A20764:334
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 6. No certainty of doing good by legacies.
Sect 6. No certaintie of doing good by legacies.
Fourthly, It is much better that we do our selves the works of mercy in our life time, than to leave them to be done by others after our deaths (not only because the seed-time being much more seasonable, we may assuredly expect a much more fruitful harvest, but also) because if we do not take the time present, and relieve our poor brethren whilst it is in the power of our 1hands to do it, we can have no certainty that they will ever be done by us at all. For either we may be stripped of all our goods before our death, and so have nothing to bequeath to these uses, or death may take us suddenly away, and give us no time to dispose of our goods; or our sickness may be of such a nature, that it will deprive us of the use of our memory and understanding; or else if all things be left in good order by our Will, yet may this our last Testament be concealed and 2suppressed, or defeated & made void upon some nice point in law, or unjust testimony of some false witnesses, or not be performed according to our purpose and project, through the dishonesty and corruption of our executors. For the avoiding of all which dangers, let us take the Wise-mans counsel, Pro. 3. 27. With-hold not good 3