4. Almsdeeds, charitable erections of Colleges, Hospitals, Free-Schools, and other inferior bountiful contributions; when God enables by good means; the necessities of his Poor cry for relief, and the sanctified heart with affectionate sincerity, aims at Gods glory; are sweet smelling sacrifices with which God is well pleased, Philip. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. But if his slavish gifts, and good deeds, largesses, and liberalities in this kind, be impoysoned with former fraud, oppression, and wrong; though it be well that the Church of God sometimes, the backs and bellies of the poor be better thereby; yet to the impenitent and not restoring usurer himself, or any other wicked dealer, in respect of acceptation with God, and true comfort to his own heart, they are no better then the cutting off of a Dogs neck, or the sacrifice of a fool. Ill gotten goods are for restitution, not for distribution. Lest any covetous caviller think the point too harsh & precise, hear what the ancient Fathers say to this purpose: dBernard: God receiveth not any alms at the hands of an oppressor or usurer. eHierome: Significantly saith the Prophet; His own bread, lest men should turn bread gotten by oppression and Usury, into a work of Mercy. fAustin: When God shall begin to judge, those that live now by fraud, and give alms of the spoils of the oppressed, will say; Lord, we have kept thy Commandments, and in thy name we have done works of mercy; we have fed the Hungry, we have clothed the Naked, and entertained Strangers. To whom God will reply, You tell me what you have given; but you tell me not what you have taken away. You recount whom you have fed; but why remember you not whom you have undone? They rejoice whom you have clothed; but they lament whom you have spoiled, &c. A man is filled with bread, whom thou feedest with ⟨p. 215⟩spoil: but the Lord will bless, not thee, but him whom thou hast undone, &c. Chrysostom; aBut what is the excuse of many? I have indeed been an Usurer, say they, but I have also been good to the poor. A sweet piece of matter, sure! But God accepts not such sacrifices. It were far better to give nothing to the poor at all, then give in that manner. That wealth which is won by thy just labours, is many times quite marred with such wicked mixtures, &c.
4. Almesdeeds, charitable erections of Colledges, Hospitalls, Free-Schooles, and other inferiour bountifull contributions; when God inables by good meanes; the necessities of his Poore cry for reliefe, and the sanctified heart with affectionate sincerity, aimes at Gods glory; are sweetesmelling sacrifices with which God is well pleased, Philip. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. But if his slauish gifts, and good deedes, largesses, and liberalities in this kinde, be impoysoned with former fraud, oppression, and wrong; though it bee well that the Church of God sometimes, the backes and bellies of the poore bee better thereby; yet to the impenitent and not restoring vsurer himselfe, or any other wicked dealer, in respect of acceptation with God, and true comfort to his owne heart, they are no better then the cutting off of a Dogges necke, or the sacrifice of a foole. Ill gotten goods are for restitution, not for distribution. Lest any couetous cauiller thinke the point too harsh & precise, heare what the ancient Fathers say to this purpose: dBernard: God receiueth not any almes at the hands of an oppressor or vsurer. eHierome: Significantly saith the Prophet; His owne bread, lest men should turne bread gotten by oppression and Vsury, into a worke of Mercy. fAustin: When God shall begin to iudge, those that liue now by fraud, and giue almes of the spoyles of the oppressed, will say; Lord, we haue kept thy Commandements, and in thy name wee haue done workes of mercy; we haue fed the Hungry, we haue clothed the Naked, and entertained Strangers. To whom God will reply, You tell me what you haue giuen; but you tell me not what you haue taken away. You recount whom you haue fed; but why remember you not whom you haue vndone? They reioyce whom you haue clothed; but they lament whom you haue spoyled, &c. A man is filled with bread, whom thou feedest with ⟨p. 215⟩spoyle: but the Lord will blesse, not thee, but him whom thou hast vndone, &c. Chrysostome; aBut what is the excuse of many? I haue indeed been an Vsurer, say they, but I haue also been good to the poore. A sweete piece of matter, sure! But God accepts not such sacrifices. It were farre better to giue nothing to the poore at all, then giue in that manner. That wealth which is wonne by thy iust labours, is many times quite mard with such wicked mixtures, &c.
- dNon recipit Eleemosynas de manu raptoris, aut foeneratoris, In Cant. Serm. 71.
- eSignificantèr dicitur, suum; ne rapinis & usuris, & alieno malo quaesitum panem vertamus in misericordiam. In ca. 18. Ezech. pag. 536.Significantèr dicitur, suum; ne rapinis & vsuris, & alieno malo quaesitum panem vertamus in misericordiam. In ca. 18. Ezech. pag. 536.
- fCùm judicare coeperit Deus; dicturi sunt hi, qui de fraudibus vivunt, & de spolijs miserorum eleemosynam faciunt; Domine praecepta tua seruavimus, & in nomine tuo misericordias fecimus, pauperes pavimus, nudos operüimus Quibus dicturus est Deus, Quod dedistis, dicitis; quos pavistis, memoramini, quare non recordamini quos necâstis? Quos operüistis, gaudent, quos expoliastis, plangunt, &c. Tom. 10. Hom. 47. De remedijs peccatorum, pag. 699. Unus repletur panibus, quem de rapinis satiâsti: & benedicet Dominus non te, sed eum, quem necâsti, Ibid.Cùm iudicare coeperit Deus; dicturi sunt hi, qui de fraudibus viuunt, & de spolijs miserorum eleemosynam faciunt; Domine praecepta tua seruauimus, & in nomine tuo misericordias fecimus, pauperes pauimus, nudos operüimus Quibus dicturus est Deus, Quod dedistis, dicitis; quos pauistis, memoramini, quare non recordamini quos necâstis? Quos operüistis, gaudent, quos expoliastis, plangunt, &c. Tom. 10. Hom. 47. De remedijs peccatorum, pag. 699. Vnus repletur panibus, quem de rapinis satiâsti: & benedicet Dominus non te, sed eum, quem necâsti, Ibid.
- aSed quaenam est multorum excusatio? Foeneratus sum, aiunt; sed pauperi obtuli. Bona verba quaeso: talia Deus sacrificia non accepit. Quod enim justis laboribus collectum argentum est, propter hos iniquos foetus plerumque contaminas, &c. Hom. 57. in Mat.Sed quaenam est multorum excusatio? Foeneratus sum, aiunt; sed pauperi obtuli. Bona verba quaeso: talia Deus sacrificia non accepit. Quod enim iustis laboribus collectum argentum est, propter hos iniquos foetus plerumque contaminas, &c. Hom. 57. in Mat.
