A26939:83
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…
How to do good to many, or, The public good is the Christians life directions and motives to it, intended for an auditory of London citizens, and published for them, for want of leave to preach them / by Richard Baxter.How to do good to many, or, The publick good is the Christians life directions and motives to it, intended for an auditory of London citizens, and published for them, for want of leave to preach them / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Rob. Gibs, 1682
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
7. He that will do good to many, must have Christian fortitude, and not be discouraged with difficulties and opposition: He must serve God for the good of men with absolute resolution, and not with the hypocrites reserves: He must be armed with patience against, not only the malice of enemies, but the ingratitude of friends: The follies, and quarrels, and mutinies and divisions, and often the abuses of those that he would do good to, must not overcome him. He must imitate God, and do good to the Evil, and bless those that curse him, and pray for them that despitefully use him: He must not promise himself more success than God hath promised him; nor yet despair and turn back discouraged: But Conscience must carry him on to the end through all, whatever shall befall him.
7. He that will do good to many, must have Christian fortitude, and not be discouraged with difficulties and opposition: He must serve God for the good of men with absolute resolution, and not with the hypocrites reserves: He must be armed with patience against, not only the malice of enemies, but the ingratitude of friends: The follies, and quarrels, and mutinies and divisions, and often the abuses of those that he would do good to, must not overcome him. He must imitate God, and do good to the Evil, and bless those that curse him, and pray for them that despightfully use him: He must not promise himself more success than God hath promised him; nor yet despair and turn back discouraged: But Conscience must carry him on to the end through all, whatever shall befal him.
8. Therefore he must look for his reward from God, and not expect too much from Man. Men are insufficient, mutable and uncertain: Their interests and many accidents may change them. The multitude are of many minds and tempers; and if you please some, you shall displease others. And it is hard to please even one person long. Some great ones will not be pleased, unless you will prefer their Wills before the Will of God, your Countries good and your own Salvation: The poor are so many and so indigent, that no man can answer their desires; If you give twenty pound to twenty of the poor, forty or an hundred, that expected the like, will murmur at you and be displeased. What