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culties, and doing the best that he can; but that he who is ART. faithful in his little, shall be made ruler over more.

The question is only, whether such actions can be so pure, as to be free from all sin, and to merit at God's hand, as being works naturally perfect? For that is the formal notion of the merit of congruity, as the notion of the merit of condignity is, that the work is perfect in the supernatural order.

To establish the truth of this Article, beside what was said upon the head of original sin, we ought to consider what St. Paul's words in the 7th of the Romans do import: nothing was urged from them on the former Articles, because there is just ground of doubting whether St. Paul is there speaking of himself in the state he was in when he writ it, or whether he is personating a Jew, and speaking of himself as he was while yet a Jew. But if the words are taken in that lowest sense, they prove this, that an unregenerate man has in himself such a principle of corruption, that even a good and a holy law revealed to him, cannot reform it; but that, on the contrary,

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it will take occasion from that very law to deceive him, and Rom. vii. to slay him.' So that all the benefit that he receives even 11, 12, 13. from that revelation is, that 'sin in him becomes exceeding sinful;' as being done against such a degree of light, by which it appears that he is carnal, and sold under sin; and that Ver. 14, though his understanding may be enlightened by the revelation of the law of God made to him, so that he has some inclinations to obey it, yet he does not that which he would, but that which he would not: and though his mind is so far convinced, that he consents to the law that it is good,' yet 16, 'he still does that which he would not;' which was the effect of sin that dwelt in him;' and from hence he knew, that 17, in him, that is, in his flesh,' in his carnal part, or carnal state, 18, 'there dwelt no good thing; for though to will,' that is, to resolve on obeying the law, was present, yet he found not a way how to perform that which was good; the good that he wished to do, that he did not; but he did the evil that he wished not to do; which he imputed to the 'sin that dwelt in him.' He found then a law, a bent and bias within him, that when he wished, resolved, and endeavoured, to do good, 'evil was present with him,' it sprung up naturally within 21, him; for though in his rational powers he might so far approve the law of God as to delight in it; yet he found an- 23, other law' arising upon his mind from his body, 'which warred against the law of his mind, and brought him into captivity to the law of sin which was in his members: all this made him conclude, that he was carnal, and sold under sin; and cry out, 'O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from 24, the body of this death? For this he thanks God through 25. our Lord Jesus Christ:' and he sums all up in these words; 'So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.'

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If all this discourse is made by St. Paul of himself, when XIII. he had the light which a divinely inspired law gave him, he being educated in the exactest way of that religion, both zealous for the law, and blameless in his own observance of it; we may from thence conclude how little reason there is to believe that a heathen, or indeed an unregenerated man, can be better than he was, and do actions that are both good in themselves, which it is not denied but that he may do; and do them in such a manner that there shall be no mixture or imperfection in them, but that they shall be perfect in a natural order, and be by consequence meritorious in a secondary order.

By all this we do not pretend to say, that a man in that state can do nothing; or that he has no use of his faculties: he can certainly restrain himself on many occasions; he can do many good works, and avoid many bad ones; he can raise his understanding to know and consider things according to the light that he has; he can put himself in good methods and good circumstances; he can pray, and do many acts of devotion, which though they are all very imperfect, yet none of them will be lost in the sight of God, who certainly will never be wanting to those who are doing what in them lies, to make themselves the proper objects of his mercy, and fit subjects for his grace to work upon. Therefore this Article is not to be made use of to discourage men's endeavours, but only to increase their humility; to teach them not to think of themselves above measure, but soberly; to depend always on the mercy of God, and ever to fly to it.

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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.

THERE are two points that arise out of this Article to be considered, 1st. Whether there are in the New Testament counsels of perfection given; that is to say, such rules which do not oblige all men to follow them, under the pain of sin; but yet are useful to carry them on to a sublimer degree of per- Luke xvii. fection, than is necessary in order to their salvation. 2d. 10. Whether men by following these do not more than they are bound to do, and, by consequence, whether they have not thereby a stock of merit to communicate to others. The first of these leads to the second; for if there are no such counsels, then the foundation of supererogation fails.

We deny both upon this ground, that the great obligations

of loving God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, Matt. xxii, and our neighbour as ourselves,' which are reckoned by our 36-40. Saviour the two great commandments, on which hang all the Law and the Prophets,' are of that extent, that it seems not possible to imagine, how any thing can be acceptable to God, that does not fall within them. Since if it is acceptable to God, then that obligation to love God so entirely must bind us to it; for if it is a sin not to love God up to this pitch, then it is a sin not to do every thing that we imagine will please him: and, by consequence, if there is a degree of pleasing God, whether precept or counsel, that we do not study to attain to, we do not love him in a manner suitable to that. It seems a great many in the church of Rome are aware of this consequence, and therefore they have taken much pains to convince the world that we are not bound to love God at all, or, as others more cautiously word it, that we are only bound to value him above all things, but not to have a love of such a vast intention for him. This is a proposition that, after all their softening it, gives so much horror to every Christian, that I need not be at any pains to confute it.

