THAT Great Preacher of the Gosp [...] and Insatiable Admirer of the Lord [...] Christ, our Apostle Paul, in all [...] Writings, but especially in the [...] which he wrote unto the Romans, [which was [...] Melancthon well called, The Protestants Confession [...] Faith,] as well as his Epistle to the Galatians, does abundantly maintain this Article of our Faith, That a man is not Justified by the works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ. Justi­fying Faith is a Receiving of, and a Relying on, the Gift of Righteousness from God, by our Lord Jesus Christ; or, the Consent of a Distressed Soul▪ to be Justified, by Gods Graciously Imputing unto him, the Obedience which the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Surety, yielded unto God, on the behalf [...] His Elect. This Faith doth Justify a Sinner, [...] as it is a Work; but Organically & Relatively; In­asmuch as it is the Instrument, by which a man apprehends the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, as freely Tendred unto the Sinner in the [Page 4] Gospel; Tis only in this Regard, that Faith, & no Grace, but this Faith, ha's the Honour to Justi­fy us. This is the Good old way, of arriving unto Rest; and, Aliter qui Vadit, cadit.

But every Jewel ha's a Counterfeit. And, How shall a man know, that his Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for his Justification, is not a Counterfeit?

To answer that Case, the Blessed Apostle James, under the Inspirations of the Almighty, de­clares unto us, the Marks of a Justifying Faith; and those Marks are, the Works which it per­petually disposes the Believer unto.

Now among the Admonitions of the Apostle [...] purpose, there [...]s a special Remark due to that, Wi [...]t thou know, O vain man, that [...] without works is Dead?

The Reader will presently observe in this Re­markable passage; both the Character of the Faith, which does not produce and promote Good Works, in the man that hath it: It is a Dead Faith; it will be of no use unto the man in whom it is; it can do nothing for him: and then, the Character of the Man who ha's this Faith; He is a vain man; [...]e seems, and he boasts, to have, what he hath not; and he flatters himself with Hopes that ne­ [...]er shall be made Good unto him. So that, we [...] now Assured, A Workless Faith is a Worthless Faith.

Pa [...], who Pro [...]essedly handles the Doctrine of Justification, does plainly assert, That no man [Page 5] living is Justified by Works, but a man is Justifyed only by Faith. James does nevertheless assert, That a man is Justified by Works, and a man is not Justified by Faith only. And yet, however some of the Ancients, as well as Luther, stumbled at this Appearance of Contradiction, the Assertions do not Contradict one another at all. Paul treats of our Justification before God, and the Right unto Everlasting Life, therein granted unto us, which is only by Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ [...] treats of that which may manifest our Iustifica [...] unto men, that See & Hear, our Profession of ou [...] Faith; and here Works are significant. The Con [...]science of a man, may be distressed with a two [...]fold Accusation.

First, A man may be Accused of Iniquity; It may be said, Thou hast broken the Law, and thereby wronged the Name, of God, and the terrible penalty of that Law, now belongs unto thee. The Answer to this Accusation is to be, My Lord Jesus Christ ha's fully obey'd the will of God, and suffered the penalty due to me for my Disobedience; and I do by Faith de­pend on this Righteousness of my Lord Jesus Christ, for my Acceptance with God for ever.

Secondly, A man may be Accused of Hypocris [...] ▪ It may be said, Thou Talkest of thy Faith; but is [...] not meer Talk? How canst thou prove, that thy Faith is any more, than what is in the very Devils them­selves? The Answer to this Accusation is, The works of a Sanctified man, which I am doing every Day, are the Proof of my Faith According [...] [Page 6] by Paul, That a man is Justified alone by Faith: but it is asserted by James, That a man is not Justified by a Faith which is alone. The Question discoursed by Paul is, How a Guilty Person may come to be Acquitted by the Lord, from all the Guilt that lies upon him? The Answer to this Question, is, Not by any Works of our own, but only by the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is, on our part, only by Faith applied unto us. The Question discoursed by James, is, Whether a man pretending to Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be saved, though he continue without the works of an Holy Life, agreeable thereunto? The Answer to this Question is, No, Such a man ha's no Saving Faith at all. And that James is to be taken in that sense, is evident from. This: He does insist upon the Instance of Abraham; and yet Abraham was a Justified man, Thirty years, before those Works, which are said here to Justify him. Upon the whole then, we see Paul and James, Recon­ciled, or, indeed, never contrdicting. And we are Advised after all; Tis a Vanity in any man to Profess, that he ha's a True Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, if his Faith be not Fruitful in those Good Works, which may Justify the mans Profession.

