The plea of the poor. Or A treatise of beneficence and alms-deeds teaching how…The plea of the poore. Or A treatise of benificence and almes-deeds teaching how…

Sect. 5. That we must avoid negligence in giving

Sect. 5. That we must auoide negligence in giuing

By all which it plainly appeareth, that it is not enough, that we be liberal and open handed; but it is further required that we make choice of such as God in his word hath commended unto us; relieving those poor who have his gracious passport to show, and esteeming them as vagrants that come without it. In which our choice two extremes are to be avoided. The one is negligence and carelessness, whereby men give they care not to whom; showing therein their prodigality and contempt of their money, rather then their charity towards the poor, or their love unto God. But this we must carefully avoid, ¹and no less study the husbanding of the poor's stock (that those being passed by, who have no need, there may be sufficient for them who are truly poor, as the Apostle speaketh. 1. Tim. ²5. 16.) then the well managing of our own estate; ⟨p. 41⟩for (as one saith) pars sacrilegij est, res pauperum dare non pauperibus, it is a kind of sacrilege, to give the poor's portion, to those who are not poor. And even the heathen man could tell us, that a wise and virtuous man will not give, but ³when he is moved by a right and probable reason, because a gift ill given is to be reckoned among our least honest losses. And therefore he will have his bosom easy, but not open; out of which many things go out by direction of wisdom, but nothing falleth to the ground at unawares. For what husbandman is so free in sowing his seed, who casteth it indifferently into all grounds, fallow and manured; yea upon the high way and hard rocks, where it is sure to be lost and come to nought? and why then should we show less care, about this seed which is more precious, and consequently the loss greater, & the inconsiderate loosing more faulty