Trollope on Article XIII: Of Works before Justification

Inasmuch as, from the corruption of his nature, there ’ dwelleth in man no good thing (Rom. vii. 18.), but ’ the ’ imagination of his heart is only evil from his youth’ (Gen. viii. 21.), it follows that works which partake of this innate corruption cannot be pleasant to God : and as faith in Christ is the only principle by which they can be rendered accept- able, the grace ot Christ must be communicated by baptism in order to that end.

2. Shew that the same action may be viewed in a very different light in the abstract, and with re- lation to the agent.

An action, abstractedly considered, may be g^ood, with- out beings relatively so. For instance, an act of charity is a good act in itself, oy whomsoever it is performed ; but the principles, aim, and motisres of the doer are taken into ac- count by God, and unless all these can stand the test of the Gospel, the deed will find no favour in his sight. Thus the very same act, as done by different persons, will obviously appear in a very different light.

3. Illustrate your reasoning: by an example ; and apply it to the case of mankind in general.

Both Cain and Abel sacrificed to God : and ^ the Lord

• had respect to Abel and his offering ; but unto Cain and to

• his ofl^ering he had noi respect’ (Gen. iv. 4, 5.). Now it was ’ by faith’ in the promised seea that Abel offered the ‘more excellent sacrifice’ (Heb. xi. 4.) ; and thus it is only when they * spring of faith in Jesus Christ,’ that good works

• make men meet to receive his grace, and the inspiration of *his Spirit,’ which are neoesssary to counteract the fatal effects of the Fall.

4. What do you understand by Grace of Con- gruity ; and to what is it Theologically opposed ?

Grace qf Congruity is a term employed by the School- men to express a certam degree of grace, which a man, who has attained by his natural powers to the required state of moral Jitriesty claims of Gtod de congr^io. It is opposed to a fui-ther extension of grace, in virtue whereof he arrives at a state of merit, to which eternal happiness is due {ex con- digno) as a right. This latter is called Grace of Con- dignity,

5. Who were the Schoolmen ?

The Schoolmen were the originators of a system of Theology, called the Scholastic, which professed to reduce Divinity to a kind of Science, and to establish the doc- ti-ines of Christianity on metaphysical principles. Many of the disputes which still agitate the Church may be traced to their discussions ; and though the terms which they em- ployed, such as Predestination, Reprobation, Perseverance, and the like, have become almost essential to the language of divines, the controversies respecting the doctrines which they involve have been pregnant with deplorable mischief to

54: QUESTIONS AND ANSWEB8 ON

the peace of the Church. The Soholastio system arose in the 11th Century, and continued to ei^oy a high celebrity dui’ing-the 3 follow^ing-centuries.

6. Whence is it that works before Justification are said to have the nature of sin ?

’ them to be done.’ If not perfectly good, they doubtless ’ have the nature of sin. *

7. Do the views expressed in this article tend to exclude all, who have not embraced Christianity^ from God’s favour ?

Unquestionably the views of this Article include all those who have not lived under the Gospel ; but though the works of all such persons are here declared to have the nature of sin, it does not follow that they will therefore fail of Salva- tion. ^ A willing mind is accepted according to that a man ’ hath, and not according to that he hath not ’ (2 Cor. vIii. 12.) ; so that all of every age, who have not heard the name of Christ, but have *been a law unto themselves ’ (Rom.ii. 14.), will partake of the all-s^ffioient merits of his atonement.

8. Does it appear that the writers of the primi- tive Church entertained opinions in accordance with the doctrine of this Article ?

Ignatius observes (ad Ephes. 0. 8.) that thet/y mho are carnal, cannot do the things that are spiritual : neither can unbelief do the works qf faith, — As the wild olive, says Iren- »us (Hfflr. V. 10.), if it be not grafted, continues useless to the onmer ; so mari, who receives not the grafting qf the Spirit by faith, continues to be what lie was b^ore, flesh atid blooa, which cannot inherit the kingdom qf u^od. — Chrysostom, in his Sermon de,fide S;c., speaks thus : Tou shaujind many which have not the true Jaith, and are not of dhrisfs flock, and yet appear to abound in works (f mercy ; you shall find them fmt qf pity, and compassion, and justice : and yet they have no frtiu oj their works, because the chief woTK is wanting.