"31. Whoever shall affirm, that a righteous man sins if he performs good works with a view to the everlasting reward: let him be accursed.

"32. Whoever shall affirm, that the good works of a justified man are in such sense the gifts of God, that they are not also his worthy merits; or that he, being justified by his good works, which are wrought by him through the grace of God, and the merits of Jesus Christ, of whom he is a living member, does not really deserve increase of grace, eternal life, the enjoyment of that eternal life if he dies in a state of grace, and even an increase of glory: let him be accursed.*

"33. Whoever shall affirm, that the catholic doctrine of justification, as stated by the holy council in the present decree, does in any respect derogate from the glory of God, and the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord; or that the truth of our faith is not thereby clearly explained, and the glory of God and of Christ Jesus promoted : let him be accursed."+

By these decisions‡ "faith is made void," the finished work

Not so.

*"But, it will be said, if the merits of men are necessary, it proves that the merits of Christ are insufficient. For the merits of men are not required because of the insufficiency of those of Christ, but because of their own very great efficacy. For the work of Christ hath not only deserved of God that we should obtain salvation; but also that we should obtain it by our own merits."-Bellarmin. de Justific. lib. v. c. 5.

"The Catholic church pursues a middle course; teaching that our chief hope and confidence must be placed in God, yet some also in our own merits.” Ibid. c. 7. In another place, Bellarmine observes, that there is some difference of sentiment respecting the kind of merit attached to good works; but that, according to the "general" opinion of divines, it is the merit of condignity, properly so called. "Which opinion," he adds, "is certainly true. Quæ

sententia verissima est."-Ibid. c. 16.

+ Ingeniosa vero cautio: ne quis videat, quod vident omnes. Parum abest, quin et Dei gloriam, et simul Christi gratiam exinaniant. Et interim dira execratione sanciunt, ne quis aliqua ex parte utrique derogari putet. Perinde ac si quis hominem interficiat, medio foro, sub omnium conspectu, et cædem omnibus conspicuam, prohibeat tamen veram credi. Porro hic suopte se indicio produnt sorices, quam anathematis terrorem aliis incutiunt, ne impietatem cernere ausint, cujus ipsi sibi conscii erant."- Calvin. Antidot. ut sup. p. 253.

Fifty-seven prelates were present at the sixth session. Two-thirds of them were Italians, and pensioners, or tools, of the Pope. Yet their decree was the voice of the church!

of the Lord Jesus Christ is transformed into a mere steppingstone for human merit; and men are taught to look rather to themselves than to the Saviour, and to rely on their own doings, to the exclusion, or at least the depreciation, of his allglorious righteousness.

"We are accounted righteous before God," says the Church of England, "only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings; wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.”* Of the importance of right views of this doctrine no well-informed Protestant can entertain any doubt; whatever else may be considered indifferent or non-essential, this cannot be. It is a foundationprinciple; error here is fatal. We may be mistaken in our views of the external or minor points of Christianity, and yet be saved; but if we build our hopes of everlasting life on anything short of the atonement of Christ, or "go about to establish our own righteousness,” we are confiding in “refuges of lies,” and must expect to “lie down in sorrow.” “ Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus." (1 Cor. iii. 11.)

The Apostle Paul has so clearly and fully explained this subject in his epistles to the Romans and the Galatians, that one might almost suppose it impossible to misapprehend him; and that whatever might be the fate of other truths, this would be transmitted, unimpaired, from one generation to another. But there is reason to believe that the scriptural view of justification was lost or obscured at a very early period in the history of the church. By the introduction of numerous ceremonies and ecclesiastical observances, a scrupulous attention to which was held to be meritorious, the self-righteous principle was daily fed and nourished; a sagacious and aspiring priesthood quickly perceived the advantage to be gained by keeping up the delusion; and at length, by the just judgment of God, men came to "believe their own lie," and the free grace of God, the imputation of the Redeemer's righteousness, and justification by faith in him, were clean banished away from the creed of Christendom.

*Eleventh article.

