The Poor Mans Advocate, Title page – Imprimatur
THE POORE MANS ADVOCATE, OR, A Treatiſe of Liberality to the needy.
Delivered in SERMONS By WILLIAM WHATELY Miniſter of Banbury.
PROV. 19.17.
He that hath pitty upon the poore, lendeth to the Lord; and that which hee hath given, will he pay him againe.
LONDON, Printed by G. M for George Edwards, and are to be ſold at his houſe in Greene-Arbour, at the ſigne of the Angell 1637.
To all the Faithfull Servants of God that are rich in this world, the Author wiſheth treaſure in Heaven, and therefore dedicates this inſuing Treatiſe.
TO you, well-beloved in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, doth this ſmall Treatiſe offer it ſelfe, and hath ſhrunke it ſelfe into this little quantity, that hiding it ſelfe in a narrow roome, it may accompany your purſes in your pockets, and ſo warne you to pull them forth more frequently and more willingly for mercifull deeds, then perhaps you have heretofore accuſtomed. Neither doth this little booke barely requeſt at your hands your conſtant practiſe of liberality towards your needy brethren, but doth even require it at your hands, as a thing abſolutely neceſſary to your ſalvation. It cites you before the tribunall of your owne conſciences, and making evident proofe that your Lord and Maſter, whoſe Lord and Maſter, whoſe ſtewards you are, hath commanded you to be plentifull in thoſe kinde of expences, doth as an advocate, demand and requeſt of the judge of that court, (even the conſcience of every one of you) to make and regiſter a firme order and decree (if it will ſhew it ſelfe a juſt and righteous judge) that from henceforth you ſhall be large and abundant and forward and ready to this good work ſo often as occaſion ſhall offer it ſelfe, yea that you ſhall ſtudiouſly ſeeke after all occaſions to do it as often as may be. No man can be ſaved without good workes, more then without faith, becauſe that faith is not lively which produceth not good workes, and chiefely thoſe good workes that do ſpecially pertaine to every mans ſtate of life, as this doth to the ſtate of wealthy Chriſtians. He that reſolveth not to obey God in doing every good thing required at his hand, is no more upright, then hee that reſolveth not to obey, in leaving every wicked thing prohibited. Many thinke themſelves ſound, if they purpoſe to caſt off every knowe evill deed, though they ſettle not in themſelves, a like firme determination to performe every knowe duty. But herein they beguile themſelves. He caſts not from him all his tranſgreſſions, nor hath reſpect to all Gods commandements, that caſts not from him faults of omiſſion, and endeavoureth not to put in practiſe affirmative precepts. Gods authority muſt be no leſſe ſubmitted unto, when hee requireth a thing, then when he prohibiteth, when he ſaith this doe, then when hee ſaith, this doe not. So hollowneſſe appeares as much, in not doing the one, as in doing the other. Yea careleſnes & unwillingneſſe to know good duties argues guile of heart, as well as careleſneſſe or unwillingnes to doe what wee have knowne. That you may therfore approve the ſincerity of your ſoules in the working of mercy & bounty, as well as other vertues, I have here declared unto you the neceſſity therof; And ſo beſeeching you to reade what followeth, with a will to be convinced and to practiſe, & beſeeching the Lord, to teach and perſwade your ſoules, in this matter, I commend you to his favourable guidance,April 27. 1637. and ſhall reſt ever
Studious of your ſpirituall wellfare. WILLIAM WHATELY.
To the mercifull Chriſtians inhabiting in or about Banbury.
