1. Let us see what the gospel doth to promote this goodness in the world.
2. Upon what grounds we may expect the Spirit to co-operate there- with.
First, What the gospel doth to promote this goodness in the world,
1. By the laws and precepts of it, or the duties it requireth ; it re- quireth us to be good, and to do good.
[1.] To be good ; for we are first made good before we can do good : Lidje vi, 45, ' A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringetli forth that which is good ; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is evil : for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.' Every man hath a treasury or store- liouse within him, from whence all his actions are brought forth. He that hath an honest heart, or a repository of good purposes and resolutions, in short, whose whole heart is set upon doing good on all occasions, he bringeth forth from thence good actions. Now the design of the chris- tian religion is to make men good and to cure them of all evil ; it not only inviteth and persuadeth men to be good, but offereth grace whereby they may become good : Eph, ii. 10, ' For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus vinto good works.' It offereth grace, whereby men may be changed ; and being naturally bent to evil, may be dis- posed and inclined to good. This religion would not have us do good by accident, but by nature, as having our hearts set towards it ; and to work not occasionally, but from a habit and a principle of good- ness in ourselves, as being thus constituted and framed that we may do it easily and with delight ; yea, it is a force if we do the contrary.
[2.] To do good, both as to God and men.
(1.) As to God, the great duty is love ; that we should love him, and obey him as our rightful Lord and chief good and happiness. This was our primitive duty, which we owed to our creator ; and Christ came not to dissolve, tjut to establish it. He never intended to rob God of a creature when he made any man a christian ; for he ' redeemed ns to God by his blood,^ Rev. v. 9. That we might love him and serve him ; love him with all our hearts, and serve him with all our might, Mat. xxii. 37, Oh, what a good religion is this, where our principal work is love and delight in him whom we serve and wor- ship ! We begin our happiness in our duty and love to God, that we may be beloved of him. Whole cln-istianity is but an holy art to t(>ach us the way of loving and enjoying God.
(2.) To do good to men. Certainly that religion is good which only employeth men in doing good, and obligeth us to seek the welfare of others as we would do our own. It enjoineth us ' to do good to all, especially to the household of faith,' Gal. vi, 10. We cannot take delight in all, for some are an offence to the new nature which is in lis ; but we must do good to all, and seek their happiness. The love
262 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SliR. IX.
of benevolence or good will is opposite to the hatred of enmity, and the love of complacency and delight to the hatred of aversation and ofVence. We cannot take pleasnre in sinners, bnt yet must do them good. Suppose they have disobliged us, yet enemies are not excepted : Mat. v. 44, ' Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.' None can bo such enemies to us as we were to God in our natural estate. Now it is the duty of a christian to revenge injuries with courtesies : Eom. xii. 14, ' Bless them which })ersecnteyou ; bless and curse not ; and ver. 21, 'Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.' This doing good God expecteth from men in every capacity and relation. The magistrate is ' the minister of God to thee for good;' Eom. xiii. 4. He is not so much to mind his own greatness as the public benefit. The minister is to seek the good of souls, ' to impart some spiritual gift,' Rom. i. 11, to be an instrument of" increas- ing light or life. Fellow-christians should seek to do good one to another, and value all their talents, not by possession, but use: Luke xvi. 8, 'The lord commended tlie unjust steward, because he had done wisely.' People in an inferior quality, as servants: Eph. vi. 8, 'Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.' If they make conscience of doing good in their callings and relations, and go about these duties as service to God, and profitable to men, it is a good thing, and accepted by the Lord. Thus the gospel requireth we should still be doing good, some- thing that conduceth to the glory of God and. the benefit of others.