Principles and Practices of the Regular Baptists

Chapter IX: Of Good Works

1st. "For you are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works." One great end designed in our regeneration is, that we shall be disposed to goodness of life. "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound ?" "God forbid, how can they that are dead to sin live any longer therein ?" Here we are considered as dead to sin; it no longer affords us delight as it once did; and, indeed, we may in some degree determine our religious state by this test. If we are in heart killed to the love of sin and find our affections placed on better things, it is an evidence that we are in a gracious state. 1st Peter 2:15-16:

"For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." Efforts have been made in all ages to show that the doctrine of salvation by grace alone tends to an evil life. Many of us have had this complaint to meet. "If I believed as you do I would not care how I live." The apostles were compelled to meet the same objection. Rom. 6:1-2, also 3:8: "And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), let us do evil, that good may come." The report that Paul taught a doctrine in harmony with sin, or that in any way encouraged sin, was false and slanderous; but such has been the charge against truth in all ages. Now, the will of God is that we should "put to silence" this ignorant charge of "well doing." Show by our life that the tendency of Bible principles is to goodness of life; that although we do not believe that our doing secures eternal life, yet we are as careful to maintain good works as those who do believe that salvation is the fruit of doing. I have not found that the doctrine of free grace makes men careless in their lives, but that they who seem best to understand this doctrine are most careful in their manner of living. The enmity between Christ and Satan is established in the heart of every Christian. So that we may say that it is his choice to serve the Lord and oppose evil. Moses manifested this temper in preferring the reproaches of Christ to the crown of Egypt. David preferred the place of a door-keeper in God's house to the highest places of earth. All the prophets and apostles, and in fact, every saint, prefers affliction and Christ to worldly ease and sin. This preference is not based on fears of hell, but it grows out of the fact that God has changed our hearts from the love of sin to that of holiness. It is the native elements of the saints to love God, and delight in his presence and approval. We may see in the Psalms a true picture of every Christian heart: "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts ! My soul longeth, yet, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God." - 84:1-2. "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God ? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, where is thy God ?" - 42:2-3. Also verse 5: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? why art thou disquieted in me ? hope thou in God," etc. Our sweetest comforts are found and enjoyed in fellowship with Christ. "Prisons would palaces prove if Jesus would dwell with me there." And so our most unpleasant moments are when we feel void of his presence and approval. What Christian has not felt sad and gloomy as a result of disobedience ? And what one has not learned that an upright course of life is most productive of happiness? If we were simply seeking to get "all out of life possible," we would pursue that course dictated by Christ. In this way we honor him and his truth. In Romans 12:1, Paul exhorts to obedience from the mercies of Christ. The great mercy shown us by the Lord in a thousand ways in his providence, as well as what he has shown in Christ, makes an argument to us to unite with Christ as our great captain in his war against evil, and this argument, as a nail in a sure place, reaches our hearts. And saints in all ages have gone willingly into hardships of every kind rather than disobey the Lord. Death in all its worst forms has been met and braved by saints who loved the Lord so well that they would rejoice to die rather than disobey. The real foundation of obedience does not lie in an Arminian view of the gospel, but in the doctrine of grace, and a deep, unmovable principle of love to God and his cause. A similar argument is made in 2nd Cor. 5:15: "And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." The argument here is: He died for us; rescued us from the eternal ruin, and for this cause we should feel that we are not our own to live to, and for ourselves, but to him who gave himself for us. This is a strong argument, and reaches our hearts, and we feel that "we ought his cross with pleasure bear." The Savior says: "If ye love me keep my commandments." We can manifest our love to Christ only by keeping his commandments. His glory is advanced, and our happiness, in duty. In this way we glorify God in our bodies and our spirits, which are his. The path of duty often lies in a low valley of self-denial, and reproach, disgrace and loss, but those who have gone in it have always reported that it is the happiest and best way.

