A20764:117
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…
The plea of the poor. Or A treatise of beneficence and alms-deeds teaching how these Christian duties are rightly to be performed, and persuading to the frequent doing of them. Necessary for these times, wherein the works of mercy are so much neglected, or so undiscreetly practiced. Published by John Downame Bachelor in Divinity.The plea of the poore. Or A treatise of benificence and almes-deeds teaching how these Christian duties are rightly to be performed, and perswading to the frequent doing of them. Necessary for these times, wherein the workes of mercy are so much neglected, or so vndiscreetly practized. Published by Iohn Downame Bachelour in Diuinitie.
London: printed by Edward Griffin for Ralph Mabbe, 1616
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
CHAP. 5. What almsdeeds are, and of the true causes from which they arise.
CHAP. 5. What almesdeedes are, and of the true causes from which they arise.
Sect. 1. That men are grown cold in these works of mercy.
Sect. 1. That men are growne cold in these works of mercie.
WE have entreated according to our order propounded, of the action and object of almsdeeds severally; & now it followeth that we join them together, he hath given to the poor. In which words he showeth, that it is a virtue or property of a godly and righteous man to be liberal in almsdeeds, and in those special works of mercy and beneficence whereby the poor and needy are comforted and relieved. The which duty in this frozen age of the world is much neglected, by reason that self love and covetousness do so abound, and men are grown so cold and careless in the performance of these ⟨p. 46⟩charitable actions, that their hearts seem frozen, unto such an icy, if not flinty hardness, that the deep sighs and scalding tears of the distressed poor cannot thaw or supple them; and their hands stiff and benumbed, being forsaken of the kindly heat of charity and devotion, that they cannot stretch them out to perform these Christian duties: yea this utter neglect or slack performance of the works of mercy, is to be observed (and even with tears of blood to be lamented) not only among carnal worldlings, who in respect of other things have no show or semblance of any goodness in them, but even among professors of religion (by reason that covetousness, pride and self-love do so reign and rule in the hearts of the most) that rhis Christian duty which is so often commended unto us in the Scriptures, and magnified so much in the writings of antiquity, is grown almost so out of use, that now if ever it needeth urging.