There are Two very Important Cases, about which the Thoughts of every Christian, cannot but be Exercised; and we will here bestow some of our Thoughts thereupon.

The first Case which a Christian, must Consider, if he would be a Christian, is, [Page 7]What are those Good Works, which a True Faith, will Quicken & Incline the Believer unto?

Now we may thus conceive of them; Good Works, are Sincere Essayes to observe the Law of God. Our God hath given us a Rule of Life, in that which we call, The Moral Law. None of our Works are Perfectly Good, if in any point they fall short of that Rule. But none of our Works do Perfectly come up to the Rule, as long as we are lodg'd in this Body which is to Dy. The Best me [...] alive, when they look upon the Best Works of the [...] Lives, may cry out, with one of the Ancients▪ Terret me tota vita mea, nam apparet mihi, aut Pec­catum, aut tota Sterilitas; The Sinfulness, and Ba [...] ­rann [...]ss, of all my Life, strikes me with a Deadly Terror of Soul! Nevertheless, there are Sincere Essays towards Perfection, which all Believers are Conscientiously making every Day. Now these Essayes are Good, in the Merciful Reckoning of God, our Father in our Lord Jesus Christ. Tho' none of our Sincere Essayes at Well-doing are such Good works as to Justify us, before that Thrice Holy God, who is of Purer eyes than to behold Evil, & whose Pure [...] yet behold in our Good Works, a world of Evil: Ye [...] our Sincere Essayes are pleasing unto our God, [...] by His Good Spirit ha's Excited them, & Assist [...] them; and, Whose workmanship we are, Created [...] Christ Jesus unto Good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. Such Good Works, as our Prayers, are, as tis said, in Prov. 15. [...] ▪ [Page 8] The Delight of the Lord; and such Good Works, [...]s our Alms, are, as tis said, in Heb. 13.16. The Sacrifices where with God is well pleased.

But now, to speak strictly, Good Works must have these Four Ingredients to render them such.

First; The Matter of our Works must be, ac­cording to the Law of God, or, His Will Revealed in His Word. The Prophet could say, in Mic. 6.8. He hath shewed thee, O man, the thing that is Good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to Do Justice, and to Love Mercy, and to walk Hum­bly with thy God. Good Works must be such, as the Lord hath shewn to us, that He hath Required of us. They are no Good Works, whereof our God may say, Who hath required 'em? Works of Piety, are Good Wor [...]; for we have the Word of our God for them; as in Psal. 92.1. It is a Good Thing to give Thanks unto the Lord. Works of Charity are Good Works; for we have the word of our God for them; as in Heb. 13.16. To Do Good, and to Communicate, forget not. No works are Good, but such as are contained in the Two Tables of the Ten Commandments; the Command­ments of Love to God, and of Love to Man.

But unto the Constitution of Good Works, it is [...]ot enough, that the matter of what we do, be [...]ccording to the Law of God. Men may do Works that shall be Good for the matter of them, and yet, Every work of their Hands be unclean, [...]aith the Lord. Plowing is Lawful, and Praying [Page 9] is Lawful; and yet these works may be sinful in the Doer of them. Wherefore,

Secondly, The Manner of our Works, must be Right, as well as the Matter of them. A man may incur the Wrath of God, by his Good Works, if he do them not in any manner accor­ding to the Law, as they should be done. We find, in 1 Chron. 15.13. The Lord our God is offended at those who Seek Him not after the due Order. No meer External Actions are to be E­steemed Good Works; there must Internal Cautions go along with them; else they are but the matter of Good Works, without the Form. Good Works must be done with Regular Circumstances, if they would be called, Good.

