Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 74
CHAP. LXXIIII. Of good Workes, and our obedience to his word.
IT is written, Exod. 10 5. 6. Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, and so did they. And the Apostle Paul saith, that of our selues we can doe nothing. Yet through the Lord Iesus we are able to doe all things. VponUpon such like places the Papists gather that the commandements may be kept. I answere, that those words concerning Moses and Aaron are toNumb. 20. be referred to that particular action of bringing the people out of Aegypt: for both before, and after we see many infirmities in them, yea with what temporall punishments are they punished, that they cannot enter into the promised land. That also that was saide of Noah, is to be referred to the making of the Arke, Gen. 6. 22. So when Dauid prayeth to be heard according to his righteousnes, it is in respect of that cause which he had in hād, for the which his enemies did persecute him. Againe, the children of God from time to time hauehave fallen into great sinnes; as Noah, Abraham, Lot, and Dauid, whose examples we ought to lay vp in our hearts, to keepe vsus from despaire, when we feele infirmities in vsus.
2 Nothing is so auaileable to obedience as the due consideration of Gods ordinance.
3 The obedience of God is as a chaine to tie vp all the creatures of God from our hurt,Obedience. and as a thing to muzzle their mouthes that they cannot bite vsus. Againe, disobedience breaketh the chaine, and openeth the mouthes of all things to our destruction.
4 In good works we must not onelyonly be wrought vponupon as patients, but worke as agents.Good workes There be three speciall signes of good workes: first, a good worke must hauehave it foundationThree signes of good works in the word, for a good worke is grounded on a good word, and eueryevery plant, that is not planted in God his Eden, shall be plucked vp. In vaine we worship the Lord, with our1. Word. owne traditions, whatsoeuer thou doest, doe it, because God commaundeth thee. Now because wicked men may doe good things, as sacrifice, heare the word, pray, build houses, vse hospitalitie, &c. we must next see whether these be apples of the tree of faith or no, which only purifieth the heart, Act. 15. and euen makes the actions pure. Kain kneeleth at the altar,2. Faith. Habel kneeleth at the altar, both sacrifice, both obey the commandements, in both the same worke according to the same word: but the one offers in faith, the other not. Chore offered his sacrifice, Aaron offers his sacrifice, the same worke, but not the same faith. Esau leesing the blessing wept, Peter leesing Christ wept: here are teares alike, but not in truth alike. Iudas said peccaui. Dauid said peccaui: here is repentance, the worke like, the faith vnlike. Yea againe, as we must looke to hauehave a writ from the Lord, and with a good writ hauehave3. The end, Gods glorie. a good heart; so we must beware we looke not at these things with a squint eye. The Pharisie prayeth in the market places, he would hauehave a good worke in hand, but his heart was not right, it was mixed with a little leauen of vaine-glorie. Heere then falles all the great workes of Papists, who will plucke part of their saluation from God, and make the Lord to become debtor to them, wheras euen the very works of Christ without the promise could neuer hauehave merited saluation. We must say rather, my well doing O Lord, extendeth not vntounto thee, all that I doe, is nothing, I am still an vnprofitable seruant. Now all men must doe good workes, for the law being written for all, shall be exacted of all. VnderUnder the steward we are all contained, we must all appeare, we must giuegive an account, eueryevery tree, that bringeth not forth fruit, as well the vaste oke of Bashan, as the low shrub shall be all cast into the fire. It still runnes in an vniuersalitie, yea the very reprobate must doe well, and though he cannot attaine heauen, yet his condemnation is not so deepe, his worme is not so sore, his stripes are not so many. But is none more bound to doe well, than others? Yes the faithfull. If a brother offend, admonish him. Though the ignorant shall hauehave stripes, yet they that know the trueth, shall hauehave moe stripes. If I had not come saith Christ, yee should not hauehave had such sinnes, but now hauehave ye not wherewithall to couer them, yea of the children of God one is more bound to good workes than another. VponUpon eueryevery soule commeth tribulation, vponupon the Iew, &c. Who, for that they had the Prophets, the tabernacle,On whom to conferre our well doings. the couenant, and we for hauing good Ministers and Magistrates are especially bound to good works. If we would know on whom we should shew these works, I answere vniuersally on all, euen as our heauenly Father doth on all; yet this hath also a bound and restraint, Gal. 6. 10. Let vsus doe good vntounto all men, but especially to those that are of the household of faith. Among them also they are especially to be helped, which most stand in need of our helpe, as we may see in the man in the Gospell that lay wounded. Lastly, to shewProtestants most boūd to good workes. why we must prouoke and be prouoked to good workes, to passe Iewes and Gentiles we will come to Protestants, who are most bound to good workes. We are slandered to denie good workes, because we would supplant and depose them out of the chaire of Christ, and denie them to hauehave the prerogatiue of saluation. But we defend good workes. First, we affirme1 good workes out of Ephes. 5. 1. Be ye followers of God as deare children, because as God hath called vsus to be his children, so herein we ought to resemble his image by doing good both to iust & vniust. Secondly, where it is said, Tit. 2. 12. that Christ gaue himselfe for vsus to2 this end, that he might redeeme vsus from all iniquitie, and purge vsus to be a peculiar people to himselfe, zealous of good workes, we also say, that we are debtors to doe good. And surely this commends all the paines of Christ, if we be zealous of good workes: so not to be giuen to good works doth in some sort crucifie him again. But it is enough that we hauehave once grieued him on earth, & therfore let vsus not grieue him in heauen also. Thirdly, being the temples3 of the holy Ghost, 1. Cor. 6. 