:

give alms get you bags which wax not old, a treasure that cannot fail in heaven, where no thief cometh, and where the moth corrupteth nothing." Luke xii. 33. Also, When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blessed; because they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Luke xiv. 13, 14. Also, “I was an hungered, I thirsted, I was a stranger, naked, sick, and in prison, and in all things ye helped me by your service. Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you did these things to one of the least of my brethren, ye did them to me. Come hither, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the world." Matt. xxv. 34-40. By these it is plain and manifest, that those works which proceed of faith, do please God, and are rewarded with abundant grace; to wit, with the recompense of all kind of good things and blessings, both in this life, and in the life to come.

Lastly, this doctrine is shut up with this or such like exhortation : that no man can perfectly do these works of Christian godliness, or fully perform the commandments of God; and that no man can be found, who doth not fail in any part thereof, and who is clean without sin as it is written, "There is not a man so just on the earth, who doth uprightly, and sinneth not:" Eccles. vii. 20. and that therefore every one ought to seek and to enjoy his perfection in Christ Jesus; in his grace, precious sacrifice, and merit, by that faith and justification of his, which consisteth in the remission of sins; if he will not have any thing in himself that may deserve damnation. For Christ alone is our perfection, and fulfilling of the law, our life and righteousness; and whosoever receive him by faith, and do wholly trust in him, these men have all their sins washed away in the blood of Christ, so that afterward they need not to fear condemnation. For thus Paul writeth, " Therefore now there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, which do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." Rom. viii. 1. For to these men "Christ, is made of God wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." 1 Cor. i. 30.

V. FROM THE CONFESSION OF FRANCE.

Art. 13. We believe that our whole righteousness doth consist in the remission of our sins, which is also, as David doth testify, our only felicity. Therefore we do utterly reject all other means, whereby men do think that they may be justified before God; and,

casting away all opinion of virtues and merits, we do altogether rest in the only obedience of Jesus Christ, which is imputed to us, both that all our sins may be covered, and also that we may obtain grace before God. To conclude, we believe that we cannot find where to rest ourselves, if we decline never so little from this foundation; but rather that we shall be always unquiet, because we are not at peace with God, till we be certainly persuaded that we are loved in Jesus Christ; because that in ourselves we are worthy of all hatred.

Art. 20. We believe that by faith alone we are made partakers of this righteousness; as it is written, He suffered, to purchase salvation for us, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish." John iii. 16. And this is therefore done, because the promises of life, offered to us in him, are then applied to our use, and made effectual to us, when we do embrace them; nothing doubting but that we shall enjoy those things, whereof the Lord by his own mouth hath assured us. Therefore that righteousness, which we obtain by faith, doth depend upon free promises, whereby the Lord doth declare and testify that we are beloved of him.

Art. 21. We believe, that by the secret grace of the Holy Ghost we are indued with the light of faith; which is the free gift of God, and is proper to them alone, to whom it hath pleased God to give it so that the faithful have not whereof to boast in themselves, seeing that rather they are more than double debtors, because they are preferred before others. And further we believe, that faith is given to the elect, not that they might once only be brought into the right way, but rather that they may go forward therein unto the end; because that, as the beginning is of God, so is also the accomplishment.

Art. 22. We believe that we, who by nature are the servants of sin, are regenerated unto a new life by means of this same faith. And by this faith we receive grace to live holily, while we do embrace that Evangelical promise, that the Lord will give unto us the Holy Ghost. Therefore it is so far that faith should extinguish the desire to live well and holily, that it doth rather increase and kindle it in us: whereupon good works do necessarily follow. Nevertheless, although God, that he may fully save us, do regenerate us, and frame us to a holy life; yet we confess, that the good works which we do, by the direction of his Spirit, are not so regarded of God, as that we should be justified thereby, or deserve to be counted the children of God: because we should waver with a perpetual doubting and trembling, unless we should rely upon that only satisfaction,

whereby Christ Jesus hath discharged us of the punishment or forfeit for our offence.

VI. FROM THE CONFESSION OF ENGLAND.

Art. 20. Besides, though we say we have no shelter at all in our own works and deeds, but appoint all the means of our salvation to be in Christ alone; yet say we not, that for this cause men ought to live loosely and dissolutely nor that it is enough for a Christian, to be baptized only, and to believe; as though there were nothing else required at his hand. For true faith is lively, and can in no wise be idle. Thus therefore teach we the people; that God hath called us, not to follow riot, and wantonness, but, as St. Paul saith, "unto good works, to walk in them :" Ephes. ii. 10. that we are delivered from the power of darkness, Col. i. 13. to the end that we should serve the living God: Heb. ix. 14. to cut away all the remnants of sin, and to work out our salvation in fear and trembling: Phil. ii. 12. that it may appear that the Spirit of sanctification is in our bodies, and that Christ himself dwelleth in our hearts.

VII. FROM THE CONFESSION OF SCOTLAND.

Article 13. Of the Cause of Good Works.

