between Papiíts, Armin. Luther. andCAlvirìiíts. "of, the leaft, that he fhall not lofe his reward, yet far be it eC from a Chriftian to truft or glory in himfelf , and not in the Lord, `whofeGoodnefs is fo great to all men, that he wills'thofe things to be cc Their Merits, which are HisGifts. And4nath. C. 26. they thus open their Doctrine of Merit : c` If any "fay, that theRighteous ought not to expect eternal retribution from God «by his Mercy and ChriftsMerits, for the good works done in God, if "bywell doing and keepingGod Commandments they perfetere to the "end, let him be Anathema. "C. 31,32 . If any fay, that a Júftified mans good works ire foGods " Gifts, that they be not alfo the Juflified mans good merits, or that the Juftified do not truly merit increafe ofgrace and life eternal by the s' good works which are done byGods Grace andthriftsMerit (ofwhom " he is a living member) ê c. Anath.fit. "c. r6. To them therefore that do well to the end, and hope in God; "Life eternal is to be propofed , both as Grace mercifully ppromifed "to íhe Sons ofGod through Jefus Chrift, and as a Reward faithfully to " be given by Gods own promife totheir Works and Merits. L. Tes , this ridiculous Dofirine ofour Meriting by Gods Grace and Chrifs Merits I have often read and heard of in them. R. It is fomewhat bold to deride that which Scripture, Reafan and all the antient churches do accord in. That Chrift merited that we fhould fubordinately merit, that is, be Rewardable, as before explained, bath no lefs confent. Arid contra Rationem nemo fobrius : Contra Scripturarn nemo chrifianu .o: Contra Bcclefiam nemo Catholicoes. L. But if theCouncil of Trent deny that yuflifcation n at all merited, what is meant by the Papifts Merit ofCongruity r R. I L I think you hold not only as much of that as they, bui ((lb you think it t) fomewhat more. z. Asmuch: Fort . De nomine Come óf them deny that this is anymerit at all, as well as you. And their Council aflirteth it not ( that I fee. ) 2. De re: They mean the fame thing by Merit of Congruity , which Mr. Rogers, Bolton; Hooker and the reft call Preparation for Chr or for Converfion s And fo the Council of Trent calls it : Which maketh a man a more Congruous Receiver of Grace than the unprepared , but doth not prove God obliged to give ii him as a Reward. And do not you hid ah this de re ? I. Yea and more : For the Council of Trent taketh Jaj1ification for Ilemißïon of fin- and fanetification together, as after Faith : And fo hold that Faith it PelfBoth not merit Juftification. But do not you hold more, de re, that Faith bath a flat promtfe of 3uflification (which is true) t And foGod hath as it were obliged his fidelity to givè it which is it theymean by Merit. L. But what is theirMerit ofCondignity then? Isriot thatabominable ? R. III. a. You know that the words [worthy] and [Worthine/s ] ire ufed in theScripture e Bear therefore with Scripturewords. 2. And de re, theymean not all one thing, or ufenot the fame expreffionsat leaft : Some (and many) with Scotus fay, that it is ex failo, from Gods Pro - ïnife that the Merit and duenefs do refult ; or from Gods Decree and free acceptation. L. 1 am fore your own friends Jay, that [Thele are few, and too tnodeft, and indeed halfHereticks for their pains.] R. I love not to perfwade the World that men mean worfe than they (peak: What you mean by [too modefl ] I knownot ; but it is not true Mm 2 either
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