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I am 〈…〉〈…〉 T••igl••ndius speak the same as I do, and tha•• yo•• •••• your following words exictly agree with 〈…〉〈…〉 that point, asserting both a pro∣per imm〈…〉〈…〉 Will de Debito, distinct from that de Eventu; and a signal Will de Debito m••tonym••∣cally so called.
I came but even now from heaping up forty Testimonies of our Divines that speak as I, and am loth to do that work again, unless it were more useful: But I remember I promised you something of Davenant's, because you oft mention him: And it is not any Sentences on the by, but his judgment fully and purposely delivered in Propositions, with their proof, how far Good-works are necessary. De Justit. Habit & Act. c. 30. p. 384. [1. Bona opera sunt necessaria omnibus fidelibus & Justificatis, qui habent usum rationis & per aetatem operari possunt.] Lege sequentia. Et cap. 31. p. 403. Conclus. 5. [Bona quaedam opera sunt necessaria ad Justificationem, ut conditiones concurrentes vel praecursoriae, licet non sint necessariae ut causae efficientes aut meritoriae] Lege pro∣bat. Conclus. 6. p. 404. Bona opera sunt necessaria ad Justificationis statum retinendum & conservandum; Non ut causae quae per se efficiant aut mereantur hanc conservationem: Sed ut media seu conditiones, sine quibus Deus non vult Justificationis gratiam in homi∣nibus conservare.] Vide probat. scq. Conclus. 7. p. 405. Bona opera Justificatorum sunt ad salutem necessaria necessitate ordinis, non causalitatis: Vel planius, ut via ordinata ad vitam aeternam, non ut causae meritoriae vitae aeternae. Vid. & pag. 570, 571, 572, 633.
You may see here, if you will be of Davenant's mind, you must be of mine in this: He gives to Works the very same Office as I do, neither more nor less. If he do give any more than I to Faith, (as he doth in calling it an Instrument; but I
think it is Metaphorically only that he means) that is all the difference. I undertake to mani∣fest, that our greatest Divines ordinarily give to Works as much as I: But indeed I give not to Faith (and to man) so much as they; not daring to make man his own Justifier and Pardoner, or his Act to be the Instrument of God's Act of justi∣fying, or of producing the same effect. Who can forgive sins but God only? If he have any Instruments, it is his Gospel properly, and his Mi∣nisters remotely, and less properly.