The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 60
Ʋpon beggers at the door.
60. Med.
WHen I ſaw ſome luſty able perſons fit for ſervice and other employment begging at the door, I began to conſider, how diſagreeing this courſe of life was to the word of God, who had commanded men, in the ſweat of their brows they ſhould eat their bread; this is a law laid upon all ſorts of men, to ſweat out a poor living, brow or brain muſt ſweat for it, or our bread is eaten ere it be earned; God would not have a begger in Iſrael, and the Apoſtles will was, thoſe that would not labour ſhould not eat, 2 Theſ. 3.6, 10, 14. thoſe that have enough to live on, muſt not be idle, much leſs thoſe that have nothing, yet many live like rats and mice, only to devour what others labour for; paradice that was mans ſtore-houſe was alſo his work-houſe, God ſet him to dreſs the garden; and there ſhould be none, that like body-lice feed upon other mens ſweat; ſuch idle perſons often times are ſet on work by the devil; for idleneſs is the hour of temptation, and ſtanding-waters are uſually full of vermine; Nay, how diſagreeing is this courſe of life with the laws of the land, which making other proviſion for the poor, ſtigmatize theſe wanderers by the name of rogues, and appoint them to be ſtockt and whipt, and ſent back to the place of their birth or laſt abode, and inflicts a penalty upon thoſe that relieve them: The great Turk, that grand Seignior is not excepted, for he hath a trade, and is dayly to labour with his hands; yea, Divines in all ages, ancient, and modern and of all perſwaſions, have exclaimed againſt this courſe of life, and eſteemed ſuch perſons to be the plague-ſore of the Nation, and not to be tolerated in a well-ordered Common-wealth, they are a diſhonour to the Church they live in, and to the Countrey they inhabit, and the heathens as well as the Chriſtians have made laws to puniſh them: Theſe and the like conſiderations made me think correction to be the fitteſt alms, and their reſtraint might hinder a great deal of ſin acted by them, and be a means to reduce them under government civil and Eccleſiaſtical, which now live like lawleſs perſons under none, and neither fear God, nor obey men, but are the unprofitable burthens of the earth; But on the other ſide, when I conſidered how little proviſion notwithſtanding in the law was made for the poor in moſt places, and that ſome Pariſhes were not able, others were not willing to give any tollerable allowance to poor painfull houſeholders, overcharged with children, and conſidering that many painful men by reaſon of the dearneſs of corn theſe two laſt years, and the ſcarcity of work occaſioned thereby, and the hardneſs that doth poſſeſs the hearts of many of their rich Neighbours, were reduced to very great ſtreights and neceſſities; many there are that cry out againſt the idle, that will not ſet the diligent to work: and when I conſidered that ſuppoſing a man had work, how long he would be earning 8. or 9. ſhillings, the price of a meaſure of corn, and how ſhort a time this would ſerve a numerous family, that depends only upon his get, I admired Gods providence that kept poor people alive in theſe hard times, and began to pitty poor houſeholders that were fain to creep out of their cels to ſave their lives, and to blame hard-hearted worldlings that force them ſo to do, and thruſt them upon this illegal courſe, when a much better may be taken: for doubtleſs it is better for England to keep their poor working then playing, and for a pariſh to add ſomething to their ſupply then force them to ſeek all; but many can finde Scripture againſt begging, but no food againſt ſtarving; but let thoſe that think charity is not their duty as well as diligence the duty of the poor, let them conſult ſuch Scriptures as thoſe that follow, and when rich men do what they are required, let them exact dilligence from the reſt, and ſpare not, and not beat their fellow-ſervants till they cry, and then beat them for crying, Pſal, 41.1. bleſſed is he that conſidereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble, Pro. 28.27. he that giveth unto the poor, ſhall not lack, but he that hideth his eyes ſhall have many a curſe; you ſee, not getting but giving is the way to wealth; 'tis the bountiful man ſhall have the bleſſing, when the covetous ſhall inherit the curſe both from God and man, Pro. 19.17. he that hath pitty upon the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given, ſhall he paid him again; it is not given but lent; given to man, lent to God, nay, lent upon uſury: foeneratur Domino, who bindes himſelf to repay it, and gives ſecurity for it under his own hand; Chriſt himſelf promiſed the young man, Mark. 10.21. if he would ſell what he had, and give to the poor, that then he ſhould have treaſure in heaven; but how many are there like Cardinal Bembus, that would not leave his part in Paris for his part in paradice; a man may borrow ten pounds of many men upon his bare word, ſooner then God can borrow ten pence with all his promiſes; thoſe that are poor may be ſo for them: oh, my ſoul, bleſs God, this is not thy caſe; that thou waſt never reduced to thoſe ſtraights as many poor men have been; put on bowels of compaſſion to thoſe whoſe caſe it is, and what thou canſt, relieve thoſe that are truly indigent, and if thou canſt not, diſtinguiſh between the indigent and negligent; tis better give ten alms to the unworthy, then turn away one truly hungry wanting perſon empty; remember what anſwer thou wilt make to God at judgment, Mat. 25.41. oh my God, help me to improve my ſmall talents to thy glory, and to have charity in my heart though little in hand to beſtow, thou requireſt according to what thou giveſt.