ALmes in Greek comes from a word that ſignifieth to pitty,foreign whence the Latine Eleemoſyna French Aulmoſne. Engliſh Almes ab foreign miſereer. becauſe all our almes ſhould proceed from a mercifull and pittifull heart, in the Hebrew*foreign and Syriack tongue it is called righteouſneſſe, as if it were by right due to the poore.Pro. 3.27. Withhold not they good from the owners thereof, ſo the orginall runs.Pro. 11.18. To him that ſoweth righteouſneſſe, ſhall be a ſure reward. Therefore hath the Author of this enſuing Treatiſe by demonſtrative arguments prooved the neceſsity of this duty, and fully anſwered the ſophiſmes and ſeeming objections which the wrangling wit of man will be ready to invent and urge againſt its performance. Hee hath laid downe likewiſe certaine rules to direct men how rightly to give, preſcribed meanes to inable them, and added motives alſo to quicken them to this laudable worke. And as hee moſt frequently and earneſtly preſſeth this duty upon the conſciences of his hearers, ſo he ſhewes himſelfe to them in this (as in all things,) a patterne of good works, Tit. 2.7. His holy life is a true counterpane of his doctrine, he hath a purſe for the poore as he adviſeth others to have, and giveth the tenth as he exhorts others to give. Well knowing, that it is the duty of a Miniſter that would bee found faithfull both foreign 2 Tim. 2.15. & foreign Gal. 2.14. to teach and to tread the way to Heaven.Phil. 4.9. Thoſe things (ſaith the Apoſtle) which yee have both learned and received, and heard and ſeene in me, doe. More might I ſay without either falſehood or flattery, but this will bee thought too much by him who thinkes ſo meaneby of himſelfe, that this very Worke was almoſt extorted from him with importunate ſolicitations. The poore hee pleadeth for, are not ſuch as are ſtrong and able to labour for their living, but ſuch as are weake, impotent,Eſay 5 d. 7 …at. 26. … 5, 36. and unable to take paines, and there are three degrees of ſuch needie perſons. 1. Some are utterly deſtitute of all the meanes of preſervation of life, theſe we are bound (ſaith a Learned Divine) to relieve out of things neceſſary to our ſtate, ſince the life of our neighbour is more to be eſteemed then our outward ſtate. Others are in great need having but little to maintaine themſelves or theirs, we are bound to relieve theſe out of thoſe things which are neceſſary to the decency of our ſtate. A third ſort have ſomething,Occurere eſt ſuccurrere. but yet not that which is ſufficient or competent, wee are bound to relieve them out of thoſe things which are ſuperfluous to the decency of our ſtate. For order of relieving, coeteris paribus, other things being equall, wee muſt relieve ſuch as are in greater neceſsity. Secondly, n the like neceſsity thoſe are to be preferred to which we owe moſt love, as thoſe that are neare to us in blood before thoſe that are farther of, Mat. 15.5, 6. the poore of our owne familie,Deut 15.7 towne and countrey before ſtrangers, 1 Tim. 5.8. the houſhold of faith before the ungodly, Gal. 6.10. This ſcattering Prov. 11.24. is increaſing, this is no ſpending but a lending, Pro. 19.17. no laying out, but a laying up. Luke 12.33.It is a bleſſed thing thus to give,Plus pauper tibi canſert quam á te accipit. Ambr. Acts 20.35. the gift will prove more beneficiall to the giver then to the receiver, if thou giveſt a penny, the poore man gives thee a good prayer and bleſſeth thee in the name of God, of which Iob made great reckoning, Iob 20.13. & 31.20.Pro. 22.9 And for this thing God will bleſſe thee in all thy workes, and in that thou putſt thine hand unto, Deut. 15.10. and bleſſe thy poſterity, Pſal. 37.26. Act. 10.5 foreign Pro. 11.25. Eccleſ. 11 1. Mat. 5.7. Heb. 13.16. 2 Cor. 9.6.Our charitable actions aſcend up to bee a memoriall before God, or a ſtanding monument and remembrance, as the word ſignifieth, wee ſhall heare of them at the reſurrection, Luke 14.14. God hath made many ample ſweete and precious promiſes to the mercifull, to reward them abundantly, Pro. 11.25. Mat. 10.41, 42. Luke 6.38. Heb. 6.10. He hath promiſed Temporall bleſsings they ſhall not lacke, Prov. 28.27. They ſhall have comfort in ſickneſſe, and bee delivered in time of trouble, Pſal. 41.1, 2, 3. Spirituall, Breaking off of ſinnes and pardon, Dan. 4.27. Perpetuity of righteouſneſſe, Pſal. 112.9. Eternall, A certaine treaſure in heaven, Luke 13.33. Receiving into everlaſting tabernacles, Luke 16.9. Poſſeſſion of eternall life, Mat. 25.34. Oh let us therefore doe good, bee rich in good workes, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate, 1 Tim. 6.17. Beneficence to men is there expreſſed in the variety of foure Epithets, both to ſhew the vehement intention of Saint Pauls deſire of good workes, and the important neceſsity of their performance, this if wee doe,Ver. 8. wee may lay hold on eternall life, as hee there addes, may bee as ſure of it as if wee had it. Let us give then that which wee cannot keepe, that wee may gaine that which we cannot looſe.Luke 16.9 Let us make to our ſelves friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſſe, that when wee faile, they may receive us into everlaſting habitations.
Your true Chriſtian friend, E. L.
Perlegi hunc tractatum in quo nihil reperio quó minús cum utilitate imprimatur.
THO: WEEKES. R. P. Epiſc. Lond. Cap. Domest.