These Sections teach the following propositions : 1st. In order that any human action should be truly a good work, it must have the following essential characteristics: (1.) It must be something directly or implicitly commanded by God. (2.) It must spring from an inward principle of faith and love in the heart. Works not commanded by God, but invented and gratuitously performed by men, are utterly destitute

of moral character, and, if offered in the place of the obedience required, they are offensive.

2d. The effects and uses of good works in the Christian life are manifold, and are such as — (1.) They express the gratitude, manifest the grace of God in the believer, and so adorn the profession of the gospel. (2.) They glorify God. (3.) They develop grace by exercise, and so strengthen the believer's assurance. (4.) They edify the brethren. (5.) They stop the mouths of adversaries. (6.) They are necessary to the attainment of eternal life.

1st. In order that a work may be good, it must be an act performed in conformity to God's rev^ealed will. The law of absolute moral perfection to which we are held in subjection is not the law of our own reasons or consciences, but it is an all-perfect rule of righteousness, having its ground In the eternal nature of God, and its expression and obliging authority to us in the divine will. Not self-development, not the realization of an ideal end, but obedience to a personal authority without and above us, is precisely what reason, conscience and Scripture require. The good man is the obedient man. The sinner in every transgression of virtue is conscious that he is guilty of disobedience to the supreme Lawgiver. David says in his repentance, " Against thee^ thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.'^ Ps. li. 4. God has given in the inspired Scriptures a perfect rule of faith and practice. Every principle, every motive and every end of right action, according to the will of God, may there be easily learned by the devout inquirer. God says to his Church : " What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; thou

shalt ncit add thereunto nor diminish from it." Deut. xii. 32 ; Kev. xxii. 18, 19. And God very energetically declares his abhorrence of uncoramanded services, of " voluntary humility" and "will-worship." Isa. i. 11, 12; Col. ii. 16,23.

2d. In order that a work may be truly good, it must spring from a principle of faith and love in the heart. All men recognize that the moral character of an act always is determined by the moral character of the principle or affection which prompts to it. Unregenerate men perform many actions, good so far as their external relations to their fellow-men are concerned. But love to God is the foundation-principle upon which all moral duties rest, just as our relation to God is the fundamental relation upon which all our other relations rest. If a man is alienated from God, if he is not in the present exercise of trust in him and love for him, any action he can perform will lack the essential element which makes it a true obedience. Good works according to the Scriptures are the fruits of sanctification, having their root in regeneration. " For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them." Eph. ii. 10. James says that faith is shown by works, which of course implies that the kind of works of which he speaks spring only from a believing heart. James ii. 18, 22.

3d. The effects and uses of good works in the Christian life are manifold, and are such as — (1.) They express the gratitude and manifest the grace of God in the believer, and so adorn the profession of the gospel. Faith works by love. Gal. v. 6. Christ says that we

t are to express our love for him by keeping liis commandments. John xiv. 15, 23. As they are the fruits of the Spirit, they render manifest the excellent working of the Spirit. 1 Tim. ii. 10; Tit. ii. 10. (2.) They glorify God. Since God is their author (Eph. ii. 10), they manifest the excellency of his grace, and excite all who behold them to appreciate and proclaim his glory. Matt. V. 16; 1 Pet. ii. 12. (3.) As they spring from grace, so the performance of them exercises grace in general, and each grace severally according to the nature of the work performed. Thus by the universal law of habit grace grows by its exercise. And the assurance as to our own gracious state naturally increases with the strength and evidence of those graces unto which the promise of salvation is attached. (4.) They edify the brethren. Good works edify others, both as confirmatory evidence of the truth of Christianity and the power of divine grace, and by the force of example inducing men to practice the same. 1 Thess. i. 7 ; 1 Tim. iv. 12; 1 Pet. V. 3. (5.) For the same reasons good works disprove the cavils and render nugatory the opposition of wicked men. 1 Pet. ii. 15. (6.) They are necessary to the attainment of salvation, not in any sense as a prerequisite to justification, nor as in any stage of the believer's progress meriting the divine favour, but as essential elements of that salvation, the consubstantial fruits and means of sanctification and glorification. A saved soul is a holy soul, and a holy soul is one whose faculties are all engaged in works of loving obedience. Grace in the heart cannot exist without good works as its consequent. Good works cannot exist without the increase of the graces which are exercised

in them. Heaven could not exist except as a society of holy souls mutually obeying the law of love in all the good works that law requires. Eph. v. 25-27 ; 1 The«s. iV. 6, 7 ; Rev. xxi. 27.

Our good works cannot be profitable to God ; for he is infinitely perfect and all-sufficient in himself, and no addition can be made to his essential glory or felicity. — Job xxii. 2, XXXV. 7. Neither can our good works have any influence upon our justification before God ; for " by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." — Rom. iii. 20. Nor can our good works be the ground of our title to heaven, or to eternal life; for " eternal life is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."-Rom.vi. 23. Still, however, the performance of good works must be constantly inculcated and earnestly urged upon all Christians ; and they seive many valuable purposes. Hence the solemn injunction which Paul laid upon Titus, and in him upon all other ministers of the gospel : " This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works : these things are good and profitable unto men." — Tit. iii. 8. Several of the important uses of good works are here specified.

1. They are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith. An inoperative faith, which produces not the fruits of righteousness, is pronounced by the Apostle James to be dead. — James ii. 2, 6. Of a living faith good works are the native fruits, and they are the proper evidences that faith is imfeigned. " Show me," says the same apostle, " thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." — James ii. 18.

2. Good works are suitable expressions of gratitude to God. None can render any proper recompense to God for his inestimable blessings; but all Christians are indispensably bound to glorify him by a imiversal and cheerful obedience to his commandments ; and their good works are, as it were, thank-ofi'erings to God for his benefits bestowed upon them.

3. Good works strengthen the assurance of believers. They both confirm their assurance of faith, and increase their assurance of personal interest in Christ, and his great salvation. " Hereby we do know that we know him," says the beloved disciple, " if we keep his commandments."-^! John ii. 3.

4. The good works of believers edify their felloici- Christians. Those who are careful to maintain good works become patterns to others, and stir them up to a holy emulation. Hence the Apostle Paul informed the believers at Corinth, that their zeal, in contributing for the poor saints at Jerusalem, " had provoked very many." — 2 Cor. ix. 2.

5. They adorn the profession of the gospel. Practical godliness is the brightest ornament of the Christian religion. Hence Christians are exhorted by the faithful discharge of the duties of their station and relation, to " adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." — Tit. ii. 10.

6. They stop the mouths of adversaries. When professing Christians have " a conversation becoming the gospel," and are " ready to every good work," they recommend religion to others, silence the adversaries of the truth, and convince them of the injustice of those reproaches which have been cast upon the gospel, as having a tendency to licentiousness. " So is the will of God," says an apostle, " that with welldoing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." — 1 Pet. ii, 15.

7. They glorify God. The more fruitful believers are in good works, the more is God glorified ; for "herein" says our Lord, " is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." — John XV. 8. By their good works Christians not only glorify God themselves, but may lead others to glorify him also. "Let your light so shine before men," says our Saviour, "that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." — Matt. v. 16.

8. Good works are essentially prerequisite to an admission into heaven. Though they do not merit everlasting life, yet they are indispensably necessary in all who are " heirs of the grace of life." Believers, " being made free from sin, have their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." — Rom. Ti. 22.