The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 9
DISCOURSE IX. Of the comfort that may be received by doing good more than ever.
A Man may do more good at a time when he receives leſs. No man ever received leſs good from the world (or more evil) than Chriſt did; yet no man ever did more good in it, nor yet ſo much. He went about doing good, Acts 10.38. yea, and it was meat and drink to him, John 4.34. that is, it was matter of great delight and comfort to him. There is a real pleaſure in doing, as well as receiving good, Pſal. 119.165. Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing ſhall offend them. It is ſurely a peace which paſſeth all underſtanding, that can guard the heart and mind againſt all that might otherwiſe offend. David had ſaid, but juſt before, Seven times a day do I praiſe thee (which ſhews how well he imployed himſelf) and then he preſently adds, Great peace have they that love thy Law. I have pitched upon this conſideration, becauſe there are ſome who ſince the Fire do even deſpaire of ever receiving ſo much good in and from the world as they have formerly done: from their trades, becauſe they are leſſned: their eſtates, becauſe they are impaired; their friends, becauſe they are impoveriſhed. Now to ſuch it may be a great relief; to think they may receive as much comfort by doing, as ever they have formerly done by receiving good: yea, and they may do as much good as ever they did (I do not ſay as ever they could) when yet they receive nothing like ſo much. Some Stars receive leſs light from the Sun, which yet give more light to the world: ſome ſmaller lights are greater luminaries; ſo may the world be better by us, and for us, than it had wont to be; when yet it was never ſo bad (that is ſo unkind and ſo unpleaſant to us, and ſo ſtraight-handed) as now it is.
There are more waies of doing good than with a mans purſe onelyonly (though that is one way in which all muſt do good that have it.) Men may do good with their heads, hearts, tongues, pens, lives: by their prayers, parts, graces, precepts, examples: moſt men have one talent or other wherewith to do good, though many have no hearts to uſe their talents, though they be many and great. Men of great eſtates do not alwaies keep the beſt houſes, or give the moſt relief to their poor neighbours; neither are the ableſt men in any kinde, alwaies the moſt uſeful and ſerviceable to the publick. Some perſons as able (it may be) as thoſe that write Volumes, have never once appeared in print; yea, ſome of meaner gifts have furniſhed the world with many uſeful Treatiſes; which ſhews that they who have received leſs, may do more for God, more for themſelves, more for the good of the Church, and of the world, than thoſe who have received a great deal more; who it may be are either over idle, or over-baſhful, or too much awed by that Proverb, That he that comes in print, lies down and ſuffers every one that will to have a blow at him; being over-tender of their reputations, like the delicate woman, that for delicacie will not ſet the ſole of her foot to the ground (leſt it ſhould be any waies ſoiled or ſullied) or hoping to ſeem greater by concealing themſelves; like thoſe Eaſtern Princes, that would not be ſeen of their ſubjects, becauſe they would not be known to be but men. Or as if that which Salomon ſaith, is the way for a fool to be thought wiſe, viz. by holding his peace, were alſo the way for a wiſe man to be thought wiſer. It is all in all in point of ſerviceableneſs, when men of but comperent abilities do with the bleſſing of God ſet themſelves to do good, and to be uſeful, they out-ſerve many that out-ſhine them; and have more comfort in two talents wel improved, than others have in five that lie dead upon their hands. Some are all for the Rake, that is, what knowledge, and other good things they can ſcrape together for themſelves: but thoſe that are for the Pitch-fork (in a good ſenſe) viz. for laying out, as well as laying up, ſhall have more peace. A good man out of the good treaſure of his heart bringeth forth good things. Matth. 12.35. What ſhould a woman do with full breaſts, if ſhe will not ſuffer them to be drawn? How many fine children hath ſome one poor woman brought up with her own breaſts, whilſt many gallant dames of ſtronger conſtitutions, and that might have made abler nurſes, never gave ſuck to one of their own children? Creatures without life do act ad extremum virium, the fire burns as much as ever it can burn: but ſo doth not mankind in many caſes, becauſe we limit the exerciſe of our power by the pleaſure of our wills: and therefore may be able to do more good in an afflicted, than ever we were willing to do, in a proſperous condition. The good which we receive may refreſh our ſenſes, but it is the good we do, that will more rejoyce our conſciences. David tells us, that In keeping Gods commands there is great reward, Pſal. 19.11. Doing is a kind of giving, and the Scripture ſaith, It is a more bleſſed thing to give than to receive.
Lord, I deſire not to inſiſt upon it, that I may receive as much good as ever (temporal good I mean) but oh that thou wouldſt give me both an opportunity and an heart to do as much good, yea more than ever. I would pray, read, meditate, converſe with God, watch over my ſelf and others, warn the unruly, comfort the feeble minded, ſupport the weak, fight againſt ſin, exerciſe grace, ſerve the Church of God more than ever, or better than ever heretofore; and ſo doing, I am confident, that though my eſtate and worldly allowance be diminiſhed; yet my real happineſs and comfort ſhall be much enlarged.