


BV 4500 .M35 c.l 

Mather, Cotton, 1663-1728 

Essays to do good 



ESSAYS TO DO GOOD; 



ADDRESSED 



TO ALL CBRXSTXASrSi 



WHETHER IN 



PUBLIC OR PRIVATE CAPACITIES. 



BY THE LATE 

REV. COTTON MATHER, D. D. F. R. S. 



TO DO GOOD, AND TO COMMUNICATE, FORGET NOT.^Ueb. 13 : l«. 



PUBLISHED BY THE 

AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 

NO. 150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW-YORK. 
D. Fanshaw, Printef. 



0GI7TSKTS. 



Page. 

Preface 5 

Much occasion for doing good 7 

The excellence of well-doing 8 

The reward of well-doing 10 

The diligence of wicked men in doing evil - - - 14 

The true nature of good works - - - - - 17 

On seeking opportunities to do good - - - - 22 
METHODS OF DOING GOOD. 

On internal piety and self-examination- - - 25 

On doing good to our relations, children, &c. - 31 

to our servants - - - - 44 

to our neighbors - - - 48 

Private meetings for religion - - - - 54 

Proposals to the ministers of the Gospel - - 60 

Directions for pastoral visits 66 

Proposals to churches, for doing good - - - 73 

The duties of schoolteachers - - - - 75 

physicians 79 

rich men 86 

ladies 92 

Miscellaneous proposals to gentlemen - - - 93 

Proposals to lawyers ------ 99 

Conclusion - - - 103 



PKIQFACZS. 



The following Essays were first published by Dr. Gotten 
Mather, at Boston, in 1710. They were received with much 
approbation by Christians in England and Scotland, as well 
as in our own country. The various methods which he then 
proposed of doing good, derived no small recommendation 
from the example of the excellent author, whose whole life 
was a practical comment on the subject. 

From his earliest years he discovered a love to religion. 
He was accustomed to read fifteen chapters of the Bible 
daily, and his habits of private prayer were equally remarka- 
ble. At fourteen he kept days of private fasting and prayer. 
He consecrated one tenth of his little income to pious uses. 
At sixteen he Avas a member of the church. 

Even at this early period of life, it was a maxim with him, 
" that the power and opportunity to do good, not only gives 
a right to the doing of it, but makes the doing of it a duty." 
He determined, accordingly, to act upon this principle; and 
he continued to do so through his whole life. 

In all the various relations which he sustained to others 
around him, in the family circle, in social intercourse with 
friends, in all public and private duties, the desire to do good 
seemed to be the ruling passion of his life. 

He w^as most scrupulously diligent in the improvement of 
time. He understood its value, and in order to redeem it 
from unprofitable waste by tedious visitors, he wrote over 
his study door, in large letters, " Be short." 

His biographer details, in a most interesting manner, the 
multiplicity of his devices and efforts in his favorite work of 
doing good. It seemed to be his principle, to let no day pass 
without conti-iving something useful, or without devoting 
some of his income to pious and benevolent purposes. 

When his last sickness had come, which was in 1728, in 
the 65th year of his age, and he felt a strong persuasion that 
it would be unto death, the grand desire of his heart was, that 
" his own will might be entirely sv/allowed up in the will of 



PSIEFACE, 



The following Essays were first published by Dr. Gotten 
Mather, at Boston, in 1710. They were received with much 
approbation by Christians in England and Scotland, as well 
as in our own country. The various methods which he then 
proposed of doing good, derived no small recommendation 
from the example of the excellent author, whose whole life 
was a practical comment on the subject. 

From his earliest years he discovered a love to religion. 
He was accustomed to read fifteen chapters of the Bible 
daily, and his habits of private prayer were equally remarka- 
ble. At fourteen he kept days of private fasting and prayer. 
He consecrated one tenth of his little income to pious uses. 
At sixteen he was a member of the church. 

Even at this early period of life, it was a maxim with him, 
" that the power and opportunity to do good, not only gives 
a right to the doing of it, but makes the doing of it a duty." 
He determined, accordingly, to act upon this principle; and 
he continued to do so through his whole life. 

In all the various relations which he sustained to others 
around him, in the family circle, in social intercourse with 
friends, in all public and private duties, the desire to do good 
seemed to be the ruling passion of his life. 

He was most scrupulously diligent in the improvement of 
time. He understood its value, and in order to redeem it 
from unprofitable waste by tedious visitors, he wrote over 
his study door, in large letters, " Be short." 

His biographer details, in a most interesting manner, the 
multiplicity of his devices and efforts in his favorite work of 
doing good. It seemed to be his principle, to let no day pass 
without contiiving something useful, or without devoting 
some of his income to pious and benevolent purposes. 

When his last sickness had come, which was in 1728, in 
the 65th year of his age, and he felt a strong persuasion that 
it would be unto death, the grand desire of his heart was, tliat 
'• his own will might be entirely swallowed up in the will of 



6 PREFACE. 

God." At that time he had some things in hand, which he 
would gladly have lived to finish ; " but,** said he, " I desu'e 
to have no will of my own." When the physician intimated 
his apprehensions of the fatal issue of his disorder, he imme- 
diately said, lifting up his hands and eyes, " Thy will be done 
on earth, as it is in heaven !" and, a few hours before his de- 
parture, said, " Now I have nothing more to do here ; my 
will is entirely swallowed up in the will of God." He fre- 
quently expressed the good hope he enjoyed, " that he was 
going to eat the bread and drink the water of life freely ; that 
all tears would soon be wiped from his eyes ; that it was im- 
possible he should be lost ; and that his views of the heavenly 
world were glorious." 

Such a life, and such a death, will afford to the serious 
reader a powerful recommendatittn of the following pages. 
The proposals for doing good which they present, are not 
the idle speculations of an ingenious theorist, but the faithful 
transcript of a holy life. 

A curious and interesting fact is related by Dr. Franklin, 
as to the influence exerted upon himself by this volume. 
When in France, in 1779, he addressed a letter to Dr. Ma- 
ther, son of our author, in which he alludes to his father's 
work as follows : 

" Permit me to mention one little instance, which, though 
it relates to myself, will not be quite uninteresting to you. 
When I was a boy, I met with a book entitled ' Essays to 
do Good,' which I think was written by your father. It had 
been so little regarded by its fomer possessor, that several 
leaves of it were torn out ; but the remainder gave me such a 
turn of thinking, as to have an influence on my conduct 
through life ; for I have always set a greater value on the 
character of a doer of good, than any other kind of reputa- 
tion ; and if I liave been, as you seem to think, a useful citi- 
zen, the public owes the advantage of it to that book." 

In this edition, such portions of the original Essays are 
omitted, and such changes have been made in the phraseo- 
logy, as might be expected after the lapse of more than a cen- 
tury since the work was written. 



ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 



MUCH OCCASION FOR DOING GOOD. 

Glorious things are spoken in the Oracles of God, 
concerning those who devise good. And we may rea- 
sonably expect that a Book of Good Devices will meet 
with a grateful reception and an attentive perusal from 
all the friends of religion. 

It is a sorrowful reflection, that if men would set 
themselves to devise good, a world of good might be 
done more than is now done in this "present evil world." 
There is much to be done, in order that the great God 
and his Christ may be more known and served in the 
world ; and that the errors Avhich prevent men from 
glorifying their Creator and Redeemer, may be done 
away. 

Much is necessary to be done, that the evil manners 
of the world, by which men are drowned in perdition, 
may be reformed ; and mankind be purified from that 
universal corruption of heart and of life which has 
overwhelmed them. And there is much which ought 
to be done to alleviate the miseries, in this world, of 
suffering and sorrow, and to extend relief and conso- 
lation to the wretched children of want and of wo. 
The world contains, it is supposed, about eight hun- 
dred millions of inhabitants. What an ample field for 
doing good ! 

In a word, the kingdom of God in the world calls 



8 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

for innumerable services from us. To do such things 
is to do good. And those men devise good, who form 
plans to promote the happiness of their fellow-beings 
in this world, or who aim to supply their spiritual ne- 
cessities, in order to secure their everlasting happiness 
in the world to come. 

Thus the sphere of usefulness which we survey is 
boundless, and the means of doing good, which may 
be devised and adopted, are almost infinitely multiplied 
and various. 

THE EXCELLENCE OF WELL-DOING. 

It may be presumed that my readers will readily ad- 
mit, that it is an excellent thing to be full of devices 
to bring about such noble designs. For any man to 
deride or despise my proposal, "That we resolve and 
study to do as much good in the world as we can," 
would be evidence of so unworthy a character, that I 
am almost unwilling to suppose its existence. Let no 
man pretend to the name of a Christian, who does not 
approve the proposal of a perpetual endeavor to do 
good in the world. What pretension can such a man 
have to be a follower of the Good One ? The primi- 
tive Christians gladly accepted and improved the name, 
when the Pagans, by a mistake, styled them Chres- 
tians, because it signified, useful ones.. The Chris- 
tians who have no ambition to be such, shall be con- 
demned by the Pagans ; among whom it was a title of 
the highest honor to be termed "a Benefactor:" to 
have done good, was accounted honorable. The phi- 
losopher being asked why every one desired to gaze 
on a fair object, answered, that it was the question of 
a blind man. If any man ask why it is so necessary 



THE EXCELLENCE OF WELL-DOING, 9 

to do good ; I must say, it sounds not like the question 
of a good man. Tlie " spiritual taste " of every good 
man will give him an unspeakable relish for it. Yea, 
unworthy to be deemed a man, is he, who is not for 
doing good among his fellow-men. An enemy to the 
proposal, " that mankind may be the better for us," de- 
serves to be reckoned little better than a common ene- 
my of mankind. How cogently do I bespeak a good 
reception of what is now designed ! I produce not only 
religion, but even humanity itself, as full of a " fiery 
indignation against the adversaries " of the design. I 
am sure that if I could have my choice' I would never 
eat, or drink, or walk with such a one, as long as I 
live ; or look On him as any other than one by whom 
humanity itselT- is debased and blemished. A very 
wacked Avi*iter has yet found himself compelled, by the 
force of reason, to publish this confession : " To love 
the public, to study the universal good, and to pro- 
mote the interest of the whole world, as far as it is in 
our power, is surely the highest goodness, and consti- 
tutes that temper which we call divine." And he pro- 
ceeds : " Is doing good for the sake of glory, thus di- 
vine?" (alas, too much Jmman!) "and is it not more 
divine to do good, even where it may be thought m- 
glorious — even to the ungrateful, and to those who are 
wholly insensible of the good they receive ?" A man 
must be far gone in wickedness who will open his 
mouth against such maxims and actions! A better 
pen has remarked it ; yea, the man must be much 
a stranger to history, who has not made the remark : 
"To speak truth, and to do good, were, in the esteem 
even of the heathen world, most god-like qualities." 
God forbid that there should be any abatement of es- 
teem for those qualities in the Christian world I 



10 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

THE REWARD OF WELL-DOING. 

I will not yet propose the Reward of well-doing, 
and the glorious things which the mercy and truth of 
God will perform for those who devise good ; because 
I would have to do with such as esteem it a sufficient 
reward to itself. I will suppose my readers to be pos- 
sessed of that ingenuous temper, which will induce 
them to account themselves well rewarded in the thing 
itself, if God will permit them to do good in the world. 
It is an invaluable honor to do good ; it is an incom- 
parable pleasure. A man must look upon himself as 
dignified and gratified by God, when an opportunity 
to do good is put into his hands. He must embrace it 
with rapture, as enabling him to answe* the great end 
of his being. He must manage it witlf rapturous de- 
light, as a most suitable business, as a most precious 
privilege. He must "sing in those ways of the Lord," 
wherein he will certainly find himself while he is do- 
ing good. As the saint of old sweetly sang, "I was 
glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house 
of the Lord ;" so ought we to be glad when any oppor- 
tunity of doing good is presented to us. We should 
need no arguments to incline us to entertain the oflfer; 
but should naturally run to it, as most agreeable to that 
" divine nature " of which we are made partakers. It 
should gratify us wonderfully ; as much as if an ingot 
of gold were presented to us. We should rejoice as 
having obtained the utmost of our wishes. Some ser- 
vants of God have been so intent on this object, that 
they have cheerfully proposed to make any recompense 
that could be desired, to a friend who would supply 
the barrenness of their own thoughts, and suggest any 
special methods by which they might be useful. Cer- 



THE REWARD OF WELL-DOING. 11 

tainly, to do good, is a thing that brings its own recom- 
pense. I will only say, that if any of my readers do 
not consider themselves enriched and favored of God 
when he employs them in doing good— with such per- 
sons I have done, and would beg them to lay the book 
aside : it will be irksome to carry on any further con- 
versation with them. I will be content with one of 
Dr. Stoughton's introductions : " It is enough for me 
that I speak to wise men, whose reason shall be my 
rhetoric ; to Christians, whose conscience shall be my 
eloquence." 

Though the assertion may fly like chain-shot among 
us, and rake down all before it, I will again and again 
assert, that evenj one of us mio^ht do more good than 
he does: and therefore this is the first proposal I would 
make — to be exceedingly humbled that we have done 
so little good in the world. I am not uncharitable in 
saying, that I know not one assembly of Christians on 
earth, which ought not to be a Bochim, on this consi- 
deration. O tell me where I shall find it ! Let us begin 
to be fi'uitful, by lamenting our past unfruitfulness. 
Verily, sins of omission must be confessed and lament- 
ed, or else we add to their number. The most useful 
men in the world have gone out of it, crying, "Lord, 
forgive our sins of omission!" Many a good man, 
who has been peculiarly conscientious about the pro- 
fitable employment of his time, has had his death-bed 
rendered uneasy by this reflection, "The loss of time 
now lies heavy upon me!" Certain it is, that all un- 
regenerate persons are unprofitable persons; and they 
are properly compared to "thorns and briers," to teach 
us what they are. An unrenewed sinner! alas, he 
never performed one good work in all his life I In all 
his life, did I say ? I recal that word. He is " dead 



12 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

while he liveth " — he is "dead in sin;" he has not yet 
begun to "live unto God;" and as he is himself dead, 
so are all his works ; they are " dead works." O wretch- 
ed, useless being ! Wonder, wonder at the patience of 
Heaven, which yet forbears to cut down such " a cum- 
berer of the ground!" O that such persons may im- 
mediately acknowledge the necessity of turning to 
God ! O that they may cry to God for his sovereign 
grace to quicken them ; and let them plead the sacri- 
iice of Christ for their reconciliation to God ; seriously 
resolve on a life of obedience to God, and resign them- 
selves up to the Holy Spirit, that he may lead them in 
the paths of holiness ! No good will be done, till this 
be done. The Jirst-born of all devices to do good, is in 
being bo7^7i again. 

But as for you, who have been brought home to 
God, you have great cause not only to lament the dark 
days of your unregeneracy, in which you produced 
only " the unfruitful works of darkness," but also that 
you have done so little since God has quickened you 
and enabled you to do better. How little have you 
lived up to those strains of gratitude which might 
justly have been expected from you since God brought 
you into his " marvellous light !" The best of us may 
mourn in his complaints, and say, " O Lord, how little 
good have I done, compared with what I might have 
done !" Let the sense of this cause us to loathe and 
judge ourselves before the Lord ; let it fill us with 
shame, and abase us wonderfully. Let us, like David, 
" water our couch with tears," when we consider how 
little good we have done. " O that our heads were 
waters," because they have been so dry of all thoughts 
to do good. " O that our eyes were a fountain of tears," 
because they have looked out so little for occasions to 



REWARD OF WELL-DOING. 13 

do good. For the pardon of this evil-doing let us fly- 
to the great sacrifice, and plead the blood of that 
" Lamb of God," whose universal usefulness is one of 
those admirable properties on account of which he is 
styled " a Lamb." The pardon of our unfruitfalness 
ill doing good being thus obtained, we shall be rescued 
from condemnation to perpetual imfruitfulness. The 
dreadful sentence, " Let no fruit grow on thee for 
ever," will thus be prevented. A true evangelical com- 
mencement in the work of doing good, must have this 
repentance as the foundation of it. We do not " han- 
dle the matter wisely," if a foundation be not laid thus 
low, and in the deepest self-abasement. 

How full of devices are we for our own secular ad- 
vantage ! and how expert in devising many little things 
to be done for ourselves I We apply our thoughts with 
mighty assiduity to t!ie old question, " What shall we 
eat and drinl^, and wherewithal shall we be clothed ?" 
With strong application of mind we inquire. What 
shall we do for ourselves, in our voyages, in our bar- 
gains ? We anxiously contrive to accomplish our plans, 
and avoid numerous inconveniences, to which, with- 
out some contrivance, we should be subjected. We 
carry on the business of our personal callings with 
numberless thoughts how to perform them well, and 
to effect our temporal affairs we " find out witty inven- 
tions." But, O rational, immortal, heaven-born soul, 
are thy wondrous faculties capable of no greater im- 
provements, no better employments ? Why should a 
soul of such high capacities, a soul that may be clothed 
in the " scarlet" of angels, yet " embrace a dunghill?" 
O let a blush, deeper than scarlet, be thy clothing, for 
being found so meanly occupied. Alas, in the mul- 
titude of thy thoughts within thee, hast thou no dispo- 
2. 



14 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

sition to raise thy soul to some such thoughts as these : 
What may be done for God, for Christ, for my own 
soul, and for the most important interests of mankind ? 
How many hundreds of thoughts have we for our- 
selves, to one for God, his cause, and his people in the 
world! How then can we pretend that we love him, 
or prove that a carnal, a criminal self-love, has not the 
dominion over us ? I again come to a soul of hea- 
venly birth, and smite it, as the angel smote the sleep- 
ing prisoner, and cry, " Awake ! shake off thy chains. 
Lie no longer fettered in a base confinement ! Assert 
the liberty of thinking on the noblest question that can 
be asked, " What good may I do in the world?'''' There 
was a time when it was lamented by no less a man 
than Gregory the Great, " I am sunk into the world !" 
Such may be the complaint of a soul that minds every 
thing else, and yet rarely recollects this noblest ques- 
tion. Ah ! " star fallen from heaven" and choked in 
dust, rise and soar up to something answerable to thy 
origin. Begin a course of thoughts which will be like 
a resurrection from the dead, and pursue the grand 
inquiry, " How may I become a blessing to the world ?" 
and " What may I do, that righteousness may dwell 
on the earth ?" 

THE DILIGENCE OF WICKED MEN IN DOING EVIL. 

How much mischief may be done by one wicked 
man ! Yea, sometimes one wicked man, of slender 
abilities, becoming an indefatigable tool of the devil, 
may effect incredible mischief in the world. We have 
seen some wretched instruments ply the intention of 
doing mischief at a strange rate, till they have ruined 
a whole country. It is a melancholy consideration, 
and I may say, an astonishing one — you will hardly 



DILIGENCE OF THE WICKED. 15 

find one of a thousand v/ho does half so much to serve 
God and his own soul, as you may see done by thou- 
sands to serve the world and the devil. A horrible 
thing ! 

" O my soul, thy Maker and thy Savior, so worthy 
of thy love ; a Lord, wlM)se infinite goodness will fol- 
low all thou dost for him with remunerations beyond 
all conception glorious ; how little, how little is it that 
thou dost for him ! At the same time look into thy 
neighborhood. See there, in the circle of your obser- 
vation, some monster of wickedness, who, to his utter- 
most, will serve a master that will prove a destroyer 
to him, and whose wages will be death : he studies 
how to serve the devil ; he is never weary of his drud- 
gery ; he racks his invention to go through with it. 
Ah ! he shames me ; he shames me wonderfully ! O my 
God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face unto 
thee." 

