by John the Baptist, and a reason given for it. David a good prince, was reproved by Nathan the prophet, sent of God to him; which reproof he delivered in a descent manner, wrapt up in a parable, and he took the proper opportunity to apply it; which had the desired effect. But such language Shimei used to David, was not fit to be used to a king, 2 Sam. xvi .7-4. Civil magistrates, supreme and subordinate, are to be prayed for, 1 Tim ii. 1, 2. for their health, happiness, and prosperity, and the peace of their government, and the continu ance of it; for in their peace is the peace of subjects, Jer. xxix. 10.5. They are to be submitted to and obeyed in all things, which are not contrary to the laws of God, and the fundamental laws of the kingdom; for otherwise God is to be obeyed, and not men, Acts iv. 19.6. They are to be be supported in their government, by a payment of lawful tribute, tax, and custum; Render to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, Rom. xiii. 7. This is a doctrine taught not only by the apostle, but by Christ himself, and confirmed by his own example and practice, Matt. xxii. 21. and xvii. 27. Government cannot be supported without such methods; and without government there is no safety of a man's life and property; bet he must be exposed to a banditti of robbers, plunderers, and levellers, and who would strip him at once of all he has: would not any wise man part with some of his substance to secure the rest? without government, as the Roman orator says, family, nor a city, nor a nation, nor all mankind, nor the whole nature of things, nor the world itself, can stand." And government cannot be maintained without defraying the expences of it, which are many and large, by the payment of tribute and taxes, which ought to be done cheerfully; nor should any illicit methods be taken to defeat the payment of them, which is foolishly called cheating the king, and that is said to be no sin; whereas men hereby cheat themselves, cheat the public, of which they are a part; some individuals may avail themselves by such unlawful practices, but the public suffers, and so does every honest man; and it is the very means of the multiplicity of taxes complained of, for if a duty is laid on one commodity, and it is defeated by such iniquitous practices, either it must be increased on that commodity, or laid upon another.

"not a

III. There are various reasons to be given, why subjection and obedience should be yielded by subjects to magistrates.

1. Because that magistracy is by the ordination and appointment of God; The powers that be, are ordained of God, Rom. xiii. 1. it is he that sets up one and puts down another, Psalm lxxv. 6, 7. Dan. ii. 21. By me kings reign, says Wisdom, and princes decree justice, Prov. viii. 15. not that it may be that any particular form of government is of God; there are divers forms; as monarchy. which is the government of one man; aristocracy, which is the government of the chief and principal persons in a nation; and democracy, which lies in the people: which is the best sort of government I will not take upon me to

• Cicero de Legibus, 1. 3. c. 9.

say; but this I will venture to say, that the worst government is better than none at all; perhaps a mixt government may be best, made up of all three; as our's is there is an appearance of monarchy in the king, of aristocracy in the nobles, and of democracy in the commons, chosen by the suffrages of the people. Moreover, it is not this or that particular man in government, that is of God; he 'may assume that to himself which does not belong to him, and so is not of God, but of himself; or he may abuse the power he is possessed of, which thought by divine permission, and may be for a scourge to a people; yet not of God's approbation: it is not therefore this or that form of government, or this or that particular person, but government itself that is of God; for there is no power but of him; what Adam had over the creatures, the husband bas over the wife, parents over their children, and masters over their servants, it is of God; and so is the power magistrates have over subjects, John xix. 11. and therefore are to be obeyed. 2. To resist them, is to resist the ordinance of God, Rom. xiii .2. Not that magistrates are above the laws; but are to be subject to them, and are liable to the penalty of them, when broken by them; they are under the laws, but over men; so says Cicero; "the laws preside over magistrates, and magistrates over the people; and, adds he, the magistrate is a speaking law, and the law a mute magistrate." So that these have a close connection with each other; the laws are binding on magistrates, and they are to govern according to them; and when they do that which is wrong, or attempt it, they may be resisted; as Saul, when he would have put his son to death, for the breach of an arbitrary law of his own, and which his son was ignorant of; but the people would not suffer him; and they were in the right: so Uzziah, when he went into the temple to offer incense, which to do was a breach of the law of God, hen in being; Azariah, and fourscore priests more, followed him, and withstood him, and they had the approbation of God; for before the king could get out of the temple, he was smote with a leprosy. But a king, or a civil magis. trate, is not to be resisted in the execution of lawful power and authority. — 3. Such who resist, shall receive to themselves damnation, or judgment; either temporal judgment from men or from God; as did Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; or eternal judgment; for those who despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities, the blackness of darkness is reserved for ever and ever, Jude verse 7, 8, 11, 13. There are other reasons to be gathered from Rom. xiii. enforcing odedience to civil magistrates; taken from their being the ministers of God for good, for civil good, the protection of men in their lives, liberties, and properties; and for moral good, for the restraint of vice; for if the fence of magistracy was plucked up, vice would issue in like an inundation, and carry all before it; see Judg. xxi. 25. and from their being encouragers of good works, and the executors of the wrath of God on evil men; and by good men are to be obeyed, not for wrath's sake, or for fear of punishment, but for conscience sake; and a good conscience cannot be exercised without obedience to them.