Thirdly, The Design of our Works must be Right, as well as the manner of them. The De­sign which the Law of God has assigned for our Good Works, is, That the Great God, may be acknowledged, and magnified, and glorified: And the Gospel of God, coming in, has assigned a further Design for them; namely, To express our Gratitude unto our Lord-Redeemer, for His Redeeming of us. Thus 'tis Enjoined, in 1 Cor. 10.30. Whatever ye do, do all to the Glory of God. An Evil Intention will utterly spoil any Go [...] Works, tho' they were otherwise never so Go [...] And a meerly Selfish Intention is an Evil one Good Works must all be done, with an Eye, to the Honour of God, and the Service of Christ before any Temporal Advantage to Self: else the [Page 10] Best Sacrifices are but an Abomination.

Fourthly, Good Works must proceed from a Good Principle; or otherwise they will have no Real Goodness in them. Waters that Flow from a bitter and a poison'd Fountain, can't be Good. A Good Heart, Like a Good Fountain, must be the Principle, from whence Good Works are to flow. We are told, in Mat. 12.35. A Good man, out of the Good Treasure of the Heart, bringeth forth Good Things. A Good Principle within, is a Good Trea­sure of the Heart. Works done meerly from a Principle of Slavish Fear, or Fleshly Love, are not Good, tho' they be never so Good. There must be a Principle of Respect unto God in Christ, woo­ing us unto all our Good Works, or else they are Stark Naught. Yea, the Spirit of our Lord Je­sus Christ, must be in us, as a Vital Principle, for our Good Works, or else they are Dead Works, every one of them. Hence, no Good Works were ever done by any one Unregenerate man, since the World began; for every Unregenerate man is destitute of the Principle, which is to be acted in them: the most Splendid Works of the Unregenerate, are but (as Austin call'd them) Splendid Sins before the Lord.

And now there is a Second Case which a Christian has to consider, that so he may be stirred up, and helped on, to do those Good Works by which he may approve himself indeed a Christian.

[Page 11]Where Lies the Necessity of Good Works, in a Justi­fied Believer, to Justifie the Faith, which he is a Professor of?

Now we do know this; That our Good Works are not Antecedently necessary unto our Ju­stification before the God of Heaven. For Good VVorks cannot be done by any man, until he be Justified. Until a man be United unto the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Life, he is a Dead man: and what Good Works can a Dead man do? This is a thing Livelily Preached unto us, by our Lord Himself, in the fifteenth Chapter of John; The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Hence that common saying of Austin, Bona Opera sequuntur Justificatum, non praecedunt Justificandum. No, nor is Faith it self, As doing of Good Works, that which Entitles us unto the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, for our Justification; 'Tis Faith, only As it Layes Hold on the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the chief of Sinners, that Justifies us; And until this be done, we cannot be carried forth unto any Good Works at all.

But then, Good Works, are consequently necessa­ry upon our Justification. 'Tis indeed said, That God Justifies the Ungodly; but then, He does not Leave them Ungodly when He hath Justified them. Well, And where Lies the Necessity? Truly, if we would not be vain men, we must Know such Things as these.

[Page 12]First, Wilt thou know, O man? That it is in the very Nature of a Justifying Faith, to put a man upon the Doing of Good Works. Faith is a Purifier of the Heart: [Acts 15.9.] and so, it cannot but be a Purifier of the Life. The same Faith, which Embraces the Lord Jesus Christ, as a Priest, for Atonement, (and As doing this it Justifies!) Embraces Him also, as a Prophet, & as a King: Now this Prophet will Instruct, & this King will Injoin, our doing of Good Works for e­ver. A Justifying Faith, Receives Christ the Sa­crificer, and the Intercessor; and in that Notion, it Justifies: But is this all? No, it also, accor­ding to Col. 2.6. Receives Christ the Lord. Now Good Works are by that Lord Required. 'Tis no True Faith, which any man hath, if it be not for a whole Christ. The Devil said unto our Lord Jesus Christ, What have we to do with thee, Thou Holy One? If a man would be concerned with our Lord Jesus Christ, only as a Merciful One, and a Gracious One, and not likewise as an Holy One, that man has no more Faith than a Devil! Justifying Faith is a Tree, which cannot but have the Good Fruits of Good Works growing upon it. It is the Holy Spirit of God, that Creates, and that Bestows, a Justifying Faith, wherever it is; and that Holy Spirit cannot suffer any Soul, in which He dwells, to be wholly Remiss about the Good Works which are agreeable unto His Holiness.