We read of a man " who deviseth mischief upon his 
bed; who setteth himself in a way that is not good." 
Now, why should not we be as active, as frequent, as 
forward in devising good ? Why should not we be as 
wise to do good as he is to do evil ? 1 am sure that 
we have a better cause, and better reasons for it. 
Reader, though perhaps thou art one who makest but 
a little figure in the world, " a brother of low degree," 
yet, behold a vast encouragement ! a little man may 
do a great deal of harm ; and pray, why may not a 
little man do a great deal of good ? It is possible that 
" the wisdom of a poor man" may start a proposal 
which may " save a city," serve a nation ! The strength 
of a single hair, applied to a wheel that has other wheels 
depending on it, may pull up an oak, or pull down a 
house. 



16 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

It is very observable, that M^hen our Lord Jesus 
Christ would recommend zeal for the kingdom of hea- 
ven, he did not propose for our imitation the example 
of honest wisdom ; no, but that of an unrighteous and 
scandalous dishonesty — that of the unjust steward. 
The Wisdom of our Lordherenn is much to be observed. 
His design is not only to represent the prudence, but 
the industry, the ingenuity, the resolution, the heroic 
efforts of the soul, necessary in those who would seek 
and serve the kingdom of God. We seldom, if ever, 
perceive among men that vivacity of spirit in lawful 
actions, which we observe in unlawful ones. The 
ways of honesty are plain, and require not so much 
pains in pursuing them ; but your thieves and cheats 
follow courses that are full of difficulties; the turns 
and tricks which they require are innumerable : hence 
you find among such people the exercise of extraordi- 
nary subtilty — you find no such cunning and applica- 
tion any where else. How emphatical then is it, to 
borrow from these the colors of heavenly wisdom ! 
What I aim at is this. Let us try to do good with as 
much application of mind as wicked men employ in 
doing evil. When " wickedness proceeds from the 
wicked," it is done " with both hands, and greedily." 
Why then may not we proceed in our useful engage- 
ments " with both hands," and " greedily" watching 
for opportunities ? We have no occasion for any sinis- 
ter arts in effecting our designs ; God forbid that we 
should ever attempt the union of such inconsistences. 
But why cannot we prosecute our designs with as much 
deep and copious thought as the men of evil arts'? 
And why may we not engage our minds with as trans- 
porting a vigor to do what is acceptable to God and 
profitable to men, as those wretches manifest when 
they '• weary themselves to commit iniquity?" 



NATURE OF GOOD WORKS. 17 

To reprove certain -ecclesiastical drones, who had 
little inclination to do good, Father Latimer used a 
coarse expression to this effect : " If you will not learn 
of good men, for shame, learn of the devil ; he is never 
idle." Indeed, the indefatigable prosecution of their 
designs, who are styled " the children of the devil," 
may put us to the blush. Our obhgations to do good 
are infinite : they do evil against all obligations. The 
reward which will be made to them who do good m 
encouraging beyond calculation : they who do evil will 
get nothing to boast of; but " evil pursueth sinners." 
If the devil " go about," and the people inspired by 
him "go about" seeking what harm they may do; 
why may not we go about, and think, and seek where 
and how we may do good ? Verily, it were worthy of 
an angel so to do ! O thou child of God, and lover of 
all righteousness, how canst thou find in thy heart, at 
any time, to cease from doing all the good that can be 
done, in " the right ways of the Lord ?" Methinks, 
that passage of God's word may be a burden to us, 
and if we have a sense of honor in us, will be so : 
•' The children of this world are, in (and for) their 
generation, wiser than the children of light ;" yea, they 
pursue "the works of darkness" more vigorously than 
any of us " walk in that light" with which our great 
Savior hath favored us. 

THE TRUE NATURE OF GOOD WORKS. 

To the title of Good Works belong those essays to 
do good, which we are now urging. To produce them, 
the Jirst thing, and indeed the one thing needful, is, a 
glorious work of grace on the soul, renewing and 
quickening it, purifying the sinner, and rendering him 
" zealous of good works " — a workmanship of God 



18 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

upon us, " creating us anew, by Jesus Christ, for good 
works." And then, there is needful, what will neces- 
sarily follow such a work — a disposition to perform 
good works, on true, genuine, generous, and evange- 
lical principles. These principles must be stated be-' 
fore we proceed. 

In the first place, it must be taken for granted that 
the end for which we perform good works is not to 
provide the matter of our justification before God: in- 
deed, no good works can be done till we are justified ; 
before a man is united to Christ, who is our hfe, he is 
a dead man, and what good works can be expected 
from him ? " Without me," saith our Lord, " ye can 
do nothing." The justification of a sinner by faith, 
before good works, and in order to them, is one of those 
doctrines which may say to the popish innovations, 
" With us are the gray-headed, and very aged men, 
much elder than thy father." It was an old maxim 
of the faithful, " Good works follow justification ; they 
do not precede it." It is the righteousness of the good 
works done by our Savior and surety, not our own, 
that justifies us before God, and answers the demands 
of his holy law upon us. By faith we lay hold on those 
good works for our justifying righteousness, before 
we are able to perform our own. It is not our faith 
itself, either as producing good works, or being itself 
one of them, which entitles us to the justifying righte- 
ousness of our Savior : it is faith, renouncing our own 
righteousness, and relying on that of Christ provided 
for the chief of sinners, by which we are justified. 
All our attempts at good works will come to nothing, 
till a justifying faith in tho Savior shall carry us forth 
unto them. This was the divinity of the ancients. 
Jerome has well expressed it, " Without Christ all 
virtue is but vice." 



NATURE OF GOOD WORKS. 19 

Nevertheless, first, you are to look upon it as a glo- 
rious truth of the Gospel, that the moral law (which 
prescribes good works) must, by every Christian alive, 
be the rule of his life. " Do we make void the law 
through faith ? God forbid : yea, we establisli the law." 
The rule by which we are to glorify God is given us 
in that law of good works which we enjoy (I will so 
express it) in the ten commandments. It is impossi- 
ble for us to be released from obligations to glorify God 
by a conformity to this ritle : sooner shall we cease to 
be creatures. The conformity to this rule, in the righ- 
teousness which our Savior by his obedience to it has 
brought in to justify us, has for ever "magnified the 
law and made it honorable." Though our Savior has 
furnished us with a perfect and spotless righteousness, 
when his obedience to th3 law is placed to our account ; 
yet it is sinful in us to fall short in our personal obe- 
dience to the law. We must ahvays judge and loathe 
ourselves for the sin. We are not under the law as a 
covenant of works : our own exactness in performing 
good works is not now the condition of entering into 
life. Wo be to us if it were. But still, the covenant 
of grace holds us to it as our duty ; and if we are in 
the covenant of grace, we shall make it our study to 
perform those good works which were once the con- 
dition of entering into life. " Every law of religion 
still remains." Such must be the esteem for the law 
of good works, for ever retained in justified persons; 
a law never to be abrogated or abolished. 

And then, secondly, though we are justified by " pre-^ 
cious faith in the righteousness of God our Savior," 
yet good works are required of us to justify our faith," 
to demonstrate that it is indeed "precious faith." A 
justifying faith is a jewel which may be counterfeit- 
ed : but the marks of a faith which is not a counter- 



20 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

feit, are to be found in those good works to which a 
servant of God is, by his faith, inclined and assisted. 
It is by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit 
that faith is wrought in the hearts of the chosen 
people : now the same grace which in regeneration dis- 
poses a person to fly by faith to the righteousness of 
Christ, will dispose him also to the good works of a 
Christian life ; and the same faith which applies to the 
Savior for an interest in his righteousness, will also 
apply to him for strength tg perform the good works 
which are "ordained that we should walk in them." 
If our faith be not of this kind, it is a lifeless faith, and 
will be without good fruits. A workless faith is a 
worthless faith. 

Reader, suppose thyself standing before the judg- 
ment seat of Christ ! anecessary, a prudent supposition : 
it ought to be a very frequent one. The Judge de- 
mands, "What hast thou to plead for a portion in the 
blessedness of the rigliteous?" The plea must be, 
"O my glorious Judge, thou hast been my sacrifice. 
O thou Judge of all the earth, permit dust and ashes 
to say, my righteousness is on the bench. Surely, in 
the Lord have I righteousness. O my Savior, I have 
received it, I have secured it on thy own gracious offer 
of it." The Judge proceeds: "But what hast thou to 
plead that thy faith should not be rejected as the faith 
of the hypocrite?" Here the plea must be, "O Lord, 
my faith was thy work. It was a faith which disposed 
me to all the good works of thy holy religion. It sanc- 
tified me. It brought me to thee, my Savior, for grace 
to perform the works of righteousness: it embraced 
thee for my Lord as well as Savior: it caused me, with 
sincerity, to love and keep thy commandments, and 
with assiduity to serve the interests of thy kingdom in 
the world." 



NATURE OF GOOD WORKS. 21 

Thus you have Paul and James reconciled. Thus 
you have good works provided for. The aphorism of 
the physicians is, "By a man's outward acts of vigor, 
you judge of his internal health." The actions of men 
are more certain indications of what is within, than all 
their sayings. 

But there is yet another consideration upon which 
you must be zealously affected to good works. You 
must consider them as a 'part of the great salvatio7i 
which is purchased for you by Jesus Christ. Without 
a holy heart you cannot be fit for a holy heaven, "meet 
for the inheritance of the saints in that light " which 
admits no works of darkness, where none but good 
works are done for eternal ages. But a holy heart will 
induce a man to do good with all his heart. The mot- 
to on the gates of the holy city is, "None but the 
lovers of good works to enter here:" this is implied 
in what we read, " without holiness no man shall see 
the Lord ;" yea, to be saved without good works, were 
to be saved without salvation. Much of our salvation 
consists in doing good works. Heaven is begun upon 
earth when we are so engaged ; and doubtless, no man 
will get to heaven who is not so persuaded. 

I shall mention but one more of those principles from 
which good works proceed: it is that noble one. Grati- 
tude. The believer cannot but inquire, "What shall I 
render to my Savior ?"— the result of the inquiry will 
be, "with good works to glorify him." We read, that 
" faith worketh by love." Our faith will discover the 
matchless and marvellous love of God in saving us ; 
and the faith of this love wall work on our hearts, till 
it hath raised in us an unquenchable flame of love to 
him who hath so loved and saved us. These, these 
are to be our dispositions: "O my Savior! hast thou 



22 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

done so much for me ! now will I do all I can for thy 
kingdom and people in the world. O I what service 
is there that I may now perform for my Savior and 
his people in the world ?" 

These are the principles to be proceeded on ; and it 
is worthy of special observation, that there are no men 
in the world who so much abound in good works, as 
those who, above all others, have abandoned every pre- 
tension to the merit of their works. No merit-mon- 
gers have exceeded some holy Christians, who have 
performed good works on the assurance of being al- 
ready justified, and entitled to eternal life. 

I observe that our apostle, throwing a just contempt 
on the endless genealogies, and long, intricate pedigrees 
which the Jews of his time dwelt so much upon, pro- 
poses in their stead, " Charity, out of a pure heart, and 
a good conscience, and faith unfeigned :" as if he had 
said, " 1 will give you a genealogy worth ten thousand 
of theirs," — first, from faith unfeigned proceeds a good 
conscience ; from a good conscience a pure heart ; and 
from a pure heart, charity to all around us. It is ad- 
mirably stated ! 

OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD. 

Our opportunities to do good are our talents. An 
awful account must be rendered to the great God con- 
cerning the use of the talents with which he has in- 
trusted us in these precious opportunities. Frequently 
we do not use our opportunities, because we do not 
consider them : they lie by unnoticed and unimproved. 
We read of a thing which we deride as often as we 
behold it. " There is that maketh himself poor, and 
yet hath great riches." This is too frequently exem- 



OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD 23 

plified in our opportunities to do good, which are some 
of our most valuable riches. Many a man seems to 
reckon himself destitute of these talents, as rf there 
were nothing for him to do ; he pretends that he is not 
in a condition to do any good. " Alas ! poor man, what 
can I do ?" So he reasons with himself. My friend, 
think again ; think frequently: inquire what your op- 
portunities are: you will certainly find them to be 
more than you were aware of. "Plain men dwelling 
in tents," persons of a very ordinary rank in life, may, 
by their eminent piety, prove persons of extraordinary 
usefulness. A poor John Urich may make a Grotius 
the better for him. I have read of a pious weaver, of 
whom some eminent persons would say, " Christ walk- 
ed, as it were, alive on the earth in that man." A mean 
mechanic — who can tell what an engine of good he 
may become, if humbly and wisely devoted to it ? 

This, then, is the next Proposal. Without abridging 
yourselves of your occasional thoughts on the question, 
" What good may I do to day ?" fix a time, now and 
then, for more deliberate thoughts upon it. Cannot 
you find time (say, once a week; and how suitably on 
the Lord's day, ) to take this question into consideration : 

What is there that I may do for the service of the glo- 
rious Lord, and for the welfare of those for whom I ought 
to he concerned? 

Having implored the direction of God, " the Father 
of lights," consider the matter in the various aspects 
of it. Consider it, till you have resolved on something. 
Write down your resolutions. Examine what precept 
and what promise you can find in the word of God to 
countenance your resolutions. Review these memo- 
rials at proper seasons, and see how far you have pro- 



24 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

ceeded in the execution of them. The advantages of 
these preserved and revised memorials, no rhetoric will 
be sufficient to commend, no arithmetic to calculate. 
There are some animals of which we say, " They know 
not their own strength ;" Christians, why should you 
be like them ? 



3HBTB[02)S OF BOIKG &0OP. 

Let us now descend to Particulars ; but let it not 
be si^posed that I pretend to an enumeration of all the 
good devices that may be conceived. Not a thousandth 
part of them can now be enumerated. The essay I 
am making is only to dig open the several springs of 
usefulness, Avhich, having once begun to flow, will 
spread into streams, that no human foresight can com- 
prehend. " Spring up, O well I'' will every true Israel- 
ite sing, upon every proposal here exhibited ; and " the 
nobles of Israel " can do nothing more agreeable to their 
own character, than to fall to work upon it. Perhaps 
every proposal that may be made, will be like a stone 
falling into a pool — one circle and service will produce 
another, till they extend — who can tell how far ? Those 
who devote themselves to good devices, and who duly 
observe their opportunities to do good, usually find a 
wonderful increase of their opportunities. The gra- 
cious providence of God affords this recompense to 
his diligent servants, that he will inultiply their oppor- 
tunities of being serviceable ; and when ingenious men 
have used themselves to a little contrivance in pursu- 
ing the best intentions, their ingenuity will sensibly 
improve, and there will be more expansion in their dif- 



PERSONAL PIETY. 25 

fusive applications. Among all the dispensations of a 
special Providence in the government of the world,, 
none is less interrupted than the accomplishment of 
that word, " Unto him that hath shall be given." O 
useful man! take for thy motto, "To him that hath, 
shall be given ;" and, in a lively use of the opportuni- 
ties to do good, see how remarkably it will be accom- 
plished ; see what accomplishment of that word will 
at last surprise thee, " Though thy beginning be small, 
yet thy latter end shall greatly increase." 

ON INTERNAL PIETY AND SELF-EXAMINATION. 

Why should not the charity of which we are treat- 
ing " begin at home ?" It observes not a due decorum, 
if it doth not ; and it will be liable to great exceptions 
in its pretensions and proceedings. " Call not that 
man wise whose wisdom begins not at home." This, 
then, is to be made an early proposal. 

First, Let every man devise what good may be done 
for the correction of what is yet amiss in his own heart 
AND life. It is a good remark of Fuller, " He need 
not complain of too little v/ork, who hath a little world 
in himself to mend." It was of old complained, " No 
man repented him, saying, What have I done ?" Every 
man upon earth may find in himself something that 
wants correcting ; and the work of repentance is to in- 
quire, not only "what we have done," but also " what 
we have to do." Frequent self-examination is the duty 
of all who would know themselves, or would not lose 
themselves. The great intention of self-examination 
is to find out the points wherein Ave are to " amend 
our ways." A Christian that would thrive in Chris- 
tianity miist be no stranger to a course of meditation. 
3 



26 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

This is one of the masters which are requisite to make 
a " man of God." One article and exercise in our me- 
ditation should be to find out the things wherein a 
greater conformity to the truths upon which we have 
been meditating, may be attempted. If we Avould be 
good men, we must often devise how we may grow in 
knowledge and in all goodness. Such an inquiry as 
this should often be made, "What shall I do, that 
what is yet lacking in the image of God upon me may 
be perfected ? What shall I do that I may live more 
perfectly, more watchfully, more fruitfully before my 
glorious Lord?" 

And why should not our meditation, when we retire 
to that profitable engagement, conclude with some 
resolution? Devise now, and resolve something to 
strengthen your walk with God. 

With some devout hearers of the word it is a prac- 
tice, when they have heard a sermon, to think, "What 
good thing have I now to ask of God with a peculiar 
importunity ?" They are also accustomed to call upon 
their children, and make them answer this question, 
" Child, what blessing will you now ask of the glorious 
God?" After which, they charge them to go and do 
accordingly. 

In pursuance of this piety, why may not this be one 
of the exercises which shall conspire to form a good 
evening for the best of days ? Let it be a part of our 
work on the Lord's-day evening, seriously to ask our- 
selves the following question : " If I should die this 
week, what have I left undone which I should then 
wish I had been more diligent in performing?" My 
friend, place thyself in dying circumstances; appre- 
hend and realize thy approaching dissolution. Sup- 
pose thy last, solemn hour arrived ; th}?^ breath failing, 



PERSONAL PIETY. 27 

thy throat rattling, thy hands with a cold sweat upon 
them: in this condition, "What wouldst thou wish to 
have done more than thou hast already don6 for thy 
own soul, for thy family, or for the people of God ?" 
Think upon this question, and do not forget the result 
of thy thoughts ; do not delay to perform what thou 
hast resolved upon. How much more agreeable and 
profitable would such an exercise be on the Lord's-day 
evening, than those vanities to which that evening is 
not unfrequently prostituted, and by which all the 
good of the past day is defeated ! And if such an ex- 
ercise were often performed, O how would it regulate 
our Hves: how watchfully, how fruitfully would it 
cause us to live; what an incredible number of good 
works would it produce in the world ! 

Will you remember, Reader, that every Christian is 
a " temple of God ?" It would be of great service to 
Christianity, if this notion of its true nature were more 
frequently and clearly cultivated. But certainly there 
yet remains very much for every one of us to do, that 
the temple may be carried on to perfection ; that it 
may be repaired, finished, purified, and the topstone of 
it laid, with shoutings of "grace, grace!" unto it. 

As a branch of this piety, I will recommend a serious 
and fruitful improvement of the various dispensations 
of Divine Providence which we have occasion to no- 
tice. More particularly : have you received any spe- 
cial blessings and mercies from the hand of God? 
You do not suitably express your thankfulness ; you 
do not render again according to the benefit that is 
done unto you, unless you set yourself to consider, 
"What shall I render unto the Lord?" You should 
contrive some signal tiling to be done on this occasion ,• 
some service to the kingdom of God, either within 



28 . ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

yourself, or among others, which may be a just con- 
fession and memorial of what a gracious God has done 
for you. This is an action, to which the " goodness of 
God leadeth you." And I would ask, how can a good 
voyage, or a favorable contract be made without some 
special returns of gratitude to God ? I would have a 
portion of your property made a thank-offering, by 
being set apart for pious uses. 

Whole days of thanksgiving are to be kept, when 
the favors of God rise to a more observable height. 
Christians of the finer mold keep their private ones, 
as well as bear part in the public services. One ex- 
ercise for such a day is, to take a list of the more re- 
markable succors and bounties with which our God 
has comforted us ; and then to contrive some suitable 
acknowledgments of him, in endeavors to serve him ; 
and this by way of gratitude for these undeserved 
comforts. 

