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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26939	How to do good to many, or, The publick good is the Christians life directions and motives to it, intended for an auditory of London citizens, and published for them, for want of leave to preach them / by Richard Baxter.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1682 (1682)	Wing B1283; ESTC R5487	40,184	56

Prayer Commandments and Catechism by rote and never understand them when a lively book that awakeneth their Consciences bringeth them to sensible consideration and to a true understanding of the same things which before they could repeat without sense or savour It is the Catechistical truths which most of our English Sermons press And the lively pressing them maketh them pierce deeper than a Catechism If men that in life or at death give a stated revenue for good works would settle the one half on a Catechizing English School and the other half on some sutable good books it may prove a very great means of publick reformation When a good book is in the House if some despise it others may read it and when one Parish is provided every years rent may extend the Charity to other Parishes and it may spread over a whole Country in a little time Most of the good that God hath done for me for knowledge or Conscience hath been by sound and pious books III. A great means of publick good is the right ordering of Families all the week but especially on the Lords day Tho the Ministry be the usual means of Converting Heathens and Insidels Christian Education by Parents is the first means appointed by God for the holy principling of youth Parents must teach them with unwearied diligence lying down and rising up Deut. 6. 11. And they that will expect Gods blessing must use his appointed means Nature teacheth men and brutes to provide for their off-spring with diligence and patience And as Grace teacheth believers to expect far greater things for themselves and their Children than this world affordeth so it obligeth them to be at so much greater diligence to obtain it An everlasting Kingdom deserveth more labour than a trade of full estate for the flesh If all Parents did their parts to make their Children Sanctified Believers as well as they expect the Schoolmaster should do his part to make them Scholars and the Master do his part to teach them their Trades we might hope that Ministers would find them fitter for Church work and that Godliness would not be so rare nor so many wicked Children break their Parent hearts But of this I have spoken lately in my Counsel to young men Religion is never like to prosper if it be not made a Family work If it be there made the chief business of the house and done with reverent seriousness and constancy if Magistracy and Ministry should fail yet families would propagate and preserve it Begin with a reverent beging the help and blessing of God then read his word and call upon his name Speak serious words of Counsel to inferiours spend the Lords day as much as may be in publick worship and the rest in reading Godly books and in singing Gods praise and calling on his Name Put suitable books into the hands of Servants and Children to read when they have leisure Encourage them in it with Love and rewards and keep them out of the way of temptation And then Gods blessing will dwell in your Families and they will be as Churches of God If any complain of negligent Ministers or persecuting Magistrates and will not do their own Family duties which none forbids they condemn themselves IV. If you would be publick blessings and do good to many do your best to procure a skilful faithful Ministry in the Church 1. Send no Son to the University who doth not first shew these three qualifications a capable natural wit and utterance a love to serious practical Religion a great desire to serve God in the Ministry tho it should be in suffering from men If they want any one of these design them to some other Calling devote not an undisposed Lad to the Ministry in hope that God will make him better but stay till he is better 2. Seeing Pastors are here obtruded on the flock it is a work of great importance for Religious Gentlemen to buy as many Advowsons or Presentations as they can that they may introduce the best that they can get God hath hitherto made use of the qualifications of the Ministers as the special means for the welfare of his Church The bare title and office is so far from sufficing without the skill and fidelity of the persons that such have been the great corrupters and disturbers of the Church When pious men have heaped up riches and honours on the Clergy these have been baits for the worst men to become seekers and make the sacred Ministry but a trade for wealth And if carnal worldly men be Ministers alas what plagues may they be to the people and themselves They will hate the Spiritual practice of doctrine which they Preach when they have told men of a Heaven and Hell and the necessity of a holy heart and life as if they had been in jeast they will take those for hypocrites