The Plea of the Poor, Treatise · Chapter 6 – Chapter 7
CHAP. 6. That we ought to viſit the poore, that we may the better performe theſe workes of mercy.
Sect. 1. That we ought to viſit the poore.
NOw that this compaſsion may the more affect our hearts, and both exerciſe and manifeſt it ſelfe in the workes of merciemercy, it is fit, that not onelyonly wee take notice of the miſeries and wants of the poore by the eare and report of others, but alſo that wee often viſite them, and ſo be eye-witneſſes of their calamities. For this the Apoſtle Iames maketh a note and badge of that religion which is pure and vndefiled before God, not onelyonly to relieue the poore, but to viſite the fatherleſſe Iam. 1. 27.and widdowes in their afflictions. Iam. 1. 27. And our Sauiour numbreth it among thoſe workes of mercy, which at the day of iudgement Mat. 25. 36 & 43he will reward with euerlaſting bleſſedneſſe. Mat. 25. 36. and the neglect thereof among thoſe ſins which ſhall be puniſhed with euerlaſting damnation. verſe 43. So that if no more could bee ſaid to incite vsus to this dutie, this alone were ſufficient.
Sect. 2. Reaſons which may moue vsus to viſite the poore. 1. Reaſon
But yet conſider further the vſe and benefit of it, which is ſo great and manifold, that almeſdeedes cannot conueniently be done without it. For firſt by viſiting the poore we ſhall be the better able to make good choiſe, and to diſcouer who are truely poore from thoſe who are counterfeit; as alſo who are religious, honeſt, and painful in their callings, from thoſe who are prophane wicked, and idle droanes.
Sect. 3. 2. Reaſon
Secondly, hereby wee ſhall the better know how to fit our almes to their neceſsities, both in reſpect of the proportion, and alſo the ſpeciall kindes of their wants? and ſo when we not onelyonly giuegive good, but fit things vntounto them, the benefit hereby is much increaſed. If therefore the huſband man for the well ſowing of his ſeede, which will bring but a corruptible crop, doth not hand ouer head caſt it into the ground, but carefully obſerueth the ſeede, the ſoyle, the ſeaſon, and all other circumſtances; why ſhould the Chriſtian ſeedes man careleſly caſt his ſeede he knoweth not where, which if it be well ſowne and in fit grounds will returne vntounto him a fruitfull harueſt of eternall happineſſe; ſeeing hee is not bleſſed who negligently giueth, but he that guideth his affaires with diſcretion? Pſal. 112. 5. Not hee ſimply Pſal. 112. 5.that giueth almes, but he who beſtoweth them with good aduice, according to that. Pſal. 41. 1. Bleſſed is he that conſidereth the poore, the Lord will Pſal 41.deliuer him in the time of trouble.
Sect 4. 3. Reaſon.
Thirdly, if we would thus ſometime viſit the poore at their houſes, they would not ſo often hauehave occaſion to viſit vsus at ours, nor be forced to ſtraggle abroade to begge neceſſaries; the which the Lord forbiddeth. Deut. 15. 4.Deut. 15. 4. and thoſe who hauehave no houſe nor home becauſe they will liue without a calling, like idle drones, vponupon the common ſpoyle, would be eaſily diſcouered and diſcouraged, whenas hauing neither home where to bee viſited, nor neighbour to viſit them, they ſhould finde little reliefe, vnleſſe they earne it with the ſweate of their browes.
The ſight of the poores miſeries is a notable means to moue compaſsion.
Fourthly, it would be a notable means to make vsus more compaſſionate, when as we ſhould ſee their ſmall prouiſion, hungrie fare, thinne cloathes, and hard lodging: the children crying for hunger, and the parents out crying them becauſe they hauehave no foode to giuegive them; ſome lying in ſtraw for want of beddes, others drinking water in ſtead of drinke, and a third ſort neere ſtarued with hunger for want of bread, or eſcaping that, quaking and ſhiuering with cold for lacke of fire. Which miſeries of the poore if they moue a chriſtiā hart to heare of thē, how much more would it ſtir thē vp to cōpaſsiō if they ſaw thē, for things ſeene more feelingly affect vsus, then thoſe which we conceiue by report of others. And this is one cauſe why the wiſe man ſaith, that it is better to Eccleſ. 7. 2.goe into the houſe of mourning, then into the houſe of feaſting, becauſe it will worke vponupon our affections, and make vsus lay the afflictions of others to heart, partaking with them in their ſorrowes by a ſympathy and fellow feeling: and this compaſsion working vponupon our hearts, will not let our hands be idle, but will inlarge their bountie and make them more readily and liberally to contribute towards the reliefe of the poores neceſſities.
