The Poor Mans Tears Opened, Title page 1 – Title page 2

The Poor Mans Tears Opened · Title page 1 – Title page 2

THE POORE MANS TEARES, Opened in a ſermon, preched by Henrie Smith.

Treating of Almes deeds, and releeuing the poore.

LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe, & are to be ſold by William Wright 1592.

p. 1THE POOREmans teares.

MAT. 10. He that ſhal giuegive to one of the leaſt of theſe a cup of colde water in my name: hee ſhall not looſe his reward.

THE argument I hauehave to intreate off, is onelie of giuing Almes to the poore; and when, & in what ſort we ought to releeue the pore Herein for your better inſtruction, I will ſhew what Almes is: how, and to whome Alms muſt be giuen, and wherefore wee are to giuegive Almes. I know in theſe daies, and in this iron p. 2age, it is as hard a thing to perſwade men to part with money, as to pull out their eies and caſt them away, or to cut of their handes and giuegive them away, or to cut off their legges and throw them awaie: Neuertheleſſe, I cannot but wonder that men are ſo ſlow in giuing of almes, and ſo hard hearted tovvards the releefe of the poore, when the promiſes of GOD warrant them not to looſe their reward. S. Iohn ſaith,1. Iohn 3.1 John 3 hee that hath the ſubſtance of this world, and ſeeth his brother want, howe can the louelove of God bee in him? This is a queſtion which can hardly bee anſwered of a great number: no it will not be conſidered of a number, nor regarded of a number. And yet the Euangeliſt hereby laieth open vntounto all perſons, that hee which hath wealth, ſeeing his brother in want, and will not releue him, he loſeth the louelove of God; which louelove is ſo great as is the louelove of a naturall mother vntounto her owne p. 3child: nay more then that, it is a louelove ſo firmelie ſetled, that it is vnpoſſible to be remooued.

There are many rich perſons,Luke 16.Luke 16 that thinke skorne to releeue the pore, of whoſe hard dealing we hauehave a preſident in the ſixteenth of Luke. The rich man in his life time woulde not releue Lazarus, but deſpiſed him; yea he forgot God, and thought there was no God (but his gold) that cold in iuſtice puniſhe him for deſpiſing the poore. Lazarus died for vvant, and ſo did Diues for all his wealth; who ſoone after, (being in hell) beheld Lazarus in heauen, triumphing in Abrahams boſome, while hee vvas tormented in hell fire. This fire burneth, skaldeth, skortcheth, and tormenteth; of which, when the riche man felt the ſmart, (though all too late) he ſorrowed and repented, and would faine hauehave ſent word thereof vntounto his friends: but he could hauehave no meſſenger for al his lordly liuings nor no releaſement of his torments, for all his bagges of golde. Nowe to whome would he hauehave ſent worde? Forſooth to a number of his friends, that indeed think ther is no God nor deuill: no heauen nor hell, nor no torments in hel fire after this life. But I would aduiſe thoſe of that opinion to doe as Thomas Didimus did by Chriſts wounds, that ere hee would beleeue, put in his hands & felt. And therefore to all ſuch I ſay, as will not beleeue it, let them goe thither and feele; then doubtleſſe they will find it ſo, and ſay it is ſo. This example of Diues may admoniſh ſuch hard hearted perſons to be mollified with the teares of the poore: that they maie, when Diues hath dined, let Lazarus hauehave the crums.

We read in Mathewe,Math. 25.Matt 25 that vvhen Chriſt commeth to iudgement, hee will ſay to them on the left hand, go from me ye curſed into helfire which was prepared from the beginning: p. 4by which appeareth, that hell fire is not onelie hot, but it is euerlaſting hot, and neuer hath ende: Let therefore hell-fire, & the eternal torments thereof, admoniſh you to bee mercifull to the poore. To this alſo may bee added, what hee will ſay to the righteous, goe you into euerlaſting ioyes whiche neuer ſhall hauehave end: When I came among you as a ſtraunger you receiued me: when I was naked you clothed me, & when I was hungrie, you fed and refreſhed mee, which prooueth that the kingdome of heauen belongs vntounto thoſe that harboureth ſtrangers, cloatheth the naked, feedeth the hungry, comforts the ſicke, and doth perfourme ſuch charitable actes of compaſſion: yet not as the papiſt doth to account it meritorious, but as a faithfull chriſtian to doe it in faith and true zeale of a chriſtian life, for euerie tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen downe and caſt into the fire. It is p. 6not enough for vsus onelie to bear fair leaues, but we muſt alſo bring foorth good fruit: otherwiſe let vsus be ſure, our Sauiour Chriſt will forſake vsus.

