Veneer on Article XIV: Of Works of Supererogation

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The Exposition.

INCE the Law of God is in every Part perfedt, and requires us to do every good Work , and since we are commanded to love God with all our Souls, and with all our Strength, as we are Luke x. 27. And fmce that Love requires the Performance of every good Work, what Room is there for Supererogation ? Further- more, the best of ua are to pray daily, that

their

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their Debts or Sins may be remitted -, but that Article XIV. any Man should be a Debtor nd a Superero- •VSJ gator at the fame Time, is plainly ridiculous to luppofe. The Arrogancy and Impiety of pre- tending to Supererogation, is likewise very ap- parent from the Parable of the Pharifee and the Publican, Luke xviii. lo, ii, 12, 13, I4. ivo Men ‘went up into the ‘temple to pray , the one a Pharifee and the other a Publican, he Pharifee flood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or even as this Publican. Ifaft twice in the IVeek I give I’ythes of all that 1 pojfefs. And the Publican standing afar off would not lift up fo much as his Eyes mito Heaven hut fmote upon his Breast f’y’f, God he merciful to me a Sinner. I tell you this Man went down to his House jufiified rather than the other: For every one that exalteth himself Jhall he abafed-, and he that humblcth himself jloall be exalted. Thus St. Cyprian teaches us, that we have nothing to glory of, since nothing is our own , it being afferted in the Gospel ac- cording to St, John that no Man can receive any Thing, except it be given him from Heaven, c. . And again. That no Maa ought to be lifted up on the Account of what he does, it being a Precept of Solomcfii that we are not to do for And then he cites Luke xvii. 7, 8, 9, 10. Which of you having a Servant “plowing. or feed— ing Cattle. will fay unto him by-and-hy. when he is come from the Field Go., and fit down to Meat ? And will not rather fay unto hm Make ready wherewith I may fup and gird thyfelf and serve

Teftim, ad ^uirln, lib. 3. cap.^.

Y 4 S8«4

Jn ExDofition on the

Article XIV. Until I have eaten and drunken and after- ’-‘VV joard thou Jhalt cat and drink ? Doth he thank that Servant hecatife he did the things that were commanded him ? I trow not. So likewise ye when ye Jloall have done all these ‘Things which are commanded you fay We are unprofitable Servants , we have done that which was our Duty to do *.

• See Fatrick’s Answer to the Touchftone, §. i8. Field of

the Church, page 331.

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Tbirty-Nine Articles.