The Debt Book, Chapter 6 – Chapter 7
CHAP. 6. Of Debts to the poore.
A Third kind of debt impoſed by Law, is to the poore: the burden hereof is laid vponupon the richer ſort, according to their ability. I ſpeake not now of almes which is voluntarie and left to diſcretion; yet required in *Deut. 15. 10, 11.Scripture with much importunity: but of ſuch monies as are paiable by vertue of the Law, made in the dayes of Queene ELIZABETH, and Reg. Eliza. 43. cap. 2.continued in the reigne of King IAMES of bleſſed memorie for the raiſing of a ſtocke to ſet the poore on worke, for relieuing of the lame, impotent, blind, aged, and ſuch as are not able to worke, and for putting out of poore children to be prentiſes, which euer being not only pollitike but godly alſo and religious. I hold the debt not meerly ciuill, but a mixt debt, as was the former: for the chearfull and ready paiment whereof let me vſe theſe motiues.
Firſt the care which God hath had alwaies for the poore: Hee doth not only plead their cauſe Deut, 15. 10, 11. And open thy hand liberally to thy brother, to thy poore, to thy needy; for euen for this cauſe the Lord thy God ſhall bleſſe thee in all thy worke, and in eueryevery thing that thou putteſt thine hand vntounto; but he allots a portion of the third yeers Tythe, not only to the Leuite (who neuer is excluded) but to the ſtranger, the fatherleſſe and the widow; Deut. 26. 12. As Hierome hath obſerued vponupon Ezech, 45. and calls it foreign the poore mans Tythe.foreign.
God allotted them a portion in his own lot and portion: when God takes order that eueryevery thing may not bee taken as a pledge, not the vpper or nether milſtone, Deut. 24. 6. and that if a poore man lay his garment to pawne, it ſhall be reſtored before the going downe of the Sun, Exo. 22. 26. Doth not this reſtraine from offering hard meaſure to the poore in his extremity? Beſides, wee know, that as the poore lye open to the greateſt iniuries, men treading downe where the hedge is loweſt: ſo God takes ſpeciall notice of the wrong done vntounto them, he denounceth his iudgements againſt ſuch as doe concutere tenuem, ſhake them to pieces, as Ahab did Naboth, 1. King. 21. Such as take their corne from them, Amos 5. 11. Such as grind their faces, Eſay 3. 16. as root them out and their families: Mic. 2. 1, 2, 3. Hee alſo counts a ſcorne to them, a contempt to himſelfe; Prou. 17. 5. Who ſo mocketh the poore, reproacheth his Maker; let not vsus therefore deny them their right, whom the Lord doth take into ſuch ſpeciall protection, as to interpret a kindnes or vnkindnes to them, as done vntounto himſelfe.
Let vsus alſo remember that this is Gods will and appointment, that the poore ſhould alwaies bee in the Land, for exerciſe of their patience, and tryall of the richer mens beneuolence, and his own glorie out of them both. For the abilite of the one being accommodated to the neceſſitie of the other; thankeſgiuing vntounto God ariſeth from them both, as from the Phyſitian and the Patient when a bodily cure is done. Wee muſt not thinke that when the cauſe of the poore is ſo often and ſo tenderly in the Scriptures commended to the rich, that all this adoe is for a pennie now and then to a begger when we liſt; but it is to draw vsus to a wiſe conſideration, how the ſtrong may ſupport the weake, how wee may beare one anothers burthen, and as fellow members ſerue one another through louelove, that the wealth of one ſupplying the want of the other, there may be no defect. Wherefore when ſuch Lawes are deuiſed and eſtabliſhed by authoritie, as inioine a performance of Gods reuealed will, touching the poore of the Land, in ſuch ſort, as may be comfortable to them and eaſie to vsus, ought wee not moſt willingly to pay this debt both in reſpect of God and of man?