Sect. 6. That if we viſite the poore we may ioyne ſpiritual & corporall almes together.
Fifthly, if we viſite the poore, wee may doe them double and treble good by ioyning ſpirituall and corporall almes both together, inſtructing the ignorant, reprehending the faulty, admoniſhing them who erre through infirmity, counſailing them that want counſaile, and eſpecially refreſhing their hearts with ſweete conſolations in theſe their wants and afflictions; to which purpoſe we our ſelues hauehave beene comforted by God in our croſſes, according to that. 2. Cor. 1. 4. Bleſſed be God, who comforteth vsus in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them 2. Cor. 1 4which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our ſelues are comforted of God. The which meanes of their ſpirituall good will at theſe times be moſt effectuall, when as by our almes we teſtifie our louelove; and then ſhall our good words finde moſt eaſie entrance into their hearts, when as our good workes hauehave prepared the way.
Sect. 7. That by viſiting the poore we may learne to be thankful.
But this dutie is ſo much out of vſe among the rich & wealthy, through the pride, niceneſſe, and vncharitableneſſe of theſe times, that there will haply ſeeme to be in it ſome abſurditie, vnleſſe it be preſſed with ſtronger arguments then thoſe which ariſe from neighbourly louelove. And therefore if their benefit will not moue vsus to put it in practiſe, yet at leaſt let louelove of our ſelues preuaile. For by ſeeing the wants and miſeries of our brethren, we in our owne particular may receiue much good. For we ſhall hauehave hereby iuſt occaſiō offered of burſting forth into Gods praiſes, who hath dealt ſo boūtifully with vsus, giuing vsus not only plenty of his bleſſings for our owne vſe which others want, but alſo making vsus helpfull vntounto our brethren. For thoſe who abound will neuer bee ſo thankefull vntounto God for his benefits as they ought, vnleſſe they hauehave learned their worth out of the experience of their owne and others wants.
Sect. 8. That by viſiting the poore we may learne temperance & ſobrietie.
Againe, by looking vponupon theſe ſad ſpectacles of miſerie and penurie, wee may learne temperance and ſobrietie in the vſe of Gods bleſſings, and not to abuſe them vntounto ſuperfluitie and exceſſe, ſeeing many as good as our ſelues in Gods true eſtimate doe want neceſſaries; but to huſband them in a frugall manner, that out of our abundance we may more liberally communicate to our neighbours wants: leaſt abuſing Gods gifts he take away, and binde vsus to temperance by the iron chaine of extreame neceſsitie, when we would not be held by the gentle bond of vertue and obedience. Finally, wee hauehave by theſe fights iuſt occaſion giuen to prepare our ſelues againſt the day of affliction, penurie and diſtreſſe, when as we ſee them who are cloathed with the ſame fleſh ſubiect to them, betweene whom and vsus there is no difference, but that which hath beene made by Gods free grace and vndeſerued merciemercy.
Sect 9. That when we viſit the poore we viſit Chriſt in them.
