Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Puritan Wisdom

On I Peter 5:2 --

"People must also learn to do their duty, not by constraint but willingly; Thus must they reverence their Ministers, hear them, obey their Ministery, allow them maintenance; but how grudgingly do most pay their Tythes, which is for want of finding good by the Word; They should take part of the Ministers Spiritual things, as they may out themselves into his debt, and see cause to allow him means: O suffer not any of the tenth part to cleave to your fingers, neither seek to enrich yourselves hereby, but by the remaining nine parts: whoso think to enrich themselves by working on the Lords day, or keeping back their Tythes, deceive themselves, they shall not prosper: Be the Minister good or bad, give him willingly all the Law gives him; If he does not his duty, he shall answer for it: Be not you Trespassers also, stoppage is no payment; but if he be a sufficient and painful Minister, your custom will not privilege you from paying him his due by Gods appointment, you must give him his due to the utmost, and he is worthy of it: But O woful covetousness and corruption of men in this behalf! They think any thing enough for a Minister, though it be but from hand to mouth, whereas they look to encrease themselves, and think their Trade bad, and themselves ill Husbands, if they leave not store to their Posterity."

-- John Rogers, 626-627.

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