nature But they that are not occupyed in this following doe falsly attribute to themselues a christian name Furthermore they are not counted the lawfull sonnes of God but bastardes rather For God acknowledgeth none among his sonnes but whom he seeth at the least to endeauour to imitate his fathers vertues To this pertayneth that saying of the Lord in the Prophet If I be a father where is mine honour But the cheefest parte of honour which children can doe to their parents is to imitate their vertues Whosoeuer earnestly looketh for the glorye of christianitie let him set before himselfe this cause of shewing mercy to his neighbour and let him not suffer himselfe to be led away with euil examples from this necessary and due worship of God The second cause is the commaundement of God vnto which all creatures ought to obey Of this cause Iesus the sonne of Sirach maketh mention chap. 29 Helpe the poore for the commandements sake and turne him not away because of his pouertie And a little after Bestow thy treasure after the commaundement of the most high and it shal bring thee more profite then Gold Our treasure that doth neuer fayle we must lay vp and keepe in heauen but yet it is in this life bestowed vpon the poore vpon whom the benefites that be bestowed the Lord so accepteth as if we had bestowed them vpon himselfe All the testimonies of the Scripture which doe commend vnto vs the loue of our neighbour doe require especially liberalitie towarde the nedie For this is the chiefe part of true loue Hereunto belongeth that saying of the Lorde Deut. 15. I commaund thee saying thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother that is needy He that contemneth this precept of the Lord how can he loue God how can he feare him for thus sayth Iohn Whosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him And Iob 6. He that taketh away mercie from his neighbour hath forsaken the feare of the Lord. Whosoeuer therefore determineth to loue God and to feare him from his heart let him thinke that he doth owe obedience to God commaunding Of which thing Micheas speaketh after this sort I will shew thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God The thirde cause is the imitation of examples of Christ our Lord first and then of his members Christ was made poore for vs that he might enrich vs. What therefore do we agayne owe to the members of Christ especially seing he witnesseth that that is done to himselfe whatsoeuer we doe to the least of his members Matth. 25. The holy fathers desired nothing more than to relieue the poore Saints Abraham doth reuerence strangers and biddeth them to eate with him that he may shewe liberalitie vnto them Lot desired the Angels to come into his house whom he thought to be poore straungers Cornelius the courtier is written to haue giuen himselfe to continuall prayer and almes which the scripture witnesseth to haue come vp into remembrance before God The fourth cause is the dignitie and estimation of almes godly bestowed before God Prouerb 21. To do mercie and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lorde then sacrifice Christ sayth Matth. 9. I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Heb. 13. To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased So great dignitie so great estimation is there before God of the almes godly bestowed It is preferred before sacrifice God is sayd to be singularly moued and delighted therewith This dignitie ought worthily to admonishe them which abounde in this worldes good that they indeuour according to the counsell of Paule to be rich in good workes The fift cause is our neighbour himselfe But that euery man is neighbour one to another the Parable of the Samaritane doth teach although this neighbourhode is greater with some than with other some Euery man both godly and also vngodly is neighbour vnto me and that first by reason of our creation Secondly for likenes sake Thirdly in respect of our common life and humane societie And although this triple bonde wherewith men are bounde among themselues is a great cause wherefore men ought to doe good vnto men neuerthelesse there is yet a farre greater bonde wherewith Christians are knit togither with Christians For first one vocation is common to all Christians whereby we are called to the vnitie of spirit in the bonde of peace Agayne by the same spirit we are begotten agayne to be the sonnes of God whereby it commeth to passe that both we haue one father which is God and also we are brethren among our selues Moreouer we are members of the same mysticall bodye the heade whereof is Christ Finally we haue the same hope of the glorie to come for we are heyres of eternall lyfe in Christ Iesus our Lorde If we doe earnestly thinke vppon this fift cause of mercie towarde our neighbour there is none that doth not acknowledge howe necessarily liberalitie is to be shewed