The Whole Body of Religion, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Concerning good works.
DOCTRINE I. That thoſe which are ingrafted into Chriſt, have alſo from thence both to live themſelves, and alſo to ſhew forth the works of life unto others: and that this is the chief end of being ingrafted into Chriſt.
AS the vine-branch from the vine draweth not onelyonly for it ſelf ſap and nouriſhment, whereby it ſelf liveth; but alſo that, whereby it bringeth forth fruit unto us: So alſo we believe that the Saints and godly upon earth have alſo from Chriſt, into whom they are ingrafted, not onelyonly life whereby they live themſelves, but alſo wherewith all to ſhew forth the fruits of good works, to the glorie of God, and the edifying of the Church: For the Lord himſelf ſaith,aIoh. 15.5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the ſame bringeth forth mach fruit. Whereunto alſo is very pertinent that of the Apoſtle,aEph. 2.10. We are his workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Ieſus unto good works, which God hath before ordained (or prepared) that we ſhould walk in them.
DOCT. II. What we underſtand by the name of good works.
NOw by the name of good works we underſtand all thoſe actions and works, which according to the preſcript of the will of God revealed in his word, out of ab1 Pet. ….5. lively faith in Chriſt, and ſoc1 Tim. 1.5. out of a pure heart, are performed of the regenerate by the holy Spirit: For, asdRom. 14.25. Whatſoever is not of faith, is ſinne; ſo whatſoever works are done out of ae1 Tim, 1.5. lively faith, and a pure heart, and a good conſcience, good works they are neceſſarily. Wherefore we hold that the works which are done by the ungodly, without faith and the word of God, and the leading and guidance of the holy Spirit, howſoever they may have a gloriousfColoſſ, 2.18.23. ſhew of much pietie, and divine worſhip: yet, they aregMatt. 15.8, 9. not to be reckoned in any wiſe amongſt good works, and ſuch as are pleaſing and acceptable unto God.
DOCT. III. That good works are not done of us as of our ſelves, but by the virtue and power of Chriſt's ſpirit.
AS vine-branches, or olivebranches bring not forth fruits of themſelves, but by virtue of the vine, or olive-tree whereinto they are ingrafted: So we likewiſe do not of our ſelves do good works, but by virtue of Chriſts Spirit, into whom we are incorporated, and from whom we draw even that life, by which we live; Chriſt himſelf working in us by his SpiritaPhil. 2.13. both to will and to do of his good pleaſure. bIoh. 15.5.For without me, ſaith he, ye can do nothing.
DOCT. IV. That good works are not the cauſe, but the effects of our union with Chriſt, and our juſtification, and our life.
ANd further, as vine-branches or olive-branches do not therefore bring forth good fruit, that ſo they may be ingrafted into the vine or olive-tree, or themſelves receive life; but therefore fructifie, becauſe they are already ingrafted into the vine, or olive-tree, and live therein: from whence it followes, that their good fruits are not the cauſe of their ingrafting, or life; but the effects and manifeſt ſignes thereof. Iuſt after the ſame manner, do we believe that the caſe ſtands between Chriſt and us; as St. Auguſtine ſufficiently teacheth,Auguſt. where he ſaith, That good works do not precede, or go before, a man that is yet to be juſtified, but follow after a man is juſtified. And therefore we conſtantly believe and confeſſe, that by works (to ſpeak properly, and concerning juſtification of life) a man is not juſtified, but declared to be juſtified.
DOCT. V. That, although we by our good works are not juſtified, yet others thereby oftentimes are edified unto ſalvation.
BUt yet this we adde, that as trees themſelves are not nouriſhed, nor receive life from their own fruits, and yet others are nouriſhed and live thereby, as men and other living creatures: So, notwithſtanding we by our works are not our ſelves juſtified, yet others thereby are very much edified, and by our example excited andaMatt. 5.16. ſtirred up to glorifie God, and to ſeek the true righteouſneſſe and life in Chriſt, and are thereby ſaved: For the Apoſtle himſelfbRom. 11.13. ſaith that he did therefore magnifie (or illuſtrate) his office among the gentiles (viz. by his diligence and ſanctitie of life) that he might provoke to emulation thoſe which were his fleſh, and ſo ſave ſome of them: and in another place hec1 Cor, 7.16. ſaith that it may ſo come to paſſe that the unbelieving husband or wife may be ſaved by the wife or husband which believeth, that is, which performeth a Chriſtians duty in leading a godly and holy life: and again writing to Timothie he ſaith that if he look diligently unto his office, that is the office of a Biſhop, he ſhall both ſave himſelf and others.
DOCT. VI. That we do not condemne good works, although we deny that a man is juſtified thereby.
WHerefore, although we deny that good works are to be done of us to this end, that we may be juſtified thereby; foraſmuch as this would overthrow the righteouſneſſe which is the free gift of God, and the whole benefit of Chriſt: we do not therefore condemne the ſtudy of holy life, and good works; yea we commend the ſame, and exhort thereunto with all vehemencie, upon all occaſions.
