Paragraph 1. Good works are
only such as God has commanded in his Holy Word,1 and not such as
without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon
any pretense of good intentions.2
1 Mic. 6:8; Heb.
13:21
2 Matt. 15:9; Isa.
29:13
Paragraph 2. These good works,
done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of
a true and lively faith;3 and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,4
strengthen their assurance,5 edify their brethren, adorn the profession
of the gospel,6 stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glory God,7
whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,8
that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life.9
3 James 2:18,22
4 Ps. 116:12,13
5 1 John 2:3,5; 2
Pet. 1:5-11
6 Matt. 5:16
7 1 Tim. 6:1; 1 Pet.
2:15; Phil. 1:11
8 Eph. 2:10
9 Rom 6:22
Paragraph 3. Their ability
to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of
Christ;10 and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces
they have already received, there is necessary an actual influence of the
same Holy Spirit, to work in them and to will and to do of his good pleasure;11
yet they are 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.12
10 John 15:4,5
11 2 Cor. 3:5; Phil.
2:13
12 Phil. 2:12; Heb.
6:11,12; Isa. 64:7
Paragraph 4. 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.13
13 Job 9:2, 3; Gal.
5:17; Luke 17:10
Paragraph 5. 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;14
but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable
servants; and because they are good they proceed from his Spirit,15
and as they are wrought by us they are defiled and mixed with so much weekness
and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God’s punishment.16
14 Rom. 3:20; Eph.
2:8,9; Rom. 4:6
15 Gal. 5:22,23
16 Isa. 64:6; Ps.
43:2
Paragraph 6. Yet notwithstanding
the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works
also are accepted in him;17 not as thought they were in this life
wholly unblamable and unreprovable in God’s sight, 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 imperfection.18
17 Eph. 1:5; 1 Pet.
1:5
18 Matt. 25:21,23;
Heb. 6:10
Paragraph 7. Works done by
unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may things which
God commands, and of good use both to themselves and to others;19
yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith,20 nor
are done in a right manner according to the Word,21 nor to a right
end, the glory of God,22 they are therfore sinful, and cannot please
God, nor make a man meet to receive the grace from God,23 and yet
their neglect fo them is more sinful and displeasing to God.24
19 2 Kings 10:30;
1 Kings 21:27,29
20 Gen. 4:5; Heb.
11:4,6
21 1 Cor. 13:1
22 Matt. 6:2,5
23 Amos 5:21,22;
Rom. 9:16; Titus 3:5
24 Job 21:14,15;
Matt. 25:41-43