to them that be in neede I do not make mention of that bond by which al men in this world are debters one to another Who wil seme to be a contemner of the vnitie of the spirite whereunto the Gospell calleth vs Who can abide to heare that he is a denier of spirituall brotherhoode Who dare so despyse the members of Christ that he will suffer them to be tormented wyth colde hunger and nakednesse Who will not worthilye suffer him to be partaker with him of the things of this worlde which soone fade awaye whom he assuredly thinketh shall be heyre with him of the heauenly treasures If this cause of liberalitie and mercie were esteemed of many according to the worthinesse thereof they woulde not set their mindes so much vpon deceyte and vniust gayne they woulde not so much spoyle and rob the needie members of Christ and they would thinke more of cherishing and making much of their owne fleshe As often as we see any that is in miserie crauing our helpe and succour let vs I pray you remember the saying of Esay Hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh The sixt cause is the punishment yea and that manifold of them which are hard toward the poore The first is the wrath of God Ecclesiasticus 4. Turne not thine eyes aside from the poore because of anger The second is the curse In the same place it is sayd For if the curse thee in the bitternes of his soule his prayer shall be heard of him that made him The third is the refusing of thy prayer which thou makest in thy necessitie Prouerb 21. He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore he shall also crye and not be heard A horrible punishment truly then which none
mercifull and to shew mercy and compassion He is mercifull inasmuch as he is in deede moued with our miseries and doth as it were suffer with vs. He sheweth mercy and compassion because he reacheth his hand to vs being in miserie and deliuereth vs out of miserie I will briefly reherse what thinges ought to come into our mind as often as mention is made of the mercy of God toward vs. First y e obiect of mercy is to be thought vpon which is y e miserie of mākind wherby y e whole race of mankind is in it selfe most miserably lost subiect to the tyrāny of y e deuil in danger of al calamities spirituall corporall Secondly the cause of this miserie is to be considered which is sin the most horrible and most filthie thing of all things y e most iust punishment whereof is euerlasting torment of soules bodies Thirdly the infinite loue of God toward mākind is to be reuolued in the minde that God hath not vtterly cast away mankind for so great filthines and vncleannes Fourthly let the sacrifice of the sonne of God be thought vpon whereby he helpeth our miserie and maketh a full satisfaction for sinne By thinking vpon this sacrifice the holy fathers haue comforted themselues in their sacrifices To this sacrifice Dauid hath regard as often as in the Psalmes he earnestly desireth the mercye of God which psalme 51. doth sufficiently shew where he maketh his prayer in these wordes Haue mercy on me O Lorde according to thy louing kindenes according vnto the multitude of thy mercies wipe away my wickednes Whē he saith wipe away he hath respect vnto the bloud of the mediatour as he doth more plainly shewe in the seuenth verse where he maketh mention of the satisfaction for sinne for so he saith Purge thou me with hysop and I shall be cleane Fiftly repentance or conuersiion is here required without which we are not made partakers of this vnspeakable price of the sacrifiee of the sonne of God Hereunto pertayne many sayinges of the Prophets 2. Paral. 30. The Lord your God is gratious and mercifull and will not turne away his face from you if ye conuert vnto him Iere. 3. Turne againe ye children and so shall I heare your backturninges Againe chap. 18. Let euery man turne from his euil way and take vpon him the thing that is good and right and your iniquitie shal not turne to your destruction To this conuersion the Gospell calleth vs Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand And Christ him selfe saith I cam no to call the iust but sinners to repentance Sixtly a continuall thankfulnes in our whole life with extolling and setting forth the glorie of God is required and a certayne holy carefullnes is to be had in gouerning our maners that we may seeme in heart mouth tongue and in our whole conuersation to extoll the mercy of God Seuenthly because our weakenes is great which is increased by thinking sometime vpon our particularitie sometime vpon our vnworthines we must thinke that the mercy of God is not contayned within narrow bounds neither that the greatnes of our sinnes doe exceede it but that it is extended to all the endes of the world and doth by infinite meanes abound aboue sinne The blessed Virgin sayth The mercy of God is from generation to generation on them that feare him