On the other hand, you meet with heavy and griev- 
ous afflictions. Truly, it is a pity to be at the trouble 
of suffering afflictions, and not get good by them. We 
get good by them, when they awaken us " to do good ;" 
and I may say, never till then . When God is distribu- 
ting sorrows to you, the sorrows still come upon some 
errands ; therefore the best way for you to find that 
they do not come in his anger, is to consider what the 
errands may be. The advice is, that when any afflic- 
tion comes upon you, you immediately reflect, " To 
w^hat special act of repentance does this affliction call 
me? What miscarriage does this affliction find in me, 
to be repented of?" And then, while the sense of the 
affliction is yet upon you, seriously inquire, "To what, 
improvement in holiness and usefulness does this afflic- 
tion call me?" Be more solicitous to gain this point 



PERSONAL PIETY. 29 

than to escape from your affliction. O the peace that 
will compose, possess, and ravish your mind, when 
your afflictions shall be found yielding these " fruits 
of righteousness !" 

Luther did well to call afflictions " the theology of 
Christians." This may be a proper place to introduce 
one direction more. We are traveling through a ma- 
licious, a calumnious, and abusive world. Why should 
not malice be a "good informer?" We may be un- 
justly defamed : it will be strange if we are not fre- 
quently so. A defamation is commonly resented as a 
provocation. My friend, make it only a provocation 
to good works . The thing to be now directed is this : 
Upon any reproach being offered, instead of being 
transported into a rage, as David was tempted to be 
against Shimei, retire and patiently inquire, " Has not 
God bidden such a reproach, to awaken me to some 
duty ? To what special service of piety should I be 
awakened by the reproach which is cast upon me ?" 
One thus expresses it : " The backbiter's tongue, like 
a mill-clack, will be still in motion, that he may grind 
thy good name to powder. Learn, therefore, to make 
such use of his clack as to make thy bread by it ; I 
mean, so to live, that no credit shall be given to slan- 
der." Thus all the abuses you meet with may prove 
to you, in the hand of a faithful God, no other than 
the strokes which a statuary employs on his ill-shaped 
marble, only to form you into a more beautiful shape, 
and make you fitter to adorn the heavenly temple. 
Thus you are informed of a way to " shake off a viper" 
most advantageously . Yea, I am going to inform you 
how you may fetch sweetness out of a viper. There- 
fore, first, I propose that our former barrenness may 
now be looked upon as an obligation and incitement to 
3* 



30 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

greater fruitfulness. But this motion is too general ; 
I must be more particular. I would look back on my 
past life, and call to mind what singular acts of sin 
have blemished it, and been the reproach of my youth. 
Now, by way of thankfulness for that grace of God 
and that blood of his Christ, through which my crimes 
have been pardoned, I would set myself to think, 
" What virtues, what actions, and what achievements 
for the kingdom of God, will be the most contrary to 
ray former blemishes ? And what efforts of goodness 
will be the noblest and most palpable contradiction to 
the miscarriages with which I have been chargeable ?" 
Yet more particularly, " What signal thing shall I do, 
to save others from dishonoring the great God by such 
miscarriages as those into which I myself once fell?" 
I will study such things — and perhaps the sincerity 
and consolation of repentance cannot be better studied 
than by such a conduct. 

Give me leave to press this one more point of pru- 
dence upon you. There are not a few persons who 
have many hours of leisure in the way of their per- 
sonal callings. When the weather takes them off from 
their business, or when their shops are not full of cus- 
tomers, they have little or nothing to do. Now, Reader, 
the proposal is, Redeem this time to your own advan- 
tage, to the best advantage. To the man of leisure, as 
well as to the minister, it is an advice of wisdom, 
" Give thyself unto reading." Good books of all sorts 
may employ your leisure, and enrich you with trea- 
sures more valuable than those procured in your usual 
avocations. Let the baneful thoughts of idleness be 
chased out of your mind. But then, also, let some 
thoughts on that subject, " What good may I do ?" 
succeed them. When you have leisure to think on 



TO RELATIVES. 31 

that subject, you can have no excuse for neglecting 
so to do. 

ON DOING GOOD TO OUR RELATIONS, CHILDREN, &C. 

The useful man may now with much propriety ex- 
tend and enlarge the sphere of his exertion. My next 
proposal therefore shall be. Let every man consider the 
RELATION in which. God, the sovereign Ruler, has 
placed him ; and let him devise what good he may do, 
that may render his Telatives the better for him. One 
great way to prove ourselves really good, is to be re- 
latively good. It is by this, more than by any thing 
else, that we " adorn the doctrine of God our Savior." 
It would be a piece of excellent wisdom in a man, to 
make the interests which he has in the good opinion 
and affection of any individuals, an advantage for doing 
good to them. He that has a friend, will show himself 
friendly indeed, if he think, " Such a one loves me, 
and will hearken to me ; to what good shall I take ad- 
vantage from hence to persuade him?" 

This will take place more particularly where the en- 
dearing ties of natural affection give us an interest. 
Let us call over the several relations we sustain, and 
let us devise something that may be called heroical 
goodness, in discharging their duties. Why should we 
not, at least once or twice a week, make these relative 
duties the subject of our inquiries and of our purposes ? 
Especially, let us begin with domestic relations^ and 
" provide for those of our own house," lest we deny 
some glorious rules and hopes of the Christian faith, 
by our negligence. 

In the CONJUGAL relation, how agreeably may they, 
who are thus united, think on these words : " What 
knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy 



32 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

husband? or, how knowest thou, O man, whether 
thou shalt save thy wife ?" 

The HUSBAND will do well to think, " What shall I 
do that my wife may have cause for ever to bless God 
for having brought her to me ?" And, " What shall I 
do, that, in my deportment toward my wife, the kind- 
ness of the blessed Jesus tow^ard his church may be ' 
exemplified ?" 

But then the wife also will do well to inquire, 
" Wherein may I be to my husband a wife of that 
character — ' She will do him good and not evil all the 
days of her life V " 

With my married friends I will leave this excellent 
remark : " Family passions cloud faith, disturb duty, 
darken comfort." You will do the more good to one 
another, the more this sentence is -considered. W^hen 
the husband and the wife are always contriving to be 
blessings to each other, I will say with Tertullian, 
" Wliere shall I find words to describe the happiness 
of that state ?" O happy marriage ! 

Parents ! how much ought you to be devising for 
the good of your children ! Often consider how to 
make them " wise children ;" how to give them a de- 
sirable education, an education that may render them 
desirable ; how to render them lovely and polite, and 
serviceable to their generation. Often consider how 
to enrich their minds with valuable knowledge ; how 
to instil into their minds generous, gracious, and hea- 
venly principles; how to restrain and rescue them 
from the " paths of the destroyer," and fortify them 
against their peculiar temptations. There is a world 
of good that you have to do for them. You are with- 
out the natural feelings of humanity, if you are not 
in a continual agony to do for them all the good that 



TO RELATIVES. 33 

lies in your power. It was no mistake of an ancient 
writer, in saying, " Nature teaches us to love our chil- 
dren as ourselves." 

I will prosecute the subject, by transcribing a copy 
of PARENTAL RESOLUTIONS, whicli I havc somcwhere 
met with.* 

1. At the birth of my children, I will resolve to do 
all I can that they may be the Lord's. I will now ac- 
tually give them up by faith to God, entreating that 
each child may be a child of God the Father, a subject 
of God the Son, and a temple of God the Spirit ; that 
it may be rescued from the condition of a child of 
wrath, and be possessed and employed by the Lord, as 
an everlasting instrument of his glory. 

2. As soon as my children become capable of at- 
tending to my instructions, I will frequently say to 
each of them, Child, God has sent his Son to die, that 
you may be saved from sin and from hell. Now, you 
must not sin against him. To sin, is to do a very 
wicked thing. You must every day cry to God that 
he would be your Father, your Savior, your Leader. 
Child, you must renounce the service of Satan ; you 
must not follow the vanities of this world ; you must 
lead a life of serious religion. 

3. Let me daily pray for my children with the 
greatest constancy and fervency; yea, let me daily 
mention each of them by name before the Lord. I 
would importunately beg for all suitable blessings to 
be bestowed upon them ; that God would give them 
grace, and give them glory, and withhold no good 
thing from them ; that God would smile on their edu- 

^ Probably composed by the author himself, though ex- 
pressed in this modest manner. 



34 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

cation, and give his good angels charge over them, 
and keep them from evil, that it may not grieve them ; 
that when their father and mother shall forsake them, 
the Lord may take them up. Most earnestly would I 
plead that promise in their behalf, " Our heavenly Fa- 
ther will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him." 

happy children, if, by asking, I may obtain the Holy 
Spirit for them ! 

4. I would early entertain the children with delight- 
ful stories out of the Bible. In familiar conversation 

1 would go through the Bible, when the " olive plants 
about my table" are capable of being so watered. But 
I would always conclude the history by some lessons 
of piety, to be inferred from them. 

5. I would single out some scriptural sentences of the 
greatest importance; and some also that contain special 
antidotes to the common errors and vices of children. 
They will easily get these golden sayings by heart. 
Such sentences as the following : 

Psalm 111 : 10. — The fear of the Lord is the begin' 
ning of wisdom. 

Matthew, 16 : 26. — What is a man profited if he gain 
the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

1 Timothy, 1 : 15. — Jesus Christ came into the 
world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 

Matthew, 6 : 6. — Enter into thy closet, and when 
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father, which is 
in secret. 

Ecclesiastes, 12 : 14. — God shall bring every work 
into judgment, with every secret thing. 

Ephesians, 4 : 25. — Put away lying, speak every 
one the truth. 

Psalm 138 : 6.— The Lord hath respect unto the 
lowly, but the proud he knoweth afar off. 



TO RELATIVES. 35 

Romans, 12 : 17-19.— Recompense to no one evil 
for evil. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves. 

Nehemiah, 13 : 18.— They bring wrath upon Israel, 
by profaning the Sabbath. 

A Jewish treatise tells us, that among the Jews, when 
a child began to speak, the father was bound to teach 
him that verse, Deut. 33 : 4, " Moses commanded us a 
law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." 
O let me betimes make my children acquainted with 
the law which our blessed Jesus has commanded us ! 
It is the best inheritance I can give them. 

6. I would cause my children to learn some evange- 
lical catechism. In catechising them, I would break 
the answer into many small and appropriate ques- 
tions ; and by their answers to them, observe and 
quicken their understandings. I would connect wilh 
every truth some duty and practice, and expect them 
to confess it, consent to it, and resolve upon it. As we 
go on in our catechising, they shall, when the}^ are able, 
turn to the proofs, read them, and inform me ichat they 
prove, and in what manner. Then I will watch an op- 
portunity to put more nice and difficult questions to 
them, and improve the times of conversation with my 
family, for conference on religious subjects. 

7. I would be anxious, till I may be able to say of 
my children. Behold, they pray ! I would therefore 
teach them to pray. But, after they have learned a 
form of prayer, I will press them to proceed to points 
which are not in their form. I will show them the 
state of their own souls, and on every discovery will 
inquire of them what they think ought now to be their 
prayer. I will direct them every morning to take one 
or two texts out of the sacred Scriptures, and thence 
to form a desire, which they shall add to their usual 



ob ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

prayer. When they have heard a sermon, I will re- 
peat to them the main subject of it, and ask them there- 
upon, what they have now to pray for. I will charge 
them, with all possible cogency, to pray in secret; and 
often say to each of them. Child, I hope you do not 
forget my charge to you about secret prayer ; yoiu' 
crime is very great if you'do. 

8. I would betimes do what I can to produce a tem- 
per of benignity in my children, both toward one 
another and toward all. I will instruct them how rea- 
dy they should be to communicate to others a part of 
what they have ; and they shall not want for encour- 
agement, when they discover a loving, courteous, and 
benevolent disposition. 1 will give them now and then 
a piece of money, that with their own little hands 
they may dispense something to the poor. Yea, if any 
one has hurt or vexed them, I will not only forbid all 
revenge, but will also oblige them to do a kindness, as 
soon as possible, to the vexatious person. All coarse- 
ness of language or behavior in them I will discoun- 
tenance. 

9. I would be solicitous to have my children expert, 
not only at reading with propriety, but also at writ- 
ing a fair hand. I will then assign them such books 
to read, as I may judge most agreeable and profitable, 
obliging them to give me some account of what they 
read; but will keep a strict eye on what they read, lest 
they should stumble on the devil's library, and poison 
themselves with foolish romances, novels, plays, songs, 
or jests, " that arc not convenient." I will direct them, 
also, to write out such things as may be of the great- 
est benefit to them ; and they shall have their blank 
books, neatly kept, on purpose to enter such passages 
as I recommend to them. I will particularly require 



TO RELATIVES. 37 

them now and then to compose a Prayer, and bring it 
to me, that so I may discern what sense they have of 
their own everlasting interests. 

10. I wish that my children may, at a very early 
period, feel the principles of reason and honor working 
in them ; and that I may proceed in their education, 
chiefly on those principles. Therefore I will wholly 
avoid that fierce, harsh usage of the children, that 
Avould make them dislike and tremble to come into my 
presence. I would treat them so, that they shall fear 
to offend me, and yet heartily love to see me. and be 
glad of my returning home when I have been abroad. 
I would have it considered as a severe and awful pun- 
ishment for a crime in the family, to be forbidden for 
a while to come into my presence. I would excite in 
them a high opinion of their father's love to them, and 
of his being better able to judge what is good for them, 
than they are for themselves. I would bring them to 
believe that it is best for them to be and to do as I 
would have them. Hence I would continually insist 
upon it, how charming a thing it is to know the things 
that are excellent, and how much better still to do the 
things that are virtuous. I wish them to propose to 
themselves, as a reward of good behavior : "I will now 
go to my father, and he will teach me something that 
I never knew before." I would have them afraid of 
doing any base thing, from a horror of the baseness 
there is in it. My first animadversion on a smaller 
fault, shall be an exclamation of surprise and wonder, 
vehemently expressed before them, that ever they 
should be guilty of doing so foolishly, with an earnest 
expectation that they will never do the like again. I 
will also endeavor to .excite in them a weeping reso- 
lution to this effect. I will never use corporeal pun- 
4 



38 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

ishmentj except it be for an atrocious crime, or for a 
smaller fault obstinately persisted in. I would ever 
proportion chastisements to faults; not punish severely 
for a very small instance of childishness, and only 
frown a little for some real wickedness. Nor shall my 
chastisements ever be dispensed in passion and fury ; 
but I will first show them the command of God, by 
transgressing which, they have displeased me. The 
slavish, boisterous manner of education too commonly 
used, I consider as no small article in the wrath and 
curse of God upon a miserable world. 

11. As soon as we can, we will advance to still high- 
er principles. I will often tell the children what cause 
they have to love a glorious Christ who has died for 
them ; how much he will be pleased with their well- 
doing ; and what a noble thing it is to follow his ex- 
ample, which example I will describe to them. I will 
often tell them that the eye of God is upon them; that 
he knows all they do, and hears all they speak. I will 
frequently remind them that there will be a time, when 
they must appear before the holy Lord; and that they 
must noiD do nothing which may then be a source of 
grief and shame to them. I will set before them the 
delights of that heaven which is prepared for pious 
children; and the torments of that hell which is pre- 
pared for wicked ones. I will inform them of the kind 
offices which the good angels perform for children who 
fear God, and are afraid of sin ; how the devils tempt 
them to do bad things ; how they hearken to evil spi- 
rits, and are like them when they do such things; what 
mischiefs these evil spirits may obtain permission to 
do in the world, and how awful it would be to dwell 
among the devils, in the "place of dragons." I will 
cry to God, that he may make them feel the power of 
these principles. 



TO RELATIVES. S9 

12. When the children are of a proper age for it, I 
will sometimes have them with me alone, and converse 
with them abont the state of their souls, their expe- 
riences, their proficiency, their temptations; obtain 
their declared consent to every article in the covenant 
of grace ; and then pray with them, earnestly entreat- 
ing that the Lord would bestow his grace upon them, 
and thus make them witnesses of the agony with which 
I am travailing to see the image of Christ formed in 
them. Certainly they will never forget such exercises 
as these ! 

13. I would be very watchful and cautious about 
the companions of my children. I would be very in- 
quisitive to learn what company they keep. If they 
are in danger of being ensnared by vicious company, 
I will earnestly pull them out of it, as "brands out of 
the burning ;" and will try to procure for them fit and 
useful associates. 

14. As in catechising the children, so in the repe- 
tition of the public sermons, I would use this method: 
i would put every truth into the form of a question, 
to be answered in such a manner as to awaken their 
attention, as well as enlighten their understandings. 
And thus I shall have an opportunity to ask. Do you 
desire such and such a grace ? with other similar ques- 
tions. Yea, I may by this means have an opportunity 
to demand, and perhaps to obtain their early, frequent, 
and, I would hope, sincere consent to the glorious ar- 
ticles of the new covenant. The Spirit of grace may 
fall upon them in this action, and they may be sancti- 
fied by him, and possessed by him as his temples, 
through eternal ages. 

15. When a day of humiliation arrives, I will make 
them know the meaning of the day; and after some 



40 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

time given lliem to consider of it, I will require them 
to tell me what special afflictions they have met with, 
and what good they hope to get by those afflictions. 
On a day of thanksgiving, they shall also be made to 
know the intent of the day; and after consideration, 
they shall inform me what mercies of God to them 
they take special notice of, and what duties to God 
they confess and resolve to perform under such obli- 
gations. Indeed, for something of importance to be 
pursued in my conversation with them, I would not 
confine myself to such days, which may occur too sel- 
dom for it ; but, particularly when the birth-days of 
any of the children arrive, I would take them aside, 
and remind them of the age which, having obtained 
help of God, they have attained ; and tell them how 
thankful they should be for the mercies of God, upon 
which they have hitherto lived ; and how fruitful they 
should be in all goodness, that so they may still enjoy 
their mercies. And I would inquire of them, whether 
they have ever yet begun to mind the work which 
God sent them into the world to perform ; what at- 
tempts they have made toward it ; and how they de- 
sign to spend the rest of their time, if God continue 
them in the world. 

16. When the children are in any trouble, whether 
by sickness or otherwise, I will take advantage of the 
occasion to set before them the evil of sin, the cause 
of all our trouble ; and will represent to them, how 
fearful a thing it will be to be cast among the damned, 
who are in unceasing and endless trouble. I will set 
before them the benefit of an interest in Christ, by 
which their trouble will be sanctified to them, and they 
be prepared for death, and for fulness of joy in a hap- 
py eternity after death. 



TO RELATIVES. 41 

17. I wish, that among all the branches of a polite 
education, which I would endeavor to give my chil- 
dren, each of them, the daughters as well as the sons, 
may have so much acquaintance with some profitable 
avocation, (whether it be painting, or the law, or me- 
dicine, or any other employment to which their own 
inclination may lead them,) that they may be able to 
obtain for themselves a comfortable subsistence, if by 
the providence of God they should ever be brought 
into destitute circumstances. Why should not they 
be thus instructed as well as Paul, the tent-maker? 
Children of the highest rank may have occasion to 
bless their parents who made such a provision for 
them. The Jews have a saying on this subject, which 
is worthy to be mentioned: "Whoever teaches not 
his son some trade or business, does in reality teach 
him to be a thief." 

18. As early as possible I would make my children 
acquainted with the chief end for which they are to 
live ; that so their youth may not be altogether vanity. 
I would show them that their chief end must be to 
acknowledge the great God, and to bring others to ac- 
knowledge him ; and that they are never acting wisely 
nor well but when they are so doing. I would show 
them what these acknowledgments are, and how they 
are to be made. I would make them able to answer 
the grand question. " For what purpose do you live ; 
and what is the end of the actions that employ your 
lives?" I would teach them how their Creator and 
Redeemer is to be obeyed in every thing, and how 
every thing is to be done in obedience to him ; I would 
instruct them in what manner even their diversions, 
their ornaments, and the tasks of their education, must 
all be managed, to fit them for the further service of 

4* 



43 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

God, and how, in these also, his commandments must 
be the rule of all they do. I would therefore some- 
times surprise them with an inquiry, " Child, what is 
this for? Give me a good account why you do it." 
How comfortably shall I see them " walking in the 
light," if I may bring them wisely to answer this ques- 
tion; and what " children of the light" they will be ! 

