is required; whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

given them. But that any one should at the same time be both a debtor and a supererogator, is manifestly absurd.

WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION OPPOSITE TO THE DOCTRINES OF CHRIST.

c Luke xvii. 9, 10. "Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do." Luke xviii. 10-14.

ARTICLE XV.

Of Christ alone without Sin."

CHRIST, in the truth of our nature, was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which he

a This article relates to the former, and is put here as another bulwark against all works of supererogation, which, depending upon the supposed perfection of the saints, this latter likewise is here opposed. The compilers had probably in view also the old Pelagian doctrine of the impeccability of holy men. The article consists of two parts: in the former, Christ's freedom from sin is asserted; and in the latter, it is declared that all men are guilty of sin.

CHRIST A REAL MAN.

b That Christ, in the truth of our nature, was made like unto us in all things, that is, that Christ partook of the ordinary nature of man, was shewn under the second article.

was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world, and sin, as Saint John saith, was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized, and born again in Christ, yet offend in many things; and

YET NOT PECCABLE.

That Christ was free from sin of every species and denomination appears from the whole course of his life, as recorded in the Gospels; and it is expressly asserted in the following passages in the Epistles: "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." 1 Pet. ii. 22. "We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. iv. 15. Christ is also called, "Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." Heb. vii. 26. The Socinians hold that Christ was peccable, which seems to be a consequence of their considering him as a mere man, and of their denial of the doctrine of atonement.

d The Jews were commanded, when they celebrated the Passover, in commemoration of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, to choose out of their flocks a lamb without spot or blemish, and to offer it as a sacrifice to God. This was a type of Christ, who, being without spot or sin, offered himself to God as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world; and thence he is called the true Paschal Lamb. 1 Cor. v. 7. "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." John i. 29. "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Heb. ix. 26. "Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." 1 John iii. 5. "Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin."

PECCABILITY OF MAN.

e There is no mortal man that is, or ever was, perfectly Some few indeed are said in the Scripture to be

good.

if we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

righteous, such, for instance, as Noah, Job, and Zacharias; but they were only so comparatively, and according to the free and undeserved favour of God, who accepts of sincerity of mind instead of absolute perfection.

This latter part of the article was directed against the Pelagians, and others, who asserted that men after baptism might live without sin. But in the ancient fathers of the church we find a very opposite doctrine; "Let no one," says Cyprian, "flatter himself with the idea of being innocent, since nobody is innocent; and by extolling himself, a person would only aggravate his punishment. He is instructed and taught that he is guilty of sin every day, since he is commanded to pray every day." Some modern enthusiasts consider themselves as entirely free from sin; or at least assert, that sinless perfection may be attained. But Scripture declares, that "there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." Eccl. vii. 20. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' "1 John i. 8.

ARTICLE XVI.

Of Sin after Baptism.3

Not every deadly sin willingly committed after bap

a This article is directed against the doctrine of the Novatians of old, who held every sin committed after baptism to be unpardonable.

In the preceding article notice was taken of a sect of Christians who maintain the peccability of Christ; and in this we

tism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sins after baptism. After we have

have to argue against those who contend for the impeccability of man.

SIN NOT UNPARDONABLE.

b By deadly sin we are not to understand such sins as in the church of Rome are called mortal, in opposition to others called venial (which they get rid of by temporal punishment, as though all sin was not equally criminal in the sight of God,) but deadly sin is here to be understood as opposed to sins of ignorance and infirmity; for though in the strictness of justice, every sin is deadly, yet in the dispensation of the Gospel, those sins only are "deadly," that are wilfully and habitually continued in.

e Divines are by no means agreed concerning what is here called "Sin against the Holy Ghost." This sin is mentioned in the three first Gospels, Matt. xii. 31, 32; Mark iii. 28, 29. Luke xii. 10; from all which passages it is evident that it could not have been committed while our Saviour was upon earth, since he always speaks of the Holy Ghost, as not being to come till after his ascension into heaven, John vii. 39. and xvi. 7; and hence it would appear, that this sin consisted in finally rejecting the Gospel as preached by the apostles, though confirmed by "divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost." This sin was different from all other sins, and unpardonable in the men of that generation, since it indicated an invincible obstinacy of mind, in rejecting the best of all proofs that could be afforded of the divine mission of Christ. If this sin can exist in the present day, it must be open and professed blasphemy against Christ and his religion (the historians of which were inspired by the Holy Ghost,) in direct opposition to the plain dictates of reason and common sense.

d Gal. vi. 1. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may rise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent."

e Although the Holy Ghost purifies our minds, and assists and co-operates with us in the performance of our duty, yet he does not entirely take away the corruption and infirmity of our nature, nor does he destroy our free agency: and consequently "after we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given and fall into sin." St. Paul, speaking of his own liability to fall away "from grace given," says, "lest when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.' 1 Cor. ix. 27. But, as we may relapse from virtue into wickedness, so we may rise again and amend our lives." We may return to a sense of our duty, and again yield obedience to the influence of God's Holy Spirit: "and therefore they are to be condemned who say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent."

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REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

This is manifest from the examples of David, Peter, &c.; also from the exhortation, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Eph. iv. 30. And from the prayers of David, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation." Ps. li. 12. Since, then, God is ready to pardon repenting sinners, even repenting backsliders, the church should be so too. Luke xxii. 32. "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

f 1 John i. 10. "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

8 Christ, who hath left us a pattern of prayer, hath thereby taught us for ever to implore and beg the forgiveness of our sins; that as we, through the frailty of our nature, are always subject