A ſecond motiue to the paiment hereof is the prouiſion of the godly in former ages for the poore. In the Primitiue Church Deacons were appointed for the daily miniſtration of neceſſarie things, Acts 6. 1, 2. Paul ordained in the Churches of Galatia and Corinth, that on the firſt day of the weeke euerie one ſhould lay by in ſtore, as God had proſpered him for reliefe of the poore, 1. Cor. 16. 1, 2. How earneſtly alſo doth hee exhort the Corinthians to liberality towards the poore Saints, by the example of the Macedonians, who had beene beneficiall to their power and aboue their power, 2. Cor. 8, 9. This I mention to ſhew, that the more the Goſpel was embraced, the more bountifully was Chriſt relieued in his members. When after the bitter ſtormes of perſecution, the Church in ſucceeding ages had reſt, then were Hoſpitals erected and endowed with reuennues, that the poore might both be harboured and nouriſhed: They had alſo receptacles for the ſicke. The firſt founders of wch kind, was Fabiola, prima omnium foreign, inſtituit in quo aegrotantes colligeret deplateis, et conſumpta languoribus atque inedia miſerorum membra foueret, Hieron Epitaph Fab. Fabiola was the firſt of all that built a receptacle for the ſicke, into which ſhe might gather the diſeaſed out of the ſtreets, and might cheriſh the bodies of poore wretches, conſumed with languiſhing and famine.
Our owne Nation wanteth not examples of this kinde, which I rehearſe to this purpoſe, that the voluntary contributions of Gods religious people in all ages, may make vsus more willing to beare the neceſſary burden impoſed by law as a debt vponupon vsus. If our hearts and hands had not beene ſtraitned too much this way, there had been no neede of compulſory means; but, Ex malis moribus bonae leges: For the hardneſs of our hearts was this law made. Out of the ſinful defect of Charity in the greateſt part of men, hath ariſen a legall impoſition of this duty, that many hands might make lighter worke. Some I know we hauehave, who may truly ſay with Iob; that, They hauehave not reſtrained the poore of their deſire; that they hauehave not cauſed the eies of the widow to faile: who hauehave not eaten their morſells alone, but the fatherleſſe hath eaten thereof, Iob 31. 16, 17. Some there are who in the ſtrangers and poore, hauehave entertained, Chriſtum conuiuam, euen Chriſt as a gueſt, as Hierom ſpeakes it. But there are others againe of competent wealth & ſtate, who the more they hauehave, the leſſe good they will doe, and ſo long as they were left to themſelues, would neuer touch the burden with the leaſt of their fingers: and now that they are compellable by law, it's incredible to heare how they quarrell at eueryevery Leuey, how they make the Collectors attend, how they grudge againſt the poore, adding ſorrow to their affliction, forgetting that of Paul; That God loueth a cheerefull giuer: 2. Cor. 9. 7. And that of our Sauiour too; that, It is a more bleſſed thing to giuegive then to receiue: Act. 20. 35. whom I would mitigate, if they were tractable, with theſe conſiderations, as further motiues to pay this debt.