19. I would sometimes oblige the children to retire, 
and ponder on that question : " What should I wish I 
had done, if I were now dying?" After they shall 
have reported to me their own answer to the question, 
I will take occasion from it to inculcate upon them 
the lessons of godliness. I would also direct and oblige 
them, at a proper time, seriously to realize their own 
appearance before the awful judgment-seat of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and to consider what they have to plead 
that they may not be sent away into everlasting pu- 
nishment ; what they have to plead, that they may be 
admitted into the holy city. I would instruct them 
what plea to prepare : first, show them how to get a 
part in the righteousness of him who is to be their 
Judge, by receiving it with a thankful faith, as the gift 
of infinite grace to the distressed and unworthy sinner: 
then show them how to prove that their faith is ge- 
nuine, by their continual endeavor in all things to 
please him who is to be their Judge, and to serve his 
kingdom and interest in the world. And I would 
charge them to make this preparation. 

20. If T live to see the children arrive at a marriage- 
able age, I would, before I consult with heaven or 
earth for their best accommodation in the married 
state, aim at the espousal of their souls to their only 
Savior. 1 would, as plainly and as fully as I can, pro- 
pose to them the terms on which the glorious Re- 



TO RELATIVES. 43 

deemer will espouse them to liimself, in righteousness 
and judgment, favor and mercies for ever; and solicit 
their consent to his proposal and overtures: then I 
would proceed to do what may be expected from a ten- 
der parent for them, in their temporal circumstances. 
From these parental resolutions, how reasonably, 
how naturally, m.ay we pass on to say. 

Children, the fifth commandment confirms all your 
other numberless and powerful obligations often to in- 
quire, " Wherein may I be a blessing to my parents ?" 
Ingenuousness of disposition would make this the very 
summit of your ambition, to be a credit and a comfort 
to your parents ; to sweeten, and it may be, to lengthen 
the lives of those from whom, under God, you have 
received your own. And God, the rewarder, usually 
gives to such a conduct, even in this life, a most ob- 
servable recompense. But it is possible you may be 
the happy instruments of more than a little good to 
the souls of your parents ; yea, though they should 
be pious parents, you may, by some delicate methods, 
be the instruments of their growth in piety and pre- 
paration for the heavenly world. Happy, thrice happy 
children, who are thus favored ! Among the Arabians, 
a father sometimes takes his name from an eminent 
son, as well as a son from his reputable father. Truly, 
a son may be such a blessing to his father, that the 
best sirname for the glad father would be, " the father 
of such a one." 

Masters, yea, and Mistresses too, must have their 
devices, how to do good to their servants; how to 
make them the servants of Christ, and tlie children of 
God. God, whom you must remember to be " your 



44 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

Master in heaven," has brought them to you, and 
placed them under your care. Who can tell for what 
good he has brought them ? What if they should be 
the elect of God, fetched from different parts, and 
brought into your families on purpose, that by means 
of their situation, they may be brought home to the 
Shepherd of souls ! O that the souls of our servants 
were more regarded by us ! that we might give a bet- 
ter demonstration that we despise not our own souls, 
by doing what we can for the souls of our servants ! 
How can we pretend to Christianity, when we do no 
more to christianize our servants ! Verily, you must 
give an account to God concerning them. If they 
should be lost through your negligence, what answer 
can you make to " God, the Judge of all?" Methinks, 
common principles of gratitude should incline you to 
study the happiness of those by whose labors your 
lives are so much accommodated. Certainly they would 
be the better servants to you, more faithful, honest, in- 
dustrious, and submissive, for your bringing them into 
the service of your common Lord. 

ON DOING GOOD TO OUR SERVANTS. 

I have somewhere met with a paper under this title : 
The RESOLUTION OF A MASTER J which may be properly 
inserted in this place.* 

1. I would always remember that my servants are, 
in some sense, my children, and by taking care that 
they want nothing which may be good for them, I 
would make them as my children ; and as far as the 
methods of instilling piety into the mind, which I use 
with my children, may be properly and prudently used 

* The modesty of the author thus refers to what was pro- 

brLbl}' his o'.vn production. 



TO SERVANTS. 45 

with my servants, they shall be partakers in them. 
Nor will I leave them ignorant of any thing wherein I 
may instruct them to be useful to their generation. 

2. I will see that my servants be furnished with 
Bibles, and be able and careful to read the lively ora- 
cles. I will put Bibles and other good and proper 
books into their hands; will allow them time to read, 
and assure myself that they do not mispend this time. 
If I can discern any wicked books in their hands, I will 
take away from them those pestilential instruments 
of wickedness. They shall also write as well as read, 
if I may be able to bring them to it. And I will ap- 
point them, now and then, such things to write, as may 
be for their greatest advantage. 

3. I will have my servants present at the religious 
exercises of my family; and will drop, either in the 
exhortations, in the prayers, or in the daily sacrifices 
of the family, such passages as may have a tendency 
to quicken a sense of religion in them. 

4. The article of catechising, as far as the age or 
state of the servants will permit it to be done with de- 
cency, shall extend to them also; and they shall be 
concerned in the conferences in which I may be en- 
gaged with my family, in the repetition of the public 
sermons. If any of them, when they come to me, shall 
not have learned the catechism, I will take care that 
they do it. 

5. I will be very inquisitive and solicitous about the 
company chosen by my servants ; and with all pos- 
sible earnestness will rescue them from the snares of 
evil company, and forbid their being the " companions 
of fools." 

6. Such of my servants as may be capable of the 
task, I will employ to teach lessons of piety to my 



46 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

children, and will recompense them for so doing. But 
I would, with particular care, contrive them to be such 
lessons as may be for their own edification too. 

7. I will sometimes call my servants alone ; talk to 
them about the state of their souls ; tell them how to 
close with their only Savior; charge them to do well, 
and "lay hold on eternal life;" and show them very par- 
ticularly how they may render all they do for me a 
service to the glorious Lord ; how they may do all 
from a principle of obedience to him, and become en- 
titled to the " reward of the heavenly inheritance." 

Age is nearly sufficient, with some masters, to obli- 
terate every letter and action in the history of a meri- 
torious life ; and old services are generally buried under 
the ruins of an old carcass. It is a barbarous inhu- 
manity in men toward their servants, to account their 
small failings as crimes, without allowing their past 
services to have been virtues. Gracious God, keep 
thy servant from such base ingratitude !" 

But then, O servants, if you would obtain " the re- 
ward of the inheritance," each of you should set your- 
self to inquire, " How shall I approve myself such a 
servant that the Lord may bless the house of my mas- 
ter the more for my being in it ?" Certainly, there 
are many ways in which servants may become bless- 
ings. Let your studies, with your continual prayers 
for the welfare of the families to wliich you belong, 
and the example of your sober carriage, render you 
such. If you will but remember four words, and at- 
tempt all that is comprised in them, 

OBEDIENCE, HONESTY, INDUSTRY, AND PIETY, 

you will be the blessings and the Josephs of the fami- 
lies in which you live. Let these four v/ords be dis- 
tinctly and frequently recollected, and cheerfully per- 



TO SERVAXT3. 47 

form all your business on this consideration, that it is 
an obedience to heaven, and from thence will have a 
recompense. It was the observation even of a Pagan, 
" that a master may receive a benefit from a servant ;" 
and, " What is done with the affection of a friend, 
ceases to be the act of a mere servant." The maid ser- 
vants of the house may render a great service to it, 
by instructing the infants, and instilling into their 
minds the lessons of goodness. Thus, by Bilhah and 
Zilpah, may children be born again; thus the mis- 
tresses, by the travail of their handmaids, may have 
children brought into the kingdom of God. 

I proceed — Humanity teaches us to take notice of 
all our kindred. Nature bespeaks what we call a " na- 
tural affection" to all who are a-kin to us: to be desti- 
tute of it is a very bad character ; it is a brand on the, 
worst of men, on sucli as forfeit the name of man. 
But Christianity is intended to improve it. Our na- 
tural affection is to be improved into a religious inten- 
tion. Reader, make a catalogue of all your more dis- 
tant relatives. Consider them one by one; and make 
each of them the subject of your " good devices." Ask 
this question : " How may I pursue the good of such 
a relative; by what means may I render such a rela- 
tive the better for me V It is possible that you may 
do something for your relatives which may afford them 
cause to bless God for your relation to them. Have 
they no calamity under which you may give them re- 
lief? Is there no temptation against which you may 
give them some caution ? Is there no article of their 
prosperity to which you may be subservient? At least, 
with your aflfectionate prayers, you may go over your 
catalogue; you may pray for each of them successive- 
ly by name; and why may you not put proper books 



48 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

of piety into their hands, to be durable memorials of 
their duties to God, and of 5^our desires for their good? 

ON DOING GOOD TO OUR NEIGHBORS. 

This excellent zeal should be extended to the neigh- 
borhood. Neighbors ! you stand related to each other ; 
and you should contrive how others should have rea- 
son to rejoice that you hold this relation to them. 
"The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor;" 
but we shall scarcely allow him to be so, unless he be 
more excellent as a neighbor : he must excel in the 
duties of good neighborhood. Let that man be better 
than his neiglibor, who labors most to be abetter neigh- 
bor—to do most good to his neighbor. 

And here, first, the poor people that lie wounded, 
must have oil and wine poured into their wounds. It 
was a charming trait in the character of a modern 
prince— "To be in distress is to deserve his favor." 
O good neighbor! put on that princely, that more than 
royal quality. See who in the neighborhood may thus 
deserve thy favor. We are told that "pure religion 
and undefiled is to visit the fatherless and widows in 
their affliction." The orphans and the widows, and 
all the children of affliction in the neighborhood, must 
be visited and relieved with all suitable kindness. 

Neighbors ! be concerned that the orphans and the 
widows may be well provided for. They meet with 
grievous difficulties, with unknown temptations. When 
their nearest relatives were living, they were, perhaps, 
but meanly provided for: what then must be their pre- 
sent solitary condition? That condition should be 
well considered ; and the result of the consideration 
should be, "I delivered the orphan who had no helper, 
and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy." 



TO OUR NEIGHBORS. 49 

By the same rule, all the afflicted in the neighborhqod 
are to be considered. Would it be too mi'ich for you, 
once in a week at least, to think, "What neighbor is 
reduced to pinching and painful poverty, or impover- 
ished with heavy losses ? What neighbor is languish- 
ing with sickness, especially with severe disease, and 
of long continuance ? What neighbor is broken-heart- 
ed with the loss of a dear and desirable relative? What 
neighbor has a soul violently frssanlted by the enemy 
of souls?" and then consider, "What can be done for 
such neighbors?" 

In the first place, you will pity them. The evangeli- 
cal precept is, " Have compassion one of another — be 
pityful." It was of old, and ever will be, a just expec- 
tation, " To him that is afflicted, pity should be shown 5" 
and let our pity to the distressed be expressed by our 
prayer for them. It would be a very lovely practice 
for you, in the daily prayer of your closet, every even- 
ing to think, "What miserable object h.ave I seen to- 
day, for whom I may do well now to entreat the mer- 
cies of the Lord?" But this is not all; it is possible, 
nay probable, that you may do well to visit them ; and 
when you visit them, comfort them, carry them some 
good word, which may raise gladness in a heart stoop- 
ing with heaviness. 

And lastly : Render them all the assistance which their 
necessities may require. Assist them by your advice; 
assist them by obtaining the help of other persons on 
their behalf; and, if it be needful, bestow your alms 
upon them : "Deal thy bread to the hungry; bring to 
thy house the poor that are cast out ; when thou seest 
the naked, cover him :" at least, exercise Nazianzeii's 
charity : " If you have nothing else to bestow upon 



50 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

the miserable, bestow a tear or two upon their mise- 
ries." This little is better than nothing. 

Would it be amiss for you, always to have lying by 
you a list of the poor in your neighborhood, or of those 
whose calamities may call for the assistance of the 
neighborhood ? Such a list would often furnish you 
with matter for useful conversation when you are 
conversing with your friends, whom you may hereby 
" provoke to love and to good works." 

I will go on to say : Be glad of opportunities to do 
good in your neighborhood ; yea, look out for them ; 
lay hold on them with a rapturous assiduity. Be sor- 
ry for all the sad circumstances of your neighbor, 
which render your exertions necessary ; yet, be glad, 
if any one tell you of them. Thank him who gives 
you the information, as having therein done you a very 
great kindness. Let him know that he could not, by 
any means, have obliged you more. Cheerfully em- 
brace every opportunity of showing civility to your 
neighbors, whether by lending, by watching, or by any 
other method in your power. And let the pleasantness 
of your countenance prove that you do this willingly. 
Look upon j'our neighbors, not with a cloudy, but with 
a serene and shining face ; and shed the rays of your 
kindness upon them with such affability that they 
may see they are welcome to all you can do for them. 
Yea, stay not until you are told of opportunities to do 
good ; but inquire after them, and let the inquiry be 
solicitous and unwearied. The incomparable pleasure 
which attends the performance of acts of benevolence 
is worth a diligent inquiry. 

There was a generous Pagan, who counted a day 
lost, in which he had not obliged some one. "Friends, 
J have lost a dayl" O Christian, let us try whether 



TO OUR NEIGH20R9. 51 

we cannot contrive to do something for one or other 
of our neighbors, every day that passes over our heads. 
Some do so, and with a better spirit than ever actu- 
ated the Pagan. Thrice, in tlie Scriptures, we find the 
good angels rejoicing; and it is always at the good of 
others. To rejoice in the good of others, and espe- 
cially in doing good to them, is angelic goodness. 

In promoting the good of the neighborhood, I wish, 
above all, that you will consult their spiritual good. 
Be concerned lest "the deceitfulness of sin*' should 
destroy any of your neighbors. If there be any idle 
people among them, take pains to cure them of their 
idleness: do not nourish and harden them in it, but find 
employment for them ; set them at work, and keep 
them at work; and then be as bountiful to them as you 
please. 

If any poor children in the neighborhood are totally 
destitute of education, do not sufi'er them to remain in 
that state. Let care be taken that they may be taught 
to read, to learn their catechism, and the truths and 
ways of their only Savior. 

Once more. If any persons in the neighborhood 
are taking to bad courses, affectionately and faithfully 
admonish them : if any act as enemies to their own 
welfare, or that of their families, prudently dispense 
your admonitions to them : if there be any prayerless 
families, cease not to entreat and exhort them, till you 
have persuaded them to commence domestic worship. 
If there be any service of God. or his people, to which 
any one is backward, tenderly excite him to it. What- 
ever snare you perceive a neighbor exposed to, be so 
kind as to warn him against it. By furnishing your 
neighbors with good books or tracts, and obtaining 
their promise to read them, who can tell how much 



52 ESSAYS TO no GOOP. 

goovl may bo done! Ii is possible, that in this way 
YOU may administer, with iiiiiennity and eiHoacy. such 
reproofs as your neighbors may need, and without hin 
derinsT your personal conversation with them on the 
same subjects, if they need your particular advice. 

Finally, if there Ik^ any bad houses Mhich threaten 
to debauch and poison your neighbors, let your charity 
induce you to exert yourself as much as possible fov 
their suppression. 

That my proposal "to do good in the neighborhood, 
and as a neiglibor," may be more fully formed and 
followed, I will conclude by reminding you that much 
sti/HicViioI will be requisite in the execution of it. You 
must be armed against all sellish intentions in these 
generous attt^npts. You must not employ your good 
actions as persons use water wltich they pour into a 
pum^i — to draw up something for yonrselves. Our 
Lord's direction is, "Lend, hoping for nothing again," 
and do good to such as you are never likely to be the 
better for. 

But then, there is something still higher to be re- 
quired : that is, "Do good to those neighbors who have 
done yon harm :" so saiili our Savior, "Love your ene- 
mies; bless them that curse you ; do good to them that 
hate you: and pray for them that despitefuUy use you, 
and persecute you.'' Y'ea, if ;m kijury have been done 
you by imy one, consider it as a provocation to confer 
a benefit on him. This is noble! It will alTord much 
consolation. Some other metlu^d might nu\ke you 
rrcn with your froward neighbors ; but this will place 
you above them all. It were nobly done, if in your 
evening retirement you otler a petition to God for tlie 
paixion and prosperity of any person who has injured 
you in the course of the dav : and it would be excel- 



TO OUR NEIGHBORS. 03 

lent if, in looking over the catalogue of such as have 
injured you, you should also be able to say, (the ©nly 
intention that can justify your keeping such a cata- 
logue,) There is not one of these, to whom 1 have not 
done, or attempted to do a kindness. The Jews them- 
selves offered this daily petition to God, "Forgive all 
who trouble and harass us." Christians exceed them: 
Justin Martyr^ tells us they did so in primitive times — 
"they prayed for their enemies." 

But I must not stop here; something higher still is 
requisite. Do good to those neighbors who will speak 
evil of you for doing so: "Thus," saith our Savior, 
"ye shall be the children of the Highest, who is kind 
to the unthankful and to the evil." You will constantly 
meet with monsters of ingratitude ; and if you dis- 
tinguish a person by doing far more for him than for 
others, that very person perhaps will do you an injury, 
O the wisdom of Divine Providence, by which this is 
permitted, that you may learn to do good on a divine 
principle— good, merely for the sake of good ! " O Lord, 
increase our faith !" 

There is a memorable passage in the Jewish records. 
A certain gentleman was remarkably generous, and 
many persons were constantly relieved by his bounty. 
One day he asked the following question : "Well, what 
do our people say to-day?" The answer was, "Sir, 
the people partook of your favors, and blessed you 
very fervently." "Did they so?" said he, "then I 
shall have no great reward for this day." At another 
tim« he asked the same question — "Well, and what 
say our people now?" They replied, "Alas! good sir, 
the people enjoyed your favors to-day, and after all 
they did nothing but rail at you." "Indeed !" said he, 
'•'then for this day I am sure that God will give me a 
5* 



54 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

good and a great reward." Thus then, though vile 
constructions and harsh invectives should be the pre- 
sent reward for your best offices for the neighborhood; 
yet be not discouraged: "Thy work shall be reward- 
ed," saith the Lord. If your opportunities to do good 
extend no further, yet I will offer you a consolation, 
which a certain writer has thus elegantly expressed: 
"He who praises God only on a ten-stringed instru- 
ment ; whose authority extends no further than his own 
family, nor his example beyond his own neighborhood, 
may have as thankful a heart here, and as high a place 
in the celestial choir hereafter, as the greatest monarch 
who praises God upon an instrument of ten thousand 
strings, and upon the loud sounding organ, having as 
many millions of pipes as there are subjects in his 
empire." 

PRIVATE MEETINGS FOR RELIGION. 

We cannot dismiss this part of the subject without 
offerinf^ a Proposal to animate and regulate Private 
Meetings of religious persons, for the exercises of re- 
ligion. It is very certain that when such private meet- 
ings have been maintained, and well conducted, the 
Christians who have composed them have, like so ma- 
ny "coals of the altar," kept one another alive, and 
been the means of maintaining a lively Christianity in 
the neighborhood. Such societies have been strong 
and approved instruments to uphold the power of god- 
liness. The disuse of such societies has been accom- 
panied with a visible decay of religion: in proportion 
as they have been discontinued or disregarded in any 
place, the less has godliness flourished. 

The rules observed by some Associated Families 
may be offered with advantage, on this occasion. They 



PRIVATE MEETINGS. 55 

will show US what good may be done in a neighborhood, 
by the establishment of such societies. 

1. It is proposed that a select number of families, 
perhaps about twelve, agree to meet (the men and 
their wives) at each other's houses alternately, once 
in a fortnight, or a month, or otherwise, as shall be 
thought most proper, and spend a suitable time to- 
gigther in religious exercises. 

2. The exercises of religion proper for such a meet- 
ing are; for the brethren in rotation to commence and 
conclude with prayer; psalms to be sung; and ser- 
mons to be read. 

3. It were desirable for the ministers, now and then, 
to be present at the meeting, and pray with them, in- 
struct and exhort them, as they may see occasion. 

