Milton

¶1p. 387 Fuit liber primus de FIDE et DEI COGNITIONE. Sequitur secundus de CULTU DEI et CHARITATE.

¶2Verus Dei cultus in studio bonorum operum præcipue positus est. Matt. xvi. 27. tunc reddet unicuique secundum opus suum. Rom. ii. 13. non qui audiunt legem, justi sunt apud Deum; sed qui legem præstant, justificabuntur. Philipp. i. 11. repleti fructibus justitiæ, qui sunt per Jesum Christum. et iv. 8. quæcunque sunt vera, quæcunque veneranda, quæcunque justa, quæcunque munda, quæcunque amabilia, quæcunque boni nominis; siqua virtus et siqua laus est, hæc reputate: quæ et didicistis, et accepistis, et audistis, et vidistis in me, hæc facite; et Deus pacis erit vobiscum. 2 Tim. iii. 17. ut perfectus sit homo Dei, ad omne opus bonum perfecte instructus. Tit. ii. 11, 12. illuxit gratia illa Dei salutifera omnibus hominibus, erudiens nos ut abnegata impietate et mundanis cupiditatibus, temperanter et juste et pie vivamus in præsenti sæculo. et iii. 8. certus est hic sermo, et hæc volo te asseverare, ut qui crediderunt Deo, curent bene agendo præcedere. Jacob. i. 22. effectores estote sermonis, nec estote auditores solum. 2 Pet. i. 5, &c. ad hoc ipsum vos omnes studium conferentes adjicite fidei vestræ virtutem—; hæc enim si vobis adsint et abundent, non inertes vos nec infructuosos efficient in Domini nostri Jesu Christi agnitione.

¶3p. 388 BONA OPERA sunt quæ AGENTE IN NOBIS DEI SPIRITU PER VERAM FIDEM FACIMUS, AD DEI GLORIAM, SALUTIS NOSTRÆ SPEM CERTAM, ET PROXIMI ÆDIFICATIONEM.

¶4AGENTE IN NOBIS DEI SPIRITU. Joan. iii. 21. ut manifesta fiant opera ipsius, quod in Deo facta sint. 1 Cor. xv. 10. gratia Dei sum id quod sum; et gratia ejus, quæ in me collata est, non fuit inanis, sed amplius quam illi omnes laboravi: non ego tamen, sed gratia Dei quæ mecum est. et 2 Cor. iii. 5. non quod idonei sumus per nos ipsos ad cogitandum quidquam, velut ex nobis ipsis; sed quod idonei sumus, ex Deo est. Gal. v. 22. fructus Spiritus est charitas—, benignitas, bonitas, fides. Eph. ii. 10. ipsius sumus opus, creati in Christo Jesu ad opera bona, quæ præparavit Deus, ut in iis ambulemus. et v. 9. fructus Spiritus in omni bonitate et justitia et veritate. Philipp. ii. 13. Deus is est qui effecit in vobis et ipsum velle et ipsum agere pro benevola voluntate sua.

¶5PER FIDEM. Joan. xv. 5. qui manet in me, et ego in eo, hic fert fructum multum; nam seorsim a me nihil potestis facere. Heb. xi. 6. fieri non potest ut absque fide quisquam Deo sit gratus. Jacob. ii. 22. vides quod fides cooperatur operibus ejus, et ex operibus fides perfecta reddita est: id est, ut forma informat ipsa opera ut possint esse bona, et ab ipsis operibus ut fine et fructibus suis perficitur.

