How Alms Ought to be Distributed, Part
THE MEANE TO RESTOre in to the Churche the right kynde of geuinge, and diſtribution of Almoſe, and Prouiſion for the poore.
IT is most requyſite, that all Magiſtrates, and Gouernours, that deſire the promotion of the Kingdom off Christe, and the welthe of thoſe thei gouerne, do procure that this godlie prouiſion for the Poore and needie bee restored, euen as the Hollie Goſte hath ſet forth unto us in the Seconde, Fourth, Fyfth, and Sixth off the Actes off the Apoſtells. For with out it, ther can bee no true felowſhip or Cōmuniō off Saintes. This may be don after this ſorte, First that euerye Churche hauehave his Deacons, for the prouiſion, and ouerſight of the Poore, (as before is ſaid,) Men off good reporte, and full off the Hollie Goste, and wiſdom, and ſo manie of theim as the multitude off the People, and off the Poore ſhall requyre.
Their Office is conteyned in theſe poynies. First thei ought to make diligent ſerche, how manie poore in deade bee in eueryevery Congregation, that ought to be prouided for by the Congregation. For it belongeth to all Congregations off Christe, not onlie not to mayntayne lewde perſones in their wycked Idleneſſe: but alſo to bannyſh theim their companie, who, when thei may by their owne honest labour mayntaine them ſelf, will not labour, but lyue inordinatlie conſuminge the ſustenaunce, that is due to the neadie and Poore off Chriſte. And agaynst ſuche perſones this Rule is to be kept, He that laboreth not, let hym not eate: That com, maundement alſo off the Hollie Goste towchinge Wydowes, ought to be expounded alſo off all neady. Iff ther bee any faithfull man or woman, ſaith the Hollie Goste, that hathe wydowes, let him prouide, and minister unto theim: and let not the Congregation be burdened, that thei, whiche are right wydowes may hauehave inough. So lykewiſe thoſe, that hauehave anye neadie under theim, whether thei be their kynsfolkes, ſeruauntes, or otherwiſe ioyned to theim by any ſpeciall cauſe, ought to mynyster to ſuche perſones neceſſaries for their lyuinges, if thei be able to do it, and to ſpare the Congregation, as it may be the better able to mayntayne and keepe thoſe, that hauehave no kynſfolkes, maſters, or friendes, that will, or can prouide for theim.
All mens myndes ought to be moued with this fearefull Iudgement off the Hollie Goste: Iff ther be any man, that dothe not prouide for his owne, and ſpeciallie for theim off his howſholde: The ſame hath denied the faithe, and is worſe then an Infidell. For unto thoſe, that God hathe by any ſpecyall meanes ioyned togither, this the ſeconde principall commaundemaunt, wherin all the lawe is conteyned and fulfilled, dothe chieflie belonge: Thou ſhalt louelove thy neighbour as thy ſelffe. For thoſe, whom God coupleth and ioyneth to gither by the Bande off kyndred, affinitie, howſolde, or any other particuler meanes: he maketh theim therbie, aboue all other, neighbours.
The first poynt then off the Office of the Deacōs of the poore, is, that thei make diligēt ſerche, who lacke in deade, and be not able to relieue their owe lacke: Then who counterfaite A nedde, or with Idleneſſe and Riot, make themſelfes neadie: And finalie, who hauehave ſuche neibours, that can, or do take the care to prouyde for theim.
