Jones on Article XII: Of Good Works

” We were not redeemed to be idle and do nothing, but to glorify him in body and spirit that hath bought us. We are not called to stand or sit still, but to walk every one in that

vocation wherewith he is called ’ To say we have faith,

what availeth it, except we have works also ? See we not that the faith of Abraham was effectual and wrought with his works, and that through his works his faith was made perfect ?

God accepteth good works and will reward them. He

accepteth them for the man’s sake, in that the man is faithful and therefore accepted. In which sort the sacrifice of Abel was accepted through the faith of Abel. He rewardeth our works, not for their worthiness, but for his own sake, for his love and promise.” — Ser. Acts. x. 34.

” Now if God, notwithstanding for his Son’s sake, do so allow and accept the work of our hands, that he bountifully rewardeth our weak service with an excellent and eternal weight of glory, how much we are bound both to praise his mercy and to hate the insolency of those men, who, besides all this swelling in the proud conceit of their works, will have eternal life, which is his gift, to be their merit !” — On Isa. lv.

“The law is also necessary for the justified man, to teach him with what works he should exercise his faith withal and ohedience unto God. The Scripture is more diligent and more ample in teaching the Christian, justified man, the obedience unto God and virtuous life, than it is to shew us our salvation in Christ ; and that is for this purpose only, that we should not by our licentious liberty receive the grace of God in vain.” —Decl.

” What the office of a justified man is, Paul declareth. Tit. ii. 11 — 14. By these words Paul forbiddeth all impiety and dis- honest life, and showeth man that is justified what he should do ; not to live after the concupiscence of the flesh, but so- berly,” &c Ibid.

“We teach the sincere and lively faith which is right firmly grounded upon the promises of God, out of the which do spring all good deeds and honest and virtuous actions, as it were fruit out of a quick and plenteous tree, and not an idle, neither dead opinion, or vain confidence.” — Curio’s Defence.

ARCHBISHOP CRANjMEB.

” Faith doth not exclude the justice of our good works necessarily to be done afterward, of duty towards God, (for we are most bounden to serve God in doing good deeds commanded by him in his holy Scripture all the days of our life) but it excludeth them so that we may not do them to this intent, to

be made good by doing of them Our office is not to pass the

time of this present life unfruitfully and idly after that we are baptized or justified, not caring how few good works we do to

the glory of God and profit of our neighbours Augustine

saith, ’ good living cannot be separated from true faith which worketh by love.’ How plentiful this faith is of good works, and how it maketh the work of one man more acceptable to God than of another, St. Paul teacheth at large in the 11th

chapter to the Hebrews, saying, ‘that faith made the oblation

of Abel better than the oblation of Cain/ &c And by all

the declaration of St. Paul, it is evident that the true lively and Christian faith is no dead, vain, or unfruitful thing, but a thing of perfect virtue, of wonderful operation and strength, bringing forth all good motions and good works. All holy Scripture agreeably beareth witness, that a true lively faith in Christ doth bring forth good works, and therefore every man must examine himself diligently to know whether he hath the same true lively faith in his heart unfeignedly or not ; which he shall know by the fruits thereof.” — Homily on faith.

BISHOP COVEIiDALE.

” He ” (Barnes) ” affirmeth plainly that we must needs do them, and that they which will not do them, because they be justified alone by faith, are not the children of God, nor chil- dren of justification Now to do good deeds, to bring forth

good fruits, to walk in a new life, to show God’s wonderful works, to lead an honest conversation in the world, what is it else, but to show and set forth our profession, the life that we have promised and taken us to, at the font-stone, even the holy covenant and appointment that we have made with the eternal God?” — Confutation of Standish.

\V. TURNER, M.D. ” Good works are not forbidden by this doctrine,” (justifica- tion by faith) “but faith the well of good works is taught

And so the old learning taketh not away works, but setteth them in their place, that they may be witnesses of our faith, subdue the flesh and serve our neighbour, but not that they should justify ; seeing that only faith of the mere mercy of God through his word doth justify a man.” — Old Learning and New.

” For if your repentance, faith, and love be Christian and unfeigned, then shall good works ensue and follow agreeable to

the same St. Ambrose saith, ‘faith is the mother, and

bringer forth both of good will and righteous working.’ Yea, they that boast of faith and bring not forth the works of faith,

derogate much the glory of faith For that faith which is

approved of God, ’ worketh by charity,’ and charity cannot be idle, but bursteth out into good works whensoever it seeth an occasion given. Therefore is a faithful man compared in the first psalm to a tree which is planted by the water’s side, and

bringeth forth her fruits in due time.” But unto what good

works is the faithful created in Christ ? Unto Rome running ?

gadding on pilgrimage ? setting up of Candles and such

other trifling fantasies invented of the idle brains of the papists for lucre’s sake ? Nay verily. For these are no good works

indeed before God Unto what good works then are they

created ? In good faith to those good works which God hath

prepared that we should walk in them We read, that the

Jews said to Christ, ’ what shall we do that we may work the works of God ? Christ answered and said to them, this is the

work of God, that ye believe in him whom he hath sent.’

He that fulfilleth this work doth very easily accomplish the residue, for out of this work, as out of the head fountain, do all other works of God spring and proceed,” — Christmas Ban- quet.

” Though we say there is no trust to be put in the merits of our works and actions, and place all the hopes and reason of our salvation only in Christ ; yet we do not therefore say that men should live loosely and dissolutely, as if baptism and faith were sufficient for a Christian, and there were nothing more required. True faith is a living faith and cannot be idle. Therefore we teach the people that God hath not called us to luxury and disorder, but as St. Paul saith, ’ unto good works, that we might walk in them. (Eph. ii. 10.) — Apology of the Church.

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” Indeed works are the fruits of Christian faith, and tokens, not causes of salvation. Even as a tree that bringeth forth fruits ; if the tree be good, it appeareth by the fruits, not be- cause the fruit maketh the tree good, but because the tree

maketh the fruit good But if they” (the deeds of the godly)

“find any grace or reward, the same may not be ascribed to their own merit ; but partly to mercy, partly to imputation through the Son that is the Redeemer ; to mercy, I say, which doth forgive our evil deeds ; to imputation which accepteth our good works, though they be of themselves never so imperfect, as though they were perfect, and doth reward them with a crown of glory.” — Against Osorius.

” The dutiful works of godliness which proceed out of faith working by charity, are indeed acceptable to God, yet not by their own deserving ; but that for he of his liberality vouch- safed! them his favour.” — Catechism.