¶6Quod enim affirmant theologi, formam bonorum operum esse congruentiam cum præceptis decalogi, quatenus decalogi sunt, id quo pacto esse verum sub evangelio possit, videndum: dedocet enim id Paulus tota epistola ad Romanos alibique passim, et diserte Rom. xiv. 23. quicquid ex fide non est, peccatum est: non ibi ait apostolus quicquid non est ex decalogo, peccatum est, sed quicquid non est ex fide: congruentia igitur cum fide, non cum decalogo, bonorum operum statuenda forma est. Itaque si sabbathum ex præcepto decalogi observavero, fide mihi interim aliud dictante, congruentia illa cum decalogo exactissima mihi quidem peccatum et ἀτοπία reddetur. Etenim fides justificat, non congruentia cum decalogo: quod autem justificat, id solum perficere p. 389 potest ut unumquodque opus sit bonum: bonum igitur nisi per fidem nullum opus nostrum esse potest: fides ergo bonorum operum est forma; sic enim forma definitur, per quam res est id quod est. Quod autem 1 Joan. ii. 4. et iii. 24. et alibi sæpius de præceptis Dei servandis mentio fit, de præceptis Dei evangelicis id rectius intelligitur, quæ fidem ubique legis operibus anteponunt. Quod si fides operibus legis in evangelio præponitur, erit certe eadem etiam præceptis legis anteponenda; opera enim præceptorum finis et impletio sunt. Siquis igitur sub evangelio, licet accuratissime præcepta totius legis Mosaicæ observaret, sine fide tamen nihil proficeret; certe bona opera ex fide, non ex decalogi præceptis definienda sunt. Ex quo sequitur, congruentiam non cum lege scripta sed cum lege non scripta, id est, cum lege Spiritus qui dux nobis veritatis a Patre datur est, bonorum operum formam esse potius dicendam. Opera enim fidelium ipsius Spiritus Sancti opera sunt; quæ tametsi amori Dei et proximi, quæ summa legis est, nunquam sunt contraria, a littera tamen specialium præsertim mandatorum, etiam evangelicorum, habita potissimum charitatis ratione, deflectere nonnunquam possunt; ut Christus ipse cum in sabbathismo abolendo, tum sæpe alias ostendit. Vide supra lib. 1. cap. xxvii. de evangelio.

¶7AD DEI GLORIAM. Matt. v. 16. ita splendeat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant vestra bona opera, glorificentque Patrem vestrum qui est in cœlis. 1 Cor. x. 31. omnia ad gloriam Dei facite. Philipp. i. 11. repleti fructibus justitiæ, qui sunt per Jesum Christum ad gloriam et laudem Dei.

¶8SALUTIS NOSTRÆ SPEM CERTAM. Gen. xv. 1. merces tua ampla est valde. Prov. x. 9. qui ambulat in integritate, ambulat secure. et v. 25. justo fundamentum perpetuum. et v. 29. robori est cuique integro via Jehovæ. et xi. 18, 19. serentis justitiam merces est fida. et xii. 2. radix justorum non dimovetur. et xiii. 21. justos compensat bonum. et xv. 24. iter vitæ sursum est intelligenti, ut recedat a sepulchro deorsum. et xvi. 17. conservat seipsum, qui custodit viam suam. et xx. 7. indesinenter ambulans in integritate sua justus, beatus est. Psal. xv. 1, 2. Jehova, quis commora<!-- p.390 -->bitur in tentorio tuo? &c. Isa. xxxiii. 14, &c. quis diversabitur cum igne consumente—? qui ambulat justissime—. 2 Cor. vii. 1. has promissiones quum habeamus, purificemus nos—. Gal. vi. 8. qui seminat Spiritui, ex Spiritu metet vitam æternam. Philipp. iii. 14. scopum versus feror ad præmium supernæ vocationis Dei in Christo Jesu. Heb. xi. 6. qui accedit ad Deum, hunc credere oportet eum esse, et iis qui eum exquirunt mercedem sive præmium reddere. et v. 26. intuebatur enim in præmii retributionem. et xii. 2. pro sibi proposito gaudio toleravit crucem.

¶9AD PROXIMI ÆDIFICATIONEM. Unde ut exemplo simus aliis monemur. 2 Sam. xxi. 11, 12. et renuntiatum est Davidi quod fecerat Rispa—. 2 Cor. viii. 24. demonstrationem charitatis vestræ et nostræ de vobis gloriationis edite in eos, in conspectu ecclesiarum. Rom. xii. 17. procurantes honesta in omnium hominum conspectu. 1 Tim. iv. 12. esto exemplar fidelium in sermone, in conversatione, in charitate, in Spiritu, in fide, in puritate. Tit. ii. 4. ut sapere doceant adolescentulas, ut sint maritorum ac liberorum amantes. et v. 7. per omnia teipsum præbens exemplar bonorum operum. 1 Pet. ii. 12. pro eo quod obtrectant vobis ut facinorosis, ex bonis operibus quæ conspexerint glorificent Deum die visitationis.

¶10Ex bono enim exemplo nascitur in bonis æmulatio bona. Rom. xi. 14. ut experiar siquo modo ad æmulationem provocem consanguineos meos, et servem aliquos ex ipsis.