Briefly; 'Tis in the very Nature of a Saving [Page 13] Faith to be a Working Faith. The Scriptures of Truth, assure us, in Gal. 5.6. Faith works, by Love. It was well said, therefore by John Hus, Ubi Bona Opera non apparent ad extra, ibi Fides non est ad intra: Faith is not within, if Good VVorks are not without. Faith must become visible, and (as hath been sometimes said) Incarnate, by Good VVorks upon it.

Again; Wilt thou know, O man? That Good works are no Small part of the Great Salvation, which is the Hope and claim of all the Justified. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath Redeemed us by His Blood; What for? We are informed, in Tit. 2.14. To purify unto Himself, a peculiar People, zealous of Good works. The following words, Let no man despise thee, Calvin thinks them spoken to the Peo­ple, because People often don't care to Hear of this; but it is a Thing to be spoken with all Au­thority. A main Thing, Bought for us by the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, is, that we may be made Happy, by our Enjoying a Resem­blance of that Righteousness, in our own doing of Good works, wherein we shall be conformed unto His Exemple. The Doing of Good works ▪ is one main Thing, in that Blessedness, which our Lord Jesus Christ hath [...] for us, in His being made a Curse on our behalf: And a man ha's [...] True Faith in him, until he be thus perswaded▪ Very grand is the mistake of men, about Salva­tion: Salvation is not meerly our Fruition of the Good Things reserved for us, in the unseen and fu­ture [Page 14] state; but Salvation lies also in our Perfor­mance of Good works leading thereunto. Our Capti [...] to the Devil, is that from which we are in our Salvation rescued [...] that Captivity keep [...] a man from doing of Good works. For a man to be set at Liberty from the Devil, and so to do those Good works, which are contrary to the Works of the Devil, This, This is our Salvation. A mans being made Able and Willing to Do Good works, like the Good Angels of Heaven, This is the Sal­vation, which Faith does make out after; Tis the End of our Faith, and the Salvation of our Soul.

Furthermore; Wilt thou know, O man? That the Commandment of Heaven hath made Good works incumbent on every man on Earth. Tis true, when we are in our Lord Jesus Christ, we are not under a Covenant of works. Our own do­ing of Good works, is not now, the Condition of our Entering into Life. But still, the Covenant of Grace does not Release us, from all Obligation, to do those Good works, which once were the Terms of our Entering into Life; the Language of it is that in Rom 3.31. Do we then make void the Law through Faith? God forbid: Yea, we Establish the Law. Because we are under the Covenant of Grace, are we not still obliged unto all that Holi­ [...]ss, all that Watchfulness, all that Exactness, which was demanded in the Old Covenant? God forbid! Yea, we do still so Establish the Law, that if we fail in any one thing, tis our Sin, it should be our Grief, it will be our Shame; and we must, with [Page 15] Contrition of Heart, make our Confession, That we come short of our Duty. Indeed, because we cannot but continually Transgress, and, In many things we offend all, therefore the New-Covenant ha's provided a Remedy for us: Tis only the Good works of our Lord Jesus Christ Reputed Ours, that cause us to stand as without Fault before the Throne of God. But we must own it still, as a Fault in us, a Fault worthy of Death, whenever we miss of doing any Thing, that is demanded as a Duty, in the Old Covenant: There is a Sin, in Every Transgression of the Law; a Sin to be Confessed, Bewayled, Abhorred. Yea, and our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel, doth, How often? Repeat those Precepts; in Math. 5.16. Let your Light so shine before men, that they may see your Good works: and in Tit. 3.8. This is a Faithful saying, That they which have Believed in God, should be careful of Good works: and in 1 Joh. 2.1. These Things write I unto you, that ye do not Sin.

