,,christian ,,devotedness1 or ,the      
,consideration of ,our ,saviour's       
,precept1 ,lay not up for yourselves    
treasures upon earth4  ,by ,anthony     
,norris ,groves 7#agie--ahec74  ,second 
,edition1  ,london1 ,james ,nisbet1     
,berners ,street1 ,,mdcccxxix4   ,before
 this second edition was issued ,groves 
had taken the step which he here had    
advocated4 ,the tract is a revelation of
 the man1 and affords an insight into   
the spirit and the glow which made his  
ministry attractive to sincere souls1   
and effectual4 ,it being long since     
unobtainable we give it in full4 ,by it 
he1 being dead1 may yet speak1 and other
 hearts be enlarged and enriched1 to the
 glory of ,god4 ,it reads3--            
,,preface   ,in sending a second        
impression of the following little work 
into the world after a lapse of four    
years from the publication of the former
 edition1 it may be right to state1 that
 my views on the subject of it1 have    
undergone no change in the way of       

relinquishment2 but on the contrary the 
experience of every day in my own       
history1--every observation ,i have been
 able to make on the history of those   
with whom ,i have come into the closest 
contact1 and who have either received or
 rejected the view1 and in whatever     
degree1 has tended exceedingly to       
strengthen the conviction on my mind1 of
 the infinitely deep knowledge of the   
human heart1 and springs of human       
actions which these injunctions of our  
,blessed ,lord manifest3 and that he    
means simply what he says in ,lay not up
 for yourselves treasures upon earth1   
etc4 ,there is an eye-salve in this     
doctrine1 when received by faith1 that  
wonderfully clears the field of our     
spiritual perceptions2 therefore1 he    
that can receive it1 let him receive it4
 ,many more1 certainly1 have been       
influenced by it1 and some to a much    
greater extent than ,i had expected2 and
 the clusters that have adorned their   
branches seem to be of the true ,eschol 

grapes2 however1 of these1 and many     
other things1 time will be the          
manifester1 and the ,lord the judge4    
,the principal objections urged1 seem to
 arrange themselves under three         
heads3--,the influence of which this    
principle would rob the ,church2--the   
children it would leave without a       
provision2--and that it would require   
those having estates to sell them1 and  
would not be satisfied with the         
dedication of the interest or profits   
arising out of such property4 ,my       
business1 however1 is not with the      
consequences of the precept1 but with   
the precept itself4 ,yet still ,i would 
say1 there is in this reasoning as      
deistical a disregard of the ,lord's    
especial government of his ,church and  
people1 as could be expected from an    
infidel4  ,i purpose publishing1 the    
,lord sparing me1 a few remarks         
separately1 in relation to the first of 
these subjects--that of ,influence2--the
 nature of that which is ,christian1 and

 its distinction from that which is     
worldly1 and which operates either upon 
worldly men1 or that worldliness which  
still adheres to every one of us4 ,and  
,i shall endeavour to show1 that a grain
 of the pure gold of ,christian         
influence1 which is the exhibition1 in  
truth1 of the mind of ,christ1 springing
 from the love of ,christ in the soul1  
is no wise increased in value by being  
beaten out into plates as thin as       
imagination can conceive1 and employed  
to gild the brassy admixture of earthly 
influence1--the titles1 honours1 rank1  
wealth1 learning and secular power of   
this world4 ,it looks indeed like a     
mighty globe of gold2 and the eyes of   
the inexperienced may be caught by it2  
but the least scratch proves its brassy 
character4 ,if this simple principle had
 been perceived1 how differently would  
many public religious bodies have been  
constituted for the purpose of extending
 the influence of ,christ's ,kingdom4   
,with regard to the other two points1 ,i

 feel they may be disposed of under one 
general argument1 which is this3 ,that  
the principle of ,god's government is   
paternal2 and therefore its primary     
object is the development in us of the  
character of dear children1 the         
essential feature of which is unlimited 
dependence4 ,but1 of course1 this       
relation implies its co-relative1 the   
,fatherly character of ,god2 and the    
least entrenchment upon daily dependence
 for daily provision1 either for        
temporal or spiritual supplies1 affects 
,god's honour in this character4 ,then1 
as to our children1 ,david knew that    
they shall not beg their bread--at      
least1 that he1 who had been young and  
then was old1 had not seen such a thing2
 and to suspect such a thing1 is to     
suspect the perfection of the ,fatherly 
character of ,god2 of whom our blessed  
,lord said1 ,your ,father knoweth you   
have need of all these things1 and1     
therefore1 all these things shall be    
added unto you4 ,as to capital and      

estates1 after knowing that our loving  
,father will supply us in every need1   
the sooner we are disencumbered by      
disbursement1 for ,his honour1 and ,his 
service1 the better2 for then we shall  
have the happiness of seeing it spent   
for the glory of ,him chose it is1 and  
for whom we are only stewards2 whereas  
were we to die to-morrow1 we do not know
 whether the capital and estates may    
fall into the hands of a wise man or a  
fools so that we may be cut of after    
spending part of a year's income for    
,god--say one hundred1 out of a thousand
 pounds1 and this1 ,i think1 would be   
called ,christian devotedness by        
many--and the fool comes in and spends  
the whole residue1 twenty thousand      
pounds perhaps1 for ,satan and the      
corruption of the world4 ,but some may  
say1 ,are not all things given us richly
 to enjoy8 ,yes2 but it would be        
degrading indeed to the members of the  
,kingdom of ,christ1 to make their rich 
enjoyment appear in consuming on their  

own lusts like the members of the       
kingdom of ,satan1 those things which   
they are permitted to apply to the      
exaltation of their ,lord and ,redeemer4
 ,be assured1 my dear friends1 the      
sooner we can see it appropriated to    
,god's service and glory the better4    
,for then it is gone for the ,lord2 and 
the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1    
cannot1 though combined bring it back1  
and the ,lord will not allow us to wish 
it were1 so graciously will ,he receive 
our weak services and so kindly and     
overwhelmingly repay them with the light
 of ,his countenance1 and the secret    
assurance in our own souls1 that our    
dedication has been acceptable at our   
hand4  ,a4 ,n4 ,g4  ,london1 ,may #af1  
#ahbi4     ,,christian ,,devotedness1   
,,etc4   ,the writer of the following   
pages has been deeply affected1 by the  
consideration of the strange and        
melancholy fact--that ,christianity has 
made little or no progress for fifteen  
successive centuries3 and having1 as he 

trusts1 perceived1 in an attentive      
perusal of the ,gospel ,history1#a that 
primitive ,christianity owed much of its
 irresistible energy to the open and    
public manifestation by the early       
disciples1 of their love to their       
,redeemer and ,king1 and to one another1
 by the evidence which they gave of it  
in their conduct1 and being moreover    
convinced that the exhibition of this   
love tends directly and most powerfully 
to augment the prosperity of the ,church
 of ,christ within its own bosom1 and to
 extend its influence throughout the    
world in all ages2 he ventures to lay   
the result of his reflections open to   
the candid consideration of the sincere 
disciples of that ,saviour1 who1 though 
he was rich1 yet for our sakes became   
poor1 that we through his poverty might 
be rich 7#b ,cor4 #h4 #i74  ,this       
manifestation of love he believes to    
have been made by the entire and real   
7not figurations7 devotion of           
themselves1 their property1 time and    

talents to ,christ1 their ,lord and     
,king4 ,the subsequent remarks1 however1
 more especially relate to the          
bestowment of property1 and that whether
 of capital already possessed1 or of    
income to be acquired by industry4  ,the
 object proposed by the writer is to    
prove that such a ,dedication is        
invariably enforced by the commands of  
our ,saviour1 and that it is illustrated
 by the practice of his ,apostles and   
their immediate contemporaries#b3 and he
 entreats of all the sincere disciples  
of ,christ1 that they will weigh what is
 written in the balance of the          
,sanctuary1 and not in the balances of  
this world2-that they will pray         
earnestly to the ,father of lights to   
have1 in their search after truth1 a    
single eye to the glory of ,him whose   
they are and whom they ought to serve1  
and to the extension of ,his            
,kingdom--that they will1 while they    
search and pray1 have a tender regard   
both to their own souls2 and to those of

 the ,millions of ,jews1 ,turks1        
,infidels1 and ,heretics1 whose         
ignorance and wretchedness they profess 
to deplore4 ,if in our enquiry into the 
meaning and extent of our ,saviour's    
words--,lay not up for yourselves       
treasures upon earth1--we should be led 
to the persuasion that he meant them1   
and that the ,apostles and their        
companions received them1 in their most 
unrestricted sense2 may the ,holy       
,spirit of ,god enable us to lay firm   
hold on the most comfortable and        
consolatory permission thence           
arising--to cast all our cares upon     
,him1 because we know that ,he careth   
for us4 ,all that is1 or that can fairly
 be1 claimed1 in investigating the      
question before us1 is1 that the various
 precepts and arguments1 along with the 
uniform practice1 of our ,saviour and   
his ,apostles1 be allowed to explain his
 meaning in this particular instance4 ,i
 shall1 therefore1 consider in the first
 place1 the direct ,scriptural account  

of the ,principle1 to which we have     
alluded1 as it is enforced by precept   
and illustrated by example2 and ,i shall
 next consider its important bearing    
upon other momentous commands1 which1   
without it1 are rendered exceedingly    
difficult1 nay1 impossible1 to be       
understood and received4 ,i shall then  
conclude with a few arguments to prove  
that1 if the extension of the spirit of 
,christ's ,kingdom be the proper object 
of the churches' pursuit1 these views   
are as consonant with reason as they are
 with revelation4   ,i4 ,i shall begin  
with the passage from which the motto is
 taken4 ,lay not up for yourselves says 
our ,saviour1 in his ,sermon on the     
,mount1 treasures upon earth1 where moth
 and rust doth corrupt1 and where       
thieves break through and steal3 but lay
 up for yourselves treasures in heaven1 
where neither moth nor rust doth        
corrupt1 and where thieves do not break 
through nor steal3 for where your       
treasure is1 there will your heart be   

also4 ,the light of the body is the eye3
 if therefore thine eye be single1 thy  
whole body shall be full of light2 but  
if thine eye be evil1 thy whole body    
shall be full of darkness4 ,if therefore
 the light that is in thee be darkness1 
how great is that darkness6 ,no man can 
serve two masters3 for either he will   
hate the one1 and love the other2 or    
else he will hold to the one1 and       
despise the other4 ,ye cannot serve ,god
 and mammon4 ,therefore ,i say unto you1
 ,take no thought for your life1 what ye
 shall eat1 or what ye shall drink2 nor 
yet for your body1 what ye shall put on4
 ,is not the life more than meat1 and   
the body than raiment4 ,behold the fowls
 of the air3 for they sow not1 neither  
do they reap1 nor gather into barns2 yet
 your ,heavenly ,father feedeth them4   
,are ye not much better than they8      
,which of you1 by taking thought1 can   
add one cubit unto his stature8 ,and why
 take ye thought for raiment8 ,consider 
the lilies of the field1 how they grow2 

they toil not1 neither do they spin2 and
 yet ,i say unto you that even ,solomon1
 in all his glory1 was not arrayed like 
one of these4 ,wherefore1 if ,god so    
clothe the grass of the field1 which    
today is1 and tomorrow is cast into the 
oven1 shall he not much more clothe you1
 ,o ye of little faith8 ,therefore take 
no thought1 saying--,what shall we eat8 
or1 ,what shall we drink8 or1           
,wherewithal shall we be clothed8 7for  
after all these things do the ,gentiles 
seek27 for your heavenly ,father knoweth
 that ye have need of all these things4 
,but seek ye first the ,kingdom of ,god 
and his righteousness2 and all these    
things shall be added unto you4 ,take   
therefore no thought for the morrow3 for
 the morrow shall take thought for the  
things of itself4 ,sufficient unto the  
day is the evil thereof 7,mat4 #f4 #ai1 
etc474#c  ,the principal points to be   
attended to1 in the above passage1      
are1--,the importance attached to a     
single eye and the clear declaration of 

