A26939:179
How to do good to many, or, The public good is the Christians life…How to do good to many, or, The publick good is the Christians life…
How to do good to many, or, The public good is the Christians life directions and motives to it, intended for an auditory of London citizens, and published for them, for want of leave to preach them / by Richard Baxter.How to do good to many, or, The publick good is the Christians life directions and motives to it, intended for an auditory of London citizens, and published for them, for want of leave to preach them / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Rob. Gibs, 1682
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.
1. Every man hath his Estate from God, and for God, and is bound as his Steward accordingly to use it. This is past doubt: And how doth that man use it for God, who leaveth it to one that is liker to use it for the Devil in a fleshly unprofitable Life? What account can such a Steward give? Did God give it you to maintain idleness and sin?
Obj. O but it is a Son whom I am bound to provide for. Ans. Are you more bound to your Son than to your Self? God doth not allow you to spend it on your self, to maintain Idleness and Vice, Rom. 13. 13, 14. Make no provision for the flesh to satisfy the lust (or will) thereof. And may you leave it for such a use as is forbidden both your Son and You? It is God that is the owner of it, and it is to him that you must both use and leave it: Whether you Eat or Drink or whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God. And will you leave it to be the fuel of lust, and sin?
Obj. O but it is a Son whom I am bound to provide for. Ans. Are you more bound to your Son than to your Self? God doth not allow you to spend it on your self, to maintain Idleness and Vice, Rom. 13. 13, 14. Make no provision for the flesh to satisfie the lust (or will) thereof. And may you leave it for such a use as is forbidden both your Son and You? It is God that is the owner of it, and it is to him that you must both use and leave it: Whether you Eat or Drink or whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God. And will you leave it to be the fuel of lust, and sin?
Obj. I leave it not for sin: but if he misuse it, I cannot help it. Ans. Would that excuse you if you put a Sword into a mad mans hand, to say, I cannot help it if he use it ill? You might have helped it: Its supposed that you fore-knew how he was like to use it.