The Prophet Eſay ſaith;Eſay 58Isa 58 if thovv breake thy bread vntounto the pore, and powre forth thy hart vntounto them, thy light ſhal riſe in darknes, thy dimnes ſhal be as the moone-tide; and God ſhal ſtil guide thee: wherby apeareth that thoſe deeds of charitie are commonlie performed by the righteous, that ſtil ſeek to enioy the pleaſures of heauen, vvhichwhich … ſo farre beyonde the common immagination of men, that no heart can thinke, no eare can heare, no tongue can ſpeake, nor pen can write, the vnſpeakable pleaſures thereof.

Then if the ioyes of heauen bee ſo great, (as doubtles they bee) and that through good life and good deeds, wee are to inherite the kingdome of heauen, we ought the more carefullie to ſee to the continuall reliefe p. 7of the poore, and do aſmuch as in vsus lieth to prouide for them, eueryevery one according to his abilitie. Let me therefore admoniſhe you in Gods name, to mollifie your heartes vvith the pittifull teares of the poore, that ſo you may giuegive continuall almes to their reliefe, that when Diues hath dined, Lazarus may hauehave the crums.

Chriſt ſaith, it is a deed more bleſſed to giuegive them, then to take from them; for the excellencie of chriſtians conſiſteth in leading a godly life and giuing of alm…s: And the excellency of all things is ſhewed in their giuing. The ſunne giueth his light, the Moone her light, the Sarres their light, the Clowdes their water, the Trees their fruit, the earth her herbs, the hearbes their flowers, the flovvers their ſeeds, and the ſeeds their increaſe: yea, beaſts and birds fowles & fiſhes, giuegive naturallie in their kinde, and are more careful and louing one to an other then we, which made Iob ſay, go to the beaſts of the fielde and they wil teach thee. For man is moſt vnnaturall to man, and ſo far digreſſing from nature in his kinde, that let ſome vngodlie rich cormorants ſee a poore perſon beg: this is their preſent ſentēce of him: whip the roags, to Briderwell with theſe roagues, it is pittie theſe roagues be ſuffered to liue: then if they fall ſicke, let them fammiſh, ſtarue, and die, all is one to him; for of him they ſhall receiue no comfort.

Auguſtus Caeſar thought that day to be loſt, wherein hee did not benefite any poore perſon, and with money releeue him from penurie. And I know, ſome godlie men that take delight in releeuing the pore with their continuall almes, not ſuperſticiouſly to bee ſeene of men, but ſecretlie to be ſeene of God. The Lord increaſe the number of them, and make their example redownde to the reliefe of thouſands.

p. 6Almes is a charitable reliefe giuen by the godlie to the ſick, to the lame, the blinde, the impotent, the needy the hungrie and pooreſt perſons: euen ſuch as ar daily vexed with continuall want: to whome euen of duty, and not of compulſion, we ought to impart: ſome part of that which God hath mercifullie beſtowed vppon vsus: For as we dailie ſeeke for benefits at gods hand, which he dooth continuallie giuegive vsus: ſo ought vvee (therwith to releeue the poore) ſith God hath ſo commaunded vsus. The performance whereof, we ought not to driue off from time to time, but to doe it when they deſire to hauehave it done: for the true obedience of god dooth forbid vsus to prolong or driue off the doing of good things: as appeareth in Noah, who when hee was commanded, did enter the Arke: Abraham, when he was commāded, did forthwith offer vp his ſon Iſaake, and did circūſiſe his house vponupon the p. 10ſame day hee was appointed. A learned writer called Nazienſin ſaith of himſelfe, that when in his youth hee had once loſt the tenor of good life graie hears was got about his head, ere he recouered it againe: whereby I gather, that when we are young, if we harden our harts againſt the pore if wee doe not willinglie impart our bread to them, but driue their hungrie ſtomackes ſtubbornly from our doores: that doubtleſſe gray heares wil come vponupon our heads before we can finde the right waie to pittie and compaſſion.

