A Short and Sure Way to Grace and Salvation, Section 1 – Section 7
A SHORT AND SURE Way to Grace and Salvation; Being a neceſſary and profitable Tract, upon Three Fundamental Principles of Chriſtian Religion: which few do indeed know, and yet hee who knowes them not, cannot bee ſaved: Viz.
How Man was at firſt Created.
How he is now Corrupted.
How he may be again reſtored.
Together with the conditions of the Covenant of Grace, and to whom the promiſes of the Goſpel belong.
The which well learned, would keep millions out of Hell, that blindly throng thither.
By R. YOUNGE of Roxwell in Eſſex.
If our Goſpell bee hid, it is hid to them that are loſt: in whom the god of this world, hath blinded the minds of them which believe not: leaſt the light of the glorious Goſpell of Chriſt, who is the image of God, ſhould ſhine unto them, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4.
Sect. I.
AS when God created the World, the firſt thing he made was Light, Gen. 1. 3. ſo when he makes us new creatures, hee firſt creates light in the underſtanding, whereby the poor ſoul may ſee his ſpiritual miſery and wretchedneſſe; which before (by reaſon of that vail or curtain which is drawn over every natural man's heart, 2 Cor. 3. 14, 15, 16.) he is ſo far from diſcerning, that with Laodicea he thinks himſelf rich, and to want nothing; when yet he is wretched and miſerable, and poor, and blinde, and …aked of all ſpiritual endowments, Rev. 3. 17. 1 Tim. 6. 4. As for inſtance, it … to be obſerved, (can never be enough bewailed) that generally through…ut the Land people of all ſorts (young and old, rich and poor) eſpecially the poor; are ſo invincibly ignorant, that (remaining ſo) it is impoſſible (ſo far as I am able to judg by the word of God;) that ever they ſhould be ſaved.
As ask them theſe queſtions, How do you hope to be ſaved? They will anſwer, By my praiers and good indeavors. Have you never broke this or that Commandement? Thou ſhalt have no other gods but the Lord. Thou ſhalt not kill. Thou ſhalt not ſteal. Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery? No, never they thank God. Are you proud? No, not they, What ſhould they bee proud of? and many the like. As for Original ſin, they know not what it means. Nor is there any convincing them, that they were born ſinners into the world. Yea, let a Miniſter come to them upon their death-bed, and queſtion with them about their eſtates, or ask them how their ſouls fare, and what peace they have? What will be their manner of anſwering? (eſpecially if they have not been notorious offenders) Are they a whit troubled for Sin, either Original or Actual? Or will they acknowledge themſelves in a loſt condition without Chriſt? No, their conſciences are at quiet, and they are at peace with themſelves and all the world; and they thank God, no ſin troubles them, not ever did. They have been no Murtherers, no Adulterers, no common Drunkards; neither have they been Oppreſſers. (For they are ſo blinde and ignorant, that they think the Commandement is not broken, if the outward groſſe ſin bee forborn.) Yea, will they ſay, I do not know that I have wronged man, woman, or child. I have been a Proteſtant, and gone to Church all my daies.
Sect. II.
§ 2. Yea, ſo far are they from being ſenſible of their wants, that you ſhal hear them brag of their faith, works, and good meaning; of their juſt and upright dealing, the goodneſſe of their hearts, the ſtrength of their faith, hope; and that they never doubted in all their lives. Yea, that it were pity they ſhould live, if they did not believe in Chriſt, and hope to be ſaved by him. The uſual expreſſions of formal Chriſtians, and Proteſtants at large; who know not what faith, hope, or a good heart means, no more then Nicodemus knew what it was to be born again.
All which anſwers and brags of theirs do imply, that they are as righteous as Chriſt himſelf, or Adamin the ſtate of innocency: for he that can clear himſelf from pride, or the breach of any one Commandement, or from Original ſin; may clear himſelf from all ſin whatſoever; and if ſo, what need of Chriſt? Yea, what poſſibility is there that ever ſuch a ſoul ſhould have any benefit by Chriſt? who came not to call the righteous, (viz. ſuch as think themſelvs ſo) but weary and heavy laden ſinners to repentance, Mat. 10. 6. … ▪ & 15. 24. & 18. 11. 9. 12. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Luke 1. 53.
Sect. III.
Again, this is an infallible truth, that without repentance there is no being ſaved; and what hope of their ſerious and unfained repentance? For ſin muſt be ſeen, before it can be ſorrowed for. A man muſt know himſelf ſick, before he will ſeek to the Phyſitian. Yea, where is no diſcovery of th… diſeaſe, the recovery of the health is in vain hoped for. Which makes Cyp… … ſay, that it is as meer loſt labour, to preach unto a man the things of God, … fore he is humbled with the fight o… his wants: as to offer light to a blin… … man, to ſpeak to a deaf man, or to labour to make a bruit beaſt wiſe.