our ,saviour1 that riches disturb the   
clearness and simplicity of its         
vision2--,god's care of the lowest of   
his creatures1 and his provision for    
those which have neither storehouse nor 
barn2--the inference thence deduced by  
our ,saviour1 that he will much more    
care and provide for those who singly   
and earnestly seek the ,kingdom of ,god 
and his righteousness1 though they have 
neither store-house nor barn2--and the  
source of all our distrust and doubt1   
clearly intimated in the expression--,o 
ye of little faith4 ,the parallel       
passage in ,st4 ,luke is almost verbally
 the same4 ,it is1 however1 more        
striking1 as it is introduced by a      
practical warning derived from the      
conduct of the rich man1#d who cries    
out1 on the contemplation of his        
security from want1--,soul1 thou hast   
much goods laid up for many years1 and  
to whom ,god replies444--,thou fool1    
this night shall thy soul be required of
 thee2 then whose shall those things be 

which thou hast provided 7,luke #ab4    
#ac-ad74 ,it also concludes with an     
exhortation somewhat different from that
 in ,st4 ,matthew4 ,in the latter it is 
said--,lay not up2 whereas in ,st4 ,luke
 it is said1--,sell all that thou hast1 
and give alms2 provide yourselves bags  
which wax not old1 a treasure in the    
heavens that faileth not4  ,to all      
arguments drawn from passages of this   
description1 the usual answer is1 ,that 
the exhortations contained in them are  
not to be taken literally1 but are to be
 considered merely as loose general     
statements1 strongly1 and only in       
appearance absolutely1 made1 with a view
 of producing greater effect4 ,in       
endeavouring1 therefore1 to ascertain   
their true meaning1 let us examine the  
evidence supplied by the remarks and    
conduct of our ,blessed ,lord and his   
,apostles1 in those cases which bear    
upon the point in question4  ,when the  
young man came to enquire what good     
thing he could do to inherit eternal    

life1 after having mentioned several    
duties1 our ,lord says1--,yet lackest   
thou one thing3 sell all that thou hast1
 and distribute to the poor1 and thou   
shalt have treasure in heaven3 and come1
 follow me4 ,and when he heard this1 he 
was very sorrowful1 for he was very     
rich4 ,and when ,jesus saw that he was  
very sorrowful1 he said1--',how hardly  
shall they1 that have riches1 enter into
 the ,kingdom of ,god6 ,for it is easier
 for a camel to go through a needle's   
eye1 than for a rich man to enter into  
the ,kingdom of ,god6' ,and they that   
heard it said1--',who then can be       
saved8' ,and he said1--',the things1    
that are impossible with men1 are       
possible with ,god4' ,then ,peter said3 
',lo1 we have left all and followed     
thee4' ,and he said unto them1--',verily
 ,i say unto you1 there is no man that  
hath left house1 or parents1 or         
brethren1 or wife1 or children1 for the 
,kingdom of ,god's sake1 who shall not  
receive manifold more in this present   

time1 and in the world to come life     
everlasting' 7,luke #ah4 #bb-cj74  ,if  
then this is the judgment of him in whom
 we believe to be hid all the treasures 
of wisdom and knowledge1--who ,knew what
 was in man--who was acquainted with all
 the secret influences by which his     
heart is governed2 shall we1 in         
opposition to his solemnly recorded     
judgment1--that if it is easier for a   
camel to go through the eye of a needle1
 than for those who have riches to enter
 into the ,kingdom of ,god--strive1 by  
the amassing of wealth1 effectually1 as 
far as in us lies1 to stop our own      
heavenward course1 as well as that of   
those dear little ones1 whom our        
heavenly ,father may have committed to  
our peculiar and tender care8 ,we may1  
without anxiety1 contemplate the        
circumstance 7,i shall not say the      
misfortunes of dying and leaving our    
families to struggle with many seeming  
difficulties in this world7 should      
obedience to the ,divine ,commands bring

 us and them into such a situation2     
because our faith could lay hold1 for   
support and consolation1 on the         
well-known declarations and the         
acknowledged truth--that the ,captain of
 our ,salvation was made perfect through
 sufferings1 and learned obedience by   
the things that he suffered 7,heb4      
#b4aj1 and #e4h72--that the ,apostle    
gloried in tribulations1 knowing that   
tribulation workers patience1 and       
patience experience1 and experience     
hope--even a hope which maketh not      
ashamed 7,rom4 #e4 #e72--that he could  
describe himself as sorrowful--yet      
always rejoicing2 as poor--yet making   
many rich2 as having nothing--and yet   
possessing all things 7#b ,cor4 #f4     
#aj74 ,but a ,family left1 by our labour
 and contrivance1 in a situation in     
which1 as our ,blessed ,lord himself    
declares1 it is all but impossible that 
they should be saved1#e presents an     
object of contemplation widely          
different4 ,faith can only lay hold of  

the fearful declaration2--,it is easier 
for a camel to go through the eye of a  
needle1 than for those who have riches  
to enter into the ,kingdom of ,god2 and 
if the situation of such a family is    
irretrievably fixed1 and that by our    
exertions1 the contemplation of it may  
well bring alarm and sadness and        
distress upon the last hours of a       
,christian ,parent4 ,and these feelings 
may well rise to anguish1 if he is      
conscious that his system of            
accumulation was carried on in defiance 
of solemn admonitions2 and if he is     
persuaded that the wealth he has        
amassed--as it were to shut out heaven  
from the hopes and prospects of his     
children--if it had been dedicated day  
by day1 as ,god had prospered him1 as a 
manifestation of his love1 and a tribute
 of his gratitude to his ,lord and      
,king1 might have been the means of     
feeding with the bread of life some of  
the hundreds of millions who lie in     
darkness1 hopelessness1 and sin1 because

 the ,son of ,righteousness has not     
arisen on them with healing in his      
wings4 ,such are the views and feelings 
which an unbiassed consideration of the 
words of our ,saviour is calculated to  
produce4  ,some1 however1 may be        
prepared to assert that his words give  
no encouragement or allowance to any    
such conclusions2 and this assertion    
they may support by another--that a love
 of riches was the peculiar failing of  
the young man1 whose conduct suggested  
the observations of our ,saviour4 ,it   
ought1 however1 to be remarked that he  
does not say1 ,how hardly shall this    
rich man enter into the ,kingdom of     
,god6--but in the most general          
terms1--to ,how hardly shall they that  
have riches enter into the ,kingdom of  
,god6--it may be desirable for those who
 consider the expression444--,trust in  
riches--used in the parallel passage of 
,st4 ,mark 7#aj4 #bd7 as mitigating     
considerably the severity of our        
,saviour's declaration to view the      

connection of the several parts of the  
passage in which the expression is      
found4 #bc4 ,jesus looked round about1  
and saith unto his disciples--',how     
hardly shall they that have riches enter
 into the ,kingdom of ,god4' #bd4 ,and  
the disciples were astonished at his    
words4 ,but ,jesus answered again and   
saith unto them1--',children1 how hardly
 shall they that trust in riches enter  
into the ,kingdom of ,god6' #be4 ',it is
 easier for a camel to go through the   
eye of a needle1 than for a rich man to 
enter into the ,kingdom of ,god4' #bf4  
,and they were astonished out of        
measure1 saying among themselves1 ',who 
then can be saved8' ,our ,lord1 in the  
#bcrd verse1 asserts it to be almost    
impossible for those who have riches to 
enter into the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,when  
he observes the astonishment of his     
disciples1 he explains to them the      
reason of his passing a judgment so     
severe1 by stating the cause of that    
difficulty1 of which he spoke as        

amounting almost to an impossibility4   
,it is next to ,impossible for a rich   
man to enter the ,kingdom of ,god1      
because he trusts in his riches4 ,so    
that the expression is not introduced   
with a view of making riches appear less
 dangerous to the possessor1 but rather 
with a view of explaining why they are  
so dangerous4  ,the repetition of the   
general declaration in the strongest    
terms as it is found in the #beth verse1
 shows that this is the meaning of our  
,lord2 and the increased astonishment of
 the ,disciples plainly gives the same  
intimation4 ,it is evident that they    
were not led1 by this explanation1 to   
consider the case of the rich less      
hopeless or deplorable2 for they cry    
out3 ,who then can be saved8 --evidently
 the expression of men whose            
difficulties were confirmed1 not        
removed1 by the answer they had         
received4 ,the simple meaning1          
therefore1 of the passage seems to be   
this2 ,the danger of riches is their    

being trusted in2 and the difficulty of 
possessing them1 and not trusting in    
them for happiness and protection1 is as
 the difficulty of a camel's going      
through the eye of a needle3 therefore1 
lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
 earth1 for where your treasure is1     
there will your heart be also4 ,but the 
man whose soul the love of ,christ has  
touched1 does not look on the question  
as one merely involving danger to       
himself3 he looks on wealth1 as well as 
every other gift1 as an instrument of   
bringing glory to his ,lord1 by feeding 
the little ones of his kingdom1 or in   
some way extending the savour of his    
name4 ,it is not a matter of law1 but a 
golden opportunity on which affection   
seizes1 to bring a leaf to the wreath of
 praise and honour1 that crowns ,him    
,lord1 to the glory of ,god the ,father1
 who has won the hearts1 and is entitled
 to the uncontrolled dominion of his own
 saints4  ,from the observations        
suggested by the conduct of the young   

man let us pass on to the memorable     
comment of our ,lord on the charity of  
the poor ,widow1 as recorded by ,st4    
,mark 7#ab4 #da1 etc474 ,jesus sat over 
against the treasury1 and beheld how the
 people cast money into the treasury3   
and many that were rich cast in much4   
,and there came a certain poor widow1   
and she threw in two mites1 which make a
 farthing4 ,and he called unto him his  
disciples1 and saith unto               
them1--',verily1 ,i say unto you1 that  
this poor widow hath cast more in1 than 
all they which have cast into the       
treasury3 for all they did cast in of   
their abundance2 but she of her want did
 cast in all that she had1 even all her 
living4' ,in the world's estimation     
nothing could be more improvident or    
more improper than her conduct2 and ,i  
fear that few of us would have the heart
 to commend one who should go and do    
likewise4 ,but how does our ,blessed    
,lord judge1 who judges not according to
 appearance1 but righteous judgment8    

