The white devilThe white deuil

if the truth were known, there are many Nabals now, that love their own sheep, better than Christs sheep: Christs sheep take coats, their own sheep give coats. Say some that cavil, if we must care for the poor, then for the covetous; for they want, what they possess, and are indeed poorest: no, pity not them, that pity not themselves; who in despite of Gods bounty will be miserable: but pity those, whom a fatal distress hath made wretched.

if the truth were known, there are many Nabals now, that loue their owne sheepe, better than Christs sheepe: Christs sheepe take coats, their owne sheepe giue coats. Say some that cauill, if we must care for the poore, then for the couetous; for they want, what they possesse, and are indeed poorest: no, pity not them, that pity not themselues; who in despite of Gods bounty wil be miserable: but pity those, whom a fatall distresse hath made wretched.

Oh, how unfit is it among Christians, that ^bsome should surfeit, whiles others hunger? that one should have ^ctwo coats, and another be naked, yet both one mans servants. Remember that God hath made many his stewards, none his Treasurer: he did not mean, thou shouldest hoard his blessings, but expend them to his glory: he that is infinitely rich, yet keeps nothing in his own hands, but gives all to his creatures: at his own cost and charges he hath maintained the world, almost 6000. years: he will most certainly admit no hoarder into his kingdom: yet, if you will needs love laying up, God hath provided you a coffer: the poor mans hand is Christs treasury. The besotted worldling hath a greedy mind, to gather goods, and keep them; and lo, his keeping loseth them: for they must have either (finem tuum, or finem suum) thy end, or their end: ^aJob tarried and his goods went; but the ^b