How to do good to many, or, The public good is the Christians life…How to do good to many, or, The publick good is the Christians life…

3. Yea, he that will do good to many, must Love many better than himself, and prefer the Common-good much before his own, and seek his own in the Common-welfare. He that loveth good as good, will best Love the best. And an honest old Roman would have called him an unworthy beast, that preferred his Estate or life before the Common welfare. To be ready to do, suffer or die for their Country, was a virtue which all extolled. A narrow-Spirited selfish man will serve others no further, than it serveth himself, or at least will stand with his own safety or prosperity. He will turn as the Weathercock, and be for them that are for his worldly interest. I confess that God oft useth such for common good: But it is by raising such storms as would sink them with the Ship, and leaving them no great hope to escape by being false; Or by Permitting such Villainies as threaten their own interest. A Covetous Father may be against gaming and prodigality in his Children: The men of this World are wise in their generation: Many that have Abby Lands will be against Popery. And even Atheists and Licentious men may be loth to be slaves to Politic Priests, and to come under Confession, and perhaps the Inquisition: And those that have not sinned themselves into madness or gross delusions, will be loth to set up a Foreign Jurisdiction, and become the Subjects of an unknown Priest, if they can help it. God often useth vice against vice, and if no worldly selfish men were the Countries or the Churches helpers, it must suffer or trust to Miracles.

3. Yea, he that will do good to many, must Love many better than himself, and preferre the Common-good much before his own, and seek his own in the Common-welfare. He that loveth good as good, will best Love the best. And an honest old Roman would have called him an unworthy beast, that preferred his Estate or life before the Common welfare. To be ready to do, suffer or die for their Country, was a vertue which all extolled. A narrow-Spirited selfish man will serve others no further, than it serveth himself, or at least will stand with his own safety or prosperity. He will turn as the Weathercock, and be for them that are for his worldly interest. I confess that God oft useth such for common good: But it is by raising such storms as would sink them with the Ship, and leaving them no great hope to escape by being false; Or by Permiting such Villanies as threaten their own interest. A Covetous Father may be against gaming and prodigality in his Children: The men of this World are wise in their generation: Many that have Abby Lands will be against Popery. And even Atheists and Licentious men may be loth to be slaves to Politick Priests, and to come under Confession, and perhaps the Inquisition: And those that have not sinned themselves into madness or gross delusions, will be loth to set up a Forieign Jurisdiction, and become the Subjects of an unknown Priest, if they can help it. God often useth vice against vice, and if no worldly selfish men were the Countries or the Churches helpers, it must suffer or trust to Miracles.