Suche as the Deacons ſhall fynde, that neither can gette their owne lyuinge, nor hauehave off their neighbours, that doo relieue theim: their Names, with the maner off their neade and behauiour, thei ought to write in A particular boke, And certayn tymes to uiſite theim, and to call theim unto theim, that thei may the more certanlie knowe, how well and uertuouſlie they uſe thalmoſe of Good People, and what thinges from tyme to tyme, thei neade. For as nothing will ſuffice the wycked and lewde, neather hauehave thei any meaſure or truthe in begginge: ſo the Good and ſhamefast do couer and diſſemble their neade, and thinke euerie thinge to muche, that is geuen unto theim by the Congregation. But the Hollie Goste hathe appoynted and ordened the maner and ende off Diſtribution of Almes, that none ſhoulde lacke, and euerye one ſhoude hauehave aſmoche as is ſufficient for his honest relieff. And who cannot ſee euen by this one thinge, How neceſſarie it is for Congregations to hauehave ſuche Deacons for the poore: that not raſhlie, but moſt diligentlie ſearche out, and certaynlie knowe the ſtate off eueryevery one that aſketh the helpe off the Congregation: whether, and what thinge he lacketh, and how moche is to be gyuen to euerye one for his neceſſarie relieff. Beſydes, whether thei hauehave any Freendes, that be able and ought to relieue theim. For ſuche ought by the Congregation to be forced to relieue their owne: and therūto, as in thexecutiō off the rest off the diſcipline, the Deacons ought to be aſsiſtence to the miniſters off the worde, and Elders.
Thother poynt off thoffice off Decons is, to keepe what ſo euer commeth to the Churche, for the uſe off the poore, and therof to diſtribute to euerie one that neadeth, aſmoche as ſhall ſuffice to lyue A godlie liff in the lorde: And to keepe A perfecte accoumpt off their doinge, Whiche thei must yelde to the miniſters off the woorde, and the Elders: Procuringe, after the example off the Apostell. Honeſt thinges not onlie before God, but alſo in the ſight off all men. Wherfore the Hollie Gost requyrith that ſuche Deacons ſhoulde be off Good reporte emonge the people off Chriſte. For as Men bee deſyrous off Money: ſo upon the leaſt occaſion, thei ſuſpecte euell off ſuche as hauehave the diſtribution off commen money. Beſydes, the poore that hauehave not lerned, by the ſprite off Christe, to be contented, whether thei hauehave plentie, or do ſuffer neade, be uery ſuſpitious, and full off complayntes. And therfor that ſuche Deacons ſhoulde be of the greater authoritie emonge the people of God, and the better credite geuen unto theim: the auncient Churches appoynted unto theim, the next degree after the Elders. And admitted theim to be Aiders in the hollie mynyſterie of thadminiſtration, bothe of the worde, and alſo of the Sacramentes. Antichriſt made this office, as he dyd all other Mynyſteries, nothinge at all, but to ſerue for a uaine pompe: as at this preſent day ther bee uery fewe that thinke the Deacons office to be any other thinge, then to ſerue the Buſshops, and Prieſtes at Maſſe, and to reade the goſpell whiche thinges were appointed to this office onlie at the firſt, that whileſt thei prouided for the poore, and dyd helpe to execute the diſcipline, thei ſhulde be of the greater Authoritie, and hauehave the more credite emonge the people off God. For the ouerſight of the poſſeſsions belonginge to Churches, and to gather the fruytes, reuenues, and rentes of thoſe thinges that were gyuen for the relief of the poore: certayn were appointed, who were called Subdeacons and Bailiffes, that the Deacons might firſt gyue theimſelfes to the right diſtributiō of ſuche thinges, as were gathered for the relief of the poore, ſo as euerie one might hauehave that was cōueniēt in deede to lyue to the lorde: then to ſee that thoſe that were relieued by the Cōgregatiō, dyd lyue to ſerue God: And finallie, to furder this Diſcipline emōge other Chriſtians, whoſe life ād behauour thei ought the better knowe ād trie, by the reaſon of gatheringe relief for the poore. This kīde and maner of gatheringe and diſtributiō by the Deacons, and Subdeacōs, was obſerued till and in the tyme of Gregorie the Buſshop of Rome, as appereth in manye his Epiſtells. And albeit the Deacōs of the Churche be neuer ſo honeſt, and wiſe: yet can thei not prouide for the Poore, onles thei hauehave wherwith to diſtribute to the poore, and therfor it belongeth to Magiſtrates to ſee, that Churches hauehave ſufficiēt to relieue the