The Plea of the Poor, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. 12. Of the perſons vntounto whom almes are to be giuen: and in what order one is to be preferred before another.
Sect. 1. That almes are to be giuen onelyonly to the poore and needie.
AND thus wee hauehave ſhewed who are to giuegive almes. In the next place wee are to conſider to whom they are to bee giuen; the which hath in part been touched when I ſpoke of the obiect of our liberality; and now is more fully to bee handled. Firſt then, howſoeuer wee owe louelove vntounto all men, and in this louelove wee may, yea, ought to doe them all good: yea, howſoeuer we may giuegive gifts and rewards to whom we will, either to ſhew our louelove, or to encourage men in their well deſeruing; yet almeſdeedes are to bee extended onelyonly to the poore and needy, for therfore are they called Eleemoſynae, becauſe they are to bee exerciſed towards thoſe whoſe penurious and miſerable eſtate requireth & deſerueth mercy & compaſſion. So the Lord requireth Deu. 15. 11. Thou ſhalt open thine hand wide to thy poore, & Deut. 15. 11.to thy needy of thy land. Wherby thus much is ſignified, that wee ſhould giuegive not onelyonly vntounto thoſe who are generally and abſolutely poore, but alſo to them who though they hauehave a good eſtate, yet for the preſent, by ſome ſudden accident do want and ſtand in neede of our releefe; as when a man otherwiſe of good meanes, is forced to aske an almes, being brought into preſent neceſſitie, through perſecution, ſhipwracke, fire, robberie, and ſuch like vnlooked for and vnexpected accidents.
… prooued b… …ſt m…ni… … Scripture.
And therefore the Scriptures enioyning this dutie, expreſſe the perſon, who ought to bee releeued …. 3 17rather by the name of needy, then by the name of poore. So the 1. Ioh. 3. 17. Who ſo hath this worlds goods, and ſeeth his brother hath neede; and Epheſ. 4. 28. the Apoſtle enioyneth men to Epheſ. 4. 28.labour that they may hauehave to giuegive to him that needeth. And 2. Cor. 8. 14. he would hauehave an entercourſe 2. Cor. 8. 14.betweene Chriſtians in doing theſe works of merciemercy with equality, according to preſent occaſions, that thoſe who now releeue may bee releeued, and that thoſe who are now releeued may releeue if God make a change in their eſtates. That now at this time (ſaith he) your abundance may bee a ſupplie for their want, that their abundance alſo may be a ſupply for your want, that there may be equalitie. To which purpoſe alſo Iohn the Baptiſt requireth Luc. 3. 11.him that hath two coats to impart vntounto him that hath none, and him that hath meat to doe likewiſe.
Sect. 3. The diuers kinds of poore.
Now theſe poore and needie are ſometimes diſtinguiſhed into manie kindes, ſo our Sauiour nameth ſixe, Matth. 25. 35. the hungrie, thirſtie, ſtranger or harborleſſe, the naked, ſicke and poore priſoner. And out of the Prophet Eſay, wee may adde the oppreſſed and exiled. Eſa. 58. 6. 7. Eſpecially thoſe who ſuffer theſe miſeries for their Matth. 25. 35.conſtant confeſſion of the truth. To which out of other places wee may adioyne thoſe who are indebted Eſay 58. 6. 7. Nehem. 5. 11. Luc. 14. 12.aboue their meanes, the lame, blinde and maimed, the aged and decrepite, the poore widdow and diſtreſſed orphanes; And vntounto theſe we Iam. 1. 27.may adde all others, who being in any ſuch like diſtreſſe doe neede our helpe and comfort.
Sect. 4. Of the order which wee ought to obſerue in our giuing almes, and firſt we are to reſpect men according to their neede and miſerie.