And therefore let not pride of greatneſſe▪ depriue our ſoules of ſo much goodneſſe; but when comparing the highneſſe of our eſtate with the lowneſſe of this Chriſtian duetie, wee are made loath to endure it, let vsus remember that Chriſt hath done the like for vsus; and we in token of our louelove and thankefulneſſe, doe it againe to our Sauiour Chriſt. For being in the boſome of the father in all glory and happineſſe, this light from on high viſited vsus, and abaſing himſelfe vntounto the low degree of a ſeruant, he hath by giuing his precious blood as the price of our redemption, not onelyonly viſited but redeemed vsus his people, according to Zachariahs ſong. Luk. 1. 68. 78. Yea he came among Luk. 1. 68. 78.vsus, and not onelyonly ſaw, but alſo tooke vponupon him our infirmities, and participated with vsus in our afflictions the more to inlarge his merciemercy and compaſsion, when he was touched with the feeling of our griefes, as it is Heb. 2. 17. 4. 15. Now Heb. 2. 17. & 4. 15.what doth he require for this vnſpeakeable louelove and kinde viſitation, but louelove for louelove, and that we viſite him as he hath viſited vsus, not in his own perſon, for he is glorious in the higheſt heauens, and our goodneſſe extendeth not vntounto him; but in his Pſal. 16. 3.poore Saints and brethren who are the members of his body; vntounto whom whatſoeuer we doe, he accounteth as done vntounto himſelfe. Math. 25. 40. Math. 25. 40.And therefore though wee be neuer ſo rich and honourable, let vsus not diſdaine to viſite the poore Ezech. 16. 6. 7.ſeeing in them we viſite Chriſt, who abaſed himſelfe much more for our ſakes, viſiting vsus when we were loathſomely defiled in our blood, and not onelyonly ſicke but ſtarke dead, and like Lazarus in the graue ſtincking in the putrefaction of our ſinnes, the vaſſailes of Sathan, the children of wrath, and very firebrands of hell. So that there is no poore ſo baſe and loathſome as we were; nor no worldly potentate ſo rich and glorious as our Sauiour Chriſt, who was God, equall to his father. And therefore ſeeing hee thus abaſed himſelfe for our ſakes, let vsus for his, a little ſtoope and humble our ſelues to performe all good offices to his pooreſt Saints; otherwiſe let vsus be aſſured that if we be aſhamed of him who hath aduanced vsus, he will be aſhamed of vsus; if wee ſcorne and diſdaine him in his pooreſt members, he will diſdaine and contemne vsus at the day of his appearing.
CHAP. 7. Of the right ends of giuing almes.
Sect. 1. The principal▪ end is Gods glory.
AND thus hauehave wee ſeene the fountaine from which our almes ſhould ſpring; let vsus conſider alſo in a word the maine ends where to they tend, which are the glory of God, our owne and our neighbours good. The principall end at which we muſt aime is Gods glorie; which as it is to be the chiefe motiue of all Chriſtian duties, according to that, Matth. 5. 16. Let your light ſo Matth. 5. 16.ſhine before men, that they ſeeing your good workes, may glorifie your father which is in heauen: ſo eſpecially of theſe workes of mercy. Which motiue the Apoſtle vſeth to ſtirre the Corinthians vntounto a liberall contribution, not onelyonly that heereby the 2. Cor. 9. 13.wants of the Saints might be ſupplied, but cheifly that God might bee glorified by this bountifull diſtribution. For as the Lord and maſter of the family is much honoured, in his wiſe and gracious gouernment, when as the ſteward obeying his commandement, giueth euerie one of his fellow-ſeruants his allowance and portion in due ſeaſon; ſo is our great Lord glorified in the Church, when as the richer ſort yeelding ſubiection vntounto the Goſpell of Chriſt, doe like faithfull ſtewards, thus imploy Gods wealth & riches committed vntounto their diſpeniation, to the releefe of thoſe in the family that ſtand in neede.
Sect. 2. The ſubordinate ends of giuing almes.
The ſubordinate ends at which we muſt aime, are the good of our brethren, who are refreſhed with our almes, the adorning of our profeſſion with theſe fruits of piety, the edification of others by our good example, the ſtopping of the mouths of our aduerſaries, when as they ſee our louelove towards God manifeſted in our louelove towards our brethren, and hauehave nothing to ſpeake againſt our Chriſtian conuerſation: Finally our owne preſent good, in reſpect both of temporall and ſpirituall benefits, and the furthering and aſſuring of our eternall ſaluation.
Sect. 3. That if our ends be euill, the action is vnprofitable.
But if contrariwiſe the fountaine of our almes bee pride and ſelfe-louelove, and our end bee, like the Matth. 6. 2. Luc. 18.hypocrites, to be ſeene of men, we hauehave our reward, as our Sauiour teacheth vsus. Matth. 6. 2. Or if with the proud Phariſie wee giuegive almes, that wee may glory and boaſt our ſelues in them, euen vntounto God himſelfe: or with Popiſh Iuſticiaries, doe them with an opinion of merit, or to ſatisfie Gods iuſtice for our ſinnes (for ſo they teach, that they ſatisfie for ſinne by thoſe three principall workes, almeſ-deedes, praier, and faſting) then in our almſdeedes, we ſhall ſacrifice vntounto God ſwines fleſh, and the head of a dogge, or (which is more abominable vntounto him) our workes defiled with helliſh pride and horrible blaſphemie againſt his free grace, and the all ſufficiency of Chriſts merits and ſatisfaction, by whoſe pouertie alone we are 2. Cor. 8. 9.made rich. As it is 2. Cor. 8. 9.