r-- HOW TO DO GOOD) TO MANY. 569 Stay not till you are entreated to do good ; study it, and seek it. Give while there are men that need, and while you have it, especially to the household of faith. Fire and thieves may deprive you of it; at the furtherest, death will quickly do it. Happy are they that know their day, and, trusting in Christ, do study to serve him in doino. good to all. And the doctrine in hand doth further teach us some comer- taries which all do not well consider. I. That living chiefly to the flesh in worldly prosperity, and dropping now and then some small good on the by, to quiet con- science, is the propertyof an hypocrite. But to sound Christians, fruitfulness in doing good is the very trade of their lives, of which they are zealous, and which they daily study. II. That 'all Christians should be very careful to avoid doing public hurt. It woundeth conscience to be guilty of wronging of any one man ; we find it in dying men; that cannot die in peace till they have confessed wrongs, and made satisfaction, and asked for- giveness. And who knoweth but the many apparitions that have certainly been on such occasions may be done by miserable souls, to seeksome ease of the torment of their own consciences ? But to hurt many, . even whole parishes, cities, churches, kingdoms, how much more grievous will it prove! And yet, alas! how quickly may it be done; and how ordinarily is it done! What grievous mischiefmay even well-meaning men do by one mistaken practice, or rash act! by the fierce promoting one error; by let- ting loose one passion, or carnal affection ; by venturing once on secret sin ; yea, by one rash; sinful word. How much more if they are drawn and met in an unlawful interest and way ! And little knowwe, when a spark is kindled, how it will end, or how manyways Satan bath to improve it. And one hurtful action, or unwarrantable way, may blast abundance of excellent endowments, and make such a grievous damage to the church,'who else' might have been an eminent blessing. And if good men may do so much hurt, what have the enemies of godliness to answer for, who, by worldliness and malignity, are corrupters, dividers, and destroyers! III. The text plainly intimateth that it is a. great crime in then that, instead of doing good while they have opportunity, think it enough to leave it, by will to their executors to do it. When they have lived to the flesh, and cannot take it with them, they think it enough to leave others todo that good' which they had not a heart to do themselves ; but a treasure must be laidup in heaven beforehand, and not be left to be sent after; (Matt, vi. 20, 21.), and he that will make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness VOL. H. 72
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