And Peter sayth The Lord is patient towarde vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance Of this most rich mercy of God S. Cyrill writeth in this maner The mount of Oliues doth signifie the heigth and aboundance of the diuine mercy plentifully shewed vnto vs by the comming of the sonne of God in the fleshe The mercy of God is often times in the Scriptures expressed by the name of oyle because the nature of oyle doth agree with the maner and condition thereof For oyle is caried aboue other licours and swimmeth aboue them so the mercy of God is aboue all his workes and doth more appeare vnto men then the rest For mercy exceedeth iudgement and his mercy is ouer all his workes Moreouer oyle doth mitigate the griefes of woundes and doth heale swellings and sores but the mercy of God doth heale the sores of our soules and driueth away all faintnes of sinne as the Prophet sayth Who forgiueth all thy wickednes and healeth all thine infirmities who satisfieth thy mouth with good things and crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnes Finally they that should come into the place of wrastling or striuing did come forth into the middest being annoynted with oyle whereby their bodyes might be more pliable and fitte for that kinde of exercise so the Lord sheweth vnto them his mercy which are about to striue against the ayrie powers with it he preuenteth vs and giueth vs strength whereby we being fortified in so harde a fight with his helpe maye at the last goe awaye conquerers In thee saith the Prophet I shall be deliuered from tentation and with the helpe of my God I shall leape ouer the wall And agayne God is my light and saluation whom then shall I feare God is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afrayde Though an hoste of men were layde in campe agaynst me yet shall not myne heart be afrayde and though there rose vp warre agaynst me yet I will put my trust in him Lastly in another place My strength will I ascribe vnto thee for thou art the God of my refuge My mercifull God will preuent me Augustine in a certayne sermon sayth His mercye is most abundant and his beneuolence large which hath redeemed vs with the bloud of his sonne when because of our sinnes we were nothing For he did some great thing when he created man to his owne image and similitude But because we woulde be made nothing by sinning and tooke the issue of mortalitie of our parents were made a masse of sinne a masse of wrath neuertheles it pleased him by his mercie to redeeme vs with so great a price he gaue for vs the bloude of his only sonne innocently borne innocently liuing innocently dying who hath redemed vs with so great a price He wil not haue them perish whō he hath bought he hath not bought them whō he wil destroy but he hath bought thē whō he will quicken make aliue 12 But before al things my brethrē svveare not neyther by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oth but let you yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation As he condemneth a rashe custome of swearing setting down the punishment therof so he prescribeth a maner of affirming and denying when he sayth Let your yea be yea and your nay nay that is that which is to be affirmed simply and without an oth affirme and that which is simply to be denied denie Of an Othe BIcause
we doe not deserue a crowne by fighting but the father giueth it vnto his children of his mere goodnesse who considereth not so much what the children doe deserue as what he hath promised them of his fatherly loue Furthermore if any man obiect the crowne of life is promised to them that loue therfore loue is a merit or desert of the crowne We must aunswere that there is committed a fallacion of that which is not the cause as of the cause For the antecedent doth not contayne the cause of the crowne but the qualitie or maner of crowning And bicause there be two principles of things one that the thinges be the other that they maye be knowne what they be we must vnderstand y e concerning God his mere good will and pleasure and the redemption which his sonne hath wrought and fayth concerning our selues are the very principles which doe iustifie and saue vs. But if thou considerest the knowledge of righteousnesse and saluation the principles thereof are rightly sayd to be patience vnder the Crosse loue mercy towarde the poore and other vertues For these doe make that thou maiest be knowne to be righteous and saued Wherupon the Lord sayth I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was naked and ye clothed me By these fruites of fayth the angels of God and men shall iudge the tree in the last day and thereby shall account the righteousnesse and saluation of the elect But here of more in the second chapter where shall be entreated of a liuely and of a dead fayth 13 Let no man say vvhen he is tempted I am tempted of God for God