but what proceeds from him; and seeing he himself is the first mover of all our actions, and the only cause of all the good in them, certainly he cannot but be well pleased with them for otherwise he would not be well pleased with his own actions, which he cannot but be well pleased with, nothing coming from him but what is infinitely pleasing to him. Nay, in that they are good, himself must needs be in them, and therefore he must needs be pleased with them, himself being all pleasure and happiness to himself.

And that these good works do necessarily spring from faith, is as clear, in that faith is an uniting grace, that unites Christ to us and us to Christ. So that by faith we dwell in Christ, and Christ dwells in us, as the apostle saith, "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith," Eph. iii. 17. Now wheresoever any of Christ is, there all of Christ is; and therefore if Christ dwells in us, the Spirit of Christ must needs dwell in us too; and where the Spirit of Christ is, there is the principle and fountain of all good works, which cannot but issue forth acts of piety towards God, and charity towards our neighbours.

But I needed not to have gone so far to have proved that every one that hath this faith hath the Spirit of God: for a man must have the Spirit of God before he can have true faith. For the Spirit doth not first find faith in us, and then come itself to us; but it first cometh itself to us, and then worketh faith in us. So that he that believes must needs have the Spirit; for unless he had the Spirit he could not believe. And where the Spirit of God is, there is the spring of goodness, from whence the streams of goodness must needs flow. So that he that saith a man may believe and yet not do good works, must either say a man may believe and yet not have the Spirit; or that a man may have the Spirit in him, and yet good works not be performed by him: which cannot be, for in that it is a Spirit, it is an active

f Quam fidem non ex voluntate nostrâ nasci, sed per Spiritum Sanctum unicuique dari beatus Paulus ostendit, dicens, Alii quidem datur per Spiritum sermo sapientiæ, alii autem sermo scientiæ secundùm eundem Spiritum, alteri fides in eodum Spiritu.' Non ergo Spiritum Sanctum quia credimus, sed ut crederemus accepimus.- Fulg. de Incarn. et Grat. Christi. cap. 20. Liberavit autem, non in quolibet homine fidem inveniendo sed dando.-Ibid. cap. 17.

principle always doing; and in that it is the Spirit of God, it is an holy principle, and therefore must always be doing good.

3. Confirmation from the FATHERS. Neither were these truths unheard of or not consented to by the fathers. Let these few speak for the rest. First, for good works, that they are pleasing unto God, Clemens Romanus having asserted the truth delivered in the former Article, that we are justified by faith only, (as we may there see him quoted,) he presently adds what is åsserted in this, saying, ' What therefore shall we do, brethren? Shall we cease from doing good, and leave off love and charity? The Lord will by no means suffer that to be done by us; but let us haste, with all diligence and alacrity, to perfect every good work: for the Creator himself, and Lord of all things, rejoiceth in his own works.'

And Irenæus having rehearsed the principal articles of the Christian faith", "This faith they that have believed without learning, as to our language they are barbarous, but as to their judgment, custom, and conversation, by reason of their faith, they are very wise, and please God, having their conversation in righteousness, chastity, and wisdom.' And to have our conversation in righteousness, chastity, and wisdom, is to please God.' So Justin tells us, They that do such things as are universally, naturally, and eternally good, are well-pleasing unto God.'

Hilary speaks fully to this purpose:' But our works,'

5 Τὶ οὖν ποιήσωμεν ἀδελφοὶ; ἀργάσωμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγαθοποιΐας, καὶ ἐγκαταλείπωμεν τὴν ἀγάπην; μηδαμῶς τοῦτο ἐάσαι ὁ δεσπότης ἀπὸ ἡμῖν γεγενηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ σπεύσωμεν μετὰ ἐκτενείας καὶ προθυμίας πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐπιτελεῖν· αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ δημιουργὸς καὶ δεσπότης τῶν ἁπάντων ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ ἀγαλλιᾶται.—Clem. ad Corinth. p. 41.

