A26905:34
The crucifying of the world
The crucifying of the world by the cross of Christ with a preface to the nobles, gentlemen, and all the rich, directing them how they may be richer / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R. W. for Nevill Simmons, 1658
Preface: The Preface: To the Nobilty and Gentry, and all that have the Riches of this world.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
8. Great men have a great account to make: You shall shortly hear, [Give account of thy Steward-ship, for thou shalt be no longer Stewar•.] If God have entrusted you you with a thousand pound a year, it is not the same reckoning that must serve your turn, as would serve his turn that had but an hundred. Your improvement must be somewhat answerable to your receivings. Do you need to be told, how sad a reckoning it will then be, to say, [Lord, I employed most of it in maintaining the Pomp and Pleasure of my self and family, even that Pomp of the world, and those sinful lusts of the flesh, which in my Baptism I forswore; and the rest I left to my children, to maintain them in the same pomp and pleasure, except a few scraps of my Revenues which I gave to the Church, or poor.]
8. Great men have a great account to make: You shall shortly hear, [Give account of thy Steward-ship, for thou shalt be no longer Stewar•.] If God have entrusted you you with a thousand pound a year, it is not the same reckoning that must serve your turn, as would serve his turn that had but an hundred. Your improvement must be somewhat answerable to your receivings. Do you need to be told, how sad a reckoning it will then be, to say, [Lord, I imployed most of it in maintaining the Pomp and Pleasure of my self and family, even that Pomp of the world, and those sinful lusts of the flesh, which in my Baptism I forswore; and the rest I left to my children, to maintain them in the same pomp and pleasure, except a few scraps of my Revenews which I gave to the Church, or poor.]
9. Your wealth and greatness do afford you great opportunities to do good, and to further the salvation of your selves and others: and worldliness and sensuality will rob you of these opportunities. O how many good works might you have done, to the honour of your Lord, and the benefit of others and your selves, if you had made the best of your Interest and Estates? The loss of the Reward will shortly appear to you a greater loss, then that which you now account the loss of your estates.