if he had briefly said none on the earth is so iust or so vp right a man as Iob is This doth not import that either Iob or any else was perfectly iust yet was Iob tearmed iust and vpright not because there was nothing amisse in hâ—m Iob 9 23. 39.37 but because without hypocrisie in sincerity he feared God eschewed evil not because he had the perfect feare and loue of God but because he had the true fear of Gods by reason of his true affection in godlines not by reason of the perfection of his inhereÌ„t righteousnes A youÌ„g infant is a perfect man because he hath al the essential parts of a man body and soule yet is he farre from the perfection of a maÌ„ but daily he increaseth in perfection So had Iob true righteousnes but not the perfection of righteousnesse Concerning your second obiection that David appealed to the iustice of God if he found any fault in him theÌ„ he desired no pardon but punishmente If you had read it your selfe you would haue perceiued these vvords vvere not spoken of his whole life but onely of one falsely supposed action for being falsely accused that he went about some conspiracy against the person of king Saule he pronounceth these words Lord try me and examine mee if there be any fault found in mee speaking of the false supposed conspiracie against king Saul of the vvhich hee was altogither
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