4. Candidates for the ministry may do well to per- 
form their first offices here, and thereby prepare them- 
selves for further services. 

5. One special design of the meeting should be, with 
united prayers to ask the blessing of Heaven on the 
family where they are assembled, as well as on the 
rest : that with the wondrous force of united prayers 
"two or three may agree, on earth, to ask such things" 
as are to be done for the families, by " our Father which 
is in heaven." 

6. The members of such a society should consider 
themselves as bound up in one "bui)dle of love;" and 
count themselves obliged, by very close and strong 
bonds, to be serviceable to one another. If any one in 
the society should fall into affliction, all the rest should 
presently study to relieve and support the afflicted per- 
son in every possible way. If any one should fall in- 
to temptation, the rest should watch over him, and with 
the " spirit of meekness," with " meekness of wisdom," 



55 E6SAYS TO DO GOOD. 

endeavor to recover him. It should be like a law of 
the Medes and Persians to the whole society -that 
they will, upon all just occasions, affectionately give 
and receive mutual admonitions of any thing that they 
may see amiss in each other. 

7 It is not easy to calculate the goad offices which 
such a society may do to many other persons, besides 
its own members. The prayers of such well-disposed 
societies may fetch down marvellous favors from hea- 
ven on their pastors; their lives may be prolonged, 
their gifts augmented, their graces brightened, and 
their labors prospered, in answer to the supplications 
of such associated families. The interests of religion 
may be also greatly promoted in the whole flock, by 
their fervent supplications; and the Spirit of grace 
mightily poured out upon the rising generation ; yea, 
the country at large may be the better for them. 

8 The society may, on peculiar occasions, set apart 
whole days for fasting and prayer. The success of 
such days has been sometimes very remarkable, and 
the savor which they have left on the minds of those 
who have engaged in them, has been such, as greatly 
to prepare them to " show forth the death of the Lord," 
at his holy table ; yea, to meet their own death, when 
God has been pleased to appoint it. 

9. It is very certain that the devotions and confer- 
ences carried on in such a society, will not only have 
a wonderful tendency to produce the " comfort of love" 
in the hearts of good men toward one another ; but that 
their ability to serve many valuable interests will also 
thereby be much increased. 

10. Unexpected opportunities to do good will arise 
to such a society ; and especially if such a plan as the 
following were adopted : That the men who compose 



PRIVATE MEETINGS. 57 

the society, would now and then spend half an hour by 
themselves, in considering that question, What good is 
there to be do7ie 7 More particularly. 

Who are to be called npon to do their duty, in com- 
ing to special ordinances ? 

Who are in any particular adversity ; and what may 
be done to comfort them 1 

W^hat contention or variance is there among any of 
our neighbors ; and what may be done for healing it ? 

What open transgressions do any live in, and who 
shall be desired to carry faithful admonitions to them? 
^ Finally : What is there to be done for the advantage 
and advancement of our holy religion ? 

In the primitive times of Christianity much use was 
made of a saying, which was ascribed to Matthias the 
apostle : " If the neighbor of an elect or godly man 
sin, the godly man himself has also sinned." The in- 
tention of that saying was, to point out the obligation 
of neighbors watchfully to admonish one another. O 
how much may Christians, associated in religious so- 
cieties, effect by watchful and faithful admonitions, to 
prevent their being " partakers in other men's sins !" 
The man who shall produce and promote such socie- 
ties, will do an incalculable service to the neigh- 
borhood. 

I proceed to mention another sort of society, name- 
ly, that of YOUNG MEN ASSOCIATED. 

Societies of this description, duly managed, and coun- 
tenanced by the pastor, have been incomparable nur- 
series to the churches. Young men are hereby pre- 
served from very many temptations, rescued from the 
" paths of the destroyer," confirmed in the "right ways 
of the Lord," and much prepared for such religious ex- 
ercises as will be expected from them, when they shall 
themselves become heads of families. 



68 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

I will here lay before the reader some orders which 
have been observed in some societies of this nature. 

1. Let there be two hours at a time set apart for the 
purpose ; in which, let two prayers be offered by the 
members in rotation ; and between the prayers let there 
be singing, and the reading of a sermon. 

2. Let all the members of the society resolve to be 
charitably watchful over one another ; never to divulge 
each other's infirmities ; always to give information of 
every thing which may appear to call for admonition, 
and to take it kindly whenever it is given. 

3. Let all who are to be admitted as members of the 
society, be accompanied by two or three of the rest, to 
the minister of the place, that they may receive his 
counsel and directions, and that every thing may be 
done with his approbation ; after which, let their names 
be added to the roll. 

4. If any person thus enrolled among them fall into 
a scandalous iniquity, let the rebukes of the society be 
dispensed to him ; and let them forbid him to come 
among them any more until he give suitable evidence 
of repentance. 

5. Let the list be once a quarter called over ; and 
then, if it appear that any of the society have much 
absented themselves, let some of the members be sent 
to inquire the reason of tlieir absence ; and if no reason 
be given, but such as intimates an apostasy from good 
beginnings, and if they remain obstinate, let them be 
dismissed, with kind and faithful admonitions. 

6. Once in three months let there be a collection, if 
necessary ; out of which the unavoidable expenses of 
the society shall be defrayed, and the rest be employed 
for such pious purposes as may be agreed on. 

7. Once in two months let the whole time be de- 



YODNQ MEN* 59 

voted to supplications for the conversion and salvation 
of the rising generation, and particularly for the suc- 
cess of the Gospel in that congregation to which the 
society belongs. 

8. Let the whole society be exceedingly careful that 
their conversation, while they are together, after the 
other services of religion are over, have nothing in it 
that may have any taint of backbiting or vanity, or of 
things which do not concern them, and are not likely 
to promote their advantage. But let their conversa- 
tion be wholly on matters of religion, and those, also, 
not disputable and controversial subjects, but points of 
practical piety. For this purpose questions may be 
proposed, on which every one, in order, may deliver 
his sentiments ; or, they may go through a catechism ; 
and every one, in rotation, may- hear all the rest recite 
the answers ; or they may be directed, by their pastor, 
to spend their time profitably in some other manner. 

9. Let every person in the society consider it as a 
special task incumbent on him, to look out for some 
other hopeful young man, and to use all proper means 
to engage him in the resolutions of godliness, until he 
also shall be united to the society. And when a so- 
ciety shall in this manner be increased to a fit number, 
let it use its influence to form other similar societies, 
who may hold a useful correspondence with each 
other. 

The man who shall be the instrument of establish- 
ing such a society in a place, cannot comprehend what 
a long and rich train of good consequences may result 
from his labors. And they who shall in such a society 
carry on the duties of religion, and sing the praises of 
a glorious Christ, will have in themselves a blessed 
earnest that they shall be associated together in the 



60 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

heavenly city, and in the blessedness that shall never 
have an end. 

PROPOSALS TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL. 

Hitherto my discourse has been a more general ad- 
dress to persons of all conditions and capacities. I have 
proposed a few devices, but those which are as appli- 
cable to private persons as to others. We will now 
proceed to address those who are in a more public 
situation ; and because no men in the world are under 
such obligations to do good as the ministers of the 
Gospel, " it is necessary that the word of God should 
be first spoken unto them." I trust, therefore, my fa- 
thers and brethren in the ministry will "suffer the 
word of exliortation." 

It must be admitted, that they who are *' men of 
God " should be always at work for God. Certainly, 
they who are dedicated to the special service of the 
Lord should never be satisfied but when they are in 
the most sensible manner serving him. Certainly, they 
whom the great King has brought nearer to himself 
than other men, should be more unwearied than others 
in endeavoring to advance his kingdom. They whom 
the word of God calls angels, ought certainly to be of 
an angelical disposition ; always disposed to do good, 
like the good angels — ministers ever on the wing to 
" do his pleasure." It is no improper proposal, that 
they would seriously set themselves to think, " What 
are the points wherein I should be wise and do good, 
like an angel of God ? Or, if an angel were in the flesh, 
as I am, and in such a post as mine, what methods 
may I justly imagine that he would use to glorify 
God ?" What wonderful offices of kindness would the 
good angels cheerfully perform for such their " fellow- 
servants ?" 



MINISTERS. 61 

We must call upon our people " to be ready to every 
good work." We must go before them in it, and by 
our own readiness at every good work, show them the 
manner of performing it. " Timothy," said the apos- 
tle, " Be thou an example of the believers." It is a true 
maxim, and you cannot think of it too frequently : 
" The life of a minister is the life of his ministry." 
There is also another maxim of the same kind : " The 
sins of teachers are the teachers of sins." 

Allow me, sirs, to say, that your opportunities to do 
good are singular. Your Avant of worldly riches, and 
generally of any means of obtaining them, is compen- 
sated by those opportunities to do good with which 
you are enr^iched. The true spirit of a minister will 
cause you to consider yourselves enriched when those 
precious things are conferred upon you, and to prize 
them above lands, or money, or any temporal posses- 
sions whatever. " Let me abound in good works, and 
I care not who abounds in riches." Well said, brave 
Melancthon ! 

It is to be hoped that the main principle which ac- 
tuated you, when you first entered upon the evangeli- 
cal ministry, was a desire to do good in the world. 
If that principle was then too feeble in its operation, it 
is time that it should now act more vigorously, and 
that a zeal for doing good should now " eat up" your 
time, your thoughts, your all. 

That you may be good men, and be mightily in- 
spired and assisted from heaven to do good, it is need- 
ful that you should be men of prmjer. This, my first 
request, I suppose to be fully admitted. In pursuance 
of this intention, it appears very necessary that you 
should occasionally set apart whole days for secret 
prayer and fasting, and thus perfume your studies 
6 



62 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

with extraordinary devotions : such exercises may be 
also properly accompanied with the giving of alms, to 
go up as a memorial before the Lord. By these means 
you may obtain, together with the pardon of your un- 
fruitfulness, (for which, alas! we have such frequent 
occasion to apply to the great Sacrifice,) a wonderful 
improvement in piety and sanctity ; the vast import- 
ance of which, to form a useful minister, none can de- 
scribe ! " Sanctify them through thy truth," said our 
Savior. They should be sanctified, who would become 
instruments for the propagation of the truth. You may 
obtain, by prayer, such an influence from heaven upon 
your minds, and such an indwelling of the Holy Spirit, 
as will render you grave, discreet, humble, generous, 
and Vv^orthy to be " greatly beloved," You may ob- 
tain those influences from above, that will dispel the 
enchantments, and conquer the temptations which 
might otherwise do much mischief in your neighbor- 
hood. You may obtain direction and assistance for 
the many services requisite to be performed in the dis- 
charge of your ministry. Finally, you may fetch down 
unknown blessings on your flocks, and on the people 
at large, for whom you are to be the Lord's remem- 
brancers. 

Your public prayers, if suitably composed, will be 
excellent engines to " do good." The more judicious, 
the more affectionate, the more argumentative you are 
in them, the more you will teach your people to pray. 
And I would ask, how can you prosecute any inten- 
tion of piety among your people more effectually, than 
by letting theni see you praying, weeping, striving, 
and in an importunate agony before the Lord, in order 
to obtain the blessing for them? The more appro- 
priately you represent the various cases of your people 



MINISTERS. 63 

in your public prayers, the more devoutly sensible you 
will make them of their wants, and by this means they 
will obtain much consolation. 

Your sermons, if they be well studied, as they ought 
to be, from tiie consideration of their being offerings 
to God, as well as to his people, will "do good" be- 
yond all expression. The manner of your studying 
them may very much contribute to their usefulness. 
It is necessary that you carefully consider the state of 
your flocks, and bring them such truths as will best 
suit their present circumstances. In order to this, you 
-will observe their condition, their faults, their snares, 
and their griefs, that you may '• speak a word in sea- 
son," and that, if any remarkable providence occur 
among your people, you may make a suitable improve- 
ment of it. It will be useful to consider the different 
ages and circumstances of your people, and what les- 
sons of piety may be inculcated on each ; what exhor- 
tations should be given to the communicants, to those 
who are under the bonds of the covenant ; what advice 
should be addressed to the aged ; what admonitions to 
the poor, to the rich, to the worldly, and to those who 
are in public situations; what consolations should be 
afforded to the afflicted ; and what instruction may be 
necessary, with respect to the personal callings of your 
hearers. Above all, the young must not be forgotten : 
you will employ all possible means to cultivate early' 
piety. Yea, you may do well to make it understood 
that you would willingly be informed, by any persons 
or societies in your flocks, what subjects they may 
wish to hear explained. By giving them sermons on 
such subjects, you will at least very much edify those 
who requested them ; and it is probable many other 
persons besides. 



64 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

In studying your sermons, it might be profitable at 
the close of every paragraph to pause, and endeavor, 
with ejaculations to heaven and self-examination, to 
feel some impression of the truths contained in that 
paragraph on your own mind, before you proceed any 
farther. By such a practice, the hours which you 
spend in composing a sermon, will prove to you so 
many hours of devotion ; the day in which you have 
made a sermon, will even leave upon your mind such 
a savor as a day of prayer commonly does. When you 
come to preach the sermon, you will do it with great 
liberty and assurance; and the truths thus prepared 
will be likely to come with more sensible warmth and 
life upon the auditory — from the heart, and to the heart ! 
A famous preacher used to say, " I never dare to preach 
a sermon to others till I have first got some good by it 
myself." And I will add, that such a method is most 
likely to render it useful to others. Let the saying 
of the ancients be remembered, " He that trifles in the 
pulpit, shall weep in. hell;" and the modern saying, 
" Cold preachers make bold sinners." 

How much good may be done by your visits ! It 
would be well for you to impose it as a law upon your- 
selves, ''Never to make an unprofitable visit." Even 
when you pay a visit merely for the sake of civility or 
entertainment, it would be easy for you to observe 
this law : " That you will drop some sentence or other, 
which may be good for the use of edifying, before you 
leave the company." There have been pastors who 
have been able to say, that they scarce ever went into 
a house among their people without some essay or 
purpose to do good before they left it. 

The same rule might properly be observed with such 
as come to us, as well as witli those whom we visit. 



MINISTERS. 65 

Why should any of our people ever come near us, 
-without our contriving to speak something to them 
that may be for their advantage ? Peter Martyr, hav- 
ing spent many days in Bucer's house, published this 
report of his visit: "I can truly affirm, that I never 
left his table without some addition to my knowledge!" 
I make no doubt tiiat the observation of this rule may 
be very consistent with an affable and agreeable con- 
versation. But let it be remen*bered, that " NVhat are 
but jests in the mouth of the people, are blasphemies 
in the mouth of the priest.^' 

In your visits, take a particular notice of the widow, 
the orphan, and the afflicted, and afford them all pos- 
sible relief. 

When any peculiar calamity has befallen any one, 
it is a suitable time to visit such a person, to direct and 
persuade him to hear the voice of God in the calamity, 
and to comply with the intent and errand upon which 
it comes. Another very proper time for a visit, is when 
any special deliverance has been received. Those who 
have been thus fiivored, should be admonished to con- 
trive some remarkable manner in which they may ex- 
press their thankfulness for the deliverance; nor should 
you leave them until such a determination be made. 
The handmaids of the Lord, who are near the hour of 
difficulty and danger, may on this account be very 
proper objects for your visits. At such a time they 
are in much distress ; the approaching hour of trouble 
threatens to be their dying hour. The counsels that 
shall exactly instruct them how to prepare for a dying 
hour, will now, if ever, be attentively heard ; and there 
are precious promises of God, upon which they should 
also now be taught to live. To bring them these pro- 
6* 



6(j ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

mises will be the work of a " good angel," and will 
cause you to be welcomed by them as such. 

Catechising is a noble exercise ; it will insensibly 
bring you into a way to " do good," that surpasses all 
expression. Your sermons will be very much lost upon 
an uncatechised people. Nor will your people mind 
so much what you address to them from the pulpit, as 
what you speak to them in the more condescending and 
familiar way of applying the answers of the catechism. 
Never did any minister repent of his labor in catechis- 
ing ; thousands have blessed God for the wonderful 
success which has attended it. The most honorable 
man of God should consider it no abasement or abate- 
ment of his honor, to stoop to this way of teaching. 
Yea, some eminent pastors in their old age, when other 
labors have been too hard for them, have, like the 
famous old Gerson, wholly given themselves up to 
catechising. 

Those pastors who so love a glorious Christ as to 
regard his word, "Feed my lambs," will vary their 
methods of carrying on this exercise, according to par- 
ticular circumstances. Some have chosen the way of 
pastoral visits ; and from the memorials of one who 
long since did so, and afterward left his advice to his 
son upon this subject, I will transcribe the following 
passages : 

DIRECTIONS FOR PASTORAL VISITS. 

You may resolve to visit all the families belonging 
to your congregation ; taking one afternoon in a week 
for that purpose ; and it may be proper to give pre- 
vious notice to each family that you intend at such a 
time to visit them. On visiting a family, you may en- 
deavor, with addresses as forcible and respectful as pos- 



PASTORAL VISITS. 67 

sible, to treat with every person particularly about their 
everlasting interests. 

First, you may discourse with the elder people upon 
such points as you think most proper with them. Es- 
pecially charge them to maintain ifamily prayer ; and 
obtain their promise of establishing it, if it has been 
hitherto neglected; yea, pray with them, that you may 
show them how to pray, as well as obtain their pur- 
poses for it. Yon may likewise press upon them the 
care of instructing their children and servants in the 
holy religion of our Savior, to bring them up for him. 

If any with whom you should have spoken are ab- 
sent, you may frequently leave one or two solemn 
texts of the sacred Scripture, which you may think 
most suitable for them; desiring some one present 
affectionately to remember you to them, and from you 
to recommend to them that oracle of God. 

You may then call for the children and servants ; 
and putting to them such questions of the catechism 
as you think fit, you may, from the answers, make 
lively applications to them, for engaging them to the 
fear of God. You may frequently obtain from them 
promises relating to secret prayer, reading of the 
Scriptures, and obedience to their parents and masters. 
You may also frequently set before them the proposals 
of the new covenant, after you have labored for their 
conviction and awakening, till with floods of tears 
they expressly declare their consent to it, and their 
acceptance of it. 

Some of the younger people you may request to 
bring their Bibles, and read tc you from thence two or 
three verses, to which you may direct them ; this will 
try whether or not they can read well. You may then 
encourage them to think on such things as you remark 



68 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

from tne passage, and never to forget those " faithful 
sayings" of God. You may sometimes leave with 
them some serious question, which you may tell them 
they shall not answer to you, but to themselves; such 
as the following: " What have I been doing ever since 
I came into the world, about the great errand upon 
which God sent me into the world ?" " If God should 
now call me out of the world, what would become of 
me throughout eternal ages?" " Have I ever yet by 
faith carried my perishing soul to my only Savior, 
both for righteousness and salvation?" 

You will enjoy the wonderful presence of God in 
this undertaking ; and will seldom leave a family with- 
out having observed many tears of devotion shed by 
all sorts of persons in it. As you can seldom visit 
more than four or five families in an afternoon, t!he 
work may be as laborious as any part of your ministry. 

My son, I advise you to set a special value on that 
part of your ministry which is to be discharged iu 
pastoral visits. You will not only do good, but also 
ffet good, by your conversation with all sorts of per- 
sons, in thus visiting them " from house to house." 
And you will never more " walk in the Spirit," than 
when you thus walk among your flock, to do what 
good you can among them. 

In your visits an incredible amount of good may be 
done by distributing little books of piety. You may, 
without much expense, be furnished with such books, 
to suit all persons and circumstances; books for the 
old and for the young — for persons under afflictions 
or desertions — for persons who are under the power 
of particular vices — for those who neglect domestic 
religion — for sea-faring persons — for the erroneous — 
for those whom you would quicken and prepare to 



PASTORAL VISITS. 69 

approach the table of the Lord, and catechisms for 
the ignorant. You may remarliably enforce your ad- 
monitions, by leaving suitable books in the hands of 
those with whom you have conversed; you may give 
them to understand, that you would be still considered 
as conversing with them by these books, after you 
have left them. And in this way you may speak 
more than you have time to do in any personal inter- 
view; yea, sometimes, more than you would wish to 
do. By good books a salt of piety is scattered about 
a neighborhood. 