But becauſe mens liberalitie being ſtinted within the limits of their eſtates, cannot extend Matth. 5. 42. Rom. 1…. 23. Luk. 6. 30.vntounto all poore, it will not bee amiſſe to conſider who, in beſtowing our almes are to be preferred before other, and to hauehave the priuiledge and place aboue the reſt. And firſt wee are to know that principally reſpect is to bee had to the ſtate and condition of the parties, without any difference of perſons, ſtrangers or acquaintance, enemies or friends. For thoſe who are in extreame neceſſitie, and thereby likely to periſh, are firſt to be releeued, though they be our enemies, before our kindred and friends, though otherwiſe in great want; and ſo likewiſe thoſe who are in great need; before thoſe whoſe wants are common and ordinarie. But if our ſtate be ſo ſmall, that wee are not able to releeue all that craue our helpe, being in the ſame degree of pouerty, then we may preferre our kinred and friends, and eſpecially thoſe who are godly and vertuous. Wherein alſo wee are to hauehave no ſmall reſpect to thoſe who by Gods prouidence are firſt caſt vponupon vsus, ſeeing thereby, being firſt offred vntounto vsus, they are after a ſort by God himſelfe preferred before others. And this our Sauiour ſignifieth in the Parable of the Samaritane, Luc. 10. 33. who finding, as hee iourneyed, the wounded man, tooke compaſſion on him, and releeued him.
Sect. 5. The Church and Commonwealth are to be reſpected in the firſt place.
But if there bee an equalitie of eſtate, and the want and neceſſity be alike, then is there to be an orderly proceeding of our almes, in reſpect of perſons, and thoſe to bee firſt releeued to whom wee are moſt bound. As firſt the whole Church and common-wealth is to bee preferred before a mans owne perſon, and if there be ſuch a neceſſity, we are rather to periſh our ſelues, then to ſuffer them to periſh, for it is better for one member to bee cut off, then that the whole body ſhould be deſtroyed: and this made the Diſciples in the Primitiue Church to ſell all they had for the releefe of the common neceſſitie. And in this reſpect the King and ſuch publike perſons, in whoſe ſafetie the welfare of the Church and Common-wealth conſiſteth, are alſo to be preferred before our ſelues, ſo that if we and they be in equall extreamitie, we muſt neglect our owne perſons for their good and preſeruation.
Sect. 6. In the ſecond place we muſt regard our ſelues, & then our wiues.
In the next place our care muſt extend to prouide neceſſaries for the releeuing of our owne Tho. Aquin in 5. 2…. quaeſt. 20. Art. 11. & Azorij inſtit. part. 2. lib. 12. cap. 13.wants, for charitie and merciemercy beginne at home, and to whom can he bee pittifull and compaſſionate, that is cruell to his owne bowels? and then vntounto our ſecond ſelues, our wiues; for whereas the ſchoole-men in caſes of extreame neceſſitie, would hauehave our parents preferred before our wiues, I take it to be erroneous and vniuſt; for in the inſtitution of marriage, man is to leaue father and mother and to adhere to his wife, ſo that they are no more two, but one fleſh. And the Apoſtle ſaith, that a man ought to louelove his wife as him. Gen. 2. Epheſ. 5. 28.ſelfe, and therefore better then his parents. For where as they except that the Apoſtle ſaith, a man muſt louelove his wife as his owne body, and that becauſe wee ought to louelove our neighbours better then our bodies, and our parents beſt of all our neighbours, and therefore alſo better then our wiues: it is moſt friuolous, for by the ſame reaſon a man ſhould louelove his other neighbours alſo better then his wife (which I confeſſe to bee the popiſh charity) but the Apoſtle by an vſuall Synecdoche there putteth the body for the whole man, as hee plainely explicateth himſelfe, verſ. 33. where he ſaith, that eueryevery man muſt louelove his wife euen as himſelfe, and therefore the reaſon grounded on this place ſtandeth ſtrong.
Sect 7. Next vntounto our wiues, parents are to be releeued.