can not be tempted vvith euell neither tempteth he any man He being about to entreate of the causes of tentation first taketh away the error of them which thought God to be the author of tentation and forbiddeth that any man when he is tempted that is when he is prouoked to doe euill say that he is tempted of the Lorde For God wyll not haue sinne therefore he prouoketh not to sinne neither is delighted with the perdition of men Wherfore as God himselfe is voyde of tentation so doth he tempt no man that is he doth not moue him forwardes to sinne Thys place doth plainly make agaynst those that make God the author of sinne 14 But euery man is tempted vvhen he is dravvne avvay by his ovvne concupiscence and is entised He sheweth the cause and fountayne of tentation that is of prouoking to doe euill This fountayne or spring he maketh to be euery mans own concupiscence to the which he attributeth a double effect For the first it withdraweth the cogitation of man from that which is good Secondly it entiseth the affection of man and ouerwhelmeth him vnwares We must therfore striue agaynst the first motions least that being entised by our concupiscence we fall into sinne Of tentation and the remedie agaynst it TEntation is a driuing forward or perswading of a mā to enterprise some thing that is either to commit or to omit Hereof there are dyuers sorts whych take their differences of their endes For there is one tentation of seducing or beguyling there is another of presumption another of triall Of these three I wyll speake in order and shewe the remedyes agaynst euery of them Tentation of seducing is that the ende whereof is seducing or beguiling By this man is prouoked to enterpryse something agaynst the law of God whereby he being deceiued is miserably excluded out of the familie of God falleth from grace and becommeth guiltye of eternall death vntyll such tyme as he repent For fayth can not abide and and remaine when man giueth place to such tentation and knowing and willing doth disobediently despise the commaundement of God This tentation of seducing is of two sortes if thou considerest the causes thereof For it is eyther outward or inwarde I call that inward whose beginning and cause is in man himselfe to wit euel concupiscence which fighteth togither with a domesticall tyranne that is originall sinne and driueth a man to offend that by this meanes the olde man that is originall sinne may obtaine the rule in man But concupiscence in euery man is of two sortes one naturall an other of the flesh Naturall concupiscence is that by which we do naturally desire those thinges which by the right iudgement of reason we iudge eyther honest eyther profitable eyther pleasant This by it selfe is the worke of God in man and by no meanes to be condemned as long as it keepeth it selfe within it owne boundes that is whiles it desireth those thinges that are shewed by the right iudgement of reason to wit those thinges whiche are in very deede honest profitable and pleasant by which nature is not defiled but preserued Concupiscence of the flesh is when by the corruption of the flesh we desire those thinges whiche please the flesh and displease God as when we couet after any thing which is forbidden vs by the law of God This of Plato is worthely called a beast with many heads of which it is spoken prouerbially Concupiscence is the first beginning of all euells For it is a most fruitefull mother of pernicious children to this Marcus the Heremite did attribute selfe loue Of this do spring surfetting and drunkennesse couetousnesse thirst after vayne glorye Of this surfetting come vnlawfull lustes and all kindes of pernicious pleasures Of couetousnesse commeth fraud guile iniurye lying violence manslaughter Of thirst after vayne glory springeth pride wicked ambition diuers ill practises briefly contempt of God and of our neighbour Thou seest what a fruitefull mother of all vices the concupiscence of the flesh is which one hath called and not vnworthely the fountayne of all euel in asmuch as it is not onely the euident cause of all iniquitie and hatred of God but also it calleth men from that which is good and honest For when men doe study vpon heauenly thinges and meditate vpon diuine matters this commeth and with entisements as with certayne cordes draweth them backe Wherefore Iames doth not without good cause affirme that men are entised by their owne concupiscence But how shal we ouercome the concupiscence of the flesh This beast is to be bounde with singular art and cunning and to be mortified but it is bound not by mans strength but by a diuine power that is by the spirite of fayth which in the man that is regenerate doth ingender a certayne newe concupiscence which is called the concupiscence of the spirite This when it is first conceyued by the spirite of fayth setteth it selfe agaynst the concupyscence of the flesh whereupon there riseth in all the godly a very sore conflict betweene the flesh and the spirite Hereupon is that which Paule sayth The flesh lusteth agaynst the spirite and the spirite agaynst the flesh But from whence is that concupyscence of the spirite
