A Short and Sure Way to Grace and Salvation, Section 20
Sect. XX
But now coms the hardeſt part of my work to be performed. For admit the Natural man be convinced of the truth of theſe three fundamentall principles never ſo clearly: yet he will draw ſuch a concluſion from the premiſſes; that he will be never the better, for what bath been told him, yea he will decoct all, (even the mercy, and goodneſs of God) into poyſon. For what wil ſuch a one ſuggeſt to himſelf? (the Divell helping forward) Let it be granted will he ſay, that I were every way wretched and miſerable; a great ſinner, both originally and actually; and likewiſe liable to all the plagues of this life, and of that to come: yet I thank God, I am well enough, ſo long as Chriſt hath p…y'd my ranſom; & freed me from all by a new Covenant; the tenu…e whereof is, Believe and live: whereas at firſt it was, do this and live: to which I anſwer;
In Covenants and indentures between party and party: there are always articles, and conditions to be performed on the one ſide, aſwell as promiſes to be fulfilled on the other, as ſaith Pareus. Now as God hath covenanted & bound himſelf by his word and Seal; to remit thee thy ſins, adopt thee his child by regeneration; and give thee the kingdome of Heaven, & everlaſting life by & for his Son's ſake; ſo Chriſt hath for, & on thy behalf undertaken; yea thou thy ſelf didſt for thy part, bind thy ſelf by covenant, promiſe and vow in thy baptiſm, that thou wouldeſt forſake the Devil and all his works, conſtantly believ Gods holy Word, & obediently keep his Commandements; the better thereby to expreſs thy thankfulneſs towards him, for ſo great a benefit. 1 Pet. 3. 21. Pſa. 116. 12, 13, 14 And we know that in Covenants and Indentures: if the Conditions be not kept, the Obligation is not in force. Whereby millions (Magus like) after the water of Baptiſme, (which is a ſeal, of the Covenant of Grace) go to the fire of Hell. Yea except we repent and believe the Goſpell; (threats, and precepts; aſwell as promiſes) that holy ſacrament, together with the offer of grace: inſtead of Sealing to us our ſalvation; will be an obligation vnderunder our own hand and ſeal againſt us; and ſo prove a ſeal of our greater condemnation. Therefore the mayn queſtion is, Whether thou art a Believer? For although Chriſt in the Goſpel, hath made many large, & precious promiſes: there are none ſo generall: which are not limited, with the condition of faith, and the fruit thereof unfained repentance; and each of them are ſo tyed and entayled, that none can lay claim to them, but true believers, which repent and turn from all their ſins, to ſerve him in holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Iſa. 39. 20. As for inſtance, Our Savior hath made publick proclamation. Mark. 16. 16. That whoſoever ſhall believe, and be baptized, ſhall be ſaved: but mark what withal is added; he that will not believe, ſhall be damned. Again, So God loved the world, that be gave his onelyonly begotten Son; that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life, Joh. 3. 15, 16. And that none may deceive themſelvs, he addeth; He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already: becauſe he hath not believed in the name of the onelyonly begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkneſs rather then light, Joh. 3. 19, 20. And again, As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the ſons of God; even to them that believe on his name, Joh. 1. 12.
Again, Hec… 5. 9. He is ſaid to be the author of eternal ſalvation, unto all that obey him: not unto them which continue in their rebellious wickedneſſe, and never ſubmit themſelvs to be ruled by the ſcepter of his Word. Chriſt's blood (ſaith Z…c…ie) was ſhed as well for ablution, as for abſolution: as well to cleanſe from the ſ…il and filth of ſin, as to clear and aſſoil from the guilt of ſin, Rom, 6. 5, 6. God bath choſen us in Chriſt, before the foundation of the world: that we ſhould be holy, and without blame before him in love, Epheſ. 1. 4. They the efore that never come to be holy, were never choſen. He is ſaid to have given himſelf for us: that he might re…eem us from all iniquity, and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himſelf, zealous of good works: Titus 2. 14. Luke 1. 74, 75. Yea the Lord binds it with an …ath, that whomſoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their ſpiritual enemies, they ſhall worſhip him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the daies of their life, Luk. 1. 73, 74, 75. 1 Pet. 2. 24. and Titus 2. The grace of God which bringeth ſalvation, teacheth us; that we ſhould deny ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts, an… that we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent world, verſ. 12.
By all which it is plain; that as Chriſt's blood is a Charter of pardon; ſo withall it is a covenant of direction: and hee that refuſeth to live, as that covenant preſcribes; may periſh as a malefactor that is hanged with his pardon about his neck.