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In your several places and stations, Imploy well your Talents, your Trust, your Ste∣wardship, your Time; fill up every space of it, by well spending it. Do all the good you can while you are Here; not only by a daily Exercise of Publick and Private Devo∣tion,
but by being in any kind useful and beneficial to others (which is a great part of our Business in this world) by a Charitable helping the necessitous and distressed; allay∣ing their Sorrows, removing their Burdens, supporting them under their Calamities, by all Offices of Kindness and Friendship, hindering Injurious Contentions, promo∣ting Love, Peace, good will amongst Men; by furthering their welfare; by being Courteous and Affable, long-suffering, mild, easie to be intreated and reconciled; of a Benign, Compassionate, Sympathizing Tem∣per; assisting and standing up for the inju∣red and oppressed; Contributing as much as we can, that every one may live as Happily by us, and be as good as may be. More especially, doing good to Mens Souls, by seasonable frequent Reproofs and Ad∣monitions, good Advice and Example, to bring them into love with Goodness and Virtue, and Rescue them from the Domi∣nion of Sin and Satan, and an Intollerable Damnation. A good and generous man, is Ambitious, and heartily glad of an Oppor∣tunity to save a Man's Life or Estate, when in Danger; but He that's an Instrument of Anomer's Eternal Salvation, saves the most precious thing in the world, and furthers his own (e). We may do a great deal of good in
a little Time, Husbanded well, and suffering none of it to be swallowed up without endea∣vouring to do some real good to our selves or others. We account Him Happy that's taken hence whilest He's well Imploy'd, and every man wishes to Die so: we cannot choose the Circumstances of our own Death, but may certainly make it Comfortable, by imploying our selves so, that when God shall call us, we cannot be accused of any gross mis-spence of our Time, or the neglecting any Opportunity of doing, or receiving good, the Providence of God hath put into our Hands. One of the most principal Rules of solid Devotion (saith St. Cyprian) is, that we let not pass the least occasion of serving God.
Dan. 12.3. Jam. 5.19.