Antiquitates christianæ, or, The history of the life and death of the holy Jesus as also the lives acts and martyrdoms of his Apostles : in two parts.

Of Alms. PART II.

1. BUT Christian Charity hath its effect also in Benefits as well as Gentleness and innocence: Give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow of thee turn* 1.1 not thou away. But when thou dost thine Alms, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. These are the Precepts of the Lord, for the substance and the manner of Alms, for the quantity and freeness of the donative, and the simplicity of him that gives; to which add those other words of his, Sell your possessions, and give Alms. This* 1.2 Precept with its circumstances was intended as a defensative against Covetousness and Prodigality, and a suppletory to make up the wants, and to make even the breaches of mankind: In which we shall best understand our obligation, if we consider in what proportion we must give Alms, and to what persons, and in what manner.

2. First, For the Quantity, we shall best take an estimate of it, if we remember* 1.3 the portion which God allows to Christians, Having food and raiment, let us be content with it: and our Blessed Saviour at the latter end of this Sermon stirs us up to confidence in God, and not to doubt our provisions, by telling that God feeds the Ravens, and clothes the Lilies, and he will much rather do it to us, he will clothe us and feed us; no more is in the promise, no more is in our need: and therefore whatsoever is beside our needs natural and personal, that is, proportioning our needs to the condition of our life, and exigence of our calling, and quality of our person, all that can be spared from what we modestly and temperately spend in our support, and the supply of our fami∣lies,* 1.4 and other necessary incidents, all that is to be spent in Charity or Religion. He defrauds the poor of their right who detains from them beyond his own necessary, pru∣dent, and convenient supplies, saith S. Hierom: and this is intended to be a retrench∣ment of all vain expences, costly feasts, rich cloaths, pompous retinue, and such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of expence which of themselves serve no end of piety or just policy, but by wife and temperate persons are esteemed unnecessary, and without which the dignity* 1.5 and just value of the person may still be retained. Whatsoever is vainly spent was the portion of the poor; whatsoever we lose in idle gaming, revelling, and wantonness* 1.6 of prodigality, was designed by Christ to refresh his own bowels, to fill the bellies of* 1.7 the poor; whatsoever lies in our repository useless and superfluous, all that is the poor* 1.8 man's inheritance: and certainly there is not any greater baseness than to suffer a man to perish or be in extreme want of that which God gave me for him, and beyond my own needs. It is unthankfulness to God, it is unmercifulness to the poor, it is impro∣vidence to our selves, it is unfaithfulness in the dispensation of the money of which* 1.9 God made him but the Steward, and his chest the Bank for the exchange and issuing it to the indigent. And he that is unmerciful and unjust is extremely unlike God. But in taking this estimate concerning our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we are to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 according to the rules of prudence, not making determinations in grains and scruples, but in the greater actions and accountable proportions of our estates. And if any man seeing great ne∣cessities of indigent and calamitous persons shall give beyond his ability, he had the Philippians for his precedent, and he hath God ingaged for his payment, and a greater

〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Heaven for his reward. Only this; as we are to provide for our selves, so al∣so for our Family and the relatives of our charge and nearer endearments, not only with a provision of the present day's entertainment, but also for all nearer, probable, fore∣seen and expected events, such as are Portions for our Children, Dowries for Daugh∣ters: but this must not be extended to care and reservations for all possible and far-di∣stant events; but so much is to be permitted to the Divine Providence as our present duty gives leave. In which although a prudent guide and a sober reason are to make application to practice, yet the Rule in general is, That by so much we are to relieve the poor, as we can deduct from such a portion of good things as God permits us to use for our own support, and reasonable and temporal conveniencies of our person and con∣dition; ever remembring, that if we encrease in our Estate we also should encrease in Charity, that in this also may be verified what is written, He that had much had no∣thing over, and he that had little had no lack. There is in the quantity of these donatives some latitude; but if we sow sparingly, or if we scatter plentifully, so we shall reap: Only we must be careful that no extreme necessity or biting want lies upon any poor man, whom we can relieve without bringing such a want upon our selves which is less than the permissions of fortune which the mercies of God have permitted to us, that is, food and raiment proper for us. Under food and raiment all the necessaries of our life are to be understood: Whatsoever is more than this is counsel and perfection; for which a proportionable reward is deposited in the treasures of Eternity.