poore. In tyme longe paſt, the Fourth parte of all Reuenues, that either belōged to the Spiritualtie, by their Poſſeſsions, or cam to hit by good mens gyſts, and oblations, was taken for the relief of the poore. Beſydes, manie uertuous Princes, and good Men made Hoſpitals, and howſes for the Relief off the poore: Some for ſuche as were Hole of bodye, and ſome for ſuche as were ſicke: Sō to keepe Infantes, and ſome to cōforte Straungers, and Baniſshed mē. But all theſe in cōtynuaunce of tyme, through the wycked Monkes, and Pryeſtes, were conuerted from thoſe godlie uſes, and turned to the mayntenaunce of their owne bellies, Pleaſures, and pryde. Thei paſſed neither of the Fownders good myndes, nor the lawes of Magiſtrates: but blynded poore men, makinge theim beleue, that more profiet ſhoulde comme bothe to quycke and dedde, if thoſe godlie Almoſe were beſtowed on Maſſes, and ſuche like ungodlie Triſſhe traſſhe: then iff Chriſte therwith ſhulde be fedde, in the Hūgrie: refreſſhed in the Thyrſtie: cōforted with lodginge in Straungers, and the Harbourleſſe: clothed in the Naked: and uiſited in the Sicke, and Enpriſoned. Wherfore, it is the parte off good Magiſtrates, to prouyde, that ſuche thinges be brought to their right uſes. And beſydes, it is conueniēt, that ſome Taxes be ſet on riche ſpirituall Promotions, for the relieff off the Pore: in ſteede off the Fourthe parte off their Reuenues, whiche by ſo manye Canons was lymeted to the uſe of the Poore.
Morouer lest thoſe, that be not worthie to hauehave the Almoſe of the Churche, and of good men, ſhoulde take it from thoſe that be worthie, and in deade neadie: Good Magiſtrates ought to renue, and put in execution, that lawe off God, and off the Emperour Valentynyan, whiche forbiddeth, that any man be ſuffred to begge: and commaundeth that thoſe that be able to labour, ſhoulde be forced to labour: and that ſuche as be not able to labour, ſholde be kept as our Brethern, and menbres, euerye one in the Congregation where he dwelleth. And that this may bee the better doon, commaundement ought to be gyuen, that euerye man maintaine ſuche as be of his one howſolde, or other wiſe properlie ioyned to him, if he be able: And that eueryevery Citie, Towne, and uillage, doo mayntain ſuche poore people, as their friendes be not able to keepe, and not ſuffer theim to wander abrode. And becauſe it may be, that ſome Towne, or uilage is ſo poore, that it is not able to relieue al the Poore therof: that ſuche alſo be not left unprouided, it is uery requyſite, that in euerie Shire, certayne godlie, and ſpirituallie wiſe men, be appoynted: who may ſende ſuche poore people from the places where thei cannot be relieued, to ſuch Congregations, where thei may be ſufficientlie relieued. For all we Christians be togither membres, by the which name, the Congregations off the Gentiles in the tyme off Saint Paule, and at his exhortation, dyd confeſſe, that it was their duetie, to relieue the Congregations in Iurie, that ſuffered great hunger and famine. Furdermore, becauſe through our corrupte, and always diſobedient nature to God, we contynuallie lothe the ordinaunces, and cōmaundementes off God, and after our owne luste, and fond iudgement, we deſire to folowe other meanes, and waies, then God hathe appoynted: ther wilbe ſom, that, not withſtandyng this most holy prouyſion for the poore, will not put their Almoſe in to the comen cheſte, or boxe off the lorde, but will rather geue their Almoſe with ther owne hādes, if they be mynded to geue any at all. Such mens pride muſt be mette with, not onelyonly by a lawe off the Magiſtrat, but alſo by the diſcipline off the Churche. By a lawe, to make theim geue double to the lordes Cheſte, if they be founde to geue any thynge pryuatlie to the neadie: And by the diſcipline of the Churche, that if any geue nothing in to the lordes cheſte, he be warned off his duetie by the mynyſters off the Churche, accordyng to the worde off God. Whoſe admonytion if they ſtubbournlie contēne, that they be taken for Ethnykes, and Publicans. For albeit, it be left to euerie mans will, to offer to Christ his lorde, to thuſe off his litle ones, aſmoche off his goodes as he will: yet no man maye be ſuffred, contrarie to the expreſſe commaundement of God, to come always with an Emtie hande into the preſence off the lorde, and utterlie to deſpiſe the ordenaunce off the holy Gost, for the prouiſion for the poore, yea, aſmoche as in hym lieth, to ſubuert it, by his pryuat diſtribution off Almoſe.
