Faith at Work.  
A Brief and Plain ESSAY, Upon certain Articles of the Gospel, most Necessary to be understood by every Christian: to wit, The NATURE, the ORDER, and the NECESSITY OF THE GOOD WORKS, by which The FAITH of a Christian is to be Evidenced.  
Qui scit inter Legem, et Evangelium distinguere, gratias agate Deo, et Sciat se esse Theologum.  Luther. 
Boston in New-England, Printed by B. Green, and J. Allen. 1697.   

Some Right Thoughts, in an ESSAY, upon Good Works.  James 2.20. 
Wilt thou know, O vain man, That Faith without Works is Dead?  
THAT Great Preacher of the Gospel, and Insatiable Admirer of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Apostle Paul, in all his Writings, but especially in the Epistle, which he wrote unto the Romans,[ which was by Melancthon well called, The Protestants Confession of 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 of His Elect. This Faith doth Justify a Sinner, not 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 tendered unto the Sinner in the Gospel; Tis only in this Regard, that Faith, & no Grace, but this Faith, has the Honour to Justify us. This is the Good old way, of arriving unto Rest; and, Aliter qui Vadit, cadit.  
But every Jewel has 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 to this purpose, there is a special Remark due to that, Wilt thou know, O vain man, that Faith 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 has this Faith; He is a vain man; he seems, and he boasts, to have, what he hath not; and he flatters himself with Hopes that never shall be made Good unto him. So that, we are now Assured, A Workless Faith is a Workless Faith.  
Paul, who Professedly handles the Doctrine of Justification, does plainly assert, That no man living is Justified by Works, but a man is levied 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. James treats of that which may manifest our Justification unto men, that See & Hear, our Profession of our Faith; and here Works are significant. The Conscience of a man, may be distressed with a twofold 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 has fully obeyed 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 Hypocrisy; It may be said, Thou Talkest of thy Faith; but is it not mere 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 hereunto it is asse●● 〈…〉 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 has 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 has 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,  

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 essays 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 lodged in this Body which is to Dy. The Best men alive, when they look upon the Best Works of their 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 Barranness, 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 essays are Good, in the Merciful Reckoning of God, our Father in our Lord Jesus Christ. Tho' none of our Sincere essays 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 Eyes yet behold in our Good Works, a world of Evil: Yet our Sincere essays are pleasing unto our God, who by His Good Spirit has Excited them, & Assisted them; and, Whose workmanship we are, Created in 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. ● The Delight of the Lord; and such Good Works, as 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 shown 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 Works; 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 not enough, that the matter of what we do, be according 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, faith the Lord. ploughing is Lawful, and Praying 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 mere 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 Good Works, tho' they were otherwise never so Good. And a merely 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 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 poisoned 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 merely 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 nought. 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 called 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.   