Next vntounto the wife, and euen before our children, parents are to be releeued in their neceſſity; for though in the order of charity a man loueth his owne children better then father or mother, in which regard we vſually ſay, that louelove deſcendeth rather then aſcendeth; and though, as ſome adde, the childe is neerer vntounto a man then his parents, becauſe hee is of his owne ſubſtance (howſoeuer heerein for my part I ſee no difference, vnleſſe it bee on the parents ſide, for why am I not bound in neerer bonds of nature vntounto them from whom I had my ſubſtance and being, then vntounto thoſe who hauehave from me their ſubſtance and being?) yet ſeeing almeſdeeds and releefe in their nature are benefits and retribution, which doe cheifely reſpect debt and dutie, and ſeeing wee owe more debt and duty vntounto parents, in reſpect of our being, birth and breeding then vntounto our children, therefore in caſes of extremitie wee are to preferre in miniſtring releife, our father or mother before them, when wee are ſo ſtraitened in our meanes that we hauehave not ſufficient to giuegive vntounto both. And this is a part of that honor which children owe vntounto parents, the which our ſauiour ſo highly eſteemeth that hee farre preferreth the releiuing of our Parents before freewill offrings and oblations which wee giuegive and dedicate to Gods ſeruice. And therefore condemneth the Scribes and Phariſes who excuſed children for neglecting this dutie in releiuing their old, impotent and decayed parents, vnderunder colour of bringing theſe gifts into the treaſurie, which ſhould hauehave been beſtowed on their maintenance. Mar. 7. 11. 12.Mar 7. 11. 12.
Sect. 8. Next vntounto our Parents, our children are to be cared for.
After parents our next care ought to be for our children, of which I ſhall neede to ſay little becauſe nature it ſelfe doth teach ſo much, and vntounto them I adioyne the whole familie who are vnderunder the charge of the Gouernours, and therefore to be prouided for by them as well, in their place & kinde, as thoſe that come out of their own loines. And though a mans kindred and friends may be neerer to him then many vnderunder his roofe, both in reſpect of blood and alſo louing affection; yet when he hath by admitting them into his family taken charge of them, he is to prouide for them before the other. According to that 1. Tim. 5. 8. If any prouide not for his owne and ſpecially for thoſe of his own houſe, he hath denied the faith and is worſe then an infidell.
Sect. 9. Next vntounto our childre, charge and familie, we muſt releiue our ſpirituall kindred.
So that all theſe are in their order to be releiued before all others by the expreſſe commandement of almighty God, euen before thoſe who are vertuous and religious, being not ſo neere vntounto vsus in theſe bondes of nature. But next as (I take it) our ſpirituall kindred is to take place, and in our works of mercy to be preferred before thoſe who are only a kinne vntounto vsus in the fleſh. I ſay only, becauſe if our kindred in the fleſh be alſo vertuous & religious, they are to be preferred before the other; yea though they hauehave not attained vntounto that meaſure and degree of grace and godlineſſe, ſo that it be in them in ſubſtance and truth, and not onelyonly in a generall, bare, and vnfruitfull profeſſion; as it is in many amongſt vsus, who though they are content to be called by the name of Chriſtians, yet are in truth deuoted wordlings, who profeſſing Chriſt with their mouthes deny him in their liues and workes. For the faithfull are Tit 1. 16.children of the ſame father, members of the ſame body whereof Chriſt is the head, and coheires of the ſame glorious kingdome, where they ſhall raigne together in all happines for euermore; and therefore being mutually conioyned in ſo many bondes of louelove, they are to reſpect one another more then thoſe, who being onelyonly a kinne vntounto them in the fleſh, are enemies to their profeſſion, yea euen to themſelues, for being worldlings they louelove onelyonly their owne, and not thoſe whom Ioh. 7. 5. 6. 7. & 15. 19.Chriſt hath choſen out of the world; yea enemies to Gods grace and ſtrangers to the common-wealth of Iſrael, vaſſals of Sathan, and in the ſtate of perdition. And for this alſo we hauehave our warrant out of the Scriptures; for as wee are bound to do good vntounto all, ſo eſpecially to thoſe who are of the houſhold of faith. Gal. 6. 10. As our Gal. 6. 10.mercy muſt extend to all, ſo principally to our brethren who ſtand in neede, 1. Ioh. 3. 17. As we muſt 1. Ioh. 3. 17.communicate vntounto all that want, ſo it is required chiefly that we diſtribute vntounto the neceſsity of the Saints. Rom. 12. 13. And theſe almes aboue others hauehave the ſpeciall promiſes of reward. So Rom. 12. 13.Math. 10. 41. Hee that receiueth a Prophet in the Math. 10. 41.name of a Prophet, ſhall hauehave a Prophets reward, and he that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, ſhall receiue a righteous mans reward. And whoſoeuer ſhall giuegive to drinke to one of theſe little ones a cuppe of cold water onelyonly in the name of a Diſciple, ſhall in no wiſe looſe their reward. And Math. 25. 40. Hee entreth the faithfull into the Math. 25. 40.poſſeſſion of his kingdome, becauſe in doing the workes of merciemercy to his brethren, they had done it to himſelfe. And therefore Dauid did extend his goodneſſe chiefely to the Saints and excellent. Pſal. 16. 3. And our Sauiour himſelfe profeſſeth thoſe to be his brethren, ſiſters and mother, who did the will of his Father which is in heauen. Math Math. 12. 50.12. 50.