O let vsus take heede that our harts be not hardened againſt the poore, nor that wee giuegive our almes to get glorie of the world: but ſo let vsus giuegive our almes, that the one hand maie not know what the other doth; yea we ought to giuegive it with ſuch equalitie that our poore neighbours may be releeued; to whome indeede we ought to become contributors, as p. 11Iob and Toby did. All people hauehave not one bellie, for as one chimnie may be hot, ſo another may be cold: One pot moyſt with lickor, when another may be drie; one purſe emptie, when another is full. And one poore mans belly full when an others is emptie. That is a good common-wealth, that looketh to euerie member in the common-wealth: And thoſe men worthie of riches, that looketh daily to the feeding of their poore neighbours. Let therfore the teares of the poore admoniſh you to charitie, that when Diues hathe dined, Lazarus may hauehave the crums.

Now let vsus proceed and conſider what we muſt giuegive, and to whome we muſt giuegive, in the text we are willed to giuegive though it be but a cup of cold water, or a peece of bread: this containeth matter both for the taker and the giuer: Bread will ſerue beggers, and they muſt be no chooſers: yet bread will not ſerue ſome beggers that boldly on Gads hill, Shooters hill, and ſuche places take mens horſes by the heads, and bids them deliuer their purſes, for theſe fellowes are of the opinion of the Anabaptiſts, that euerie mans goods muſt be common to them, or elſe they will force them to part it: but theſe are ſawſie beggers, and ought to hauehave almes at Tiburne: as for other ſort of beggars, and other poore perſons, they muſt be content to take vp their croſſe, endeuour themſelues paciently to ſuffer their ordinarie greeuances: and remember that mans nature may bee ſatisfied with a little.

As touching how much wee ſhall giuegive, we are taught that if wee hauehave much, we ſhould giuegive accordingly: If we hauehave but little, giuegive what wee can ſpare: S. Luke councelleth vsus if we hauehave two Coates, wee muſt giuegive one to him that hath not: & of meate likewiſe: but as touching this queſtion, p. 8litle need to be ſpoken, when our owne couetous heartes are readie enough to frame excuſes.

Some will make a queſtion of their almes and ſaie they know not what the partie is that demaundeth reliefe or beggeth almes of them: O ſaith ſome I ſuſpect he is an idle perſon, diſhoneſt, or perhaps an vnthrift and therefore refuſeth to giuegive anie reliefe at all. To this I anſwere they are needleſſe doubtes, for we ought to releeue them if wee knowe them not for ſuch perſons: And let theyr bad deedes fall on their own necks, for if they periſh for want, we are in danger of Gods wrath for them: but to giuegive vntounto ſuche as wee knowe of lewd behauiour, thereby to continue them in their wickedneſſe, were verie offenſiue: we are not ſtill tyed to one place for giuing our charitie, but it ſtretcheth far, for we are commanded not onelyonly to releeue our owne countrimen, but alſo ſtrangers, p. 14and ſuch as dwell in forraigne nations.

Againe, heere the giuer may learn to giuegive freely, for the thing he giueth is but bread or water: Bread is the fruite of the earth, and for the earth giues it vsus, we may the better giuegive it againe. But bread in this place ſignifieth all thing neceſſarie: for the fare and cheere in olde time was contayned vnderunder the title of bread, and all maner of drinke vnderunder the title of water: but in this as in all other thinges the ſimplicitie of the olde world is quite gone out, and newe and corrupt thinges are lately crept in. In the old time Iacob deſired hee might hauehave bread in his iourney, but now the caſe is altered, for wee muſt hauehave ſundrie diſhes of contrarie deuiſes, framed for the taſte of the mouth and pleaſantneſſe of the ſtomacke, which is vſed with great ſuperfluitie, and farre more coſt then needeth: better now to fill the belly p. 15then the eye, although to content the common multitude: the eye is the onelyonly thing which muſt be pleaſed. Yet when you are in the midſt of all your iollitie and coſtly fare, let the teares of the poore admoniſhe you to releeue them, that when Diues hath dined, Lazarus may hauehave the crummes.