We are further required in the New Testament, to cleanse 2 Cor. vii.

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ourselves from all filthiness both of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God:' and to reckon ourselves 'his, and not our own,' and that we are bought with a price;' and that therefore we ought to glorify him both in our bodies, and in our spirits, which are his. These and many more like expressions are plainly precepts of general obligation, for nothing can be set forth in more positive words than these are and it is not easy to imagine, how any thing can go beyond them; for if we are Christ's property, purchased by him, then we ought to apply ourselves to every thing in which his honour, or the honour of his religion, can be concerned, or which will be pleasing to him.

Our Saviour having charged the Pharisees so often, for Isai. xxix. adding so many of their ordinances to the laws of God, 'teach13. Matt. ing his fear by the precepts of men,' and the apostles conColoss. ii. demning a show of will-worship and voluntary humility,' seem to belong to this matter, and to be designed on purpose to repress the pride and singularities of affected hypocrites. Matt. xix. Our Saviour said to him that asked, 'What he should do 16, 17. that he might have eternal life?-Keep the commandments.' These words I do the rather cite, because they are followed with a passage, that, of all others in the New Testament, seems to look the likest a counsel of perfection; for when he, who made the question, replied upon our Saviour's answer, Ver.20,21. that he had kept all these from his youth up,' and added, "what lack I yet? to that our Saviour answered, 'If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me:' and by the words that follow, of the difficulty of a 'rich man's entering into the kingdom of heaven,' this is more fully explained. The meaning of all that whole passage is this; Christ called that person to abandon all, and come and follow him, in such a manner as he had called his apostles. So that here is no counsel, but a positive command given to that particular person upon this occasion. By perfect is only to be meant complete, in order to that to which he pretended, which was eternal life. And that also explains the word in that period, treasures in heaven, another expression for eternal life, to compensate the loss which he would have made by the sale of his possessions. So that here is no counsel, but a special command given to this person, in order to his own attaining eternal life.

Nor is it to be inferred from hence, that this is proposed to others in the way of a counsel; for as in cases either of a famine or persecution, it may come to be to some a command, to sell all in order to the relief of others, as it was in the first beginnings of Christianity; so in ordinary cases to do it, might be rather a tempting of Providence than a trusting to it, for then a man should part with the means of his subsistence, which God has provided for him, without a necessary and

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pressing occasion. Therefore our Saviour's words, Sell that ART ye have, and give alms,' as they are delivered in the strain and peremptoriness of a command, so they must be understood to Luke xii. bind as positive commands do: not so constantly as a nega- 33. tive command does, since in every minute of our life that binds: but there is a rule and order in our obeying positive commands. We must not rest on the sabbath-day, if a work of necessity or charity calls us to put to our hands: we must not obey our parents in disobeying a public law: so if we have families, or the necessities of a feeble body, and a weak constitution, for which God hath supplied us with that which will afford us food convenient for us,' we must not throw up Prov. xxx. those provisions, and cast ourselves upon others. Therefore 8. that precept must be moderated and expounded, so as to agree with the other rules and orders that God has set us.

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A distinction is therefore to be made between those things that do universally and equally bind all mankind, and those things that do more specially bind some sorts of men, and that only at some times. There are greater degrees of charity, gravity, and all other virtues, to which the clergy for instance are more bound than other men; but these are to them precepts, and not counsels. And in the first beginnings of Christianity there were greater obligations laid upon all Christians, as well as greater gifts were bestowed on them. It is true, in the point of marriage St. Paul does plainly allow, that such as marry do well, but that such as marry not do better.' But 1 Cor. vii. the meaning of that is not as if an unmarried life were a state of perfection, beyond that which a man is obliged to: but only this; that as to the course of this life, and the present distress; and as to the judgment that is to be made of men by their actions, no man is to be thought to do amiss who marries; but yet he who marries not, is to be judged to do better. But yet inwardly and before God this matter may be far otherwise: for he who marries not and burns, certainly does worse than he who marries and lives chastely. But he who finding that he can limit himself without endangering his purity; though no law restrains him from marrying, yet seeing that he is like to be tempted to be too careful about the concerns of this life if he marries, is certainly under obligations to follow that course of life in which there are fewer temptations, and greater opportunities to attend on the service of God.

With relation to outward actions, and to the judgments that from visible appearances are to be made of them, some actions may be said to be better than others, which yet are truly good: but as to the particular obligations that every man is under, with relation to his own state and circumstances, and for which he must answer at the last day, these being secret, and so not subject to the judgments of men, certainly every man is strictly bound to do the best he can; to choose that

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