A20764:33
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. 9. Niggards are rightly called misers.
From whence we may gather a special and forcible argument to make us loath gripple covetousness, and to love liberality towards the poor and openhandedness. For even in the confluence of worldly wealth, niggards and sordidous men deserve the name of wretched misers, seeing none in truth are more desperately miserable: for they are not the masters, but the slaves of their goods which they possess, and have no power to enjoy them for their own comfort: Et quid est miserius misero non miserante se ipsum? What is more miserable then a miser that pitieth 1not himself? neither do they use them for the benefit of others. Nam qui sibi nequam, cui bonus? how can he be good to another, that is so evil to himself? yea as they are hurtful unto others 2in defrauding them of their right, or in spoiling them of that which they have, by wrong and oppression; so they are most pernicious to themselves; for they hoard up their riches to be a witness against them at the latter day, when as the rust of their silver and gold shall eat their flesh like fire; as it is Jam. 5. 3. They deprive themselves of ⟨p. 9⟩3their present benefits, and are deprived by God of their future blessedness; they are in this life accursed of the poor, and in the life to come accursed of God. So also this may be an effectual