HOW TO DO GOOD TO MANY. 5565 to. Nó doubt, nothing ofman must be trusted to for the least part that belongs to Christ, but all duty and means must be both used and trusted for its own part. Consider well these following motives, and you will see why all Christians must be zealous oC doing all the good they can. . 1. It rendereth a man likest to God to be good, and to do good; on which account Christ requireth it even towards our enemies, (Matt. v.) that we may be perfect, as our heavenly Father is per- fect, who doth good even to the. unjust. And he that is likest God is the best man, most holy, and most happy; and shall have most communion with God. 2. And when Christ came down in flesh to call man home by making God better known to the world, he revealed him in his at- tractive goodness ; and that was by his own beneficence to man. He came to do the greatest good; to be the Savior of the world, and to reconcile revolted man to God ; and all his life, yea, his death and heavenly intercession, is doing good to those that were God's enemies. And to learn of Christ and imitate his example, is to be his true disciples. And what else do his laws command us? They are all holy, just, and good; and our goodness is to love them and obey them. By keeping these, we must show that we are his disciples. When he tells you who you must do good to, in the instance of the Samaritan, he addeth, "Go thou and do likewise." He largely tells us of what importance it is for every branch that is planted into him to bring forth fruit ; John xv. 3. It is much of the end of all sanctifying operations of the Holy Spirit. Grace is given us to use; even natural powers are given us for action. What the better were man for a tongue. or hands, or feet, if he should never use them? Life is a principle of action. It were as good have no life, as not to use it. And why loth God nìake men good, but that they may do good, even in their duty to God, themselves, and one another? 4. And it is God's great mercyto mankind, that he will use us all in doing good to one another; and it is a great part of his wise government of the world, that in societies men should be tied to it by the sense of every particular man's necessity ; andit is a great honor to those that he maketh his almoners, or servants, toconvey his gifts to others Godbids you give nothing but what is his, and no otherwise your own but as his stewards. It is his bounty, and your service or stewardship, which is to be exercised. He could have done good to all men by himself alone, without you or any other, if he would ; but he will honor his servants to be the mes- sengers of his bounty. You best please him, when you readily receive his gifts yourselves, and most fully communicate them to
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