Firſt, they beare not the yoake alone, but ioyntly with others of their owne ranke, as equally laid vponupon them as indifferent men can deuiſe it: wee muſt pay ſcot and lot (as is the word) vnleſſe we will be, Homines nullius cenſus, Men of no account. Secondly, this payment to the poore is not made to maintain idleneſſe, the mother of luſt, a ſinne of Sodome; but to raiſe a ſtocke to ſet ſuch to worke, who would otherwiſe bee vnprofitable burdens of the earth, liuing on the ſpoile, not eating their owne bread; whereas a ſmall contribution out of eueryevery hand a little to raiſe a ſtocke, doth take away the common euaſion of idle perſons; I hauehave no worke, therefore I muſt beg or ſteale. A ſtocke will finde them worke, and a diligent hand at worke will not onelyonly feed, but alſo enrich. That which makes vsus tremble at the multitude of the poore, (and ſay with the Prophet; Thou haſt multiplied Eſay 9. 3.the nation, but not encreaſed the ioy) is, our failing in ſetting the poore to ſuch worke as they are able to doe, for want of a ſtocke alwaies in readineſſe to keepe them imployed. Thirdly, whereas many true labouring men are not able by diligence & aſſiduity to ſupport the weight of their charge: by the paiment of this debt, opportunity is offered to raiſe them vp who ſink vnderunder their burden, & who in ſenſe of their neceſſity, hauing made their moane to God, will bee thankefull for a ſupply to him and to vsus. Our plenty being applyed to our brethrens want in ſuch a caſe, is like precious ſeed, ſowed vponupon good ground, tilled and prepared; wee need not doubt of an encreaſe at harueſt. Fourthly, wheras many are aged and paſt their worke, blind, impotent, diſeaſed; by the paiment of this debt, we are helpefull vntounto thoſe whom it were ſin and ſhame to forſake. Hic, ad cuius intuitum nobis vomitus Hieron. Epit. Fab.erumpit, noſtri ſimilis eſt, de eodem nobiſcum formatus luto, ijſdem compactus elementis: this man, at whoſe preſence our ſtomacke is turned, is like vntounto vsus, formed of the ſame clay, and compoſed of the ſame elements; whatſoeuer hee ſuffers, we may ſuffer the ſame our ſelues: *Eſay 58. 7Turne not then thine eies from thine own fleſh. Whereas the viſiting of theſe would bee very tedious vntounto vsus, yea impoſſible, by true paiment of this little, wee are, Clementes per altena miniſteria, mercifull to them by the miniſtery of others, which in our perſons wee could not ſo well bee. Laſtly, whereas the breeding of poore children in families of ſmall imployment and rude education, doth vtterly cut off all proofe and hope; by the payment of this allowance, impoſed by law, diligent and diſcreet Officers are inabled to bind them to occupations anſwerable to their capacity, that ſo as good plants, tranſlated from a barren to a better ſoyle, become profitable & fruitfull; ſo theſe tranſplanted from idleneſs & rudeneſs, to a family of employment and diſcipline, may be of vſe and ſeruice, both in peace and warre. I am perſwaded, the wiſeſt of vsus cannot tell, how to diſpenſe ſo ſmall a portion as goes from vsus by this meanes, to ſo many excellent purpoſes, when the Statute is duely executed; and if it faile in execution, the fault is not in vsus, if the debt be truely paid. Let it not then bee tedious to vsus to doe ſo much good, with ſo little coſt or loſſe, if that can be counted loſſe, which being ſowen on earth, we ſhall reape in heauen. When wee ſee wicked men ſo violent in doing ill, as Oppreſſors and Idolaters daily are, ſhould not we be aſhamed to be weary of doing well? Quale hoc eſt, cumpeccatores in malis Hieron in Epiſt. ad Gal. cap. 6.operibus quotidie augeantur, vt nos in bono opere laſſemur: What a thing is this, that when ſinners are ſtrengthened in euill workes, we ſhould be weary of our welldoing.