Pastors, uphold and cherish good schools in your 
towns ! And be prevailed upon occasionally to visit 
the schools. That holy man, Mr. Thomas White, ex- 
pressed a desire, " that able and zealous ministers 
would sometimes preach at the schools; because 
preaching is the converting ordinance; and the chil- 
dren will be obliged to hear with more attention in 
the school than in the public congregation ; and the 
ministers might here condescend to such expressions 
as might produce most effect upon them, and yet not 
be so fit for a public congregation." I have read the 
following account of one who was awakened by this 
advice to act accordingly : " At certain times he suc- 
cessively visited the schools. When he went to a 
school, he first offered a prayer for the children, as 
much adapted to their condition as he could make it. 
Then he went through the catechism, or as much of 
it as he thought necessary, making the several chil- 
dren repeat the several answers; but he divided the 
questions, that every article in the answers might be 
understood by them, expecting them to answer, Yes, 
or No, to each of these divisions. He also put to them 
such questions as would make them see and own their 



70 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

duties, and often express a resolution to perform them. 
Then he preaclied a short sermon to them, exceed- 
ingly plain, on some suitable Scripture, with all pos- 
sible ingenuity and earnestness, in order to excite iheir 
attentive regard. After this he singled out a number 
of scholars, perhaps eight or ten, and bade each of 
them turn to a certain Scripture, which lie made them 
read to the whole school ; giving them to see, by his 
brief remarks upon it, that it contained something 
which it particularly concerned children to notice. 
Then he concluded with a short prayer for a blessing 
on the school, and on the tutors." 

While we are upon the subject of visiting, I would 
observe, that you will not fail to visit the poor', as well 
as the rich; and often mention the condition of the 
poor, in your conversation with the rich. Keep a list 
of them. Recollect, that although the wind does not 
feed any one, yet that it turns the mill which grinds 
the corn, the food of the poor. When conversing 
with the rich, you may do this for the poor who are 
on your list. 

In visiting the poor, you will take occasion to dis- 
pense your alms among them. All ministers are not 
alike furnished for alms, but all should be disposed for 
them. They that have small families, or large inte- 
rests, ought to be shining examples of liberality to the 
poor, and pour down their alms upon them like the 
showers of heaven. All should endeavor to do what 
they can in this way. What says Nazianzen of his 
reverend father's alms-deeds ? They will find, that the 
more they do, (provided it be done Avith discretion,) 
the more they are able to do; the loaves will multiply 
in the distribution. This bounty of yours to the poor 
will procure a wonderful esteem and success to your 



MINISTERS. 



7i 



ministry. It will be an irrefragable demonstration 
that you believe what you speak concerning all the 
duties of Christianity, but particularly those of libe- 
rality, a faithful discharge of our stewardship, and a 
mind weaned from the love of this world; it will de- 
monstrate your belief of a future state; it will vindi- 
cate you from the imputation of a worldly man; it 
will embolden and fortify you when you call upon 
others to do good, and to abound in those sacrifices 
with which God is well pleased. 

You will do well to keep a watchful eye on the dis- 
orders which may arise and increase in your neigh- 
borhood. Among other ways of suppressing these 
things, you may form societies for this purpose ; 
obtain a fit number of prudent, pious, well-disposed 
men, to associate with this intention, and employ their 
discretion and activity for your assistance in these 
holy purposes. 

How serviceable may ministers be to one another, 
and to all the churches, in their several associations! 
Indeed, it is a pity that there should ever be the least 
occasional "meeting of ministers," without some useful 
thing proposed in it. 

Finally. — After all the generous essays and labors to 
do good that may fill your lives, your people will pro- 
bably treat you with ingratitude. Your salaries will 
be meaner than those at Geneva, They will neglect 
you; they will oppress you; they will withhold from 
you what they have engaged, and you have expected. 
You have now one more opportunity to do good, and 
so to glorify your Savior. Your patience, O ye tried 
servants of God, your patience will do it wonderfully! 
To "bear evil" is to "do good." The more patient 
you are under ill usage, the more you exhibit a glo- 



72 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

rious Christ to your people, in your conformity to 
your adorable Savior. The more conformed you are 
to him, the more prepared you are, perhaps, for some 
amendment of your condition in this world, most cer- 
tainly for the rewards of the heavenly world, when 
you shall appear before the Lord, .who says, "I know 
thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy 
patience." 

It was said of Ignatius, "that he carried Christ about 
with him in his heart:" and this I will say, if to re- 
present a glorious Christ to the view, the love, and the 
admiration of all people, be the grand intention of your 
life ; if j'ou are desirous to be a star to lead men to 
Christ; if you are exquisitely studious that the holi- 
ness and yet the gentleness of a glorious Christ may 
shine in your conversation ; if in your public discour- 
ses you do with rapture bring in the mention of a glo- 
rious Christ in every paragraph, and on every occasion 
where he is to be spoken of; and if in your private 
conversation you contrive to insinuate something of 
his glories and praises wherever it may be decently 
introduced; finally, if when you find that a glorious 
Christ is the more considered and acknowledged by 
your means, it fills you v/ith "joy unspeakable and full 
of glory," and you exclaim, "Lord, this is my desired 
happiness!" Truly, you then live to good purpose, 
you " do good " emphatically ! 

There was a worthy minister whom the great Cran- 
mer designed for preferment, and he gave this reason 
of his design: " He seeks nothing, he longs for nothing, 
he dreams about nothing, bu.t Jesus Christ." Verily, 
such " men of Christ " are " men of God ;" they are 
the favorites of Heaven, and shall be favored with op- 
portunities to do good above any men in the world : 



CHURCHES. 73 

they are the men whom the King of heaven will de- 
light to honor. 

PROPOSALS TO CHURCHES FOR DOING GOOD. 

We have already proposed to the Pastors of church- 
es various ways of doing good ; we shall now lay be- 
fore the Churches themselves some proposal of ob- 
jects, in which they may do well to join their pastors. 

Days of Prayer, occasionably observed, for the ex- 
press purpose of obtaining the sanctifying influences 
of the Spirit of God on the rising generation, have 
had a marvellous efficacy in producing a religious pos- 
terity in the land, and "a seed accounted to the Lord 
for a generation." Such an acknowledgment of the 
necessity and excellency of supernatural grace would 
be a very probable preparative and introduction to the 
communication of it 5 and when the children see their 
parents thus earnestly seeking the grace of God for 
them, it would have a natural tendency to awaken them 
to an earnest seeking of it for themselves. The ser- 
mons, also, preached by the ministers on such solemn 
occasions, would, probably, be very awakening ones. 
That this proposal has been so little attended to, is la- 
mentable and remarkable: but "they all slumbered 
and slept." 

There is another proposal which has been tendered 
to all our churches, and regarded by some of them : 

That the several churches, having, in an instrument 
proper for the purpose, made a catalogue of such things 
as have indisputably been found amiss among them/ 
do with all seriousness and solemnity pass their votes, 
that they account such things to be very offensive 
evils, and that, renouncing all dependence on their own 
strength to avoid such evils, they humbly implore the 
7 



74 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

help of divine grace, to assist them in watching against 
the said evils both in themselves and in one another: 
and that the communicants resolve, frequently to re- 
flect upon these their acknowledgments and protesta- 
tions, as perpetual monitors to them, to prevent the 
miscarriages by which too many professors are so 
easily overtaken. 

It has been considered, that such humble recogni- 
tions of duty will not only be accepted by our God, as 
declarations for him, upon which he will declare for 
us ; but also, that they are the way of the new cove- 
nant, for obtaining assistance to perform our duty. 

A particular church may be an illustrious pillar of 
the truth, by -considering what important truths may 
call for special, signal, open testimonies ; and they may 
excite their pastors to the composing of such testimo- 
nies, and likewise assist them in the publication of 
them. It is probable that God would accompany such 
testimonies with a marvellous efficacy to suppress 
growing errors and evils. A proposal of this nature 
may be worthy of some consideration. 

1. It were desirable that every particular church 
should be furnished with a stock, that may be a con- 
stant and ready fund for the propagation of religion; 
and that every minister would use his best endeavors, 
both by his own contribution, according to his ability, 
and by applying to well-disposed persons under his 
influence, to increase the stock, either in the way of 
public collections made at certain periods, or in that 
of more private and occasional communications. 

2. This evangelical treasury may be lodged in the 
hands of the deacons of the respective churches in 
which it is collected ; who are to keep exact accounts 
of the receipts and disbursements, and let nothing be 



SCHOOL TEACHERS. tO 

drawn from it without the knowledge and consent of 
the church to which it belongs. 

3. The first and main intention of this evangelical 
treasury is to be, the propagation of religion; and 
therefore, when any attempts of usefulness are to be 
made on unevangelized places, the neighboring minis- 
ters may consult each of the churches, what propor- 
tion they may allow, out of their evangelical treasury, 
toward the support of so noble an undertaking. 

4. This evangelical treasury may be applied to other 
pious uses, and especially to such as any particular 
church may think fit, for the service of religion in 
their ov/n vicinity : such as the sending of Bibles and 
catechisms to be dispersed among the poor, where it 
may he thought necessary. Likewise giving assist- 
ance to new congregations, in their first attempts to 
build meeting-houses for the public worship of God 
with scriptural purity. 

Query — Our churches have their sacramental col- 
lections, and it is not fit indeed that they should be 
without them. The primitive Christians d id the same : 
Justin Martyr informs us of the " collections," and 
Tertullian of the " gifts of piety," which were made 
on such occasions. But would not our churches do 
well to augment their liberality in their grateful and 
joyful collections at the table of the Lord, and to re- 
solve that what is now collected shall be part of their 
evangelical treasury ; not only for the supph^ of the 
table and the relief of the poor, but also for such other 
services to the kingdom of God as they may, from 
time to time, find occasion to countenance ? 

THE DUTIES OF SCHOOL TEACHERS. 

The School Teacher has many opportunities of do- 
ing good. God make him sensible of his obligations! 



76 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

We read, that " the little ones have their angels." It 
is hard work to keep a school ; but it is God's work, 
and it may be so managed as to be like the work of 
angels. Melchior Adams properly styled it " An office 
most laborious, yet to God most pleasing." 

Teachers ! will you not regard the children under 
your care, as committed to you by the glorious Lord, 
with such a charge as this : " Take them, aud bring 
tliem up for me, and I will pay you your wages!" 
Whenever a new scholar comes under your care, you 
may say, " Here my Lord sends me another object, 
for whom I may do something, that he may be useful 
in the world." Suffer little children to come unto you, 
and consider what you may do, instrumentally, that 
of such may be the kingdom of heaven. 

Let it be your grand design, to instill into their minds 
the documents of piety. Consider it as their chief in- 
terest, and yours also, that they may so know tlie 
Holy Scriptures as to become wise to salvation. Em- 
brace every opportunity of dropping some honey from 
the rock upon them. Happy the children, and as hap- 
py the teacher, where they who relate the history of 
their conversion may say, "There was a school-teacher 
who brought us to Christ." You have been told, " Cer- 
tainly, it is a nobler work to make the little ones know 
their Savior than know their letters. The lessons of 
Jesus are nobler than the lessons of Cato. 

Catechising should be a frequent^ at least a weekly 
exercise in the school ; and it sliould be conducted in 
the most edifying, applicatory, and admonitory manner. 

Dr Reynolds, in a funeral sermon for an eminent 
school-teacher, has the following passage, worthy to 
be written in letters of gold : " If grammar schools have 
holy and learned men set over them, not only the minds. 



SCHOOL TEACHERS. 77 

but also the souls of the children might there be en- 
riched, and the woric both of learning and of grace be 
early commenced in them." In order to this, let it be 
proposed, that you not only pray with your scholars 
daily, but also take occasion, from the public sermons, 
and from remarkable occurrences in your neighbor- 
hood, frequently to inculcate the lessons of piety on 
the children. 

Instructors in colleges may do well to converse with 
each of their pupils alone, with all possible solemnity 
and affection, concerning their internal state, concern- 
ing repentance for sin, and faith in Jesus Christ, and 
to bring them to express resolutions (-f serious piety. 
You may do a thousand things to render your pupils 
orthodox in sentiment, regular in practice, and quali- 
fied for public service. 

I have read of a teacher who made it his constant 
practice, in every recitation, to take occasion from 
something or other that occurred, to drop at least one 
sentence that had a tendency to promote the fear of 
God in their hearts. This method sonietimes cost him 
a good deal of study, but the good effect sufficiently 
recompensed him for it. 

I should be glad to see certain authors received into 
the grammar schools as classical, which are not gene- 
rally admitted there, such as Castalio in the Latin 
tongue, and Posselius in the Greek ; and I could wish, 
with some modern writers, that " a north-west pas- 
sage" for the attainment of Latin might be discovered; 
that instead of a journey which might be despatched 
in a few days, they might not be obliged to wander, 
like the children of Israel, many years in the wilder- 
ness. I might recite the complaint of Austin, " that 
little boys are taught in the schools the filthy actions 
7* 



78 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

of the pagan gods, for reciting which," said he, " I 
was called a boy of promise ;" or the complaint of 
Luther, " that our schools are pagan, rather than 
Christian." I might mention what a late author says, 
" I knew an aged and eminent schoolmaster, who, 
after keeping a school about fifty years, said, with a 
sad countenance, that it was a great trouble to him that 
he had spent so much time in reading pagan authors 
to his scholars, and wished it were customary to read 
such a book as Duport's verses on Job, rather than 
Homer, &c. I pray God to put it into the hearts of 
my countrymen to purge our schools; that instead of 
learning vain fictions and filthy stories, they may be- 
come acquainted with the word of God, and with 
books containing grave sayings, and things which 
may make them truly wise and useful in the world." 

Among the occasions for promoting religion in the 
scholars, one in the writing' schools deserves peculiar 
notice. I have read of an atrocious sinner who was 
converted to God by accidentally reading the follow- 
ing sentence of Austin written in a window : " He 
who has promised pardon to the penitent sinner, has 
not promised repentance to the presumptuous one." 
Who can tell what good may be done to the young 
scholar by a sentence in his copy-book? Let their 
copies be composed of sentences worthy to be had in 
everlasting remembrance — of sentences which shall 
contain the brightest maxims of wisdom, worthy to 
be written on the fleshly tables of their hearts, to be 
graven with the point of a diamond there. God has 
blessed such sentences to many scholars ; they have 
been useful to them all their days. 

In the grammar school, also, the scholars may be 
directed, for their exercises, to turn into Latin such 



PHYSICIANS. 79 

passages as may be useful for their instruction in tiie 
principles of Ciiristianity, and furnish them with sup- 
plies from " the tower of David." Their letters also 
may be on the subjects which may be friendly to the 
interests of virtue. 

I vWll add, it is very desirable to manage the disci- 
pline of the school by means of rewards, rather than 
of punishments. Many methods of rewarding the 
diligent and deserving may be invented ; and a boy of 
an ingenious temper, by the expectation of reward, 
will do his best. You esteem Quintillian. Hear him : 
" Use stripes sparingly ; rather let the youth be stimu- 
lated by praise, and by the distinctions conferred on 
his classmates." If a fault must be punished, let in- 
struction, both to the delinquent and to the spectator, 
accompany the correction. Let the odious name of 
the sin which enforced the correction be declared ; and 
let nothing be done in anger, but with every mark of 
tenderness and concern. 

PROPOSALS TO PHYSICIANg. 

The physician enjoys many opportunities of doing 
good, and so rendering himself " a beloved physician." 
For this purpose we shall offer our advice. 

From pious physicians may be expected a charity 
and a usefulness which may entitle them to a remem- 
brance in that " Book of Life," in which a name will 
be deemed far more valuable than any which are re- 
corded in " The lives of illustrious physicians." 

By serious and shining piety in your own example, 
you will bear a glorious testimony in the cause of God 
and religion. You will glorify the God of nature, and 
the only Savior. Your acquaintance with nature will 



80 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

indeed be your condemnation, if you do it not. No- 
tliing is so unnatural as to be irreligious. The religion 
of the physician has the least reason of any under hea- 
ven to be an " irreligion." They have acted the most 
unreasonable part, who have given occasion for that 
complaint of Christians, " Where there are three phy- 
sicians, there are three atheists." 

Gentlemen, you will never account yourselves such 
adepts as to be at a stand in your studies, and make no 
further progress in your inquiries into the nature of 
diseases and their remedies. " A physician arrived at 
his full growth,'^ looks dangerously and ominously. 
You will be diligent, studious, inquisitive ; and continue 
to read much, think more, and pray most of all ; and 
be solicitous to invent and dispense something very 
considerable for the good of mankind, which none be- 
fore you had discovered : be solicitous to make some 
addition to the treasures of your noble profession. To 
obtain the honor of being a Sydenham may not be in 
your power J yet " to do something" is a laudable am- 
bition. 

By the benefit they expect from you, and by the 
charms of your polite education and manners, you are 
sometimes introduced into the familiar acquaintance 
of great men ; persons of the first quality entertain you 
•with freedom and friendship. What an advantage 
does this furnish you for doing good ! The poor Jews, 
both in the east and the west, have procured many ad- 
vantages by means of their countrymen, who have 
risen to be physicians to the princes of the countries 
in which they reside. Your permission " to feel the 
pulse" of eminent persons, may enable you to promote 
many a good work; you need not be fold what; you 
will soon perceive excellent methods, if you will only 



PHYSICIANS. 81 

deliberate upon it: "What proposals may I make to- 
my patient, by attending to wliich, he may do good in 
the world ?" You know how ready the sick are to 
hear of good proposals, and how seasonable it is to 
urge such upon them, when tlie commencement of re- 
covery from sickness calls for their gratitude to the 
God of their health. And for persons also who are in 
health, you may find "seasonable times to drop a 
hint." 

Physicians are frequently men of universal learn- 
ing; they have sufRcient ability, and sometimes oppor- 
tunity to write books on a vast variety of subjects, 
whereby knowledge and virtue may be greatly advan- 
ced in the world. A catalogue of books written by 
learned physicians, on various subjects besides those 
of their own profession, would in itself almost make 
a volume. In the great army of learned physicians, 
many have published most valuable works on the 
" word which the Lord has given," and for the service 
of his church, and of the world. Physicians of such 
distinguished merit deserve the grateful remembrance 
of every benevolent heart. I propose them for imita- 
tion, that many may follow such examples. 

Physicians have innumerable opportunities to assist 
the poor, and to give them advice gratis. It was a 
noble saying of Cicero, " A man cannot have a better 
fortune than to be able, nor a better temper than to be 
willing, to save many." But I will set before you a 
higher consideration than that with which a pagan 
was ever acquainted. The more charity, compassion, 
and condescension Avith which you treat the poor, the 
nearer will you approach to the greatest and highest of 
all glories— an imitation of your adorable Savior. You 
will readily say, "Why should I esteem that mean, 



82 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

which reflected honor on Christ ?" In comparison of 
this consolation, it will be a small thing to" say to you, 
that your coming among the poor will be to them like 
the descent of the Angel of Bethesda. We will not 
presume to prescribe to you what good you shall do 
to the poor ; but beg leave to enter an objection against 
your taking any fees on the Lord's day ; because the 
time is not yours, but tne Lord's. 