De Legibus, 1. 3. c. 9.

OF GOOD WORKS IN GENERAL.

GOOD works, or actions, are of various sorts. There are natural actions, which respect the animal life; such as eating, drinking, &c. which, when done in moderation, and not to access, are good, and are necessary for the preservation of health and life. And there are civil employments, trades, businesses, and occupations of life, men are called to; and it is good to attend them; and they are necessary for the support of a man and his family, and that he may do good to others, and are for the credit of religion. These, by some, are thought to be meant by good works, in Tit. iii. 14. There are relative duties, or good works, to be performed by husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, magistrates and subjects, before treated of. And there are acts of beneficence and charity to fellow-creatures and christians; which are called doing good, and are acceptable and well pleasing to God, Heb xiii. 16. Gal. vi. 10. There are some good works to be done to men, as men, and are comprehended in that general rule of Christ's, Matt. vii. 12. and others to believers in Christ, who are by love to serve one another. Some are of a positive kind, in obedience to a positive law of God, the effect of his sovereign will and pleasure; such were the institutions and ordinances of divine service observed under the former dispensation, and baptism and the Lord's supper under the present. Others are of a moral nature, done in agreement to the moral law, and to the law and light of nature, binding upon all, in all ages. And of good works some are materially, or as to the substance of them, and in appearance good, when they are not circumstantially good; or as to the circumstances of them; nor radically, and as to the principle of them: such were the virtues of the heathens Austin calls splendida peccata, shining sins; and such the works done by Herod, on hearing John; and by the Pharisees, who were and did things outwardly righteous before men, but at heart wicked; it is not barely doing bonum, a good thing; but doing that good thing bene, well. The circumstances requisite to a good work, are,

1. That it be according to the command and will of God; as every evil work or sin is a transgression of the law of God, and a want of conformity to that; so every good work is in agreement with it, and a conformity to it. By this rule many works are cut off from being good works, done by the Pharisees of old, and by Papists now, though they may have a great show of religion and holiness, because they are done according to the precepts and traditions of men, and not according to the commands of God. 2. That it spring from love to God, and not influenced by any sinister and selfish motive; The end of the commandment is charity, or love; love to God, is the root and spring of obedience to it, and is the motive induced to it, 1 Tim. i. 5. John xiv. 45.

VOL, III.

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3. It must be done in faith; for what is not of faith is sin, and so no good work; without faith it is impossible to please God; herein lay the difference between Abel's work and Cain's; the one was done in faith, the other not, Rom. xiv. 23. Heb. xi. 4, 6.4. It must be done to the glory of God, 1 Cor. x. 31. The Pharisees prayed, and fasted, and did alms; but all to be seen of men, and to get glory from them, but sought not the glory of God; and so were not good works; good works are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God, Phil. i. 11. Now concerning these may be observed, I. The springs and causes of them.

