A77854:118
Vindiciæ legis
Vindiciæ legis: or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the errors of papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians. In XXIX. lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London. / By Anthony Burgess, preacher of Gods Word.Vindiciæ legis: or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the errours of papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially, Antinomians. In XXIX. lectures, preached at Laurence-Jury, London. / By Anthony Burgess, preacher of Gods Word.
London: printed by James Young for Thomas Underhill, 1646
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First therefore take notice what we mean by good works. We take not good works strictly, for the works of charity or liberality; nor for any external actions of religion, which may be done where the heart is not cleansed; much less for the Popish good works of supererogation: but for the graces of Gods Spirit in us, and the actions flowing from them: For, usually, ⟨p. 38⟩with the Papists and Popish persons, good works are commonly called those superstitious and supererogant works, which God never commanded: or, if God hath commanded them, they mean them as external and sensible; such as, Coming to Church, and, Receiving of sacraments; not internal and spiritual faith, and a contrite spirit, which are the soul of all duties: and if these be not there, the outward duties are like clothes upon a dead man, that cannot warm him, because there is no life within. Therefore much is required even to the essence of a godly work, though it be not perfect in degrees: As, 1. It must be commanded 1by God, 2. It must be wrought in us by the Spirit of God. All the unregenerate mans actions, his prayers, and services are sins. 3. It must flow from an inward principle of grace, or a supernatural being in the soul, whereby a man is a new creature. 4. The end must be Gods glory. That which the most refined man can do, is but a glow-worm, not a star: So that then only is the work good, when, being answerable to the rule, it's from God, and through God, and to God.
First therefore take notice what we meane by good workes. We take not good workes strictly, for the workes of charity or liberality; nor for any externall actions of religion, which may be done where the heart is not cleansed; much lesse for the Popish good workes of supererogation: but for the graces of Gods Spirit in us, and the actions flowing from them: For, usually, ⟨p. 38⟩with the Papists and Popish persons, good works are commonly called those superstitious and supererogant workes, which God never commanded: or, if God hath commanded them, they mean them as externall and sensible; such as, Coming to Church, and, Receiving of sacraments; not internall and spirituall faith, and a contrite spirit, which are the soule of all duties: and if these be not there, the outward duties are like clothes upon a dead man, that cannot warme him, because there is no life within. Therefore much is required even to the essence of a godly work, though it be not perfect in degrees: As, 1. It must be commanded