A20764:429
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. That by giving our riches to the poor, we long enjoy them.
Sect 6. That by giuing our riches to the poore, wee long enioy them.
Finally, if we wisely love our wealth, let it be our chief care, that we may long enjoy it: the which we cannot do by keeping it on the earth, for though we keep it under lock and key, bolt and bar, continual watch and ward, it may be lost whilst we live; but if not so, yet when death cometh (and for ought we know it may come to day before to morrow) it will spoil us of all, and turn us naked out of the world, as we came naked into it. But the only means to have the fruit and benefit of our riches for ever, is to send them before us into our heavenly country, where we shall have our everlasting habitation, and the best means of transporting them thither, is to deliver them unto the poor, who like trusty porters will carry them for us, for if we carry them our selves, they will, like heavy burdens, hinder our journey, and like the camels bunch, keep us from entering into the straight gate; whereas if the poor whom God hath appointed for this service carry them for us, we shall avoid the trouble, and escape this danger. The which should be a forcible argument to move us with a bountiful hand to give unto the poor, seeing whatsoever is so given is sent before us, and whatsoever is hoarded up in our chests is lost and left behind us. And what folly is this, there to leave thy wealth whence thou art departing, and not to send it before thee whether thou art going? to leave and loose thy riches in thy Inn and the ⟨p. 208⟩place of thy pilgrimage, and not to transport it into thine own Country and mansion-house where thou art ever to reside? And therefore seeing the only way to keep our goods for ever, is to part with them for a time, and the means to preserve them for everlasting use, is to disperse & scatter them amongst the poor members of Jesus Christ; and contrariwise the keeping them too carefully on earth, is the direct way to loose them in heaven; let us give that which we can no otherwise keep, that we may receive that which we can never loose, and if we think that heaven is our home let us send our wealth thither before us, that we may the more cheerfully travel after it. For he who is eternally to dwell in those heavenly mansions, doth in this life send his heart thither to take possession: which that we may do let us lay up our treasures there, that so our hearts may be there also.