The teares of men, women and children are greeuous and pitifull: and teares giuegive cauſe of great compaſſion, eſpecially the teares of ſuch as therewith are conſtrained to beg for their reliefe: But if the teares of the rich for the loſſe of their goods, or the teares of parents for the death of their children, or the tears of kind natured perſons for the loſſe of frēds or other wronges ſuſtained, ought generallie to be regarded and pitied; Then much more ſhould the teares of thoſe breede great compaſſion in the hearts of chriſtians, whome beggery, want, and extreames of miſerable p. 16hunger conſtraineth to ſheade teares in moſt greeuous and lamentabe ſort. O what ſhall a man ſay vntounto thoſe pittiful faces, which ar made moiſt through the extreams of hunger, wherein are moſt bitter & ſharpe effects: (A thing aboue al extreams) to a hungry bodie.

Euerie bitter thing is ſweete, and euerie fowle thing ſeem cleane, hunger made the apoſtles glad to eat the eares of corne. Dauid glad to eat the ſhewe bread. Lazarus deſirous to eat crummes, and Elias content with meale: In the deſtruction of Hieruſalem, it made the mother eate hir owne childe, and in the waylinges of Ieremie people eate their own ordure: It made people crie to Pharao for bread: it made an aſſes head, and the dung of Pigions to bee eaten in Samaria, and others to ſwound and lie dead in the ſtreets. The affliction of hunger cauſed little teares, and brought all theſe thinges to paſſe. p. 17Dauid ſaith that God numbred all hys teares in a bottle Dauids teares were worthy to be preſerued: But if euer teares were worthie to be numbred; the teares that are ſhedde for famine howſoeuer men neglect to regard thē, they are vndoubtedly gathered togither into Gods bottle, & thence they raine as waters out of vialles in way of reuengement of thoſe that take no compaſſion of ſuch a wofull ſpectacle.

Teares are the laſt thing that man woman or childe can moue by, and where teares moue not, nothing wil moue. I therefore exhort you by the lamentable teares, whiche the poore do daily ſhed through hunger and extreame miſerie to be good vntounto them, to be charitable and mercifull vntounto them; and to releeue thoſe whō you ſee with miſerie diſtreſſed.

The ſcripture ſaith, giuegive to euerie one that asketh, God gaue hearbes and other foode vntounto eueryevery liuing p. 18thing, eueryevery common-wealth that letteth anie member in it to periſh for hunger is vnnaturall and an vncharitable commonwealth. But men are now adaies ſo full of doubts thorough a couetous deſire to themſelues that they cannot abide to part with anie thing to the pore, notwithſtanding that God hath promiſed he will not forget the worke and louelove which you hauehave ſhewed in his name to the poore and diſtreſſed.

Some wil ſay for their excuſe, that they are ouercharged by giuing to a number of perſons: and therefore, they cannot giuegive to ſo manie beggars: for by ſo doing, he might ſone become a beggar himſelfe. Dauid anſwereth this obiection very well, and ſaith thus; I neuer ſaw the iuſt man forſaken, nor his ſeed beg his bread: wherby he meant, that in all the time that hee had liued, or that any man liuing the yeares of Dauid, ſhal skarſlie ſee, that vponupon an vpright heart in p. 19giuing a man, ſhould be brought to beggerie.

The anſwere to this ordinarie obiection or excuſe of worldlings; I ſay in the defence & behalfe of the pore. There are a number that will denie a poore bodie of a pennie, and pleade pouertie to them, though they ſeeme to ſtand in neuer ſo great extreames, when in a far worier ſort they wil not ſtick imediatlie to ſpend ten or twentie ſhillinges. The riche worldling makes no conſcience to hauehave ten or twentie diſhes of meate at his table, when in troth, the one halfe might ſufficientlie ſatisfie nature: the reſt run to the reliefe of the pore, and yet in the end he might depart better refreſhed with one diſh, thē commonly he is vvith twentie. Some will not ſticke to hauehave tvventy coats, tvventie houſes, tvventie farmes, yea tvventy Lordſhippes, and yet goe by a poore perſon, vvhome they ſee in great diſtreſſe and neuer releeue them vvith p. 20one penny, but ſay God helpe you, I hauehave not for you. There is Lawyers vvill not ſticke to vndo tvventy pore men, and Marchants that make it no conſcience to eat out tvventie other that hauehave the hundreths out at vſery, their cheſts cramd full of crownes, & their cofers full of golden Gods, or gliſtring Angels, that wil go by twentie poore, miſerable, hungrie, impotent, and diſtreſſed perſons, and yet not beſtow one peny on them: And though they doe moſt ſhamefullie aske it: yet can they moſt ſhameleſly denie it, and refuſe to performe it.

