Good works, as they call the likeness of God and the Divine life, are
in too many persons' eyes only fruits of faith, or proofs of faith,
and not the very end of faith, and of religion--ay, of their very
existence here on earth; and therefore they naturally begin to ask,--
How few good works will be enough to prove their faith? And when a
man has once set that question before himself, he is sure to find a
comfortable answer, and to discover that very few good works indeed,-
-a very little sanctification (as it is called), a very little
righteousness, and a very little holiness,--will be enough to save
his soul, as far at least as he wishes his soul to be saved. My
friends, all this springs from that selfish view of religion which is
gaining power among us more and more. Christ came to deliver us from
our selfishness; from being slaves to our selfish prudence and
selfish interest. But we make religion a question of profit and
loss, as we make everything else. We ask--What shall I get by being
good? What shall I get by worshipping God? Is it not prudent, and
self-interested, and business-like to give up a little pleasure on
earth, in the hope of getting a great deal in heaven? Is not
religion a good investment? Is it not, considering how short and
uncertain life is, the best of all life-insurances?
My friends, we who have to earn our bread and to take honest money
for honest work, know well enough what trouble we have to keep out of
our daily life that mean, base spirit of self-interest, rather than
of duty, which never asks of anything, 'Is it right?' but only 'Will
it pay me?'--which, instead of thinking, How can I do this work as
well as possible? is perpetually thinking, How can I get most money
for the least work? We have to fight against that spirit in worldly
matters.
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