Sect 10. Next vntounto our ſpirituall kindred wee muſt reſpect our benefactors.
In the next place vntounto theſe wee are to reſpect our benefactours, vntounto whom we our ſelues hauehave been beholding; for it ſtandeth with the rule of iuſtice, equitie and thankfulneſſe, that we ſhould requite their kindneſſe, and doe good vntounto them in the time of their neede, who hauehave beene beneficiall vntounto vsus in releiuing our wants. And this argument the Apoſtle vſeth to perſwade the Corinthians to contribute vntounto the neceſſity of the poore Saints. 2. Cor. 8. 14. That now (ſaith hee) 2. Cor. 8. 14.at this time, your abundance may be a ſupply to their wants, that their abundance alſo may be a ſupply for your wants, that there may be an equalitie. In which regard our benefactours are to be preferred before our kindred in the fleſh; becauſe though we be tyed vntounto theſe in a neerer bond of alliance & blood, yet we are more ſtraightly bound to the other in the bond of iuſtice & common equitie. according to that Pro. 18. 24. A man that hath Pro. 18. 24.friends muſt ſhew himſelfe friendly, and there is a friend that ſticketh cloſer then a brother.
Sect. 11. Next vntounto our benefactors we muſt extend our bountie to our kindred in the fleſh.
Next vntounto our benefactours wee muſt extend our bounty to our kindred, who are not onelyonly of Gen. 29. 13. 14.the ſame fleſh with vsus in reſpect of nature and common parents, but in regard of neere alliance and conſanguinitie being lately and immediately ſprung from the ſame Progenitours. And this bond of naturall affection tyed euen churliſh Laban himſelfe in all kindneſſe and louelove to his kinſman Iacob, till it was broken by his worldlineſſe and the violent ſtrength of his greedie couetouſneſſe. Gen. 29. 13. 14. From whence wee learne that they are more churliſh then Laban, who hauing abundance wil not acknowledge their poore kindred, nor Miniſter any thing to their neceſſities.
Sect. 12. Next vntounto our kindred wee muſt releiue cōmon friends and neighbors.
In the next place vntounto theſe wee are bound to releiue before others, our common friends and neereſt neighbors, who dwell in the ſame place & pariſh, for beſides the bond of neighborhood, we are in this regard alſo to preferre them before others, becauſe through Gods prouidence they are firſt offered to our view, and hauehave the oportunity of diſcouering vntounto vsus their wants and miſeries. To which purpoſe one ſaith; whenas thou canſt Auguſt de doct. Chriſt.not doe good vntounto all, thy care muſt principally extend to thoſe, who by place, time and other opportunities, are, as it were by a certaine lot, more ſtraightly and neerely ioyned vntounto thee. And the rather becauſe being neere at hand they are as occaſion ſerueth ready, to performe vntounto vsus mutually according to their poore power all good offices and Chriſtian duties, according to that Pro. 27. 20. better is a neighbour that is neere, Pro. 27. 10.then a brother farre of.
Sect. 13. Next vntounto our neighbours we muſt reſpect our Countrymen, and then ſtrangers.