So that the cause of good works we confess to be, not our free will, but the Spirit of our Lord Jesus; who, dwelling in our hearts by true faith, bringeth forth such good works, as God hath prepared for us to walk in. Ephes. ii. 10. For this we most boldly affirm, that it is blasphemy to say, that Christ abideth in the hearts of such, in whom there is no Spirit of sanctification. And therefore we fear not to affirm, that murderers, oppressors, cruel persecutors, adulterers, whoremongers, filthy persons, idolaters, drunkards, thieves, and all workers of iniquity, have neither true faith, neither any portion of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, so long as obstinately they continue in their wickedness. For how soon soever the Spirit of the Lord Jesus (which God's elect children receive by true faith) taketh possession in the heart of any man, so soon doth he regenerate and renew the same man; so that he beginneth to hate that which before he loved, and beginneth to love that which before he hated. And from thence cometh that continual battle which is betwixt the flesh and the Spirit in God's children: Gal. v. 17. so that the flesh and natural man, according to their own corruption, lusteth for things pleasing and delectable unto itself; grudgeth in adversity, is lifted up in prosperity, and at every moment is prone and ready to offend

the majesty of God. But the Spirit of God, which giveth witnessing to our spirit that we are the sons of God, Rom. viii. 16. maketh us to resist filthy pleasures, and to groan in God's presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption; Ver. 22. and finally, so triumpheth over sin, that it reigneth not in our mortal bodies. Rom. vi. 12. This battle have not carnal men, being destitute of God's Spirit; but do follow and obey sin with greediness, and without repentance, even as the devil and their corrupt lusts do provoke them. But the sons of God, as before is said, do fight against sin, do sob and mourn, when they perceive themselves tempted to iniquity; and if they fall, they rise again with unfeigned repentance and these things they do, not by their own power, but by the power of the Lord Jesus, without whom they were able to do nothing. John xv. 5.

Article 14. What Works are reputed Good before God.

We confess and acknowledge, that God hath given to man his holy law, in which not only are forbidden all such works as displease and offend his Godly Majesty, but also are commanded all such as please him, and as he hath promised to reward. Exod. xx. 1—17. Deut. v. 1-21. And these works be of two sorts. The one are done to the honour of God, the other to the profit of our neighbours. And both have the revealed will of God for their assurance. To have one God, to worship and honour him, to call upon him in all our troubles, to reverence his holy name, to hear his word, to believe the same, to communicate with his holy Sacraments, are the works of the First Table. To honour father, mother, princes, rulers, and superior powers; to love them, to support them, yea, to obey their charges, (not repugning the commandments of God;) to save the lives of innocents, to repress tyranny, to defend the oppressed, to keep our bodies clean and holy, to live in soberness and temperance, to deal justly with all men, both in word and deed; Ezek. xxii. 13. 1 Thess. iv. 6. and finally, to repress all appetite of our neighbour's hurt, are the good works of the Second Table; which are most pleasing and acceptable to God, as those works that are coinmanded by himself. Ephes. vi. 1-7. The contrary whereof is sin most odious, which always displeaseth him and provoketh him to anger: Ezek. xxii. 1-12. Jer. xxii. 3—5. Isai. 1. 1. as, not to call upon him alone, when we have need; not to hear his word with reverence; to contemn and despise it; to have, or to worship idols; to maintain and defend idolatry; lightly to esteem the reverend name

of God; to profane, abuse, or contemn the Sacraments of Christ Jesus; to disobey or resist any that God hath placed in authority, Rom. xiii. 2. (whilst they pass not over the bounds of their office ;) to murder, or to consent thereto; to bear hatred, or to suffer innocent blood to be shed, if we may withstand it; and finally, the transgression of any other commandment in the First or Second Table, we confess or affirm to be sin; by the which God's anger and displeasure is kindled against the proud and unthankful world. So that good works we affirm to be those only, that are done in faith, and at God's commandment; who in his law hath expressed what the things be that please him. And evil works we affirm not only those that expressly are done against God's commandment; but those also that, in matters of religion, and in worshipping of God, have no other assurance but the invention and opinion of man: which God from the beginning hath ever rejected, as by the Prophet Isaiah we are taught; chap. xxix. 13, 14. and by our Master Christ Jesus, in these words, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the precepts of men." "Matt. xv. 9.

VIII. FROM THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA.

Art. 22. We believe that the Holy Ghost, dwelling in our hearts, doth bestow upon us true faith, that we may attain unto the knowledge of this so great a mystery. The which faith doth embrace Jesus Christ with all his merits, doth challenge him unto itself as proper and peculiar, and doth seek for nothing besides him. For it is necessary that either all those things which are required unto our salvation be not in Christ, or, if all be in him, that then he which by faith possesseth Jesus Christ, hath also perfect salvation. Therefore it is an horrible blasphemy against God, to affirm that Christ is not sufficient, but that we have need of other means besides him. For thereupon it should follow, that Christ is only in part our Saviour. Wherefore we do justly say, with St. Paul, that we are justified by faith alone, Rom. v. 1. or by faith, without the works of the law. Gal. ii. 16. Yet to speak properly, we do not mean, that faith, by itself, or of itself, doth justify us; which is but only as an instrument, whereby we apprehend Christ, which is our justice. Christ therefore himself is our righteousness, which imputeth all his merits unto us: faith is but the instrument, whereby we are coupled unto him by a participation and communion of all his benefits, and whereby we are kept in that fellowship. So that all those our