Works (Vol 7) - Goodwin - XIV - Book III commenced (Of gospel holiness)

Required reading
The Works (Vol 7) by Thomas Goodwin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Book III (Of gospel holiness) by reading Chapters 1, 2 and 3.

My summary
Today we begin a new book within the work 'Of gospel holiness' with Goodwin teaching us about motives for obedience.

In Chapter 1 we see that having faith is the first motive to obedience.

Then in Chapter 2 another motive for our obedience is knowledge that God has elected us for obedience.

Then in Chapter 3 God's love is shown to be a great motive for our obedience.

What grabbed me
I enjoyed hearing that faith is the first and most necessary motive for obedience: 'It is in vain to exhort any to good works till they have first believed. Papists slander our doctrine, that by crying up free grace and faith, we deny good works ; and upbraid us, that our doctrine affords not any motives thereto sufficient ; and because (forsooth) we do not urge them to that end for which they would have them, namely, to merit heaven, therefore they reproach us that we proceed not upon sufficient grounds. But we do indeed proceed in the right order : first, we teach men to believe on free grace as if there were no works ; and then to fall a- doing as if there was no faith to be justified by : ' that they who believe in God may be careful to maintain good works.' Yea, we add further, we urge good works upon a higher ground, for a better and more noble end than they can pretend to who assert that we are justified by them. You will say. What is that ? It is to glorify God. All the world must needs giant that to glorify God is a higher end than to justify man : John xv. 8, ' Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit.' That is the motive which Christ urgeth. Again, they say, we proceed not on good ground, because we do not good works to merit by them. Ay, but we go on a better ground, which is love and thankfulness ; whereas theirs is a motive suited only to self-love. The devil endeavoured to blemish Job : Job i. 9, ' Doth Job serve God for nought ? ' And indeed religion founded wholly on self-love and interest would be mercenary and base ; but to serve God from a principle of love and gratitude, is a noble act of friendship : John xv. 14, ' Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you.' But of the others it might be said. You are my hirelings only ; you only seek to merit by your services, and do all to merit heaven. When Paul, Rom. vi. 22, exhorts to sanctification, he gives this as a motive, that ' the end is everlasting life ;' but yet this life is a free gift of God, not what we merit, but what he freely bestows. That is a poor religion in which, when men have done all, they are workers of iniquity ; but now if men work only for self, they are workers of iniquity, for setting up a man's self is original sin ; and therefore, if we live according to that principle, we rise no higher than corrupt nature.'

Faith first.  Then works.

Next week's reading
Continue Book III (Of gospel holiness) by reading Chapters 4 and 5.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.