When we consider how much the lives of men are 
in the hands of God, what a dependence we have on 
the God of our health, for our cure when we have lost 
it ; what strong and remarkable proofs we have had of 
angels, by their communications or operations, con- 
tributing to the cure of the diseases with which mor- 
tals have been oppressed ; and the marvellous efficacy 
of prayer for the recovery of a sick brother who has 
not sinned a '• sin unto death:" — what better thing can 
be recommended to a physician, who desires to " do 
good," than this— to be a man of prayer? In your 
daily and secret prayer, carry every one of your pa- 
tients, as 5^ou would your own children, to the glorious 
Lord our healer, for his healing mercies ; place them, 
as far as your prayers will do it, under the beams of the 
"Sun of Righteousness." And as any new case of 
your patients may occur, especially if there be any 
difficulty in it, why should you not make your particu- 
lar and solicitous application to Heaven for direction ? 
" O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in him- 
self; nor is it in man that walketh, to direct his steps ; 
nor in man that healeth, to perform his cure." Hip- 
pocrates advised physicians, when they visited their 
patients, to consider whether there might not be some- 
thing supernatural in the disease. Truly, in some sense, 
this is always the case, and should be so considered. 



PHYSICIANS. 83 

What a heavenly life might you lead, if your profes- 
sion were carried on with as many visits to Heaven as 
you pay to your patients ! A famous Jew of the for- 
mer century, published at Venice, a book entitled, 
" Precious Stones." There are several prayers in the 
book, and among them a pretty long one " For phy- 
sicians when they go to visit their patients." Surely 
Christianity will not, in her devotions, fall short of 
Judaism ! 

We read that " heaviness in the heart of man maketh 
it stoop ; but a good word maketh it glad. A cheer- 
ful heart do.eth good like a medicine ; but a broken 
spirit drieth up the bones." Baglivi is not the only 
physician who has made the observation, " that a great 
many of our diseases either arise from a Aveight of 
cares lying on the minds of men, or are thereby in- 
creased. Some diseases that seem incurable, are easily 
cured by agreeable conversation. Disorders of the 
mind first bring diseases on the stomach ; and so tho 
whole mass of blood gradually becomes infected ; and 
as long as the mental cause continues, the diseases may 
indeed change their forms, but they rarely quit tho 
patients." Tranquillity of mind will do wonderful 
things toward the relief of bodily maladies. It is not 
without reason that Hosman insists on tranquillity of 
mind as the chief among the " means to promote lon- 
gevity ;" and says that this is the meaning of that pas- 
sage : " The fear of the Lord tendeth to life." They 
who have practised the "art of curing by expecta- 
tion," have made experiments of what the mind will 
do toward the cure of the body ; this may be also 
known by practising the " art of consolation." I pro- 
pose, then, that the physician endeavor to find out, by 
all possible ingenuity of conversation, what matter of 



84 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

anxiety there may have been upon the mind of tne 
patient, that has rendered his life burdensome. Hav- 
ing discovered the burden, use all possible means to 
take it off. Offer him such thoughts as may be the 
best anodynes for his distressed mind; especially the 
" riglit thoughts of the righteous," and the means of 
obtaining composure of mind upon religious princi- 
ples. Give him a prospect, if you can, of some deliver- 
ance from his distresses, or some abatement of them. 
Excite in him as pleasing thoughts as possible ; scatter 
the clouds, and remove the loads with which his mind 
is perplexed, especially by representing and magnify- 
ing the mercy of God, in Christ, to him. It is possible, 
sir, that in this way also you may find abundant op- 
portunities of usefulness, by doing yourself, or by bring- 
ing others to do kindness to the miserable. 

What should hinder you from considering the soxds 
of your patients ; their spiritual health ; what they 
have done, and what they have to do, that they may 
be on good terras with Heaven ? You may take occa- 
sion, from their natural disorders, to affect your own 
mind, and theirs also, with a sense of our correspond- 
ing moral ones. You may make your conversation 
with them a vehicle for conveying such admonitions 
of piety as may be most needful for them, that they 
may be found neither unprepared for death, nor un- 
thankful and unfruitful, if their lives should be pro- 
longed. This you may do, without any intrusion on 
the office of the minister ; on the contrary, you may at 
the same time do a very good office for the minister, 
as well as for the patient ; and may inform the minis- 
ter when, where, and how he may be very serviceable 
among the miserable, with whose cases he might other- 
wise remain unacquainted. The " art of healing " was, 



PHYSICIANS. 85 

you know, first brought into a system by men who had 
the "care of souls;" and I know not why those who 
profess that noble " art '' should wholly cast off that 
" care." Perhaps you remember to have read of a king 
who was also a physician,' and who gave this reason 
why the Greeks had diseases among them which re- 
mained so much un^ured : "Because they neglected 
their souls, the chief thing of ail.'' For my part, I 
know uot why the physician should wholly neglect the 
souls of his patients. And 1 desire to encourage each 
physician himself continually to go to God our Savior, 
and as far as possible bring all his patients to him also. 

Finally. — An industrious and ingenious writer of 
3' our profession has a passage which I will here insert, 
because very many of you can speak the same lan- 
guage ; and by inserting it, I hope to increase the 
number. 

"I know no poor creature that ever came to me, in 
the whole course of my practice, that once went from 
me without my desired help, gratis. And I have ac- 
counted the restoration of such a poor and wretched 
creature a greater blessing to me than if I had procur- 
ed the wealth of both the Indies. I cannot so well ex- 
press myself concerning this matter, as I can conceive 
it ; but I am sure I should have been more pleased, and 
had a greater satisfaction, in seeing such a helple-ss 
creature restored to his desired health, than if 1 had 
found a very valuable treasure. As I can never repent 
of the good which I have done this way, so I resolve 
to continue the same practice; for I certainly know that 
I have had the signal blessing of God attending my 
endeavors," 



8 



86 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD, 



PROPOSALS TO RICH MEN. 



" I will get me unto the rich men, and will speak 
unto them," for they will know the ways to " do good," 
and will think what they shall be able to say when 
they come into the judgment of their God. A person 
of quality, quoting that passage, " The desire of a man 
is his kindness," invited me so to read it, " The only de- 
sirable thing in a man is his goodness." -How happy 
would the world be, if every person of quality were to 
become of this persuasion ! It is an article in my com- 
mission, " Charge them that are rich in this world, 
that they do good, that they be rich in good works, 
ready to distribute, willing to communicate." In pur- 
suance thereof, I will remind rich men of the oppor- 
tunities to "do good" with which God, who gives 
power to get wealth, has favored and enriched them. 
It is a very good account that has been sometimes 
given of a good man : " As to the wealth of this world, 
he knew no good in it, but the doing of good with it." 
Yea, those men who have had very little goodness in 
them, yet in describing " the manners of the age," in 
which perhaps they themselves have had too deep a 
share, have seen occasion to subscribe and publish this 
prime dictate of reason : " We are none the better for 
any thing, barely for possessing it; but it is the appli- 
cation of it that gives every thing its value. Whoever 
buries his talent betrays a sacred trust, and defrauds 
those who stand in need of it." Sirs, you cannot but 
acknowledge that it is the sovereign God who has be- 
stowed upon you the riches which distinguish you. A 
devil himself, when he saw -a rich man, could not but 
make this acknowledgment to the God of heaven : 
" Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his 



TO RICH MEN. 87 

substance is increased in the land." h is also to be 
hoped that you are not unmindful that the riches in 
your possession are some of the talents of which you 
must give an account to the glorious Lord who has 
entrusted you with them ; and that you will give your 
account with grief, and not with joy, if it should be 
found that all your property has been laid out to gratify 
the appetites of the flesh, and little or nothing of it con- 
secrated to the service of God, and of his kingdom in 
the world. It was said to the priests of old, when the 
servants were assigned them, " Unto you they are 
given as a gift for the Lord." This may be said of all 
our estates : what God gives us, is not given us for 
ourselves, but, " for the Lord." " When God's gifts 
to us are multiplied, our obligations to give are multi- 
plied." Indeed there is hardly any professor of Chris- 
tianity so vicious that he will not confess that all his 
property is to be used for honest purposes, and part of 
it for pious ones. If any plead their poverty to excuse 
and exempt them from doing any thing this way ; O 
thou poor widow with thy two mites, immortalized in 
the history of the Gospel, thou shalt " rise up in the 
judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it;" 
and let them also know that they take a course to con- 
demn and confine themselves to eternal poverty. 

But the main question is. What proportion of a man's 
income is to be devoted to pious uses ? And now, let it 
not seem a " hard saying," if I tell you that a tenth 
part is the least that you can bring under a more so- 
lemn dedication to the Lord ; for whom, in one sense, 
we are to lay out our all. A farthing less would make 
an enlightened and considerate Christian suspicious of 
his incurring the danger of sacrilege. By the pious 
uses for which your tenths are thus challenged^ I do 



OS ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

not intend only, the maintenance of the evangelical 
ministry, but also the relief of the miserable, whom 
our merciful Savior has mad^the receivers of his rents; 
together with all that is to be more directly done for 
the preserving and promoting of piety in the world. 
Since there is a part of every man's revenues due to 
the glorious Lord, and to purposes of piety, it is not 
fit that the determination of what part it must be, 
should be left to such hearts as ours. My friend, thou 
hast, it may be, too high an opinion of thy own wis- 
dom and goodness, if nothing but thy own carnal heart 
is to determine what proportion of thy revenues are to 
be laid out for Him, whom thou art so ready to forget 
when he has filled thee. But if the Lord himself, to 
whom thou art but a steward, has fixed on any part of 
our usual income for himself, as it is most reasonable 
that he should have the fixing of it, certainly a tenth 
will be found the least that he has called for. Long be- 
fore the Mosaic dispensation of the law, we find that 
this was Jacob's vow : " Tlie Lord shall be my God, 
and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the 
tenth unto thee." It seems we do not sufficiently de- 
clare that " the Lord is our God," if we do not give a 
tenth to him. And how can we approve ourselves 
" Israelites indeed," if we sljght such an example as 
that of our father Jacob? I will ascend a little higher. 
In one text we read that our father Abraham " gave 
Melchisedek the tenth of all." In another text we read 
of our Savior Jesus, " Thou art a priest for ever, after 
the order of Melchisedek." From hence I form this 
conclusion: the rights of Melchisedek belong to our 
Jesus, the royal high priest now officiating for us in 
the heavens. The tenths were the rights of Melchise- 
dek ; therefore the tenths belong to our Jesus. I do in 



TO RICH MEN'. 89 

my conscience believe that this argument cannot be 
answered; and the man who attempts it, seems to 
darken the evidence of Wis being one of the true chil- 
dren of Abraham. 

It is very certain that the pagans nsed to decimate 
for sacred uses. Pliny tells us that the Arabians did 
so. Xenophon informs us that the Grecians had the 
same practice. You find the custom to be^s ancient 
as the pen of Herodotus can m.ake it. Festus says, 
" The ancients offered to their gods the tenth of every 
thing." Christian, wilt thou do less for thy God than 
the poor perishing pagans did for theirs ? " O tell it 
not" — but this I will tell; that they who have con- 
scientiously employed their tenths in pious uses, have 
usually been remarkably blessed in their estates, by 
the providence of God. The blessing has been some- 
times delayed, with some trial of their patience ; and 
their belief of the future statq.has been sometimes tried, 
by their meeting with losses and disappointments. 
But then, their little has been so blessed as to be still a 
competency; and God has so favored them with con- 
tentment, that it has yielded more than the abundance 
of many others. Very frequently too, they have been 
rewarded with remarkable success in their aifairs, and 
increase of their property ; and even in this world have 
seen the fulfillment of ihose promises : " Cast thy bread 
upon the waters"— thy grain into the moist ground — 
" and thou shalt find it after many days." " Honor 
the Lord with thy substance ; so shall thy barns be 
filled with plenty." History has given us many de- 
lightful examples of those who have had their decima- 
tions followed and rewarded by a surprising prosperity 
of their affairs. Obscure mechanics and husbandmen 
have risen to estates, of which once they had not the 



90 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

most distant expectation. The excellent Gouge, in his 
treatise, entitled, " The surest and safest way of thriv- 
ing," has collected some sucl> examples. The Jewish 
proverb, " Tithe, and be rich," would be oftener veri- 
fied, if more frequently practised. " Prove me now 
herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not pour out 
a blessing upon you." 

But let the demand of "liberal things" grow upon 
you: a tenth I have called the least; for some it is 
much too little. Men of large incomes, who would not 
" sow to their flesh, and of the flesh reap corruption," 
may and will often go beyond this proportion. Some 
rise to ^ fifth; and the religious countess of Warwick 
would not stop at any thing short of a thwd. Gentle- 
men of fortune, who are my readers, would perhaps 
excuse me if I were to carry them no higher than this, 
and to say nothing to them of a Johannes Eleemosy- 
narius, who annually made a distribution oiall to pious 
uses ; and having settled his afftiirs, said, " I bless God 
that I have now nothing left but m.y Lord and Master, 
Christ, whom I long to be with, and to whom I can 
now fly with unentangled wings." Yet I will mention 
to them the example of some eminent merchants, who 
having obtained moderate and competent estates, have 
resolved never to be richer. They have carried on 
brisk and extensive trades, but whatever profits raised 
their incomes above the fixed sum, they have entirely 
devoted to pious uses. Were any of them losers by 
this conduct? Not one. 

The Christian emperor Tiberius II. was famous for 
his religious bounties : his empress thought him even 
profuse in them. But he told her that he should never 
want money so long as, in obedience to a glorious 
Christ, he should supply the necessities of the poor, 



TO RICH MEN. 



91 



and abound in religious benevolence. Once, imme- 
diately after he had made a liberal distribution, he un- 
expectedly found a mighty treasure, and at the same 
time tidings were brought to him of the death of a very 
rich man who had i^equeathed to him all his wealth. 
And men in far humbler stations can relate very many 
and interesting anecdotes of this nature, even from 
their own happy experience. I cannot forbear tran- 
scribing some lines of my honored Gouge on this oc- 
casion : 

" I am verily persuaded that there is scarcely any 
man who gives to the poor proportionably to what 
God has bestowed on him, but, if he observe the deal- 
ings of God's providence toward him, will find the 
same doubled and redoubled upon him in temporal 
blessings. I dare challenge all the world to produce 
one instance (or at least any considerable number of 
instances) of a merciful man, whose charity has un- 
done him. On the contrary, as the more living wells 
are exhausted, the more freely they spring and flow; 
so the substance of charitable men frequently multi- 
plies in the very distribution: even as the five loaves 
and few fishes multiplied while being broken and dis- 
tributed, and as the widow's oil increased by being 
poured out." 

I will add a consideration which, methinks, will act 
as a powerful motive upon the common feelings of 
human nature. Let the rich men, who are not " rich 
toward God," especially such as have no children of 
their own to make their heirs, consider the vile ingra- 
titude with which their successors will treat them; 
sirs, they will hardly allow you a tombstone : but, wal- 
lowing in the wealth you have left them, and com- 
plaining that you left it no sooner, they will insult 



92 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

your memory, and ridicule your economy and parsi- 
mony. How much wiser would it be for you to do 
good with your estates while you live, and at your 
death to dispose of them in such a manner as shall 
embalm your names to posterity, and that you may, 
through grace, hear God say, " Thou hast been faith- 
ful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many 
things ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." 

I will only annex the compliment of a certain per- 
son to his friend, upon his accession to an estate: 
" Much good may it do you ; that is, much good may 
you do with it." 

To relieve the necessities of the poor is a thing ac- 
ceptable to the compassionate God, who has given to 
you what he might have given to them, and has given 
it to you that you might have the honor and pleasure 
of imparting it to them ; and who has said, " He that 
hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord." The 
more you regard the command and example of a glo- 
rious Christ in what you do this way, the more assur- 
ance you have that in the day of God you shall joy- 
fully hear him saying, " You have done it unto me." 
And the more humble, silent, reserved modesty you 
express, concealing even from the left hand what is 
done with the right, the more you are assured of a 
great reward in the heavenly world. Such liberal men, 
it is observed, are generally long-lived men ; (" gather- 
ing the fruit relieves the tree;") and at last they pass 
from this into everlasting life. 

PROPOSALS TO LADIES. 

The true Lady is one who feeds the poor^ and re- 
lieves their indigence.* In the days of primitive Chris- 

*The following is supposed to be the etymology of the word 



TO LADIES. 83 

tianity, ladies of Ihe^first quality would seek out the 
sick, visit hospitals, see what help they wanted, and 
assist them with an admirable alacrit5\ What a " good 
report" have the mother and sister of Nazianzen ob- 
tained from his pen, for their unwearied bounty to the 
poor I Empresses themselves have stooped to relieve 
the miserable, and never appeared so truly great as 
when they thus stooped. 

A very proper season for your alms is, when you 
keep days of prayer ; that your prayers and your alms 
may go up together as a memorial before the Lord. 
Verily, there are prayers in alms: and, " Is not this 
the fast that I have chosen? saith the Lord." The ex- 
pression of the beggar among the Jews was, " Deserve 
something by me :" among us it might be, " Obtain 
something by me." 

MISCELLANEOUS PROPOSALS TO GENTLEMEN. 

There is a certain city in which, it is said, every 
house has a box hanging by a chain, on which is writ- 
ten, " Remember the poor ;" and the people seldom 
conclude a bargain without putting something into the 
box. The deacons have the key, and once a quarter 
go round the city and take out the money. When that 
city was in imminent danger, a man of moderate cha- " 
racter was heard to say, " that he was of opinion God 

Lady. It vras at first Leafdian, from Leaf or Laf. which signi- 
fies a loaf of bread, and D'ian to serve. It was afterward cor- 
rupted to Lafdt/, and at length to Lady. So that it appears, 
the original meaning of the term implies owe u-lw disiribvtea 
bread. 



94 ES3AY3 TO DO GOOD. 

would preserve that city from being destroyed, if it 
were only for the great charity which its inhabitants 
express to the poor." It is the richest city of the richest 
country, for its size, that ever existed ; a city which is 
thought to spend, annually, in charitable uses, more 
than all the revenues which the fine country of the 
grand duke of Tuscany brings in to its arbitrary mas- 
ter. "The hands of the poor are the treasury-box of 
Christ." 

When you dispense your alms to the poor, who knov/ 
what it is to pray, you may oblige them to pray for you, 
by name, every day. It is an excellent thing to have 
the blessing of those who have been ready to perish 
thus coming upon you. Observe here a surprising 
sense in which you may be "praying always." You 
are so, even while you are sleeping, if those whom you 
have thus obliged are praying for you. And now look 
for the accomplishment of that word : " Blessed is he 
that considereth the poor ; the Lord will preserve him 
and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the 
earth." 

Very frequently your alms are dispersed among such 
persons as very much need admonitions of piety. Can- 
not you contrive to mingle a spiritual charity with 
your temporal bounty? Perhaps you may discourse 
with them about the state of their souls, and may ob- 
tain from them (for which you have now a singular 
advantage) some declared resolutions to do what they 
ought to do. Or else you may convey to them books, 
or tracts, which they will certainly promise to read, 
when you thus desire them. 

Charity to the souls of men is undoubtedly the high- 
est, the noblest, and the most important charity. To 
furnish the poor with catechisms and Bibles, is to do 



TO GENTLEMEN. 



95 



for tlieni an incalculable service. No one knou'^ how 
much he may do by dispersing books of piety, and by 
putting into the hands of mankind such treatises of 
divinity as may have a tendency to make them wiser 
or better. It was a noble action of some good men, 
who, a little while ago, were at the charge of printing 
thirty thousand of the " Alarm to the Unconverted," 
written by Joseph Allein, to be given away to such as 
would promise to read it. A man of no great fortune 
has been known to give away, M'ithout much trouble, 
nearly a thousand books of piety every year, for many 
years together. Who can tell, but with the expense of 
a shilling, or even of a penny, you may "convert a 
sinner from the error of his ways, and save a soul from 
death ?" A worse doom than to be' " condemned to the 
mines " rests upon that soul who had rather hoard up 
Ills money than employ it on such a charity. 

He who supports the office of the evangelical minis- 
try, supports a good work, and performs one ; yea, in a 
secondary way, performs what is done by the skilful, 
faithful, and laborious minister. The servant of the 
Lord, who is encouraged by you, will do the more 
good for your assistance ; and what you have done for 
him, and in consideration of the glorious Gospel 
preached by him, you have done for a glorious Christ ; 
and you shall " receive a prophet's reward." Luther 
said : " What you give to scholars, you give to God 
himself." This is still more true, when the scholars 
are become godly and useful preachers. 

