Rogers on Article XIII: Of Works before Justification

The Propositions.

1. Workes done before iustification please not God.

2. Workes done before iustification deserue not grace of congruitie.

3. Workes done before iustification haue the nature of sinne.

1. Proposition. Workes done before Iustification please not God.

The profe from Gods word.

BEfore men doe please God, nothing that they doe can please him. But men please not God being not renued, and iustified by the Spirit. For before men be regenerate, they are not grapes, but thornes; nor figs, but thistles ¹; not good, but euill trees ²; not liuely, but dead bowes³; not engraffed, but wild oliues⁴; not friends, but enemies ⁵; not the sonnes of God, but the children of wrath ⁶, which bring forth no good fruit. As the Churches also acknowledge ⁷.

Errors Aduersaries vnto this truth.

Hereby the vanitie of them is perceiued, which thinke before mans iustification his deedes doe please God, such are the Papists, and were the Basilideans.

The Papists teach, that

Workes done without faith, doe please God ⁸.

Good works, not in respect of Christ onely, but in thēselues considered, please God ⁹.

The Basilidians placed the doers of ciuill, and philosophical righteousnes, performed without faith in Christ, in the very heauens ¹⁰.

2. Proposition. Workes done before Iustification deserue not grace of congruitie.

The vnregenerate, not yet iustified, haue nothing in them to moue God to be gratious vnto them; and being, as they are, old¹¹, not newe creatures; enemies¹², not fauourers of Godlines; The children of wrath ¹³, not of God; sinners ¹⁴, not vertuously bent; Infidels ¹⁵, and not beleeuers, of congruitie deserue no grace at Gods hands: which is the faith too, and confession of other Churches ¹⁶.

Errors and Adversaries vnto this truth.

This ouerthroweth the Popish assertions, concerning merits of congruitie ¹⁷; and that by good workes man is iustified before God, and made heire of eternall life ¹⁸.

As euill workes deserue hell fire: so eternall happines is deserued by good workes ¹⁹.

3. Proposition. Workes done before iustification, haue the nature of sinne.

The proofe from the word of God.

Whatsoeuer men doe, not yet iustified before God, it is sinne: For of such persons, the best workes which they, euen their Fasting²⁰, praying, ²¹, almes-deedes²², sacrificing vnto God²³, prophecying, and working of miracles, euen in the name of Christ ²⁴, yea all their actions whatsoeuer ²⁵, are abhominable before God.

And this is agreable to the Confessions of our brethren ²⁶.

The adversaries vnto this truth.

Erred therefore hath the Councell of Trent, in pronouncing them accursed, which hold that all workes of men whatsoeuer done before his iustification, are sinne ²⁷.

Footnotes

1. Math. 7.16. ↩

2. Math. 12.33. Luke 6.43. ↩

3. Ioh. 15.4. ↩

4. Rom. 11.17, 23. ↩

5. Rom. 5.10. ↩

6. Eph. 2.3. ↩

7. Confess. Helv. 2. cap. 15. Aug. ar. 20. ↩

8. Andrad. de Fide, lib. 3. ↩

9. Tapp. p. 189. ↩

10. Clem. Alex. strom. lib. 2. ↩

11. Eph. 4.22. ↩

12. Rom. 8.10. ↩

13. Eph. 2.2. ↩

14. Rom. 5.8. ↩

15. Tit. 1.15. ↩

16. Confess. Helv. 2. c. 16. Bohem. c. 7. Belg. ar. 23. August. ar. 4.20 Saxon. ar. 3. & 8. VVitt. ar. 5. ↩

17. Test. Rhem. an. Act. 10.2. ↩

18. Concil. Trid. sess. 6. c. 10. ↩

19. Andrad. de Fide, lib. 6. ↩

20. Wherefore haue we fasted, and thou seest it not? we haue punished our selues, and thou regardest it not. Esa. [?]8.3. Did you fast vnto me? Zach. 7.5. They haue their reward. Matth. 6.16. ↩

21. He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law, euen his praier shall be abominable. Prou. 28.9. When thou pr[?]iest, be not as the hypocrites, &c. they haue their reward. Matth 6.5. ↩

22. Take heede that ye giue not your almes before men, &c. they haue their reward. Math. 6.1, 2. ↩

23. Will I eate the flesh of Bulls? or drink the blood of goates? Ps. 50.13. Bring me no more oblations in vain: incense is an abomination vnto me, &c. Esa. 1.13. He that killeth a bullocke, is as if he slue a man: hee that sacrificeth a sheepe, as if he cut off a dogges necke: he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swines blood: he that remembreth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Esa. 66.3. ↩

24. Lord, Lord, haue we not by thy Name prophecied? and by thy Name cast out deuills? and by thy Name done many great workes? Then will I professe to them, I neuer knew you: depart from me, ye that worke iniquitie. Matth. 7.22, 23. ↩

25. Whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne. Rom. 14.23. Vnto them that are defiled, and vnbeleeuing, is nothing pure, but euen their mindes, and consciences are defiled. Tit. 1.15. Without faith it is vnpossible to please God. Heb. 11.6. ↩

26. Confess. Hel. 2. c. 15. & 16. Bohe. c. 7. Belg. ar. 23. August. ar. 4.20. Saxō. ar. 3. & 8. VVittemb. ar. 5. ↩

27. Concil. Trid. sess. 6. an. 7. ↩