once lay afide all our little felfifh Defigns, and that Narrownefs and Penurioufnefs of Spirit, with which most of us are bound up; and with ardent Love and Charity, fet our felves not to feek his own, but every Man another's Good, as the Apostle exhorteth.

Secondly, If the doing Good be fo neceffary a Duty, as hath been reprefented, what must we fay of thofe Men that frame to themfelves Models of Chriftianity, without putting this Duty into its Notion? There is a fort of Christianity, which hath obtained in the World, that is made up of Faith and Knowledge of the Gofpel-Myfteries, without any refpect to Charity and Good-works. Nay, have we not heard of a Sort of Chriftianity, the very Perfectiou of which, feems to confift in the difparaging this Duty of doing Good, as much as is poffible; crying it down as a Heathen Vertue, a poor blind Piece of Morality, a Thing that will no way further our Salvation; nay, fo far from that, that it often proves a Hindrance to it, by taking us off from that full Reliance and Recumbency that we ought to have on the Righteoufnefs of Jefus Chrift only, in order to our Salvation?

But, O how contrary are thefe Doctrines, to the Doctrine of Chrift and his Apoftles! How widely different a Thing do they make Christianity to be from what it will appear if we take our Notions of it from their Sermons and Practices? Is it poffible, that he that went about doing Good himself, made

I Cor.10.

24.

18.

it his Meat and Drink, the Bufinefs and Employment of his Life, fhould fet fo light by it in us that are his Followers?

Is it poffible that they that fo often call 1 Tim. 6. upon us to do Good, to be rich in good Works, 1Pet.4.8. above all Things to have fervent Charity among 1 Cor.13. ourselves, telling us, that all Faith is nothing,

2. 13.

all Knowledge of Myfteries is nothing, all Gifts of Prophecy and Miracles are nothing; but that Charity is all in all. I fay, Is it poffible that they should think doing Good fo infignificant, fo unprofitable, nay, fo dangerous a Thing as these I spoke of do reprefent it?

But I need not farther reprove their Opinions, because I hope they find but few Patrons; but this seriously ought to be reproved among us, viz. that we do not generally lay that Strefs upon this Duty we are fpeaking of, that we ought to do.

Many are ready enough, to acknowledge their Obligations to do Good, and count it a very commendable Thing, and a Work that God will bless them the better for; yet they are loth to make it an effential Ingredient of their Religion; they think they may be religious, and ferve God without it. If they be but Sober in their Lives, and Juft in their Dealings, and come to Church at the ufual Times, they have Religion enough to carry them to Heaven; though in the mean Time they continue covetous, and hard, and uncharitable, without Bowels of Pity and Compaffion, and make no Ufe of their Wealth, or their Power and Intereft, or their Parts

and

and Industry, or their other Talents committed to them for the doing Good in the World.

Far be it from any Man to pretend to determine what Virtues or Degrees of them are precisely neceffary to Salvation, and what Virtues or Degrees of them a Man may fafely be without: But this is certain, that Charity and doing Good are none of those that can be spared. The Scripture hath every where declared thefe Qualities to be as neceffary in order to our Salvation, as any Condition of the Gospel. Nay, if we will confult St. Matthew 25. where the Procefs of the General Judgment is defcribed, we shall find thefe to be the great Points that at the last Day Men will be examined upon, and upon which the whole Cafe of their Eternal State will turn. So that if we take the Scripture for our Guide, thefe Men at laft will be found to be much mistaken, and to have made a very falfe Judgment both of Religion and of their own Condition.

Thirdly, From what hath been said about doing Good, we may gather wherein that Perfection of Christianity which we are to afpire after, doth confift. It has been much difputed, which is the moft perfect Life, to live in the World as other Men do, and to ferve God in following our Employments, and taking care of our Families, and doing good Offices to our Neighbours, and discharging all other Duties that our Relation to the Publick requires of us; or to retire from the

World,

World, and to quit all fecular Concernments, and wholly to give up ourselves to Prayer and Meditation, and those other Exercifes of Religion, properly fo called.

This latter kind of Life, is fo magnified by the Romanists, in Comparison of the other, that it hath engroffed to itself, the Name of Religious, None, among them, are thought worthy to be filed Religious Perfons, but thofe that Cloyfter up themselves in a Mona ftery. But whatever Excellence may be pretended in this Courfe of Life, it certainly falls much fhort of that, which is led in a Publick Way. He ferves God beft, that is `moft-Serviceable to his Generation. And no Prayers or Fafts, or Mortifications, are near fo acceptable a Sacrifice to our Heavenly Father, as to do Good in our Lives."

It is true, to keep within Doors, and to attend our Devotions (though those that are in appearance most abstracted from the World, are not always the moft devout Perfons) I fay, this kind of Life is the moft eafy and the fafer. A Man is not then expofed fo much to Temptations; he may with lefs Difficulty preferve his Innocence; but where is the Praise of fuch a Virtue? Virtue is then moft Glorious, and shall be moft Rewarded, when it meets with moft Trials and Oppofitions.

And as for the Bravery of Contemning the World and all the Pomps of it, which they fo magnify in this kind of Life; alas, it is rather an effect of Pufilanimity and Love

of

of our Eafe, and a Defire to be free from Cares and Burthens, than of any true Noblenefs of Mind. If we would live to excellent purpose indeed, if we would fhew true Bravery of Spirit, and true Piety towards God, let us live as our Bleffed Lord and his Apoftles did. Let us not fly Temptations, but overcome them; let us not fit at Home, amufing ourselves with our pleafing Contemplations, when we may be useful and beneficial Abroad. Let us fo order our Devotions towards God, that they may be a Means of promoting our Worldly Bufinefs and Affairs, and doing Good among Men. Let us take our fit Times of Retirement and Abstraction, that we may the more freely converfe with God, and pour out our Souls before him; but let this be only to the end that we may appear Abroad again more brisk and lively, in vanquishing the Temptations that come in our way, and more prompt and readily difposed to every good Work: This is to imitate our Lord Jefus, to walk as we have him for an Example. This is a Life more fuitable to the Contrivance and the Genius of his Religion, which is more accommodated to Cities and Publick Societies, than to Cloysters and Defarts. And laftly, this is to walk in a Conformity to his Command, who hath bid us make our Light fo to fhine before Men, that Mat.5.16. they may fee our good Works, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven.

But, Fourthly and Laftly, if it be a thing fo neceffary, that every Man fhould do Good