that believe them and live accordingly They will take the best of the flock for their Enemies because they are Enemies to their hypocrisie and vice Instead of imitating Saint Paul Act. 20. who taught them publickly and from House to House day and night with tears they will turn the Ministry into Complement and formality and think that by saying a cold unskilful Sermon and by roteing over a few heartless words they have laudably performed their part They will take those for their best hearers who will most honour them and best pay them tho never so ignorant and ungodly and their spleen will swell against the best and most Religious people because they dislike their unfaithful lives and Ministration If Religion should be in publick danger these will be the Judas'es that will sell it for gain They will do anything rather than suffer much They are Ministers of the world and not of Christ Readier to make Crosses for others than to bear the Cross of Christ For it is Gain that is their Godliness And when their treachery is seen and hated they will hate the haters of it And the studies of Malignant men will be their Laboratories and the Pulpits the place where the sublimate and essence of malice must be vended How effectually will Satans work be done when it is performed in the formalities of the Sacred Ministry and in the name of Christ O what hath the Church suffered by a worldly graceless Ministry these thousand years and more and what doth it yet suffer by them in East and West But on the other side a skilful faithful Minister will Preach sound Doctrine and worship God with serious devotion and live to Christ and the Churches good He will speak the word of truth and life with truth and liveliness As one that believeth what he saith and feeleth the power of it on his heart Tho he must have Food and Rayment as other men it is the saving and edifing of Souls which is his work to which he bendeth all his studies for which he prayeth and longeth and in which he rejoyceth

cast you into Melancholy and disability at last six days shalt thou labour is more than a permission It s Saint Paul's Canon he that will not work if able let him not cat And it was King Solomons Mother who taught him the description of a virtuous Woman Prov. 31. She eateth not the bread of Idleness ver 27. God will have mercy and obedience as better than Sacrifice The Sentence in Judgment is upon doing good to Christ in his members Mat. 25. When many that heard much and Prophesied shall be cast out Mat. 7. 21. Doing good is the surest way of receiving good The duties of the first and second Table must go together He that is not zealous to do good as well as to get good hath not the peculiar nature of Christs Flock Tit. 2. 14. And zeal will be diligent and not for sloth 2. The other sort of the Idle are rich ungodly worldly persons who live as if God did give them plenty for nothing but to pamper their own flesh and feed their own and others sensuality They think that persons of wealth and honour may lawfully spend their time in idleness That is in Sodoms sin Ezek. 16. 49. As if God expected least where he giveth most How little Conscience do many Lords and Ladies make of an Idle hour or life when poor mens labour is such as tendeth to the Common good the rich by Luxury Sacrifice to the flesh the fruits of other mens endeavours and instead of living in any profitable employment devour that which thousands labour for It is not the toilsome drudgery of the vulgar which we take to be all rich folks duty But Idleness and unprofitableness is a sin in the richest Any of them may find good work enough that's sit for them if they be willing Children and Servants and Friends and Neighbours and Tenants have Souls and bodies which need their help None can say God found us no work to do Or that God gave them more time or wealth than they had prosuable use for Little do they think what it will be ere long to reckon for all their Time and Estates and to be Judged according to their works And their own flesh often payeth dear for its ease and pleasure by those pains and diseases which God hath suited to their sins and which usually shortens the Lives which they no better use or snatch them away from that Time and Wealth which they spent in preparing fuel for Hell and food for the Worm that never dyeth V. But what is it that a man should do that would do good to all or many There are some Good Works which are of far greater tendency than others to the good of many some of them I will name to you I. Do as much good as you are able to mens bodies in order to the greater good of Souls If nature be not supported men are not capable of other good We pray for our daily bread before pardon and spiritual blessings not as if it were better but that nature is supposed before grace and we cannot be Christians if we be not men God hath so placed the soul in the body that good or evil shall make its entrance by the bodily senses to the Soul This way God himself conveyeth many of his blessings and this way he inflicteth his Corrections Ministers that are able and willing to be