Gen. xlvi. 33. xlvii. 3. Gen. ii. 2. Exod. xxxiv. 10.WORK, Opus. This Term has several Significations: Quod est opus vestrum? said Pharaoh to Joseph’s Brethren: What is your Profession? by what do you get your Livelihood? God rested from his Work; he left off from producing new Creatures. Opus Domini terribile; the terrible Wonders that God performed in the midst of his People. Opus fusorium, abietarium, carpentarium, polymitarium, pigmentarium; Works of the Foundery, in Wood, in Embroidery; Works of the Perfumer, of the Carpenter, &c. Non morabitur Levit. xix. 13.opus mercenarii tui apud te usque mane; the Wages of the Hireling shall not remain in thy Hands till Morning. Opus is put for merces operis, the Work for the Reward. This Word is also often put for Tob. i. 4. Psalm xxviii. 4. Isai. ii. 8. Isai. v. 19. Isai. xxvi. 12. Isaiah xxviii. 21.the Management of Life: Nihil puerile gessit in opere. And De illis secundum opera eorum.
The Jews are often reproached with having worshipped the Works of their own Hands; the Idols which they had made themselves. The Work of God, is sometimes put for his Vengeance: Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it. And again, Lord, thou wilt give us Peace, for ‘tis thou that hast done all that has happened to us; Thou also hast wrought all our works in us: And elsewhere, The Lord prepares to do his Work, but it is a Work which is strange to him; he is going to labour, but this Labour is not according to his own Inclination. For the Lord shall rise up, as in mount Perazim, he shall be wrath, as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
Isai. xxxii. 17. Erit opus justitiæ pax; Peace shall be the Work, or, rather, the Recompence of Justice. And Psal. cviii. 20. Hoc opus eorum qui detrahunt mihi; such shall be the Punishment of my Backbiters. And Isaiah xl. 10. Ecce merces ejus cum eo, & opus illius coram illo. He carries with him the Recompence and Hire of his Labours. Habbak. iii. 17. Mentietur opus olivæ; the Work of the Olive shall tell a Lye. This Tree shall not reward him that cultivated it. 1 Macc. ii. 47. Prosperatum est opus in manibus eorum; the Undertaking succeeded in their Hands.
The Works of the Law, in opposition to the Works of Justice and Grace, are the Ceremonial Works of the Law of Moses. Dead Works, are Sins. The Works VOL. III. A 2 of the Flesh are those, whose Principle is Concupiscence. Faith, without Works is James ii. 17.dead, is as much as to say, that Faith which is not enlivened by Charity, and which produces no good moral Works, is a dead and useless Faith.