,observing that she ants quite according
 to his precept of giving up all1 ,he   
does not call his disciples round him1  
to warn them1 by her example1 not to    
take his words literally1 as he did     
,peter on the use of the sword2 but1 on 
the contrary1 points out carefully the  
peculiarity and unequalled greatness of 
her sacrifice1 and holds her up to      
admiration on account of it4 ,the rich  
cast in of their abundance1 much2 she1  
of her penury1 cast in a little2 but it 
was all that she had1 even all her      
living4 ,we have now only to go one step
 farther in order to ascertain in what  
sense the ,apostles understood that     
command of our ,saviour now under       
consideration4 ,the conduct of them and 
their adherents is thus recorded by ,st4
 ,luke 7,acts #b4dd1 etc41 and #d4cb1   
#cd and #ce47 ,all that believed were   
together and had all things common3 and 
sold their possessions and goods1 and   
parted them to all men1 as every man had
 need4 ,and they1 continuing daily with 

one accord in the temple1 and breaking  
bread from house to house1 did eat their
 meat with gladness and singleness of   
heart4 ,the multitude of them that      
believed were of one heart and of one   
soul3 neither said any of them that     
ought of the things that he possessed   
was his own2 but they had all things    
common4 ,neither was there any among    
them that lacked3 for as many as were   
possessors of lands1 or houses1 sold    
them1 and brought the prices of the     
things that were sold1 and laid them    
down at the ,apostles' feet3 and        
distribution was made unto every man    
according as he had need4  ,by what     
arguments can it be shown that such a   
union of heart and of soul1 as is here  
described1 is not just as important to  
us now1 as it was to the primitive      
,christians8 ,if this community of      
hearts and possessions was according to 
the mind of the ,spirit then1 why not   
now8 ,we have the general precept       
enforcing the conduct of our ,blessed   

,lord himself2--a particular exhortation
 to it in his conversation with the     
young man2 and a most pointed           
approbation of it in the case of the    
poor widow4 ,we have1 moreover1 to      
encourage and urge it1 not only the     
example of the ,apostles1 but that of   
all those who believed in ,jerusalem4   
,the former truly said1 ,lo we have left
 all and followed thee2 and of the      
latter it was also truly                
written1--,neither said any of them that
 ought of the things which he possessed 
was his own4 ,i would just remark that  
such conduct does not essentially       
involve the institution of a common     
stock1 but will be effectually secured  
by each individual blending himself with
 the whole household of faith1 feeling  
their wants1 and rejoicing in their     
welfare1 as his own4 ,this sympathy of  
the members of the holy family toward   
each other1 is strongly enforced1 and   
beautifully illustrated by ,st4 ,paul4  
,ye know the grace of our ,lord ,jesus  

,christ1 that though he was rich1 yet   
for your sakes he became poor1 that ye  
through his poverty might be rich4 ,i   
mean not that other men may be eased1   
and you burdened2 but by an equality1   
that now at this time your abundance may
 be a supply for their want1 that their 
abundance also may be a supply for your 
want1 that there may be equality2 as ,it
 is written3 ,he that gathered much had 
nothing over2 and he that had gathered  
little had no lack 7#b ,cor4 #h4 #i1    
#ac1 #ad1 #ae74 ,as then here1 the      
superabundance of him1 who had gathered 
much1 ministered to the deficiency of   
him who had gathered little2 so now1    
whatever the bounty of ,god may bestow  
upon us1 above a sufficiency for our    
present necessities1 is to be esteemed a
 blessing in proportion as it is        
distributed to relieve the temporal and 
spiritual wants of others4  ,again ,i   
ask--,how do we evade the application of
 all these precepts and arguments and   
exhortations and warnings and examples  

to our own times8 ,is there in the ,holy
 ,scriptures any limitation as to the   
time when the love which distinguished  
the primitive church was to be in       
exercise8 ,is not humiliation and       
suffering1 the very character of this   
dispensation1 as of the life of ,him who
 introduced it8 ,are there no farther   
ends to be obtained by the crucifixion  
of self and selfish interests1 and      
manifesting the mind that was in ,christ
 ,jesus8 ,let the disputes and divisions
 in the ,church of ,god1 and the        
#fjj1jjj1jjj who have never heard the   
name of salvation by the blood of ,jesus
 declare4 ,let the ,agents of our       
,societies declare1 who travel from one 
end of the land to the other1 to gather 
a scanty pittance from half-reluctant   
,christians--nay1 who are often led to  
sharpen their goads at the ,philistines'
 grind-stones1 to the dishonour of the  
cause of ,god4 ,what then is the ground 
of evasion8 ,why1 that those were       
apostolic times and apostolic men4      

,could there be a stronger reason urged 
for following their steps8 ,their having
 supernatural aids1 in addition to      
moral1 makes the obligation to use moral
 more imperative on our part1 if        
possible1 than on theirs2 for we have   
now only the silent and unobserved      
influences of the ,spirit of ,god       
operating by them4 ,those1 who may be   
inclined to ask--,were not the          
miraculous powers1 entrusted to the     
,apostles for the advancement of        
,christianity1 also subservient to their
 personal comfort1 amidst their want and
 pain and distress8 ,we would refer     
those who enquire to the words of the   
,apostle ,paul4 ,even unto this present 
hour1 says he 7#a ,cor4 #d4 #aa and #b  
,cor4 #aa4 #bg71 we both hunger1 and    
thirst1 and are naked1 and are buffeted1
 and have no certain dwelling place4 ,i 
have been in weariness and painfulness1 
in watchings often1 in hunger and       
thirst1 in fastings often1 in cold and  
nakedness4 ,it was1 indeed1 the very    

ground of the ,apostles' glorying and   
rejoicing--that they were counted worthy
 to suffer for the sake of ,him who had 
died for them2 and it was these very    
sufferings which they endured1 and      
sacrifices which they made1 that proved 
most effectual in converting others to  
the faith1 by drawing their attention to
 ,him whom they loved1 and for whom they
 suffered gladly the loss of all things4
 ,they felt the beneficial effects of   
suffering on their own souls1 and they  
saw it blessed to the conversion of the 
souls of others3 and1 looking beyond    
things which are seen and temporal1 they
 beheld that exceeding and eternal      
weight of glory which their sufferings  
were working out 7#b ,cor4 #d4          
#ag72--they knew that1 if they suffered 
with their master1 they should also     
reign with him4 ,considering the        
preceding remarks to establish the      
sense1 in which the ,apostles received  
the command of our ,saviour in regard to
 giving up all1 as well as the meaning  

of our ,saviour ,himself2 it may appear 
superfluous to state anything farther2  
particularly as my only desire is1 to   
open the eyes of those who love their   
,lord and ,master with a pure heart1    
fervently to the understanding of his   
mind on the subject of this little book2
 for it is not money1 time1 and talents1
 that ,i desire to see brought into the 
external service of ,christ1 as such2   
but only as the incense of praise and   
thanksgiving to ,him who has loved us1  
and washed properly loosed us from our  
sins in ,his own blood1 and hath made us
 kings and priests unto ,god the        
,father1 from ,his own redeemed1 yea1   
the ransomed of the ,lord1 not the      
extorted1 but voluntary homage from     
those hearts which would crown ,him     
,lord of all4 ,and certainly1 any       
farther statement would be superfluous1 
if we were called upon to sit in        
judgment on the meaning of writers1     
whose opinions laid us under no         
practical obligation1 or whose          

sentiments were in unison with our whole
 nature4 ,here however1 the case is     
widely different2 we have an old nature 
for this earth1 as well as a new nature 
for heaven2 and therefore1 things       
require to be stated as fully as may be1
 that ,satan may be stopped at every    
turn by it is written4 ,to admit an     
opinion--is to admit a truth2 and to    
admit a truth--is to admit the          
obligation to act upon it1 against our  
earthly constitution4 ,and as the       
admission and reception of the          
particular truth now under              
consideration1 strikes at the very root 
of many of nature's most fondly         
cherished feelings1 and of many         
apparently so amiable1 that we scarcely 
allow ourselves to doubt that they are  
of ,god2 it may be necessary to enlarge 
still more upon the subject1 and show   
that the reception of this truth        
prepared the way for the success of the 
,apostles1 by leaving them free to      
follow ,him who had called them to be   

soldiers1 and that it will1 by the grace
 of ,god1--promised to us as well as to 
them2--accomplish as great things in our
 days as it did in theirs1 springing1 as
 it did1 and ever will1 from this one   
source1 ,christ in us the hope of       
,glory1 dwelling in us richly in all    
wisdom and spiritual understanding2 yea3
 in those cases where the world think we
 fail1 as well as those in which we seem
 to succeed3 for if ,christ and the     
spirit of ,his ,kingdom be manifested1  
we are a sweet savour of ,christ unto   
,god1 whether they receive our testimony
 or reject it2 yea1 though we preach as 
,noah did1 an hundred and twenty years1 
and no man regard us4   ,,ii4 ,i come1  
therefore1 secondly1 to consider the    
important bearing of the ,principle1 ,i 
have endeavoured to establish and       
illustrate1 on several momentous        
commands which1 without the reception of
 it1 are rendered exceedingly difficult1
 nay1 impossible1 to be understood and  
received2 notwithstanding that the      

import and object of these commands are 
abundantly obvious1 and the performance 
of them tends most directly and most    
powerfully to promote the highest good  
which the church is capable of enjoying4
  ,go ye into all the world and preach  
the gospel to every creature 7,mark #af4
 #ae71--was the parting command of our  
,blessed ,saviour2 and it was on the    
literal reception of this command that  
the momentous alternative hung of our   
knowledge1 or ignorance of the only     
,name under heaven given among men1     
whereby we must be saved2 for how shall 
they hear without a preacher1 and how   
shall they preach except they be sent81 
still is the order of ,god's government4
 ,had there been the same doubt of the  
meaning and obligation of this precept  
in the infancy of ,christianity1 which  
these last ages have exhibited1 it would
 scarcely have extended its influence   
beyond the confines of ,judea4 ,but1    
thanks be to ,god1 the first ,christians
 felt the gospel1 committed to their    

trust1 to be the power of ,god unto     
salvation to every one that believeth2  
and they felt it to be the mind of ,him 
who had loved them with an everlasting  
love1 and given ,himself for them1 that 
this great act of surpassing love should
 be published to every creature1 for    
,his own glory1 and for salvation to the
 ends of the earth2 and therefore they  
counted all things but loss1 that they  
might fulfil ,his will1 and advance ,his
 ,kingdom4 ,why has this spirit for so  
many centuries been slumbering8 ,because
 men have been seeking1 every one his   
own things1 and not the things of       
,christ4 ,let any one ask his own heart1
 as in the presence of ,god1 in which   
state he should feel most disposed to   
embrace the command1 ,go into all the   
world and preach the ,gospel to every   
creature--whether1 when he is labouring 
for1 and enjoying the comforts and      
conveniences of life1 and providing     
against the future possible wants of    
himself and his family2 or when1 like   

the ,apostles and first ,christians1 he 
has laid aside every earthly            
encumbrance1 and waits ready to go or to
 stay1 as the ,spirit of ,god may       
appoint4 ,to the enquiry--,who will go  
for us8--can there be a doubt whose     
heart would be most ready to reply ,here
 am ,i1 send me8 7,isa4 #f4 #h74 ,the   
one1 having the eye single1 since to    
glorify his ,lord is the only object of 
his life1 will be ready to answer--,here
 am ,i 2 while those who are surrounded 
by the cares and comforts of this world1
 have so many earthly claims and        
relations to adjust1 that the general   
result will be that of standing still1  
and the enquiry1--,who will go for us8  
--will sound unwelcome to the ear1 will 
chill1 not animate1 the noblest         
sympathies of the heart1 and set the    
seal of silence on the lips4 ,it is not 
meant absolutely to say that every man  
should become a ,missionary1 in the     
proper sense of the term4 ,there are    
diversities of gifts1 but the same      

