The Plea of the Poor, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. 8. Of the ſubiect matter of almes: where is ſhewed that we ought to giuegive vntounto the poore onelyonly that which is our owne; and what it ſhould bee both in reſpect of quantitie and qualitie.
Sect. 1. That we muſt giuegive that onelyonly which is our owne.
ANd ſo I come from the cauſes moouing vsus to giuegive our almes, to ſpeake of the worke it ſelfe, where wee will conſider the ſubiect matter about which it is exerciſed, the perſons to whom it belongeth, the right manner how they are to bee beſtowed, the time when wee are bound to doe them, the properties of Chriſtian almes, wherein they differ from the almes of hypocrites and wordlings, and laſtly, the diuers ſorts and kindes of them. In reſpect of the firſt, wee muſt giuegive onelyonly that which is our owne, by iuſt and lawfull means deriued vntounto vsus: as by inheritance, free gift or honeſt getting, by our owne painefull labours and endeauours. For almeſ-deedes are liberall gifts, whereby wee alienate the propertie of the thing giuen from our ſelues, and not from other men, to the releefe of thoſe who ſtand in neede. And to be liberall of that which is not our owne, but of right belongeth vntounto others, is to take goods from the right owners, to whom God hath giuen them, and to beſtow them on others at our owne pleaſure, wch is (as we ſay in the prouerb) to cut a large ſhiue out of another mans loafe, to rob Peter, that we may pay Paul, and in truth no better then plaine theft in the ſight of God. Now in our Chriſtian ſacrifice of almeſ-deedes, wee muſt take heede wee offer not vntounto God ſtrange fire nor ſtolne oblations; for if the hire of an harlot, or price of a dogge, might not Deut. 23. 18.be conſecrated vntounto God, becauſe they were an abomination vntounto him, then neither may we offer that which we hauehave gotten by ſtealth and robberie, fraud and deceipt, oppreſſion and cruelty, which are no leſſe abominable and odious. Eſay Eſa. 61. 8.61. 8. And therefore iuſtice and mercy muſt bee matched together, according to that Micha. 6. Micha. 6. 8.8. deale iustly and louelove merciemercy, and as merciemercy muſt lay out that which is giuen to the poore, ſo iuſtice muſt firſt bring it in. The which is ſignified by thoſe phraſes which the Scriptures vſe in enioyning vntounto vsus this dutie of giuing almes; as, Caſt thy bread vponupon the face of the waters. And honour the Eccleſ. 11. 1. Prou. 3. 9. Eſay 58. 7.Lord with thy ſubſtance, and with the firſt fruit of all thine encreaſe. And deale thy bread to the hungrie. implying that it muſt be our owne and not other mens. And the Apoſtle requireth euerie one to lay by him in ſtore for this vſe, as God hath proſpered 1. Cor. 16. 2.him; ſo that nothing muſt be giuen to God for the benefit of the poore, but that which he hath firſt giuen vntounto vsus, in bleſſing our honeſt endeauours with fruitfull ſucceſſe. So as wee may ſay with Dauid, 1. Chron. 29. 14. All things come of thee, and of thine owne wee hauehave giuen thee.
Sect. 2. Ill gotten goods muſt not be giuen, out reſtored to the owners.
Whereby it appeareth that men cannot lawfully giuegive almes out of thoſe goods which they hauehave gotten by theft and rapine, briberie and extortion, ſimonie and vſurie, dicing and vnlawfull gaming. For as the Ciuilians ſay well. Bonus vſus non iuſtificat iniuſtè quaeſita. The good vſe doth not iuſtifie the vniuſt getting of their goods. Becauſe ſuch goods are not their owne but other mens, which they are bound in conſcience to reſtore to their true owners; vnleſſe it be in this caſe, that they cannot poſſibly make reſtitution, becauſe thoſe whom they hauehave wronged are dead or vnknowen vntounto them; and then it being vnlawfull to keepe theſe goods themſelues, it is the beſt courſe to giuegive them vntounto God, the chiefe Lord of all, when the next and proper owner cannot be found; euen as by our Law ſtolne goods found in the ground of an inferiour Tenant, belongs to the cheife Land-Lord, when the partie appeareth not whoſe they are, or elſe to the King, when the theefe is taken with his theft about him. An example whereof we hauehave in Zacheus, who hauing by his office gotten much vniuſtly, after his conuerſion, offereth Luke 19. 8.fourefold reſtitution vntounto all whom he had wronged, and becauſe many could not bee found to whom he ſhould make it, hee offereth to beſtow halfe of his goods to the releefe of the poore. Where by the way we may obſerue that this heatheniſh Publican was in his worſt eſtate to be iuſtified before many among vsus, making profeſſion of Chriſtian Religion, who if they ſhould make a foure-fold, yea, ſingle reſtitution of their ill gotten goods, could not make the poore much beholding for that halfe which ſhould remaine, ſeeing all would be too little to make ſatisfaction.
