The Marrow of Divinity, Religious treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Questions, and Cases of Conscience about our Actions, Natural, Civil, Recreative, Religious, &c.
Quest. WHat makes an Action good?
Answ. Every truly commendable and comfortable Action must consist of an absolute integrity of all concurrents, and requisites. For though some mixture of infirmities and imperfections will cleave to the face of the fairest action (an absolute unstained purity being incompatible with mortality) yet every several Ingredient must be attended, and temper… with its own particular goodnesse, and honesty, and seasonable conformity to the whole, or else the whole action, though right in other respects, is utterly disrobed of all true splendor, acceptation, and grace. Here a little leaven …oures the whole lump: and the iniquity, defect, and exorbitancy of any one ingredient, denominates the whole action naught.
Quest. What are the Ingredients requisite to make an Action good?
Answ. 1. It must be good in its own nature, and warranted by Gods Word, by which all things must be sanctified to us, 1 Tim. 4.5. Otherwise let the person be never so pleasing to God, his intentions never so good, his heart never so zealous, the meanes, circumstances, and end never so excellent, yet without this all is naught.
The Object about which the Action is exercised, must be qualified according to the Rules of Religion. As works of charity are sweet sacrifices to God: but amongst other cautions to season them, the Parties that are to partake of them, are to be singled out with godly discretion: For if we bestow our charity upon a sturdy begger, idle rogue, canting companion, we do not only lose the honour and comfort of our charity, but incur much guilt, &c.
We must look to the matter, else all may be marred. As for instance, the matter of our beneficence must be our own goods got lawfully, else in respect of divine allowance it will prove an abominable sacrifice.
The person must be pleasing to God, else his best deeds are but beautiful abominations. If the person be not justified by faith, and accepted through Christ, all his Actions, natural, civil, recreative, and religious are turned into sin, Prov. 15.8, 9. So in the Pharisee, Luke 18.14.
The heart must be sincere, else even the noblest duties of Religion are nothing worth. Judas preached and wrought miracles, yet was a desperate hypocrite: See how the Israelites sought God, and enqui…ed early after him, Psal. 78.34 &c. yet because their hearts were not upright God rejected them.
The meanes must be good: otherwise let there be never so exact a concurrence of all other causes, yet the glory and comfort of the Action is quite da…kned. As, suppose that by a lie thou couldst save thy neighbours life, yea, his soule, yea, the soules of all men upon earth, yet on thy part, all were naught: For we must not do evil that good may come of it, Rom. 3.8.
The circumstances must be seasonable: As for example: Private prayer is a duty, but then it must be in a fit place, not in the Synagogues nor corners of the streets: but in a secret place, Mat. 6.5, 6. Meditation of divine things is an excellent duty: but not when the Preacher is praying, &c.
The end must be answerable in goodnesse: In all our undertakings we must have our eye principally at Gods glory: otherwise, let all the duty be carried on never so plausibly in the eyes of men, its no better then the cutting off a dogs neck: Jehu did excellent service▪ by rooting out the idolatrous house of Ahab; and destroying Baals Priests: yet it was but murther in Gods account, Hosea 1.4. because he sought himself, and not Gods glory therein. See Boltons General Directions for a comfortable walking with God, p. 149.
Quest. VVhat things can make a good action to become evil?
Answ. 1. Impenitency in any sin will staine any action, be it in it self never so good, Isa. 1.13, to 16.
An evil end will defile a good action: As, to be seen of men, &c. Mat. 6.2, 6.
Unbelief makes all actions evil: For Heb. 11.6. when we either know not our warrant for it, or believe not Gods acceptation of it.
Rashnesse and indiscreti…n marrs good actions, Prov. 19.2. when we have not respect to the circum…ances of well-doing: when good duties are done rudely, &c. whereas we should be wise to do good, Rom. 16.19.
Unwillingnesse doth the like, when it seems evil to us to serve God, Josh. 24.14, 15. when our works are dead works, Hebr. 9.14. Deuteronomy 28.47.
When men bear not their own fruit, do not the duties of their own place, calling, and relations; as when a King will offer sacrifice: or a private person▪ or woman will preach, &c.
Confidence in the flesh marrs good actions: when men trust to their own wits, reason, skill, gifts, and do not all in the Name and Strength of Jesus Christ, Col. 3.17. Phil. 3.3.
Inconstancy shames any good action: when we are weary of well-doing, or decline, and go backwards: our righteousnesse being as the morning-dew.
Quest. Can any thing we do be good, when all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags? Isa. 64.6.
Ans. Our works in themselves are not good, but by Gods indulgence assured unto us in the New Covenant they are: where God
1. Accepts the will for the deed: we do well, when we desire and endeavour to do as well as we can.
2. God beholds the work in Christ: and through his intercession passes by the evil that cleaves to our best actions.
3. God regards it, as proceeding from his own spirit in us, who causeth us to do good, and works our works for us: as in Ptayer, Romanes 8.26.
Mr. Byfield on Peter.