,spirit2 and there are differences of   
administrations1 but the same ,lord 7#a 
,cor4 #ab4 #d74 ,while one has that     
ministration of the ,spirit which leads 
him to go and preach the gospel in      
person1 another shows that he is guided 
by the same ,spirit in carefully        
supplying the wants of him who thus goes
 taking nothing of the ,heathen 7#c     
,john #g71 from the abundance yielded by
 devoted diligence in his honest        
vocation1 and by rigid habits of        
self-denial4#f  ,again1 consider the    
important command1 ,love thy neighbour  
as thyself 7,leviticus #ai4 #ah74 ,can  
we1 with any truth1 be said to love that
 neighbour as ourselves1 whom we suffer 
to starve1 whilst we have enough and to 
spare8 ,may ,i not appeal to any1 who   
have experienced the ,joy of knowing the
 unspeakable gift of ,god1 and          
ask--,would you exchange this knowledge1
 with all the comforts and blessings it 
has been the means of imparting1 for a  
hundred worlds1 were they offered8 ,let 

us not then withhold the means by which 
others may obtain this sanctifying      
knowledge and heavenly consolation4 ,is 
it a profitable employment of our       
wealth1 to raise it as a bulwark against
 those difficulties1 which1 if they meet
 even the children's children of the    
servants of ,god1 are sent as especial  
proofs of their ,father's love--for what
 son is he whom the ,father chasteneth  
not8--and are designed to work out for  
them a far more exceeding and eternal   
weight of glory8 ,are not these very    
difficulties1 dangers1 and afflictions1 
against which we so anxiously desire to 
provide1 the very marks by which ,jesus 
,christ himself1 his ,apostles and      
,prophets1 and all the chosen servants  
of ,god1 have ever been distinguished1  
and the means by which they have been   
perfected4#g ,can then our wealth be so 
beneficially employed1 either with      
reference to our own advantage or that  
of others1 in removing from our         
,christian course these means of        

advancement1 and characteristics of our 
profession1 as in helping on the        
,kingdom of ,christ with all that energy
 which a single eye can impart to the   
most limited powers1 when directed and  
sustained by the ,spirit of ,god8  ,it  
has been remarked that some pious men   
have1 from their imprudence1 left their 
children a burden upon the ,christian   
public1 and thus disgraced their        
profession4 ,if1 however1 the unprovided
 state of these children was owing to an
 enlarged view of devotedness to ,god on
 the part of these ,parents1 accompanied
 by frugal appropriations to themselves1
 and that strict honour and honesty1    
which must ever precede beneficence to  
others2 all the disgrace1 and ultimately
 all the loss1 must rest on those that  
survive1 who are so dead to the         
privileges of the ,gospel1 as either to 
forget that it was ever                 
said1--,whosoever receivers one such    
little one in my name1 receivers me     
7,matthew #ah4 #e71 or to neglect the   

opportunity1 despise the honour1 and    
spurn away the blessing1 of entertaining
 such a guest4 ,oh6 if we really        
believed our ,saviour's declaration1 how
 dearly should we value1 and how warmly 
embrace1 such an opportunity of         
glorifying our ,master1 of blessing     
ourselves1 and of showing again to the  
world how these ,christians love one    
another6#h ,all our misconceptions on   
this subject seem to arise from one     
deeply rooted opinion1 learnt of ,satan 
and the world over which he presides1   
that riches and comforts are better for 
our children1 than poverty and          
dependence4 ,the whole tenor of the ,new
 ,testament1 however1 pronounces the    
opinion to be false2 and were a hundred 
individuals appointed to the once of    
choosing a portion for their children1  
in accordance with the obvious          
principles of ,christianity1 and with   
the declarations of its ,author and his 
,apostles--such a portion as bore the   
most favourable aspect on the           

acquisition of the prize of the high    
calling of ,god in ,christ ,jesus2 and  
were they conscientiously to perform    
their office1 they would all unite in   
choosing a portion poor and dependent4#i
 ,yet whilst our ,lord says3 ,how hardly
 shall they that have riches enter into 
the ,kingdom of ,god6 --we act just as  
though he had said--,how hardly shall   
they enter in1 who are without them6    
,here ,i would leave the sovereignty of 
the ,lord unlimited4 ,it is doubtless   
the same thing to ,him to work by many  
or by few--by the rich or the poor3 but 
still how hardly shall they that have   
riches enter into the kingdom of heaven 
must stand4  ,if there had been an      
unerring physician of the body sent to a
 consumptive family who left it as his  
prescription3 ,how hardly shall they    
survive the climate of the ,north2 it is
 easier for a camel to go through a     
needle's eye than your children escape  
destruction in the blasts of the ,north2
 if after this you saw the parents      

struggling for northern climates1 you   
must say they either did not believe the
 physician1 or they were deliberately   
doing what they could to destroy their  
children4  ,again ,i say1 let me not be 
misunderstood1 as though ,i wished to   
make all ,christianity consist in giving
 up money1 time1 and talents1 unless    
they are the expressions of love to the 
,lord1 and flow from a desire to meet   
,his mind and promote his glory1 they   
are but sounding brass and tinkling     
cymbals4 ,yet surely1 they are the      
natural external expressions of internal
 love2 and although they be insincerely 
assumed by ,hypocrisy1 it is her homage 
to truth2 and although the              
self-righteous ,pharisee may present the
 semblance of devotion1 as a vain and   
hateful barter for heaven1 yet it       
requires very little spirituality of    
mind to discern that this arises in a   
different source and terminates in a    
different object3 the one begins in self
 and ends in self2 the other begins in  

,christ1 and ends in ,christ4 ,when1    
therefore1 the ,lord requires his       
,church to be careful for nothing1 it is
 only that ,he might display his        
watchfulness and carefulness over her4  
,surely it is a most unspeakable        
privilege to be allowed to cast all our 
cares upon ,god2 and to feel that we are
 thereby delivered from the slavery of  
earthly expectations1 and made free to  
speak the truth m love1 without fear or 
apprehension8 ,what is the glorious     
liberty of the children of ,god1 but to 
be dependent only upon ,one1 who giveth 
liberally and upbraideth not1--who      
says1--,ask1 and ye shall receive2 seek1
 and ye shall find2 knock1 and it shall 
be opened unto you3 for every one that  
asketh1 receiveth2 and he that seeketh1 
findeth3 and to him that knocketh it    
shall be opened4 ,god1 in pity to our   
weakness and unbelief1 condescends to   
reason with us thus3--,what man is there
 of you1 whom1 if his son ask bread1    
will he give him a stone8 or if he ask a

 fish1 will he give him a serpent8 ,if  
ye then1 being evil1 know how to give   
good gifts unto your children1 how much 
more shall your ,father1 which is in    
heaven1 give good things to them that   
ask him8 7,matthew #g4 #g1 etc474 ,let  
us therefore do the will of such a      
,father to the utmost of our ability    
now1 and trust him for the future3 for  
he hath said1 ',i will never leave thee1
 nor forsake thee'2 so that we may      
boldly say1 ',the ,lord is my helper1   
and ,i will not fear1 what man shall do 
unto me' 7,heb4 #ac4 #f74 ,trust        
therefore in the ,lord1 and do good2 and
 verily thou shalt be fed 7,ps4 #cg4    
#c74 ,oh6 if every one1 who believed    
himself ransomed by the precious blood  
of ,christ1 felt himself so entirely the
 purchased possession of ,him1 who thus 
so dearly bought him1 as to determine   
henceforth to know nothing save ,jesus  
,christ and him crucified2 nor to labour
 for anything1 but that the unspeakably 
glad tidings of salvation through ,him  

might be spread throughout the world1   
till every heart of the ransomed family 
drank of the same overflowing cup of    
consolation2 how soon would the wants of
 the whole habitable earth be answered  
by thousands crying out1--,here am ,i1  
send me2 while those sheep to whom the  
glad tidings would be borne1 would      
discern the shepherd's voice1 receive   
with thankfulness such messengers of    
peace1 seeing by their fruits that ,god 
was in them of a truth4  ,think not that
 this is carrying things too far4 ,our  
blessed ,lord says1--,this is my        
commandment1 that ye love one another as
 ,i have loved you4 ,greater love hath  
no man than this1 that a man lay down   
his life for his friends4 ,ye are my    
friends1 if ye do whatsoever ,i command 
you 7,john #ae4 #ab74 ,here our ,blessed
 ,lord tells us to love one another1 as 
,he has loved us2 and then points to the
 laying down his life1 as the most      
exalted proof of that love which could  
be given4 ,if then1 as the example of   

our ,saviour and the exhortation of the 
,apostle testify1 we ought to lay down  
our lives for the brethren#aj how much  
more ought we to impart to them our     
substance4  ,we all know what a         
persuasive power the deaths of the      
,martyrs exerted on the minds of those  
who witnessed them2 and1 in its just    
measure and proportion1 would the       
dedication of property1 time and        
talents1 have a similar effect at the   
present day4 ,it would convince those1  
whom we are anxious to convince1 of the 
reality of our faith in that ,redeemer  
and that inheritance1 which they now    
think only a name1 in consequence of the
 secular spirit that disfigures the     
,christianity of too many of its        
professors4 ,how differently would the  
,heathen look on our endeavours to      
publish the mercy of our glorified      
,lord1 if the hardy and suffering spirit
 of primitive times were to descend     
again on the silken age into which we   
are fallen6 and if they perceived in us 

that love which led them to endure all  
things for the elect's sake1 that they  
may also obtain the salvation which is  
in ,christ ,jesus with eternal glory4   
,example is a far more fruitful source  
of self-denial than the influence       
exerted on the mind by precept4 ,if we  
call on those1 who know nothing of the  
savour of that ,name which is as        
ointment poured forth1 to give up all   
for ,christ1 and this you literally do  
to every ,hindoo and ,mahomedan2 let us1
 who thus call1 and who profess to know 
much of the power of ,his ,name1 do so  
likewise2 that they may catch a kindred 
spirit from a living exhibition4 ,let us
 evidence1 in very deed1 that we love   
not the world1 neither the things of the
 world1 but that the love of the ,father
 is in us4 ,for all that is in the      
world1 the lust of the flesh1 the lust  
of the eyes1 and the pride of life1 is  
not of the ,father1 but of the world4   
,and the world passeth away1 and the    
lust thereof2 but he1 that doeth the    

will of ,god1 abideth for ever 7#a ,john
 #b4 #ae74   ,,iii4 ,i shall now        
conclude with a few arguments to prove1 
that if the extension of the spirit of  
,christ's ,kingdom be the proper object 
of the ,church's pursuit--which is1 on  
earth1 essentially a spirit of          
self-denial for others' good--the entire
 surrender contended for1 is as         
consonant with reason as it is with     
revelation2 and consequently the great  
end of our existence should be the      
extension of this spirit2 and the most  
important enquiry1 in which we can be   
engaged1 is1--how this may be most      
effectually accomplished4  ,let us1     
therefore1 begin with the consideration 
of our children1 as it regards their    
apprehension of this spirit of our      
,lord's kingdom4 ,there is no one       
calling himself a ,christian1 who does  
not profess to desire1 and there is no  
one really a ,christian1 who does not in
 earnest desire for his children1 both  
the apprehension and attainment of this 

blessing4 ,the lips of all1 and the     
hearts of the saints continually declare
 it as their wish that their children   
may receive the word of truth1 not as   
the word of man1 but as it is indeed the
 word of ,god2--that they may esteem and
 receive it as a lamp unto their feet   
and a light unto their paths2--that they
 may prize it as the greatest and best  
gift of ,god1 next to ,him of whom it   
bears testimony and to whom it owes its 
preciousness4 ,how then is a ,christian 
to direct most powerfully and           
practically1 the opening and susceptible
 minds of his children towards this     
,word of ,truth8 ,is it to be done by   
exhibiting to them a life devoted to the
 study of that word1 as revealing the   
will of ,him whom he loves1 and ,him of 
whom it testifies1 so that they may     
attach true ideas to true words1        
following simply its precepts as judging
 them concerning all things1 to be right
 for himself1 and promoting the         
extension of this knowledge as equally  