¶11Ex malo exemplo nascitur æmulatio mala, Prov. xxiii. 17. ne æmuletur animus tuus peccatores—. et xxiv. 1. ne æmuletur malignos—. et scandalum, quo quis vel firmus merito offenditur, vel infirmior aut ad peccandum inducitur, aut ad bene faciendum fit remissior. 1 Cor. x. 32, 33. estote sine offendiculo et Judæis et Græcis et ecclesiæ Dei; sicut et ego per omnia omnibus placeo, non quærens meam ipsius utilitatem, sed multorum, ut serventur. Matt. xviii. 6, 7. quisquis offendiculo fuerit uni ex parvis istis, qui in me credunt, præstiterit—. Marc. ix. 42. idem. Rom. xiv. 21. in quo frater tuus impingit, vel offenditur, vel infirmus est.

¶12p. 391 Quo sensu etiam sibi quilibet offendiculo esse potest, dum in aliquo vitio, cui addictior est, ipse sibimet indulget. Matt. v. 29, 30. quod si oculus tuus dexter facit ut tu offendas, erue eum—. et xviii. 7, 8. idem.

¶13Sin autem non nostra culpa, sed aliena morositate aut malitia scandalum acciderit, non hoc datum est, sed acceptum. Matt. xv. 12, 13. nosti Pharisæos audito isto sermone offensos fuisse? ipse vero respondens dixit, Omnis planta—: omitte illos; sunt viæ duces cæci cæcorum—.

¶14Sic Christus propter Pharisæos non destitit cum publicanis versari: tantummodo rationem reddidit cur id faceret. Matt. ix. 10, &c. iis qui valent non est opus medico—. Luc. xix. 7, &c. venit Filius hominis ut quærat et servet quod perierat. et xx. 18. quisquis ceciderit super illum lapidem, confringetur; super quem autem ceciderit, dissipabit eum. Vide supra lib. 1. cap. xxvii. ubi de libertate Christiana.

¶15Opera quæ vocant supererogationis pontificii, quibus præstari plus aiunt quam in lege præscribitur, unde nonnullos e Sanctis adeo meritis abundare ut vitam æternam et sibi et aliis promereantur, nulla esse possunt. Cum enim Deum totis viribus, toto ex animo amare et colere, proximum tanquam nosmetipsos, tam in evangelio quam in lege jubeamur, pietatisque et charitatis excessus nullus esse queat, quid potest adeo officiose erga Deum præstari, quod ultra debitum, immo vel par officio nostro censendum sit? Luc. xvii. 10. quum feceritis omnia quæ edicta sunt vobis, dicite, servi inutiles sumus; nam quod debuimus facere, fecimus. Quæ igitur consilia in evangelio præceptis graviora esse asserunt papistæ, quæ si sequatur cum necesse non sit, supererogare dicitur, revera neque consilia sunt, neque præceptis graviora; sed præcepta potius particularia certis hominibus, non omnibus, certis de causis certisque sub conditionibus, existimari debent. Sic Matt. xix. 11. cœlibatus iis qui continentiæ dono præditi suscipere possunt, præcipitur, quoties id ad Dei gloriam et ecclesiæ utilitatem conducere appareat: et v. 21. sive præceptum sive consilium juveni datum dicas, si is maxime Christo paruisset, nihil tamen egregie præter id quod debuit perfecisset; uti nec Abrahamus cum filium p. 392 suum immolatum ibat: Dei enim mandato, sive generale sive speciale, sive uni duntaxat homini singulare sit, vel omnes, vel aliquot, vel ille unus tenetur. In priore autem exemplo præceptum illud generale de Deo summe amando, singulari quodam officii specimine ab arroganti juvene exigebatur, ut ejus stoliditas et inanis operum fiducia excuteretur, quantumque ab ea quam præ se tulit perfectione abesset ipse perspiceret: non enim in hoc sita perfectio erat, ut bona omnia venderet, quod sine charitate nonnulli fecerunt, sed ut relictis eis Christum sequeretur. Cœlibatus autem, 1 Cor. vii. neque præcepto neque consilio plane sancitur, sed liberrimæ prudentiæ pro temporum ratione relinquitur. Deinde, si opera supererogatione ulla sunt, præcepta omnia imperfecta esse videbuntur, quibus consiliorum præstantia velut supplementi loco addita sit. Tum, si consilia lege graviora sunt, exsequi illa quis poterit, cum ne legi quidem ullus mortalium sufficiat? Immo vero præcepta communia maximeque necessaria nonnunquam consilia vocantur; ut Apoc. iii. 18. consilium do tibi, ut emas a me aurum igni exploratum. Postremo, veniæ petitio (veniam autem auctore Christo quotidie petimus omnes) cum hujusmodi vana operum prædicatione consistere non potest.

