A20764:364
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. 10. Of forgiving debts.
Sect. 10. Of forgiuing debts.
The last thing to be considered is the divers kinds of alms, the which are principally 3. giving, forgiving, and free-lending; For not only do we relieve the poor when we give unto them, but also when we ease them of the burden of debt wherewith they are oppressed. To which duty we are bound, when we see our neighbour decayed in his estate, and not able to pay what he ⟨p. 160⟩hath borrowed; for when by the hand of God he is cast down, we are not with the weight of our hand to keep him down, but by the lightning of his load, we must help him to rise again: which mercy, if we ordinarily show to a brute beast, when we see him lying under his burden, how much more should we exercise it towards those who are of the same flesh, children of the same father, and members of the same body? And this is commanded Exod. 22. 26. If thou at 1all take thy neighbours raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by then the Sun goeth down. 27. For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? And it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear him, for I am gracious. The which duty good Nehemiah 2caused the princes of the people to put in practise, as we may see,