Milton

¶1p. 520 Dicta sunt officia erga domesticos; sequuntur ERGA EXTERNOS.

¶2In his præcipuæ sunt eleemosynæ et hospitalitas.

¶3ELEEMOSYNÆ sunt QUICQUID OPIS, PRO FACULTATIBUS NOSTRIS VEL ETIAM ULTRA, EGENTI, ET PRÆSERTIM FRATRI, SINE OSTENTATIONE, EX VERA CHARITATE LARGIMUR. Exod. xxiii. 10, 11. septimo anno relinquito terram incultam, ut comedant egentes e populo tuo—. Deut. xv. 2. hoc esto jus intermissionis—. et v. 11. liberaliter aperito manum tuam erga fratrem tuum, erga pauperem tuum et erga egenum. et xxiv. 19, 20, 21. quum metes—messem tuam in agro tuo—. Luc. iii. 11. qui habet duas tunicas, impertiat non habenti—. et xiv. 12, 13, 14. quum feceris prandium—, ne vocato amicos—, nequando et ipsi te vicissim vocent—; sed voca mendicos, mancos—. et xvi. 9. facite vobis amicos ex mammona injusto, ut quum defeceritis, recipiant vos in æterna illa tabernacula—. Exemplo etiam ipsius Christi, quamvis pauper ipse esset. Joan. xiii. 29. egenis ut aliquid daret. Eph. iv. 28. potius laboret—, ut habeat quod impertiat cui opus fuerit.

¶4PRO FACULTATIBUS. Matt. x. 42. quicunque potum dederit uni ex his parvis poculum frigidæ solum—. Luc. xi. 41. ea quæ penes vos sunt, date in eleemosynam. Act. iii. 6. argentum et aurum non est mihi; quod autem habeo, hoc tibi do—. 2 Cor. viii. 12, 13. si adsit promptus p. 521 animus, aliquis acceptus est pro eo quod habet, non pro eo quod non habet—.

¶5VEL ETIAM ULTRA. Luc. xxi. 4. hi omnes ex eo quod sibi redundat, immiserunt quæ donarent Deo; hæc autem immisit ex penuria sua totum victum quem habebat. 2 Cor. viii. 3. pro viribus (testor) atque supra vires voluntarii fuerunt. Sed tamen, v. 13. non dico ut aliis sit relaxatio, vobis autem afflictio; sed ut pari conditione quod vobis superest suppleat hoc tempore quod illis deest. Et hic quoque geometrica proportio adhibenda est, non arithmetica, ut uniuscujusque ratio habeatur pro ordine et gradu dignitatis, pro conditione vitæ educationisque, ne absurda æquatio inæqualium fiat.

¶6EGENTI: nimirum qui se sua opera aut industria sustentare non potest. Lev. xxv. 35. quum attenuato fratre tuo apud te vacillabit manus ejus, tunc confirmabis illum, etiam peregrinum—. Deut. xv. 7, &c. si fuerit apud te egens quispiam—. 2 Thess. iii. 10. si quis nolit operari, etiam ne edito. Non igitur sponte vagis et mendicis. v. 11, 12. audivimus enim quosdam ambulare inter vos inordinate, nihil agentes, sed inaniter satagentes: iis autem qui sunt istiusmodi denuntiamus et hortamur eos per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, ut cum quiete operantes pane suo vescantur.

¶7Egentibus annumerandi sunt orphani et viduæ, propter illorum ætatem, harum solitudinem opis indigentem. Exod. xxii. 22, 23, 24. nullam viduam aut orphanum affligitote—. Deut. x. 18. agit causam pupillæ et viduæ—. et xiv. 28, 29. a fine trium annorum depromito omnes decimas—: quem venientes peregrini pupillique et viduæ comedant—. et xxvii. 19. maledictus qui pervertit jus pupilli aut viduæ. Job. xxix. 11, &c. me eripere pauperem vociferantem, pupillumque—. et xxxi. 16, &c. si cohibui me ab optato tenuium, aut oculos viduæ confeci; et comedi frustum cibi mei solus, ac non comedit pupillus ex eo. Psal. lxviii, 6. pater pupillorum et defensor viduarum est Deus—. et cxlvi. 9. pupillum et viduam statuminat. Prov. xxiii. 10, 11. agros pupillorum ne invadas: nam vindex eorum fortis—.

¶8p. 522 Et quacunque ratione debiles aut inopes atque afflicti, religionis maxime causa. Isa. lviii. 7. ut partiaris esurienti panem tuum, et pauperes ejectos introducas domum; quum videris nudum, ut tegas eum; et a carne tua non abscondas te. Matt. xxv. 36. nudus, et amicivistis me; ægrotus—. Luc. xiv. 13. voca mendicos, mancos, claudos, cæcos. Heb. vi. 10. non enim injustus est Deus, ut obliviscatur operis vestri et laboriosæ charitatis, quam ostendistis erga ipsius nomen; ut qui ministraveritis sanctis, et ministretis.