2nd. In the ordinance of baptism we pledge ourselves to obey the Lord. - Rom. 6:3-4. To be submissive to his laws and commandments, we publicly take the place of a wife to him, in which relation we owe him implicit obedience. - Rom. 7:4. To depart from duty is far worse than to violate the marriage pledge, or prove defaulter in office among men; for we virtually swear allegiance to him, and are most solemnly bound to devote our lives to his service. We should let nothing drive us or bribe us from a straight course of obedience. It is an obligation to God, and should be more binding than any other. It is an obligation for life, and hence nothing but death terminates our duty to God. Our happiness and usefulness depend much upon it; the welfare of the church is connected with it in no small degree. We are exhorted, 2nd Peter 1:10: "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." Here the saints are exhorted to diligently labor to secure to themselves the comfortable assurance of their own election. Diligently perform every known duty; in all your ways acknowledge him; strive to enter in at the straight gate; watch against sin in yourselves, as well as others. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." - Solomon. To keep our hearts aright requires diligence. There is so much remaining evil within us that opposes us in our Christian duty, our own happiness is lost when we yield to an evil temper, and in this way we lay the foundation for trouble to ourselves. "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings." - 1st Peter 2:1. This was said to God's people, and we may learn from it that God's people are troubled with these same passions, and that a great part of our business is to guard against these, and, in our guarding, let us remember Paul's words: "Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear." - Heb. 12:28. If we are blessed with God's grace we can make successful war on our evil passions. To "be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might" is a kind of strength that none understand but the saints. Malice is a settled mind to injure others, which may be done by personal injury to their person or property, or may be done by the tongue circulating false reports or speaking of the faults of others. This is a hateful temper, and yet it lurks in all our churches; some are ready to mention the faults of others to gratify a low, malicious temper; we should guard against this, it is hateful in the sight of God, and who of us can in sincerity say, "We are clear of this fault ?" The Savior taught us: "Love your enemies." How unnatural for us to do this, and how easy to entertain and cultivate an unkind feeling for our enemies; but if we diligently watch ourselves we will not give way to a malicious temper. He goes on: "Bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you." This is all contrary to our nature; our neighbor may deserve our unkindness; he may evilly treat us, but we can not indulge in unkindness without disobeying God, and we should not trample the law of the Lord under foot because others have done wrong. Remember that nothing should be regarded as a sufficient excuse to trample on the law of the Lord. "Malice and all guile." Guile is the act of being insincere; double dealing. This is a trait of our nature, to be two-faced; approve a brother to his face and condemn him to his back; to fain friendship where none is felt; approve a sermon with your lips when in heart you do not like it; to take great pains to make one think you love him when you do not. All this is to be laid aside. Sincerity is one of the brightest ornaments of a human being. We love the Christian man who means all he says; whose words are sincere words; but if we are not careful we will find ourselves speaking with flattering lips and indulging hypocrisy, which is to be lain aside. Envies are also mentioned among the evils to be avoided and lain aside. Few of us like to own that we ever indulge such a temper, yet I am persuaded that all God's people know that they are troubled with such a temper. Oh! what a low, mean temper is this. Yet it is more or less within all of us. The little song, "Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands," brought this scum to the surface in Saul, robbed him of his own happiness and made him a terror to others. The disciples were inquisitive to know who of them should be the greatest, and such a question yet arises within us. When we take a thoughtful look into our own hearts and see how much of evil there is within us, we rejoice that salvation is by grace alone. That temper (that rejoices when our brethren are advanced, thanks the Lord when others are blessed with liberty and receive the encouragements of other), is the one God approbates. When we can feel a self-denying disposition, a willingness to do what we can in that sphere, we are safe. The apostle adds: "And all evil speaking," or as Paul, in another place, says, "speak evil of no man." A failure to regard this admonition has often been the cause of great trouble among brethren. The tongue is an unruly member, and although all kinds of beasts and birds, etc., have been tamed, yet "the tongue hath no man tamed." How easy it is for brethren to whisper each others' faults without particularly designing evil, and some bird carries what was said to that brother, and trouble ensues. He is a wise man who has learned to bridle his tongue. We may all plead guilty of having disobeyed in this thing. As we regard the peace of Zion and our own happiness, and that of our brethren, let us seek to control our tempers. If our love is without "dissimulation," and it should be, we will be inclined to seek each others' welfare. We have abundant reasons to love the dear people of God. Christ loved them and gave himself for them. They are heirs to that inheritance that is reserved in heaven, and though now they are wearied with evil tempers and often act in an unlovely way, yet by and by they shall be freed from all these unlovely traits. We should "love the brotherhood," and willingly bear with each other. Surely, we should not seek to burden each other with unkind words or treatment. Let us love each other sincerely, and so act that it may be said, "behold, how they love one another." In union there is strength: united we stand, but divided we are a prey to our enemies, and destroy ourselves. "If ye bite and devour one another, take heed lest ye be consumed one of another." We should oppose and hate every evil thing and way. "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good;" every kind of dishonesty in business, every low, cunning scheme or trick, we should hate and oppose, and be found on the right side of every question involving right and wrong. We have reasons to be a happy people; with a hope of eternal life, "the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come." We have reasons to rejoice. "Praise is comely in the sight of the Lord." We should often congregate and sing the high praises of our Great Redeemer who hath brought life and immortality to light.

In the hour of pain and trial we have reasons to be patient. Paul admonishes us to "be patient in tribulation." We know our pain will end, and end forever, and that our light afflictions will soon terminate in endless rest. It is not comely in a Christian to be impatient in sickness or disappointment. By considering that our state is much better than we deserve, we may strengthen our patience; others as good as we have been far worse off, and yet borne their trials with patience; and so our Savior endured with patience the agonies of the cross. If we realize what sinful persons we are, how much evil there is about us, how pride and self-esteem war against the real interest of the soul, we may learn that there is real need of trial that we may be humble.

"Afflictions, though they seem severe,
Are oft in mercy sent;
They stop the prodigal's career
And cause him to repent."

We all desire that God would keep us humble, and we should bear with patience those things that do humble us. If my heart has grown proud, and my affections set on the things of this world, I should rejoice at tribulation that brings me to the feet of the Lord. We should ever be willing to condescend to men of low estate. Never indulge a spirit of revenge and retaliation. God hath said, "vengeance is mine," and we should not entertain a spirit of revenge. "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory." We should never carry a spirit of strife; it is sure to end in our own injury; we should ever seek to overcome evil with good. The Christian life is a subject of vast importance, and should enlist every saint on earth. How shall I live to honor Christ and secure his approval ? is a question we may well ask. God's blessings will attend the obedient; he has connected happiness and obedience all through his Word. Our influence on the world is measured by the amount of good we do.

"Therefore, let us exhort one another to love and to good works, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." A life of steadfast obedience growing out of the work of grace in the heart, is the best defense any of us can make of our doctrine, each of us being a living witness that the doctrine does not tend to "set men on the stool of do-nothing." For this we should seek with all our might.

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