Cotton Mather On Doing Good...

"It is an invaluable honor to do good; it is an incomparable pleasure. A man must look upon himself as dignified and gratified by God when an opportunity to do good is placed into his hands. He must embrace it with rapture as enabling him directly to answer the great end of his being. He must manage it with rapturous delight as a most suitable business, as a most precious privilege...we ought to be glad when any opportunity to do good is offered to us. We should need no arguments to make us entertain the offer; but we should naturally fly into the amtter as most agreeable to the Divine Nature whereof we are made partakers. It should oblige us wonderfully. A bar of gold presented unto us could not be more obliging. Think sirs, "Now I enjoy what I am for! Now I attain what I wish for!...Look upon an opportunity to do good as a thing that enriches you and look upon yourselves as enriched and favored of God when He does employ you to do good..."