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Adv. Hær. l. 5. c. 10.

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And Irenæus. "As the wild olive, if it be not grafted, "continues useless to its owner, by reason of its wild quality; and as unfruitful wood is cut down, and cast "into the fire; so man, who receives not the grafting of "the Spirit by faith, continues to be what he was before, "flesh and blood, which cannot inherit the kingdom of "God."

See also the Homily of Good Works, Part I. Sanderson on Rom. iii. 8. Sect. 3, 4. Nowelli Catech. p. 101. Field of the Church, p. 256, 324.

Neither deserve grace] See Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. And Rom. iv. 2, 6. If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.

Grace of congruity] Some of the School-men have devised a two-fold merit: a merit of congruity, and a merit of condignity. The latter they ascribe to works which a man does by the assistance of grace, and to which a reward is in justice due. The former they ascribe to such works as a man does by the mere strength of free-will, and which are to be rewarded only out of liberality. But what foundation is there for this sort of merit, since all of us are by nature evil? I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing, Rom. vii. 18. They that are in the flesh cannot please God, Rom. viii. 8. A corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit, Matth. vii. 17. And therefore this sort of merit is rejected by others, and even by those of the Church of Rome, as savouring of Pelagianism.

ARTICLE XIV.

Of Works of Supererogation.

VOLUNTARY Works besides, over and above, God's Commandments, which they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy 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 to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

Works of supererogation] Since the law of God is perfect in every part, and requires us to every good work; since we are commanded to love God with all our souls, and with all our strength, (Luke x. 27.) and since that love is the impulsive cause of our performing every good work; what room is there for supererogation? And how should man be more perfect than the law of God, which is the exact rule of all perfection, and which proposes God himself as a pattern to man in doing well? Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect, Matt. v. 48. So far is any man from being more good than he ought to be, that neither is he able to fulfil what he ought to do. And therefore even the best of men, laying aside all notions of supererogation, are daily to pray that their debts (or trespasses) may be forgiven them. But that any one should at the same time be both a debtor and a supererogator, is manifestly absurd.

See Luke xviii. 10-14. Two men went up into the temple to pray the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. Ifast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other : for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

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See also St. Cyprian. "We ought not to glory in any Testim. 1.3. thing, since nothing is our own. For, as we have it in c. 4.

"St. John's Gospel, A man can receive nothing, except

"it be given him from heaven." John iii. 27.

And again."No one ought to be lifted up upon the Ib. c. 51. "account of what he does. For thus we read in St. Luke's "Gospel: Which of you, having a servant ploughing or

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feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is

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come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? and will not "rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, "and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and "drunken; and afterward, thou shalt eat and drink? "Doth he thank that servant because he did the things "that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, "when ye shall have done all those things which were com"manded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have "done that which was our duty to do." Luke xvii. 7—10. See also Patrick's Answer to the Touchstone, Sect. 18. Field of the Church, p. 331.

ARTICLE XV.

Of Christ alone without Sin.

CHRIST in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be a Lamb without spot, who by sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world, and Sin (as St. John saith,) was not in him. But all we the rest (although baptized, and born again in Christ, yet) offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

In the truth of, &c.] Though Christ was a man as well as we, yet he was entirely free from sin. If he had been guilty of any sin, he would have wanted a Redeemer, as well as we. But what Redeemer could have been found for Him? See Heb. ii. 14. As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. See also Nowelli Catech. p. 61. Pearson on the Creed, Art. III. Scott's Christian Life, Part III. Ch. 7. Sect. 5.

Sin only excepted.] See Heb. iv. 15. We have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. And John xiv. 30. The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. And 1 Pet. ii. 22. Christ did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.

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See also Irenæus. "If any man say

that the flesh of Lib. 5 c. 14. our Lord differed from ours in this respect, because it "committed no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, "but that we are sinners: he speaketh rightly."

Came as a Lamb, &c.] See John i. 29. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And Heb. ix. 14, 26. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?-Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And, 1 John iii. 5. Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

All we the rest, &c.] There is no mortal man that is or ever was perfectly good. Some few, indeed, are said in the Scripture to be righteous, such, for instance, as Noah, Job, and Zacharias; but they were only so comparatively, and according to the free and undeserved favour of God, who accepts of sincerity of mind instead of absolute perfection. In many things, &c.] See James iii. 2.

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If we say, &c.] See 1 John i. 8.

See also Tertullian. "There are some sins which every De Pudicit. day we are liable to run into. For, who is there that c. 19. "doth not happen to be angry without a cause, or to let the

"sun go down upon his wrath, or to strike his neighbour,

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or freely to rail against him, or to swear rashly, or to "break the promises he made in covenants, or bargains, or "to tell a lie through bashfulness, or necessity?" See also Nowelli Catech. p. 40. 228. Jewell's Apol. Defens. Part II. Ch. 19. Divis. 1. Mason de Minist. Angl. L. V. C. 5. Sect. 8. Field of the Church, p. 293.

ARTICLE XVI.

Of Sin after Baptism.

NOT every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may arise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

Every deadly sin, &c.] Every sin is in its nature deadly, since the wages of sin is death, Rom. vi. 23. and every sin is committed against the Holy Ghost, as well as against the Father and the Son; but still pardonable, if it be not that sin which was emphatically styled, The sin against_the Holy Ghost. And that is, blasphemy against the Holy Ad Marcel- Ghost. Of which sin St. Jerome says, that "they are only lam, Ope-"guilty, who, though in miracles they see the very work rum Tom.3. " of God, yet slander them, and say that they are done by Froben. "the Devil; and ascribe to the operation of that evil

p. 141. Ed.

Epist. ad
Cor. c. 7.

spirit, and not to the Divine Power, all those mighty signs and wonders, which were wrought for the confir"mation of the Gospel."

men.

See Tillotson on Matt. xii. 31, 32. All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Compare this with Mark iii. 28, 29, 30.-See also Kettlewell's Measures of Obedience, B. V. Ch. 6.-And Clement of Rome. "Let us fix our thoughts on the blood of Christ, which, "being shed for our salvation, hath offered the grace of "repentance to the whole world."

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