HOW TO DO GOOD TO MANY: OR, THE PUBLIC GOOD IS THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE. DIRECTIONS AND MOTIVES TO IT. INTENDED FOR AN AUDITORY OF LONDON CITIZENS ; AND PUBLISHED FOR THEM, FOR WANT OF LEAVE TO PREACH THEM. “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a people zealous of good works."--Titus ii. 14. TO THE TRULY CHRISTIAN MERCHANTS, AND OTHER CITIZENS OF LONDON. As my disease, and the restraint of rulers, seem to tell me that my pulpit-work is at an end, so also my abode among you, or in this world, cannot be long. What work I have lived for, I have given , the world more durable notice than transient words; it hath been such as men in power were against, and it seems, will no longer endure. What doctrine it was that I last prepared for you, I thought meet to desire the press thus to tell you; not to vindicate myself, nor to characterise them who think that it deserves six months' imprisonment, but to be in your hands a provocation and direction; for that great work of a christian life, sincerely done, will prepare you for that safety, joy, and glory, which London, England, or earth will not afford, and which men or devils cannot take from you. When through the meritorious righteousness of Christ, your holy love and good works to him in his brethren shall make you the joyful objects of that sentence, “Come ye blessed, inherit the kingdom,” &c.; this is the life that need not be repented of, as spent in vain. Dear friends, in this farewell I return you my most hearty thanks for your extraordinary love and kindness to myself, much more for your love to Christ, and to his servants, who have more needed your relief. God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love. You have visited those that others imprisoned, and fed those that others brought into want; and when some ceased not to preach for our affliction, it quenched not your impartial charity. It has been an unspeakable mercy unto me almost all my days, (when I received nothing from them,) to have known so great a number as I have done, of serious, humble, holy, charitable Christians, in whom I saw that Christ hath an elect, peculiar people, quite different from the brutish, proud, hypocritical, malignant, unbelieving world! O how sweet hath the familiarity of such been to me, whom the ignorant world hath hated! Most of them are gone to Christ, I am following: we leave you here to longer trial : it is like you have a bitter cup to drink, but be faithful to the death, and Christ will give you the crown of life. The word of God is not bound, and the Jerusalem above is free, where is the general assembly of the first-born, an innumerable company of angels, the spirits of the just made perfect, with Christ their glorified head. . The Lord guide, bless, and preserve you. |