I ſpeake not any thing in this diſcourſe for the vagrant Rogues and Beggers of our nation, they are the Sodomits of the Land, without God, without Magiſtrate, without Miniſter, Children of Beltal, without yoake, none can rule them, nor make them aſhamed, though they liue in prodigious luſts. *2. Theſ. 3. 10.Hee that will not labour, ſhall not cate, ſaies Paul, yet they will eate the ſweat of other mens faces, though they be idle and vnprofitable, and to eueryevery good worke reprobate; theſe I leaue to ſuch extremity as the Law of God and man laies vponupon them: *Prou. 31. 8.I open my mouth for the dumbe, who will not ſpeake for themſelues, and for the godly poore, who had rather be helpefull then chargeable to others; and for the aged and impotent, whoſe miſery moues compaſſion without an Oratour. For theſe I ſpeake, who if there were no Statute of prouiſion to enforce the paiment of this debt, or to direct the vſes, yet hauehave a iuſt claime to the almes of the rich, & the rich hath ſuch an intereſt in them, as that they are called as well their needy, and their poore, as their brethren, Deut. 15. 11. which I chiefly vnderſtand of thoſe, who being ioyned to vsus by vicinity or affinity, are by Gods prouidence put vponupon vsus, as a part of our charge, to whom, Eleemoſinas non facere crimen habentis eſt, Hier. in Pſal. 112. to theſe not to giuegive almes were a ſin in him that hath where withall; ſo that if there were no law at all, yet there is ſuch an equity in the thing, and ſuch a neceſſity in the poore, that a rich man ought to bee a law vntounto himſelfe; hee ought in this caſe, to *Prou. 3. 9.honour God with his ſubſtance, which cannot be better done, then by parting to ſuch as want it, the fruit of his beneuolence. I ſay not as ſome doe; that, Eleemoſiua est debitum, that almes is debt; which in ſome ſenſe may be true; but, ſeeing the law requireth a portion of the richer, ſeeing there is an equity and a piety in the thing, ſeeing the neceſſity is perpetuall, The poore yee ſhall hauehave alwaies with you, Mat. 26. In this concurrence of law and conſcience, the non payment of this debt is vncomfortable and ſinfull. Thus of legal Debts, which for moſt part are not ſimply ciuill, but mixt.
CHAP. 7. Of Debts procured by our ſelues: and first of neceſſary Debts.
DEbts impoſed by others, hauing hitherto beene handled; now follow in order, Debts procured by our ſelues: theſe are either neceſſary, or voluntary. Neceſſary are ſuch as could not by diſcretion or induſtry be preuented, nor diſcharged by any meanes within our power. Put caſe a mans houſe, which hee is bound to repaire, as being tenant to another, bee vtterly conſumed with all his ſubſtance by caſualty of Fire, the condition of reparation, which is alwaies reaſonable in ſuch contracts, brings vponupon this man a neceſſary debt, which neither could bee preuented before, nor performed in this caſe, which by Gods prouidence is befallen him. Suppoſe a man in time of dearth hauehave ſpent all his money, and cattell, and ſubſtance whatſoeuer; his lands alſo for bread: It was the caſe of the Egyptians in Ioſephs time; what remedie hath he, but Gen. 47.to run in debt, though hee mancipate his very body for the payment. If theſe ſeeme (as indeede they are) vnuſuall events, let vsus conſider things more common. Whena a mans wages, which hee can earne, are ſo ſmall, and his domeſticall charge ſo great, as that the one cannot ſupport & ſuſteine the other; then comes Debt, as a wayfairing man ſpeedily, and as an armed man violently, that will not bee kept off. This, as I conceiue, might be the caſe of the man of God, the poore Prophet, who feared God, and yet dyed in debt, 2. King. 4. 1. and it is the caſe of many a poore man, whoſe whole family depends vponupon his induſtry and frugality; hee riſeth early, and late takes reſt, and eates the bread of care, yet cannot for all this liue out of debt. Some men alſo turne from one trade to another, from husbandry to grazing, from that to merchandizing, Vt mutando induſtriam mutant Hieron. in Eſaie. 43.infaelicitatem, nihilominus diſpenſatione dei, his quos ſaluare dignatur, omnia nitentibus eueniunt contraria; Though men by changing their employment would change their hard eſtate, yet by the diſpenſation of God, euen to thoſe whom he vouchſafes to ſaue, all things fall out croſſe when they hauehave tried all the waies. Theſe debtors, thus enforced by neceſſity to groane and to ſtruggle vnderunder the burden, are to be pittied by the lender, to bee releiued by the giuer, and God vndoubtedly will requite it.
This Debt is no ſinne, nor any other pecuniary debt of it ſelfe, but a croſſe it is: in ſome, a puniſhment of ſinne, in all, an exerciſe of patience, and a diſcipline of humility, and ſo, Paupertas ſalutaris, a wholſome kinde of pouerty, teaching men to lay vp treaſure in heauen, when things here vponupon earth frame ſo little to their contentment.