H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares of age, he caused to bee published in the name of himselfe & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his ovvne latine copie, as in so graue a mans worke is requisite: for the profite of all the vnlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his iudgement in matters of faith.

CHAP. XXI. Of good workes.

I. They which are ingrafted into Christ, haue both whereby they themselues do liue, and bring forth the workes of their life for o∣thers: and this is the princi∣pall ende of their in∣grafting.

AS the braunch doth not onely draw sap and nourishment from the vine, where∣by it liueth it selfe, but also taketh from it, whereby to bring forth fruite vnto vs: so al∣so we beleeue, that the faithful haue not one∣ly life from Christ, in whome they are planted, whereby they liue themselues, but all force & power whereby they shewe forth fruites of good works, to the glorie of God and edifica∣tion of the church: as Christ saith, I am the vine, and you the braunches: he that abideth in me and he in whome I abide, he shall bring forth much fruite. Wherunto this also pertaineth, we are his work∣manship, created in Christ Jesus vnto good vvorkes vvhich God hath ordained, that vvee should vvalke in them.

II. What we meane by the name of good workes.

But by the name of good workes, we vnder∣stand all those actions, which are done by men

regenerate, after the rule of Gods will reuea∣led in his word, and by a liuely faithin Christ, and a pure heart through the holy ghost: For, as euerie thing which is not of faith is sinne: so all things which are of faith, and so out of a pure heart, and good conscience must needes be good works: wherefore we do not thinke, that those deedes can bee numbred among good workes, and acceptable to God, which are done of the vngodly without faith, and without the worde of God, and not through the guiding of the holie spirit: howsoeuer they may carrie a shew of great pietie and seruice of God.

III. Good works are done of vs by power of the holy ghost.

For as the braunch of the vine, or the wild oliue boughes being grafted into a good o∣liue tree, bring forth fruits not of themselus, but by the vertue of the vine & the tree where into they are ingrafted: so wee also doe not good workes of our selues, but by vertue of Christs spirit, to whome we are incorporated, and from whome wee draw that life, whereby we liue: Christ himselfe working in vs by his spirite, both that wee may will that which is good, and performe the same. For without me (said he) yee can do nothing.

IV. Good works are not the cause, but the effect of our vniting to Christ, and of our iustifi∣cation and life.

Likewise as these braunches and boughes, doe not therefore bring forth good fruites, that they might by them bee planted in the vine or the oliue tree, or that they might liue therein, but therefore they bringe fruite, be∣cause they are already planted and doe liue: and so their good fruites are not the causes of their planting and life, but the effects and ma∣nifest testimonies thereof: after the verie same manner wee beleeue that it is betweene vs & Christ: as also Augustiue fully teacheth, who also saith, that good works do not goe before him that is to be iustified, but follow him that is iustified. And therefore wee constantly confesse, that a man (speaking properly, and of the iustification of his life) is not iustified by works, but by them declared to be iust.

V. Although we bee not iustified by our workes: yet others are oftimes edified thereby and saued.

Now this also we add, that as of the fruits of trees, though the trees themselues liue not by the same, yet others, namely earthly crea∣tures and men, are fedde and their life main∣tained by the same: so although wee by our owne good works bee not iustified, yet others thereby are not a little edified, and stirred vp

both to glorifie God, and also by our exam∣ple to seeke after the true righteousnesse and life in Christ, and are so saued: The Apostle also saying, that he magnified his office among the gen∣tilles (namely by his diligence, and holines of life) that he might prouoke them of his flesh to follow him, & might saue some of them. And in another place. Sometime by the beleeuing wife (liuing god∣ly and holily, and doing her duetie) the vnbelee∣uing husbād is saued. And to Timothie, if he look to himselfe, that is, doe the duetie of a byshop, he shall saue himselfe and others.

VI. Though we deny a man to be iustified by works, yet we do not therefore condemne works.

Wherefore though wee denie, that good workes are to bee done to this ende, that by them we might bee iustified: because that this ouerthroweth the free iustice of god, & whole benefite of Christ: yet wee doe not therefore disallowe the care of a holie life, and good works: nay, we commend them, and vrge mē thereunto as much as we can possiblie.