iudge or lawyer are permitted to a christian man For it is lawfull for a christian to vse ciuil ordinances these ordināces are of force not only for reasons sake but also because of the authority of y e magistrate Let a christian man therfore so instruct his conscience y t it may vnderstand y t these things are permitted bicause God doth allow lawes and magistrates and will haue vs to vse ciuil ordinances and in bargaynes let him be content with that meane with that equalitie that the lawes and the magistrates doe appoynt except they doe playnely varye from the ten commaundements and from the law of nature This rule doth first admonish vs that we do iudge reuerently of y e lawes and ordinances of a good magistrat Secondly that we iudge not rashly too sharply of y e bargaines which the lawes do approue Now as we haue purposed let vs see y e orders and states of men In the first state may be the poore and beggers whiche being hindred with old age or grieued with sicknesse or otherwise with some great calamitie oppressed are not able to liue without the almes of other no nor to make any gaine To these we doe by bond owe the duties of charitie and almes Wherefore we must giue vnto these without al expectation of recompence or dutie agayne for the commaundements sake of God and for charities sake which by nature we owe one to an other And this det is so necessary that he that doth refuse to pay it doth obstinatly violate the commaundement of God doth vngodly refuse to obey the precept of Christ doth cruelly oppresse the members of Christ doth wickedly reiect the lawe of charitie and purchaseth vnto himselfe certayne destruction Hereuppon therefore it may easily be knowne how necessarye a duty it is to giue almes and to relieue with his abilitie those that doe in very deede stand in neede But because I see that there are many causes by which the most parte are hindred whereby they are not occupyed in this necessary and dutiful office as in many there is a studie of couetousnes ignorance of the prouidence of God heathenish diffidence riot abuse of thinges to much folly much vnprofitable spending and alas cruel vnmercifulnes in the most parte whereby it commeth to passe that they are not moued with the neede of them that be in miserie I will here somwhat at large handle the place of almes and that for this purpose that both the necessitie of our dutye whereby we are bound to them that neede in deede may be vnderstand and also we being admonished may more wyllingly and readyly doe our dutie and be made more liberall toward the poore First therefore I will shew where almes is to be giuen and what are the kindes therof Secondly I will rehearse the causes with which the godly ought to be stirred vp to giue almes Thirdly I will note the affection of him that giueth almes and I will also prescribe a maner and measure to be obserued in giuing almes Lastly I will intreate of the endes of almes which is godly bestowed and of the fruite that commeth vnto them that giue almes with a cherefull mind according to the commaundement of Christ Of Almes WHo soeuer hath determined to giue almes let him giue his almes in this order First of all let him be mercifull to himselfe that is let him giue the first almes to himselfe which then is done when a man leauing his owne euill wayes doth turne himselfe vnto the Lorde by true repentance For no mercy for so the word almes doth signifie can be shewed of him which as yet is not vnder the mercie of God Wherefore Iesus the sonne of Syrach doth well admonishe when he sayth Chap. 30. Haue mercie on thine owne soule pleasing God and comfort thine heart driue sorrowe farre from thee When he sayth Haue mercie on thy soule pleasing God he sheweth in what thing that mercy doth consist which we ought to shewe to our selues to wit in turning vnto God and in fayth without which it is vnpossible to please God After this sort Abraham did begyn his almes according to whose example all the rest of the godly haue begun their almes at them selues To this pertayneth that saying of Augustine If thou wilt giue almes begyn at thy selfe For howe can he be mercifull to another which is cruell to himselfe He that hath begon his almes after this maner will forthwith turne himselfe to his neighbour and will shewe mercy vnto him Herevpon riseth the first distinction of almes that there is one kynde of almes which euery one bestoweth vpon himselfe which is by nature the former another which euerye man giueth to other which is by nature the latter Nowe this latter may also be made to be of two sortes one spirituall another ciuill That which is spirituall