Samuel Rutherford: good works are necessary but are not casual to salvation

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Reformed Covenanter

Cancelled Commissioner
... 5. They are commanded as acts of the new creature; and partly, as contrary to sinful fiery, and mighty temptations of Satan, and the flesh, as mortification to fleshly lust, faith to unbelief. Partly as expressions of thankfulness for the free redemption in Christ, and commanded in the Law, in the great Commandment of the loving of God with all our heart, just as this Law of loving God did oblige Abraham to offer his Son Isaak for God, and Judah to be thankful to God, for redeeming them out of the Babylonish Captivity; though the Law neither commanded any father to offer his Son, nor the people to return from Captivity; yet the eternal Law of love commandeth both these, and us to do, what ever God-Redeemer commands us, as well as what ever God the Law-giver injoyneth; only we cannot say, Good works doe merit salvation, or purchase right to life eternal, Christ’s blood is only so a ransom of life.

2. Nor have they any proper condignity to such a high reward, being so imperfect. 3. Nor can they have any effective influence, or proper causality thereunto, nor are they causes or conditions of justification: but that which [Tobias] Crispe saith is not of God; But withal (saith he) I must tell you, that all this sanctification of life, is not a jot of the way of a justified person to heaven; it is true, they are not the meritorious, the efficient cause or way, nor the formal covenant-condition; but a way they are, as sowing is to harvest, running to the garland, wrestling to the victory.

For more, see Samuel Rutherford: good works are necessary but are not casual to salvation.
 
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