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ARTICLE XIV.

ATICULUS XIV.

De Operibus Supererogationis.'

OPERA quæ supererogationis

appellant, non possunt sine arrogantia et impietate prædicari. Nam illis declarant homines, non tantum se DEO reddere quæ tenentur, sed plus in ejus gratiam facere, quam deberent: cum aperte CHRISTUS dicat; cum feceritis omnia quæcunque præcepta sunt vobis, dicite, servi inutiles

sumus.

The Phraseology of this Article.

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.

1. When compared with Article XIII. of those of 1552.

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1 Compare with this Article the decisions of the Council of Trent, Sess. vI.,

Cans. 1 and 10, and Rhemes on 2 Cor. viii. 14.

2. When the English and Latin are compared together.

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I. Voluntary works, besides, over and above God's commandments, which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety.

II. By works of supererogation 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. III. CHRIST (condemns the doctrine of works of supererogation, when He) saith plainly, When ye have done all things that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

PROP. I. Voluntary works, besides, over and above God's commandments, which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety.

1. The Testimony of Reason.'

Because such a doctrine makes men copartners with CHRIST

in the work of redemption.

Because the doctrine is inconsistent with every

sonal responsibility.

2. Divine Testimony.

man's per

A. Old Testament. Job xxxv. 7, "If thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? or what receiveth He of thine hand?" -See also Josh. i. 7. 1 Chron. xxix. 14. 2 Chron. vi. 36. Job ix. 20; xli. 11. Ps. xlix. 7; cxix. 96. Ezek. xx. 19. B. New Testament. Matt. xxv. 9, "But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for

1 Puffendorf de Jure Nat. et Gent. 1. ix. 5: admirably reasons, "The spring of merit principally, is performing a work not due, and which another hath not a right to require of us; for, he that doth that unto which he is perfectly obliged, only fulfils his obligation, and hath nothing redundant, from which merit can arise. From whence it is manifest, that no merit with GOD can accrue to any mortal, even though he should exactly, and as he ought, obey and fulfil the Divine Law."

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yourselves."-See also Matt. xv. 9;
xviii. 22. Gal. i. 8. Phil. iii. 12.

1 Thess. v. 17. Rev. ii. 10.

3. Human Testimony.

xx. 9, 10. Luke Col. ii. 8, 20, 23.

A. Fathers. Cyprian, Testim. lib. I. c. iv., "We must not glory in any thing, since nothing is our own, as it is written in the Gospel of St. John, (iii. 27), A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.". See also Basil in Ps. xlviii. vol. 1. p. 239. August. cont. duas Epist. Pelag. lib. IV. 6, vol. x. ad Ioan. Tract. lxxxiv. 2, vol. III.

B. Confessions.

Augsburg, Art. xx. 2 Helvetic, c. xvi.
Belgic, Art. xii.

Basil, Art. x. Gallican, Art. xxiv.

Saxon, Arts. iii. xvii. Wirtemburg, vi.

c. xvi. § 4.

Westminster,

PROP. II. By works of supererogation 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.'

1. Divine Testimony.

A. Old Testament. Job xli. 11, "Who hath prevented Me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine."-See also Lev. xviii. 5. Job xxii. 2, 3; xxxv. 7.

B. New Testament. Matt. v. 48, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."-See also Matt. v. 19; vii. 7; xxviii. 20. Mark ix. 7.

2. Human Testimony.

A. Fathers. Hilar. ad Matt. xxvii. 5, "To whom they
answered that they were not able to give, lest haply
there might not be enough for all.
That no one,
forsooth, could be helped by another's works and merits,
because it is necessary for every one to buy oil for his
own lamp."-Comp. Tertull. de Pudicit. c. xxii.

2 In the second century certain doctors maintained that CHRIST had established a double rule of sanctity and virtue, for two different orders of Christians. Of these rules the one was ordinary, the other extraordinary. They called the former precepts, as obligatory upon all men, and the latter counsels, as relating to Christians of a more sublime rank. Works done in compliance with counsels are works of supererogation.

PROP. III. CHRIST (condemns the doctrine of works of supererogation when He) saith plainly, When ye have done all things that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

1. Divine Testimony.
A. Old Testament.

of Thee, and of

also Ps. xvi. 2.

1 Chron. xxix. 14, "All things come Thine own have we given Thee."-See

B. New Testament. Luke xvii. 9, "Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not."-See also Matt. xxv. 30. Luke x. 27; xviii. 10-14. Rom. iii. 12; xi. 35. 1 Cor. vi. 20; ix. 16, 17. Philemon, 19.

2. Human Testimony.

A. Father. See Cyprian, Testim. lib. III. c. li., in which he makes use of the text, Luke xvii. 10.

B. Confession. Scotland, Art. xv.

ARTICLE XV.

ARTICULUS XV.

De CHRISTO, qui solus est sine peccato.

CHRISTUS, in nostræ na

turæ veritate, per omnia similis factus est nobis, excepto peccato, a quo prorsus erat immunis, tum in carne tum in spiritu. Venit ut agnus, absque macula, qui mundi peccata per immolationem sui semel factam tolleret, et peccatum (ut inquit Johannes) in eo non erat: sed nos reliqui etiam baptizati, et in CHRISTO regenerati, in multis tamen offendimus omnes. Et si dixerimus quod peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non

est.

The Phraseology of this Article.

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 the 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.

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

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