pertayneth to the spirite which he bestoweth which calleth him into the right way that erreth from the folde of Christ and bringeth him into Christes shepefolde There is no almes more diuine than this none more profitable finally none more necessarye For as the soule doth excell the bodie so almes whereby the soule is refreshed is by many degrees to be preferred before the almes with which the necessities of this frayle bodie are relieued and as eternall good things are more to be esteemed than all the commodities of this lyfe which continue but a short time so the almes which helpeth to the attayning of eternall life is more to be esteemed than the almes that serueth for this frayle life There is great commendation hereof in Iames the Apostle who sayth Brethren if any of you hath erred from the truth and some man hath conuerted him let him knowe that he which hath conuerted the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death shal hyde a multitude of sins Ciuill almes doth belong to this present lyfe to wit when we being touched with pitie doe succour the neede of the poore To eyther kynde of mercie Christ doth exhort vs by the example of his father when he sayth Be ye mercifull as your heauenly father also is mercifull Let euerye one remember this precept which acknowledgeth Christ for his maister The causes with which the godlye ought to be stirred vp to giue almes are very many among which these are the chiefe The first cause is Christianitie it selfe or the profession of Christian religion For this doth require that we abounde in euerye good worke and that we embrace and cherishe one another as the members of one body the head whereof is Christ When this is done of faith in Christ we doe in the feare of God practize true christianitie that is we do truly imitate the diuine nature For seeing God whom christianitie biddeth vs follow is rich in mercy we by following his mercy are after a sort sayde to be followers of the diuine
can be more grieuous and it is no maruel that he is not heard of God which doth not heare the Sonne of God crying in his members The fourth is a depriuing them of their giftes For it is written From him that hath not euen that he hath shalbe taken away But he is sayde not to haue which doth not vse his giftes and goods to the glorie of God and the relieuing of them that be in miserie To this pertaineth that saying Prouerb 3. He that despiseth the prayer of the poore shall suffer pouertie The fift is the begging of their children or their most wicked life which is farre more grieuous then all neede and pouertie I haue spoken of the punishments of them that are cruell toward the poore and that not out of philosophie which may erre but out of the verye oracles of God which cannot deceiue or lye He that shall contemne these shall in short time finde a iust iudge Now we will speake of affection of what sort we require it to be in him which hath purposed to giue almes and of the due and conuenient maner of almes Christ will haue two vices to be excluded from almes Matth. 6. which are hypocrisie and vaine glorie For these two doe as pernicious poysons infect whatsoeuer they touch Neyther is that any maruel For where hypocrisie is there is no fayth where vaine glorie is there is no loue of God no feare of God Let therefore pharisaicall Hypocrisie and foolish boasting be farre of from our almes What affections then do you require in almes loue of God charitie of our neighbour syncere gentlenesse and cherefulnesse For with these affections as with a certaine heauenly salt our almes ought to be sprinkled whereby it ought to be a sacrifice acceptable to God Furthermore with almes fayth is to be ioyned by which we doe not only assure our selues that our almes doth please God but also that he hath a care ouer our whole lyfe that he doth furnishe vs with necessary defence and liuing And bicause he requireth that we should helpe others and hath promised rewardes we shall for Gods sake bestowe benefites and agayne by fayth looke for the help of God In y e maner of our almes we shall consider the quantitie according to the counsel of Tobias who sayth If thou hast much giue plenteously if thou hast little doe thy diligence gladly to giue of that little Equalitie that thou of bounden dutie doe bestowe thy almes on the needy and he againe with a thankful minde receyue it and wishe well vnto thee Readynes of mynde according to that saying of Paule 2. Cor. 8. If there be a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Difference of strangers and them that be of the housholde of fayth according to the counsell of Paul Gal. 6. While we haue time let vs do good vnto all men but especially vnto them which are of the housholde of fayth that is them which by fayth are in the same familie of God that we be Possession according to the saying of Salomon Let thy fountaines flow forth