betwee pips Arpa n.4Lptiser. 4 a[vinii s. grace vast exited, z. ;Thal-. by, the ftreng h of Free-Wll we çon diCpofe prepa é our felves for grace. " S. Clare fir)t, ci flimo effe omnium Scholaflicorum, non dart .expartF peccatoris ullam caufam meritoriam, difpofâtionern, aüt,c.onditionem ad pr:- yam gratianm. For whichhe citeth Auguff. P. Innoc. i. ad - contd. Garth. Çanctl. Araufic.z. can. 3,4,5.- Concil.Trident. self. 6. c._5. concluding,. . fine dubia hoc eft de fade apud emnes Catholicos. Doíkores, net ulitis un- _quam oppofîtum tenuit. Et Bradward. optimus divina Gratin prom,na- ,tor -dial expreffé effe Pelagianifmom, lieet.intelligeretur folirnde rerito de congruo. Yea Aquinas denyeth all merit de congruo as to Juftifying grace, r. zö T. 24.0.7. &inRom.c.4. Vegà s judgement is commonly known. See. Carthufan in lac. z. &c. Imay conclude then with S. Clara, that Caffander fpake not unreafonably when he faid, [ aao fenfis hoc vocabolo Meriti& Merendi tali font 1atres Catholici, obfcurum non eft, nempe ut per illud gratin Dei ex qua me- rita omnia oriuntur, nihil detrahatur. .ware nil et cur out Eccles faftici a loquendi forma & fententia in Ecclefïajam olim uf/tata difce- dant, out Proteflantes earn tam odiofè repúdient aut condemnent.] And that Bucer faid well, colloq. Ratisb. [Si f000e i patres out alii Intel lgunt Promereri, facere ex fide gratin dei bona opera quibus Deus mer- eedem promifit; hoc fenfo'ufurpare illud verbum minimi damnabimus. L. Thus you feem to like the veryword merit ; which in your confeon you do not. R. t. I like the Scripture word dit&-. And they that tranflate it wor thy, and account condignity the highefl notion of merit, feem to allow that it may be tranflated [meriting.] s. I would fain find a word to ferve inflead of merit, anfweringRe- ward, and I cannot : What word can you find r Premiability and Reward- ablenefs are long and unhandfome, and Iremember no other, without ufing manywords. 3. Yet I with it difufed, to avoid abufe andoffence. L. But when Caffander faith, It is ufed as not encroaching on grace, t take all merit to encroachupon it and injure it. R. I ask you, .EeJI.r. If you preach that [aHoly Lover of God is fitter for Heaven and Happinefs in Gods love, thana wicked man, and hath apromife of it] and another preach, that [theSaints are no fitterfor Gods love and happinefs than thewicked, but only it's promifed them without ,any fitnefs ; ] which would good men more diflìke r I think that the firft is but the very thing that molt of the SchoolDo/tors mean : And that we at once abhorr their words, and abhorr thecontrary, as they are varioufly prefented to men. .Q.Lieft. a. AndI ask you, Whether do you think it a greater Grace or Gift of God, to give aman that Holinefs which fhall fit him for Heaven ( or as they call it Merit it,) or to give himHeaven without fuch Holy fit- nefs (or merit :') L. HeavenwtthiutHolinefs is acontradiction. ; But if God could make a beaft of bad man Happy without it, doubtlefo yet both is more than one. I had rather God would make me here fit for Heaven by banners, than not, and fo all Chriffians. But we all take Merit to fignifie fomewhat which profiteth Godand which is our own, andnot of his giftand grace: in which I fee we are miftaken. R. Doubtlefs, as that God who can relieve your poor or fick friend with- out you, fheweth you a çiouble favour if. he will make you. his inftrumnt in
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