when we reprove thofe that do amifs; in a Word, all our Attempts and Endeavours, in what Way foever, to reclaim from Vice, and to bring them to Wisdom and Sobriety, is a Charity to their Souls; and whether our Defigns fucceed or not, we fhall be rewarded as thofe that have done Good in the World.

Secondly, All the Acts of Beneficence and Kindness, nay, even of Civility and Goodnature, are to be accounted among the Instances of doing Good. A Man doth Good, not only by Acts of Charity properly fo called, but by every Courtefy that he doth to another; he doth Good, by fhewing his Refpect and good Will to all about him, by reconciling Differences among Neighbours, and promoting Peace, Friendship and Society, as much as he can; by being Generous and Liberal and Hofpitable, according to his Abili ty; by forgiving Injuries, and, if it be poffible, making Friends of thofe that did them; by being eafy of Accefs, and fweet and obliging in his Carriage by complying with the Infir mities of those he converfeth with; and, in a Word, by contributing any way to make the Lives of others more eafy and comfortable to them. HOW

Thirdly, A Man alfo doth Good, when he makes ufe of that Acquaintance or Friendship or Intereft that he hath with others, to ftir them up to the doing of that Good, which he by the Narrowness of his Condition, or for want of Opportunity cannot do himself. This is a very confiderable Inftance of doing Good,

how flight foever it may feem; the Man that exercises himself this way is doubly a Benefactor; for he is not only an Inftrument of Good to the Perfon or Perfons for whom he begg'd the Kindness or the Charity; but he does alfo a real Kindnefs to the Man himfelf, whom he puts upon the Benefaction; for God will not lefs reward his good Will for being excited by another..!

Fourthly, Another way to do Good, is to be careful and diligent, and confcientious in the Discharge of all thofe Publick Offices, which we are called upon to execute in the Place where we live. How burthenfome foever thefe be, and how much foever of our Time they rob us of, yet God, by calling us to them, hath put a Prize into our Hands, (as the Wife Man fpeaks) to do much Good, if we have Hearts to make ufe thereof. 1 E

Fifthly, We do Good when being in a private Capacity, we fo carry ourselves in all the Relations in which we ftand as the Nature of the Relation requireth. As for Inftance, when being Subjects, we confcientiously obey the Laws of the Kingdom, and fubmit to our Governours, and promote what we can the publick Peace both of Church and State. When being Mafters of Families, we take care of thofe under our Charge, making fufficient Provifion both for their Souls and Bodies. When being Husbands or Wives, we dif charge faithfully all the Conjugal Duties: When being Parents we love our Children, and bring them up in the Fear and Nurture of the Lord.

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Lord. When being Children, we obey our Parents in all Things. When being Servants, we do our Work in Singleness of Heart, not as Men-pleafers, but as thofe that account they have a Mafter in Heaven. When having contracted Friendships, we are fecret and faithful, and prudent in the Maintaining and Preserving of them; and proportionably in all the other Relations that we ftand in. All these Things, tho' they appear little, yet are they in their Degree a real Good and Benefit to Mankind, and fo neceffary, that there is no living tolerably without them.

Sixthly, We alfo do Good by an honest and a diligent Pursuit of our Calling and Employment. There is no Art or Trade that we are bred to, but if it be a lawful one, it may be of great Ufe to the Publick, and by well minding it, and fairly managing it, we may render ourselves very profitable Members of the Common-wealth.

Seventhly and Laftly, We may do a great deal of Good by our good Examples, by being to others Patterns of Piety and Prudence, of Diligence and Industry, of Peaceableness and Loyalty, of Humility, and Meekness, and Temperance. In a World, every Man that will make himfelf eminent in any Virtue, will be a Light to the World, his Life will be a conftant Sermon, and he will often prove as effectual a Benefactor to thofe about him by his Example, as others are by their Counfels and Exhortations.

And

And now all these Things confidered, who is there among us in fuch deplorable Circumftances that he can reasonably pretend to want Ability or Opportunity to do Good in his Life? Sure I am, he must live in a Defart, and have no Communication with Mankind, that cannot fome or other of these Ways be useful and beneficial to them. And thus much of our Second Head of Difcourfe.

I now come, in the Third and Laft Place, to make fome Application of what hath been spoken.

And Firft, fince every Man is fo highly concern'd, as we have feen, to do Good in his Life, let us all be perfwaded seriously and heartily to apply our Minds hereunto, Let us look upon it, not as a By-work, a Thing to be done now and then, as there is Occafion, after our own Turns are ferved: But let us lay out ourselves upon it, let us propose it to ourselves as the great Business of our Lives. Let us take all Opportunities for it, let us contrive and manage all our Affairs fo, that they may fome way or other be fubfervient to the carrying on this great Work.

Let this be the End of our gathering Riches, and the Measure of our expending them. To heap up Riches that we may be rich, or to throw them away upon our Lufts, are both equally intolerable; it is the doing Good with them, that fanctifies both the getting and the fpending them.

Let this be the Compass to steer and direct us in our Pursuit after Knowledge, in our

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learning Arts and Sciences, in the Managery of our Trades and Employments; in a Word, in the Choice and in the Profecution of every Defign that is propofed to us. In all thefe Things, the great Enquiry is to be, What Good will they tend to? How fhall we be rendred more useful to the World, if our Defigns and Endeavours, as to thefe Matters, do take Effect?

Let this be the great Rule by which we proceed in the Education of our Children and Relations, and the Provifions we make for them in the World. Let it be our firft Care to poffefs them with a deep Sense of the Duty they owe to the Publick, and to furnish them with fuch Qualities, as will render them profitable Members of it, and to put them into fuch Profeffions and Employments, as may afford them fair Scope for the Exercife of thofe Qualities. If we thus provide for them, though we otherwife leave them never fo fmall an Estate, yet with the Bleffing of God, they have a good Portion...

Laftly, Let this Design of doing Good, influence our very. Offices of Religion. When we make our Applications to the Throne of Grace, let us be fure to have the Publick. always in mind; and even when we pray for ourselves, let it be with this Defign and Refolution, that as God in Mercy beftows upon us the Bleffings and the Grace we pray for, we will employ them for the Good of others.

O that we would thus feriously concern ourselves in doing Good! O that we would

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