essential to others2--by a dedication of
 time and talents to this end2--by      
habits of continued self-denial1 having 
for their object the acquisition of     
greater means towards the accomplishment
 of a work for which he would have them 
to believe that ,jesus their ,lord left 
the bosom of his ,father and descended  
to earth1 and for the furtherance of    
which ,apostles and ,martyrs regarded   
all2--temporal advantages as loss1 and  
were ready to suffer the privation of   
them all8 ,or is it to be done by       
speaking1 in very high terms1 of the    
excellence and importance of the        
work2--by accompanying the words with a 
gift of one1 five1 fifty1 or a hundred  
pounds a year for the promotion of it1  
but1 in other respects1 providing for   
temporal conveniences and enjoyments    
like the world8 ,as long as the human   
mind is capable of being influenced by  
example1 the first of these two         
exhibitions must exert the most powerful
 influence on the youthful mind4 ,it    

must have a direct and almost invincible
 tendency to impress that mind with a   
conviction of the sincerity of our love 
of the ,truth1 of the reality of our    
devotion towards its great ,author1 of  
our deep feeling of its necessity as the
 only guide to purity and happiness1 and
 of our ardent desire that all men may  
know and receive and embrace it4 ,and   
although all this is infinitely removed 
from a work of grace on the soul1 the   
almighty work of the ,spirit of ,god2   
yet they may be1 and continually are1   
the instruments he uses for arresting   
the sinner1 and turning his attention to
 ,jesus1 and leading beyond the         
apprehension of the truth--in the       
understanding1 to the ,author and       
,finisher of faith for the realization  
of it in the heart4 ,but1 on the        
contrary1 every appropriation towards   
providing temporal comforts1 and        
conveniences1 and pleasures1 either for 
them or for ourselves1 has a tendency   
directly the reverse4 ,it shows that    

there is1 in this value for the world1 a
 rival interest in the heart2 it weakens
 their conviction of our sincerity2 and 
lessens1 in exact proportion to its     
amount1 the practical conviction on     
their minds--that there is but one thing
 needful in our estimation4  ,the true  
servant of ,god knows1 better than any  
man1 the real value of money1 the value 
of time1 the value of talent of whatever
 order4 ,he is accordingly the most     
assiduous in his vocation1 the most     
parsimonious of his time1 the most      
anxious to improve his talents so far as
 they are subservient to the interests  
of ,christ's ,kingdom4#aa ,he knows that
 the mysterious dealings of ,god have   
most intimately connected us in the ways
 of his providence1 with the salvation  
of one another4 ,he knows also that     
there is no means1 humbly laid at the   
foot of the cross1 which ,he1 who hung  
there1 does not bless1 and send forth1  
with the blessing resting on it1 to     
accomplish purposes of mercy4  ,as to   

laying up for children1#ab believing it 
to be contrary to the letter and spirit 
of the ,gospel1 and therefore to the    
best interests of the children          
themselves1 ,i have no hesitation in    
saying that1 on these grounds1 ,i am    
persuaded it ought to be                
relinquished--as much so1 as spending   
our means on the selfish indulgence of  
our own inclinations4 ,the reason indeed
 of the commands1 exhortations1 and     
encouragements to abstain from all such 
provision1 appears as obvious1 from     
every day's experience1 as that of any  
single command in the ,scripture2 so    
that it manifestly would be the         
happiness of a child of ,god to pursue  
the conduct thus enjoined by his ,lord1 
even if revelation was far less explicit
 on the subject1 than it clearly and    
undeniably is4 ,a single eye can alone  
secure our fidelity in the discharge of 
a stewardship so peculiarly trying as   
that with which the wealthy#ac among us 
are entrusted4 ,the circumstances of    

such a stewardship have a remarkable    
power in directing and drawing our      
affections toward improper objects2 in  
fixing them upon others in an inordinate
 degree2 in leading us to misapprehend  
the nature of true happiness1 and to    
estimate things by a standard entirely  
at variance with the plainest1 and most 
frequently reiterated declarations of   
the ,gospel4 ,if1 therefore1 under such 
circumstances1 personal conveniences and
 indulgences1 the elevation of self in  
the world1 under the thousand alluring  
masks which ,satan provides for those   
who wish to wear them1 as means1 he     
tells them1 of influence1 be allowed any
 weight in the argument1 we may easily  
determine the judgment which will go    
forth2 you will see every man looking on
 his own things1 not on the things of   
others4 ,nay1 is not this now the       
aspect1 even of the professing ,church  
of ,christ8 ,should any one rise1 and   
say1 ,however this may be with others1  
it does not apply to me4 ,i give a      

guinea to this1 and a guinea to that1   
and a guinea to another2 ,i might say1  
,yes1 and as many hundreds1 it may be   
thousands to ,self1 whose desires were  
to be mortified and solicitations       
curtailed4  ,how much would the judgment
 of the ,christian ,world be modified   
with regard to the ,leadings of         
,providence1 if the eye had always the  
glory of ,god as the single object on   
which it rested6 ,if that glory were our
 only aim1 we should be all led to press
 forward1 in the path to affluence and  
honours1 with a more fluttering step and
 chastened energy4 ,how slowly would a  
servant of ,christ1 who profitably      
labours among many thousand souls with a
 bare subsistence1 be led to interpret  
the possibility of obtaining a more     
abundant provision 7if with a less      
extensive sphere of usefulness7 into a  
leading of providence which encourages  
and demands his removal4 ,he might1 on  
the other hand1 be led sometimes even to
 suspect the possibility of its being   

only a temptation of ,satan1 laid in his
 way1 with a view of limiting the held  
of his usefulness4 ,that malicious and  
powerful ,spirit doubtless now tempts   
the servant1 as he once did his ,lord1  
by saying1--,all this power will ,i give
 thee and this glory3 for that is       
delivered unto me3 and to whomsoever ,i 
will1 ,i give it4 ,if thou1 therefore   
wilt worship me1 all shall be thine     
7,luke #d4 #f74 ,we should never forget 
that this power of ,satan over the world
 and the things of the world1 is        
acknowledged by our ,saviour himself1   
when he calls him the prince of this    
world 7,john #ad4 #cj74 ,with the       
solicitations of this ,prince of        
,darkness coming1 as he often does1 in  
the form of an angel of light there     
concur affections of our nature1 called 
tender and amiable4 ,the whole heart is 
misled2 the judgment is biassed2 and the
 understanding darkened4 ,he1 on the    
contrary1 who considers and uses an     
increase of means only as a sacred      

deposit1 committed to him for the       
extension of ,christ's ,kingdom1 and not
 for individual aggrandizement1 is      
liable to no such deception with respect
 to the ,leadings of ,providence4 ,he   
has no personal interest in the         
pecuniary advantages attendant on any   
situation2 and his only question        
is--whether it be one in which he may   
best serve and glorify his ,master4     
,when his heavenly ,father sends him    
prosperity beyond what is sufficient for
 his immediate wants1 he does not ask   
himself--,may not ,i possibly need this 
superabundance at some future period8   
or1 if ,i never require it myself1 may  
not my ,wife1 or ,children1 or          
,relatives8 ,he dares not to ask a      
question so full of unbelief1 nor       
presumes to turn the very abundance of  
the past mercies of ,god into an        
argument against trusting ,him for the  
future4 ,he knows that the best security
 for all spiritual blessings and all    
temporal mercies1 both to himself and to

 his friends1 lies in doing the will1   
and trusting unreservedly in the        
promises3 of that ,god who hath         
said3--,can a mother forget her sucking 
child1 that she should not have         
compassion on the fruit of her womb8    
,yea1 she may forget2 yet will not ,i   
forget thee 7,isaiah #di4 #ae74 ,what1  
therefore1 he has freely received1 he   
freely gives2 and trusts for the future 
the promises of his ,heavenly ,father1  
with a sincere1 filial1 and ingenuous   
confidence4  ,the view here taken may   
naturally lead the minds of many        
inquirers after the truth to ask1--',is 
not this tempting ,god8' ,to this       
difficulty ,scripture supplies us with  
many very interesting and striking      
answers2 from which ,i shall select a   
few4  ,when ,abraham was called to quit 
his kindred and country and to put his  
trust under the shadow of the           
,almighty's wing1--his going1           
notwithstanding that he knew not        
whither1 and that he was perfectly      

unacquainted in what manner or to what  
extent he was to be provided for1       
constitutes that peculiar feature in his
 obedience1 which all ,christians feel  
and appreciate1 and the spirit of which 
they profess to desire to have animating
 their own4 ,the same is also observable
 in the sacrifice of his son4           
,compliance in this case seems the      
death-blow to his fondest hopes2 and to 
trust that1 notwithstanding his         
compliance1 the promises which ,god had 
made to him would be fulfilled1 was a   
confidence resting on somewhat beyond   
the bounds of all human probability4    
,yet he does not hesitate to obey 7and  
the author of the ,epistle to the       
,hebrews tells us why71 because he      
believed that ,god was able to raise his
 son up from the dead4 ,was this then   
tempting ,god8 ,what says his ,word8    
,the ,angel of the ,lord called unto    
,abraham out of ,heaven the second time1
 and said1 ',by myself have ,i sworn1   
saith the ,lord2 for because thou hast  

done this thing1 and hast not withheld  
thy son1 thine only son2 that in        
blessing ,i will bless thee1 and in     
multiplying ,i will multiply thy seed as
 the stars of the heaven1 and as the    
sand which is upon the seashore3 and in 
thy seed shall all the nations of the   
earth be blessed2 because thou hast     
obeyed my voice' 7,gen4 #bb4 #ae1 etc474
  ,again1 in the #cdth ,chapter of      
,exodus it is written1--,thrice in the  
year shall all your men--children appear
 before the ,lord ,god1 the ,god of     
,israel4 ,for ,i will cast out the      
nations before thee1 and enlarge thy    
borders2 neither shall any man desire   
thy land when thou shalt go up to appear
 before the ,lord thy ,god thrice in the
 year4 ,now1 would obedience to this    
precept be tempting ,god8 ,doubtless    
not4 ,yet surely there is a much greater
 natural difficulty in the way of       
protecting the defenceless wives and    
families of a whole people during the   
absence of all the males at ,jerusalem1 

than there is in providing subsistence  
sufficient for those who daily labour2  
for by this means the great mass of     
mankind are1 and ever have been provided
 for4  ,the institution of the          
sabbatical year appears to afford       
another very apt illustration4 ,let us  
therefore for a moment consider the     
commands and promises annexed to its    
observance1 as well as the threatenings 
pronounced1 and the punishments         
inflicted1 in case of disobedience4 ,six
 years thou shalt sow thy field1 and six
 years thou shalt prune thy vineyard1   
and gather in the fruit thereof2 but in 
the seventh year shall be a sabbath of  
rest unto the ,land1 a sabbath for the  
,lord2 thou shalt neither sow thy held1 
nor prune thy vineyard4 ,and if ye shall
 say1--',what shall we eat the seventh  
year8 behold we shall not sow1 nor      
gather in our increase'3--then ,i will  
command my blessing upon you in the     
sixth year1 and it shall bring forth    
fruit for three years4 ,and ye shall sow

