The Ready Way to Good Works, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Such as live in a meane eſtate are to give to the Poore.
THE third ranke of men are ſuch as live in a mediocritie, neither eminently rich, nor miſerably poore, having a ſufficiencie whereby to ſubſiſt, and to ſupport themſelves in regard of neceſſitie of life, but ſometimes in reſpect of the neceſſitie and exigence of their ſtate, ſtand in neede of ſome forraigne aide and borrowed aſſiſtance and ſupportation from the forenamed more able and wealthie perſons, who to keep themſelves out of the clawes and paper-ginnes of the uſurious and Eagle-fiſted Worldlings, are bound out of Charitie to lend them ſomewhat to uphold them in their honeſt courſes and calling. To this ranke may be reduced all thoſe who have ſome ſmall Tenement, Cottage and a little Stocke, or an honeſt Trade to live by: Theſe aſwell as the former are to be ready and willing to helpe and aſſiſt thoſe that are poorer than themſelves, their neighbours of an inferiour and more dejected condition, whether they be poore in neceſſitie, or poore in extremitie.
For firſt, they have according to that ſpeech of the Apoſtle, *foreign.mundanum victum, 1 Joh. 3. 17. the worlds good though not (as the two former ſorts) the riches and goods of the world, and therefore Saint John moſt evidently declareth that theſe ought to put on bowels of compaſſion, and to give Alm's correſpondent to their qualitie and condition. Secondly, our gratious Lord and Maſter impoſeth a ſtrict charge upon men to give: He ſaith not diſtribut ſomewhat to the poor, out of the treaſures in your cloſſets, or the ſuperfluitie of your rents, and revenues, but aLuk. 11. 41.rather give almes of ſuch things as you have, that is according to your power and abilities: And to prevent the ſhifts and covetous pollicies of carnall wretches, leaſt, when they have turned all their gold and ſilver into houſes, horſes, lands and livings, they might pretend that for the preſent they are not provided with mony to doe this or that good worke, our Saviour Chriſt tells them, that they muſt *Luk. 12. 33.ſell their poſſeſſions, that ſo they might have whereof to communicate unto others upon ſome urgent and extraordinarie occaſions. 3. Of this rancke were thoſe men which are recorded by Saint Luke for their eternall memory, who voluntarily ſold their bAct. 2. 45 & 4. 34.lands and poſſeſſions, and brought the prices thereof, and laid them at the Apoſtles feete, to diſpoſe thereof, and to make diſtribution, according as every mans need did require, and ſome ſuch were many of the Corinthians, as appeareth by the words of the Apoſtle, who willed them to give of that which they had, c2 Cor. 8. 11, 12.for if there be firſt a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not: and further he tells them that heverſ. 13. intends not to have them over much burthened, and others eaſed, which ſpeeches plainly demonſtrate, that they were no wealthie great ones, not above the ſpheare of mediocritie, but rather of the meaner ſort of perſons, and yet theſe the Apoſtle exhorteth or rather d1 Cor. 16. 2.commandeth to be liberall, and to ſeperate ſomething for the poore and pious uſes. Fourthly, Let theſe conſider how ready they are of their owne accord, or at the requeſts of others, freely to ſpare and ſpend many an idle pennie to ſatisfie their owne pleaſures, or to acquire the credit and reputation of a good fellow. Oh why ſhould not Gods ſacred Command prevaile ſo much with them, as to make them propenſe and forward for a good conſcience ſake, and for Gods ſake to ſpare ſome pittance for the releiving and ſuſtaining of thoſe whoſe miſeries are manifeſt, and the apparent Objects of every ones compaſſion. This would bee no ſpending but a eProv. 19. 17.lending, no laying out but a fLuk, 12. 33.laying up, a treaſuring up of incorruptible bagges of wealth in the Heavens, far above the reach and violation of time, moths, or theeves. Laſtly, the good Samaritane, of that wine and oyle and money and other neceſſaries, which he had provided for himſelfe (though travellers have as much reaſon to keepe their money as any) imparted a portion to the wounded man, who was ſo mangled by the theeves, for his comfort and ſuſtentation. Now our Saviours inference and concluſion from this parable is this, fLuke 10. 37. Object.Goe thou and doe likewiſe.
This ſort of meane men will peradventure pleade for themſelves, and ſay, that the Law provideth for the neceſſitie and extremitie of the poore, to ſave them this care and coſt.
1. Suppoſe the Law by its Anſw. compulſorie power enforceth men to ſuccour the feeble and languiſhing members of the Common-weale, this humane Statute may not, cannot priviledge thee from obedience to a Divine precept, neither ought it to make thee therefore hardhearted and uncharitable, for although it was a charitable intention and conſideration in the firſt Authorizers of the Law, thus to provide for the relieving of the poore, yet if thou doſt no more than the Law compels thee to doe, thou haſt not ſo much as a dramme of pittie within thee; for that is ſcarſe charitie, when by humane compulſion or importunitie men give unto the poore, but when out of an unfained love to God, and a tender and ſimpathizing affection towards their Brethren, they freely diſtribute to the ſeverall neceſſities of comfortleſſe Chriſtians. Secondly, It is one thing for mans law to make proviſion (as alſo doth the gDeut. 15. Lev. 25.Law of God) for the poor, and another thing to have this Statute faithfully executed, and the hearts of men charitably diſpoſed, ſufficiently to ſupply the wants, and ſuccour the diſtreſſes of all thoſe that lie groaning under the unſupportable burthen of povertie, ſickneſſe or any other calamitie. 'Tis too well knowne that there is lamentable neglect of many miſerable poore people for all the good proviſion of the Law, through the mercileſſe crueltie, and intollerable frozen hartedneſſe of covetous and carnall worldlings. Thirdly, The Law provides not a ſalve for every ſore, a ſupply for every mans want; I could reckon up a whole catalogue of good works which are neither mentioned nor commanded by the Law. As viz. to lend freely, to raiſe up undone and ruinated men, to pittie ſome painefull and laborious perſons, who have a greater charge than they are able by their induſtrie to ſuſtaine: To traine up docile and ingenious poore children in learning at the Schoole: To redeeme Captives, and free poore Priſoners laid up ſometimes for ſmall and improper debts: To be liberall to honeſt poore couples marrying in the feare of God, and other ſuch like workes of mercy there are to which men are not compelled by any humane conſtitution, and therefore ought to bee voluntarily inclined out of their compaſſionate, and Charitable diſpoſitions.