¶16Potest quidem opus opere perfectius esse quibus in rebus Christiana libertas versatur: 1 Cor. vii. 38. bene facit—, melius facit; et 2 Cor. xi. 23. ministri Christi sunt? superior sum ego: at non idcirco indebitum quidquam est quo Dei gloria aut proximi ædificatio majorem in modum promoveri videatur posse. Licebat Paulo non gratuito evangelizare, 1 Cor. ix. 7, &c. cum autem visum esset ei calumniis hominum facilius posse occurri, ecclesiam Dei felicius ædificari, si gratis evangelio operam dedisset, 1 Cor. ix. 18. et 2 Cor. xi. 12. nihil ultra debitum fecit, quod gratis evangelizavit: ne Zacchæus cum dimidium bonorum suorum injussus pauperibus dedit, Luc. xix. 8. nec vidua illa quæ injecit in ærarium sacrum quod nummi in diem illam habebat, Marc. xii. 42. nec discipuli illi, Act. iv. 34. qui venditis agris suis pecuniam quam redegerant communem fratribus reddiderunt, quidquam supererogarunt; proximum tantummodo, et præsertim fideles, tanquam se ipsos dilexerunt, ita tamen p. 393 ut singulare dilectionis illius specimen liberum cuique fuerit, Act. v. 4. summa enim perfectio proponitur quidem, non tamen ab omnibus exigitur.

¶17Atque hinc meritorum etiam inanitas nostrorum facile cognoscitur; cum neque nostra sint quæ recte facimus, sed agentis in nobis Dei, neque, nostra maxime ut sint, indebita tamen, neque officii nostri quæcunque ratio magnitudinem propositi præmii ulla ex parte æquiparare possit. Rom. vi. 23. donum Dei est vita æterna. et viii. 18. reor minime dignas esse præsentis temporis perpessiones gloria in nobis revelanda. Quod si Ezechias rex integritatis suæ coram Deo mentionem facit, Isa. xxxviii. 3. obsecro Jehova, recordare jam, me indesinenter ambulasse coram te fideliter et animo integro, et quod bonum videtur in oculis tuis fecisse, non continuo meruisse se quidquam ista voce contendit, sed Dei benignitate condonata sibi esse peccata confitetur: v. 17. tu propensus amore eduxisti animam meam a fovea exedente, quia abjecisti post tergum tuum omnia peccata mea. Sic Nehemia cap. xiii. 22. etiam hoc recordare mei, Deus mi, et parce mihi pro multitudine benignitatis tuæ. Sic ipse Deus declarat, Exod. xx. 6. Quid denique iis operibus mereamur, quibus omnino non indiget Deus? Job. xxii. 2, &c. an Deo forti prodesse potest vir? et xxxv. 7. si justus es, quid das illi?— Luc. xvii. 10. servi inutiles. Rom. xi. 35. quis prior dedit ei—? Vide supra lib. 1. cap. xxii. de Justificatione.

¶18Bonis operibus contraria sunt opera mala; quæ quam vana quamque amara sint luculenter ostendit Isaias cap. lix. 4, &c. concipit laborem, et parit mendacium: ova hæmorrhoi excludunt—. Prov. xi. 3. perversitas perfidiosorum devastat eos. et v. 5. improbitate sua concidit improbus. et xiii. 15. via perfidiosorum est aspera. et xxii. 5. aculei, laquei sunt in via perversi.

¶19Ex operibus bonis agnoscitur vir bonus. Matt. xii. 35. bonus homo e bono thesauro cordis profert bona. 1 Joan. iii. 7. qui exercet justitiam justus est, sicut ille justus est. Describitur Job. xxix. a v. 11. nam auris audiens beatum prædicabat me—. et alibi.

