pei Spiritum Sanctum veteris Adami mortificatio et renovatio in spiritu mentis eorum inchoata sit : tamen vetus Adam in ipsa na- tura, omnibusque illius interioribus et exterioribus viribus adhuc semper inhaeret." Calvin 1 says, " Seligat ex tota sua vita sanc- tus Dei servus, quod in ejus cursu maxime eximium se putabit edidisse, bene revolvat singulas partes : deprehendet procul dubio alicubi quod carnis putredinem sapiat, quando numquam ea est nostra alacritas ad bene agendum quae esse debet, sed in cursu retardando multa debilitas. Quanquam non obscuras esse maculas videmus, quibus respersa sint opera sanctorum, fac tamen minutis- simos esse naevos duntaxat : sed an oculos Dei nihil offendent, coram quibus ne stellae quidem purae sunt ? Habemus, nee unum a Sanctis exire opus, quod, si in se censeatur, non mereatur justam opprobrii mercedem."
Romish Doctrine on Good Works.
Against the doctrine that the best works of the believer are imperfect, the Romanists are especially denunciatory. And with good reason. It subverts their whole system, which is founded on the assumed merit of good works. If the best works of the saints merit •• justam opprobrii mercedem" (i. e., condemnation), they cannot merit reward. Their argument on this subject is, that if the Protestant doctrine be true which declares the best works of the believer to be imperfect ; then the fulfilment of the law is impossible ; but if this be so, then the law is not binding ; for God does not command impossibilities. To this it may be an- swered, first, that the objection is inconsistent with the doctrine of Romanists themselves. They teach that man in his natural state since the fall is unable to do anything good in the sight of God, until he receives the grace of God communicated in baptism. According to the principle on which the objection is founded, the law does not bind the unbaptized. And secondly, the objection assumes the fundamental principle of Pelagianism, namely that ability limits obligation ; a principle which, in the sphere of morals, is contrary to Scripture, consciousness, and the common judgment of mankind. We cannot be required to do what is impossible because of the limitation of our nature as creat- ures, as to create a world, or raise the dead ; but to love God perfectly does not exceed the power of man as he came from the hands of his maker. It is not absolutely, but only relatively impossible, that is, in relation of the thing commanded, to us not
1 Institutio, in. xiv. 9 ; edit Berlin, 1834, partii. p. 37.
234 PART in. Ch. xvhl — sanctification.
as men, but as sinners. Although it is essential to the Romish doctrine of merit, of indulgences, of works of supererogation, and of purgatory, that the renewed should be able perfectly to fulfil the demands of the law, nevertheless, Romanists themselves are compelled to admit the contrary. Thus Bellarmin says,1 " Defec- tus charitatis, quod videlicet non faciamus opera nostra tanto fer- vore dilectionis, quanto faciemus in patria, defectus quidem est, sed culpa et peccatum non est Unde etiam charitas nos- tra, quamvis comparata ad charitatem beatorum sit imperfecta, tamen absolute perfecta dici potest." That is, although our love is in fact imperfect, it may be called perfect. But calling it per- fect, does not alter its nature. To the same effect another of the leading theologians of the Roman Church, Andradius, says, " Pec- cata venalia per se tarn esse minuta et levia, ut non adversentur perfectioni caritatis, nee impedire possint perfectam et absolutam legis obedientiam : utpote quae non sint ira Dei et condemnatione, sed venia digna, etiamsi Deus cum illis in judicium intret."2 That is, sins are not sins, because men choose to regard them as
trivial.
Works of Supererogation.
But if no work of man since the fall in this life is perfectly good, then it not only follows that the doctrine of merit must be given up, but still more obviously, all works of supererogation are impossible. Romanists teach that the renewed may not only completely satisfy all the demands of the law of God, which requires that we should love Him with all the heart, and all the mind, and all the strength, and our neighbour as ourselves ; but that they can do more than the law demands, and thus acquire more merit than they need for their own salvation, which may be made available for those who lack.
It is impossible that any man can hold such a doctrine, unless he first degrades the law of God by restricting its demands to very narrow limits. The Romanists represent our relation to God as analogous to a citizen's relation to the state. Civil laws are limited to a narrow sphere. They concern only our social and po- litical obligations. It is easy for a man to be a good citizen ; to fulfil perfectly all that the law of the land requires. Such a man, through love to his country, may do far more than the law can demand. He may not only pay tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, and honour to whom honour ; but he may
1 De. Justification^ rv. xvii ; Disputationes, edit. Paris, 1608, vol. iv. p. 933, b.
3 Se Chemnitz, Examen, De Bonis Operibus, in. edit. Frankfort, 1574, part i. p. 209, a.