S rs C T. VI. 9.1 Good Works. ed "on : As that onely is trueDo$rine which isagreeable toitigSiti i'tä?l* fcytfiiit onely isagood workwhich is anfwerable to: the fame rule The Seriptrite4',art a rule offaith, andof mannersalto :, andas we fay inmactersiefecligiorrkib' de, Intro non leg,, I do not believe it, becaufe I dolor read it .ifvG6ds we !d ;`lo'Won ago, quia non sego praceptum, I doit not, becaufe not commanded And ails cuts off molt of thofe works from beinggood works,'which arefo magnified irrpispery. what are their good works, for which they calla man a refigi'6usman , a fpfrauafl man, aperfeet man ? Are thay.not vowed poverty;- chadlityi andblind obedience, with many other fuperflitious ufages ? Now as the Pharifees tlaotìght their waft). ings, and humane commandments in religiongoodandgloriofs-works, when yet our Saviour difdaineththem upon this reafon', Wkne hatb règsa red there, ekäágs `st yearhands! Even foall thofe good works offujerltition will=worllrip,ttaditi näl- cuilomes, though dignified wit(? the titleofgood works;yes arorobe rejcti'd,be- caufe not required : So that as counterfeit coyn isfo far from beingownedas eu- rant mony , chat he.who is found guiltyofthe makingof it, is' adjudged to(4a h. So all counterfeit worfhip and fervice of God which bathnot the (tamp of the Word upon it, is fo far frombeing acceptable with God, that filthwit hone repen- tance and reformation are condemned to.eternaldearh. Hereincertainly people folly millake ; they judge things to begood by'the cullomeofthem , by the plea- fare and profit of them , and not by the rule ofgoodnefs. How could vain, and prophane (ports beaccounted good works, if mendid look into the Scripture for theirgoodneffe? Thou fayefl, Itisgoodfir metodo three, en lino thue,to take 'upfrock a courfe oflife, but doth the Scripture fay, it is alto good ? Thus as for want of this rule we takeup many thingsfor good,which are not good; fo again, we rejecf ma- nygood works as folly, needleffe, not requifite, becaufe we do not flhdy herein. To liveftrictiy, tobefingular to the common wales of the world ; tokeep upholy family- duties, their things we looknot upon as good works, becaufe they are con- trary toour corrupt affectionsand lofts: Efpecially how hardlycan we beperfwa- dedthat it is a good work to confeffe Christ in the midfl of a crooked Generation; that it is good for us to loveCheik more then Father, or Mother , or life it Pelf, that it is good to take up the Crofle and follow him. How.hardlydo we perfwade our (elves thefe are good works? That maybe a goodwork which is grievous and evil to liefn and blood : Inmatters to bedone, How often do we judge the good- neffe of them , by the fafety and advantage? lfTaulhad thus confulred with Brfh andblood, hewould not have thought it a good work to preach up that to his great danger, whichonce he fo vehemently oppofer' Secondly, Geod works are fochtattoos tie we rare enabledto by the grace of god. z. Such afti- Godislaidro be the e4uthor of every gond , and pofcaf gift, James r. No ass as weare man unleffeenabled and fanetified by the fpirit ofGod,can do the least good work; enabled onto as a beak is not able co act thethings of reafun : For the imaginations of a mans by the grace heartare onelyevil, and that continuaaj, Gen, 6. fo that there is not room for the of God, leak good therein. How then mutt man plunged in Inane fay, he is not good, nei- ther can do good? The tree moil be good,elle the fruit cannot begood; and thus a manmoil be ingrak:d in Chrik, and partake ofhisfacnelfe, elfe all is but a wilde Olive, and wilde Grapes. And upon this ground it is, that the Orthodoxmaintain that position again( Papiks,Thatall the worksof unregenerate"men are tins,aschey come from them. Though Pmefah"and 7ehu do thofe things which areright in Gods eyes for the matterof aem,yetin refpeéf of circumiances, they exceeding- ly fail, andfo they aremade fins to them .Whereupon is that neceffary dikinftion, That an ae lonmaybelaidtobegoodmaterial lyforthematterofitr Thus when a wicked man prayeth, heareth, hedoth that which is good for the matter; or for: mally,that is, when they aredone uponfuth principles, in fuch a manner, and to fachan end as God requireth: So that todo a good work there is regnifite the help of Gods fpirit to lift us up. As Zachette was too lowof himfelfto fee Jefus,he was fain togo up into a tree:fo weam too to fhott to reachunto any good work ;it is 9.9 z above
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