One guy I argue with likes to drop names of theologians without quoting them, as if merely naming them bolstered his case and removed any necessity of proving a doctrine from scripture. So he likes to name Jonathan Edwards who spoke of the filthy rags. But Edwards did teach that Christians do good works and apparently lived a very disciplined and strict life. I don't prove anything from any man like Edwards, but for the sake of argument, I will present sayings of Edwards on good works separately.
(black font below is Edwards)
Is any man eminent in holiness, and abundant in good works, let him take nothing of the glory of it to himself, but ascribe it unto him whose “ workmanship we are, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works .”
.--Men are dependent on the power of God for every exercise of grace, and for carrying on that work in the heart, for subduing sin and corruption, increasing holy principles, and enabling to
bring forth fruit in good works.
There may indeed be a great zeal, and a great deal of what is called religion; but it is not a truly Christian zeal: it is not being zealous of
good works. Their religion is not the service of God; it is not seeking and serving God; but indeed seeking and serving themselves.—
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HYPOCRITES DEFICIENT IN THE DUTY OF PRAYER.
It hath a great tendency to keep the soul in a wakeful frame, and to lead us to
a strict walk with God, and to a life that shall be
fruitful in such good works, as tend to adorn the doctrine of Christ, and to cause our light so to shine before others, that they seeing our good works shall glorify our Father who is in heaven. And if the duty be constantly and diligently attended, it will be a very pleasant duty. Slack and slothful attendance upon it, and unsteadiness in it, are the causes which make it so great a burden as it is to some persons.
Edwards on Mat 25:
a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. Then we have an account how both will be judged according to their works; how
the good works of the one and the evil works of the other will be rehearsed, and how the sentence shall be pronounced accordingly.
The gospel-state is every where spoken of as a renewed state of things, wherein old things are passed away, and all things become new: we are said to be created unto Christ Jesus
unto good works:
—Beside, if
strict discipline be maintained among you, it will not only tend to prevent the spread of wickedness, but to make you more
fruitful in holiness. If you know that the eyes of your brethren observe all your conduct, it will not only make you more guarded against sin, but more careful “to
maintain good works, 114 ” and to abound in “the fruits of the Spirit.
The works of both righteous and wicked will be rehearsed. The book of God’s remembrance will be first opened. The various works of the children of men are, as it were, written by God in a book of remembrance, Mal. iii. 16. “A book of remembrance was written before him.” However ready ungodly men may be to make light of their own sins, and to forget them; yet God never forgetteth any of them: n
either doth God forget any of the good works of the saints. If they give but a cup of cold water with a spirit of charity, God remembers it.
The good works of the saints will also be brought forth as evidences of their sincerity, and of their interest in the righteousness of Christ.
The account that will be found in God’s book will not be of debt, but of credit.
Though
the righteous are justified by faith, and not by their works; yet they
shall be judged according to their works: then works shall be brought forth as the evidence of their faith. Their faith on that great day shall be tried by its fruits. If the works of any man shall have been bad, if his life shall appear to have been unchristian, that will condemn him, without any further inquiry. But
if his works, when they shall be examined,
prove good and of the right sort,
he shall surely be justified.
The good works of the saints also, which were done in secret, shall then be made public, and even the pious and benevolent affections and designs of their hearts; so that the real and secret characters of both saints and sinners shall then be most clearly and publicly displayed.
So it is apparent,. Matt. xxv. that none will be found at the right hand, but they that have done such
good works, as can be done only in this world;
Good works are in some sort implied in the very nature of faith, as is implied in 1 Tim. v. 8. where the apostle, speaking of them that do not provide for their parents, says, ” If any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith.”
On Heaven:
"It is undoubted that they never will have forgot what passed in their life upon earth, the sins they have been saved from, their regeneration, the circumstances which did heighten their mercies,
their good works which follow them, their death, &c."
On Rev 2 & the Lampstand/Candlestick:
"The fruit that succeeds the uppermost flower, is the burning and shining lamp, representing several things:
1. That the fruit of a true saint, or his good works and holy life, is as it were a light by which he shines before men, Matt. v. 13, 14, 15.