DOCT. VII. That there are many, and thoſe very weighty reaſons why we ought to be exerciſed in the ſtudy and practiſe of good works.
FOr there are declared unto us in holy Scripture many, and thoſe very weighty reaſons, why we ought diligently to exerciſe our ſelves in the ſtudy and practiſe of good works, although we are not juſtified thereby: Of which reaſons ſome have reſerence immediately to the glorie of God; others belong to the ſalvation of our neighbour, and the good of the Church; and others tend to our thankfullneſſe towards God, as likewiſe to our own ſalvation. 1.aMatt. 15.16. They are commanded by God: And him we muſt abſolutely obey. 2. a God is thereby glorified: And we muſt by all means promote this glorie. 3. God hath therefore elected, created, and redeemed us,bTit. 2.12. that denying ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world: And we muſt not diſappoint him of his end. 4. They pleaſe God;Act. 10.35. Col. 1.10. for he c loveth righteouſneſſe and hateth iniquitie: And whatſoever pleaſeth God we ought to do, although there ſhould come no profit thereby either to our neighbour or our ſelves. But unto our neighbour, and the Church eſpecially, cometh much profit thereby, not onelyonly as concerning the body & externall things, but the ſoul alſo and eternall ſalvation; whilſt by our example (to let paſſe other things) the elect areaHeb. 10.24. provoked to the like ſtudie of pietie, and practiſe of good works. And, as concerning our ſelves, they are profitable unto us many wayes. I.b2 Pet. 1.10. Becauſe by our good works, as the effects of our election and vocation, we make them both ſure, both to our ſelves and others. 2.cTim. 1.6. Becauſe faith doth not onelyonly demonſtrate and ſhew forth it ſelf by good works as the fruits thereof, but alſo is exerciſed, ſtirred up, ſtrengthened, and increaſed thereby; as alſo all Morall virtues receive ſtrength and increaſe by dayly exerciſe. 3. Becauſe, as wedEph. 4.30. grieve the holy Spirit by our ſins; So by our good works we make him glad, and are our ſelves filled with ſpirituall joy and gladneſſe in our hearts and conſciences, and reſiſt the devills temptations. 4.eDeut. 28.1. &c. Becauſe, as by eſchewing ſin we eſcape many puniſhments; So alſo following the ſtudy and practiſe of good works we obtain of God manifold bleſſings, both in this life, and in that eſpecially which is to come. 5. and laſtly,fEph. 2.10. becauſe they are the way by which God ordinarily leadeth this elect unto eternall life: andaIoh. 15.6. unleſſe the vine-branch bring forth fruit, it ſhall be cut off and caſt into the fire.
DOCT. VIII. That unto our good works a reward is promiſed and given, but yet of grace, and for the merits of Chriſt.
FRom whence we underſtand that although by our good works webLuke 17.10. cannot (to ſpeak properly) merit unto our ſelves the poſſeſſion of a celeſtiall inheritance (forcRom. 6.23. The gift of God is eternall life:) Yet we maydMatth. 5.7. obtain it as reward; but yet of the mere mercy of God, and for the merits of Chriſt.
DOCT. IX. Errours condemned.
WE therefore condemn all thoſe, who ſtanding upon the condignitie of their works, do teach either that remiſſion of ſinnes, or eternall life, or any other good whatſoever is due unto them. ForeLuke. ….10. though we ſhould perfectly keep all Gods commandments, yet even then ſhould we be but unprofitable ſervants: But there is no man, no though he be ingrafted into Chriſt, and juſtified, that doth keep the commandments of God, as he ought. And yet we find no fault with the Fathers for uſing the name of Merit, ſo farre forth as they uſe the word in this ſenſe as ſignifying a good work done in faith, which is recompenſed with a reward, and that of grace, and for the merits of Chriſt. But again we like not thoſe, who diſpute of good works as if they were things indifferent; and further ſay that they are ſo farre from being neceſſarie, that they make nothing at all unto our ſalvation. Fora…eb. 11.6. how can a man be ſaved without faith? and,bIam. 2.20. How can faith be lively without the ſtudie and practiſe of good works? and,c1 Tim. 1.19. How can a man hold faith unleſſe alſo he keep a good conſcience? and, How can a man keep a good conſcience, unleſſe he hold a conſtant reſolution to eſchew ſin, to practiſe good works, and to compoſe and frame his whole life to the will of God? But we abſolutely condemne all libertines, to whom it is all one without difference, either to keep God's commandments, or not to keep them; to do well, or to do ill. We condemne likewiſe thoſe, who teach that our good works are profitable for the ſouls of the dead, in I know not what fire, which they call Purgatorie: foraſmuch as the Scripture ſaith that every man ſhall be judged according to the works which he hath done in his body; and that, as concerning the dead, their own works, and not other mens, do follow them.