Such was the state of things in the early part of the sixteenth century, when the reformers entered on their splendid career. Convinced that a right understanding and hearty reception of this doctrine would ensure the downfall of the whole fabric of self-righteousness and superstition, they exerted themselves to the utmost in explaining and defending it. It was their favourite subject-that on which they were all agreed, and its vast importance was deeply felt and constantly urged. "The somme and hole cause of the writing of this Epistle," said Tyndal in his "Prologe to the Romayns," ❝is, to prove that a man is justified by fayth onely; which proposition whoso denyeth, to him is not onely this Epistle and al that Paul wryteth, but also the hole Scripture so locked up, that he shall never understand it to his soul's health." Luther observes of this doctrine, that "it is the head corner-stone which supports, nay, gives existence and life to, the church of God; so that without it the church cannot subsist for an hour." He calls it the "only solid rock." "This Christian article," he writes, "can never be handled and inculcated enough. If this doctrine fall and perish, the knowledge of every truth in religion will fall and perish with it. On the contrary, if this do but flourish, all good things will also flourish,—namely, true religion, the true worship of God, the glory of God, and a right knowledge of everything which it becomes a Christian to know."*

That salvation is entirely owing to divine grace, and that the sinner is justified when he believes the gospel, are truths written as with a sunbeam in the inspired volume. But they are so opposed to the whole system of popery that none can be surprised at the earnestness with which the prelates and divines at Trent laboured to dilute their meaning and explain them away. In effecting this, they first confounded justification and sanctification, and by making the former include the latter (which they well knew their adversaries would deny) supposed that they had provided a ready and conclusive answer to those who held that man is justified by faith only. This disingenuous artifice can deceive no one. Protestants never

* Milner's Church History, vol. iv. p. 515. Scott's Continuation of Milner, vol. i. p. 527.

maintained the absurd position, that we are sanctified by faith only; but they distinguish between things that differ. Justification is the foundation; sanctification, the building ;—in the former the rebel is pardoned and reconciled; the latter is the obedience of a loyal subject ;-" by grace ye are saved, through faith," explains the one; the other is thus described—“ we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them." (Ephes. ii. 8—10.)

Next, the council taught the necessity of "dispositions" and "preparations," holding that they constitute a fitness for the favour of God; among these "dispositions," faith is but one out of seven, and faith, according to Roman-catholic doctrine, is, believing God and the Church. Still further to "darken counsel," they connected justification with baptism, whether in the case of an infant or an adult. Is an individual distressed on account of sin? If he was baptized in infancy, he is told that he was then justified, and that penance is now the path to peace, the "second plank after shipwreck." If he was not baptized in infancy, as soon as that ordinance is administered, he is assured that he is safe. He is not bidden to look to the cross of Christ; nothing is said of the "blood that cleanseth from all sin; he has been washed in the "laver of regeneration," the "instrumental cause" of justification, and with this he is to be satisfied. Here is no room for the apostolic declaration, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Rom. v. 1;) it is shut out altogether.

The consummation of impiety is the doctrine of human merit, so explicitly and shamelessly set forth. Our blessed Saviour said, "When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do."* The glorified spirits in heaven, the confessors and martyrs of the church, have "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, therefore are they before the throne of God."+ Such is the language of Holy Writ. In direct opposition to this, the council of Trent declares, and Roman Catholics believe, that

the good works of the justified man "really deserve increase of grace, and eternal life!"

The effect of these sentiments on the mind, and the influence it is intended they should exert, may be ascertained by a reference to the manner in which they are interwoven with the benevolent efforts and devotional exercises of Roman Catholics.

One specimen of the former will suffice. An institution exists, called the "London Mission Fund," established “for the purpose of providing funds for the education of Pastors for the Mission, and also to assist in the erection of chapels, or any work that might promote the interests of religion.' Liberality is thus recommended and urged :-" Each person becoming a member enjoys the benefit of having the holy sacrifice offered up for him the first Sunday in every month at Virginia-street chapel; and he also participates in the benefit of four masses, that are celebrated every week in the Bishop's College for its members and benefactors. Such are the advantages, and such are the objects that are aimed at by this institution-objects, that should induce every Catholic who is sincerely attached to the faith of his ancestors to seize with gladness this opportunity of propitiating the favour of the Almighty, and laying up for himself immortal treasures in heaven."*

The following extracts are taken from Challoner's " Garden of the Soul." A " A "Morning Prayer" contains these expressions: "I desire by thy grace to make satisfaction for my sins by worthy fruits of penance; and I will willingly accept from thy hands whatever pains, crosses, or sufferings, I shall meet with during the remainder of my life, or at my death, as just punishments of my iniquities, begging that they may be united to the sufferings and death of my Redeemer, and sanctified by his passion, in which is all my hope for mercy, grace, and salvation." (p. 31.) "How very short the time of this life is, which is given us in order to labour for eternity, and to send before us a stock of good works, on which we may live for eternity," (p. 201.) The sick person is thus instructed: "Beg that God would accept of all your pains and uneasiness, in union with the sufferings of your Saviour Jesus Christ, in deduction

*Laity's Directory, 1830. p. 4.