A41657:91
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.
Afterwards in pressing upon his Auditors the duty of Alms-giving, This, saith he, I am resolved on, 'tis want of belief, and nothing else, that keeps men from the practice of this duty. Could this one Mountain be removed, the lessening of our wealth, that alms giving is accused of; could that one Scandal to flesh and blood be kicked out of the way, there is no other Devil would take the unmerciful mans part, no other temptation molest the alms-giver.
Afterwards in pressing upon his Auditors the duty of Alms-giving, This, saith he, I am resolved on, 'tis want of belief, and nothing else, that keepes men from the practice of this duty. Could this one Mountain be removed, the lessening of our wealth, that alms giving is accused of; could that one Scandal to flesh and blood be kicked out of the way, there is no other Devil would take the unmercifull mans part, no other temptation molest the alms-giver.
And let me tell you, that you have no more evidence for the truth of Christs coming, for all the fundamentals of your faith, on which you are content your Salvation should depend, then such as I have given you for your Security in this point.
And let me tell you, that you have no more evidence for the truth of Christs comming, for all the fundamentals of your faith, on which you are content your Salvation should depend, then such as I have given you for your Security in this point.
Dr. Jeremy Taylor in his Rules of holy-living, treating of Alms, Sect. 8. among other Motives thereunto, hath this. That portion of our estate, out of which a tenth or a fifth, or a twentieth, or some offering to God for Religion, and the poor goes forth, Certainly returns with a great blessing upon all the rest. It is like the effusion of oil by the Sidonian woman, as long as she pours into empty vessels, it could never cease running: Or like the widows barrel of meal, it consumes not as long as she fed the prophet.