The poor mans tears opened in a sermon / preached by Henry SmithThe poore mans teares opened in a sermon / preached by Henrie Smith

The answer to this ordinary objection or excuse of worldlings; I say in the defence & behalf of the pore. There are a number that will deny a poor body of a penny, and plead poverty to them, though they seem to stand in never so great extremes, when in a far worrier sort they will not stick immediately to spend ten or twenty shillings. The rich worldling makes no conscience to have ten or twenty dishes of meat at his table, when in troth, the one half might sufficiently satisfy nature: the rest run to the relief of the pore, and yet in the end he might depart better refreshed with one dish, than commonly he is with twenty. Some will not stick to have twenty coats, twenty houses, twenty farms, yea twenty Lordships, and yet go by a poor person, whom they see in great distress and never relieve them with ⟨p. 20⟩one penny, but say God help you, I have not for you. There is Lawyers vvill not stick to undo twenty pore men, and Merchants that make it no conscience to eat out twenty other that have the hundreds out at usury, their chests crammed full of crowns, & their coffers full of golden Gods, or glistering Angels, that will go by twenty poor, miserable, hungry, impotent, and distressed persons, and yet not bestow one penny on them: And though they do most shamefully ask it: yet can they most shamelessly deny it, and refuse to perform it.

The answere to this ordinarie obiection or excuse of worldlings; I say in the defence & behalfe of the pore. There are a number that will denie a poore bodie of a pennie, and pleade pouertie to them, though they seeme to stand in neuer so great extreames, when in a far worier sort they wil not stick imediatlie to spend ten or twentie shillinges. The riche worldling makes no conscience to haue ten or twentie dishes of meate at his table, when in troth, the one halfe might sufficientlie satisfie nature: the rest run to the reliefe of the pore, and yet in the end he might depart better refreshed with one dish, thē commonly he is vvith twentie. Some will not sticke to haue tvventy coats, tvventie houses, tvventie farmes, yea tvventy Lordshippes, and yet goe by a poore person, vvhome they see in great distresse and neuer releeue them vvith ⟨p. 20⟩one penny, but say God helpe you, I haue not for you. There is Lawyers vvill not sticke to vndo tvventy pore men, and Marchants that make it no conscience to eat out tvventie other that haue the hundreths out at vsery, their chests cramd full of crownes, & their cofers full of golden Gods, or glistring Angels, that wil go by twentie poore, miserable, hungrie, impotent, and distressed persons, and yet not bestow one peny on them: And though they doe most shamefullie aske it: yet can they most shamelesly denie it, and refuse to performe it.