2. That in a way of
holy practice, and by progress in holiness, the saints obtain the light of spiritual comfort.
3. That in the way of going from strength to strength, and making progress in holiness, they come at last to the light of glory."
The inhabitants of the temple had the benefit of the light of the candlestick, as the saints of God have especially the benefit of
the good works of the saints.
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Deliverance is obtained for the Jews by Esther’s humble prayer; so it will be by the earnest prayer of the church, that God’s people shall be delivered from antichrist, and God will extend the golden sceptre of his grace, as the king to Esther. At that time
the good works of God’s people and ministers
shall come into remembrance to be recorded, as Mordecai’s were;
So wine was made use of in the tabernacle and temple service to represent both the comforts the church has in Christ, and also the gracious exercises and
good works of the saints offered to God.
On Isaiah:
"What the spouse entertains her lover with is called fruits, chap. iv. 16. vii. 13. viii. 2. as
the good works of the saints abundantly are represented elsewhere as fruit which the church brings and offers to God."
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As the blessed Virgin nourished her babe with nourishment from her breast, so Christ in the heart is refreshed with the exercises of graces in the saints, and
their good works, which are often represented in Scripture as food to Christ in the heart, or the principle of grace there, which is as a new-born child, and causes it to grow; and the exercises and fruits of grace that come from the hearts of the saints, do as it were nourish Christ’s interest in the world, and cause Christ’s mystical body, which is small as in infancy, to be strengthened and increased.
“Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” The same charge is given to Titus, “In all things showing thyself a pattern of
good works. 608 ” And this is part of the charge the apostle Peter gives to the elders and teachers of the Christian church,
With Reference to 1 Thes 4, etc.
Then we, which are alive and remain, shall he caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 6.
Then shall the good works, which the saints have done, be declared to their peace and glory. We are often told that every man shall be judged according to his works, and Christ keeps
a book of remembrance of the good works of the saints as well as of the sins of the ungodly. And however mean and polluted that which the saints do is in itself, yet all the pollution that attends it is hid, and every thing they do for God that has the least sincerity in it is precious in God’s eyes. Through his infinite grace it shall in no case lose its
reward, neither shall it in any wise lose its honour. At the day of judgment they shall receive praise and glory in
reward for it.
Christ will declare all the good they have done to their honour; what they did secretly and the world knew it not, and when they did not let their left hand know what their right hand did. Then shall they receive praise and honour for all their labour, for all their self-denial, and all their suffering in the cause of Christ; and
those good works of theirs that were despised, and for which they were condemned, and suffered reproach, shall now be set in a true light; and however they were reproached and slandered by men, they shall receive praise of God in the sight of angels and men.
Thus, in the description of the day of judgment in the 25th chapter of Matthew.,
Christ rehearses the good works of the saints.
The glory of the saints above will be in some proportion to their eminency in holiness and good works here. Christ will reward all according to their works. He that gained ten pounds was made ruler over ten cities, and he that gained five pounds over five cities. Luke xix. 17. 2 Cor. ix. 6. “He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” And the apostle Paul tells us that, as one star differs from another star in glory, so also it shall be in the resurrection of the dead. 1 Cor. xv. 41. Christ tells us that he who gives a cup of cold water unto a disciple in the name of a disciple, shall in no wise lose his
reward. But this could not be true, if a person should have no greater reward for doing many good works than if he did but few.
let your light so shine before men, that they,
seeing your good works, may glorify your Father who is in heaven. Seeing God has given you so much, God and men may well expect of you, that you should be greatly distinguished in your life from other men.
God takes delight in the graces of a godly man’s heart, and he
delights in the good works and religion
of the Christian.
And how does Christ direct them to give light to others? “Let your light,” says he, “so shine before men, that others,
seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven.” And he tells the same disciples again, John xv. 8. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye
bear much fruit.” And how should they bring forth fruit? Christ tells them, verse 10. “If ye
keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love,” and verse 14. “Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
So he directs Titus, in his teaching, to recommend sobriety, gravity, temperance, patience, and other virtues, in the beginning of the 2d chapter of Titus. But then adds in the 7th verse,. “In all things showing thyself a pattern of
good works.”
[I made certain words above bold.]