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…

Next unto the wife, and even before our children, parents are to be relieved in their necessity; for though in the order of charity a man loveth his own children better then father or mother, in which regard we usually say, that love descendeth rather then ascendeth; and though, as some add, the child is nearer unto a man then his parents, because he is of his own substance (howsoever herein for my part I see no difference, unless it be on the parents side, for why am I not bound in nearer bonds of nature unto them from whom I had my substance and being, then unto those who have from me their substance and being?) yet seeing almsdeeds and relief in their nature are benefits and retribution, which do chiefly respect debt and duty, and seeing we owe more debt and duty unto parents, in respect ⟨p. 132⟩of our being, birth and breeding then unto our children, therefore in cases of extremity we are to prefer in ministering relief, our father or mother before them, when we are so straitened in our means that we have not sufficient to give unto both. And this is a part of that honour which children owe unto parents, the which our saviour so highly esteemeth that he far preferreth the relieving of our Parents before freewill offerings and oblations which we give and dedicate to Gods service. And therefore condemneth the Scribes and Pharisees who excused children for neglecting this duty in relieving their old, impotent and decayed parents, under colour of bringing these gifts into the treasury, which should have been bestowed on their maintenance.