Paragraph I
Good works are only such as God has commanded in his Holy Word, and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretense of good intentions.
Scripture References
- 1
- Micah 6: 8
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
- Hebrews 13: 21
21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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- 2
- Matthew 15: 9
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
- Isaiah 29: 13
13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
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Paragraph II
These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith; and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glory God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life.
Scripture References
- 3
- James 2: 18, 22
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- 4
- Psalms 116: 12-13
12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD .
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- 5
- 1 John 2: 3, 5
- 2 Peter 1: 5-11
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 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. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
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- 6
- Matthew 5: 16
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
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- 7
- 1 Timothy 6: 1
1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
- 1 Peter 2: 15
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
- Philippians 1: 11
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
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- 8
- Ephesians 2: 10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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- 9
- Romans 6: 22
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
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Paragraph III
Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ; 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 to will and to do of his good pleasure; 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.
Scripture References
- 10
- John 15: 4-5
4 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. 5 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.
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- 11
- 2 Corinthians 3: 5
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
- Philippians 2: 13
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
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- 12
- Philippians 2: 12
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.
- Hebrews 6: 11-12
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
- Isaiah 64: 7
7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
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Paragraph 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.
Scripture References
- 13
- Job 9: 2-3
2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
- Galatians 5: 17
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.
- Luke 17: 10
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.
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Paragraph 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 can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants; and because 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 punishment.
Scripture References
- 14
- Romans 3: 20
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
- Ephesians 2: 8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
- Romans 4: 6
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
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- 15
- Galatians 5: 22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
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- 16
- Isaiah 64: 6
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.
- Psalms 43: 2
2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
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Paragraph 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, 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.
Scripture References
- 17
- Ephesians 1: 5
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
- 1 Peter 1: 5
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
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- 18
- Matthew 25: 21, 23
- Hebrews 6: 10
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
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Paragraph VII
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; yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith, nor are done in a right manner according to the Word, nor to a right end, the glory of God, they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a man meet to receive the grace from God, and yet their neglect for them is more sinful and displeasing to God.
Scripture References
- 19
- 2 Kings 10: 30
30 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.
- 1 Kings 21: 27, 29
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- Genesis 4: 5
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
- Hebrews 11: 4, 6
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- 21
- 1 Corinthians 13: 1
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
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- Matthew 6: 2, 5
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- 23
- Amos 5: 21-22
21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
- Romans 9: 16
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
- Titus 3: 5
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
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- 24
- Job 21: 14-15
14 Therefore 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?
- Matthew 25: 41-43
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
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