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The 1689 Confession · Chapter XVI

Of Good Works

16.1

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,a or upon any pretense of good Intentions.b

  1. a Micah 6:8; Hebrews 13:21
  2. b Matthew 15:9; Isaiah 29:13

Good Works are only such as God hath commanded in his Holy Word, and not such as without the warrant thereof, are devised by Men, out of blind Zeal,a or upon any pretence of good Intentions.b

  1. a Micah 6:8; Hebrews 13:21
  2. b Matthew 15:9; Isaiah 29:13
16.2

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 theira Thankfulness, strengthen theirb Assurance, edify theirc Brethren, adorn the Profession of the Gospel, stop the Mouths of the Adversaries, and glorifyd God, whose Workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesuse thereunto, that having their Fruit unto Holiness, they may have the endf Eternal Life.g

  1. a James 2:18, 22
  2. b Psalm 116:12-13
  3. c 1 John 2:3, 5; 2 Peter 1:5-11
  4. d Matthew 5:16
  5. e 1 Timothy 6:1; 1 Peter 2:15; Philippians 1:11
  6. f Ephesians 2:10
  7. g Romans 6:22

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 theira Thankfulness, strengthen theirb Assurance, edifie theirc Brethren, adorn the Profession of the Gospel, stop the Mouths of the Adversaries, and glorified God, whose Workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesuse thereunto, that having their Fruit unto Holiness, they may have the endf Eternal Life.g

  1. a James 2:18, 22
  2. b Psalm 116:12-13
  3. c 1 John 2:3, 5; 2 Peter 1:5-11
  4. d Matthew 5:16
  5. e 1 Timothy 6:1; 1 Peter 2:15; Philippians 1:11
  6. f Ephesians 2:10
  7. g Romans 6:22
16.3

Their ability to do good Works, is not at 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 ana 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 inb stirring up the Grace of God that is in them.c

  1. a John 15:4-5
  2. b 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 2:13
  3. c Philippians 2:12; Hebrews 6:11-12; Isaiah 64:7

Their ability to do good Works, is not at 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 ana 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 inb stirring up the Grace of God that is in them.c

  1. a John 15:4-5
  2. b 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 2:13
  3. c Philippians 2:12; Hebrews 6:11-12; Isaiah 64:7
16.4

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.a

  1. a Job 9:2-3; Galatians 5:17; Luke 17:10

They who in their Obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this Life, are so far from being able to supererrogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in Duty they are bound to do.a

  1. a Job 9:2-3; Galatians 5:17; Luke 17:10
16.5

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 as they are good, they proceed from hisa Spirit, and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled,b and mixed with so much Weakness and Imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God’s Judgment.c

  1. a Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:6
  2. b Galatians 5:22-23
  3. c Isaiah 64:6; Psalm 143:2

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 satisfie 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 as they are good, they proceed from hisa Spirit, and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled,b and mixed with so much Weakness and Imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God’s Judgment.c

  1. a Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:6
  2. b Galatians 5:22-23
  3. c Isaiah 64:6; Psalm 143:2
16.6

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 blameless and irreproachable in God’s sight, but that he looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which isa sincere, although accompanied with many Weaknesses and Imperfections.b

  1. a Ephesians 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5
  2. b Matthew 25:21, 23; Hebrews 6:10

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 unblameable and unreprovable in God’s sight, but that he looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which isa sincere, although accompanied with many Weaknesses and Imperfections.b

  1. a Ephesians 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5
  2. b Matthew 25:21, 23; Hebrews 6:10
16.7

Works done by unregenerate Men, although for the matter of them, they may be things which God commands, and of good Use, both to themselves and others; yet because they proceed not from a Heart purified bya Faith, nor are done in a right manner according to theb Word, nor to a right end thec Glory of God, they are sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a Man meet to receive Grace fromd God; and yet their neglect of them is more sinful, ande displeasing to God.f

  1. a 2 Kings 10:30; 1 Kings 21:27, 29
  2. b Genesis 4:5; Hebrews 11:4, 6
  3. c 1 Corinthians 13:1
  4. d Matthew 6:2, 5
  5. e Amos 5:21-22; Romans 9:16; Titus 3:5
  6. f Job 21:14-15; Matthew 25:41-43

Works done by unregenerate Men, although for the matter of them, they may be things which God commands, and of good Use, both to themselves and others; yet because they proceed not from a Heart purified bya Faith, nor are done in a right manner according to theb Word, nor to a right end thec Glory of God, they are sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a Man meet to receive Grace fromd God; and yet their neglect of them is more sinful, ande displeasing to God.f

  1. a 2 Kings 10:30; 1 Kings 21:27, 29
  2. b Genesis 4:5; Hebrews 11:4, 6
  3. c 1 Corinthians 13:1
  4. d Matthew 6:2, 5
  5. e Amos 5:21-22; Romans 9:16; Titus 3:5
  6. f Job 21:14-15; Matthew 25:41-43