¶20p. 394 Ita tamen, ut temporariæ quædam virtutes improbis inesse reperiantur, vel simulacra saltem virtutum nonnunquam, ut Sauli, 1 Sam. xix. et Judæis, Jer. xxxiv. et in rege Sodomitico videre erat liberalitatis, gratitudinis, æquitatis umbram quandam, cum civium suorum cura conjunctam, Gen. xiv. 21. in Eglone, Judic. iii. 20. in Belshazzare, Dan. v. 29.

¶21Vir malus describitur Psal. x. a v. 3. laudat improbus animam suam—. et xiv. a v. 1. dicit stultus cum animo suo—. Prov. i. a v. 11. si dixerint, Veni nobiscum, insidiemur sanguini—. et iv. a v. 14. iter improborum ne ingreditor—. et xxviii. 5, &c. homines dediti malo non animadvertunt jus—.

¶1p. 527 The subject of the first Book was FAITH, or THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. The second treats of THE SERVICE or LOVE OF GOD.³

¶2The true service of God consists chiefly in the exercise of good works. Matt. xvi. 27. then he shall reward every man according to his works. Rom. ii. 13. not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Philipp. i. 11. being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ. iv. 8. whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things: those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you. 2 Tim. iii. 17. that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Tit. ii. 11, 12. the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. iii. 8. this is a faithful saying, and these things I will p. 528 that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works. James i. 22. be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 2 Pet. i. 5, &c. besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge…&c. for if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¶3GOOD WORKS are THOSE WHICH WE PERFORM BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD WORKING IN US THROUGH TRUE FAITH, TO THE GLORY OF GOD, THE ASSURED HOPE OF OUR OWN SALVATION, AND THE EDIFICATION OF OUR NEIGHBOUR.

¶4BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD WORKING IN US. John iii. 21. that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God. 1 Cor. xv. 10. by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 2 Cor. iii. 5. not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Gal. v. 22. the fruit of the Spirit is love….gentleness, goodness, faith. Eph. ii. 10. we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. v. 9. the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth. Philipp. ii. 13. it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

¶5THROUGH FAITH. John xv. 5. he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. Heb. xi. 6. without faith it is impossible to please him. James ii. 22. seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? that is, how faith (to use a logical expression) constitutes the form of the works, and endows them with the quality of goodness; and how it is itself consummated by the works, as by its end and natural product.

¶6p. 529 As to the position of divines, that the essential form of good works is their accordance with the decalogue, so far as they are there prescribed, it is not easy to discover how this can be the case under the gospel. Paul certainly teaches a different doctrine, throughout the whole of Romans and elsewhere; declaring explicitly, Rom. xiv. 23. that whatsoever is not of faith is sin. He does not say whatsoever is not of the decalogue, is sin, but whatsoever is not of faith; it is therefore an accordance with faith, not with the decalogue, that ought to be considered as the essential form of good works. Hence, if I observe the sabbath in compliance with the decalogue, but contrary to the dictates of my own faith, conformity with the decalogue, however exact, becomes in my case sin, and a violation of the law. For it is faith that justifies, not agreement with the decalogue; and that which justifies can alone render any work good; none therefore of our works can be good, but by faith; hence faith is the essential form of good works, the definition of form being, that by which a thing is what it is.⁴ With regard to the passages in which mention is made of keeping God's commandments, 1 John ii. 4. iii. 24. and elsewhere, it seems reasonable to understand this of the precepts of the gospel, in which faith is uniformly put before the works of the law. If then in the gospel faith be above the works of the law, it must be equally above its precepts; for works are the end and fulfilling of precepts. Since therefore under the gospel, although a man should observe the whole Mosaic law with the utmost punctuality, it would profit him nothing without faith,⁵ it is evident that good works must be defined to be of faith, not of the decalogue; whence it follows that conformity, not with the written, but with the unwritten law, that is, with the law of the Spirit given by the Father to lead us into all truth, is to be accounted the true essential form of good works. For the p. 530 works of believers are the works of the Spirit itself; and though such can never be in contradiction to the love of God and our neighbour, which is the sum of the law, they may occasionally deviate from the letter even of the gospel precepts, particularly of those which are merely special, through a predominating regard to the law of love; as was shown by Christ himself in the abolition of sabbatical observances, as well as on several other occasions.⁶ See Book I. chap. xxvii. on the gospel.