The people of this world can very eaſily find a ſtaffe to beat a dog, they are neuer without excuſes, but readie to finde delaies, and verie pregnant to deuiſe nevv ſhifts to keepe in their almes. Novv will I ſhew you reaſons vvhy we ſhould giuegive. God ſaith, who ſo giueth to the poore, lendeth vntounto the Lord, and ſhall be ſure to finde it againe, and receiue for the ſame an p. 21hundreth folde. And againe, bleſſed is he that conſidererh of the pore & needie: the Lord ſhall deliuer him in the day of trouble. Heereby appeareth, that vve ſhall receiue our almes againe, except vvee doubt whether Gods vvorde be true or no. For confirmation whereof, the Prophet Dauid, ſaith: the teſtimonies of God are true and righteous. And God ſpeaketh by the mouth of the Prophet Eſay ſaying: The word is gone out of my mouth, and it ſhal not returne, the promiſe which God made to Sara, vvas found true: his promiſe made to the children of Aegypt was found true: his promiſe to Ioſua, in the ouertrhowing of his enemies, was found true. God promiſed Dauid his kingdome, to Salomon hee promiſed wiſedome, to Pharao deſtruction by water, to Saule, the loſſe of his kingdome, and to Salomon, the deuiding of his kingdome: all which, and farre more prooued true. Then let vsus not p. 22doubt in Gods promiſes, for from time to time they hauehave beene found true and iuſt. Let vsus conſider that we muſt die and leaue our goods, vvee know not to whome: then while we are here, let vsdeſtribute thereof vntounto the pore, that we may receiue our rewarde in the kingdome of heauen. God ſaith by S. Luke: O foole, this night will I fetch away thy ſoule, and then, that which thou haſt got, vvho ſhall poſſeſſe it? Heere is a queſtion worth the noting, and meet for riche men to conſider: eſpeciallie ſuch as hoord vp wealth, & hauehave no regarde to the reliefe of the poore. Doe they thinke, that the wealth which they hauehave gathered together, will come to good after their deceaſe: No, it will melt and conſume away like butter in the Sunne: The reaſon is, becauſe they wold not do as God hath commanded thē, in the diſtributing part of that to the poore which was lent them by the Lord.

p. 23The children of God in the ſixt of the Apocalips crie out: how long O Lord, thou that art holy and true: doeſt thou not iudge and reuenge our bloud vponupon thoſe that dwell on the earth; whereby appeareth that God exerciſeth good men, & thoſe whom hee loueth in the troubles of this world, which we account long; yet is their time but ſhort, although their trouble makes it ſeem long but theſe I ſay ought to be content, & all thoſe that doe truſt in God muſt bee content, to releue one another for atime, ſince after a ſhort time, we ſhal doutles find the fruits of our almes again: ſhort is mans life while we are in this worlde: Dauid compareth it to a vapour, to a bubble, to winde, to graſſe, to a ſhadow, to a ſmoake, and euerie fading thing that conſumeth in a moment. Eſay compareth it to the remoouing of a Tabernackle, and Iob to an Eagles wing, or a Weauers ſhittle: ſo that our life is but ſhort, and p. 24after a few daies, though you thinke them manie: whatſoeuer you mercifullie beſtow vppon the poore heere on earth: You ſhal certainlie find the ſame againe both in heauen and on the earth.