VII. There be many and those most weightie causes why men must labour to doe good works.

For there be many and very weighty causes declared in the holy scriptures, why wee must diligently labour to do good works, although wee bee not iustified by the same: whereof some are referred immediatly to the glory of God: some to the saluation of our neighbour,

and profite of the church: and some also per∣taine to our owne thankfulnes towards God, yea and to our owne saluation. God comman∣deth this thing and to his commaundement we must simply obey. By these workes God is glorified and the glorie of God must bee set forward. God did therefore elect, create, re∣deeme, and plant vs in Christ, that we should liue soberly, iustly, and godly in this worlde: and God is not to bee defrauded of his pur∣pose. They please God: for he hateth iniquity, and loueth righteousnesse: and wee must doe those thinges which please god, though there∣by there should arise no profite either to our neighbour or to our selues. But both to our neighbour and to the church especially com∣meth great profite by our good works, not onely in regard of the bodie, and external cō∣modities, but also of eternall saluation: whilst by our example (to let passe other thinges) the elect are prouoked to the like godlinesse. And to vs they are profitable, first, because that by good works, as by the effectes of our election and vocation, wee make them both, that is, both our election and calling, assured, both to our selues and others. Secondly because faith not onely manifesteth and vttereth it selfe by the fruites thereof, but is also by them exerci∣sed, kindled, strengthened, and increased: euē as al moral vertues do get increase & strēght∣ning by the exercising of them: Thirdly, be∣cause, as by our sinnes we grieue the holie spi∣rit

dwelling in vs: so by good works we make glad, and fill our hearts and consciences with spirituall ioye: and contrariewise we resist the temptations of the deuill: Fourthly because, as in auoyding sinnes, there be also many pu∣nishments auoyded: so by doing good works, we obtaine many blessinges of God, aswell in this life, as especially in the other: Lastly, be∣cause they are the waye: by which God ordi∣narily leadeth his elect vnto eternall life: and vnlesse the braunch bring forth fruite it shall be cut of, and cast into the fire.

VIII. There is promised and giuen a revvard to our good workes, yet of free grace, and for Christ.

Whereby wee vnderstand, that although by our works, we cannot (to speake properly) deserue for our selues the possession of the hea∣uenly inheritance (for eternall life is the gifte of God:) yet we may obtaine the same, as it were a reward, but yet of the free mercie of god, and for the merits of Christ.

IX. Errors.

We cōdemne therefore those: which teach, that for the worthinesse of their works, there is due vnto them either remission of sinnes, or ternall life, or any other good gift. For though wee should perfectly fulfill the commande∣ments of God, yet we should be but vnprofi∣table seruants. But no mā yea after his ingraf∣ting

into Christ, keepeth the commandemēts of God, as they should be kept. Meanewhile we disproue not the Fathers, in that they vsed the worde merite: namely so farreforth as thereby they ment nothing else, then a good worke, done by faith, vnto which of fauour, and for the onely merites of Christ was gi∣uen a reward. Againe wee cannot allowe of those which doe so discourse of good workes, as if they were things indifferent: and there∣fore hold that the same are not onely neede∣lesse, but also doe nothing auaile to saluation. For how should any man bee saued without faith? and how can he haue a liuing faith with∣out a care to doe good workes? and who can also hold faith, vnlesse hee also keepe a good conscience? and how can he keep a good con∣science, vnlesse he also keepe a care to auoide sinne, and to doe good workes, and to frame his whole life to the will of God? but wee sim∣ply condemne all Libertines, who make it all one to keep or not to keep gods commande∣ments, to do well or to doe ill. We condemne also those, which teach that our good workes doe profite the very soules of the dead, which lye in a certaine burning flame, which they call purgatorie: sith the scripture saieth, euerie one shalbe iudged according to his owne works, which he did in his owne bodie: and, not the works of o∣ther men, but their owne workes, doe followe them which are dead.

Notes

• Ioh. 15.5. &c
• Eph. 2.10
• 2. Pet. 1.5.
• 1. Tim. 1.5
• Rom. 14.23
• Col. 2.18.23
• Mat. 15.8.9.
• Phil. 2.13 Ioh. 15.5.
• Mar. 5.16.
• Rom. 11.13
• 1. Cor. 7.16.
• 1. Tim. 4.16
• Mat. 5.16
• Tit. 2.12
• Act. 10.35 Col. 1.10
• 2. Cor. 1.4
• Heb. 10.24 2. Pet. 1.10
• 2. Tim. 1.6
• Eph. 4.30
• Deut. 28
• Eph. 2.10
• Ioh. 15.6
• Luc. 17.10 Rom. 6.25 Ier. 31.34 Mar. 5.7
• Luc. 17.10
• Heb. 11.6 Iud. 2 20
• 2. Cor. 3.10
• Apoc. 14.13