A20764:168
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. 8. Of the subject matter of alms: where is showed that we ought to give unto the poor only that which is our own; and what it should be both in respect of quantity and quality.
CHAP. 8. Of the subiect matter of almes: where is shewed that we ought to giue vnto the poore onely that which is our owne; and what it should bee both in respect of quantitie and qualitie.
Sect. 1. That we must give that only which is our own.
Sect. 1. That we must giue that onely which is our owne.
And so I come from the causes moving us to give our alms, to speak of the work it self, where we will consider the subject matter about which it is exercised, the persons to whom it belongeth, the right manner how they are to be bestowed, the time when we are bound to do them, the properties of Christian alms, wherein they differ from the alms of hypocrites and worldlings, and lastly, the divers sorts and kinds of them. In respect of the first, we must give only that which is our own, by just and lawful means derived unto us: as by inheritance, free gift or honest getting, by our own painful labours and endeavours. For alms-deeds are liberal gifts, whereby we alienate the property of the thing given from our selves, and not from other men, to the relief of those who stand in need. And to be liberal of that which is not our own, but of right belongeth unto others, is to take goods from the right owners, to whom God hath given them, and to bestow them on others at our own pleasure, wch is (as we say in the proverb) to cut a large shive out of another mans loaf, to rob Peter, that we may pay Paul, and in