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. De Operibus ante Justificationem.' Of Works before Justification. tiam CHRISTI, et Spiritus of Christ, and the inspiration ejus afflatum, cum ex fide JESU of His Spirit, are not pleasant Christi non prodeant, minime to God, forasmuch as they Deo grata sunt, neque gratiam spring not of faith in JESU (ut multi vocant) de congruo Christ, neither do they make merentur. Immo? cum non sint make men meet to receivegrace, facta ut Deus illa fieri voluit et or (as the School authors say) præcepit, peccati rationem ha- deserve grace of congruity; bere non dubitamus. yea rather, for that they are have the nature of sin. 1562, 1571. cationem 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 God'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. afflatum inspiration. ut multi vocant as the School authors say. gratiam de congrui grace of congruity. Immo 3. In respect of punctuation. yea rather.–Bennet yea, rather for that. Hey. yea rather. Three PROPOSITIONS. 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 Isa. i. 11, 13; lviii. 3; lxiv. 6. Zech. v. 7. 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. Ixxii. 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. Iren. adv. Hær. lib. V. c. X. Basil de Hieron. in Gal. iii. vol. vii. p. 433. Bohemian, c. vii. Westminster, c. xvi. $7. c. viii. app. c. evi. XV. 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. Col. iï. 7. Tit. ïï. 5. 2. Human Testimony. Confessions. Augsburg, Arts. iv. xx. Wirtemburg, Art. v. 2 Helvetic, c. xiii. Bohemian, c. vii. Belgic, Art. xxiii. Saxon, Art. iii. 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. I. 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. xxiji. Saxon, Arts. ïïi. viii. 4 Comp. Council of Trent, Sess. vi., Can. 8. |