Moreoever, this
laying so much upon lower and unnecessary Things, doth improverish the Soul,
and make it Low, and Empty, and Formal, according to the Matter that it hath to
work upon. As the great unquestionable Truths of God, are they that Sanctity
and elevate the Soul, and leave their Image on it; so will contending about
private Opinions, or laying out our Zeal in Ceremonies, and Shadows, depress
the Soul and Famish it, and turn our Religion into a Shadow, depress the Soul
and Famish it, and turn one Religion into a Shadow. We find, by sad Experience,
that People are to prone to turn all Religion into mere Words, and Shews, and
customary Formalities, that when we have done our best, we cannot Sure them of
this mortal Sin; God is a Spirit and will have such Worshippers as Worship
him in Spirit and in Truth, John 4.23. We have little need to cherish this
Disease or Hypocrisy and seeming histrionical outside Religiousness, when we
see so many Perish by it, after all that we can do for their Deliverance. (The
Practical Works of the Late Reverend and Pious Mr. Richard Baxter [London:
Thomas Parkhurst, 1707], 4:620)
[On Eccl 9:11:]
But after all that we can do, he advises to be a faithful dependence
upon God and his good Providence: and not upon our strength or Wisdom. (Simon
Patrick, The Books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of
Solomon, Paraphras’d: With Arguments to Each Chapter, and Annotations Thereupon
[J. Walthoe, 1727], 469)
But tho’ we dare not presume to appeal to God’s justice, yet we may,
with an humble confidence, rely upon his mercy; tho’ we cannot justly challenge
any reward from GOd, yet God, we know, will not forget out work and
labour of love; tho’ our labour be not properly our own, yet we are sure, that
whilst we labour in the Lord, we cannot labour in vain; tho’ our good
works are not the cause for the sake of which, yet they are the conditions upon
the performance of which, we shall receive our recompence; tho’ after all that we
can do, we are still but unprofitable servants, yet, if we do all we can, we shall
in no wise lose our reward; and this reward, tho’ it be not merited by our
own labour, shall yet, as the Apostle expressly asserts, be allotted us according
to it. (George Smalridge, “Sermon XLV. Rewards Proportionable to Works,” Sixty
Sermons Preach’d on Several Occasions [2d ed.; London: W. and J. Innys, 1727],
470-71)
F. Whether men
be rich or poor, peace and quietness are the greatest blessings
bestowed on mortals. Be their condition what it may, they should think of a better,
in a life to come; and if they learn the christian religion, they
will be humble in all conditions, and industrious in their callings: and
the more industrious they are, the more comforts they will procure to
themselves. For after all that can be done, knowledge which is not attended by
a sense of religion, is of no value in the grand estimate of the life of
an immortal being! (Jonas Hanway, Virtue in Humble Life [London: 1777].
111)
F. The honest
and often timid or ignorant; and the prudent and wife too cautious to endanger
their persons. Many of the most learned and politest nations are now under
despotic governments. In these enlightened days, their sovereigns are retrained
in some measure by justice, humanity, and reputation; but they sometimes do
monstrous things. When a people become turbulent and vicious, to a certain
degree, like an unbroke steed, they must have a bridle. We disdain the thought:
and this makes us so jealous, that we frequently suffer from each other, as
much as the people who are not free. After all that can be done, there is but
one way to preserve ourselves. (Ibid., 198)
For what if the reformation of drunkards be hopeless, may we not stand
between the living and the dead, and pray and labor with effect to stay, the
spreading plague? and what if some will perish after all that can be done,
shall we make no efforts to save any from destruction, because we may not be
able to turn away every one from the path of ruin? (“Address on the Abuse of
Spirituous Liquors,” The Panoplist, and Missionary Magazine 5, no. 4 [September
1812]: 188)
As to our churches, it would be very wrong to plead on their behalf,
that they come up to the primitive model. It is our great endeavour as
ministers, (and we are joined by a good number of private Christians,) to form
them in doctrine, in discipline, in spirit, and in conduct, after the example
of Christ and the Apostles. But after all that we can do, if reviewed by the
great head of the church, and perhaps by some of his servants who may be
unconnected with us, there would be a few, or rather it may be, not a
few things against us.(“Original Letter from Mr. Fuller, to Mr. M'Lean,”
March 1796, repr. “The Divinity of Christ,” The New Evangelical Magazine,
and Theological Review 2, no. [February 1816], 40)