Beſides, if we look to be ſaved by any thing that we can do; Chriſt can profit us nothing. For the Son of man is come to ſeek, and to ſave onelyonly that which was loſt: the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael, Mat. 18. 11. Luk. 19. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 15. even ſuch as utterly deſpair in regard of all other helps. Nor is he any way fit for abſolution, who finds not himſelf worthy of condemnation. We ſhal find no ſweetneſſe in Chriſts blood, till we feel the ſmart of our own ſins. Yea, no men under Heaven are in ſo hopleſſe a condition as they, who think to be ſaved by their performances, or any other thing or means, then by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt alone. faring with them as it doth with unskilful ſwimmers: who when they begin to ſink, if they catch hold of weeds in the bottom, the faſter they hold, the ſurer they are to be drowned.
Sect. IV.
Fourthly and laſtly, there needs no more to condemne theſe men, then their ignorance of ſuch ſaving truths: eſpecially in ſuch glorious times of light and grace as theſe are; wherein they may hear the. Word preached every day in the week, if they did not ſleight and diſregard it, which aggravates their ſin exceedingly: For though it be enough, that God hath ſet down his will in his word moſt plainly, and we may read, or hear it read, (were it at any rate) and that the Epitome of the whole Law is writ in every man's heart. Whatſoever yee would that men ſhould do unto you, even ſo do ye unto them, Mat. 7. 12. (As it ſervs not a male factors turn, to plead ignorantiam juris, he knew not the Law of his Prince which he hath broken: for if the King have once proclaimed any thing, and the ſubject after ſufficinet time of notefying his will, be ignorant of it; at his own perill be it.) Yet to be affectedly ignorant, and to ſhut their eies againſt the light of the Goſpel, is by far more damnable: this is a ſin with a witneſſe. As what ſaies our Saviour? John 3. 19. This is the condemnation: that light is come into the world, and men loved darkneſſe rather then light, becauſe their deeds were evil. And ſo on the contrary, This is life eternal, to know thee the onelyonly true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent, John 17. 3. Beſides, without knowledge, the minde cannot be good, as wiſe Solomon affirms, Prov. 19. 2. A man may know the will of God, and yet not do it; but he cannot do it, except hee know it. Neither can he be born of God, that knoweth him not, 1 John 4. 7. nor can he love God, verſ. 8. Whence that terrible text, Jer. 10. 25. Power out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not, Pſal. 79. 6. And that other more terrible, 2 Theſ. 1. 7, 8. The Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from heaven in flaming flie, to take vengeance on them that know not God. Whence the Prophet Iſaiah is peremptory, It is a people of no underſtanding, therefore he that made them, will not have mercy upon them; and he that formed them, will ſhew them no favour, Iſ a. 27. 11.
Obſerve theſe Scriptu…es you ignorant ſouls, that think your ignorance will excuſe you: and let not Satan, nor your deceitful hearts ſo delude you, as to think that God is in jeſt, where he ſaith, My people are deſtroied for lack of knowledge; and becauſe thou haſt rejected knowledge, I will alſo re…ect thee, Hoſea 4. 6. Or if you do, you ſhall one day finde him in earneſt. For as you know not Chriſt here, ſo when you ſhall look for entrance into his Kingdome hereafter, he ſhall ſay unto you, Depart from me, I know you not, Mat. 25. 12, 41. which will be but a ſad ſaying; And far better were it, that you were ignorant of all other things: which makes Saint Paul ſay, I deſire to know nothing among you, ſave Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified, 1 Corinth. 2. 2.
Sect. V.
Now this being the caſe of millions in this City, and ſo all the Land over: what can we other then conclude, That few (even amongſt us) ſhall be ſaved, as our Saviour affirms, Matth. 7. 13, 14. & 20. 16. And that the whole world lieth in wickedneſſe, as Saint John ſpeaks, 1 John 5. 19. And that the number of thoſe whom Satan ſhall deceive, is as the ſand of the Sea, Revel. 20. 8. & 13. 15, 16, 17, Iſa. 10. 22. Rom. 9. 27.
Which being ſo, I hold my ſelf bound to acquaint them, what every one muſt of neceſſity know, or they cannot be ſaved: the which I will do in a few lines, that all (who will) may have the benefit thereof. Wherefore let all ſuch (if they hve ears) hear what I ſhall ſay unto them out of God's Word, in laying open thoſe three fundamental principles before mentioned.
Sect. VI.
Touching the bounty and goodneſſe of GOD in Man's Creation, theſe things would be known.
