Good to the soul
How much more does he rejoice if he can do any good to the soul of any person. This power indeed belongs to God. It is he only who changes the heart, without which every other change is lighter than vanity. Nevertheless it pleases him who works all in all (1 Corinthians 12:6) to help people chiefly by people, to convey his own power, and blessing, and love through one person to another. Therefore, although it is certain that the help which is done on earth, God does it himself, yet no one needs, on this account, to stand idle in his vineyard (Matthew 20:6). The peacemaker cannot. He is always working in it, and as an instrument in God's hand, preparing the ground for his Master's use, or sowing the seed of the kingdom, or watering what is already sown, if perhaps God may give the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). According to the measure of grace which he has received, he uses all diligence either to reprove the gross sinner, to reclaim those who run headlong in the broad way of destruction (Matthew 7:13), or to give light to those who sit in darkness (Luke 1:79) and are ready to perish for lack of knowledge, or to support the weak, to lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees (Hebrews 12:12), or to bring back and heal what was lame and turned out of the way (Hebrews 12:13). Nor is he less zealous to confirm those who are already striving to enter at the narrow gate, to strengthen those who stand so that they may run with patience the race set before them (Hebrews 12:1), to build up in their most holy faith those who know the one in whom they have believed (2 Timothy 1:12), to exhort them to stir up the gift of God which is in them, so that, growing daily in grace, an entrance may be supplied to them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom (2 Peter 1:11) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
1771 text
6. How much more does he rejoice, if he can do any good to the soul of any man? This power indeed belongeth unto God. It is he only that changes the heart, without which every other change is lighter than vanity. Nevertheless it pleases him who worketh all in all, to help man chiefly by man; to convey his own power and blessing and love, through one man to another. Therefore, although it be certain, that the help which is done upon earth God doth it himself, yet has no man need, on this account, to stand idle in his vineyard. The peace maker cannot: he is ever labouring therein, and as an instrument in God’s hand, preparing the ground for his Master’s use, or sowing the seed of the kingdom, or watering what is already sown, if haply God may give the increase. According to the measure of grace which he has received, he uses all diligence, either to reprove the gross sinner, to reclaim those who run on headlong in the broad way of destruction; or to give light to them that sit in darkness, and are ready to perish for lack of knowledge; or to support the weak, to lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees; or to bring back and heal that which was lame and turned out of the way. Nor is he less zealous to confirm those who are already striving to enter in at the strait gate; to strengthen those that stand, that they may run with patience the race which is set before them; to build up in their most holy faith, those that know in whom they have believed: to exhort them to stir up the gift of God which is in them, that daily growing in grace, an entrance may be ministered unto them abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 23 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 5:8-12.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.