ssion there is neither
example nor command in Scripture. The text on which Romanists
chiefly rely (John 20:23) says nothing of the confession of sins in
the ears of a priest; and the ministers of religion can only remit
sins declaratively, not authoritatively. They can absolve from the
censures of the Church, but not from the guilt of sin, as committed
against God. In one place we are enjoined to "confess our faults one
to another" (James 5:16); but this confession is mutual, not a
confession by the people to the priest. Christians ought to confess
their faults to those whom they have injured; but the confession of
all their sins in private to a priest, as required by the Church of
Rome, is wholly unauthorized by Scripture, and it has been the
occasion of flagrant abuse. "Not only is auricular confession
productive of much inconvenience to society, by giving the ministers
of religion an undue and dangerous influence over the minds of the
people in their most secret affairs; but it perverts their notions
of the justification of a sinner, and it provides a method of
quieting their consciences, which is so easy of access that it
encourages them to sin with little fear."

3. Though Christians are only required to confess their secret sins
to God, who sees in secret, yet, if they have wronged a Christian
brother, in his property or good name, they are bound to confess
their offence to him, and to make all the reparation in their power
for the injury they have done to him; and upon their repentance he
is bound to forgive them.—Matthew 5:23, 24; Luke 17:3, 4. When
Christians fall into public scandal, they should be willing to make
more public confession of their offence, that they may openly honor
that God by their confession, whom they have openly dishonored by
their conduct; and the Church, upon their repentance, ought in love
to receive them, and restore them to all their Christian privileges.
The Novatians maintained that such as had fallen into grievous
transgressions, especially those who had apostatized from the faith,
in a time of persecution, were not to be again received into the
bosom of the Church. But this opinion is contrary both to the
precepts and examples of Scripture. If a man be overtaken in a
fault, they who are spiritual are enjoined to restore such a one in
the spirit of meekness, considering themselves, lest they also be
tempted.—Galatians 6:1. The Church at Corinth was required to
forgive the incestuous person, upon his repentance, and receive him
again into communion, lest he should be swallowed up with over much
sorrow.—2 Corinthians 2:7, 8.



16. Of Good Works

SECTION 1. Good works are only such as God has commanded in his holy
Word, and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by
men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretense of good intention.

Exposition of 16.1

This section states what is necessary to constitute an action a good
work, as considered in itself. It must be such as God has commanded
in his holy Word. The law of God is the sole rule of man's
obedience, and no action, how specious soever in appearance, can be
properly called good, unless required by the supreme legislator. No
command of man can make a work good, unless it be, at the same time,
virtually or explicitly commanded by God. Those actions which have
no warrant from the Word of God, but are devised by men, out of
blind zeal, cannot be reckoned good works. On this ground Christ
rejected those services of the Pharisees, which had no other
authority than the traditions of the elders, or their own
enactments, saying: "Who has required this at your hands." And, on
the same ground, those works of superstition and will-worship, which
are only enjoined by the commandments of men, in the Church of Rome,
must be rejected. "In vain," said our Savior, "do they worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:9.

Actions which God has not commanded cannot be transformed into good
works (as is maintained by the Church of Rome), by the good
intention of the agent. Many have pretended to act from a good
intention, when they were acting in direct opposition to the
revealed will of God.—1 Samuel 13:13; 15:17–23. Men have thought
that they were doing God good service, when they were committing the
most atrocious crimes.—John 16:2; Acts 26:9.

A work commanded by God is good, considered in itself; but something
more is requisite to make it good as performed by us. And no action
is a good work in the sight of God, except it be formally as well as
materially good. What things are necessary to render a work formally
good, may be learned from the subsequent sections of this chapter;
but we judge it proper to state them briefly in this place. 1. They
must be performed by a person who is justified by the righteousness
of Christ, and renewed by his Spirit. 2. They must be done from a
right principle—faith working by love. There must be faith or
persuasion that what we do is commanded by God; and we must perform
it from a respect to his authority.—Romans 14:23. There must also be
a faith of the acceptance of our works only through the mediation of
Christ. Our obedience must likewise flow from love to God.—1 John
5:3. 3. They must be performed in a right manner. They must be done
in the strength of promised grace, and in dependence upon the
righteousness of Christ for acceptance—in the exercise of gratitude
to God for all his benefits, and under a deep sense of our own
unworthiness. 4. They must be directed to a right end. Our works
cannot be accounted good, except our chief and ultimate end in doing
them be the glory of God.—1 Corinthians 10:31.

SECTION 2. These good works, done in obedience to God's
commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively
faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen
their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the
gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God, whose
workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto; that,
having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal
life.