And here wil mans wiſedō (wich alwaies uaunteth it ſelf aboue Goddes) obiecte, that it is unnatural, that mens hādes ſhulde be ſhut to the faithful, that they may not geue, at their pleaſure, to ſuch, as thei perceaue in deade to lack. For a man ſhall fynde emong the pouertie, uery good men, who be aſshamed to aſke the Almoſe off the Churche, hauehave they neuer ſo great neade. Herunto this …s to be anſwered, first, that no mans hande is ſo ſhutte by this lawe, but that he maye open it to whatſoeuer pore he wil, and is able: but by this lawe, accordyng to Goddes commaundement, and the ordenaunce off the holy gost, this is preuented, that the children off God maye not geueth the Enemies of Christ, theſe that either lacke not, or els be wilfullie in neade, thoſe thinges, that thei owe to the litle ones off Christ, which lacke in deade. For it is not poſsible, as I ſaied before, that any pryuat man, ſhulde ſo certeynlie ſerche out the diſpoſition off the poore, as thoſe, that be appoynted to that office by the Churche, and dailie be exerciſed with all diligence therin.
And God doth not keepe his giftes, and encreace off his holy ſprite, from ſuch, as he hathe choſen, and called, to ſo great mynyſteries of his churche. Beſides, admit, that eueryevery man knowe certeynlie his neadie neighbours: yet is it far better, that eueryevery man ſende ſuch poore people, that aſke his relief, be they neuer ſo holy and uertuous, to the Deacons off the Churche, to receaue off theim: For otherwiſe, others ſhal take example by him, to diſtribute alſo their owne Almoſe, and ſo oftentymes to ſuch as they knowe not, and be not worthye off Christes Almoſe, who can beg more boldelie and craftelie, then the Poore in deade. We ought to take wonderful heade, lest the least hole in the worlde be opened to our natural pride, to be wiſe agaynst God, and to ſwarue a heare breadeth from his commaundementes and ordenaunces, either to the right hande or to the lefte. Iff any be aſshamed to go gladlye to the hole companye and mynyſterie off the Deacons, let him declare his pouertie to one of the Deacons: or if he be lothe to do this, then let ſuch as knowe his neade, and godlynes, ſhewe it to the Deacons, and get neceſſarie relief for him.
Not with ſtandyng, no Christen man, be he fallen from neuer ſo great richeſſe to pouertie, from neuer ſo high degree to the loweſt, ought to be aſshamed of the Croſſe off Christ, and the holſom remedie, that God hath prouyded: moche leſſe ought Christen men be lothe, to receaue relief off their neade, at the Lordes hande, by the mynyſterie off his Churche, by whoſe most iust, and no leſſe holſom Iudgement for theim, they be come to ſuch pouertie, and baſe degree of life. Howbeit, it perteineth to the Deacons office, not onelie to hauehave reſpect to euerie mans pouertie, but alſo off the weakenes off their myndes, and with ſuch wiſedom, and liberalitie, to helpe euerie mans neceſsite, that they laie on no man troubled with pouertie, the trouble alſo off ſhame: nor that they bryng any, that hauehave in tyme paſt been wel and liberalie maynteyned, to ſuch ſcarcitie and ſkantnes off meate and clothyng, as they bee not able to ſuffer, albeit ſuch relief were ſufficient, to an other that hathe ben ſo uſed.