Where Lies the Necessity of Good Works, in a Justified Belsever, to justify 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 Works 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 itself, 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 lays 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.  
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 enjoin, 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 three, 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 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 Works are not without. Faith must become visible, and( as hath been sometimes said) Incarnate, by Good Works 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 example. The Doing of Good works is one main Thing, in that Blessedness, which our Lord Jesus Christ hath purchased for us, in His being made a Curse on our behalf: And a man has no True Faith in him, until he be thus persuaded! Very grand is the mistake of men, about Salvation: Salvation is not merely our Fruition of the Good Things reserved for us, in the unseen and future state; but Salvation lies also in our Perfo●…mance of Good works leading thereunto. O●… Captivity to the Devil, is that from which we a●… in our Salvation rescued: and that Captivity keep a man from doing of Good works. For a man t●… be set at Liberty from the Devil, and so to do thos●… Good works, which are contrary to the Works 〈…〉 the Devil, This, This is our Salvation. A man being made Able and Willing to Do Good work●… like the Good Angels of Heaven, This is the Sa●…vation, which Faith does make out after; Tis th●… End of our Faith, and the Salvation of our Soul.  
Furthermore; Wilt thou know, O man? Tha●… the Commandment of Heaven hath made Goo●… works incumbent on every man on Earth. T●… true, when we are in our Lord Jesus Christ, w●… are not under a Covenant of works. Our own doing of Good works, is not now, the Condition o●… our Entering into Life. But still, the Covenant o●… Grace does not Release us, from all Obligation, t●… do those Good works, which once were the Term●… of our Entering into Life; the Language of it i●… that in Rom 3.31. Do we then make voided th●… Law through Faith? God forbid: Yea, we Establis●… the Law. Because we are under the Covenant o●… Grace, are we not still obliged unto all that Holiness, 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 shane; and we must, with 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 has 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, bewailed, 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 writ 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 has Loved us, and given Himself for us; unto Him, Who has Loved us, and washed away our Sins, in His own Blood. If a man have the least Grain of True Faith in him, he will make that Enquiry before our Lord Jesus Christ, in Psal. 116.12. What shall I render to the Lord, for all His Benefits? Now the Reply that Faith makes to this Enquiry, i●… the same that our Lord Himself makes; Let tho●… Good works be done, which may adorn the Doctrin●… of God the Saviour! It was argued, in Rom. 12●… 1. I beseech you Brethren, by the mercies of God, tha●… ye present your Bodies, a Living Sacrifice, Holy, Acceptable to God, which is your Reasonable Service●… Even so, All the Return, which our Lord Jesu●… Christ expects from us; for all His Mercies, is 〈…〉 That we Devote ourselves unto the Service of ou●… Lord: And Faith says, That this is a Thing inf●…nitely Reasonable. Where Faith has been infuse●… into the Heart of any man, there is no Motiv●… unto Good Works more powerful than this upo●… him. If he could think, I sha●l escape Hell, yea●… I shall merit Heaven, by my good works! This wer●… not such a powerful motive to good works, for a●… Heart that has Faith in it, as to think, I shall b●… 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 withou●… good works, would be an horrible Reproach unto the Lord Jesus Christ, as if He were, A Patron of Sin, and as if He were a God that had pleasure i●… wickedness, and evil might dwell with Him. Now a True Faith will never let a man be so wicked as thus to Reproach the Lord. Foolish and Unwis●… are all they, that thus requited the Lord!  
Finally, Wilt thou know, O man? That an●… Heart set for the Doing of Good Works, is a Qualification, and a Preparation of them that shall Inherit the recompenses 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, wherein to there Enters nothing that shall Defile. The Good works which our weekly Sabbath is to be filled 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 replied, What? Would you have a man be upon the Rack, a whole Day together? Truly, The Eternal Sabbath, which our Glorious Jesus carrieth 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 Heart for Good works inspired into them; none but those that are thus pure in Heart, will be fit for the Beatifick. Sight of the most Holy God. Our God must work us for that self-same thing,[ 2 Cor. 5.5.] or, else the Thing would be distasteful unto us: now, 'tis by a Spirit for Good works, that He does work us up hereunto. And He hath 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 Nations 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 fatal Rock for the shipwreck of a Soul, than this When Sinners are Awakened, with the Apprehensions of the Divine Vengeance pursuing o●… them, for their Sins, this is the First Thing tha●… they usually betake themselves unto: They fly First unto the Good Works of a Reformation i●… their faulty Lives. No, O vain man; Wilt th●… 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 Righteousness which is of God by Faith 'Tis a vain Imagination that thou mayst not Believe on the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for 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 Dispositions, as will Recommend us unto Him; We must go to Him, and His Righteousness, and venture to cast ourselves upon it, as Recommended by no thing, but our own Horrible misery, thereunto Certainly, It will never make Sincere Converts, to talk of Rapping off mens Fingers from catching Hold of Christ, before they are fit for Him. 'Tis our 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 ourselves, 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 sound 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 aspernatur Dei Filius carnem hoins endure, ut cum peccare ipse non posset, aliena peccata portaret. Immortalitate interim posita, fieri se mortalem patitur, ut Inno●ins pro Nocentium Salute Perimatur: 'Tis well declared 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. Others robbed God of His Glory, but I( says our Lord) have restored it again; the Sins by which 'twas done, they were mine by Imputation, tho' never mine by Inhoerency. 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 lived and died in the judgement of that Martyr, whose Expiring words, were, Behold, a marvelous Exchange, my Lord has my Guiltiness, and I have His Righteousness! thus, they have generally ever since been clear in it, until some or Late, have darkened the Truth, under pretence of preserving the Interests of Holiness; Albeit, as our Incomparable own, 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 judgement-seat of God. Ernestus, the Arch-bishop of Magdeburgh, when he was near his Death, was comforted by a Minorite, who  told him, That the merit of his Good works, would make sure a place in Heaven for him; whereupon the Dying man cried out, Nullo modo, I will by no means trust unto the merit of any Good works, done by any man whatever, but the Good works of Christ are sufficient for me! Bellarmine himself, who had Lived so blamelessly, that he was not conscious of his ever having once  told a lie, 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 oestimator meriti, said 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 Jesu●… Christ, that we may be Justified, we do then A●… bound in those Good works, which are the proper and Genuine Symptoms of Believers; thos●… 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 i●… the work of the Lord. The Bible has no Good wor●… any where, for those Antinomian Wretches, wit●… whom Good works are despised & neglected: 〈…〉 spits nothing but Sulphureous Fire, in the Faces 〈…〉 those Libertines! If we are destitute of Good work we have none but a Dead Faith, and a Dead Fai●… will very little befriend a Dead Soul. To hav●… no Good works then, is a woeful Thing: and, th●… Praemonition is, in Math. 3.10. Every three whi●… bringeth not forth Good Fruit, is hewn down, & c●… into the Fire: What then will be the Wo, how w●…ful 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 damned among, The workers of Iniquity. Surely, If 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 shame, a Self-deluding Enthusiasm, it becomes us, with a Constant Zeal for Good works, to Exercise ourselves, at keeping a Conscience voided 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 has Bought us; & with Good works always 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 ourselves 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.