HOW TO DO GOOD TO MANY: 549 proper necessity and work. Mary did somewhat else thanhear, though she wisely preferred it in its season. And ho one is made for himself alone. You feel that religious exercises do you good ; but what good is it that you do to others ? I confess a monk's prayers for others is a good work. But God will-have praying . and endeavoring go together, both for yourselves and others. Bare praying God to relieve the poor, and to teach your children, and instruct the ignorant, will not excuse you from relieving, teach- ing, or instructing them. Yea, and your own good will best come in by your fullest obedience to God. Do what he bids you, and he will take-care of your salvation. Your own way may seem best, but will not prove best: it will but cast you into melancholy and disability at last. " Six days shalt thou labor,': is more than a permission. It is St. Paul's canon, "He.that will not. work, if able,) let him not eat;" and it was Ding Solomon's mother who taught him the description of a virtuous woman, (Prov. xxxi. 27.) " She eateth not the bread, of. idleness." God will have mercy and obedience as better than sacrifice. The sentence in judgment is upon doing to Christ in his members, (Matt. xxv.) when many that hear much, and prophesied, shall be cast out ; Matt. vii. 21. Doing good is the surest way of receiving good. The duties of the first and second table must go together. He that is not zeal- ous to do good, as well as to get good, bath not. the peculiar nature of Christ's flock; (Titus ii. 14.) and zeal will be diligent, and not for sloth. The other sort of the idle are rich, ungodly, worldly persons, who live as if God. did give them plenty for nothing but to pam- per their own flesh, and feed their own and others' sensuality. They think that persons of wealth and honor may lawfully spend their time in idleness, that is, in Sodom's sin,(Ezek. xvi. 49.) as if God expected least where he giveth most. How little con- science do many lords and ladies make of an idle hour, or life ! When poor men's labor is sucli as tendeth to the common good, the rich, by luxury; sacrifice to the flesh the fruits of other men's en- deavors ; and instead of living in any profitable employment, de- vour that which thousands labor for. It is not the toilsome drudgery of the vulgar; which we take to. be all rich folks' duty but idleness and unprofitableness is a sin in the richest. Any of them may find good work enough that is fit for them; if they be willing. Children, and servants, and friends, and neighbors, and tenants, have souls and bodieswhich need .their help. None can say, ' God found us nowork to do,' or that God gave them more time or wealth than they had profitable use for. Little do they think what it will be, ere long, to reckon for all their time and estates, and to be judgedaccording to their works :
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