liberal find by great experience that kindness and bounty to mens bodies openeth their Ear to Counsel and maketh them willing to hear instruction Those in France that are now trying mens Religion in the Market and are at work with Money in one hand and a Sword in the other do understand this to be true All men are sensible of pain or pleasure good or evil to the flesh before they are sensible what 's necessary for their Souls You must therefore speak on that side which can hear and work upon the feeling part if you will do good Besides this your Charity may remove many great impediments and temptations It is no easie thing to keep Heavenly thoughts upon your mind and specially to delight in God and keep the relish of his Law upon your hearts while pinching wants are calling away your mind and disturbing it with troublesome passions To suffer some hunger and go in vile Apparel is not very difficult But when there is a Family to provide for a discontented Wife and Children to satisfie Rents and Debts and Demands unpaid it must be an excellent Christian that can live contentedly and cast all his useless care on God and keep up the sense of his Love and a delight in all his Service Do your best to save the poor from such Temptations as you would your selves be saved from them And when you give to the poor that are ignorant and ungodly give them after it some Counsel for their Souls or some good Book which is suited to their Cases II. If you would do good to many set your selves to promote the practical knowledge of the great truths necessary to Salvation I. Goodness will never be enjoyed or practised without knowledg Ignorance is darkness the State of his Kingdom who is the Prince of darkness who by the works of darkness leadeth the blind World to utter darkness God is the Father of Lights and giveth wisdom to them that ask and seek it He sent his Son to be the Light of the World His Word and Ministers are subordinate Light His Servants are all the Children of Light Ignorance is virtually Errour and errour the cause of sin and misery And men are not born wise but must be made wise by skilful diligent teaching Parents should begin it Ministers should second them But alas how many Millions are neglected by both And how many neglect themselves when Ministers have done their best Ignorance and errour are the common Road to wickedness misery and hell 2. But what can any others do for such Two things I will remember you of 1. Set up such Schools as shall teach Children to read the Scriptures and learn the Catechism or Principles of Religion Our departed Friend Mr. Thomas Gouge did set us an excellent Pattern for Wales I think we have Grammar Schools enough It is not the knowledg of Tongues and Arts and Curious Sciences which the common people want but the right understanding of their Baptismal Covenant with God and of the Creed Lords Prayer Decalogue and Church Communion A poor honest man or a good woman will Teach Children thus much for a small stipend better than they are taught it in most Grammar Schools And I would none went to the Universities without the sound understanding of the Catechism Yea I would none came thence or into the Pulpit without it 2. When you have got them to read give them good books especially Bibles and good Catechisms and small practical books which press the fundamentals on their Consciences Such books are good Catechisms Many learn the words of the Creed Lords

short persecution of the Christians was made by some in his time till he restrained it And all the people almost deified him and would have perpetuated his Line and Name in the Throne but that the horrid wickedness of his Posterity forced them to a change What a name hath excellent Alexander Severus left behind him And what a blessing have wise and godly and peacemaking Christian Princes been in divers ages to the world And both the inferiour Magistrates and the Clergy usually much conform themselves at least in outward behaviour to their example For they will choose men of wisdom Conscience and Justice under them to judge and govern The Bishops and Pastors which they choose will be able Godly laborious men not seekers of worldly wealth and Honour not envious silencers of faithful Preachers nor jealous hinderers of Religious duties nor flattering man-pleasers nor such as Lord it over Gods heritage but such as rule not by constraint but willingly as Examples of Love and piety to the flock Pray hard therefore for Kings and all in Authority and honour all such as unspeakable blessings for the good of all But on the contrary wicked Rulers will be Satans Captains against Jesus Christ and Mens Sanctification and Salvation They will be Wolves in the place of Shepherds and will study to destroy the best of the people and to root out all serious Godliness and Justice Conscience and fearing sin will be to them a suspected yea a hated thing If any abuse it it serves them for a pretence against it They take the peoples welfare and their own interest to be enemies and presently look on these whom they should rule and cherish as the adversaries whom