 the eighth year1 and eat yet of old    
fruit until the ninth year2 until her   
fruits come in1 ye shall eat of the old 
store4 ,if ye will not for all this     
hearken unto me1 but walk contrary unto 
me1 ,i will bring your land into        
desolation1 and ,i will scatter you     
among the heathen3 and your lands shall 
be desolate1 and your cities waste4     
,then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths1
 as long as it lieth desolate1 and ye be
 in your enemies' land3 even then shall 
the land rest1 and enjoy her sabbaths4  
,as long as it lieth desolate it shall  
rest3 because it did not rest in your   
sabbaths1 when ye dwelt upon it 7,lev4  
#be4 #c1 #d1 #bj2 and ,c4 #bf474  ,we   
see afterwards the execution of this    
threat3--,them that had escaped from the
 sword carried he away to ,babylon2     
where they were servants to the ,king   
and his sons until the reign of the     
,kingdom of ,persia2 to fulfil the word 
of the ,lord by the mouth of ,jeremiah1 
until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths2

 for as long as she lay desolate she    
kept sabbath1 to fulfil threescore and  
ten years 7#b ,chron4 #cf4 #bj74ad  ,now
 these illustrations of the nature of   
the divine government are very          
instructive1 whether we contemplate     
,abraham's obedience and reward1 or the 
disobedience and punishment of his      
posterity4 ,abraham appears to pursue a 
line of conduct1 which must end in the  
loss of everything dear to him2 yet in  
the way of obedience1 unimagined mercies
 and favours meet him4 ,his posterity1  
by neglecting to go thrice in the year  
to ,jerusalem1 or to obey the command   
respecting the observance of the        
sabbatical year1 seem to the natural eye
 to be in the way of safety and         
abundance2 yet their enemies brought    
famine and desolation on their land1 and
 they themselves1 their wives1 and their
 little ones1 were carried away into    
captivity4 ,now the anxieties which led 
the ,jews to ask1--,what will become of 
our wives and our children during our   

absence at ,jerusalem8 or1 ,what will   
become of our households during the     
seventh year8--are natural anxieties1 as
 strong and as amiable as can influence 
the decision of the human heart4 ,yet   
these very anxieties were the immediate 
cause of their doubts1 their distrust1  
and their disobedience4 ,if then the    
following even these strong dictates of 
the heart1 against a command of ,god1   
has proved perfect foolishness to those 
who have presumed so to do1 let us take 
warning by their example2 for to this   
end were these things written4  ,there  
is one inference which1 guided by the   
analogy of faith ,i would draw from the 
preceding observations4 ,if trusting    
against the natural appearance of       
things1 was demanded under the          
comparatively dim light of the ,old     
,testament1--a dispensation which1      
considered nationally1 had peculiar     
respect to temporal prosperity2 much    
more might we expect it to be required  
under the bright light of the           

,gospel1--a dispensation in which       
temporal prosperity and all temporal    
distinctions are cast entirely into the 
shade3 and as the disobedience of the   
,jews cut them off--not only from the   
direct blessings promised to obedience1 
but also from the striking              
manifestations of the divine providence 
over them1 which the three years' corn  
in one year1 and the protection of their
 families and possessions during their  
absence at ,jerusalem1 would have       
afforded them2 so we1 by our want of    
confidence in ,god1 lose those endearing
 evidences of ,his love1 which a simple 
trust in ,his promises is the appointed 
means of drawing down from ,his open and
 bountiful hand4  ,what preachers of    
righteousness would these ,jews have    
been1 had they obeyed the commands of   
their ,god6 ,what a sermon on ,god's    
providence over ,his chosen1 would the  
three years' provision in one year1 and 
the miraculous protection of their      
coasts1 have been to the ,heathen       

around6 ,it may be of importance for us 
to remember1 that it is ,god alone whom 
we are afraid to trust4 ,where we have  
no doubt of the integrity or ability of 
man1 we fearlessly trust4 ,if one of the
 ,princes of this world has an arduous  
undertaking to accomplish1 which        
requires the undivided care and         
attention of those to whom it is        
committed2 and if he says to his        
servants1--,pursue steadily and singly  
the business entrusted to you1 without  
distraction about personal provision1 of
 which ,i will take sufficient care2 how
 many are the candidates1 how eager the 
contention1 how secure the confidence6  
,nay more1 the obvious tendency of such 
a plan toward the attainment of the end 
in view1 is seen1 and its wisdom        
appreciated4  ,yet when the ,king of    
,heaven1 after manifesting his          
unspeakable love toward us1 in the      
sacrifice of his ,son1 demands of us a  
similar confidence1 we make no scruple  
to withhold it4 ,when our ,blessed ,lord

 says1--,lay not up for yourselves      
treasures upon earth1 that your eye may 
be single in my service1--that your     
whole body may be full of light to      
discern between good and evil3 when ,he 
expressly says1--,take no thought       
saying1--',what shall we eat8' or ',what
 shall we drink8' or1 ',wherewithal     
shall we be clothed2' but seek ye first 
the ,kingdom of ,god and his            
righteousness1 and all these things     
shall be added unto you2--we see neither
 the wisdom nor goodness of ,his design4
 ,we begin to explain away ,his         
instructions concerning it2 we hesitate 
about the meaning of ,his promises2 we  
put far from us the privilege of        
believing that ,he1 who neither slumbers
 nor sleeps1 hatchets over us4 ,whence  
then this confidence in man1 whose      
breath is in his nostrils1 who is absent
 in the moment of calamity2 yet         
diffidence in ,god#ae who is the        
,omnipotent1 the very present1 help in  
every time of trouble8 ,does it not     

arise from a fear--lest1 if we trust him
 with our provision1 he might choose for
 us and ours the portion he chose for   
the ,son of his love8 ,does it not arise
 from a secret desire that our own wills
 may be done1 and not ,his8 ,yet we may 
rest assured that1 as it is not for the 
interest of a wayward child to be       
independent of the salutary control of  
an excellent ,father1 neither is it for 
ours to be able to say3 ,soul1 thou hast
 much goods laid up for many years4  ,so
 intensely am ,i convinced of this      
truth1 that ,i can1 with my whole heart1
 pray for myself and all who are nearest
 and dearest to me1 that we may be so   
circumstanced in life1 as to be         
compelled to live by faith on the divine
 promises day by day4#af ,godliness with
 contentment1 says the ,apostle1 is     
great gain4 ,for we brought nothing into
 this world1 and it is certain we can   
carry nothing out4 ,and having food and 
raiment1 let us be therewith content4   
,but they that will be rich fall into   

temptation and a snare1 and into many   
foolish and hurtful lusts1 which drown  
men in destruction and perdition4 ,for  
the love of money is the root of all    
evil 7a root of all evils1 ,revised     
,version72 which while some coveted     
after1 they have erred from the faith1  
and pierced themselves through with many
 sorrows4 ,but thou1 ,o man of ,god1    
flee these things2 and follow after     
righteousness1 godliness1 faith1 love1  
patience1 meekness 7#a ,tim4 #f4 #f-aa74
 ,let us therefore endure hardness1 as  
good soldiers of ,jesus ,christ1 knowing
 that no man that warreth entangleth    
himself with the affairs of this life2  
that he may please him who hath chosen  
him to be a soldier 7#b ,tim4 #b4 #c74  
,now that all this may not appear       
irresistible to many1 ,i am fully aware2
 and having been myself1 in times past1 
led to wish that a few passages1 such as
 #a ,tim4 #e4 #h3 #b ,cor4 #ab4 #ad1 had
 admitted of clearer explanation1 or1   
rather1 required none1 ,i shall now1 in 

a few words1 endeavour to explain what  
appears to me to be the principle of the
 ,new ,testament revelation1 which is   
not to supply the logician with an      
irresistible chain of premises and      
conclusions1 but the child with a light 
to his ,father's mind2 therefore1 on the
 divinity of our ,blessed ,lord1 the    
,lord's day1 the principle of communion1
 of church discipline1 and of literally 
giving up all--if a man wishes to be    
disputatious and escape the easy and    
blessed yoke of ,christ's love he may1  
and therefore will walk in darkness1    
whilst the child is1 in his simplicity1 
surrounded by a food of light4  ,i      
shall1 therefore1 briefly recapitulate  
the reasons why it appears to me that   
our ,saviour spoke literal truth1 and   
meant to be understood as so speaking1  
when he used such expressions as        
these--,lay not up for yourselves       
treasures upon earth1 and1 ,sell all    
that thou hast3--      #a4 ,because he  
commanded the young man to do so2       

#b4 ,because he commended the poor widow
 for doing so2      #c4 ,because the    
,apostles and all who believed at       
,jerusalem1 did so1 by selling their    
goods1 houses1 and lands3      #d4      
,because without this ,dedication1 it is
 impossible to receive the              
command1--,love thy neighbour as        
thyself3      #e4 ,because1 while it    
obviously tends to the general extension
 of ,christ's ,kingdom upon earth1 it   
does also1 in an equal measure          
contribute to the happiness and         
usefulness of the individual1 by        
extirpating carefulness and sloth1 and  
causing to grow in abundance#ag the     
peaceable fruits of righteousness and   
love4  ,should ,i be asked1 what ,i     
understand by giving up all for ,christ1
 my reply would be that ,i believe this 
surrender to be made1 when any          
individual1 following whatever lawful   
vocation he may1 labours and contrives  
therein1 with all the assiduity and     
indefatigable diligence of which he is  

capable1 to accomplish the known--the   
recorded will of his ,lord and ,saviour4
 ,if that will requires that he should  
labour for the souls1 as well as the    
bodies of men2 that he should strive to 
make his fellows happy in time1 and in  
eternity2 that he should impart to them 
the knowledge of ,him who is the way1   
the truth1 and the life2 he will labour 
with time1 talents1 means1 and prayers1 
for the attainment of these ends1 as    
diligently as others labour from motives
 of simple covetousness1 or with a view 
of making provision against future      
contingencies for themselves or for     
their families4 ,if any object to       
selling houses or lands it remains for  
themselves to distinguish#ah between the
 motives1 which induce them to retain   
their property1 and those which induced 
the young man to retain his4 ,if they   
retain it from any private affection    
unsupported by the word of truth1 and if
 it is not their own full               
conviction--that1 in so doing1 they are 

pursuing the path most directly tending 
to fulfil the mind of ,christ2 neither  
the myriads of those who embrace their  
views and follow their plans1 nor the   
learning and authority by which they are
 supported1 will prove them to be wise1 
or true1 or eligible1 in that day when  
the judgment shall be set1 and the books
 shall be opened4 ,the principle ,i have
 here endeavoured to establish from the 
sacred volume1 demands of no man the    
relinquishment of a present sphere of   
usefulness1 till he is himself          
conscientiously convinced that he is    
called to another1 where he may         
accomplish more for the great cause for 
which he lives--the exaltation of       
,jesus1 and the gathering his sheep4    
,but though it does not require a       
relinquishment of present occupations1  
it is most uncompromising as to the end 
to which they must be directed4#ai      
,that the hearty reception of this      
principle may be connected1 by natural  
consequence1 with many and great        

difficulties in this life--no one1 who  
knows any thing of human nature1 as     
opposed to the nature of ,christ's      
kingdom1 or the ,gospel ,history1 can   
doubt4 ,in this world's history1 great  
things are not accomplished but by great
 sacrifices4 ,a life free from          
sufferings and sacrifices our ,lord has 
not promised1 and the ,apostles did not 
enjoy4 ,such a portion they did not even
 expect1 but were always prepared to    
live on the remembrance of the faithful 
saying--,if we suffer with ,him1 we     
shall also reign with ,him4 ,it should  
therefore be no question of ours        
whether1 in literally fulfilling our    
,saviour's command1 we shall be         
subjected to many sufferings and        
privations1 or not4 ,the question       
is--,is it the command of ,him1 who     
loved us too well to enjoin any thing   
but for our good2 and whether in his    
sovereign arrangement1 the embracing of 
it may not be connected with the        
advancement of ,his ,kingdom1 and       

