A41657:195
The surest & safest way of thriving, or, A conviction of that grand mistake…
The surest & safest way of thriving, or, A conviction of that grand mistake in many, that what is given to the poor, is a loss to their estate : which is so directly contrary as to the experiences of the charitable : so to the testimony of God's spirit in divers places of Scripture ... by Thomas Gouge ...
London: printed for William Rawlins, 1673
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.
He that will serve the Lord with his spirit, will as readily serve him with all that he hath. God that hath given us his Son, how will he not with him freely give us all things, Rom. 1. 32? And that Man that hath given God his soul, will keep back nothing from Him.
Friend, thou sayest thou art the Lords, and hast devoted thy self to him; thou hopest that thou art Christs, and hast joined thy self in covenant unto him, resolving to be his disciple: but, which way runs thine estate? whose house is this, these lands, and this money which thou hast, are these the Lords too? How is it then that thy lusts have so much of them at their service? That thy pride hath so much, and thine appetite so much, or that they are all impropriated ⟨p. 36⟩and kept by thee to feed thy covetousness? Is all thou hast the Lords? How is it then that thou begrudgest, or thinkest-so-much of every little that he calls for from thee? Thou who wilt not in every case part with so much as God calls for, art either a Liar, or a Robber. Either thou didst not give all to God, when thou saidst thou didst, and then thou art a Liar: or if thou didst give all, and yet will not let him have what he calls for, but bestowest it elsewhere, then thou art a Robber.
Friend, thou sayst thou art the Lords, and hast devoted thy self to him; thou hopest that thou art Christs, and hast joyned thy self in covenant unto him, resolving to be his disciple: but, which way runs thine estate? whose house is this, these lands, and this mony which thou hast, are these the Lords too? How is it then that thy lusts have so much of them at their service? That thy pride hath so much, and thine appetite so much, or that they are all impropriated ⟨p. 36⟩and kept by thee to feed thy covetousness? Is all thou hast the Lords? How is it then that thou begrutchest, or thinkest-so-much of every little that he calls for from thee? Thou who wilt not in every case part with so much as God calls for, art either a Lyar, or a Robber. Either thou didst not give all to God, when thou saydst thou didst, and then thou art a Lyar: or if thou didst give all, and yet will not let him have what he calls for, but bestowest it elsewhere, then thou art a Robber.