Liberality is a cheerful communicating of our goods,1 by giving or lending as the case requireth: Communicate cto the necessities of the Saints. If dthy brother be impoverished and fallen in decay with thee, thou shalt relieve him. The erighteous man is merciful and giveth. Lend, flooking for nothing thereof again: that is to say, though it be with loss of the principal: wherefore these works of beneficence are in the Scriptures called gJustice: for then doth God in thy brothers necessity make him in right the owner of thy goodst, and thee only the Steward and Distributer. So saith SOLOMON, Hold hnot back goods from the owners thereof: meaning those that have need of it. When it is in the power of thine hands to do them good, say not unto thy Neighbour, Go, and come again tomorrow, I will give thee, if thou now have it. For this cause the iApostle telleth the Romans, that albeit the Macedonians Alms, which they bestowed upon the poor Saints at Jerusalem, were voluntary and free, yet it was such, as by the Law of brotherly love they did owe, and were debtors of unto them. And to this duty of liberality we are the rather to be encouraged, by that which our Saviour is reported to have khad as ⟨p. 212⟩a common saying in his mouth, It is a more blessed thing to give, then to receive.
Liberalitie is a cheerful communicating of our goods,1 by giuing or lending as the case requireth: Communicate cto the necessities of the Saints. If dthy brother bee impouerished and fallen in decay with thee, thou shalt releeue him. The erighteous man is mercifull and giueth. Lend, flooking for nothing thereof againe: that is to say, though it be with losse of the principal: wherfore these works of beneficence are in the Scriptures called gIustice: for then doth God in thy brothers necessitie make him in right the owner of thy goodst, and thee onely the Steward and Distributer. So saih SALOMON, Hold hnot backe goods from the owners thereof: meaning those that haue need of it. When it is in the power of thine hands to doe them good, say not vnto thy Neighbour, Goe, and come againe tomorrow, I will giue thee, if thou now haue it. For this cause the iApostle telleth the Romanes, that albeit the Macedonians Almes, which they bestowed vpon the poore Saints at Ierusalem, were voluntary and free, yet it was such, as by the Law of brotherly loue they did owe, and were debtors of vnto them. And to this dutie of liberalitie we are the rather to bee incouraged, by that which our Sauiour is reported to haue khad as ⟨p. 212⟩a common saying in his mouth, It is a more blessed thing to giue, then to receiue.
- 1and liberally, by a cheerful communicating of them all both in giving and lending.and liberally, by a cheereful communicating of them all both in giuing and lending.
- cRom. 12▪ 13.
- dLevit. 25. 35.Leuit. 25. 35.
- ePsal. 37. 19.
- fLuk. 6. 34, 35.
- gPro. 11. 18. 2. Cor. 8. 9.
- hPro. 3. 27, 28
- iRom. 15. 27.
- kActs 20. 3• ▪