The commaundement off the Holy Gost ought in this poynt to be conſidered, that ther be ſomoche geuen to euerie one, as is neceſſarie to leade a good, and godlie life. And it is manyfest, that as all men be not off like ſtrength off bodie, nor hauehave not ben brought up after one kynde off liuing ſo ſome ought to hauehave more, ſome leſſe: ſome fyner, ſome courſer, meate, apparel, and other neceſſaries. Which thyng Seynt Gregorie conſideryng, when the noble men, and women were ſpoiled by the Lombardes, he gaue unto them uery liberal Pēſions for their relief, of the goodes of the church. And therfore Chriſtian Magiſtrates ought to make this lawe, Firſt, that no man be ſuffred to beg: but that euerie man do maynteyne, and kepe his owne houſeholde, kynred, and allies, if he be able to do it: the iudgement wherof, ought to perteigne to the ordynarie Magistrat. And that ſuch as be deſtitute off ſuch helpe, be m…yt… by the Citie, towne, uil…ge, or Congregation where they dwell. If any citie, towne uilage, or cōgregation, be not able to, maintaine the pouertie therof, that then, by the diſcretion of the chief Gouernour of the cōtreye, ſuch poore people be ſent to ſō richer Cōgregatiō, where thei may be relieued.
Another poynt of this lawe ought to be, for the election, and appoyntyng off Deacons, as is afore ſeid, and that they be, by their othe, enioined, diligentlie to ſerche out, what thinges eueryevery man neadeth, and that they faithfully, to their power, geue it to theim: and to make an accompte of their receiptes, and paymentes, to the mynyſters of the worde, and Elders.
The third poynt, that it be forbodden to geue Almoſe priuatlie, and that all men be exhorted, that they will rather, according to Goddes commaundement, and the ordenaunce of the holy gohost, cōmyt their Almoſe to the Churches, and to the mynyſters appointed for that purpoſe: then after their own natural pride, diſtribute it theim ſelfs, contrarie to goddes worde, and the inſtitution of the Hollie Goste.
The fourth point, that thei cauſe to be reſtored, for the relief of the poore, ſuch giftes as wer offred, by our Elders to Chriſte, if any yet remayne.
And the fewer off thoſe giftes ſhal be founde remaynyng: the greater penſions to be ſet on riche benefices, for the relief of the poore, in recompenſe off the fourth parte off the Reuenues off all Churches, that is due by ſo many Canons.
The fyfte point, that great paynes be ſet on theim, that ſhall blaſpheme this most holy Inſtitution off the Holie Goste, or that ſhall go about to pul any man from it. And if any man ſhall thynke any thing to be corrected in the Deacons, and the prouiſion for the poore, that he first warne the Deacons therof: and if they will not folowe his reaſonable warnyng, that he declare the matier to the mynyſter of the word, and the Elders: that in all thinges, the Authorite of Goddes worde maye be of force, and the wicked pride of men, who can allowe nothing that is ordeined of God, maye be reſiſted in euerie place, and in tyme: and ſo it maye be the eaſlier obteyned off the people off Christ, wherby the litle ones off Christ maye ſo liberallie be prouided for, as we maye at length ioifullie heare: Come ye bliſſed of my father, and receaue the Kingdom, that is prepared for you, from the begining of the worlde. I was hungrie, and ye gaue me to eate &c.
And it is not ynough for the liberalitie of Chriſtians, to geue onelyonly meate, harbour, and clothing to ſuche as be in extreme neceſsite: but alſo they ought liberallie to geue of the giftes, God hathe geuen theim, wherwith godly maydens mariable, who for lack of dowrie remayne long unmaried, maye be in tyme maried, and coupled with honeſt men, and alſo that wittie Children, that lack frendes, may be brought up to ſtudie, to ſerue in Chriſtes Churche. Beſydes, good Chriſtians, that lack wherwith to exerciſe their craftes, may be therwith holpen, partlie by gifte, parlie by loane, as ther may come profet of their Arts, and thei maye be the better able to nouryſh, and bring up their children for the lorde, and to make theim profetable membres of the comen welthe. For it is not ynough for the Congregations off Chriſt to prouyde, that men may onlie lyue, but that thei may lyue to the Lorde, for a certeyn and mutual profet betwene them ſelfs, and of the Churche, and commen welthe. And therfore all Congregations ought to prouyde, that all thoſe that be baptized in Chriſte, be uertuouſlie brought up from their childehod, and taught good Artes, that euerie one, accordyng to his portion, may bryng forth ſomwhat, to profet the comen welthe, and to declare hymſelf to others a true, and profetable membre off Chriſt.