Sect. 3. That it is vnlawfull to giuegive other mens goods proued.
But if wee know the parties whom wee hauehave wronged in ill getting of our goods, we muſt reſtore them vntounto them againe. For God much preferreth this iuſt obedience before an vniuſt & wicked ſacrifice: yea, whereas that is pleaſing and acceptable, this his ſoule hateth, becauſe in his word hee hath forbidden it. According to that Prou. 15. 8. The ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination vntounto the Lord. And God himſelf profeſſeth, I the Lord louelove iudgement, I hate robberie for burnt offring. Eſa. 61. 8. So the ſonne of Syrach. Eccli. Eſa 61 8.34. 18. He that ſacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, his offring is ridiculous, and the gifts of vniuſt men are not accepted. For he who retaineth ill gotten goods, and reſtoreth them not to the right owners, liueth in his ſinne without repentance, and as it followeth in the next words; The moſt high is not pleaſed with the offrings of the wicked, neither is he pacified for ſinne by the multitude of ſacrifices.
Sect. 4. Almes out of goods gotten by oppreſſion vnlawfull.
But as all ſacrifices and almeſ-deedes are vnlawfull, which are offered and giuen out of ill gotten goods; ſo ſome aboue others are moſt abominable; as firſt when as men giuegive almes out of thoſe goods which are gotten by oppreſſing the poore, and that whether they wring from ſome poore by cruelty, deceit or violence, and giuegive vntounto others; for as one ſaith, What kinde of gift is that which one receiueth with ioy, and another looſeth with Auguſt. Quaie eſt illud munꝰ quod alter tum gaudio accipit, alter cum la…hymis amit…it?teares? or pull from the ſame poore by pounds at one time, and giuegive vntounto them by pence at another. As is the practiſe of thoſe cruell, yet vaineglorious Land-lords, who racke their poore Tenants the whole yeere, and in the twelue dayes onelyonly keep open houſe, and feaſt them with ſome ſmall part of that which is their owne. But hee that bringeth vntounto God ſuch an alms, or offring of the goods of the poore, doth as one that killeth the ſonne before the eyes of his father, as it is Eccli. 34. 20.
Sect. 5. Almes giuen out of the ſpoiles of the Church vnlawfull.
But much more abominable are their almes, who ſpoile the Church by ſimonie and ſacriledge, & taking into their poſſeſſion the portion of Leui, which is conſecrated vntounto God, thinke to pleaſe the Lord, & as it were, ſatisfie for their ſin, by giuing ſome ſmall almes to the poore, or keeping good hoſpitalitie of the ſpoiles of the Church. And that not onelie for the time paſt, but with a reſolution to continue ſtill in their ſinne, paying theſe pittances to the poore, as the price or penaltie of their ſacrilegious wickedneſſe: but vntounto theſe may bee well fitted the ſaying of the holy Ghoſt. Prou. 21. 27. The ſacrifice of the wicked is an Prou. 21. 26.abomination: How much more when he bringeth it with a wicked minde?
Sect 6. Almes giuen By Non reſidents vnlawful▪
But aboue all, the almes of our vnconſcionable Non-reſidents are moſt odious vntounto God; who multiplie one liuing vponupon another, and ſtarue the ſoules of the people, that they may pamper and feede their own bellie. All which impietie is gilded ouer with this pretence, that they muſt hauehave wherewith to keepe good hoſpitalitie, and to giuegive vntounto the poore; and what is this but to come twice or thrice a yeere to their charge to fleece the ſheepe, and prey vponupon the flocke, and then for a day or two put them into a fat paſture, for the feeding or rather feaſting of their bodies? which muſt bee a full recompence for the not feeding of their ſoules the whole yeere after.
Sect. 7. Diuers caſes wherein it is vnlawfull to giuegive.
Secondly, whereas almes are onelyonly to be giuen out of our owne goods, and not that which belongeth vntounto others: hence wee learne that it is not lawfull for one partner to giuegive almes out of the common ſtocke without the conſent of the other, vnleſſe he put it on his owne account.
Thirdly, it is not lawfull for him who is indebted more then he is well able to pay, to giuegive alms, ſeeing he giueth not his own, but that which belongeth to other men.