Moreover; Wilt thou know, O man? That without Good works we are Abominably & Inex­cusably Ungrateful unto our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath done so many kind works for us? The Evangelical Reason for our Good works, is, That we may show our Thankfulness unto Him, Who [...] Loved us, and given Himself for us; unto Him▪ [...] ha's Loved us, and washed away our Sins, in His [...] Blood. If a man have the least Grain of Tr [...] Faith in him, he will make that Enquiry before our Lord Jesus Christ, in Psal. 116.12. What [Page 16] shall I render to the Lord, for all His Benefits? Now the Reply that Faith makes to this Enquiry, is the same that our Lord Himself makes; Let those Good works be done, which may adorn the Doctrine of God the Saviour! It was argued, in Rom. 12.1. I beseech you Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your Bodies, a Living Sacrifice, Holy, Acceptable to God, which is your Reasonable Service. Even so, All the Return, which our Lord Jesus Christ expects from us, for all His Mercies, is, That we Devote our selves unto the Service of our Lord: And Faith says, That this is a Thing infi­nitely Reasonable. Where Faith has been infused into the Heart of any man, there is no Motive unto Good VVorks more powerful than this upon him. If he could think, I sha [...]l escape Hell, yea, I shall merit Heaven, by my good works! This were not such a powerful motive to good works, for an Heart that has Faith in it, as to think, I shall by my good works Glorify, my Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who has done so much for me! That man has no Faith in him, on whom this motive has not a ve­ry constraining operation. For us to be without good works, would be an horrible Reproach unto the Lord Jesus Christ, as if He were, A Patron of [...], and as if He were a God that had pleasure in [...]ickedness, and evil might dwell with Him. Now [...] True Faith wil [...] never let a man be so wicked, as thus to Reproach the Lord. Foolish and Unwise are all they, that thus Requite the Lord!

Finally, VVilt thou know, O man? That an [Page 17] Heart set for the Doing of Good Works, is a Qua­lification, and a Preparation of them that shall Inherit the Recompences of Everlasting Life. There is no passing into the most Holy Heavens, with­out being, as 'tis expressed in Col. 1.12. Made meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. All the Partakers of the Heavenly Inheritance, are doing of Good Works therein for ever; they do nothing but Good works there throughout Eternal Ages. Now, except a man have an Heart for Good works [in Conversion, Mat. 18.3.] given unto him, he is not meet for that Inheritance, where­into there Enters nothing that shall Defile. The Good works which our weekly Sabbath is to be fill'd withal, make it very wearisome unto an Unre­newed Soul: they say, What a weariness is it? When the Sanctification of the Lords Day, was lately Urged upon a grave Ceremonious Clergy­man, he reply'd, What? Would you have a man be upon the Rack, a whole Day together? Truly, The Eternal Sabbath, which our Glorious Jesus carryeth all His People into, Men will be weary of it, it will be a Rack unto them, they won't be suited in it, if they should not have an [...] for Good works inspired into them; none [...] those that are thus pure in Heart, will be fit [...] the Beatifick Sight of the most Holy God. [...] God must work us for that self-same thing, [2 [...] 5.5.] or, else the Thing would be Distastful un­to us: now, 'tis by a Spirit for Good works, that He does work us up hereunto. And He [...] [Page 18] warned us, in Heb. 12.14. Without Holiness, no man shall see the Lord. Tho' we shall not go to Heaven For our Good works, we cannot go to Heaven without them.

Now what should be the Result of our Thoughts upon these Two Cases thus offered, but This?

