Forbes on Article XIV: Of Works of Supererogation

done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of the Spirit: consequently it does not prejudge the ques tion whether other works, those which are the fruit of faith, do or do not dispose us in some way to justifi cation, and de conyruo (though not de condiyno) merit the grace of justification, according to the teaching of St. Augustine h. At the same time it must be observed, that no Church has ever asserted the doctrine of grace de conyruo, and that the Dominican Order has always held that it bad a Pelagianizing tendency ’\

e Stapleton, de Justif., lib. viii. c. 16, cit. Forbes. f Ezek.

xviii. 21; St. Luke xiii. 3; Acts ii. 38, iii. 19; 1 St. John i. 7—9.

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OPERA quce supcrerogationis appellant, non possunt sine arrogantia et impictatc prcedicari. Nam ittis declarant homines, non tantum se Deo reddcre, qucc tcncntur, seel plus in ejus gratiam face-re, quani debercnt, cum aperte Christ its dicat ; Cum feceritis omnia quwcunque prcc- cepta sunt robi*, dicitc, servl inutiles smmts.

” Of Works of Supererogation.

” YOLUNTARY works besides, over and above, God’s commandments, which, they call works of supereroga tion, 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.”

THERE are two ways of putting every subject. A fact may be so stated as to appear false ; a doctrine so enun ciated as to be deemed an error : or again, certain re suIts of a course of action may be stated to flow from it, as in the common fallacious argument against use from abuse. Lastly, imperfect reasons may be adduced for a perfectly reasonable course of action.

Now all these things must be borne in mind when p

we discuss the question of what are termed works of supererogation. In the Bible there are plainly laid down certain counsels of perfection. Over and above what is demanded and expected of every baptized man, there are narrower paths in the narrow way, which all are not required to follow, not so demanded or expected. Certain souls have an exceptional religious destiny laid out before them. Some are called to one Avork, some to another. All souls are not called to Christian heroism, but some are so; and it is an im perfect view of Christianity which does not give due space for such vocations. It is obvious, e.g. at first sight, that every one is not called upon to be a mis sionary, or to forsake houses, or brethren, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for His Name’s sake. And yet all of us know of some who have given up some of these things for Jesus’ sake.

While the great mass of Christians are bound to keep their Baptismal and Confirmation vows, others of their own free-will add to them those of Matrimony and Orders. Each of these conditions has the necessary graces for their fulfilment attached to them, and these constitute the general obligations of the Christian life. Bufc beyond this, under the Gospel, a higher state of things is borne witness to both by our Lord and His Apostles. Certain injunctions are laid on men ; not on all, but on such as can bear it. Certain things are promised, in addition to the ordinary blessings of God, on those who make certain renunciations. Again, St. Paul recommends a certain line of conduct as wise in

the present necessity. All this higher law is gathered under the heads of Counsels of Perfection, of which the main branches are Poverty, Chastity, and Obe dience.

The teacher of ecclesiastical dogma must pursue his way towards the heights of the revelation of God, having to deal with the science whereby men, through the God-enlightened faculty of knowledge, are brought back to Him. lie must necessarily touch upon sub jects which his own religious experience may never have realized, and therefore his humbler task is with regard to the higher teachings of Christianity, merely to reproduce what saints have taught on these recon dite themes.

It is in this spirit and with bated breath that one would venture to speak first of perfection, and secondly of its counsels.

Perfection consistcth not in gifts bestowed by God for the benefit of others, not even in those great spiri tual gifts, healings, tongues, and the like, which were bestowed upon the early Christians. It is not to be found in austerities or abnegations, nor in sensible consolations ; rather is it the way whereby we travel to our Eternal Fatherland — the course we steer towards the ” haven where we would be.” It is not hindered by those duties which are undertaken in the spirit of obedience and love, nay, rather is aided thereby It consisteth in the keeping of the commandments of God ; for perfection is the perfect health of the soul, the chief est of the gifts of God, and it is summed up

in the words of our Saviour, ” Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul.”

Thus it will be seen that ’ Counsels of Perfection* are not perfection itself, nay, they are rather means to that end. Counsels are ways of attaining to everlasting salvation ; not necessary for all, but very helpful to those whom God calls to them. The word ’ counsels’ stands in opposition to the ‘precepts’ of God; the fulfilment of which is of necessity to salvation ; and no counsel can take the place of exact obedience to precept, or be excused for its non-observance. ” Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish a ;” ” Every tree- that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire b.” On the other hand, counsel is that which is referred to by our Lord : ” If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast and give- to the poor.”

There are many Evangelical counsels which need not be referred to here, but there are three, all boasting about which is especially condemned by the Article. The first is that of Poverty, or the giving up of worldly goods, whereby, disencumbered and free from care, we may follow Christ. It is of this that the Apostles spake when they said, ” Behold, we have left all, and followed Thee ; what shall we have therefore c ?”

The second is Chastity, of body and soul, whereby is fulfilled that counsel of St. Paul : ” He that is un married careth for the things of the Lord, how he may

» St. Luke xiii. 3, 5. b Ibid. iii. 9. c St. Matt. xix. 27.

please the Lord. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, how she may be holy both in body and in spirit.” Its special safeguard is humility. But we need also all things that tame the flesh, such as fasting and watching, and similar austerities. This helps to cleanse us from all defilement, both of the flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God.

The third is Obedience, whereby we mortify our own wills and submit to others, in imitation of Him who ” came not to do His own will, but the will of His Father which is in heaven.”

2s”ot in these counsels is the substance of perfection, for perfection is the end of the spiritual life; it is that which, according to its own nature, unites our wills to God, who is our last End.

But they are the mighty means whereby that perfec tion is most easily attained unto. Happy are all they who keep God’s commandments, who, for the merits of Christ, shall attain unto everlasting life, in the end being made perfect ; but happier are they who, while still in life, seek to anticipate perfection by exceptional sacrifices for God. They shall enter into glory, and beyond that, with the saints and mighty men who have conquered themselves and all things earthly, shall enter into the incomprehensible joy of their Lord.

Now fully admitting that the Counsels of Perfection have their place in Christianit}^, we may not call them “besides, over and above God’s commandments,” because in the exceptional cases where men are called to them, to these they become God’s commandments. Woe be

to that soul, which is called to a Counsel of Perfection^ has received the grace for a Counsel of Perfection, and fails to fulfil its high destiny ! This, true as it is, could not be taught without arrogancy and impiety, if by it people meant to express, that ” by them men do declare, that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do” — that is arrogancy ; or that ” they do more for His sake than of bounden duty is re quired/’ a sentiment here stigmatized as impiety. It is arrogancy to maintain that there is a certain fixed measure of obedience, which God requires of us, seeing that nothing short of the Perfection of God, and the Standard of Christ, is our great exemplar. It is im pious to say that any one, for the sake of Christ, does more than is required ; for the whole heart, and soul, and time, and habits are His, and at His service. His claim upon us is illimitable : our best obedience most imperfect, and therefore at best we are unprofitable servants. Unprofitable servants ! what but unprofit able servants can we repute ourselves, when we mea sure our very best performances with that which God requires of us : when we call to mind that nothing short of the perfection of God is the standard whereby we shall be measured, and that in Him lie hidden not only all possible perfections that are or ever have been in any of His creatures, but that beyond that there is the inscrutable perfection which is His own attribute : when we remember that the Blessed Humanity of our Lord is that great exemplar upon which the Chris tian is to form himself; and that the virtues of the