Fourthly, It is not lawfull for a man to giuegive that which he hath borrowed frō another man, or that which is left in pawn with him, when the thing is to be reſtored in the ſame particular, and is not ſpent in the vſe, as houſes, lands, horſes, plate, iewels, and ſuch like; but if reſtitution bee onelyonly required in the ſame kinde, as in things which are ſpent in the vſe, where the propertie is alienated with the vſe, as namely meat, money, corne, &c. it is lawful to giuegive out of that which is borrowed, when the giuer purpoſeth to make ſatisfaction by reſtoring the like to the true owner.
Sect. 8. That all the former caſes are to be vnderſtood with ſome exceptiō.
All which caſes are to be vnderſtood with this exception, if the poore be but in ordinarie want, and not in extreame neceſſitie; as when hee is in danger to bee famiſhed or ſtarued, or in extreame and imminent perill, to periſh for want of releefe. or to be vtterly ruined and ouerthrowne in his whole eſtate; in which caſes nothing is to bee accounted proper, but all becomes commune Mat. 12. 1. 3. 4. Dut. 23. 24. 25.through this vrgent and vnreſiſtible neceſſitie. Yet ſo as that he who giueth muſt purpoſe to the vttermoſt of his power to make ſatisfaction to the owner, for thoſe goods which hee hath thus beſtowed; ſeeing though it may ſeeme to bee a worke of merciemercy to giuegive reliefe in ſuch extremities, yet not of iuſtice, if wee giuegive that which belongeth to other men, without any purpoſe of making reſtitution.
Sect 9. That a certaine quantitie is not determined.
The ſecond point to be conſidered in the matter of our almes, is the quantitie or meaſure of them; the which is not particularly determined in the Scriptures, becauſe there are ſo many circumſtances which alter the caſe that no certaine rule could be giuen; but it is left to the diſcretion of the prudent Chriſtian, to giuegive according to the occaſion offered, more or leſſe, as he thinketh good. And therefore the Apoſtle exhorting the Corinthians to abound in this grace, addeth that he ſpeaketh not this by commandement, but by occaſion of the forwardneſſe of others. 2. Cor. 8. 7. 8. 2. Cor. 8. 7 8.and afterwards. 2. Cor. 9. 7. EueryEvery man according and 9. 7.as he purpoſeth in bis heart, ſo let him giuegive, not grudgingly or of neceſsitie; for God loueth a cheerefull giuer. And this the nature of the worke requireth; for giuing is a free and liberall action, and therefore is to be done freely and willingly, and conſequently cannot be done by all in the like proportion becauſe their hearts are not alike inlarged with louelove and bounty.
Sect. 10. That we muſt giuegive liberally.
But yet this in the generall is required, that we giuegive our almes not with a ſtraight and niggardly hand, but bountifully and largely; the which is implyed by the metaphor of ſcattering or ſowing ſeede, fitted by the Apoſtle to this action of giuing almes, 2. Cor. 9. 6. which is vſually done 2. Cor. 9. 6.with a bountifull and full hand; as alſo by that phraſe of opening the hād wide to the poore and needy, Deut. 15. 11. & of ſtretching and reaching Deut. 15. 11.out to the poore, which phraſe Salomon vſeth to expreſſe the bounty of the vertuous woman. Pr. Pro. 31. 20.31. 20. And in regard hereof the act of giuing almes is by the Apoſtle tearmed by the name of bountie, & oppoſed to couetouſneſſe, as being contrary vntounto it. 2. Cor. 9. 5. And plainely expreſſed, where the Apoſtle perſwadeth to this bountie by annexing that gracious promiſe. 2. Cor. 9. 2. Cor. 9. 5 8. 6.6. He that ſoweth bountifully, ſhall reape bountifully; and maketh it to be an eſpeciall grace of the ſpirit to abound in theſe workes of merciemercy. v. 8. and an vndoubted ſigne of the ſinceritie of our louelove. 2. Cor. 8. 8.2. Cor. 8. 8.
Sect. 11. That in giuing we muſt hauehave reſpect to our owne abilitie.
But yet herein reſpect muſt be had (as before I hauehave in part ſhewed) to our abilitie, keeping (as the wiſe man counſaileth vsus) our ceſternes and wels full, that our ſelues may drinke of them and letting the ouerplus (as it were at the waſte) runne abroade to others in the ſtreetes. Pro. 5. 16. Pro. 5. 16. 17.17. And this alſo the ſonne of Syrach aduiſeth, according to thine abilitie ſtretch out thine hand and giuegive. chap. 14. 13. and giuegive vntounto the moſt high according Eccleſ. 14. 13.as he hath inriched thee, and as thou haſt gotten, giuegive with a cheerefull eye. chap. 35. 10. An example and 35. 10.of which Chriſtian diſcretion wee hauehave in the faithfull. Act. 11. 29. Then the Diſciples eueryevery man according to his abilitie determined to ſend reliefe vntounto Act. …1. 29.the brethren. And this the Apoſtle meaneth where he requireth ſuch an equalitie, as that ſome ſhould not be too much eaſed, and ſome too much burthened; but that they ſhould indifferently out of their abundance ſupply the wants of others, 2. Cor. 8. 13. 14.2. Cor 8 13. 14.