Exposition of 16.2

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 22:2; 35:7. 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." Romans 3:20. For can our good works be the ground of our
title to leaven, or to eternal life, for "eternal life is the gift
of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23. Still, however,
the performance of good works must be constantly inculcated and
earnestly urged upon all Christians; and they serve 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 you affirm constantly,
that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain
good works: these things are good and profitable unto men." Titus
3:8. 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 2:2, 6. Of a
living faith good works are the native fruits, and they are the
proper evidences that faith is sincere. "Show me," says the same
apostle, "your faith without your works, and I will show you my
faith by my works." James 2:18.

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
universal and cheerful obedience to his commandments; and their good
works are, as it were, thank offerings 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 eve do
know that we know him," says the beloved disciple, "if we keep his
commandments." 1 John 2:3. 4. The good works of believers edify
their fellow-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 Corinthians 9:2.

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 Savior in
all things." Titus 2:10.

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 well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance
of foolish men." 1 Peter 2:15.

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 you bear much fruit." John 15:8. 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 Savior, "that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16.

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." Romans 6:22.

SECTION 3. Their ability to do good works is not at all of
themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ. And that they may
be enabled thereunto, beside the graces they have already received,
there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to
work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure: yet are they
not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform
any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought
to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.

Exposition of 16.3

In opposition to Pelagians, Romanists, and Arminians, our Confession
asserts, that the ability of believers to do good works is not of
themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ. It is to be
carefully observed, that a supernatural habit, or vital principle of
grace, is infused or implanted in the souls of all true believers,
in the day of their regeneration, whereby they are disposed and
enabled to perform acts of holy obedience.—Ezekiel 36:26, 27. But,
notwithstanding this power or ability, which believers have received
by habitual grace, there is required an actual influence of the Holy
Spirit unto their performance of every single gracious holy act.
Whatever furniture of habitual grace they may have received, there
is an actual operation of the Holy Spirit in them necessary unto the
actual gracious performance of every duty of obedience. This is
confirmed—1. By the express declaration of our Savior: "Without me
you can do nothing." John 15:5. Here our Savior explicitly affirms
that believers, who are made partakers of habitual grace, cannot of
themselves, by virtue of any grace they have already received, or
without new supplies of grace from him, do anything that is
spiritually good or acceptable to God. 2. By the acknowledgment of
Paul, speaking in the name of believers: "Not that we are sufficient
of ourselves, to think anything as of ourselves: but our sufficiency
is of God." 2 Corinthians 3:5. 3. By the prayers of the saints for
new supplies of grace, to enable them to do the will of God. Paul
prays on behalf of the Hebrews: "The God of peace make you perfect
in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is
well-pleasing in his sight." Hebrews 13:20, 21. The necessity, and
the efficiency of actual grace unto every acceptable act of holy
obedience, cannot be more directly expressed.

In opposition, on the other hand, to certain enthusiasts, who
maintain that believers ought not to perform any duty in religion,
unless the Spirit within move and excite them to these duties, our
Confession asserts, that believers ought not to "grow negligent, as
if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special
motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up
the grace of God that is in them." This is so amply confirmed by the
passages of Scripture to which the compilers of our Confession
refer, that we feel it quite unnecessary to dwell upon it.

SECTION 4. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height
which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to
supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall
short of much which in duty they are bound to do.

Exposition of 16.4

This section is leveled against the doctrine of the Church of Rome,
respecting works of supererogation. That Church teaches, that
besides those precepts which are binding on all, and which none can
disobey without sin, there are "counsels of perfection" given in the
New Testament, which men are at liberty to neglect if they please;
and, therefore, those who comply with these counsels, perform more
than they are bound to do, and have, consequently, a superfluous
degree of merit, that may be transferred to others for their
benefit. In the progress of the corruptions of that Church, it was
taught and believed, that the whole stock of superfluous merit,
arising out of the good works of those who comply with the counsels
of perfection, is committed to the management of the Pope, to be
parceled out according to his pleasure, in such dispensations and
indulgences as the sins and infirmities of other members of the
Church appear to him to stand in need of. The enormous abuses of
this discretionary power with which the Pope was invested, were the
immediate cause of the Reformation. In opposition to this
blasphemous doctrine, Protestants maintain, that there is not the
slightest foundation in the Scripture for what the Papists call
"counsels of perfection." This is evident from the nature of the
commands which devolve upon all men. We are required "to love God
with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our
strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves."
Luke 10:27. What more can be conceived than is implied in these two
commands? Works of supererogation have no existence but in the vain
imaginations of ignorant and self-righteous men. So far are the most
eminent saints from exceeding the measure of their duty, that they