..,l.lF.f' f'thè itrkeAdibrtasì.e' ritx'° né aî o'r, for the fapiential ordériy dfpofä% 'o f 2t free Giftt M:1% s 'a Father tvi1heich aC1iild'Obedience by-telling him' that he will' 'gjilìe him did OrMeat, if he Will thankfully accept it. 9. It is not true therefore that it is only a free Gift Fdr as ityi "a free'Gift in regard of the value and quoad rem, fo that Gifi'iS a Reward in regard of the'Order ofConveyance, and tenour of the Aviation, and the moral capacity of theReceiver, which men call Merit. I O. That we cannot (per impotentiam voluntarism moralem) perform the Condition, without Divine Grace, is nothing againft theTenour of ` îhe Donation, nor the nature of the Relation of a Reward. 13. But Reward andMerit in this cafe are furtheft from that ofCom- mutation, and leaved' leaft to man to boaft of. '5z. Yet may he truly glory in the effefts of Grace with thankfulneCs to God, as Paul did, z Cor. 1. II, 1 a. that in fimplicity and godly fin- cerity, be. and z Tim. 4.8. that he had fought a good fight, be. And he may juftifie his fincerity with ph, chap. 13. 5, r 6. And Chrift will fay, well done good and faithful fervant, be. Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he knoweth me, ( faith the Lord, ) be. And Paul would rather dye, than any fhould make his glorying void , as to hisfree preaching theGolpel. 1 3. And it is very falfe that in this fenfe a Chriftian is not bound to truft to his Faith, Repentance, Love, Obedience, only in their own place and office affigned them by God ; but no further : As we may truft to the Bible, Preacher, Parents, fo tohearing, reading, praying, be. for their pro- per part : elfe we fhall take them all to be in vain. Are theyMeans, or no Means? IfMeans, theymutt be judged and trufted as they are, and no further : And people are not to be frightned from neceffary truth, by, putting an ill fenfe upon words. 54. And though here be nothing of Commutative Juftice, yet there is that whichJuftifieth the nameofwages ufed analogically in the Scriptures : BecaufeLove in a Father maketh a Childs intereft to be partly his own ; and the Pleafure of his will, is that to God who is Love it felf and delighteth in his Childrensgood, whichProfit is to a humane proprietor. And now I will proceedwith you in my Queftions. Quell. 9. Do you think that Papifis or Arminans do believe, that ei2 Cher Man,or Angel, or Chrift can merit ofGod by Profiting him, inCom- mutative Juftice r Or that it is poffible for any creature to have any Good Which is not the free gift of God r fuppofing man a free agent in his duty. L. I have hitherto thought that they fo judge : why elfe talk they of Merit of Congruity andCondignity, and that fay fume, ex dignitate, yea, and ex proportione operum R. It feerneth you think not that you hold all this your felf. . Let us try. I.*ByMerit, they fall mean a fubordinateMerit, which fuppofeth the Benefit 1.To'be cods Gift, z. Merited by chrift. L. How proveyou that ? R. It is the exprefs words of the Trent Council de 7uffif. Can. 8: `c We are laid to be Juffified gratis, becaufe nothing that goethbe$ire7u £'ffification,'whether it be Faith or Works, doth merit the Grace it fell "of Juftification : For if it be Grace , it is no more of Works ; elfe "Grace -is not Grace. "can. 16. Though fo much be given in Scripture to Good Works; " that Chrift promiferh him that giveth but aCup of cold Water to one of
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