A20764:272
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.
Sect. 20. 4. Reason. That the wife should be in a worse condition than a servant if she might not give alms.
Sect. 20. 4. Reason. That the wife should be in a worse condition than a seruant if shee might not giue almes.
Fourthly, if a wife had no liberty to do these alms-deeds and works of mercy without special commission from her husband, then were she in as bad an estate as the basest servant, seeing they also may give alms and do these works when they have leave from their masters. Yea in truth the wives servitude should be far worse than of the meanest servant; for it is the most grievous bondage, to be bound from doing good, and restrained from expressing our good will by our works and actions; now the poorest servants may according to their small estate, give alms and do good, out of that which is their own and earned by their painful labours; and so though they give little, yet giving according to their ability, they may (like the poor widow that cast in her mites) be rich in good works, and richly rewarded in the life to come; whereas the wife though she have never so much under her hand, yet may give nothing of it, nor have any liberty without licence, to express the bounty of her heart in the outward action; or if she do ⟨p. 121⟩(according to their conceit) she doth not therein a work of mercy, but sinneth, stealeth, and thereby maketh her-self liable to Gods wrath and punishment. Neither will it help them to say that her estate is better, because having more interest in her husbands love she may obtain his consent, and so give more liberally then a servant, seeing this doth not make her bondage less in it own nature, but only lighter through her husbands love, neither is her chain taken from her, but whereas before she was (as is were) bound with it to a post, now she walketh about with it in her husbands hand.