quence of the fall of Adam, that they can in no instance of themselves act as their Creator originally commanded; and therefore, as in all their works performed without divine assistance, there is a departure from the will of God, WE DOUBT NOT BUT THEY HAVE THE NATURE OF SIN. It is the will of God that we should act upon the motives which Christianity proposes to our actions, and no others; and every resistance to his will and command hath surely "the nature of sin." It is a principle of morals and legislation universally admitted, that actions are as their motives, and upon this principle the article now under consideration chiefly turns. Besides, it is not likely that if our motives be wrong, our actions should continue right, though they may incidentally be so. Actions are of a transitory, motives of a permanent, nature. It is evident that this Article, which is founded upon the general doctrine of original sin, explained in the ninth Article, applies also to all persons who have not lived under the Gospel dispensation. But though their works, as being DONE BEFORE THE GRACE OF CHRIST, AND THE INSPIRATION OF HIS SPIRIT, could not have been perfectly pleasing to God, and could not have risen to the standard of merit, yet as men, even in their natural condition, may, in some measure, resist the lusts of the flesh, withstand temptations to evil, and do things good and laudable when compared with their powers and faculties, we may rest assured that such conduct will be favourably accepted by a just and mer a ciful God, who will judge mankind according to the degrees of instruction, and opportunities of improvement, which have been respectively afforded them; "If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not." And, therefore, though all the actions of all persons, who have not been brought to the knowledge of Christ, are here pronounced to have the nature of sin, it by no means follows that these actions will, in all cases, exclude men from pardon and salvation. Christ offered himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and not solely for that small portion of it, which has been favoured with the light of his religion. Millions who never heard the name of Jesus, but who have been "a law unto themselves "," will be redeemed and blessed for ever through the merits of his death, while those who have professed themselves his disciples, but "have held the truth in unrighteousness," will suffer "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, denounced against every soul of man that doeth evil," whether he be Jew, Gentile, or Christian; and all this is consistent with the opinion, that the true Church of Christ will hereafter be rewarded with appropriate blessings. But we must ever bear in mind, that to whom much is given, of him much will be required: a more exalted virtue, and a greater purity of heart, will be expected from Christians, in proportion to a 2 Cor. viii. 12. Rom. i. 18. the advantages which they have enjoyed. We are to be "a peculiar people, zealous of good works;" we are to "sanctify ourselves as the temples of God;" we are to "depart from all iniquity;" and to aim at being "perfect even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect." And this degree of superiority, which requires incessant watchfulness and constant energy, will be rewarded by "the prize of our high calling in Christ." ARTICLE THE FOURTEENTH. OF WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION. Voluntary Works, besides over and above God's Commandments, which they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without Arrogance and Impiety; for by them Men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his Sake than of bounden Duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable Servants. THE precepts contained in the Gospel for the regulation of our lives are so full and comprehensive, that they include every good work which men are capable of performing. It is impossible to imagine any action acceptable to God, which does not fall within the precepts, "to love God with all our hearts";"" to love our neighbour as ourselves";" a Matt. xxii. 37. b Matt. xxii. 39. -and to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both a of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." And besides these general precepts, there are particular ones directed to persons in every condition and relation of life, and extending to every point and circumstance which can possibly promote the honour of God, contribute to the happiness of our fellow-creatures, or tend to purify our own minds: and all these things are enjoined as duties of perfect and universal obligation; as indispensably necessary wherever they are practicable. Since, therefore, God requires of us the entire exertion of all our powers, and not a single good action can be specified which is not commanded in the New Testament, it follows, that no room is left for VOLUNTARY WORKS, BESIDES, OVER AND ABOVE GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, WHICH THEY CALL WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION; nor can such works BE TAUGHT WITHOUT ARROGANCE AND IMPIETY, since they imply a degree of merit, which man, in his present imperfect and corrupt state, is incapable of attaining, and are directly opposite to the plain and infallible word of God; or, as the Article expresses it, FOR BY THEM MEN DO DECLARE, THAT THEY DO NOT ONLY RENDER UNTO GOD AS MUCH AS THEY ARE BOUND TO DO, BUT THAT THEY DO MORE FOR HIS SAKE, THAN OF BOUNDEN DUTY IS REQUIRED: WHEREAS CHRIST SAITH PLAINLY, WHEN YE HAVE DONE ALL THAT ARE COMMANDED YOU, SAY, WE ARE UNPROFITABLE SERVANTS."b These words, which are recorded in St. Luke's b Luke, xvii. 10. a 2 Cor. vii. 1. Gospel, are so clear and decisive, that it is unnecessary to explain or enforce them. It is however well known that works of supererogation are admitted by the members of the Romish persuasion; and it cannot but be matter of surprise that such a doctrine should have prevailed in any church which calls itself Christian." This doctrine was first known about the twelfth or thirteenth century; and it seems to have been founded upon what the Papists call "Counsels of perfection," that is, rules which do not bind under the penalty of sin, but are only useful in carrying men to a greater degree of perfection than is necessary to salvation. There is not the slightest authority in Scripture for these Counsels of perfection: all the rules there prescribed for our conduct are given in the form of positive commands, as absolutely necessary, whereever they are applicable, to the attainment of eter a Chemnitius dicit, ex sententia Catholicorum, thesaurum Ecclesiæ constare ex operibus bonis sanctorum, quæ ipsis ad promerendam, et consequendam salutem necessaria non erant, quæ vocantur opera supererogationis: item ex passionibus eorundem, quæ ipsis ad propria delicta purganda opus non fuerunt. Sed ut postremum de passionibus est verum; ita illud de operibus supererogationis est falsum: neque enim ullus Theologorum est, qui scripserit, thesauro Ecclesiæ contineri opera meritoria supererogationis. enim opera, quamvis supererogationis fuerint; tamen suo præmio non caruerunt, atque ideo nulla ratio sinit, ut aliis applicari possint. Vocant quidem aliqui opera supererogationis passiones sanc Illa torum, ut satisfactorias, ipsis minime necessarias: sed nos de re ipsa, non de nomine litigamus. Cap. ix. sect. 6. Falsum est, nihil in Scripturis tradi de operibus supererogationis, quamvis, ut supra diximus, non pertineant hæc opera ad indulgentias: quid enim est, quod ait Dominus Luc. x. 35. Si quid supererogaveris, ego cùm rediero reddam tibi? Et nonne B. Paulus, 1 Cor. ix. 18., testatur se potuisse victum quærere ab his, quibus evangelizabat, ut apostoli cæteri quærebant, et tamen maluisse propriis manibus laborare, quod fuit opus supererogationis, interpretum omnium testimonio. Bellarmini De Indulgen. Lib. ii. c.x. sect. 2. T. iii. p. 686.-EDI TOR. |