Hanc fidem qui sine literis crediderunt, quantum ad sermonem nostrum barbari sunt, quantum autem ad sententiam, et consuetudinem, et conversationem, propter fidem perquam sapientissimi sunt, et placent Deo, conversantes in omni justitia, castitate, et sapientia. — Iren. adv. Hares. lib. iii. cap. 4.

ὁ Ἐπεὶ οἱ τὰ καθόλου, καὶ φύσει, καὶ αἰώνια καλὰ ἐποίουν, ευάρεστοί εἰσι τῷ Θεῷ.— Justin. Martyr. Dialog. cum Tryphon. Jud.

Elevanda autem opera nostra sunt in Dei sancta, id est, in nudis vestiendis, in esurientibus cihandis, in sitientibus potandis, in afflictis con

saith he, must be lift up into the holy things of God, that is, in clothing the naked, in feeding the hungry, in giving drink to the thirsty, in comforting the afflicted, in helping the oppressed, in loving all. For these things sanctify us in the frailty of our body; these things please God and are holy.' And Theophilus Antiochenus saith', 'He understandeth all these things who inquireth into the wisdom of God, studying to please him by faith, righteousness, and good works.' But I need not produce any more witnesses for the confirmation of so clear a truth.

And that faith and works always go together, the fathers are also express. As Origen: And this faith, when it is justified, sticks in the ground of the soul, as a root that hath received the shower into it, that when it begins to be tilled by the law of God, the branches may rise from it that bear the fruit of good works. The root of righteousness therefore doth not grow from works, but the fruit of works from the root of righteousness, to wit, that root of righteousness, whereby God accepts of righteousness without works, viz. faith.' And Augustine to the same purpose", 'Faith is in the soul as a good root, which turns the rain into fruit.' And therefore doth Polycarp tell the Philippians, And that the firmness of your faith remaineth from the beginning until now, and bringeth forth fruit in the Lord Jesus Christ.' And Clemens Alexandrinus, Charity with

solandis, in oppressis adjuvandis, in omnibus diligendis. Hæc enim nos in hac corporis nostri infirmitate sanctificant, hæc Deo placent et sancta sunt. -Hilar. Enar. in Psa. 133.

Hæc omnia intelligit qui Dei sapientiam exquirit, studens ei placere per fidem, justitiam, et bona opera. Theoph. Antioch. ad Autolye. lib. ii. fi.

m Et hæc fides cùm justificata fuerit, tanquam radix imbre suscepto hæret in animæ solo, ut cùm per legem Dei excoli cœperit, surgant in eo rami qui fructus operum ferunt. Non ergo ex operibus radix justitiæ, sed ex radice justitiæ fructus operum crescit, illâ scilicet radice justitiæ, quâ Deus accepto fert justitiam sine operibus. — Origen. in Epist. ad Rom. lib. iv.

n Fides sic est in anima ut radix bona, quæ pluviam in fructum ducit.— Aug. in Psa. 139. praf. init.

Et quia firmitas fidei vestræ à principio usque nunc permanet, et fructificat in Domino Jesu Christo.-Polycarp. Epist. ad Philip.

love to faith makes believers, but faith is the foundation of charity, bringing forth well-doing P.'

So Proclus, speaking of faith and charity, saith, 'They both go together; for faith is the glass of charity, and charity is the foundation of faith.' So Prosper': 'Faith, which is the foundation of righteousness, which no good works precede, from which all good works proceed, itself purgeth us from sin, enlightens our minds, reconciles us to God, associates us with all that are partakers of our nature, inspires into us the hope of the future reward, increaseth in us holy virtues, and confirms us in the possession of them.' Who can speak more fully or clearly to the case in hand?

I shall add but one more, and that is Salvian: Seeing, as we have said, this is the faith of a Christian, faithfully to keep the commands of Christ; it is so without all doubt, that he hath no faith that is an infidel, neither doth he believe in Christ that tramples upon the commands of Christ; and therefore he that doth believe cannot but obey them.' And Chrysostom', 'As soon as ever thou believest, thou wilt be adorned also with good. Not because it is wanting to other works, but because faith is of itself full of good works.' And thus we see how faith is the root of works, and works the fruit of faith; and therefore we cannot but conclude, that faith may be as evidently known by its works, as a tree is discerned by the fruit.

