We cannot but complain to God of these men, who slander our Doctrine, and cease not to pervert the right ways of God. For if Saltmarsh mean, that we think by fasting, praying, and acts of Evangelic Sanctification, 1to buy the love of God to our selves, that is, the free favour and love of God, that is, only grace objectively, in God, not in us; or yet grace inherent; We profess before the Lord, and his Angels, that that is an other Gospel, and though an Angel, and Paul teach it, let him be accursed. 2. Let him answer us, if any Protestant Divine, or if he himself believeth his own pen, doth any other but lye, when it scribbles that the Law-strain ⟨p. 70⟩and Divinity of the Jews under the Law, did work God down to such an old way, as for fasting, and praying, and other acts of obedience, they got some love from God, which Christ himself had not gotten for them? Fasting and praying was never since God had a Church on earth, a hire, a bribe to free grace, neither Jew, nor Gentile could by doing; nay, not Adam before his fall, nor the Elect Angels, could ever buy, prize, or mortgage the free love of God. 3. We conceive the love of God to be the sole cause, fountain, well-head and adequate reason, why the Lord chooseth some to glory, rather then bothers, why the Lord sent his Son Christ to die, even because cGod extremely and freely loved the lost world; and therefore fasting, and praying, was never the cause of Gods choosing and electing love, either to Jew or Gentile, either under the Old or New Testament; except they say, there was another way of election to glory in the Old Testament, and another way in the New; and that the love of God was at a dearer rate under the Old, nor New; it was then for hire, and for works, but we had not in Isaiah's days, wine and milk without money and price; the Market was dearer then, it is at a lower rate now. But I perceive, Antinomians miserably mistaken,4 in confounding the error of the Jews, and the state of the Jewish Church. Paul Rom. 4. saith right down, Abraham and David payed not a farthing more for justification, and freely imputed righteousness, then we do; and it was the error and sin of men, not the state of the Church in its non-age, under Tutors, nor the dispensation of God, that dThe Jews followed after the law of righteousness, 6but obtained not the Law of righteousness. Wherefore?
We cannot but complaine to God of these men, who slander our Doctrine, and cease not to pervert the right wayes of God. For if Saltmarsh meane, that we thinke by fasting, praying, and acts of Evangelick Sanctification, 1to buy the love of God to our selves, that is, the free favour and love of God, that is, onely grace objectively, in God, not in us; or yet grace inherent; We professe before the Lord, and his Angels, that that is an other Gospel, and though an Angel, and Paul teach it, let him be accursed. 2. Let him answer us, if any Protestant Divine, or if hee himselfe beleeveth his owne penne, doth any other but lye, when it scribles that the Law-straine ⟨p. 70⟩and Divinity of the Jewes vnder the Law, did worke God down to such an old way, as for fasting, and praying, and other acts of obedience, they got some love from God, which Christ himselfe had not gotten for them? Fasting and praying was never since God had a Church on earth, a hire, a bribe to free grace, n•ither Jew, nor Gentile could by doing; nay, not Adam before his fall, nor the Elect Angels, could ever buy, prize, or morgage the free love of God. 3. Wee conceive the love of God to bee the sole cause, fountaine, well-head and adaequate reason, why the Lord chuseth some to glory, rather then bothers, why the Lord sent his Sonne Christ to die, even because cGod extremely and freely loved the lost world; and therefore fasting, and praying, was never the cause of Gods chusing and electing love, either to Jew or Gentile, either under the Old or New Testament; except they say, there was another way of election to glory in the Old Testament, and another way in the New; and that the love of God was at a dearer rate under the Old, nor New; it was then for hire, and for works, but wee had not in Esaiahs daies, wine and milke without money and price; the Market was dearer then, it is at a lower rate now. But I perceive, Antinomians miserably mistaken,4 in confounding the error of the Jewes, and the state of the Jewish Church. Paul Rom. 4. saith right down, Abraham and David payed not a farthing more for justification, and freely imputed righteousnesse, then we doe; and it was the error and sin of men, not the state of the Church in its non-age, under Tutors, nor the dispensation of God, that
- 1Neither the Jews under the Law, nor we under the Gospel, could ever buy the free love or grace of Christ.Neither the Iewes under the Law, nor we under the Gospel, could ever buy the free love or grace of Christ.
- bRom 9.11, 12, 1•, 4, •5, 16, 7.
- cJob. •.•6. 1 Joh. 4.9.Iob. •.•6. 1 Ioh. 4.9.
- 4The error of the Jews a far other thing then their state and Pedagogy, thoughThe error of the Jewes a farre other thing then their state and Pedagogie, though
- dRom. 9.31, 32. Rom. 4.1, 2, 3.4.
- 6Antinomians confound then▪
