CHAP. XVI.—Of Good Works. I. GOOD works are only such as God hath commanded in His holy Word (Mic. 6:8; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 13:21), and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention (Matt. 15:9; Isa. 29:13; 1 Peter 1:18 18 knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; ; Rom. 10:2; John 16:2 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God. ; 1 Sam. 15:21-23). II. These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith ( James 2:18 18 Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from `thy' works, and I by my works will show thee `my' faith. , 22): and by them believers manifest their thankfulness (Ps. 116:12-13; 1 Peter 2:9 9 But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for `God's' own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ), strengthen their assurance ( 1 John 2:3 3 And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. , 5; 2 Peter 1:5-10 5 Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in `your' virtue knowledge; 6 and in `your' knowledge self-control; and in `your' self-control patience; and in `your' patience godliness; 7 and in `your' godliness brotherly kindness; and in `your' brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. 10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: ), edify their brethren (2 Cor. 9:2; Matt. 5:16), adorn the profession of the gospel ( Titus 2:5 5 `to be' sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed: , 9-12; 1 Tim. 6:1), stop the mouths of the adversaries ( 1 Peter 2:15 15 For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: ), and glorify God ( 1 Peter 2:12 12 having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. ; Phil. 1:11; John 15:8 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and `so' shall ye be my disciples. ), whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto (Eph. 2:10), that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life (Rom. 6:22). III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ ( John 15:4-6 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. ; Ezek. 36:26-27). And that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will, and to do, of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13; 4:13; 2 Cor. 3:5): yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them (Phil. 2:12; Heb. 6:11-12; 2 Peter 1:3 3 seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; , 5, 10-11; Isa. 64:7; 2 Tim. 1:6; Acts 26:6-7 6 And now I stand `here' to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; 7 unto which `promise' our twelve tribes, earnestly serving `God' night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king! ; Jude 20–21). IV. 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 ( Luke 17:10 10 Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do. ; Neh. 13:22; Job 9:2-3 2 Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God? 3 If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand. ; Gal. 5:17). V. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come; and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom, by them, we can neither profit, nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins (Rom. 3:20; 4:2, 4, 6; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7 5 not by works `done' in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ; Rom. 8:18; Ps. 16:2; Job 22:2-3 2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself. 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain `to him', that thou makest thy ways perfect? ; 35:7-8), but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants ( Luke 17:10 10 Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do. ): and because, as they are good, they proceed from His Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23); and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God’s judgment (Isa. 64:6; Gal. 5:17; Rom. 7:15, 18; Ps. 143:2; 130:3). VI. Notwithstanding, the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him (Eph. 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5 5 ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ; Ex. 28:38; Gen. 4:4; Heb. 11:4); not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in God’s sight ( Job 9:20 20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse. ; Ps. 143:2); but that He, looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections (Heb. 13:20-21; 2 Cor. 8:12; Heb. 6:10; Matt. 25:21, 23). VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands; and of good use both to themselves and others ( 2 Kings 10:30-31 30 And Jehovah said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, `and' hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. 31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin. ; 1 Kings 21:27 27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. , 29; Phil. 1:15-16, 18): yet, because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith (Gen. 4:5; Heb. 11:4, 6); nor are done in a right manner, according to the Word (1 Cor. 13:3; Isa. 1:12); nor to a right end, the glory of God (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16), they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God (Hag. 2:14; Titus 1:15 15 To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. ; Amos 5:21-22 21 I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Yea, though ye offer me your burnt-offerings and meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts. ; Hos. 1:4; Rom. 9:16; Titus 3:15 15 All that are with me salute thee. Salute them that love us in faith. Grace be with you all. ): and yet, their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God (Ps. 14:4; 36:3; Job 21:14-15 14 And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? ; Matt. 25:41-43, 45; 23:3).