A general discourse against the damnable sect of vsurers grounded vppon the vvorde of God, and confirmed by the auctoritie of doctors both auncient, and newe; necessarie for all tymes, but most profitable for these later daies, in which, charitie being banished, couetousnes hath gotten the vpper hande. VVhereunto is annexed another godlie treatise concernyng the lawfull vse of ritches. Seene and allowed accordyng to her Maiesties iniunctions.

¶ The 14. Chapter. The kindes of Almes.

HE whiche would bee merci∣full,* 1.1 ought to deale his almes firste vpon hym-self: second∣lie vppon others. He besto∣weth his deuotion vpon him self, that repenteth his olde and wicked life, and turneth vnto God. For no mercie (so doeth the woorde almes signifie) can bee extended of hym, whiche is not as yet vnder the mercie of God. Hetherto pertaineth that of Augustine: If thou wilt giue thine almes begin with thy selfe. For how can he be mercifull vnto others, whiche is cruell to hymselfe?

The mercie, or almes whiche we muste giue vnto o∣thers,* 1.2 is of two sortes, spirituall and ciuile. The spirituall almes is to reclaime hym whiche wandreth from the* 1.3 flocke of Christe, and reduce hym into the right waie to eternall happines. No almes is more excellent, more profitable, or more necessarie than this. For as the soule is better than the bodie, so the almes whereby the soule is refreshed, is fare more excellent than the almes, whereby the body is nourished. And as euerlastyng ritches are to bee preferred before all the commodities of this life, whiche are but for à tyme: so the Almes whiche serueth to the attainyng of eternall life, is to be more esteemed than the almes seruing but while wee

are in this world. Sainct Iames doeth generally extoll* 1.4 this almes in these wordes: Brethron, if any among you haue erred from the truthe, and is conuerted by some, let hym knowe that whosoeuer hath conuerted à sinner from going astraie, shall saue his soule from death, and shall co∣uer the multitude of sinnes.

The ciuile almes belongeth to the bodie, or this pre∣sent* 1.5 life, to wit, when we being touched with compas∣sion, do succour the necessitie of any poore man.

To both kindes of mercifulnes Christe by the ex∣ample* 1.6 of his father doth adhort vs, when he saith, Be ye mercifull, as your heauenly father is mercifull. Let euery one beare this in minde, whiche thinketh God to bee his father.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How a man dealeth his al∣mes vpon hym∣selfe.
• * 1.2

  How we must bestowe our al∣mes vppon o∣thers.
• * 1.3

  The spirituall giuing of almes.
• * 1.4

  Iames. 5.
• * 1.5

  A ciuile giuyng of almes.
• * 1.6

  VVe are bounde to cherishe and comforte both soule and bodie of the poore. Luke. 6.