A Christian Library, Chapter 38
CHAP. XXXVIII.
Another thing required in doing good works, is constancy and assiduity, the which is also implyed in the Metaphor of sowing seed ▪ for the Husbandman contenteth not himselfe, to have sowed his seed in former years, but he continueth to sow it still to the end of his life: and though the Crop be sometimes so small, that the seed it selfe is scarce returned, yet he will not be discouraged, but will again cast it into the ground, in hope of better successe. And this must we do in sowing the …eeds of our beneficence, casting them daily into the ground, which we finde fitted and prepared, and not thinke it enough to adorne our selves with them as with our best apparell, which we onelyonly put on in high and Festival dayes. We must make it our daily exercise, benefacta benefactis pertegentes (as one saith) making one good deed an introduction unto another, and never leaving to do good, so long as there is any power in our hands to do it.
And unto this the Apostle exhorteth, 2 Thess. 3.13. Brethren, be not weary of well doing. And 1 Thess. 5.15. Ever follow that which is good, both among your selves, and to all men. And in this we shall imitate our heavenly Father, and approve our selves to be his children ▪ who reneweth his mercies unto us every morning, and multiplyeth his blessings upon us every day with a new supply, and so we shall be sure to receive a rich reward: For if we be stedfast and unmoveable, alwayes abounding in these good works of the Lord, we may be assured, that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord, as it is promised, 1 Cor. 15.58. Many other places there are, that require us to give constantly to seven, and also to eight, as Solomon phraseth it, even so often as the necessities of the Saints require: For thus the Apostle saith, Distributing to the necessities of the Saints: He doth not say distribute, but distributing, using the participle, which noteth a continued act of distributing. So saith St. Paul of the Philippians, You sent once and again to my necessity. A Wellhead, or a Spring, runs with a constant streame, and will not be dry: so should mercifull deeds flow from us. The liberall man will devise of liberall things, and continue his liberality, Isa. 32.8. And such an one was Boaz, of whom Naomi could say out of a common same, Blessed be he of he Lord, for he ceaseth not to do good to the living & to the dead, Ruth 2.20.
Again, we must increase in doing good, our care must be as to grow in grace, so to bring forth new fruits of good works, imitating herein the Church of Thyatira, whose last works excelled the first, Rev. … …9. Seeing we cannot otherwise be sure to be constant in them: For they who go not forward, but stand at a stay, will not long stay in their standin…. And in this the beneficence of a godly man differeth from that which is in worldlings, who do some good works of mercy by fits, but a…e not constant in well doing: and also in that which is in Hypocrites, who do some good deeds for praise or profit, but yet de…ist when their turne is served, The flame of their charity lasting no longer than the fuell doth wherewith it is nourished? but these have onelyonly a green blade of an outward profession, and never come to the bearing of ripe fruits. They run well for a time, but get not the garland, because they do not hold out to the end of the race. They are not true Christians, but onelyonly dead images of Christianity, like that which Nebuchadnezar saw in a Dreame, which had an head of gold, the middle parts of silver, his …hi…e… of brasse, his legs of iron, and his feat part of iron, and part of clay: for so the head and first beginnings of their workes, are golden and glorious, but the last, and latter ends base, and of no worth.
Thus we ought not onelyonly to performe this duty presently, and constantly, but we should increase in the doing of it.