1. That God in the beginning made Man in Paradice, after all his other works; that he might come as to a Sumptuous pallace ready furniſhed.
2. That he was made a compendium, and abridgment of all the other creatures: as being a little world of himſelf; for whereas Planets have being, not life: Plants have life, not ſence; Beaſts have ſence, not reaſon; Angels have being, life, reaſon, not ſence; Man hath all, and contains in him more generality then the Angels; viz. being, life, ſence, reaſon.
3. That as he was made Lord of, and had dominion over all; ſo he did excell all other viſible creatures.
1. In that he had a reaſonable ſoul,
2. In that he hath a speaking tongue,
3. In that he was made upright, with his face lifted up to heavenward,
4. In that all things were made ſubject to him,
5. In that he was made after the Image of God,
6. In that his ſoul is immortal,
7. In that he was ordained to eternal glory.
More eſpecially we are to know, that as God made all things elſe for mans uſe and ſervice: ſo he created man (male and female) more immediately for his own honour, and ſervice; and did accordingly adorn him with gifts, and abilities above all other viſible creatures. For God made us, (had not we un-made our ſelves) after his own Image, endowing us (as with reaſonable, and immortal ſouls, ſo) with perfection of all true wiſdom, holineſſe, and righteouſneſſe; writing his Law in our hearts, and giving us ability to obey, and fulfill the ſame in every point; and withall a power to ſtand, and for ever to continue in a moſt bleſſed and happy condition, free from all miſery, and to enjoy a ſweet, and bleſſed Communion with his Creiter. So that man was created very good, did clearly and perfectly know the whole will, and works of his Maker; was able out of the integrity of his ſoul, and fitneſſe of all the powers; fully, willingly and chearfully to love, obſerve, and obey his Maker, in every tittle and circumſtance he required, and to love his neighbour as himſelf: ſo that neither the minde did conceive, nor the heart deſire, nor the body put in execution any thing, but that which was acceptable, and well pleaſing unto God; as theſe inſuing Scriptures do plainly prove, Gen. 1. 26, 27. 30. Eccleſ. 7. 29. Rom. 2. 14, 15.
Sect. VII.
Which being ſo, how ſhould it humble us, and make us aſhamed of our preſent condition; and withall ſet us on fire with a holy zeal, to out-ſtrip and go before all the reſt of the Creatures in obaying our Creator; as far as he did make us out-ſtrip them all in ſpiritual and divine excellencies? whereas hitherto, they have out-ſtript and gone before us in a high degree: as for inſtance, Though we are bound to praiſe and ſerve God above any creature whatſoever: in that all the creatures were ordained for our ſakes: yet heaven, earth, and ſea; all the elements, all the creatures, obey the word of God, and ſerve him as they did at firſt; yea, call upon us to ſerve him; onelyonly men for whom they were all made, moſt ingratefully rebell againſt him. As if you conſider it rightly, the obedience of inſenſible and bruit creatures unto the will of God, is a great check and reproof unto the diſobedience of man. Man is the chiefeſt of creatures, and they the loweſt; yet do they as far exceed him in obedience, as he doth them in natural eminencie. The Stork, and the Swallow know their appointed times. The Oxe knows his owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters crib; the Sea moveth in a ſettled, and unmoving courſe; the Stars fit their many changes, to a ſteddy rule anſwerable to the will of him that never changeth. The Lord by Moſes but ſpake to the rock, and it gave water to the thirſty Iſraelites; he but commanded the clouds to rain down Mannah; and the winde to bring them in Qu…ils, for the ſatisfying of their hunger, and they did ſo. Yea, he but had the Ravens bring bread and fleſh to Elijah, and they did it. In like manner did …he winde and ſea, Mat. thew 8. 27. the Lions, Dan. 6. 22. thoſe two ſhee-Bears, a Kings 2. 24. the Fire, Dan. 3. 27. the Earth, Numb. 16. 29, to 37. obey the voice of the Lord, and many the like ſpoken of in Scripture. But Man is wholly gone aſtray from his rule; and not onley runneth from it, but againſt it: ſo that he is far worſe, then things worſe then himſelf.
Which were it rightly conſidered, would be enough to melt an heart of Adamant: For was this the principal end, for which men were created in ſuch a glorious condition? That we might honour, love, and ſerve our Creator and injoy communion and happineſſe with him for ever; and are we ſo far from excelling the reſt of the creatures, that we are become more diſobedient, and rebellious to God, then any one of them, except Satan himſelf? One would think it ſhould make all, (that thirſt not after their own damnation) not onelyonly to hate, and diſlike themſelves for it: but force us with all poſſible ſpeed and induſtry; to ſeek out the cauſe, and how to recover our ſelves out of this wretched and damnable condition.