Welchman on Article XII: Of Good Works

Good Noris] Tho! good Works are not meritorious, yet that they are pleasing to God, and accepted through Christ, appears from hence, because God hath created us in Christ Fesus unte god Ti/orks, (Eph. ii. 10.) and because Chr st gave himself for us, that he might purify unte himself a pecu- liar People, zealus of good Works (Tit. ii. 14.) who also will render to every Man according to his Deeds, Rom. ii. 6. Our Works indeed are imperfect, fo that they cannot endure the severity of God’s Fudgment, much less expiate our dins, since they themselves rather want to be expiated by the Merits of Christ. But for his Sake God deals bounti- fully with us, and does not judge us severely, but has Com- pashon upon our Weaknets, and ordains infinite Rewards for those who do well, tho’ imperfectly,

The Fruits of Faith] See James ii. 17, 18. Faith, if it have not TWorks, is dead, being alone. Yea, a Man may say, Thou haft Faith, and I have Mors: Shew me Thy Faith without thy Mort, and I will shew thee My Faith by my Works. And the Apostle proceeds to illustrate this Point

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See also Ignatius. . Faith is your Guide, and Love is the & Way which leads you to God. No Man who binds him- & self by the Covenant of Faith, sinneth; nor doth any & one hate, who is possess’d of Love, A Tree is known & by its Fruit: And thus they who have engag’d them- „ selves to be Christians, shall be manifest by the Things & which they do.“ See also Clement of Rome. * Abraham, cc who was styled the Friend of God, was found faithful, e because he was obedient to God’s Commands.“

And Justin Martyr. Let such as are found to live other- & wise than Christ taught, know that they are not Chris- te tians, tho* they take the Doctrines of Christ into their For he hath declared, that not They who

« which he hath commanded them, shall be saved.“

Cannot put away, &c.] See 1 John i. 7. If we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have Fell9wship one with another, and the Blood of Fesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin. And Psal. cxliti. 2. Enter not into Fudg- ment with thy Servant; for in thy Sight shall no Man living be justified.

Pleasing and acceptable to Gad] See Heb. xiii. 16, 20, 21. To do Good, and to communicate, forget not; for with such Sacrifices Gad is well pleased. New the Gd of Peace, that brought again from the Dead our Lord Fesus 7 that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good Work, to ds his Will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his Sight, through Tesus Christ.

Spring out necessarily, &c.] A true Faith has always Love joined to it; and consequently, is neither unactive, nor un- fruitful. And farther, he who truly believes the Gospel will be careful to maintain good I/orks ; which he who neglects to do has only a dead Faith, or even none at all. See Gal. v. 6. In Christ Fesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.

By Them a lively Faith may be known, &c.] See James ii. 18. Yea a Man may say, Thou hast Faith, and I have Loris; Shew me Thy Faith without thy Works, and I will thew thee My Faith by my Forks. And Mott. vii. 16. Ye hall know them by their Fruits Do Men gather Gtapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles ©

See Homily of Faith. Nowell: Catech. p. 45, 46, 101, 102. Hammond’s Pratt. Cat. B. I. Set. 3. Whole Duty of man, Sund. 1, Jewels Def. Apol. Part 2. C. 20. Div. x.

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