We are to be advised, first of all; That we do not Expect, to be Justified by our Good works, or to Do any Good works until we are Justified, in our Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is of no little Importance unto us, That our Good works have their due place in our Divinity: and many Treatises of such Divinity as the English Nation [...] has been of later years Defiled and Abused with­al, have not only been Ineffectual to procure those Good Works, which they have pretended for, but also been really prejudicial thereunto, for their want of This. We must Beware how we go to patch up a Righteousness of our own, out of those Good works whereto God may Enable us, or do like them, who in Rom. 10 3. Being ignorant of Gods Righteousness, and going about to establish their own Righteousness, have not submitted themselves un­to the Righteousness of God. There is not a more [...] Rock for the Shipwrack of a Soul, than this! [...] Sinners are Awakened, with the Appre­ [...]ions of the Divine Vengeance pursuing of [...]em, for their Sins, this is the First Thing that they usually betake themselves unto: They fly [...]irst unto the Good Works of a Reformation in [...] faulty Lives. No, O vain man; Wilt thou [Page 19] Know? Thy First Flight should be unto the Lord Jesus Christ, for His Righteousness to be conferred upon the most Loathsome Sinner out of Hell; and that thou mayst, Be found in Him, not having thy own Righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is thro [...] the Faith of Christ, the Righteousnes [...] which is of God by Faith 'Tis a vain Imagination that thou mayst not Believe on the Righteousnes [...] of the Lord Jesus Christ, or thy Justification, until by doing of Good works thou art made Fit for the Imputation of that Righteousness. Many say, in­deed they would Lay Hold on the Lord Jesus Christ, and on His Righteousness, but they dare not, because they are not Fit for Him. Alas, this also is but another and a finer strain, to set up our own Righteousness. How, Not Fit? The wretched circumstances of thy Soul, that make thee say, Not Fit, are thy very Fitness. We must come to our Lord Jesus Christ For those things, which the preposterous Hearts of men would come unto Him, With. It is an Error for men to venture their Everlasting Interest upon the Lord Jesus Christ, under this Encouragement, That they have attained unto such and such Godly Dispositi­o [...]s, as will Recommend us unto Him; We mu [...] [...] to Him, and His Righteousness, and ventu [...] [...] cast our selves upon it, as Recommended [...] thing, but our own Horrible misery, the [...] [...] Certainly, It will never make Sincere Conver [...] [...] talk of Rapping off mens Fingers from catching [...] of Christ, before they are fit for Him. 'Tis ou [...] [Page 20] Catching Hold of Him, that must make us Fit for Him, and for every Good work! We shall do Good Works when we have come utterly with­out them, unto the Lord Jesus Christ, first, for a share in the Righteousness of the Good Works which He did for us, and then, for the Assistance to Do Good Works our selves, in a measure Like unto them. Well, and when we have Done our Good Works, we must after all, Remember this, That we are to Renounce them all; Renounce all Dependence on them for the purchase of the Divine Favour unto us. When some told our Dying Herbert, the many Good works which he had been doing in his Life, he only said, Good Works, if sprinkled with the Blood of Christ! It is the Blood of Christ, and not our Good works, that must be of any value with us. They that Build their Faith on their Good works, Build on a San­dy Foundation: The Primitive Christians were found in this Article; (Justin Martyr will clear it:) That we are Justified only by a wonderful Commutation between our Lord and us, He taking our Guiltiness, and we having His Righteousness: 'Tis well declared by Cyprian, Non asperuatur [...] Filius carnem Hominis induere, ut cum peccare [...] non posset, aliena peccata portaret. Immortalita­ [...] [...] posita, fieri se mortalem patitur, ut [...] pro Nocentium Salute Perimatur: 'Tis well de­ [...]ed by Theodoret, who Expounding that pas­sage in the Psalms, I restored that which I took not away, applies it unto our Lord Jesus Christ. q. d. [Page 21] Others robbed God of His Glory, but I (says our Lord) have resto [...]d it again; the Sins by which 'twas done, they were mine by Imputation, tho' never mine by Inhaerency. The Protestant Reformers were so full in this Article, That they did not scruple to say, Amisso Articulo Justificationis, simul amissa est tota Doctrina Christiana; and as they Liv'd and Dy'd in the Judgment of that Martyr, whose Expiring words, were, Behold, a marvellous Ex­change, my Lord has my Guiltiness, and I have His Righteousness! thus, they have generally ever since been clear in it, until some of Late, have dark­ened the Truth, under pretence of preserving the Interests of Holiness; Albeit, as our Incom­parable Owen, says, I am not satisfied, that any of those, who at present oppose this Doctrine, do in Holi­ness and Righteousness, and the Exercise of all Chri­stian Graces, surpass those who in the Last Ages, both in this and other Nations, firmly adhaered unto it. Yea, some of the Papists themselves, have been under such Convictions, as have compelled them to Subscribe unto this Article; especially, when the Approaches of Death, have given them with a Lively Sense to feel themselves going to appear before the Judgment-Seat of God. [...] ­nestus, the Arch-bishop of Magdeburgh, when [...] was near his Death, was comforted by a [...], who told him, That the merit of his [...] works, would make sure a place in Heaven for him, whereupon the Dying man cryed out, Nullo mo­do, I will by no means trust unto the merit of any [Page 22] Good works, done by any man whatever, but the Good works of Christ are sufficient for me! Bellarmine himself, who had Lived so Blamelesly, that he was not conscious of his ever having once told a Lye, and when he came to Auricular Confession he could find nothing to mention, without Looking back so far as his Childhood, yet when his Death was arresting him, he durst no more trust unto the merit of his Good works, but would have that clause inserted in his Will, That he desired the Lord to Receive him, Non ut aestimator meriti, sed ut Largitor veniae; Not on Merit, but in Mercy!