ν Ἡ μὲν ἀγάπη τῇ πρὸς τὴν πίστιν φιλίᾳ τοὺς πιστοὺς ποιεῖ· ἡ δὲ πίστις ἵδρασμα ἀγάπης ἀντεπάγουσα τὴν ἐυποΐαν. Clem. Alex. Stromat. 2.

4 Εκατέρα τοίνυν ἀλλήλαις συμβαίνει· ἡ μὲν γὰρ πίστις ἔσοπτρόν ἐστιν ἀγάπη;, ἡ δὲ ἀγάπη βεβαίωσις ὑπάρχει πίστεως.-Procl. ad Armen.

Fides, quæ est justitiæ fundamentum, quam nulla bona opera præcedunt, et ex quâ omnia procedunt, ipsa nos à peccatis purgat, mentes nostras illuminat, Deo reconciliat, cunctis participibus naturæ nostræ consociat, spem nobis futuræ remunerationis inspirat, auget in nobis virtutes sanctas, ac nos in earum possessione confirmat.-Prosper. de Vitá Contemplat. cap. 21.

• Cùm ut diximus hoc sit hominis Christiani fides, fideliter Christi mandata servare, fit absque dubio ut nec fidem habeat qui infidelis est, nec Christum credat qui Christi mandata conculcat.—Salvian. de Provid. lib. iv.

ι Ουκ οὖν ἅμα ἐπιστευσας, ἅμα καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις ἐκόμησας. οὐχ ὅτι καὶ ἐλλείπῃ προς τὰ ἔργα, ἀλλ ̓ ὅτι καθ ̓ ἑαυτὴν πίστις πλήρης ἐστὶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων. — Chrysost. περὶ TIGTEWS, &c. lib. 6. p. 838. Ed. Savil.

ARTICLE XIII.

Of Works before Justification.

WORKS DONE BEFORE THE GRACE OF CHRIST, AND THE INSPIRATION OF HIS SPIRIT, ARE NOT PLEASING TO GOD, FORASMUCH AS THEY SPRING NOT OUT OF FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, NEITHER DO THEY 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.

As man was created by God, he had power so to continue in the state of integrity, that he had power also to fall down into a state of sin and misery; but as he was corrupted in Adam, he hath power to continue in his state of sin and misery, but no power to rise again into a state of holiness and integrity then his will was free both to the good and the evil; now it is free to the evil, but not to the good. Then he could have chosen b whether he would have sinned or no; now of himself he cannot choose but sin, or he can choose nothing but sin. After our creation and before our

a Firmissimè tene et nullatenus dubites, primos homines, id est, Adam et mulierem ejus, bonos et rectos et sine peccato creatos esse cum libero arbitrio, quo possent si vellent humili et bonâ voluntate servire atque obedire, quo arbitrio etiam possent si vellent propriâ voluntate peccare, eosque non necessitate sed propriâ voluntate peccâsse. —Aug. de Fide ad Petrum, cap. 25.

b Quapropter bina ista quid inter se differant diligenter et vigilanter intuendum est, posse non peccare, et non posse peccare; posse non mori, et non posse mori; bonum posse non deserere, et bonum non posse deserere. Potuit enim non peccare primus homo, potuit non mori, potuit bonum nou deserere. Nunquid dicturi sumus non potuit peccare qui tale habebat liberum arbitrium?-Id. de Corrept. et Grat. cap. 11. Prima ergo libertas voluntatis erat posse non peccare, novissima erit multo major non posse peccare. -Ibid. Credimus itaque bonum et sine ullâ carnis impugnatione à Creatore omnium factum Adam, magnâque præditum libertate, ita ut et bonum facere in propriâ facultate haberet, et malum si vellet posset admittere.-Fulgent. de Incarn. et Grat. Christi, cap. 6.