This  Article  was  not  among  those  of  1552,  but
was  added  in  1562.  It  is  opposed  to  the  Roman
Catholic  doctrine,  "  that  our  works  have  perfection
and  merit  in  them,  to  deserve  eternal  life.'*  Where-
as our  Church  holds,  that  even  the  best  works  have
some  alloy  and  mixture  of  frailty  in  them,  so  as  not
to  endure  the  severity  of  God's  scrutiny.  Never-
theless that  good  works,  springing  out  of  a  true
Christian  faith,  are  pleasing  to  God  in  Christ,  is
manifest  through  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament
Exhortations  to  practise  them  abound  in  it  e,  g.  ''  To
do  good  and  to  communicate  forget  not ;  for  with
such  sacrifices  God  is  well  pleased  ♦."  Yet  they
are  not  so  meritoriotis  as  to  put  away  sin;  finr
it  is  through  Christ  alone,  that  we  can  obtain  remis-

*  Heb.xiiuin.
BBIEP  IXPOSmON  OP  PART  IV.
8ion  of  sins.  Troe  faith  and  good  woiks  aie  in-
separable ;  being  as  necessaxily  connected,  as  a  tree
and  its  fruit  "  Faith  if  it  have  not  works  is  deadV
The  true  Christian  doctrine  is,  that  good  works  are
indUpensablej  but  not  sufficietU,  for  salvation.
Sect.  V.— Art.  XIII.
OF  WORKS   BEFORE    JUSTIFICATION.
Works  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the  inspiraium  if  Bis  Sfiritt
are  not  pleasant  to  Ood,  foratmmek  as  tkoy  spring  net  offitUhinJesiu
Christ!  neither  do  they  make  Men,  meet^  to  repeiwe  grata,  or(as^
school  authors  say)  deserve  grace  of  eongruity;  yea  rather,  fir  Aai
they  are  not  done  as  God  hath  trilled  and  commanded  them  to  be  done,
we  doubt  not  but  they  have  the  nature  of  sin.
