Expensive Economy

“The inhabitants of Constantinople would afford no money to the Emperor Constantimis Palczlogus, when he begged from door to door for a supply for his soldiers j but what was the issue? The barbarous e7iei7iy wo7i the city and got all. The like story there is of Musteatze?n, the covetous caliph of Babylon, who was such an idolater of his wealth ajid treasures, that he would not spend a7iything for the necessary defe7ice of his city, whereup07t it was taken, and the caliph fa77tished to death, and his fnmcth by Haalon, the Tartarian co?igtieror, was filled with melted goldP Such economy is evidently most extravagant. May not the like be said of those who give grudgingly to the cause of God, and of those who ruin their souls in order to increase their pelf? They refuse to be losers for Christ, and so lose their souls. Religion might cost them a loss in business, by leading them to close the shop on the Sabbath, or to act with strict uprightness: this they cannot afford, and so they throw away their souls in order to keep their coppers. Verily, the race of fools has not yet died out. Thousands still think it profitable to gain the world and lose their own souls.

O Lord, teach me true wisdom! Make me willing to lose wealth, and health, and home, yea, and my life also, in order that I may follow Jesus and possess his salvation.