but be thou maister of them Nowe it remayneth that we speake of the endes of godly almes and of the fruite thereof And although both the endes and also the fruite of holy almes may easily be gathered of those things which go before yet that I maye the more stirre vp the godly reader to this necessarie holy and dutifull office I will adde somewhat of the endes and fruites of almes godly bestowed The ends are foure The first the relieuing of our needy neighbour and the refreshing of the members of Christ The seconde the prouoking of others to liberalitie toward the poore according to that saying 2. Cor. 9. Your zeale hath prouoked many The thirde the witnessing of our fayth and of the feare of God For the duties of charitie are directed vnto this ende that by them we doe witnes that we feare God whose commaundement we obey The fourth the glorie of God Diuers and manifolde fruites do followe liberalitie towardes the poore Paule witnesseth that it wyll come to passe that they which haue bene liberall and bountifull towarde the poore shall abounde in euerye good worke For so it pleaseth the Lorde to recompence obedience towarde him with newe graces And this is it which y e Lord sayth Matth. 6. The Lord shal reward thee openly And Psal Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lorde shall deliuer him in the time of trouble Salomon He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lorde Paule sayth He that soweth liberally shall reape also liberally Esay 58. If thou poure out thy soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in the darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day Ecclesiasticus 29. Lay vp thine almes in thy secret chambers and it shall keepe thee from all affliction it shall fight for thee against thine enimie better than the shielde of a strong man or speare of the mightie Here the wise man calleth the necessities of our neighbours secret chambers in which benefites are to be layde vp and kept wherevpon one of the holy fathers hath sayde elegantlye and well the hande of the poore is a treasure house of Christ Then the wyse man addeth the exceeding great fruite of the bounteousnesse layde vp in those secret chambers to be deliuerance from euils and a most strong fortresse and defence agaynst our enimies For a man can by nothing be more defended protected against perils than by bounteousnes mercie But I speak of y e almes which proceedeth of fayth as it sufficiently appeareth by those things that I haue before spoken least that any man think that I agree with the Papistes which value their almes without Christ and without fayth These things concerning liberall and godly almes I thought therfore to adde that I might admonishe especially them that are of the richer sort of their dutie that they may vnderstande that they are bounde by the law of God to bestow part of their substance vpon the poore and that freely for the commandements sake of God and for many other causes which I haue rehearsed Furthermore that if they shall refuse to obey the commaundement of God they may know that they are giltie of disobedience towarde God Of these thinges that is playnly concluded which I propounded to wit that none may without great sacrilege take gaine of this first kind of men In the second order or state of men I place artificers and those which get their liuing with the labour of their handes To these according to the precept of Christ we must lend and looke for nothing agayne For as the Apostle forbiddeth to giue vnto these freely when he sayth He that laboureth let him eate As charitie dooth not require that
in lending to them which are prodigall and riotous To lend a prodigall man money is to reach a sword in to a madde mans hand VVe must not lend mony to prodigal persons VVhat men of full and perfect age are most commonly enclined vnto VVe must not presume aboue our abilitie A worthy saiing of Frances King of the frenchmen wherein is shewed that we must not goe beyond the limites of our state He describeth at large the presumptuous prodigalitie of diuers of his owne country men the Danes but all other whosoeuer that be in the same fault may be therby also admonished All taking of more than the principall is not condemned neyther properly to be called vsurie VVhen it is vsurie to take more than the principall and when it is not vsurie It is naturall equitie to render one good turne for another How we may lawfully couenant for part of the gayne of that which wee lende Howe Gardians may lende the mony of the wardes committed vnto them Interest wherof it is sayd to come Charitie most necessarie in all kyndes of bargaynes The first rule wherby we ought to examine our doings VVhat things are required in loue that it may be true and sincere The seconde rule of our actions The third admonition concerning our doings Our mynde must in no wiâ—e be prophaned with the