¶7TO THE GLORY OF GOD. Matt. v. 16. let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 1 Cor. x. 31. do all to the glory of God. Philipp. i. 11. being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

¶8THE ASSURED HOPE OF OUR OWN SALVATION. Gen. xv. 1. thy exceeding great reward. Prov. x. 9. he that walketh uprightly, walketh surely. v. 25. the righteous is an everlasting foundation. v. 29. the way of Jehovah is straight to the upright. xi. 18, 19. to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. xii. 3. the root of the righteous shall not be moved. xiii. 21. to the righteous good shall be repaid. xv. 24. the way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. xvi. 17. he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. xx. 7. the just man walketh in his integrity; his children are blessed after him. Psal. xv. 1, 2. Jehovah, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? &c. Isai. xxxiii. 14, &c. who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? …. he that walketh righteously. 2 Cor. vii. 1. having therefore these promises, let us cleanse ourselves—. Gal. vi. 8. he that soweth to his flesh, shall of his flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Philipp. iii. 14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Heb. xi. 6. he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of p. 531 them that diligently seek him. v. 26. he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. xii. 2. who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.

¶9–12THE EDIFICATION OF OUR NEIGHBOUR. Hence we are admonished so to act, that we may become examples to others. 2 Sam. xxi. 11, 12. it was told David what Rizpah had done, &c. 2 Cor. viii. 24. wherefore show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf. Rom. xii. 17. provide things honest in the sight of all men. 1 Tim. iv. 12. be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Tit. ii. 4. that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. v. 7. in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works. 1 Pet. ii. 12. that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. For a virtuous example excites, in the virtuous, an emulation of that virtue; Rom. xi. 14. if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them: a vicious example, on the contrary, is productive of vicious emulation; Prov. xxiii. 17. let not thine heart envy sinners; xxiv. 7. be not thou envious against wicked men; as well as of offences, by which the strong are scandalized, and the weaker brethren, if not absolutely led into sin, rendered more remiss in the performance of good works. 1 Cor. x. 32, 33. give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God; even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. Matt. xviii. 6, 7. whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him, &c. See also Mark ix. 42. Rom. xiv. 21. it is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or offendeth, or is made weak. In this sense a man is said to be a stumbling-block to himself, when he indulges himself in any vice to which his nature inclines him. Matt. v. 29, 30. if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, &c. See also xviii. 7, 8.

¶13–14p. 532 Where however the offence does not proceed from any fault of ours, but from the frowardness or malignity of the other party, the guilt rests not with him who gives, but with him who takes the offence. Matt. xv. 12, 13. knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying? but he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up: let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind. Thus Christ did not break off his intercourse with the publicans through fear of scandalizing the Pharisees, but contented himself with giving reasons for his conduct: Matt. ix. 10, &c. they that be whole need not a physician—. Luke xix. 7, &c. the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. xx. 18. whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. See Book I. chap. xxvii. on Christian liberty.

¶15As to what the Papists call works of supererogation, whereby more is done than the law prescribes, insomuch that some of the saints, through the superabundance of their works, have been enabled to purchase eternal life not only for themselves, but for others, such works are clearly impossible. For since we are commanded, under the gospel as well as under the law, to love and serve God with all our strength and with all our mind, and our neighbour as ourselves, and since, consequently, there can be no excess in piety and charity, it follows that no act which we are capable of performing can be of such excellence as to fulfil, still less to transcend the requisitions of duty. Luke xvii. 10. 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. Those counsels of the gospel, therefore, which the Papists affirm to be of a higher nature than its precepts, insomuch that if a man follow them, not being compelled so to do, he performs a work of supererogation, are not in reality counsels, as distinguished from precepts, nor of a higher nature than the latter; but are to be considered as particular precepts, given, not to all mankind, but to certain individuals, for special reasons and under special circumstances. Thus we p. 533 are told, Matt. xix. 11. that it is good for those who have the gift of continence and can receive the saying, not to marry, whenever by remaining single they can more effectually promote the glory of God and the good of the church. Again, v. 21. whether the words of Christ are to be considered as precept or as simple counsel, it is certain that, had the young man to whom they were addressed fulfilled them in their utmost extent, he would have done nothing beyond what duty required, any more than Abraham when he led forth his son to sacrifice: for the commands of God, whether addressed to mankind in general, or to a particular class, or to an individual, are equally obligatory on the kind, or class, or individual to whom they are addressed. In the example just cited, obedience to the general precept of loving God above all things was singled out as an instance of duty to be required from the self-sufficient young man, for the purpose of exposing his folly and unfounded confidence, and of showing him how far he was from the perfection to which he pretended. For it was not the selling all he had, which has been done without charity, but the leaving his possessions and following Christ, which was to be the test of his perfection. With regard to the other instance of celibacy, 1 Cor. vii. this is neither made expressly a matter of precept nor of counsel, but is left free to the discretion of individuals, according to seasons and circumstances. To the above may be added, that, if there be any such works as are here described, those precepts must needs be imperfect, which require to be amended by supplementary admonitions. If, moreover, these latter are, as is alleged, of a higher order of excellence than the precepts themselves, who shall be sufficient to fulfil them? seeing that no one is able to perform entirely even the requisitions of the law. Not to mention, that the name of counsels is sometimes applied to precepts of universal application, and of the most imperative necessity; as Rev. iii. 18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire. Lastly, that prayer for forgiveness, which by Christ's command we all daily offer, is utterly irreconcileable with the vain boasting of works implied in this doctrine.

