A20764:61
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 12. Cheerfulness in the action. First, when a man giveth speedily.
Sect 12. Cheerefulnesse in the action. First, when a man giueth speedily.
Thirdly, it appeareth in the action, when a man doth good speedily and readily. For as one saith, 1Beneficentia est virtus quae moram not patitur. Beneficence is a virtue which disliketh all delays; and as Seneca telleth us, Omnis benignitas properat, all goodness is quick of hand and swift of foot, and hateth as well the paraliticall shaking and staggering of those, who doubt whether to give or no, as the gouty lameness of such as after they are resolved to give, make but slow hast. For these delays show unwillingness. Et qui moratur, neganti proximus est, he that delayeth a benefit is the next door to him that denieth: even as on the other side, a quick hand is an evident sign of a free heart, for proprium est libenter facientis, cito facere, 2it is the property of him that giveth willingly, to give it speedily. And as this graceth the gift in respect of the giver, so it doubleth the benefit to him that receiveth it. Nam bis dat qui cito ⟨p. 18⟩dat, he giveth twice that giveth quickly, and the swifter that a benefit cometh the sweeter it tasteth. 3There must then be no stay in these actions of beneficence, but only that which is caused through the receivers shamefastness, for a benefit looseth his grace, when it sticketh to his fingers who is about to bestow it, as though it were not given but plucked from him. And so the receiver praiseth not his benefactors bounty, but his own importunity, because he doth not seem to have given, but to have held too weakly against his violence.