Salomon in the 12. of the Prouerbs ſaith,Prou. 12.Prov 12 he that ſtoppeth his eare at the crie of the poore,Eccle. 34.Sir 34 ſhall crie himſelfe and not bee heard.1. Cor. 4.1 Cor 4 The bread of the poore is in the waies of the rich:Eccle. 7.Eccl 7 hee that keepeth it from them, is a man of bloud. S. Paule ſaith, no man giueth but he that hath receiued. And Ieſus Syracke ſaith, ſtretch foorth thy hand vntounto the poore, that thy merciemercy and bleſſing may be made perfect Baſil an auncient father of the church, dooth charge the rich with waſt, for vvhichwhich they ſhall ſurelie anſwere. Art thou not (ſaith he) a robber in keeping an other mans ſubſtance, and to reckon it as thine owne. It is the breade of the hungry which thou doeſt detain; the coat dew to the naked, thou lockeſt p. 25in thy wordrop: the ſhooes that appertaines to the barefoot, lies drying in thy houſe; and the gold which ſhould releeue the pore, lies canckering in thy cofers: which ſaying, as it teacheth the liberalitie due vntounto the poore: ſo it blameth the careles rich, that account all to be their owne, and will part with nothing, keeping to themſelues more then is ſufficient. But to ſuch ſaint Iames ſaith, that at the latter daie, the mite in the crums, the moathes in the garments, & the ruſt in the golde, ſhall fret them like canckers. Ambroſe ſaith, it is no leſſe ſinne to take from him that rightlie poſſeſſeth, thē being able not to giuegive to him that wanteth.

The right rich man that duelie deſerueth that name, is not knowen by his poſſeſſion, by his coſtly fare, and coſtlie building, by his ſumptuous pallace, by his plate, Iewels, and ſubſtance, but by conſidering the poore and needie: Whereof Auſtine ſayth p. 26thus: the rich are prooued by the pouertie of others: ſo that ſtill the ſcriptures and fathers preſcribe not an indifferencie, but a neceſſitie: not at pleaſure, but vponupon duty, that the pore and needie ſhalbe conſidered and releeued.

Where is the large liberallity be come, that in time paſt was rooted in our forefathers, they were content to be liberall, though they applied it to euill purpoſes, the ſucceſſours of thoſe which in time paſt gaue liberallie to maintain Abots, Friers, Monks, Nunnes, Maſſes, Durges, Trentals, and all idolatrie: ſeeing the abuſes thereof, may now beſtow it to a better vſe: namely, to foſter and feed the pore members of Chriſt.

The worlde is as great as it hath beene, the people now are more rich then they hauehave beene, and more couetous then they hauehave beene: yea, they hauehave more knowledge then euer they hadde: yet want the deſire p. 27they hauehave had to become liberall and ſeeme therein moſt wilfull ignorant.

The extorcioner can ſpare nought vntounto the poore, for ioyning houſe to houſe, and land to land, though hee hauehave the poore mans curſe for it: the Prophet Eſay ſaith, the extortioner dooth no good to the poore, but dailie ſeeketh to roote them foorth of doores: the pride of apparell maketh vsus forgette the patched of the pore. Our coſtlie fare, their extreame hounger, and our ſoft lodging, their miſerable lying.

Oh howe liberall vvere people in times paſt to mainetaine ſuperſtition: and nowe hovve harde hearted are they growen to keepe the poore from famine, will ye make a skorne of the poore and needie: The poore novve periſheeh by the Riche menne, and noe manne conſidereth it: This is not the right duetie of faithfull Chriſtians: p. 28this ought not to be the fruits of our profeſſion, nor this is not the mercy which we learne by the word.

Therefore towardes the reliefe of the pore I ſay, giuegive, and giuegive gladly: for the bread that is giuen with a ſtony hart, is called ſtony bread, though neceſſarie to bee taken by the poore, to ſlake hounger: yea, it is but ſower bread: ſuch a giuer in mine opinion, is next kinſeman vntounto Sathan: for he gaue Chriſt ſtoans in ſtead of bread: but this man giueth chriſtians ſtonie bread. The VViſeman ſaith, lay vppe thy almes in the hands of the poore, and know that in the end, what thou keepeſt thou ſhalt loſe, but that thou giueſt to the poore, ſhalbee as a purſe about thy necke. For as this life waxeth olde, and our daies paſse away, ſo ſhal this vaine pelfe paſſe away from vsus, neither ſhall riches helpe in the day of vengeance, but the corruption abideth, which fretteth like a canker. Then what ſhall it profite to get p. 29all the worlde, and when the worlde forſaketh vsus, that ſhalbe moſt againſt vsus, that beſt we loued while we were in the world. Let euerie man therefore perſwade himſelfe, that his ſoul is better then thoſe ſubtill riches: the poſſeſſion wherof is variable and vncertaine: for they paſſe from vsus much more ſwiftlye then they came to vsus. And albeit we hauehave the vſe of them, euen till the laſt day, yet at length we muſt leaue them to others. Then ere you die, lay them forth for the profit of your poore bretheren: learne to forſake the couerous world, before it forſake you, and learne counſaile of our Sauior Chriſt, who aduiſeth you to make friends of the wicked Mammon.