1. The efficient cause is God, who works in his people, both to will and to do; gives the inclination to a good work, and power to perform it. Every action, as an action, is of God, by whom we move; and a good work is not only of God, as an action, but as a good action, who is the fountain of all goodness; the beginning, progress, and perfection of a good work are of God, and so prayed for, Heb. xiii. 21.-2. The influential cause is the grace of God; it was by that the apostle Paul did works more abundantly than others, and to that he ascribes them; and through that had his conversation in the world, in simplicity and godly sincerity. The grace of God, both as a principle and as a doctrine, teaches influentially to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, Tit. ii. 11, 12.3. Good works, that are truly such, are owing to union to Christ; men are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, Eph. ii. 10. they are first in Christ, as branches in the vine, and then bring forth the fruit of good works; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it is in and abides in the vine, so neither can any except they are in and abide in Christ, who is the green fir tree, from whom all their fruit is found. - 4. Faith in Christ is productive of them; the heart is purified by faith in the blood of Jesus, which purges the conscience from dead works, whereby men are better fitted to do good works, or to serve the living God; faith without works is dead; and works without faith are dead works: a living faith produces living works; not that the life of faith lies in works; but, as Dr. Ames observes, works are second acts, necessarily flowing from the life of faith. Faith, some call it the internal, instrumental cause of works; the external instrumental cause of works is, 5. The word of God; as faith comes by hearing it, so the obedience of faith; the word, written and read, preached and heard, is a means of making the man of God, whether in a public or private character, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, 2 Tim. iii. 16. Luke viii. 15.

e

II. The nature and properties of good works.

1. The best of works, which are done by the best of men, and in the best manner, are but imperfect; there is sin in them all; there are none found perfect in the sight of God, however they may appear before men, Eccles. vii. 20. Rev. iii. 2. knowledge of the will of God, the rule of them, is imperfect; and Synops, Purior. Tholog. Disp. 34. § 9.

Medulla Theolog. 1. 2. 6. 7. 8. 35,

so are faith and love, from whence they spring; and there is indwelling sin, that hinders saints from doing the good they would, and in the manner they are desirous of, and which pollutes their best actions.

11. They are not meritorious of any thing at the hand of God; the requisites of merit are wanting in them. 1. To merit, they must be profitable to God; but such they are not; they are no gain to him: men, by their works, give him nothing, nor does he receive any thing from them, and therefore he is under no obligation to them for them, Job xxii. 2. and xxxv. 7. Psalm xvi. 2.

2. They are due to God; whereas they should not, if expected to merit by them; but in doing them men do but what is their duty; for the doing of which they are debtors, and under obligation to perform them. God has a prior right unto them; could these be given him first, a recompense might be expected; but this is not the case, Luke xvii. 10. 3. They must be done by men in their own strength, and not in the strength and by the assistance of God, of whom it is expected to merit; whereas without the grace and strength of Christ man can do nothing; but all things through him strengthening them : his strength is made perfect in their weakness, and by his grace they do what they do, and therefore can merit nothing. 4. There is no proportion between the works of men, and any mercy and favour of God; they are not worthy of the least of the temporal mercies they enjoy, and still less of spiritual ones, and especially of eternal life and happiness; between which, and the best works of men, there is no manner of proportion; there is between sin and the wages of it, death; but none between works of righteousness and eternal life; that is the free gift of God, Rom. vi. 23.

III. The subjects of them, in whom they are found, and by whom performed. Every man is not capable of performing good works; there is an inaptitude, and an impotence to that which is good; men are naturally to every good work reprobate or unfit; to do good they have no knowledge, and have no inclination nor disposition unto it; have neither will nor power; the bias of their minds is another way; they mind the things of the flesh, and their carnal minds are enmity to God, and to all that is good; and hence the truth of that observation, There is none doth good, no not one! Rom. iii. 12. Such only are capable of doing good works who,

1. Are made good men; Make the tree good, and its fruit will be good; let a man be made a good man, and he will do good works; but it is God that must make him good, none else can; he cannot make himself good; the good work of grace must first be begun in him by the Spirit and grace of God; and then, and not before, will he perform good works; he must be made a new creature in Christ, in order to do good works, Eph. ii. 10. 2. They must be purified and sanctified: Christ gave himself, his life and blood, for the redemption of his people; That he might purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. ii. 14, and a man must be sanctified by the Spirit