# supererogation



## Scott (May 18, 2005)

Does anyone have any background info on Ch. 16.4 of the WCF: "They who, in their obedience, attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do."

What, if any, were the historical circumstances leading to a denial of supererogation? As I understand, supererogation is a Roman doctrine and is part and parcel with their prayers to saints. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the merits of the saints (along with those of Christ and Mary) fill a treasury of heaven. These can be drawn on for indulgences and other things. 

I think this is important to refuting Roman arguments that support prayers to saints. Some argue that praying to a saint is merely like asking a good living person to pray for you (which we all do). As I understand, it involves more. The selection of saints for prayer is b/c via supererogation they have filled heaven's terasuries with merits. 

Here is par. 956 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:




> "Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness. . . . They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus . . . . So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."



Here is 1476-77 on the treasury of heaven:



> 1476 We also call these spiritual goods of the communion of saints the Church's treasury, which is "not the sum total of the material goods which have accumulated during the course of the centuries. On the contrary the 'treasury of the Church' is the infinite value, which can never be exhausted, which Christ's merits have before God. They were offered so that the whole of mankind could be set free from sin and attain communion with the Father. In Christ, the Redeemer himself, the satisfactions and merits of his Redemption exist and find their efficacy."88
> 
> 1477 "This treasury includes as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are truly immense, unfathomable, and even pristine in their value before God. In the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of all the saints, all those who have followed in the footsteps of Christ the Lord and by his grace have made their lives holy and carried out the mission in the unity of the Mystical Body."



It is interesting that I was watching the Luther movie (awesome movie BTW) the other night and noticed that Tetzel's speech use nearly identical language concerning the treasury of heaven. I reversed, pulled my wife in the room and replayed, saying that this is exactly what they still teach.


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## turmeric (May 18, 2005)

I think the Romanists were the first denomination to preach a "higher life". The "Saints" were super-Christians, the rest of us are pretty mediochre, according to Rome. The Catholic Church was more radical about this than modern-day perfectionists, they actually believe that these people have more righteousness than any one person needs. A true saint knows his only righteousness is not his but Christ's.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (May 19, 2005)

Supererogation has to do with the idea, notably advocated by Thomas Aquinas, that some good works are morally good but not mandatory, just optional. The Good Samaritan situation is often cited as an example. One is not required, according to this line of thinking, to go out of one's way to help someone, but in doing so that person stores up spiritual "extra credit" which can be applied to others or to oneself. The distinction involves obedience to specific commands vs. general counsel of what is good to do. 

The various commentaries on the Westminster Confession by A.A. Hodge, David Dickson, Robert Shaw, et al., as well as Dabney's Systematic Theology, etc. all address what the Confession was refuting in XVI.4. As Meg rightly stated, it is the Roman form of perfectionism which says that we can really earn spiritual brownie points for doing more than is required of us. 

It is a fundamentally erroneous way of viewing the requirements of God's law and our ability (truly, lack thereof) to earn our way to heaven. This false doctrine is easily refuted by the proof texts cited by the Confession, notably, Luke 17.10: 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.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (May 19, 2005)

David Dickson, _Truth's Victory Over Error_:



> Quest. V. "Are they who in their obedience, attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, so far from being able to supererrogate, and to do more than God requires, that they fall short of much, which in duty they are bound to do?"
> 
> Yes; Luke 17.10. Neh. 13.22. Gal. 15.17. Job 9.2,3.
> 
> ...


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