Part 1 › Chapter 3 › Direction 9 › Tit. 4. Temptations to frustrate holy duties, and make them uneffec…: Tit. 4. Temptations to frustrate holy duties, and make them uneffectual., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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§. 2. He is called our Master, and we his servants, because he is our Rector, ex pleno dominio with ¹absolute propriety, and doth not give us Laws to Obey, while we do our own work, but giveth us his work to do, and Laws for the right doing of it: And it is a service under his eye, and in dependence on him for our daily provisions, as servants on their Lord. God hath WORK for us to do in the world; and the performance of it he will require. God biddeth his Sons, Go work to day in my Vineyard, Matth. 21. 28. and expecteth that they do it, Ver. 31. His Servants are as Husbandmen to whom he entru••••th his Vineyard, that he may receive the fruit, Ver. 33, 34, 41, 43. Faithful servants shall be made Rulers over his household, Matth. 24. 45, 46. Christ delivereth to his servants his talents to improve, and will require an account of the improvement at his coming, Mat. 25. 14. GOOD WORKS in the proper comprehensive sense, are all actions internal and external, that are morally good: But in the narr•we• acception▪ they are Works not only formally good, as acts of Obedience in general, but also materially good, such as a servant doth for his Master, that tend to his advantage, or the profit of some other, whose welfare he regardeth. Because the doctrine of GOOD WORKS is controverted in these times, I shall first open it briefly, and then give you the Directions.

§. 2. He is called our Master, and we his servants, because he is our Rector, ex pleno dominio with ¹absolute propriety, and doth not give us Laws to Obey, while we do our own work, but giveth us his work to do, and Laws for the right doing of it: And it is a service under his eye, and in dependance on him for our daily provisions, as servants on their Lord. God hath WORK for us to do in the world; and the performance of it he will require. God biddeth his Sons, Go work to day in my Vineyard, Matth. 21. 28. and expecteth that they do it, Ver. 31. His Servants are as Husbandmen to whom he entru••••th his Vineyard, that he may receive the fruit, Ver. 33, 34, 41, 43. Faithful servants shall be made Rulers over his houshold, Matth. 24. 45, 46. Christ delivereth to his servants his talents to improve, and will require an account of the improvement at his coming, Mat. 25. 14. GOOD WORKS in the proper comprehensive sense, are all actions internal and external, that are morally good: But in the narr•we• acception▪ they are Works not only formally good, as acts of Obedience in general, but also materially good, such as a servant doth for his Master, that tend to his advantage, or the pro•it of some other, whose welfare he regardeth. Because the doctrine of GOOD WORKS is controverted in these times, I shall first open it briefly, and then give you the Directions.

1What it is to be Christ• Servants.

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4. The Redeemed are not Masterless, but have still a Lord, who hath now a double Right to govern them: And this Governor giveth them a Law: And this Law requireth us to do good works, as much as we are able, (though not so terribly yet) as obligingly as the Law of Works: And by this Law (of Christ) we must be Judged: And thus we must be judged according to our works: and to be judged ¹is nothing else but to be Justified or Condemned: Such works therefore are Rewardable according to the Distributive Justice of the Law of Grace, by which we must be Judged: And the ancient Fathers who (without any opposition) spoke of Good works as Meritorious with God, meant no more, but that they were such as the Righteous Judge of the world will Reward according to the Law of Grace, by which he judgeth us. And this doctrine being agreed on as certain truth, there is no controversy left with them, but whether the word Merit was properly or improperly used: And that both Scripture and our common speech alloweth the Fathers use of the word, I have showed at large in my Confession.

4. The Redeemed are not Masterless, but have still a Lord, who hath now a double Right to govern them: And this Governour giveth them a Law: And this Law requireth us to do good works, as much as we are able, (though not so terribly yet) as obligingly as the Law of Works: And by this Law (of Christ) we must be Iudged: And thus we must be judged according to our works: and to be judged ¹is nothing else but to be Iustified or Condemned: Such works therefore are Rewardable according to the Distributive Iustice of the Law of Grace, by which we must be Iudged: And the antient Fathers who (without any opposition) spoke of Good works as Meritorious with God, meant no more, but that they were such as the Righteous Iudge of the world will Reward according to the Law of Grace, by which he judgeth us. And this doctrine being agreed on as certain truth, there is no controversie left with them, but whether the word Merit was properly or improperly used: And that both Scripture and our common speech alloweth the Fathers use of the word, I have shewed at large in my Confession.

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9. Therefore as an act of Mercy to us, and for his own Glory (as at first he made all things very good, so) he will make the new creature according to his Image, which is Holy, and Just, and Good, and will use us in good works; and it is our honour, and gain, and happiness to be so used by him: As he will not communicate Light to the world without the Sun (whose glory derogateth not from his honour). So will he not do good works in the world immediately by himself only; but by¹ his servants, whose calling and daily business it must be, as that which they are made for, as the Sun is made to give light and heat to inferior things: Ephes. 2. 10. Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Christ was far from their opinion that think all good works that are attributed to good men are dishonourable to God.

9. Therefore as an act of Mercy to us, and for his own Glory (as at first he made all things very good, so) he will make the new creature according to his Image, which is Holy, and Iust, and Good, and will use us in good works; and it is our honour, and gain, and happiness to be so used by him: As he will not communicate Light to the world without the Sun (whose glory derogateth not from his honour). So will he not do good works in the world immediately by himself only; but by¹ his servants, whose calling and daily business it must be, as that which they are made for, as the Sun is made to give light and heat to inferiour things: Ephes. 2. 10. Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven. Christ was far from their opinion that think all good works that are attributed to good men are dishonourabie to God.

1Vir bonus est qui prodest quibus potest, nocet autem nemi••. P. Scalig. Ne pigeat Evangelicum Ministrum, aeg•otum visitare, xenio aliquo recreare, famelicum cibario saltem pane pascere, nu•um operire, paup•r•m cu• non est adjutor, a divitum calumniis & potentia eripere, pro afflictis principem magistratumve convenire: r•m familia•em c•nsili▪ augegere, morientibus sedulo & benign astare, lites & dissidia componere, &c. Acosta l. 4. c. 18 p. 418.Vir bonus est qui prodest quibus potest, nocet autem nemi••. P. Scalig. Ne pigeat Evangelicum Ministrum, aeg•otum visitare, xenio aliquo recreare, famelicum cibario saltem pane pascere, nu•um operire, paup•r•m cu• non est adjutor, a divitum calumniis & potentia eripere, pro afflictis principem magistratumve convenire: r•m familia•em c•nsili▪ augegere, morientibus sedulo & benigne astare, lites & dissidia componere, &c. Acosta l. 4. c. 18 p. 418.