The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

This therefore is the thing that I would persuade you to: Take your self for Gods Steward: Remember the time when it will be said to you [Give account of thy Stewardship; thou shalt be no longer Steward] Let it be your every-days contrivance, how to lay out your Gifts, Time, Strength, Riches or Interest, to your Masters use. Think which way you may do most, first, to Promote the Gospel, and the Public Good of ⟨p. 337⟩the Church: and then, which way you may help towards the saving of particular mens souls; and then which way you may better the Commonwealth; and how you may do good to mens bodies; beginning with your own, and those of your family, but extending your help as much further as you are able. Ask your self every morning, Which way may I this day most further my Masters business, and the Good of men? Ask your self every night, What Good have I done to day? And labour as much as may be, to be Instruments of some great and standing Good, and of some Public and Universal Good; that you may look behind you at the years end, and at your lives end, and see the Good that you have done. A piece of bread is soon eaten, and a penny or a shilling is soon spent: But if you could win a Soul to God from sin, that would be a visible everlasting Good: If you could be Instruments of setting up a Godly Minister in a Congregation that want, the everlasting Good of many Souls might in part be ascribed to you: If you could help to heal and unite a Divided Church, you might more rejoice to look back on the fruits of your labour, then any Physician may Rejoice to see his poor Patient recovered to health. I have told Rich men in another Book, what opportunities ⟨p. 338⟩they have to do Good if they had hearts: How easy were it with them to refresh mens bodies, and to do very much for the saving of souls! To relieve the poor; to set their Children to trades; to ease the oppressed. How easy to maintain two or three poor Scholars at the Universities for the service of the Church? But I hear but of few that do ever the more in it, except three or four of my friends in these parts. Let me further tell you, God doth not leave it to them as an indifferent thing. Math. 25. They must feed Christ in the poor, or else starve in Hell themselves: They must clothe naked Christ in the poor, or be laid naked to his fiery indignation for ever.