A20764:328
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. 5. Giving in our life time is much more commendable and acceptable.
Sect. 5. Giuing in our life time is much more commendable and acceptable.
Which fault that we may avoid, let us consider that it is much better and more commendable, to give liberally to these good uses in our life time, making our own hands our executors, and our eyes our over-seers, than to leave our goods to these uses to be disposed of at the discretion of others. According to that Eccli: 18. 22. 1Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy vow in due time, and defer not until death to be justified. When thou hast enough remember the time of hunger, and when thou art rich think upon poverty and need. Secondly, it is much more acceptable to God, as being a more infallible sign of a stronger faith and more firm affiance in him. For if in our life time we give our goods to the poor because God requireth it, we thereby evidently declare that we rest upon Gods providence and promises for our provision, seeing we dis-furnish our selves of a good part of our means, even whilst we have occasion to use them. Whereas if we keep all to our selves till the hour of death, we may be well suspected of diffidence and want of faith, which is the cause why we do not trust so much in God, as in our own provision and store which we have about us. So also it is an evidence of greater love and obedience, if at Gods commandment, and for his sake we can willingly part with our goods, when they are still in our power, and might be converted to our own use; than if we bestow them to such uses, when as death approaching we can keep them no longer. For it is a small matter ⟨p. 145⟩to give unto God that, which though we would never so fain we cannot carry with us, and it is next to neglecting, to do so late. For what great thing is it, if we be persuaded to put off our clothes, when as we are ready to go to bed, to give away the relics of our meat in the Inn, when we are ready to take horse, and to set forward our journey into another country? Yea what thanks is it, if we then give away our apparel, when we have so long worn it, that it will hang on our backs no longer, and then part with our meat, when whether we will or no, it shall be taken from us; especially when it is done in this hope, that our rotten rags shall be changed into robes of immortality, and our perishing meat shall be supplied with the bread of life? To which purpose an ancient Father saith;