¶16p. 534 It is true that in matters of choice and Christian liberty, one work may be more perfect than another: 1 Cor. vii. 38. he doeth well…. he doeth better. 2 Cor. xi. 23. are they ministers of Christ? I am more; but it is not less the duty of every one to do whatever may most effectually promote the glory of God and the edification of his neighbour. Paul, had he so chosen, needed not have preached the gospel without charge, 1 Cor. ix. 7, &c. but believing, as he did, that a gratuitous service would be less open to suspicion, and tend more to the edification of the church, he did nothing more than his duty in preaching gratuitously. No work of supererogation was performed by Zaccheus, when he voluntarily gave half his goods to the poor, Luke xix. 8. nor by the poor widow, when she cast into the treasury all that she had, Mark xii. 42. nor by the disciples, when they sold their lands and divided the produce among the brethren, Acts iv. 34; those who did such actions only proved that they loved their neighbours, and especially the believing part of them, as themselves. They were not however under any absolute obligation to give such extraordinary proofs of their love, Acts v. 4. for although perfection is proposed to all men as the end of their endeavours, it is not required of all.

¶17Hence may be easily discerned the vanity of human merits; seeing that, in the first place, our good actions are not our own, but of God working in us; secondly, that, were they our own, they would still be equally due; and, thirdly, that, in any point of view, there can be no proportion between our duty and the proposed reward. Rom. vi. 23. the gift of God is eternal life. viii. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Hence although Hezekiah asserts his uprightness in the sight of God, Isai. xxxviii. 3. remember now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which was good in thy sight, he is so far from considering this as constituting any claim to reward, that he acknowledges himself indebted to the free mercy of God for the p. 535 pardon of his sins: v. 17. thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption, for thou hast cast all my sins behind my back. So likewise Nehemiah, xiii. 22. remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. The declaration of God himself, Exod. xx. 6, is to the same purpose. Lastly, that of which God stands in no need, can deserve nothing of him.⁷ Job xxii. 2, &c. can a man be profitable with God? xxxv. 7. if thou be righteous, what givest thou him? Luke xvii. 10. we are unprofitable servants. Rom. xi. 35. who hath first given him—? See Book I. chap. xxii. on Justification.

¶18Opposed to good works are evil works; the vanity and bitterness of which are forcibly described by Isaiah, lix. 4, &c. they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity; they hatch cockatrice' eggs —. Prov. xi. 3. the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. v. 5. the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. xiii. 15. the way of transgressors is hard. xxii. 5. thorns and snares are in the way of the froward.

¶19A good man is known by his works. Matt. xii. 35. a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things. 1 John iii. 7. he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He is described Job xxix. 11—25. when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, &c. and elsewhere.

¶20Sometimes, however, certain temporary virtues, or semblances of virtues, are discernible even in the wicked; as in Saul, 1 Sam. xix, and in the Jews, Jer. xxxiv. An outward show of liberality, gratitude, and equity, with a regard for the interest of his subjects, are visible in the king of Sodom, Gen. xiv. 21. See also the instance of Eglon, Judges iii. and of Belshazzar, Dan. v. 29.

¶21p. 536 The wicked man is described Psal. x. 3, &c. the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, &c. xiv. 1, &c. the fool hath said in his heart—. Prov. i. 11, &c. if they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood—. iv. 14, &c. enter not into the path of the wicked—. xxviii. 5, &c. evil men understand not judgement.