promotion of ,his glory8 ,it would at   
least elevate the church from the       
disgraceful position in which she now   
stands1 striking hands with ,geshem and 
,sanballat1 to raise up the walls of    
,jerusalem4 ,she would then rejoice to  
say3 ,we will do the ,lord's work       
ourselves4 ,another question is1 whether
 the gathering in the sheep of ,christ  
out of a lost world1 or even of a single
 one1 be not worthy of all the          
sacrifices we are called upon to make2  
and whether the means we have pointed   
out have not1 in the appointment of the 
,lord1 a tendency to the accomplishment 
of this end8 ,if1 from the word of      
truth1 we can answer--,indisputably2    
troubles1 dangers1 and difficulties1    
should be as nothing4 ,not my will but  
thine be done4  ,if the world esteem    
this madness1 we must say with the      
,apostle1--,whether we be beside        
ourselves1 it is to ,god2 or whether we 
be sober1 it is for your cause4 ,for the
 love of ,christ constraineth us3       

because we thus judge1 that if one died 
for all1 then were all dead therefore   
all died3 and that he died for all1 that
 they which live should not henceforth  
live unto themselves1 but unto him who  
died for them and rose again 7#b ,cor4  
#e4 #ac74  ,thus ,i leave the question  
to those who love the ,lord ,jesus      
,christ in sincerity2 who desire that   
his name may be a praise in the earth2  
and who1 seeing that the harvest is     
truly plenteous1 but the labourers few1 
are constant in prayer to the ,lord of  
the ,harvest that he would send forth   
more labourers into it and that he would
 more abundantly pour out his ,holy     
,spirit upon his ,church1 that it may   
more fervently desire1 and more         
assiduously labour for1 the coming of   
that day1 when the ,lord shall come to  
be glorified in his saints1 and to be   
admired in all them that believe4 ,and  
may the ,lord direct all our hearts into
 the love of ,god1 and patient waiting  
for ,christ1 that if we should be alive 

and remain at his coming1 we may be     
caught up to join the saints who are to 
come with their ,lord in the clouds2 and
 so be ever with the ,lord2 or if we go 
before1 may we come with ,him in the day
 of ,his glory4 ,amen4     ,,appendix   
7referred to in note #a7   ,it may be   
necessary to notice the only preceptive 
passage in the ,new ,testament which    
apparently bears a different aspect4    
,this we shall do for two reasons3      
#ast4--to meet the readiness with which 
it is pleaded as a counterpoise to the  
otherwise clearly universal doctrine of 
the ,new ,testament2 and #bndly--1 to   
prove that1 far from its being in       
opposition to the principle for which we
 contend1 it is another illustration of 
it4 ,the text alluded to is contained in
 l ,tim4 #e4 #h2 where ,st4 ,paul is    
giving general directions relative to   
the provision to be made for widows1    
making a distinction at the same time   
between such as are to be relieved by   
the ,church1 and such as are to be      

relieved by their relatives4 ,in        
reference to the latter he says1 ,he    
that provident not for his own1 and     
especially for those of his own         
household1 hath denied the faith1 and is
 worse than an infidel unbeliever2 which
 ,hammond thus paraphrases1 ,but if any 
man or woman do not maintain those that 
belong to them1 especially those of     
their family 7as their ,parents clearly 
are1 having a right to live in their    
house1 and a propriety to be maintained 
by them 7or that they take care and     
relieve them7 supposing that they are   
able to it17 that man or woman doth     
quite contrary to the command of        
,christ1 and indeed performs not that   
duty to ,parents that even infidels     
think themselves obliged to do4 ,and in 
his note he adds1 ,to provide here does 
not signify laying up by way of careful1
 thoughtful providence beforehand1 but  
only taking care of for the present1 as 
we are able1 relieving1 maintaining1    
giving to them that want4--,whitby in   

his annotation on the same verse says1  
,some here are guilty of a great        
mistake1 scraping together great        
fortunes1 and hoarding them up for their
 children1 with a scandalous neglect of 
that charity to their ,christian        
brethren which alone can sanctify those 
enjoyments to them1 and enable them to  
lay up a good foundation against the    
time to come2 pleading these words to   
excuse their sordid parsimony and want  
of charity2 that 'he that provident not 
for his own household1 hath denied the  
faiths and is worse than an infidel'2   
whereas these words plainly respect the 
provision which children should make for
 their parents1 and not that which      
parents should make for their children4 
,see also ,doddridge1 ,scott1 and       
,pole's ,synopsis1 in loco4--,the       
meaning of the text then is simply      
this3--he who ministers not to the      
necessities of his aged relatives1      
having the means so to do1 is to be     
esteemed worse than an infidel2 for even

 the heathen acknowledged this to be a  
duty4 ,the precept1 therefore1 is to    
give and not to lay up1 and consequently
 is in perfect accordance with the      
commando ,lay not up for yourselves     
treasures upon earth4  ,for the meaning 
of the passage--,provide things honest  
in the sight of all men 7,romans #ab4   
#ag7 7which some for want of more       
efficient support1 are anxious to press 
into their service7 see the above       
authorities2 where it will be seen to   
have reference only to the beauty of    
character becoming and attractive in a  
,christian4 ,see1 as a ,scripture       
comment1 ,phil4 #d4 #h4 #b2 ,ch4 #h and 
#ba4 ,there appears a mistake in the    
reference here4  ,i shall now make a few
 remarks on the passage contained in    
,,ii ,cor4 #ab4 #ad1 that ,i may bring  
under one point of view all the evidence
 the ,new ,testament seems to me to     
afford1 either in fact or by possible   
construction1 against the view taken in 
this ,essay4 ,and this passage we more  

particularly notice1 as it really       
appears to present some difficulty4     
,behold1 says the ,apostle1 the third   
time ,i am ready to come to you2 and ,i 
will not be burthensome to you2 for the 
children ought not to lay up for the    
,parents1 but the ,parents for the      
children4 ,now the difficulty alluded to
 consists in determining the meaning of 
the ,apostle in this illustration4 ,in  
the first ,epistle to the ,corinthians1 
just before the dose of it1 he gives the
 ,corinthian ,church a precept1 similar 
to the one he had given all the other   
,churches he established2--that they    
should lay by every ,lord's ,day1 as    
,god had prospered them1 for the relief 
of the poor ,saints4 ,it appears1 by the
 ,apostle's remarks in the second       
,epistle to the same ,church that there 
were some who desired to impute base    
motives to him as though he wished to   
share in this bounty4 ,he accordingly   
evinces his disinterestedness1 by       
declining all provision for himself4 ,he

 tells them1 however1 that he did not   
decline receiving any thing from them   
because he loved them less than other   
,churches by whose liberality he had    
been once and again supplied1 but that  
he might cut off occasion from those who
 desired occasion to malign his motives4
 ,and he once more excuses himself1 in  
the next ,chapter1 from being a         
participator of the bounty which they   
had laid up1 and to which he had        
encouraged them for the purpose of      
supplying the wants of the poor ,saints 
in ,judea2 and he employs an            
illustration drawn from the common      
practice of mankind4 ,the ,children1    
says he1 ought not to lay up for the    
,parents1 but the ,parents for the      
,children4 ,and this illustration he    
employs as he does many others2 just1   
for example1 as he illustrates the      
,christian ,race by circumstances and   
practices attendant on the ,olympic     
games4 ,it is essential to the          
illustration of this passage to consider

 that the whole argument of ,st4 ,paul  
does not refer to the providing against 
his future possible wants1 with which   
alone this ,essay has to do1 but to the 
relief of his present actual            
necessities4 ,it is evident indeed that 
the words cannot be taken strictly4 ,the
 ,apostle begins with asserting that    
,children ought not to lay up for their 
,parents1 that is1 ought not to provide 
for their present necessities2 for1 if  
this be not his meaning1 the words have 
no reference to the question between the
 ,apostle and the ,corinthians1 and     
therefore cease to be an illustration at
 all2 since that question referred to   
present necessity on the one handy and  
to present supply on the other4 ,his    
simple object appears to be to decline  
their bounty without giving pain2 for it
 is clear from this very epistle that he
 was in the habit of receiving          
assistance from other ,churches1 of     
which he was as much the ,spiritual     
,parent as of the ,church of ,corinth4  

,the former he highly commends for the  
anxiety which they felt and the         
assistance which they afforded3 from the
 latter he declines receiving any       
pecuniary aid1 as if it were not        
incumbent on them to give1 and would be 
improper for him to receive4 ,he seems  
unwilling to recall to their minds the  
special reason of his refusing to accept
 of their bounty1 and endeavours to find
 one in the general relation in which he
 stood to them1 as their ,spiritual     
,father4--,let any one read from the    
eighth ,chapter to the end of the       
,epistle1 and he will be fully satisfied
 that the idea of laying up in store for
 future and possible wants never entered
 into the mind of the ,apostle4 ,let him
 read especially that part of the eighth
 ,chapter beginning with--,for you know 
the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1  
that though he was rich1 yet for your   
sakes he became poor1--and ending       
with--,as it is written1 ,he1 that had  
gathered much1 had nothing over2 and he1

 that had gathered little1 had no lack4 
,footnotes3   #a ,the texts which seem  
to give another aspect to this question1
 such as1 ,he that provident not for his
 own1 etc4--,the parents ought to lay up
 for the children1 etc4--,provide things
 honest in the sight of all men1 are    
considered together in a note at the end
 of the ,pamphlet4 see ,,appendix  #b   
,it should be remembered that in this   
passage the words take no thought should
 have been rendered ,be not anxious4    
,see the ,revised ,version4  #c ,he     
could not tell into whose bands his     
wealth would pass2 nor would it be any  
comfort to him1 even for his children or
 friends to possess it1 when he was torn
 from all which he loved and idolized1  
and plunged into the pit of destruction2
 and perhaps they too were preparing by 
it for the same dreadful end--7,scott74 
,though possessions are useful to       
sustain life1 yet no man is able to     
prolong life1 and to make it any thing  
more happy and comfortable to him1 by   

possessing more than he needs or uses1  
that is1 by any superfluity of wealth4  
,the only way to be the better for the  
wealth of the world1 is to dispose and  
distribute it to the service of ,god1   
and benefit and comfort of              
others-,hammond4  #d ,the argument is   
not distinctly affected1 but it is to be
 observed that the ,lord did not here   
speak of being saved1 but of entering   
the ,kingdom4 ,that the disciples at    
that time thought the two ideas were the
 same does not establish it1 for prior  
to the gift of the indwelling ,spirit of
 truth they misunderstood other things  
that the ,lord said4 ,matt4 #af4 #bb3   
,luke #bb4 #cf3 ,acts #a4 #f4 ,for the  
same thought compare ,mat4 #e4 #bj2 #ah4
 #a-c3 #a ,cor4 #f4 #i1 #aj 7 ,gal4 #e4 
#ai1 #ba3 ,eph4 #e4 #e2 all addressed to
 persons already saved4  #e ,although   
this ,essay seems to have respect rather
 to those who have much to bestow1 than 
those who have little1 yet what the     
,apostle says as an encouragement to    