Next vntounto our neere neighbours we are to releiue the inhabitants of the ſame City, Sheere, Deut. 15. 7.and Countrie, before thoſe who are of other nations; according to that Deut. 15. 7. If there be among you a poore man, of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou ſhalt not harden thine heart, nor ſhut thine hand from thy poore brother. And verſ. 11. Thou ſhalt open thine hand wide vntounto thy brother, to thy poore and thy needie in thy land, &c. But yet wee are not ſo onelyonly to reſpect them, as that we are to neglect poore Chriſtians of other Countries, but they alſo are in the next place to be releiued, according to that Leuit. 25. 35. If thy brother bee Leuit. 25. 35.waxen poore and fallen in decay with thee, then thou ſhalt releiue him, yea though he be a ſtranger or a ſoiourner, that he may liue with thee. And this is a part of that good hoſpitalitie which the Apoſtle exhorteth vntounto, Rom: 12. 3. and commendeth vntounto Rom: 12. 13. Heb: 13. 2. Gen: 18 3. & 19. 2. Eſa. 58. 7.vsus in the example of Abraham and Lot. Heb. 13 2. Be not forgetfull (ſaith he) to entertaine ſtrangers, for thereby ſome hauehave entertained Angells vnawares. And this is a part of that faſt which God requireth, that we bring the poore which are exiled, or caſt out, into our houſes; eſpecially when as they ſuffer baniſhment for the profeſſion of the Goſpell; for then in receiuing them wee receiue Chriſt, and performe one of thoſe works of merciemercy, which ſhall be ſo richly rewarded at the laſt day, Matth. 25. 35. I was a ſtranger and you tooke Matt: 25. 35.me in. In which regard they are to be relieued with the chiefe of our ſpirituall kindred, and to hauehave the next place to our owne children and familie, reſerued for them. And this dutie is commended in Gaius who charitably entertayned the brethren who were ſtrangers, and the neglect hereof condemned in proud Diotrephes, who receiued not the brethren himſelfe, and alſo forbad thoſe that would. Ioh. Epist. 3. 5. 10.Ioh. epiſt. 3. v. 5. 10.
Sect. 14. We muſt ſuffer our bounty to extend to our enemies.
Yea ſo full of mercy and chriſtian charitie ought we to be, that our good deeds, as occaſion ſerueth, Rom. 12. 20.muſt not only extend vntounto our friends, neighbors and ſtrangers, but euen vntounto our enemies; according to that Rom▪ 12. 20, If thine enemie hunger feede him, if he thirſt giuegive him drinke. An example whereof we hauehave in the good Prophet Eliſha, who 2 King 6. 22.would not ſuffer the Aramites to be ſmitten with 2 King. 6. 22.the ſword, but contrariwiſe cauſed them to be releiued in their neceſſitie. whereby he ſo wonne their louelove, that they came no more to invade the land of Iſrael.
Sect. 15. A caution for the better vnderſtanding of the former rules.
And thus we hauehave ſhewed in what order we are to proceede in doing theſe workes of mercy, preferring our wiues next vntounto our ſelues before all whatſoeuer, our Parents before our children, and theſe with the reſt of our familie before all others; our ſpirituall kindred and benefactors before them who are onelyonly of our kindred in the fleſh; our kindred before common freinds and neighbours, and theſe before ſtrangers, and ſtrangers alſo before enemies; ſo that if our liberalitie cannot through the ſtraiteneſſe of our eſtates extend to all ſorts, then muſt we ſtretch it as farre as we can, according to this order. Which is to be vnderſtood if they be in other things alike, that is, like in want and pouertie, and like in pietie and honeſtie; for otherwiſe we muſt (as hath beene ſhewed) releeue thoſe who are our enemies being in extreame neceſſitie, euen before our owne children being but in ordinarie want; and thoſe who are religious & vertuous being further of, before thoſe who being vicious and graceleſſe are neerer vntounto vsus. And ſo when we are linked vntounto any in many of theſe bonds, we are to preferre them before any of thoſe to whom we are but bound in ſome one particular, if they be not our Parents or vnderunder our own charge & gouernment; as a godly kinſman, before one who is as religious but nothing a kinne vntounto vsus; or a kinne vntounto vsus, but not ſo vertuous and religious; a kinſman, neighbour and benefactor, before either a kinſman, or neighbour, or a benefactor ſingly and alone.