Sect. 12. That in caſe of extreame neceſsity we muſt ſtraine our ſelues aboue our abilitie.
Notwithſtanding in caſes of vrgent neceſſitie and great extreamitie, men are to ſtraine themſelues, and to racke their eſtates aboue the reach of their abilitie, to preſerue their brethren from being tortured in their perſons vponupon the racke of neceſsitie: for which the Apoſtle magnifieth the Chriſtian bountie of the Macedonians, who euen aboue their ability contributed and communicated to the relief of the poore Saints. And this our Sauiour requireth, Luk. 12. 33. Sell that you hauehave and giuegive almes. And Iohn the Baptiſt. Luk. 3. 11. Luk. 12. 33. and 3. 1….He that hath two coates, let him impart vntounto him that hath none, and he that hath meate let him doe likewiſe. Whereby is meant that he who hath more then is ſufficient for the ſuſtentation of life, muſt communicate it vntounto thoſe who are in extreame neceſsitie, and in imminent danger to periſh; as we ſee it practiſed by the faithfull in the time of perſecution. Acts 2. 45. where they that had poſſeſsions Act. 2. 4… & …. 34 35.and goods, ſould them, and parted them to all, as eueryevery man had neede, otherwiſe vnleſſe it bee in theſe caſes of extremitie, it is lawfull to poſſeſſe not onelyonly thoſe things which are neceſſary to nature, but alſo to a mans ſtate and perſon. For we reade that Paul had a ſpare cloake at Troas. 2. Tim. 4. 13. And that our Sauiour himſelfe had two 2. Tim. 4. 13.coates in his greateſt perſecution. Ioh. 19. 23.Ioh. 19 23.
Sect. 13. Of the qualitie of our almes.
And ſo much for the quantitie. The third thing propounded in the matter of our almes is the qualitie of them; in which reſpect it is required, that wee giuegive to the poore things holeſome, cleanely, conuenient and comfortable for the ſuſtentation of their liues; auoiding therein two extreames, firſt of thoſe who giuegive vntounto them ſuch baſe and ſluttiſh foode as they would ſcarce offer vntounto their dogges. And to this end we muſt remember, that wee doe not relieue contemptible creatures, of another kinde inferiour to our ſelues, but thoſe that are of the ſame fleſh, children of the ſame father, yea members of the ſame body and partakers in hope of the ſame precious promiſes. And which is more that in them wee lend vntounto the Lord, who iuſtly ſcorneth our baſe refuſe; yea relieue Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe; and will we giuegive vntounto him ſwill and ſwines meate, who hath giuen himſelfe vntounto vsus, and vouchſafeth to nouriſh our ſoules and bodies with his moſt precious body and blood? The other extreame is to giuegive vntounto the poore ſuperfluous, dainties; for it is required that they be fed with neceſſary foode, & not pāpered wantonly with ſuperfluities; & our Sauiour when he miraculouſly fed the poore and hungrie people that followed him, by his ſole word, did not prouide for them delicates (though he might as eaſily hauehave done it as the other) but multiplyed their barley loaues and fiſhes. Neither in truth can men thus feede ſome in exceſſe, but in the meane time others muſt want neceſſaries, nor doe the poore regard dainties (vnleſſe it be in their ſickneſſe and weakeneſſe) but onelyonly deſire neceſſaries, ſeeing hunger doth make all foode ſauourie, and eueryevery meale a delightfull banquet. So Auſtine ſaith, vtantur diuites ſuperfluis, dent pauperibus neceſſaria, Let the rich inioy their ſuperfluities, and let them relieue the poore with Aug de verb. dom. Serm.neceſſaries: let them vſe thoſe things which are bought at high rates, and giuegive the poore ſuch as are good cheape. And another ſaith, Communicate vntounto them thy Hier…me.riches who feede on courſe fare and browne bread, and not on quailes and pheſants, and who take care to kill hunger, and not to increaſe luxuriouſneſſe. And againe, giuegive to the poore and not the rich, giuegive to ſuſtaine neceſsitie and not to encreaſe wealth.