#50 The only way to Salvation

[Pryr-1.2-50] [Pryr-1.2-50] Now there is but one possible Way for Man to attain this Salvation, or have the Life of God in his Soul. There is not one way for the Jew, another for a Christian, and a Third for the Heathen. No for as God is one, human nature is one, Salvation is one, and the Way to Him is one; so too is the way to Him is one and that is via a true Desire of the Soul to be turned towards God. When this Desire is alive and breaks forth in any Creature under Heaven, then the proverbial lost Sheep is found, and the Shepherd can put it safely upon his Shoulders.¹

Through this Desire the Poor Prodigal Son leaves his Husks and Swine, and hastes to his Father: it is because of this Desire, that the Father sees the Son, while yet afar off, that he runs out to meet him, falleth on his Neck, and kisses him.

See here how plainly we are taught, that no sooner does this Desire arise, but the Operation of God's Spirit answers to it, cherishes and welcomes its first Beginnings/  That the Father's seeing this  and having Compassion even while t yet afar off, but still the  first Inklings of his Desire arise that God notices it and takes heed. This is what a pure Desire can do it brings the Soul to God, and welcome God into the Soul, and so it unites with God, and co-operates with God, and then becomes  one Life with God.

Now suppose this Desire is not yet alive, not yet in Motion either in a Jew, or a Christian, well then all the Sacrifices, the Services, and the Worship of either the Mosaic Law, or  Gospel, are then but dead Works, and as such they will not bring Life into the Soul, nor beget any Union between it and God.

But suppose that this Desire is awakened, and is fixed upon God, and but that these Souls have never heard either of the Law or the Gospel, but the Divine Life, or Operation of God, enters into them, well then there is a new Birth in Christ within them. For these souls we praise "That many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down at the table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens. 12 But the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness."

Footnotes:

1.  Jubliee Bible:  Matthew 15:  

And, behold, a woman of Canaan having come out of the same borders cried unto him, saying, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me; my daughter is sick, possessed by a demon. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she cries out after us.  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 

Then she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not good to take the children’s bread and to cast it to the little dogs. And she said, Yes, Lord, yet the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou desire. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

2.  Jubilee Bible Matthew 8:11

And when Jesus was entering into Capernaum, a centurion came unto him, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed, grievously tormented.  And Jesus said unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou should come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.  For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.

When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to those that followed, Verily I say unto you that not even in Israel have I found such faith. But I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down at the table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens. But the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then Jesus said unto the centurion, Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed that same hour.