3. Secondly, If question be made concerning the Persons who are to be the object of our Alms, our rule is plain and easie; for nothing is required in the person suscipient and capable of Alms, but that he be in misery and want, and unable to relieve himself. This last clause I insert in pursuance of that caution given to the Church of Thessalonica by S. Paul, If any one will not work, neither let him eat; for we must be careful that our* 1.10 Charity, which is intended to minister to poor mens needs, do not minister to idle∣ness and the love of beggery, and a wandring, useless, unprofitable life. But, aba∣ting this, there is no other consideration that can exempt any needy person from participation of your Charity; not, though* 1.11 he be your Enemy; (for that is it which our Blessed Saviour* 1.12 means in the appendix of this Precept, Love your Enemies, that is, according to the exposition of the Apostle, If thine ene∣my hunger, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him, if he thirst, give him drink) not, though he be an Unbeliever; not, though he be a vicious * 1.13 person: provided only that the vice be such to which your relief mini∣sters no fuel and adds no flame; and if the mere necessities of his nature be supplied, it will be a fair security against the danger; but if the vice be in the scene of the body, all freer comforts are to be denied him, because they are but in∣centives of sin and Angels of darkness. This I the rather insert, that the pride and su∣percilious austerities of some persons become not to them an instrument of excuse from ministring to needy persons, upon pretence their own sins brought them into that con∣dition. For though the causes of our calamities are many times great secrets of Provi∣dence, yet suppose the poverty of the man was the effect of his Prodigality or other baseness, it matters not as to our duty how he came into it, but where he is; lest we also be denied a visit in our sicknesses, and a comfort in our sorrow, or a counsel in our doubts, or aid in any distress, upon pretence that such sadness was procured by our sins: and ten to one but it was so. Do good to all, faith the Apostle, but especially to the family of faith; for to them our Charity is most proper and proportioned: to all, viz. who are in need, and cannot relieve themselves; in which number persons that can work are not to be accounted. So that if it be necessary to observe an order in our Cha∣rity, that is, when we cannot supply and suffice for all our opportunities of mercy, then let not the Brethren of our Lord go away ashamed; and in other things observe the order and propriety of your own rela∣tions,* 1.14 and where there is otherwise no difference, the degree of the necessity is first to be considered. This also, if the ne∣cessity be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and extreme, what-ever the man be, he is first* 1.15 to be relieved before the lesser necessities of the best persons or most holy poor. But the proper objects of our Charity are old persons, sick or impotent, laborious and poor Housekeepers, Widows and Orphans, people oppressed or persecuted for the cause of Righteousness, distressed Strangers, Captives and abused Slaves, prisoners of Debt. To these we must be liberal, whether they be holy or unholy, remembring that we are sons of that

Father who makes the dew of Heaven to drop upon the dwellings of the righteous and the fields of sinners.

4. Thirdly, The Manner of giving Alms is an office of Christian prudence; for in what instances we are to exemplifie our Charity we must be determined by our own powers, and others needs. The Scripture reckons entertaining strangers, visiting the sick, going to prisons, feeding and cloathing the hungry and naked: to which, by the exigence of the poor and the analogy of Charity, many other are to be added. The* 1.16 Holy Jesus in the very Precept instanced in lending money to them that need to bor∣row; and he adds, looking for nothing again, that is, if they be unable to pay it. For∣giving Debts is a great instance of mercy, and a particular of excellent relief: but to imprison men for Debt, when it is certain they are not able to pay it, and by that pri∣son will be far more disabled, is an uncharitableness next to the cruelties of salvages, and at infinite distance from the mercies of the Holy Jesus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth. 5 42. 6. 3.
• * 1.2

  Luke 12. 33.
• * 1.3

  1 Tim. 6. 8.
• * 1.4

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 convincitur, qui 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sibi 〈◊◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊◊〉, dist. 42.
• * 1.5

  〈◊◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊◊〉
• * 1.6

  Hor. l. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2.
• * 1.7

  James 5. 2. 3.
• * 1.8

  〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 fur auferat 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 dederis, solas semper babebis 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Martial.
• * 1.9

  〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 ma∣ximum incenti∣vum 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 compa∣tiamur 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 quantum pos∣sumus, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in∣terdum 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉. S. Ambr. l. 2. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• * 1.10

  2 Thess. 3. 10.
• * 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.12

  —〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 39.
• * 1.13

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, vir Consularis, quum pal 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quidam 〈…〉〈…〉 est, 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 homi∣ni. A. Gell. l. 9. c. 2.
• * 1.14

  —〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 Limine 〈…〉〈…〉, & 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉, & falso 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. Juren. Satyr. 1.
• * 1.15

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Menand.
• * 1.16

  Amititiam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nostrum refere∣mus, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ad il∣lius commoda quem diligi∣mus, nonerit ista 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 quadam utill∣tatum 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Prata, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 diliguntur 〈◊〉〈◊〉 modo, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 strctus ex 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉; Hominum charitas & 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 est. Cicer, de 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Deor. l. 1.