We teach not that, which aSaltmarsh falsely chargeth us, that Vows and undertakings never ascending to ⟨p. 3⟩Christ, fit us for conversion, nor do we too much burn, or bear the wine of Gospel-grace, with the Law-fire of works and conditions bFor 1. we deny, against Antinomians and Arminians any such Gospel-promise; he that doth this and this, and is so, and so fitted with such conditions, qualifications, as money and hire in hand, shall be converted, as a reward of his work. The question touching preparations is not, whether an humbled soul, because humbled, hath a good warrant to believe and receive Christ.3 We conceive the bottom of no mans faith is within himself, but the common ground and Royal charter, warranting all to believe is the free and money less offer of a precious Saviour; who ever will have Christ, and pay not a penny of condition or law work for him, take him freely. But the question is, of Christs order of bringing us to believe and close with Christ; and the question is, whether a damned Pharisee on his high horse of merits and law-righteousness, an undaunted Heifer, a Simon Magus, a despiteful Atheist, Elymas a Witch never broken, nor convinced by the law, must in that distance to Christ and the Gospel, be charged to believe an everlasting love of election toward himself, and without more ado, be led into the Kings chamber of wine, to the slowings of soul-redeeming blood; or must he first be humbled, convinced of sin, burdened with everlasting burning due to him, and so led to Christ. Antinomians csay, Sinners as sinners belong to Christ, dand have Christ offered to them as sinners, and enone can believe too hastily in Christ: but sure, they can believe, or presume, too misorderly, and arrogate Christ to themselves (as you teach them) while they know no sin-sickness for Christ. For 1. some too hastily will be Christs Disciples, before they make their reckoning what it will cost them. f2. The Lords order is to cast down, and then convert; first he draweth away some of the ill blood and rank humours, and pricketh the heart, and then bringeth the sick to the Physician, the trembling Publican to his Saviour; as the gword saith, 3. Christ converteth not sinners as sinners; so as their sinful condition should be the ratio formalis, the formal reason why they are converted;
WEe teach not that, which aSaltmarsh falsely chargeth us, that Vowes and undertakings never ascending to ⟨p. 3⟩Christ, fit us for conversion, nor doe we too much burne, or bear the wine of Gospel-grace, with the Law-fire of workes and conditions bFor 1. we deny, against Antinomians and Arminians any such Gospel-promise; he that doth this and this, and is so, and so fitted with such conditions, quallifications, as money and hire in hand, shall be converted, as a reward of his worke. The question touching preparations is not, whether an humbled soule, because humbled, hath a good warrant to beleeve and receive Christ.3 We conceive the bottome of no mans faith is within himselfe, but the common ground and Royall charter, warranting all to beleeve is the free and money lesse offer of a precious Saviour; who ever will have Christ, and pay not a penny of condition or law worke for him, take him freely. But the question is, of Christs order of bringing us to beleeve and close with Christ; and the question is, whether a damned Pharesee on his high horse of merits and law-righteousnesse, an undaunted Heifer, a Simon Magus, a despitefull Atheist, Elymas a Witch never broken, nor convinced by the law, must in that distance to Christ and the Gospel, be charged to beleeve an everlasting love of election toward himselfe, and without more adoe, be led into the Kings chamber of wine, to the slowings of soule-redeeming bloud; or must he first bee humbled, convinced of sinne, burdened with everlasting burning due to him, and so led to Christ. Antinomians csay, Sinners as sinners belong to Christ, dand have Christ offered to them as sinners, and enone can beleeve too hastily in Christ: but sure, they can beleeve, or presume, too misorderly, and arrogate Christ to themselves (as you teach them) while they know no sinne-sicknesse for Christ. For 1. some too hastily will bee Christs Disciples, before they make their reckoning what it will cost them. f2. The Lords order is to cast downe, and then convert; first he draweth away some of the ill bloud and rancke humours, and pricketh the heart, and then bringeth the sicke to the Physitian, the trembing Publicane to his Saviour; as the
- aSaltmarsh Free grace.
- b[…]〈…〉
- 3state of the question •ou•hing the […] of conversion, with Antinomians.•tate of the questi•n •ou•hing the 〈…〉 of conversion, with Antinomians.
- cCrisp […] ser. 7 p. •9•. While […] thus sinful (with all sinfulness that can be imagined in a […]) Christ may be your Christ. Ans. In Gods d•ar•e, its tr•e so the world was […] laid, but Christ is never […] yours, so lo•g as you have the Devil reigning as a Prince in your soul nay, never till you believe.Crisp 〈…〉 ser. 7 p. •9•. While 〈…〉 thus sinnefull (with all sinfulnesse that can be imagined in a 〈…〉) Christ may be your Christ. Ans. In Gods d•ar•e, its tr•e so the world was 〈…〉 laid, but Christ is never 〈…〉 yours, so lo•g as you have the Devil reigning as a Prince in your soule nay, never till you beleeve.
- dSaltmarsh Free grace, p• 184.
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