mandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren,

d

killeth you will think that he doeth God service. Rom. x. 2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 1 Sam. xv. 22. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. Deut. x. 12, 13. And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Col. ii. 16, 17, 20-23. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.-Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in willworship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.

II. James ii. 18, 22. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.-Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

d Psa. cxvi. 12, 13. What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 1 Pet. ii. 9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

e1 John ii. 3, 5. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.-But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 2 Pet. i. 5-10. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kind. ness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his . old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.

12 Cor. ix. 2. For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which

adorn the profession of the gospel,9 stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God,i whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto; * that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.'

k

III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ.m And that

I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. Matt. v. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 1 Tim. iv. 12. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Tit. ii. 5, 9-12. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. -Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungod liness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. 1 Tim. vi. 1. Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

1 Pet. ii. 15. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

1 Pet. ii. 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Phil. i. 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. John xv. 8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. * Eph. ii. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Rom. vi. 22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

III. m John xv. 4-6. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. Luke xi. 13. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? See Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27.

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: " 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.o

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, that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.p

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; but, when we have done all we

"Phil. ii. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. iv. 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. Eph. iii. 16. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.

• Phil. ii. 12. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Heb. vi. 11, 12. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Isa. lxiv. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stir, reth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. See 2 Pet. i. 3, 5, 10, 11; 2 Tim. i. 6; Acts xxvi. 6, 7; Jude 20, 21.

IV. Luke xvii. 10. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. Gal. v. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

V. Rom. iii. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no

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can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants; and because, as they are good, they proceed from his Spirit; 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.t

VI. Yet notwithstanding, the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him," not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable and unreprovable in God's sight; w 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.*

flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Rom. iv. 2, 4, 6. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.-Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.-Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. Eph. ii. 8, 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. See Tit. iii. 5-7; Rom. viii. 18, 22-24.

Luke xvii. 10. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

* Gal. v. 22, 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance.

* Isa. lxiv. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Psa. cxliii. 2. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. Psa. cxxx. 3. If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? See Gal. v. 17, and Rom. vii. 15, 18.

VI. Eph. i. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 1 Pet. ii. 5. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

w Psa. cxliii. 2. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

* 2 Cor. viii. 12. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Heb. vi. 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Matt. xxv. 21, 23. His lord said

VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands, and in themselves praiseworthy and useful, and although the neglect of such things is sinful and displeasing unto God; yet, because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith; nor are done in a right manner, according to His Word; nor to a right end, the glory of God; they unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. See Heb. xiii. 20, 21.

VII.2 Kings x. 30, 31. And the LORD 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 mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. See 1 Kings xxi. 29. Phil. i. 15, 16, 18. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds.-What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice.

Heb. xi. 4, 6. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. See Gen. iv. 3-5.

a Mark x. 20, 21. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 1 Cor. xiii. 3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Isa. i. 12. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Matt. vi. 2, 5, 16. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.-And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.--Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.