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…

Sect 8. No bounty in worldlings to charitable uses.

Sect 8. No bountie in worldlings to charitable vses.

And thus it appeareth that the beneficence of the godly man is bountiful. The contrary we may observe in wicked worldlings: for either they are misers and not liberal at all, or quite contrary in their bounty to the blessed man. For where God commandeth them to spend, namely in beneficence and works of mercy, there they spare, and their hands like Jeroboam's are so dried and shrunk up in the sinews, that they cannot stretch them out to do good. Or if they do, it is to give some penny alms out of many thousands, upon some qualm of present pity, or to keep their conscience sleeping, that they may not accuse and torment them for their unmercifulness. But where God biddeth spare, there they spend like prodigals, as on dogs and harlots, in feasting and banqueting, in building and bravery, in gaming and revelling, and all other excess and riot. And whereas the godly man spareth from his superfluities, yea sometimes necessaries, that he may have the more to spend in bounty and beneficence; he only spareth in the works of mercy, that he may have the more to spend upon his sinful vanities. But as the niggard that soweth not, shall not reap, so the prodigal worldling that soweth only to the flesh, shall of the ⟨p. 15⟩flesh reap corruption, as it is, Gal. 6. 8.¹

And thus it appeareth that the beneficence of the godly man is bountifull. The contrary wee may obserue in wicked worldlings: for either they are misers and not liberall at all, or quite contrarie in their bountie to the blessed man. For where God commandeth them to spend, namely in beneficence and workes of mercie, there they spare, and their hands like Ieroboams are so dried and shrunke vp in the sinnewes, that they cannot stretch them out to doe good. Or if they doe, it is to giue some pennie almes out of many thousands, vpon some qualme of present pitie, or to keep their consciēce sleeping, that they may not accuse and torment them for their vnmercifulnesse. But where God biddeth spare, there they spend like prodigals, as on dogges and harlots, in feasting and banquetting, in building and brauerie, in gaming and reuelling, and all other excesse and riot. And whereas the godly man spareth from his superfluities, yea sometimes necessaries, that he may haue the more to spend in bountie and beneficence; he onely spareth in the workes of mercie, that he may haue the more to spend vpon his sinfull vanities. But as the niggard that soweth not, shall not reape, so the prodigall worldling that soweth onely to the flesh, shall of the