The plea of the poore. Or A treatise of benificence and almes-deeds teaching how these Christian duties are rightly to be performed, and perswading to the frequent doing of them. Necessary for these times, wherein the workes of mercy are so much neglected, or so vndiscreetly practized. Published by Iohn Downame Bachelour in Diuinitie.

Sect. 5. That God hath a••lotted all wee can spare to the poore as their portion.

Secondly, it is not onely an act of mercy but also of iustice to giue almes to the poore, because the Lord, who is the cheife owner of our goods, hauing appointed all that wee can spare to their vse, it is not our owne, but their portion allotted vnto them; which they haue as good right vnto as we haue to the rest, because it is ratified vnto them by the same authoritie. For if wee haue right to the maine estate because God in his bounty hath giuen it vnto vs, then they haue right also to the ouerplus which wee may well spare by vertue of the same donation. Onely here is the difference that God hath giuen vnto vs our riches immediately himselfe, but vnto the poore mediately by vs, whom he hath inioyned to performe vnto them these duties of mercie and Christian charity. In which regard as it is theft in vs to rob them of that portion which God hath alotted vnto them, so it is theft in the poore to take it from the rich without their consent, seeing they haue the right of disposing them from God; euen as it is theft in the inferiour seruants, if when the steward neglecteth his dutie in feeding and prouiding for them, they take vpon them to be their owne caruers; for as it is the will of the Master that he should feede them, so also that they should be fed by him, and not forcibly take it from him by fraud or violence. To this pur∣pose one saith, it is the bread of the hungrie which * 1.1

mouldeth in thy binge or cupbord; it is the coate of the * 1.2 naked which hangeth vselesse in thy chamber or war∣drope, they are the shooes of him that goeth barefoote, which lye rotting by thee; It is the siluer of the needy which rusteth in thy chests, and so many thou dost in∣iure, as thou canst, and dost not releiue in their wants and miseries. And another saith, that it is alike faul∣tie and blameworthy to take from the right owners, & * 1.3 to denie necessaries to the poore when wee haue abun∣dance. And therefore know that thou spoylest so many of their goods, as thou deniest releife vnto, when thou art able to giue it. In which regard the Apostle Iames speaketh thus vnto rich men who neglect this duty, Iam. 5. 1. Go to now yee rich men, weepe and houle, for your miseries that shall come vpon you. * 1.4 2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments moath-eaten: your gold and siluer is cankerd, and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you, and shall eate your flesh as it were fire; you haue heaped treasure together for the last daies. And the wise man speaking of almes, maketh it a matter of dutie and not of meere beneuolence, Pro. 3. 27. withhold not good * 1.5 from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it. And this is implyed by the name διακονια that the Apostle vseth to signifie * 1.6 almes, and διακονησαντες to signifie those that giue them, which doe not import a meere gift out of free choyse, but a ministration and seruice, which we are required to doe vnto those of the same fa∣mily, who neede our helpe, at the appointment of our great Lord and Master.

Notes

• * 1.1

  ••st pa••is s••mi∣〈…〉〈…〉▪
• * 1.2

  nes, nudi tunica quam tu in con∣claui conser••••a••. &c. Basil.
• * 1.3

  Ambros. in Lu∣c••m.
• * 1.4

  Iam 5. 1.
• * 1.5

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.6

  2. Cor. 3. 4. & 9. 1. Heb. 6. 10.