Wee ſee daily,Luke 16.Luke 16 that euerie one is good to the poore, (as we commonlie ſay) but they will giuegive thē nought but wordes: then I ſay, great boaſt & ſmal roaſt makes vnſauerie mouthes: yet if words will doe anie good, the p. 30poore ſhall not want them. For it doth coſt nothing to ſay alaſſe good ſoule, God helpe thee, God comfort thee, I would I were able to helpe thee: and ſuch commonlie will ſaie ſo, that hauehave ſtore of wealth lying by them. Such ſtill wiſh wel vntounto themſelues, in wiſhing themſelues able: but of ſuch wiſhing, and for ſuch wiſhers, I ſaye as a beggar ſaide to a Biſhop, who made like anſwere, that if ſuch wiſhes were worth but one halfpenie to the poore: I doubt, they would not be ſo liberall. I wiſh you good bretheren leaue wiſhing, & fall to ſome doing: you locke vp and will not looſe, you gather together, euen the deuill and all, and why? Becauſe you would faine hatch the Cokatriſe egge: you nurſe vp a canker for your ſelues, yea keepe the packe that ſhall trouble your voyadge vntounto God, as Chriſt ſaith: O how hard ſhall it bee for a rich man to be ſaued, it ſhall bee eaſier for a Camell to goe through a p. 15needles eie. This hee ſaith not, becauſe no rich man ſhal be preſerued, but becauſe the mercileſſe riche man ſhall be damned. VVee are admoniſhed to liberalitie by ſundrie naturall examples, the cloudes if they be full, doe yeelde foorth their raine, much raine is a burden to cloudes, & much riches are burthens to men. It is ſayd of Abraham in the 13. of Gene is, that he was burdened with gold: yet Abraham was a good man, but it burdened his head to be buſie vvith the cares of golde. Againe, to eat much, to drinke muche, and reſt much, is a burthen to the ſoule, though it bee pleaſant to the bodie. And in the 12. of Luke it apeareth, that aboundance of riches, maketh one to eate muche, drinke much, and reſt much: then were it not for the couetous mindes of thoſe that hauehave much, they might impart to the poore one part of that which they duily ſpend in ſuperflity. If this bee not amended, I let you to p. 32vnderſtand that the poore muſt crie, and their voyce ſhall bee heard, their diſtreſſe conſidered, & our vengance ſhalbe wrought I tell you troth, euen in Ieſus Chriſt that the poore hath cried vntounto the Lorde, and hee hath heard them. With ſpeed therefore open your eares: if not to man, yet to Chriſt, who continually commaundeth vsus to giuegive and beſtow vponupon the poore and needie. GiueGive and it ſhall be giuen you ſaith he by S. Luke, and ſetteth before our eies the example of the poore widowes mites, as alſo the example of a couetous rich man, who demanding how hee might obtaine eternall life, was anſwered thus by him, go ſell all thou haſt, and giuegive to the poore, not that it is neceſſarie for euerie man ſo to do, or that a man cannot be ſaued without hee doe ſo: but thereby teaching him perticulerly to lothe the worlde, and generallie ſeeke meanes for the daily cheriſhing and the refreſhing of the poore. Doe p. 35not continually feede your equals for that is offenſiue: but when your may ſpare to ſpend and banquet your ſelues, then call the poore and impotent and refreſh your poore diſtreſſed neighbors and brethren. And when Diues hath dined, let Lazarus hauehave the crummes. And ſtil remember the ſaying of S. Matthew: Bleſſed are the mercifull, for they ſhal obtain mercy.

To conclude (beloued in the Lord) let me entreate you rich men to cōſider it is your dutie, to remember the poore and their continuall want: you that eate till you blowe, and feede till your eies ſwell with fatneſſe, that taſt firſt your courſe meats and then fall to finer fare: that hauehave your ſeuerall drinkes for your ſtomacke, and your ſortes of wine for your appetite impart ſome of your ſuperfluitie vntounto the poore, who being comforted by you, will doubtleſſe pray for you that God worlde bleſſe you and yours, and increaſe p. 34your ſtore: a thouſand fold which if they ſhould forget, yet the promiſes of God remaine inuiolable towardes you for the ſame.

