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. 4. We must so giue to one as that we do not neglect many.

Yet because great benefits can reach but to few, and almesdeedes must extend to many, wis∣dom as much as may be auoideth both extrems, and so giueth to one, as that many others may not be neglected. And therefore the godly man maketh wisdome to deale the dole, because no∣thing is well done which is done without it. For as the hathen man saith, non est beneficiū nisi quod ratione datur, quoniam ratio omnis honesti comes est. * 1.1 It is not a benefit which is not giuen with reason, because reason is the guide and companion of all honest and vertuous actions. And in this regard almesdeedes are fitly likened vnto sowing of * 1.2 seede, wherein the rule is, manuserendum non thy∣laco, the seede is to be cast out of the hand, and not out of the whole sacke, and strained through

the fingers, that it may be scattered abroade and so goe farre, and not powred on heapes, which were non serere but congerere, not to sow but to surcharge the ground with superfluitie in one place, and to cast nothing in another. And thus in giuing almes, we must cast the seede of our beneficence with an euen and indifferent hand, not vpon one or two alone, but vpon ma∣ny, for it is the nature of goodnesse, as the schoolemen speake to be diffusiua sui, extending it selfe to the benefit of many. The which is also signified by that phrase of casting our bread vpon * 1.3 the face of the waters, where hee vseth the plurall number to intimate vnto vs, that the obiect of our bountie should be many, and not one or some few; and by the phrase of communicating, which the Apostle vseth. 1. Tim. 6. 18. which implyeth * 1.4 thus much that our almesdeedes must bee com∣mon vnto many. And it is plainely expressed by the wise man. Eccles. 11. 2. Giue a portion to seauen, * 1.5 and also vnto eight, where by a certaine number an vncertain is signified, but yet thus much is re∣quired of vs, that we confine not our liberality vn∣to a few, but extend our goodnes to a numerous company.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Seneca.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Adag.
• * 1.3

  Eccle. 11. 1.
• * 1.4

  1. Tim. 6. 18.
• * 1.5

  Eccles. 11. 2.