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1. Divine Testimony.

A. Old Testament.

Ps. i. 3, "And he shall be like a tree

planted by the waterside, that will bring forth his fruit in due season."-See also Hos. xiv. 8.

B. New Testament. James ii. 18, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."-See also Matt. vii. 17, 20; xii. 33; xix. 17. John xv. 5. Gal. v. 6. Ephes. ii. 10. Titus ii. 14. Heb. xii. 14, 15. James ii. 26. 1 John iii. 3.

2. Human Testimony.

Confessions. 2 Helvetic, c. xvi. Augsburg, Art. vi.

ARTICLE XIII.

ARTICULUS XIII.

De Operibus ante Justificationem.'

OPERA quæ fiunt ante gratiam CHRISTI, et Spiritus ejus afflatum, cum ex fide JESU CHRISTI non prodeant, minime DEO grata sunt, neque gratiam (ut multi vocant) de congruo merentur. Immo' cum non sint facta ut DEUS illa fieri voluit et præcepit, peccati rationem habere non dubitamus.

The Phraseology of this Article.

ARTICLE XIII.

Of Works before Justification. WORKS done before the grace of CHRIST, and the inspiration of His Spirit, are not pleasant to GOD, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in JESU CHRIST, neither do they make make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School authors say) deserve grace of congruity; yea rather, for that they are not done as GOD hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.

1. As compared with Article XII. of those of 1552.

A. In the Latin.

1552.

1562, 1571.

Title. Opera ante justifi- De operibus ante justificaticationem

onem.

1 Council of Trent, Sess. v. Can. 7. "Whosoever shall affirm that all works done before justification, in whatever way performed, are actually sins and deserve Gon's hatred; or that the more earnestly a man labours to dispose himself for grace, he does but sin the more,-let him be accursed."

Immo. This word is not comparative; and therefore the English "rather" is not so, as is evident from the context in this and Article XXII. The sense manifestly is, "yea, on the contrary.'

B. In the English.

Title. Works before justi- Of works before justification.
fication

but because they are not yea rather, for that they are
done
not done.

2. When the Latin and English are compared with each other.

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I. Works done before the grace of CHRIST and the inspiration of His SPIRIT are not pleasing to GOD, for as much as they spring not of faith in JESU CHRIST.

II. Works done before the grace of CHRIST and the inspiration of His Spirit, do not make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School authors say) deserve grace of congruity.

III. Works done before the grace of CHRIST and the inspiration of His Spirit, for that they are not done as GOD hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.

PROP. I. Works done before the grace of CHRIST and the inspiration of His Spirit are not pleasant to GOD, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in JESU CHRIST.

1. The Testimony of Reason.

Because what is wrong in the motive, is wrong in the doing. Because none can please GOD but by the assistance of GOD. 2. Divine Testimony.

A. Old Testament. Prov. xv. 8, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is His delight."-See also Prov. xxi. 4, 27. Isa. i. 11, 13; lviii. 3; lxiv. 6. Zech. v.

B. New Testament.

Matt. vii. 16, "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or

figs of thistles?"-See also Luke vi. 43. John xv. 4. Rom. iii. 10-12; v. 10; viii. 8; xi. 17, 23; xiv. 23. Ephes. ii. 3. Tit. i. 5. Heb. xi. 6.

3. Human Testimony.

A. Fathers. August. de Verbis Dom. Serm. lxxii. 1,
vol. v.,
"The man must first be changed in order
that his works may be changed; for if a man
remain in that condition which is evil, he cannot
have good works."-See also Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes.
c. viii.
Iren. adv. Hær. lib. v. c. x. Basil de
Baptismo, lib. II. q. 7;
Pelag. vol. x. lib. IV. 17.

app. c. cvi.

B. Confessions.

XV.

Ibid. August. cont. Julian.
Idem de Vera Innoc. vol. x.

Hieron. in Gal. iii. vol. vii. p. 433.

Augsburg, Art. xx. 2 Helvetic, Art.

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PROP. II. Works done before the grace of CHRIST and the inspiration of His Spirit, do not make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School authors say) deserve grace of congruity.”

1. Divine Testimony.

A. Old Testament. Isa. lviii. 3, "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours."

B. New Testament.

Ephes. ii. 8, 9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of GOD: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

See also Rom. iv. 2, 4-6; ix. 16.

2. Human Testimony.

Confessions. Augsburg, Arts. iv. xx.

2 Helvetic, c. xiii.
Saxon, Art. iii.

Col. iii. 7. Tit. iii. 5.

Wirtemburg, Art. v.

Bohemian, c. vii. Belgic, Art. xxiii.

3 Council of Trent, Sess. vI., decreed (1) "That works done before justification have the merit of congruity (meritum de congruo), that is, that though they are not in themselves meritorious, it is fit and proper that they should be rewarded; (2) that works done by those who are in a state of grace are perfect, merit eternal life, and this of condignity, meritum de condigno."

PROP. III. Works done before the grace of CHRIST and the inspiration of His Spirit, for that they are not done as GOD hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.*

1. Divine Testimony.

A. Old Testament. Prov. xv. 8, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD."-See also Ps. 1. 13. Prov. xxi. 4; xxviii. 9. Isa. 1. 13; lxi. 8; lxvi. 3. Jer. vi. 20.

B. New Testament. Tit. i. 15, "Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled."-See also Matt. vii. 17, 22, 23. Rom. xiv. 1. Phil. iii. 6-8. Heb. xi. 6.

2. Human Testimony.

Confessions. Augsburg, Arts. iv. x.

Wirtemburg, Art. v.

2 Helvetic, cc. xv. xvi. Bohemian, c. vii. Belgic, Art. xxiii. Saxon, Arts. iii. viii.

4 Comp. Council of Trent, Sess. vi., Can. 8.

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