But we are in the next place to be Advised▪ That having first Believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be Justified, we do then A­bound in those Good works, which are the pro­per and Genuine Symptoms of Believers; those Good works, which the Oracles of Heaven call, The Fruits of Righteousness. We should, as the A­postle speaks, in 1 Cor. 15.58. Always abound in the work of the Lord. The Bible ha's no Good words any where, for those Antinomian Wretches, with whom Good works are despised & neglected: It spits nothing but Sulphureous Fire, in the Faces of those Libertines! If we are destitute of Good works, we have none but a Dead Faith, and a Dead Faith will very little befriend a Dead Soul. To have no Good works then, is a woful Thing: and, the Praemonition is, in Math. 3.10. Every Tree which bringeth not forth Good Fruit, is hewn down, & cast into the Fire: What then will be the Wo, how wo­ful [Page 23] will be the Doom of those that are full of E­vil works, and bring forth much of that Evil Fruit, which grows on the Vine of Sodom, & in the Field of Gomorrah? Sad will it be for us to perish among Unbelievers, after we have seemed mightily to Believe; & after a fair show of our Faith, to be Damn'd among, The workers of Iniquity. Surely, I [...] we would with the Joy of Faith, be Satisfied, that the Seal of the Holy Spirit, which we seem to have, when we Entertain our Assurance, That the Righteousness of God, which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ is upon us, is not a Cheat, a Sham, a Self­deluding Enthusiasm, it becomes us, with a Con­stant Zeal for Good works, to Exercise our selves, at keeping a Conscience void of Offence towards God and man. It becomes us, to Ponder, How much we Owe unto our Lord Jesus Christ, and Study, How to Serve the Lord that ha's Bought us; & with Good works alwayes to be at work for Him. It becomes us, to forethink, How little Time we have to be Working in, how near we are to the Time where there can be no Working, and to Do as many Good works, as we can in our Time; yea, to call our selves unto a Daily Account, with unspeakable Trou­ble, if we have let one Day pass without many of them. It becomes us even to raise our Civil and Natural, as well as Religious works, unto the Dig­nity of Good works, by the most Frequent, most Explicit, & most Ennobling Dedications of all our Works, unto the Lord. So, it will not be long before we rest from our Labours, but our Works will follow us.