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…

And so much for the quantity. The third thing propounded in the matter of our alms is the quality of them; in which respect it is required, that we give to the poor things wholesome, cleanly, convenient and comfortable for the sustentation of their lives; avoiding therein two extremes, first of those who give unto them such base and sluttish food as they would scarce offer unto their dogs. And to this end we must remember, that we do not relieve contemptible creatures, of another kind inferior to our selves, but those that are of the same flesh, children of the same father, yea members of the same body and partakers in hope of the same precious promises. And which is more that in them we lend unto the Lord, who justly scorneth our base refuse; yea relieve Jesus Christ himself; and will we give unto him swill and swines meat, who hath given himself unto us, and vouchsafeth to nourish our souls and bodies with his most precious body and blood? The other extreme is to give unto the poor superfluous, dainties; for it is required that they be fed with necessary food, & not pampered wantonly with superfluities; & our Saviour when he miraculously fed the poor and hungry people that followed him, by his sole ⟨p. 93⟩word, did not provide for them delicates (though he might as easily have done it as the other) but multiplied their barley loaves and fishes. Neither in truth can men thus feed some in excess, but in the mean time others must want necessaries, nor do the poor regard dainties (unless it be in their sickness and weakness) but only desire necessaries, seeing hunger doth make all food savoury, and every meal a delightful banquet. So Augustine saith, utantur divites superfluis, dent pauperibus necessaria, Let the rich enjoy their superfluities, and let them relieve the poor with