A20764:151
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.
The sight of the poor's miseries is a notable means to move compassion.
The sight of the poores miseries is a notable means to moue compassion.
Fourthly, it would be a notable means to make us more compassionate, when as we should see their small provision, hungry fare, thin clothes, and hard lodging: the children crying for hunger, and the parents out crying them because they have no food to give them; some lying in straw for want of beds, others drinking water in stead of drink, and a third sort near starved ⟨p. 57⟩with hunger for want of bread, or escaping that, quaking and shivering with cold for lack of fire. Which miseries of the poor if they move a christian hart to hear of them, how much more would it stir them up to compassion if they saw them, for things seen more feelingly affect us, then those which we conceive by report of others. And this is one cause why the wise man saith, that it is better to 1go into the house of mourning, then into the house of feasting, because it will work upon our affections, and make us lay the afflictions of others to heart, partaking with them in their sorrows by a sympathy and fellow feeling: and this compassion working upon our hearts, will not let our hands be idle, but will enlarge their bounty and make them more readily and liberally to contribute towards the relief of the poor's necessities.
Fourthly, it would be a notable means to make vs more compassionate, when as we should see their small prouision, hungrie fare, thinne cloathes, and hard lodging: the children crying for hunger, and the parents out crying them because they haue no foode to giue them; some lying in straw for want of beddes, others drinking water in stead of drinke, and a third sort neere starued