VII. Of the Merit of Works

On this subject, the Catholic Church teaches, " that eternal life is offered to the children of God by means of the promise made to us through Jesus Christ, and as a reward for our works done in virtue of that promise."

This is the definition of the Council of Trent ; but lest pride should lead us to form any presumptuous opinion of our own merits, it further teaches, that all value attached to our works arises from the sanctifying grace which is freely given to each in the name of the Son of God, and any good effect perceived in us is the effect of His influence as the Divine Head directing its members. The precepts, commands, threats, and promises, of Holy Scripture, shew very clearly that we are to work out our salvation in union with and by means of the grace of God. And it is equally evident that we cannot of our own free will, unaided by the Holy Spirit, produce any works which can be said to further our salvation.

Thus the Church, knowing that all our good works are the operation of the Holy Spirit, fears not to teach us that these works are of necessity pleasing to God, and of no little value in His loving sight, and therefore she uses the term " meritorious," as did the primitive Christians, to shew how works done under God's grace are valued and prized. St. Augustine says, " God crowns His own gifts when He accepts the works of His servants," and this is the opinion of the Catholic Church given by the Council of Trent ; teaching that what holiness there is in them proceeds from God's grace in us " working both to will and to do of His good pleasure."

And I must claim a little patience while I detail, a little at length, what the Council of Trent says on good works, in order to dispel the false ideas that are imputed to the Catholic Church on this doctrine.

"Behold," say the Fathers of this Council, "what value Holy Scripture puts upon good works ; Jesus promises that a cup of cold water given in His name shall not go unrewarded. The Holy Apostle tells us that our lesser sufferings here, shall work for us an eternal weight of glory hereafter ; still we would that no man should boast, or trust in anything but in his Lord, whose mercy is so great that He wills that His own gifts to the soul should be imputed to her." In another place it also says, " We who can do nothing of ourselves, may yet do all things through Him that strengthens us, so that we have no ground for boasting, but we may glory in Him, in Whom we live, through Whom we work, and by Whom we are justified, in Whose merits our deeds of penitence are accounted worthy and by Whom they are presented to God the Father, and finally accepted by Him ; wherefore, whatever we do or ask for, or when we give thanks, we do so in the Name of the Lord Jesus. We acknowledge we are only agreeable to God through and in Him, and we can hardly understand how such false notions can be attributed to us, since we daily use these words in the Sacrifice of the Mass, " Grant to us, Lord, Thy sinful creatures, Thy servants, who trust, through Thy manifold mercies, to enjoy hereafter some part and fellowship with the Blessed Apostles and Martyrs, into the number of whom we pray Thee to receive us, not weighing our merits, but pardoning us by the grace and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Will the Church never be able to persuade her children, now become her adversaries, either by the explanation of her faith, or by the decisions of her councils, or the prayers of her Sacrifice, that she believes she has no life in her of herself, and that her trust is in Jesus Christ alone ? This confidence is so strong that it impresses upon the children of God, who walk faithfully in His ways, " that peace which passeth all understanding," as the Apostle predicts ; but though this confidence is stronger than all the promises and threats of the world, and is able to quiet our consciences, be they ever so troubled, God does not permit it to extinguish all fear, because if we were assured that He could not abandon us, we are never certain that we shall not forfeit it by our own fault in rejecting His inspirations. It has pleased Him thus to temper by this wholesome fear, the confidence with which He inspires His children ; because, as says St. Augustine, " such is our infirmity in this world of temptations and perils, that a full security would produce pride and laxity," instead of which, according to the Apostle, it is this fear which makes us " work out our salvation with fear and trembling," it makes us watchful and draws us in humble submission towards Him " Who worketh in us by His grace, to will and to do of His good pleasure." Here, then, is all that is necessary in the doctrine of justification ; and our adversaries are most unreasonable, if they do not confess that this teaching is sufficient to convince Christians that they are to give God the glory of their salvation through Jesus Christ.

If after this they still choose to enter into arguments and subtle questions on the subject, they ought to recollect that they have no right to treat us with such rigour, when they give so much latitude to the Lutherans and their own sect on predestination and grace : at least they should first enquire whether we really teach what is necessary for the salvation of the soul. If they would only limit themselves to this enquiry, they could easily be satisfied and answered. Moreover we should soon bring them to see how false is the notion, that by advocating and teaching the absolute necessity of good works, we thereby destroy the grace of God, when really we are most careful to inculcate that we owe all to Him.

The Council of Trent has expressed this in the clearest manner, " First, that our sins are only remitted by God's mercy and for the sake of Christ Jesus. Secondly, that it is to the gift of the Holy Spirit we attribute the righteousness that is in us entirely; and Thirdly, that all our good works are but gifts of God's grace to us." However, I believe the better informed and more enlightened Protestants now understand us on this head, and even agree that they do not see a cause of division here.

And if this essential difficulty as to their view of justification by faith has no longer the importance their early advocates attributed to it, and is not regarded by them now as a vital doctrine, we leave them to think how their separation ought to be looked upon by us, and what should be expected of them for the sake of peace, could they but rise above prejudice and abandon the spirit of controversy.