A20764:470
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. 1. That by giving alms our estate is confirmed and increased.
Sect. 1. That by giuing almes our estate is confirmed and increased.
And so I come from the first main argument expressed in the text, to the second contained in the last words: his horn shall be exalted; with ⟨p. 229⟩honour. In which words the holy Ghost promiseth to them who are liberal and diligent in doing the works of mercy, a most prosperous and flourishing estate in this world and in the world to come. For first by exalting of their horn is signified the confirmation, strengthening and increasing of their prosperous estate, the metaphor being borrowed from those beasts whose chief strength, both for offence and defence, is principally 1in their horns. And thus it is said Psal. 18. 2. The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. By all which borrowed speeches the same thing is signified, namely that the Lord was his chief strength by whom he had safety and defence maugre the malice of all his enemies. So Psal. 75. 10. All the horns of the wicked will I cut 2off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted. By which is meant that he would disable and destroy the one, and advance and confirm the prosperity of the other. And thus the Apostle expoundeth these words; for persuading the Corinthians to be bountiful in doing these works of mercy, he taketh away a secret objection which might hinder them in their liberality, namely that hereby they should impoverish their estates, and bring themselves to want: assuring them that there was no cause to fear this, for God (saith he) is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye always having all sufficiency in