labour1 may be applied to every man     
however humble4--,let him labour1       
working with his hands the thing which  
is good1 that he may have to give to him
 that needeth 7,eph4 #d4 #bh74 ,i have  
coveted no man's silver1 or gold1 or    
apparel4 ,yea1 ye yourselves know1 that 
these hands have ministered unto my     
necessities1 and to them that were with 
me4 ,i have showed you all things1 how  
that so labouring ye ought to support   
the weak1 and to remember the words of  
the ,lord ,jesus1 how he said1 ',it is  
more blessed to give than to receive'   
7,acts #bj4 #cc-ce74  #f ,what shall ,i 
more say8 for the time would fail me to 
tell of ,gideon1 and of ,barak1 and of  
,samson1 and of ,jephthae2--of ,david   
also1 and ,samuel1 and of the ,prophets3
 who through faith subdued kingdoms1    
wrought righteousness1 obtained         
promises1 stopped the mouths of lions1  
quenched the violence of fire1 escaped  
the edge of the sword1 out of weakness  
were made strong1 waxed valiant in      

fight1 turned to flight the armies of   
the aliens4 ,women received their dead  
raised to life again3 and others were   
tortured1 not accepting deliverance2    
that they might obtain a better         
resurrection3 and others had trial of   
cruel mockings and scourgings1 yea1     
moreover1 of bonds and imprisonment3    
they were stoned1 they were sawn        
asunder1 were tempted1 were slain with  
the sword3 they wandered about in       
sheep-skins and goat-skins2 being       
destitute1 afflicted1 tormented3 7of    
whom the world was not worthy3 7 they   
wandered in deserts1 and in mountains1  
and in dens and caves of the earth      
7,heb4 #aa4 #cb-ch74  #g ,in #ahdb ,mr4 
and ,mrs4 ,groves adopted a child of    
eight as daughter1 an orphan who was    
commended to their care by her father on
 his death-bed4 ,this charge was a      
source of great comfort to them3 they   
undertook it as unto the ,lord1 who     
truly gave them their hire4 ,the child1 
being early converted to ,god1 grew up  

to be a very efficient help in their    
mission work1 when other labourers were 
withdrawn2 and she became to them1 in   
every way1 as a beloved daughter 7#djj74
  #h ,i see here ,parents who are       
toiling night and day4 ',what are you   
doing8' ',i have a large family of      
children2 and ,i am endeavouring to lay 
up a portion for them4' ',why then do   
you not in truth lay up a portion for   
them6 ,what6 will you lay up a little   
dust1 and call that a portion8 ,is that 
a portion for an immortal soul8 ,you are
 rather hanging a millstone about the   
necks of your children which may sink   
them deeper into ruin4 ,you may thereby 
tempt them to plunge into the world3 and
 there they may scatter what you have   
treasured up1 and called a portion6     
',the ,lord is my portion1 saith my     
soul1'--is the declaration of ,david2   
and till you lead your children to this 
portion1 you are making no real         
provision for them' 7,cecil74  #i       
,hereby perceive we the love of ,god1   

because he laid down his life for us2   
and we ought to lay down our lives for  
the brethren4 ,but whoso hath this      
world's good1 and teeth his brother have
 need1 and shutters up his bowels of    
compassion from him1 how dwelleth the   
love of ,god in him8 7#a ,john #c4 #af1 
#ag74 ,and how dwelleth the love of ,god
 in him who can behold his fellows1 by  
millions1 perishing with ignorance--that
 hunger of the soul--1 without putting  
forth every effort1 and making every    
sacrifice1 that they may receive the    
bread of life4  #aj ,the ,christian     
,motto should be--,labour hard1 consume 
little1 give much1 and all to ,christ4  
#aa ,wherefore should ,i fear in the    
days of evil1 when the iniquity of my   
heels shall compass me about8 ,revised  
,version iniquity at my heels1 that is1 
enemies who would work iniquity4 ,they  
that trust in their wealth1 and boast   
themselves in the multitude of their    
riches2 none of them can by any means   
redeem his brother1 nor give to ,god a  

ransom for him2 7for the redemption of  
their soul is precious1 and it ceaseth  
faileth for ever27 that he should still 
live for ever1 and not see corruption4  
,for he seeth that wise men die1        
likewise the fool and the brutish person
 perish1 and leave their wealth to      
others4 ,their inward thought is1 that  
their houses shall continue for ever1   
and their dwelling-places to all        
generations2 they call their lands after
 their own names4 ,nevertheless1 man    
being in honour abideth not3 he is like 
the beasts that perish4 ,this1 their    
way1 is their folly2 yet their posterity
 approve their sayings4--,the upright   
shall not be ashamed in the evil time2  
and in the days of famine they shall be 
satisfied4 ,i have been young1 and now  
am old2 yet have ,i not seen the        
righteous forsaken1 nor his seed begging
 bread 7,psalm #di4 #e-ac2 and #cg4 #ai 
and #be7--;,god hath fed me1 says       
,scott1 all my life long4 ,i die1 but   
,god can provide for my children1 and   

children's children without me2 ,i      
cannot without ,him4 ,i have not1 since 
,i came here1 allowing for my house1    
cleared #ajj a year3 yet the ,lord hath 
provided2 and ,i live in plenty1 and can
 give something1 and1 if more money were
 good for me1 he would give it4--,what  
he farther says1 in speaking of the     
carnal anxiety of ,parents for the      
temporal welfare of their children1     
though applied by himself to the clergy 
in particular1 is equally applicable to 
the laity4 ,i often think what ,st4     
,paul would say to ministers in our     
days1 on this ground2 when of those in  
his days he says1--,all seek their own1 
not the things of ,jesus ,christ--7see  
my note on the passage47 ,i have long   
lamented that we cannot serve ,god by   
the day1 and leave it to ham to provide 
day by day for us and ours 7,scott's    
,letters--,london-#ahbd2 pages #bif-g74 
#ab ,by wealthy1 ,i mean those who have 
large incomes1 as contrasted with those 
who have a bare subsistence from their  

labours1 or those who have inheritances 
entailed upon them1 so that they cannot 
enjoy the privilege of disencumbering   
themselves4  #ac ,now many may say1     
these commands are so clear that none   
could misunderstand them1 but not so    
these under consideration2 perhaps if we
 were to analyze a little deeper our    
hearts1 we should find that the one owes
 its clearness to our freedom from any  
consequent burden on finding them clear2
 the other its indistinctness from the  
reverse1 not having yet learnt the      
glorious liberty of depending on and    
yielding all to ,christ4 ,in heaven they
 are seen to be1 ,i have no doubt1      
equally clear1 equally commands1 or     
rather privileges1 of the saints of     
,god4  #ad ,how different the spirit and
 conduct of our ,blessed ,lord6 ,did he 
fear to leave1 without temporal         
,provision1 his widowed ,mother to the  
promises and providence of ,god8 ,no2 he
 left her unprovided to an unprovided   
7,acts #c4a and #f7 disciple3 and this  

he did1 not at a time when probabilities
 were greatly in favour of a comfortable
 competence being easily procured1 but  
when he knew that difficulties and      
dangers would beset them at every step4 
,surely had laying up beforehand been   
the duty of a child1 our ,saviour would 
have exhibited this virtue among that   
constellation of virtues which shone    
forth from his character2 for he knew   
that we were to follow his example4 ,why
 then did he act thus1 whilst we        
hesitate to follow his steps8 ,because  
he knew the truth1 nature1 and extent1  
of the promises of ,god1 which we doubt 
or deny4 ,some will say--,but this was a
 provision6 ,yes1--the very provision   
which ,god will ever make for those that
 trust in ,him1--a provision at the     
moment of necessity4  #ae ,i will also  
leave in the midst of thee an afflicted 
and poor people1 and they shall trust in
 the name of the ,lord4 ,they shall feed
 and lie down1 and none shall make them 
afraid 7,zeph4 #c4 #ab and #ac74  #af   

,he which soweth sparingly shall reap   
also sparingly2 and he which soweth     
bountifully shall reap also bountifully4
 ,every man according as he purposely in
 his heart1 so let him give2 not        
grudgingly1 or of necessity3 for ,god   
loveth a cheerful giver4 ,and ,god is   
able to make all grace abound toward    
you2 that ye1 always having all         
sufficiency in all things1 may abound to
 every good work3 7as it is written1 ,he
 hath dispersed abroad2 he hath given to
 the poor2 his righteousness remaineth  
for ever4 ,now he that administereth    
seed to the sower1 both minister bread  
for your food1 and multiply your seed   
sown1 and increase the fruits of your   
righteousness37 being enriched in every 
thing to all bountifulness1 which       
causeth through us thanksgiving to ,god4
 ,for the administration of this service
 not only supplies the want of the      
saints1 but is abundant also by many    
thanksgivings unto ,god2 7whiles by the 
experiment of this ministration they    

glorify ,god for your professed         
subjection unto the ,gospel of ,christ1 
and for your liberal distribution unto  
them1 and unto all men37 and by their   
prayer for you1 which long after you for
 the exceeding grace of ,god in you     
7,,ii ,cor4 #i4 #f-ad74  #ag ,i cannot  
refrain from inviting any candid and    
careful reader to compare the rendering 
of this passage as given with the       
rendering in the ,revised ,version1 as  
an instance of the real need there was  
for a revision of the ,english version4 
,especially is this seen from verse #aj 
and onward4 ,let him notice the         
words--ministereth and administration1  
experiment1 professed2 the change from  
both--expressing a desire1 to           
shall--making a promise or assurance4   
,and if he can compare the ,greek he    
will notice the opening of verse #aj1   
where the construction of the ,greek was
 missed1 bread for food being connected 
wrongly with the words following instead
 of with the words preceding1 and your  

was inserted2 and then the last clause  
quoted 7verse #ad7 made clear and       
emphatic in the ,revised ,version4  #ah 
,it might be an examination of not less 
importance1 to ascertain why provision  
for future possible wants is almost the 
only point1 in which the ,christian and 
the man of the world stand on the same  
ground1 pursue the same ends1 and govern
 themselves by the same maxims2 and how 
it happens that this part of our duty1  
if it indeed be such1 coincides so      
exactly with our natural propensities4  
#ai ,what is here meant is--that the    
principle1 contended for1 by no means   
precludes the carrying on such pursuits 
as require a large stock4 ,but1 as he1  
who had ten talents1 used them as a     
servant1 and brought the interest to his
 ,master1 so the ,christian ,merchant   
lives and labours as a servant purchased
 by his ,lord1 and considers his gains1 
as designed for his ,master's service1  
not his private emolument4 ,if he so    
arts1 whatever his station may be1 he   

has given up all for ,christ4 ,he       
remains where he is1 not for his own    
private advantage1 but that1 as a       
faithful steward1 he may pour forth the 
rich abundance1 which ,god grants to his
 labours1 to nourish and build up the   
,church1 and enlarge the confines of his
 ,master's kingdom1 and the only        
personal advantage he has above his     
poorer brother is1 he has more anxieties
 7but for ,christ1 who sweetens them7   
every step he advances up1 and therefore
 would have no personal inducement to   
get up but the sense of duty1 that he   
may have more abundantly to give to him 
who needeth1 and the guinea dedications 
and speeches from the rich1 would pass  
out together as no longer needed2 for   
one action of real dedication would     
contain more argument than a thousand   
speeches about it1 from those who are   
laving in all the luxuries of life1 and 
yield more help than a thousand guineas1
 and there would be left for the poorer1
 and the poorest would bring in their   

blessed two mites4     ,transcribers    
notes3   ,the source for this etext is  
,chapter #e of ,lang1 ,g4 ,h4 #aici4    
,anthony ,norris ,groves1 ,saint and    
,pioneer4 ,london3 ,thynne  ,co4        
,footnotes have been renumbered4        
,footnotes enclosed in brackets are     
comments made by ,lang rather than      
,groves4 ,this expains what otherwise   
would be anachronous references to the  
,revised ,version of the ,bible which   
was published in #ahha4  ,the first     
edition of ,christian ,devotedness was  
published by ,hatchard #ahbe4