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…

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's sit for them, if they be willing. Children, and Servants, and Friends, and Neighbours, and Tenants, have Souls and bodies which need their help. None can say, God found us no work to do. Or that God gave them more time or wealth than they had prosuable use for. Little do they think what it will be ere long, to reckon for all their Time and Estates, and to be Judged according to their works. And their own flesh often payeth dear for its ease and pleasure, by those pains and diseases which ⟨p. 15⟩God hath suited to their sins; and which usually shortens the Lives which they no better use; or snatch them away from that Time and Wealth, which they spent in preparing fuel for Hell, and food for the Worm that never dyeth.

V. But what is it that a man should do, that would do good to all or many? There are some Good Works which are of far greater tendency than others; to the good of many, some of them I will name to you.

I. Do as much good as you are able to mens bodies in order to the greater good of Souls. If nature be not supported, men are not capable of other good. We pray for our daily bread before pardon and spiritual blessings; not as if it were better, but that nature is supposed before grace, and we cannot be Christians if we be not men: God hath so placed the soul in the body, that good or evil shall make its entrance by the bodily senses to the Soul. This way God himself conveyeth many of his blessings, and this way he inflicteth his Corrections: Ministers that are able, and willing to be liberal, find by great experience, that kindness and bounty to mens bodies openeth their Ear to Counsel, and maketh them willing to hear instruction: Those in France that are now trying mens Religion in the Market, and are at work with Money in one hand and a Sword in the other, do understand this to be true. All men are sensible of pain or pleasure, good or evil to the flesh, before they are sensible what's necessary for their Souls. You must therefore speak on that side which can hear, and work upon the feeling part if you will do good.