If the proud would leaue their ſuperfluitie in apparell, their exceſſe in imbrodery, their vanitie in cuttes, gardes and pownees, their exceſſe in ſpangling their fantaſticall feathers and needleſſe brauerie, the greater part woulde ſuffice towardes the reliefe of the poore, and yet hauehave ſufficient to ſuffiſe nature.

Let the glutton ſeeke onelyonly to ſuffice nature and leaue his dayly ſurfetting in belly cheere, then might the poore be fed with that which he oftentimes either lothſomely vomites forth, or worketh as an inſtrument to ſhorten his owne life. Let the whormonger leaue off his dalliance, and his inordinate expences for maintaining of his wickedneſſe; and it ſhall be good for his bodie, and better for his ſoule, yea his purſe ſhall bee the p. 35heauier, and he thereby better able to relieue the poore.

Let euerie artificer and trades-man liue orderly, auoyding ſuperfluous expences, not ſpending his money vainely at dice, tables, cardes, bowling, betting, and ſuch like, but liue as becommeth ciuill chriſtians in the feare of God: they may hauehave ſufficient for the maintainance of themſelues and their famelie, and yet the poore may be by them ſufficiently releeued.

Let vsus conſider that we who hauehave our beginning from God, ought generally to bend all our actions towardes the pleaſing of God, and doing as he commaundeth vsus, wee pleaſe him: for if we helpe the poore wee helpe him, and doing all charitable actions to the poore, hee accompteth it as done to himſelfe.

Let vsus generally learn, not to contemne or deſpiſe the poore, but according to our abillities helpe them p. 36and conſider of their extreames: and at any hand not to diſdaine and vpbraid them with the titles of baſe rogues or ſuche like, but in all godly chriſtian meanes to cheriſh and comfort them with ſuch charitable relief, as wee may in reaſon affoorde vntounto them, yea and to conſider of their caſes, as if it wer our owne.

Let vsus take example of good Cornelius the Captaine, of whome mention is made in the Acts of the Apoſtles, to whome the Angell of God appearing in a viſion, ſaid thus; Cornelius, thy praier and thine almes is come vp before God▪ … heere the reward, and alſo of whom thou ſhalt be rewarded.

Let vsus conſider of their miſerie that with hungry chappes, and lanke bellies, would willingly feed on that, which you waſtfully conſume, the poore I ſay woulde finde good comfort of that whiche commonly you fling to your dogges, and on your p. 37dung-hils: and let vsus hauehave regard to their coldneſſe, their nakedneſſe, their miſerie & greeuous neceſſitie: thinke of this and comforte them: And let vsus be mindfull that pouertie and want compelleth many an honeſt perſon to take in hand the performance of much vilde and ſlauiſh buſineſſe: and that therefore they deſerue to be ſuccoured with merciemercy and pitie rather then to bee deſpiſed for their poore eſtate: O think of the harde hearted perſons were in their miſerable eſtate, how glad wold you be to be refreſhed that now wil skarſly yeeld one penie to their reliefe.

Laſtly, let vsus call to mind the exāple of the widow of Sarepta, who though her prouiſion and ſtore were but litle when the preacher of the Lord came to her to aske her bread, anſwered I hauehave nothing but a little flower in a barrell, and a little oyle in a cruſe: which notwithſtanding ſhe willingly beſtowed vponupon him: for which, a p. 38thing worthie memorie followed: for her barrell was againe filled with flower, and her pot with oyle: this was the Lordes doing for foſtering the poore prophet of the Lord, ſure the plentie that commeth by the poore is much, for the field of the poore is fruitfull, it ſurrendreth again the fruit to them that giuegive ought, yea if it be but a cup of cold water,Mark. 10.Mark 10 as ſaith our Sauiour Chriſt. To whome be all honour, power and dominion, now and for euer, Amen.

FINIS.

A HARMONIE, FROM HEAVEN. Sommoning all men vntounto the hearing of the trueth.

By Henrie Smith.

LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe, & are to be ſold by William Wright. 1592.