How Alms Ought to be Distributed, Addition
An addition.
Ther be, that denye not the office off the Deaconrie in the Churche of Christ, to be ordeyned by God: but ſaye, ſuche office is not of neceſsitie. For ther be ſom Congregations, where al men be welthie, and ther is no Pouertie, and ſo no neade of the Deaconrie. That it pleaſeth theim ſo genttely to graunt, thoffice of the Deaconrie to be the ordenaunce of God, they deſerue no thākes. For if they ſhulde denye it, they muste other confeſſe, Seynt Paule erreth, or ſeynt Paule wolde ſaye, they erre. For, beſydes he teacheth what men ought to be called to be Deacōs in the Churche of Chriſt, he ſaieth playnelye, that God ordeyned and conſtituted in his Churche: firſt Apoſtels, ſecōdarilie Prophetes, thirdlie Teachers, then thoſe that do myracles: after that, thoſe that hauehave the giftes of healing, helpers, gouernours, and diuerſitie of tongues. VnderUnder wich name of Helpers, as a general word for al men that may do good in the Churche of Christ, thoffice of the Deacons (according as the interpretours on that place agreablye do teſtifie) as it is in the Actes mencioned, is conteyned. Now where they ſaie, ther may be a Churche without poore, and ſo no neade of Deacons: ſo may it be ſaid, ther may be a Congregation, wherin all may bee lerned in Goddes worde, and therfore no neade of preachers and teachers. But what a fonde kynde of argument is it, to reaſon of thinges, that maye be, as though they were? to alledge thinges that be onelie in Vtopia, as if they wer commen in euerie Contrey: to magnifie their owne uncerteyn Sophiſtrie, and to neglect the certeyn doctrine of God? who forſeyng all thinges, aſwel to come as preſent, ſaied, ye ſhall hauehave alweis poore emong you, and therfore ordeyned this mynyſterie in his Churche of neceſsitie, not for a tyme, but for euer to contynue: to hauehave the ouerſight, and care off the poore, becauſe ther ſhalbe poore for euer. And albeit God, in ſom particular congregation, dothe ſo beſtowe his benefites, as many be ritche, and fewe poore: yet wil he not, that they ſhal hauehave their reſpecte, onelie to the poore in the ſame Congregation, but alſo to ſuch as be in other Congregations, as appeareth by thoſe of Macedonia, Achaia, and Corinthus. Who, accordyng to the doctrine off ſeynt Paule, and their duetie, ſent their charitie to Hieruſalem, for the relief of the ſayntes, and poore Brethern there. Some ayen ſaie, why may not eueryevery man appoint his owne Al mener, or Chamberer, to diſtribute his Almoſe, ſo the poore be prouided for, it forceth not, how, or by whom it be don?
Albeit this obiection be before ſufficientlie confounded, by Master. D. Bucer: yet it may be added, that ſuch obiections procede off affection and pryuat gaigne (which maye doo moche with worldlie men) and not of a zeale to aduaunce Goddes glorie.
For Chriſtian men, that ſeeke to ſerue god their lorde and Master, and not their owne commoditie, and affections, when thei knowe his will, pleaſure, and ordenaunce, ſerche no further: but as good ſubiectes, and ſeruauntes, by all meanes labour to do, and fulfil the ſame.
They diſpute not, why God hathe ordeyned, or commaunded this, or that: nor thynke this myght be other wiſe don, then God hathe deuyſed: or that he hathe don, is not off neceſsitie.
They knowe his wil, and pleaſure, declared by his worde, is an unchaungeable lawe, wherunto nothyng maye be added, or dymynyſshed, but ought to be obeied off all his ſeruauntes: that he hathe made nothyng in uayne, but as he is the uery wiſedom it ſelf, and forſeeth what is beſt for his: ſo hathe he moſt wiſelie, and most neceſſarilie ordeyned this mynyſterie off the Deaconrie in his Churche. Yea, they be most certeyn, that as ther be in mans bodie diuers mēbers, not all of one ſorte, but ſom more profetable, then ſome, and yet al requyſite, and neceſſarie to make a parfet bodie: ſo in the Churche of Chriſt, ther be dyuers membres, mynyſteries, and uocations, preachours, teachours, elders, deacons &c. Who, albeit they be not off like Authorite, and degree: yet be they all requyſite, and neceſſarie to the edifiyng off a godlie, and parfet Churche off Chriſte.
Neither will any of Chriſtes ſeruauntes, thruſt hymſelf, not beyng lefully called, into any mynyſterie, or ſeake to come into it by the wyndowe, as Theues and murderers do, but wil tary til he may enter by the doore, til he be ordinarilie called by the Churche off Christ, as Stephen, and the reſt off the Deacons in the prymytiue Churche were. For all good men wil feare, leſt when thei either do any thing contrarie to Goddes ordenaunce, or medle with that, wherunto they be not ordynarilie called, the plage off God will fal on them, as it dyd uppō the like, by iuſte iudgement, in tyme past. Nadah, and Abiu the children of Aaron, toke thier Cenſers, put a ſtraunge fier therin, and offred to God: but becauſe thei dyd it cōtrarie to the ordinaunce of god, the fier cam from the lorde and deſtroid them. Vſa, becauſe he ſet his hande to ſtaie up tharke of the lorde, that it ſhould not fal, albeit the deede ſymplie conſidered was good, yet becauſe he medled with that office, wherunto he was not ordynarilie called, and appoynted, God plaged him with death. Kynge Ozias, becauſe he wolde be buſie in other mens uocation, offryng incenſe to the Lordes which perteined to the miniſterie of the Children off Aaron, and not to his, was stroken with the Leprie. The wiſeman ſaith in the prouerbes, Ther is a waie that ſeameth to a man iust and right, but thende bryngeth to deathe. When men leaue the waies of God, and occupie their buſie braynes about thinges beſides, or cōtrarie to Goddes worde, they fal at length clene from God, and become Godleſſe. Therfore Men ought to take heade, and to leaue their uncerteyn phantaſies, and cleaue unto the certeyn worde of God, wherūto whoſoeuer leaneth, can not ſtumble, whoſoeuer foloweth it, cannot erre: and he that walketh therin, ſhal at length come to the eternal Kingdō, which is prepared for all ſuch as louelove and folowe God.
Remembre the poore, and God wil remēber you:
Forget the poore, and God will not forget you.
End of the text · Martin Bucer, How Alms Ought to be Distributed (1557)