filthy Idol of auarice Psal 119.36 The feare of God and couetousnes can not agree togither Our heart of it self is prone vnto couetousnes The fourth admonition concerning our actions specially in bargaining The fift admonition 1. Cor. 8.13 The sixt admonition which ought to moue vs to deale truly to doe well to moue vs to deale truly to doe well The seuenth admonition which ought to feare vs from doing vniustly The eyght admonition which ought to withdrawe vs froÌ„ wrongfull getting of riches The glory of vertue on excellent patrimonie Aduertisements to the ministers of Gods word what they ought to do concerning vsurie and bargaines It is the ministers dutie as much as they are aâ—le rightly to reforme manifest errours in contracts and bargains The Church must be troubled as little as may be A moderation to be obserued of godly ministers in reforming maners How the ministers of God ought to admonish concerning the right vse of riches Lending what it is VVhat is to be obserued in hyring and letting out The contract of societie wherein it consisteth Ioh. 18.36 A rule which the godly may safely follow in all kindes of bargains Two endes to be considered in the giuing of goods to the celebrating of masses c. Flora an harlot of Rome how she bequethed her goods and to what end they were afterward employed Howe such goods ought to be bestowod which in times past haue bine giuen to the maintaining of superstition The iudgement of Bartolus a singular lawyer They which wroÌ„gfully enioy the goods of the church are giltie of both tables * Note that he followeth not the same diuision of the commandements which we commonly do The testimonie of a mans owne conscience against himselfe a thing most grieuous Sacrilege shall not escape vnpunished with out earnest and heartie repentance God will in his time iustly punish the scorners and despisers of his worde The sentence of Augustine concerning the right distribution of the goodes of the Church The first part of the Church goodes The seconde part of the goods of the Church howe it ought to be bestowed The right bestowing of the third part of the goodes of the Church The fourth part of the goodes of the Church howe to be employed Abuses of the goods of the Church Ciuil gouernment not meete for the ministerie Ioh. 20.21 â— 18.36 Luke 22.25 2. Cor. 10.4 1. Thess 4.11 Euery one must meddle with his own busines An exhortation to the pore to be pacient The first reason of the exhortation to pacience The ende of our fayth The seconde reason of the exhortation to pacience The third reason of the exhortation to pacience The fourth reason of the exhortation to pacience The fift reason of the exhortation to pacience Howe God is mercifull and how he sheweth mercie Most worthye cogitations which ought to come into our myndes as often as we heare the mercie of God towarde vs mentioned The seconde cogitation The thirde cogitation The fourth The fift cogitation concerning the mercy of God The sixth cogitation or rather meditation The seuenth cogitation The Lord is most abundant and rich in mercie Luke 1.50 2. Pet. 3.9 VVhy the mercy of God is in the scripture compared to oyle Psal 103.3.4 Psal 18.28 Psal 27.1.5 Psal 59.9.10 A description of the great mercy of God toward man VVhat points he meaneth to entreat of concerning an oth Six firme reasons that it is lawfull sometime to take an oth * They diuide not the commandements after the same maner that we do which neuertheles is a thing indifferent VVhat an oth is Foure things to be considered in an oth The first parte of an oth The second part of an oth Two principall causes of an oth The affections which ought to be in him that sweareth Two endes of swearing The definition of a lawfull othe The othes of wicked men are vayne and not to be beleeued Rom. 1.9 VVhom we must beleeue when they sweare The foundations which the Anabaptists leane vnto in taking away al othes and swearing A declaration of the saying of Christ wherein the Anabaptistes affirme that he doth forbid all kynde of swearing How the Pharises corrupted the lawe of God concerning swearing How Iames is to be vnderstand when he forbiddeth swearing The saying of Osee expounded wherein he semeth to forbid swearing A rash oth Prayer a speciall remedy in affliction Mar. 11.24 VVhat it is to sing when we are merie and in prosperitie VVhy annointing the sick with oyle is not nowe vsed but taken away VVe must pardon one anothers offences Auricular coÌ„fession falsly gathered of the Papistes VVee must pray one for another and why VVhat the Apostle requireth in him that prayeth VVhat is required in the prayer of the righteous A reason confirming the prayer of the righteous to be effectuall VVe must as much as in vs is call our brethren from errour both of doctrine and lyfe Howe a man may saue the soule of a maÌ„ 1. Tim. 4.16 Howe a man hideth a multitude of sins 1. Pet. 4. â—