they must tread down They will purposely make Edicts and Laws that are contrary to Gods Law that they may have advantage to persecute the faithful and to destroy them as disobedient They will study to conquer Conscience and obedience to God lest his Authority should be regarded above theirs and Christ is used by them as if he were a Usurper and not their Soveraign but were again to be taken for an enemy to Caesar and their hatred to true Ministers will be such as Pauls accusers intimate who said he Preached another King one Jesus Wicked Rulers will be the Capital Enemies to all that will be enemies to wickedness and resolved to please God and save their Souls They will not be obeyed under God but before him nor served by the faithful Servants of Christ nor pleased but at the rate of mens damnation by displeasing God All men love their like The worst men if flatterers will seem the best to them and the best the worst and most intolerable And Church and State is like to be Written by their Copy O what dreadful Plagues have wicked Rulers been to the world and what a dismal case do they continue the Earth in to this day Not but that People and especially Priests do contribute hereto But the chief Authors are men in greatest power Five parts of six of the World at this day are Heathens and Infidels And what 's the Cause Rulers will not suffer the Gospel to be Preached to them The Eastern Christians were all torn in pieces by the wickedness and contention of the Governours of the State and Church banishing and murdering one another so that when the Turks invaded them the promise of Liberty to exercise their Religion tempted them to make the less resistance thinking they could not be much worse than before But the Vulgar are so apt to follow the Rulers that ever since the most of the Easterns are apostatized from Christ and turned to Mahometanism And tho in those Countries where the Turk alloweth the Christian people to have Governours of their own Religion somewhat prospereth yet where that priviledge is denied them and Turks only are their Rulers it withereth away and comes to almost nothing And what keepeth out Reformation that is the Primitive simple Christianity from the Popish Countries that have Religion corrupted by humane superfluities but the seduction of Priests and the Tyranny of Rulers that will not endure the Preaching of the Gospel and the opening of the Scriptures to the people in a known Tongue How much holy blood have Roman and Spanish Inquisitors and French and Irish Murderers and most other Popish Rulers to Answer for Even Walsh the Papist in his Irish History tells us all out of Ketin and others how commonly in Ages they lived there in the Sin of bloody Wars and Murders yea even when they professed greatest holiness Wicked Rulers are as the Pikes in the Pond which live by devouring all about them It is Satans main design in the world to corrupt Gods two great Ordinances of Magistracy and Ministry and turn them both against Christs Kingdom and to destroy Christians in Christs Name Oh therefore pray hard that all Christian Nations may have good Rulers and be very thankful to God for such X. And if you would be instruments of publick Good know what are publick sins and dangers that you may do your part against them and joyn not with any that will promise never to endeavour any reforming alteration The chiefest are Ignorance Pride and Self-willedness in Teachers and People malignant enmity to goodness impatience with the infirmities of good men judging of persons and things by self-interest covetousness sensuality and taking Christianity but as the Religion of the Land without diligent Study to be rooted in the Truth And the scandals of Hypocrites and tempted Christians hardening the enemies especially by divisions and publick temerities and miscarriages is not the least XI I would also in order to publick good perswade serious Christians to be more zealous in Communication with their Neighbours and live not over-strangely to others and say not as Cain Am I my Brothers keeper Be kind and loving to all about you and live not as unknown men to them nor alienate them by sourness contempt or needless singularity But become all things lawful to all men to save some Lend them good books and draw them to hear Gods faithful Ministers Perswade them to pray in their Families even with a Form or Book till they need it not XII Lastly if you would do good be such as you would have others be and teach them by Examples of Piety Charity Patience Self-denial Forbearing and Forgiving And not by meer words contradicted by your lives These are the materials by which you must do good to all VI. What now remaineth but that we all set our selves to such a fruitful Course of life I greatly rejoice in the Grace of God which I daily see in many such of my familiar acquaintance who study to do good to all and to live in Love and Peace and Holiness by example and by self-denial and constant Charity using Christs Talents to their Masters ends for the temporal and eternal good of many But alas too many live as if it were enough to