I have somewhere met v/ith the following passage : 
" It was for several years the practice of a worthy gen- 
tleman, in renewing his leases, instead of making it a 
condition that his tenants should keep a hawk or a dog 
for him, to req.uest them to keep a Bible in their houses, 



96 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

and to bring up tlieir children to read and to be cate- 
chised." Landlords, it is worth your consideration 
whether you may not in your leases insert some clauses 
that may serve the kingdom of God. You are his 
tenants in those very freeholds in which you are land- 
lords to other men. Desire your tenants to worship 
God in their families. 

To take a poor child, especially an orphan left in 
poverty, and to bestow upon him a liberal education, 
is an admirable charity; yea, it may draw after it a long 
train of good, and may interest you in all the good that 
shall be done by him whom you have educated. 

Hence, ulso, what is done for schools, for colleges, 
and for hospitals, is done for the general good. The 
endowment or maintenance of these is at once to do 
good to many. ' 

But, alas ! how much of the silver and gold of the 
world is buried in hands, where it is little better than 
conveyed back to the mines from whence it came! 

Sometimes elaborate compositions may be prepared 
for the press, work^ of great bulk, and of still greater 
worth, by which the best interests of knowledge and 
virtue may be promoted ; but they lie, like the impo- 
tent man at the pool of Bethesda, in silent neglect; 
and are likely to continue in that state, till God inspire 
some wealthy persons nobly to subscribe to their pub- 
lication, and by this generous application of their pro- 
perty, to bring them abroad. The names of such no- 
ble benefactors to mankind ought to live as long as the 
works themselves ; and v/here the works do any good, 
what these have done toward the publishing of them, 
ought to be '"told for a memorial" of them. 

I will pursue this subject still farther. It was said 
by Dr. Sanderson, that " idle gentlemen, and idle beg- 



TO GENTLEMEN. 97 

gars, are the pests of the commonwealth." Will 3^ou 
then think of some honorable and agreeable employ- 
ments? I will mention one — the Pythagoreans forbade 
men's "eating their own brains," or "keeping their 
good thoughts to themselves." The incomparable 
Boyle observes, that "as to religious books, in general, 
those which have been written by laymen, have (other 
things being equal) been better received, and more 
effectual, than those published by clergymen." Mr. 
Boyle's were certainly so. Men of quality have fre- 
quently attained such accomplishments in languages 
and science, that they have become prodigies of litera- 
ture. Their libraries also have been stupendous col- 
lections, approaching toward Vatican or Bodleian di- 
mensions. How many of these have been benefactors 
to mankind by their admirable writings! It were much 
to be wished that persons of wealth and elevation 
would qualify themselves for the use of the pen as well 
as of the sword, and deserve this eulogium — "Thev 
have written excellent things." An English person of 
quality, in his treatise entitled, "A View of the Soul," 
has the following passage : "It is certainly the highest 
dignity, if not the greatest happiness, of which human 
nature is capable in the vale below, to have the soul so 
far enlightened, as to become the mirror, or conduit, or 
conveyor of God's truth to others." It is a bad motto 
for a man of capacity, "xMy understanding is unfruit- 
ful." Gentlemen, consider what subjects may most 
properly and usefully fall under your cultivation. Your 
pens v/ill stab atheism and vice more effectually than 
other men's. If there be amoi!g you "those who han- 
dle the pen of the writer," they will do uncommon 
execution. One of them has ingeniously said, " Though 
I know some offices, yet I know no truths of religion 
9 



98 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

which, like the shew-bread, are only for the priests." 
I will present to you but one proposal more, and it is 
this — that you would wisely choose a friend of good 
abilities, of warm affections, and of excellent piety, (a 
minister of such a character, if you can,) and entreat 
him, yea, oblige him to study for you, and to suggest to 
you opportunities to do good. Let him advise you, 
from time to time, what good you may do. Let him 
see that he never gratifies you more than by his advice 
on this head. If a David have a seer to perform such 
an office for him, one who may search for occasions of 
doing good, what extensive services may be done for 
the temple of God in the world ! 

Let me only add, that when gentlemen occasionally 
meet together, why should not their conversation cor- 
respond with their superior station? They should deem 
it beneath them to employ the conversation on trifling 
subjects, or in such a way that, if it were secretly ta- 
ken in short hand, they v*^ould blush to hear it repeated. 
Sirs, it becomes a gentleman to entertain his company 
with the finest thoughts on the finest themes; and cer- 
tainly there cannot be a subject so worthy of a gentle- 
man as this: What good is there to be done in the 
world ? Were this noble subject more frequently start- 
ed in the conversation of gentlemen, incredible good 
might be achieved. 

J will conclude by saying, you must accept of any 
public service of which you are capable, when you are 
called to it. Honest Jeans has this pungent passage : 
"The world applauds the prudent retirement of those 
who bury their parts and gifts in an obscure privacy, 
though they have a fair call, both from God and man, 
to Fublic ensagements: but the terrible censure of 



TO LAWYERS. 99 

these men by Jesus Christ at the last day, will prove 
them to have been the most arrant fools that ever lived 
on the face of the earth." The fault of not employ- 
in»^ our talent for the public good, is justly styled "A 
great sacrilege in the temple of the God of nature." 
It was a sad age of which Tacitus said, "Indolent re- 
tirement was wisdom." 

PROPOSALS TO LAWYERS. 

Your opportunities to do good are such, that propo- 
sals of what you are able to do, may be expected to 
have wath you an obliging reception. 

But although the profession in general must not be 
blamed for the faults of a few, yet many will allow the 
justness of the following remark, which occurs in a 
late publication : " A lawyer who is a knave, deserves 
death more than the man that robs on the highway; 
for he profanes the sanctuary of the distressed, and be- 
ti'ays the liberties of the people." To avoid such a 
censure, a lawyer must shun all those indirect ways 
of " making haste to be rich," in which a man cannot 
be innocent : such ways as provoked the father of Sir 
Matthew Hale to abandon the practice of the law, on 
account of the extreme difficulty of preserving a good 
conscience in it. Sir, be prevailed upon constantly to 
keep a court of chancery in your own breast ; and scorn 
and fear to do any thing but that which your con- 
science will pronounce consistent with, and conducing 
to " glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and 
good-will toward men." The very nature of your 
profession leads you to meditate on "a judgment to 
come." O that you would so realize and antedate that 
judgment, as to do nothing but what you verily believe 
will be approved in it ! 



100 ESSAYS TO BO GOOD. 

This piety must operate, very particularly, in the 
pleading of causes. You will abhor, sir, to appear in an 
iniquitous cause. If you discover that your client has 
an unjust cause, you will faithfully advise him of it. 
The question is, " Whether it be lawful to use false- 
hood and deceit in contending with an adversary ?" It 
is to be hoped that you have determined this question 
like an honest man. You will be sincerely desirous 
that truth and justice should take place. You will 
speak nothing which shall be to the^ prejudice of either. 
You will detest the use of all unfair arts to confound 
evidences, to brow-beat witnesses, or to suppress what 
may give liglit in the case. You have nothing to ob- 
ject to that old rule of pleading a cause : " When the 
guilt of the party is clearly proved, the counsel ought 
to withdraw his support." It is related of Schusterus, a 
famous lawyer and counsellor, who died at Heidelberg 
in the year 1672, that " when at the point of death, he 
could say, ' I never, in the whole course of my practice^ 
gave an opinion of which I now repent.' " A lawyer, 
who can leave the world with such language as this, 
proves a greater blessing to the world than can be ex- 
pressed. 

It is an old complaint, " that a good lawyer is seldom 
a good neighbor." You know how to confute it, gen- 
tlemen, by making your skill in the law a blessing to 
the neighborhood. It was affirmed as long ago as in 
the time of Sallust, "Towns were happy formerly, 
when there were no lawyers ; and they will be so again, 
when the race is extinct;" but you may, if you please, 
be a vast accession to the happiness of the places where 
you reside. 

In the life of Mr. John Cotton, the author relates the 
following concerning his father, who was a lawyer : 



TO LAWYERS. .101 

" That worthy man was very remarkable in two most 
admirable practices. One was, that when any one of 
his neighbors, wishing to sue another, applied to him for 
advice, it was his custom, in the most persuasive and 
affectionate manner imaginable, to attempt a reconci- 
liation between both parties j preferring the consola- 
tion of being a peace-maker, to all the fees which he 
might have obtained by blowing up the differences. 
Another was, he was accustomed, every night, to ex- 
amine himself, with reflections on the transactions of 
the past day ; and if he found that he had neither done 
good to others, nor got good to his own soul, he was 
as much grieved as Titus was when he complained in 
the evening, " My friends, I have lost a day !" 

What a noble thing would it be for you to find out 
oppressed widows and orphans, and, as such are ob- 
jects in whose oppression " might overcomes right," 
generously plead their cause ! " Deliver the poor and 
needy, and rid them out of the hand of the wicked." 
It will be a glorious and a godlike action. 

Affluent persons, about to make their wills, may fre- 
quently ask your advice. You may embrace the op- 
portunity of advising them to such liberality in behalf 
of pious purposes, as m.ay greatly advance the king- 
dom of God in the world ; and when you have op- 
portunity, by law, to rescue " the things that are God's " 
from the sacrilegious hands that would "rob God," it 
may be hoped that you will do it with all possible gene- 
rosity and alacrity. O excellent imitation of our glori- 
ous Advocate in the heavens ! 

Your learning often qualifies you to " write excel- 
lent things," not only in your own profession, but also 
on many other entertaining and edifying themes. The 
books which have been written by learned lawyers 
9* 



102 ESSAYS TO DO GOOD. 

would, in number, almost equal an Alexandrian libra- 
ry. What valuable works have been produced by a 
Groiius, a Hale, a Selden ! Gentlemen, you may plead 
the cause of religion, and of the reformation, by your 
well directed pens ; and perform innumerable services 
to the public. There is one at this day, who, in his 
" History of the Apostles' Creed," has obhged us to say, 
" he has offered like a king to the temple of the King 
of heaven." May the Lord his God accept him ! 

Should you be called, sir, to the administration of 
justice, in the quality of a judge, you will prescribe to 
yourself rules like those which the renowned Lord 
Chief Justice Hale so rehgiously observed as to become 
a bright example for all who occupy the seat of judica- 
ture. The sum of those rules is as follows : 

" That justice be administered uprightly, deliberate- 
ly, resolutely. 

" That I rest not on my own understanding, but im- 
plore the direction of God. 

"That in the execution of justice, I carefully lay 
aside my own passions, and not give way to them, 
however provoked. 

"That I be wholly intent on the business I am 
about. 

"That I suffer not myself to be prepossessed with 
any judgment at all, till all the business, and both par- 
ties are heard." 

In the pursuance of such methods to do good, to 
serve the cause of righteousness, and introduce the 
promised age, in which " the people shall all be righte- 
ous," the least of those glorious recompenses you may 
expect, will be the establishment of your profession in 
such a reputation, that the moist prejudiced person in 
the world, when seeking to find blemishes in it, will be 
obliged to bring in an ignoramvs. 



103 
CONCZiUSZOXT. 

While pursuing such a course of actions as has been 
described above; actions, which are far more glorious 
than all the achievements of which those bloody plun- 
derers, whom we call conquerors, have made a wretch- 
ed ostentation ; still humility must crown the whole. 
Without this they are all nothing ; nothing, without a 
sense that you are nothing, and a willingness to be so 
esteemed. You must first most humbly acknowledge 
to the great God, "that after you have done all, you 
are unprofitable servants ;" that you have done only 
that " which was your duty to do," and also, that " you 
have fallen exceeding short of your duty." If God 
should abase you with very dark dispensations of his 
providence, after all your indefatigable and disinterest- 
ed " essays " to glorify him, humble yourselves before 
him ; yet abate nothing of your exertions. Persevere, 
saying. My God will humble me, yet will I glorify him. 
Lord, thou art righteous. Still will I do all I^can to 
promote thy glorious kingdom. This act of humilia- 
tion is indeed comparatively easy. There is one to be 
demanded of you of much greater difficulty ; that is, 
that you humbly submit to all the discredit which God 
may appoint for you among men. 

I happened once to be present in the room where a 
dying man could not leave the world until he had la- 
mented to a minister, whom he had sent for on this 
account, the unjust calumnies and injuries which he 
had often cast upon him. The minister asked the poor 
penitent what was the occasion of his abusive conduct, 
whether he had been imposed upon by any false re- 
ports. The man made this horrible answer : " No, sir, 



104 CONCLUSION. 

it was merely this ; I thought you were a good man, 
and that you did much good in the world, and there- 
fore I haled you. Is it possible, is it possible," said 
the poor sinner, " for such a wretch to find pardon?" 
Truly, though other causes may be assigned for the 
spite and rage of wicked men against a person of ac- 
tive benevolence, yet I shall not be deceived if I fear 
that a secret antipathy to the kingdom of God lies at 
the bottom of it. Or, in proud men, it may frequently 
be pale envy, enraged that other men are more useful 
in the world than they, and vexing themselves with 
more than Sicilian torments, at the sight of what God 
and man unite to perform. 

But "think not strange of the trial," if men " speak 
evil of you." God may wisely and in much faithful- 
ness permit these things, " to hide pride from you." 
" O how much of that deadly poison, pride, still remains 
within us; for which nothing short of poison is an 
antidote!" Alas! while we still carry about us the 
grave-clothes of pride, these rough hands are the best 
that can be employed to pull them off. If you should 
meet with such things, you must bear them with much 
meekness, much silence, great .self-abasement, and a 
disposition to forgive the worst of all your persecutors, 
"Being defamed, you must entreat." Be well pleased 
if you can redeem any opportunities to do good. Be 
ready to do good even to those from whom you suffer 
evil. In short, be insensible of any merit in your per- 
formances. Lie in the dust, and be willing that both 
God and man should lay you there. Endeavor to re- 
concile your mind to indignities. Entertain them with 
all the calmness and temper imaginable. Be content 
that three hundredin Sparta should be preferred before 
you. When envious men can fix upon you no other 



CONCLUSION. 



105 



blemish, they will 5ay of you, as they said of Cyprian, 
that you are a proud man, because you do not jog on 
in their heavy road of sloth fulness. Bear this also, with 
a still more profound humility. It is the last effort 
usually made by the dying " pride of life," to bear the 
charge of pride with patience. 

Ye useful men, your acceptance with your Savior, 
and with God through him, and your recompense in 
the world to come, are to carry you cheerfully through 
all your "essays" at usefulness. To be " reprobr.te 
for every good work," is a character from which it will 
be the wisdom of all men to fly, with the greatest dread 
imaginable. And to be " always abounding in the work 
of the Lord," is the truest and highest wisdom-. It is 
the " wisdom which is from above, full of mercy and 
good fruits." The sluggards who do no good in the 
world, are " wise in their own conceit ;" but the men 
who are diligent in doing good, can give such a reason 
for what they do, as proves them to be really wise. 
Men "leave off to be wise," when they leave off to " do 
good." The wisdom of it appears in this : it is the best 
way of spending our time ; that time is well spent 
which is employed in doing good. It is also a sure 
and pleasant way effectually to bespeak the blessings 
of God on ourselves. Who so likely to find bless- 
ings as the men that are blessings? It has been said, 
" He who*lives well, always prays." And I will add, 
" He who acts well, prays well." Every action we 
perform for the kingdom of God, is, in effect, a prayer 
for the blessing of God. While we are at work for 
God, certainly he will be at work for us and ours. He 
will do for us far more than we have done for him — 
" more than we can ask or think." There is a voice in 
every good action ; it is this : " O do good unto those 



106 CONCLUSION. 

that are good." Yea, and there m&y be this more par- 
ticular effect of what we do 5 while we employ our 
invention for the interests of God, it is very probable 
that we shall sharpen it for our own. We shall be- 
come the more wise for ourselves, because we have 
been " wise to do good." And of the man who is com- 
pared to a "tree that brings forth fruit," we read, 
" Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Nor can a man 
take a readier way to "live joyfully all the days of the 
life of his vanity, which God hath given him under 
the sun ;" for, in this case, our life will not be thrown 
away in " vanity," nor shall we live "in vain." My 
friend, "go thy way," and be joyful, "for God ac- 
cepteth thy works." Our "few and evil" days are 
rendered much less so, by our doing good in every one 
of them, as it rolls over our heads; yea, the Holy 
Spirit of God, who is the quickener of those who " do 
good without ceasing," will also be their comforter. 
Every day in which we are active for the kingdom of 
God, will be in some measure a day of Pentecost to 
us ; a day of the Holy Spirit's coming upon us. The 
"consolations of God" will not be "small" with the 
man who is full of contrivances for God, and for his 
kingdom. Indeed, the pleasure that is experienced in 
the performance of good actions is inexpressible, is 
unparalleled, is angelical; it is a most refined pleasure, 
more to be envied than any sensual gratification. Plea- 
sure was long since defined, " the result of some excel- 
lent action." This pleasure is a sort of lioly luxury. 
Most pitiable are they who will continue strangers 
to it! 

When the useful man comes to his hour of departure, 
then he, who lived beloved, shall die lamented. It shall 
be witnessed and remembered of him, "that he was 



CONCLUSION. 



107 



one who did good in Israel"— an epitaph, the glory of 
which is far beyond that of the most stately pyramid. 
Then the calumniators, who once endeavored to de- 
stroy his reputation, shall have nothing to reflect upon 
but the impotence of their own defeated malice. 

But what shall be done for this good man in the hea- 
venly world 1 His part and his work in the city of 
God, are at present incomprehensible to us ; but the 
"kindness" which his God will show to him in the 
"strong city," will be truly "marvellous." Austin, 
writing on this subject, exclaimed, "How great will be 
the felicity of that city, where no evil will be seen, no 
good concealed !" The attempts which the Christian 
has made to fill this world with "righteous things," 
are so many tokens for good to him, that he sljall have 
a portion in that world wherein shall dwell nothing 
but "righteousness." He will be introduced into that 
world, with a sentence from the mouth of the glorious 
Jesus, which will be worth ten thousand worlds: — 
"Weil done, good and faithful servant !" And O what 
shall be done for him ! He has done what he could for 
the honor of the King of heaven ; and jevery thing 
shall be done for him, that can be done for one whom 
the King of heaven "delighteth to honor." 

I will give you the whole summed up in one word : 
*' Mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good." 
Ye children of God, there is a character of "mercy and 
truth" in all the good that you devise. You devise 
how to deal mercifully and truly with every one, and 
to induce every one to do so too. And the mercy and 
truth of God, which are for ever engaged on your be- 
half, will suffer you in this life to "lack no good thing," 
and will hereafter do you good beyond what the heart 
of man can conceive. A faithful God has promised 
it—" the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." 



103 CONCLUSION. 

I remember what Calvin said v/hen the order for his 
banishment from ungrateful Geneva was brought to 
him : " Most assuredly, if J had merely served man, 
this would have been a poor recompense; but it is my 
happiness that I have served Him who never fails to 
reward his servants to the full extent of his promise." 

I will conclude with a declaration which I will bold- 
ly maintain : it is this : Were a man able to write in 
seven languages; could he daily converse with the 
sweets of all the liberal sciences to which the most ac- 
complished men make pretensions ; were he to enter- 
tain himself with all ancient and modern history ; and 
could he feast continually on the curiosities which the 
different branches of learning may discover to him: — 
all this would not afford the ravishing satisfaction 
which he might find in relieving the distresses of a 
poor, miserable neighbor ; nor would it bear any com- 
parison with the heartfelt delight which he might ob- 
tain by doing an extensive service to the kingdom of 
our Savior in the world, or by exerting his efforts to 
redress the miseries under which mankind is generally 
languishing. 



THE END. 





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