19. it were a despite against the Lord, if we make the houseMotiues to good works. of God the stye of Sathan, and sincke of sinne. Fourthly, the Angels reioyce to see a sinner repent, as also there is great sorrow, when a Professor falleth away, the heauens seeme to4 be clothed with blacke thereat, and the Angels weare mourning attire. But to come down from heauen to earth. Fiftly, whereas the rankest heretikes hauehave had often great feelings5 (whereby this is no good way to saluation, to thinke our selues sure in a carnall securitie) Peter teacheth vsus another way: Make your election sure by good workes. 2. Pet. 1. 10. as by a signe consequent, not as by a cause antecedent. Sixtly, we must by good works auoyd the offending of our brethren, least that as Lot was vexed among the Sodomites, we grieue the6 hearts of the Saints. Seuenthly, as we are not to grieue strong Lot, so wee must not offend the weake ones, for whose sakes wee must abridge somewhat from our libertie in things7 lawfull: and much more cut off our licentiousnesse in things that be vnlawfull. Eightly, we must do good euen for the wicked. Wherefore the Apostle, I. Pet. 3. 2. admonisheth wiues8 so to liue, that euen they which obey not the word, may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues. If women are thus charged, then much more men. Ninthly, because the Diuell not barred out by good workes, doth make vsus his pallace, or rather his paunch, or9 his stable; and at the fall of a righteous man, the damned doe (as it were) make great bonefires in hell, let vsus bring forth the fruites of righteousnesse, which may make the Diuell to some in fretting, and worke more madnes and melancholie in the damned. Tenthly: for10 the confusion of the wicked in the last day, it shalbe good by wel-doing to redeeme some comfortable confidence of our being in CHRIST, against that day, when the sides of the wicked shall lie panting in paine. Now to make vp the number of a douzen, wee may be11 moued to doe good works, by considering the ende of the godly, and the end of the wicked, Mat. 25. These reasons many and waighty, shall redeeme vsus from this reproch, wherewith12 our enemies doe charge vsus.
6 To doe good is worth the doing, albeit in vaine, and as Sencca saith: He is a perfect man Perdere beneficium & dare, non dare & perdere.that can loose a benefite & giuegive it, not to giuegive & loose it. But whose is the hurt? CHRIST preached in vaine to the Iewes, and Noah to the old world, and Lot to the Sodomites, but were Noah, Lot, and Christ hurt for it? And yet many writers think no good worke is in vaine toWe must doe good, though it seeme to be in vaine. him that it is done too. But certainely to him that doth it, it is not in vaine: there is a great reward for them in the life to come. And in that respect GOD will hauehave his children doe manie good works in vaine. As to Moses he said, Goe preach to Pharaoh, he shall not heare thee, yet goe. Againe, that which is well done, is better done then not done: for then it perisheth with them, otherwise it should perish with thy selfe.
7 There is none hath a priuiledge whereby he is exempted from doing of good works.Good works. The Law is giuen to all, Iohn 10. EueryEvery one had his Talent, Luc. 19. EueryEvery one shall beare his burthen, Gal. 6 EueryEvery one shall stand before the Tribunall of GOD: eueryevery mans blood shall be vponupon his owne head, Ezech. 5▪ EueryEvery Tree that bringeth not forth fruite, shall be cut downe, Matth. 3. Tribulation and anguish shalbe vponupon eueryevery soule, Rom. 2. Thus wee still see it runnes of all and eueryevery one. The reason is, God accepteth no persons, neither in giftes of Nature, nor in giftes of Grace, nor in iudgements, euen the little Hills, the small Trees, not one pinne made of an vnfruitfull tree. But are the wicked tyed to doe good workes? Yea, euen they, Matth. 11. it is saide, it shall bee easier for some, then for others, which is interpreted, Matth. 8. that there is vtter darknes: whereas Basil saith, the greatest sinnes goe thither, and Luc. 7. Hee that knoweth his Mastere will, &c. Euen the wicked must doe good to make their iudgement easier, their stripes fewe…, and their place better. MustScôtos tò exótero…. Amartimata exótera. Extreame sinnes goe into extreame darknes. We must doe good to all men. anie, more then others doe good workes? yes, the Christian must especially bee zealous of good workes, Tit. 2. warne them that belieue, Tit. 3. 14. and in the ende of the same chapter, Let our men learne to shewe forth good works: what manner men ought we to bee? 2. Pet. 3. If any that is counted a brother. I. Cor. 5. Now then among Christians who are most bound? Tribulation, &c. on the Iewe first, &c. The reason is, for they had the Oracles of GOD, Rom. 3. 1. 2. Hee that knoweth his Masters will, and doth it not, that fellow sinneth indeede: so then this person, on whome the powring of the oyntment hath bene first, ought to bee most thankfull in good works. We must doe good euen to all. Be merciful as … am, Luc 6. and we knowe he suffereth his sunne to shine ouerall. The reason is, God his image is in all. But especially to the faithfull. Iob. 22. I cannot profite thee, &c. Psalm. 16. My well doing extendeth not to thee, but to thy Saints. It is Christ his owne desire, Luc. 22. Whe… thou art 1conuerted, confirme thy brethren. We can doe him no good, but in his Saints. And yet …o go2 further, to him most of all that is wounded, as to the Samaritane, Luke, 13. If he neede our3 helpe, though he be a Samaritane. God could hauehave made there should hauehave bene no needeTo doe good duties to the soule. of them, but for that he would trie the liberalitie of the rich, and the patience of the poore. Then much more to the soule, which is the subiect of immortalitie, must wee shew welldoing in pittie and compassion.4