¶9SINE OSTENTATIONE. Prov. xxi. 14. donum in abdito avertit iram, et munus in sinu excandescentiam vehementem. Matt. vi. 1, &c. quum præstabis eleemosynam—ne curato buccina cani—. 2 Cor. viii. 24. itaque demonstrationem charitatis vestræ et nostræ de vobis gloriationis edite in eos, in conspectu ecclesiarum.

¶10EX VERA CHARITATE. 1 Cor. xiii. 3. si frustulatim distribuero omnia quæ mihi suppetunt, et si tradam corpus meum ut comburar, charitatem autem non habeam, hoc mihi nihil prodest. Non ergo coacte. 2 Cor. viii. 3. voluntarii fuerunt. et v. 8. non ex imperio dico, sed aliorum studio, vestræ quoque dilectionis sinceritatem reddens exploratam.

¶11Eleemosynarum præmium in scripturis passim magnum declaratur. Job. xxix. a v. 11. usque ad finem capitis: nam auris audiens beatum prædicabat me—, me eripere pauperem vociferantem—. Psal. xli. 2. beatus qui attendit ad attenuatum; tempore mali liberabit eum Jehova. et cxii. 9. cum 2 Cor. ix. 8, 9. potens est Deus efficere ut omnis gratia in vos exundet, ut in omnibus omni tempore omne quod sufficiat habentes, exundetis ad omne opus bonum: sicut scriptum est, dispersit, dedit pauperibus: justitia ejus manet in sæculum—. Prov. xiv. 21: qui gratiam facit pauperibus, o beatum illum. et xix. 17. mutuat Jehovæ, qui gratiose largitur tenui, et beneficium ipsius rependet ipsi. et xxii. 9. bonus oculo ipse benedicetur, quum dederit de pane suo tenui. et xxviii. 27. ei qui dat pauperi, non erit egestas. Isa. lviii. 6, &c. nonne ut partiaris esurienti panem tuum—? tunc erumpet velut aurora lux tua—. Matt. x. 40, 41, 42. p. 523 qui recipit vos, me recipit; et qui me recipit, recipit eum qui misit me—. et xxv. 34, 35. adeste benedicti Patris mei—: esurivi enim et dedistis mihi—. Luc. xi. 41. date eleemosynam, et ecce omnia erunt vobis pura. et xii. 33. parate vobis crumenas quæ non veterascant, thesaurum in cœlis qui nunquam deficiat—. et xiv. 12, 13, 14. beatus eris, quia non possunt retribuere tibi—. Act. x. 2, 3, 4. orationes tuæ et eleemosynæ tuæ ascenderunt in memoriam in Dei conspectu. 2 Cor. ix. 6. qui serit benigne, benigne etiam metet. 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19. congerentes sibi pro thesauro fundamentum bonum in posterum, ut apprehendant æternam illam vitam.

¶12Contra neglectus earum damnatur. Prov. xxi. 13. qui obturat aurem suam a clamore tenuis, etiam ipse clamabit, sed non exaudietur. et xxviii. 27. occultans oculos suos amplus erit maledictionibus. Matt. xxv. 45. quatenus id non fecistis uni ex istis minimis, nec mihi fecistis. 2 Cor. ix. 6. qui serit parce, parce etiam metet.

¶13HOSPITALITAS est qua peregrinos atque inopes, nobis præsertim ab ecclesiis aut a fratribus commendatos, vel tecto recipimus, vel eorum hospitio benigne providemus. Deut. xxiii. 7, 8. ne abominare Edomæum, nam frater tuus est; ne abominare Ægyptium, nam peregrinus fuisti in terra ejus. Job. xxxi. 32. foris non pernoctabat peregrinus—. Rom. xii. 13. usibus sanctorum communicantes, hospitalitatem sectantes. et xvi. 2. ut excipiatis eam in Domino, convenienter sanctis, et adsitis ei quacunque in re ipsi usus fuerit vobis: nam hæc tum multis hospitium præbuit, tum mihi etiam ipsi. Heb. xiii. 2, hospitalitatis ne estote immemores: per hanc enim quidam inscii exceperunt angelos hospitio. 1 Pet. iv. 9. hospitales estote alii erga alios, absque murmurationibus. 3 Joan. 5, 6, &c. dilecte, fideliter agis quidquid facis erga fratres et erga peregrinos, qui testimonio suo commendarunt charitatem tuam in conspectu ecclesiæ—. Hospitalis animi præmium insigne retulerunt duæ mulieres prophetarum hospites Sareptana illa et Sunamitis.

¶14Leges de hospitibus et peregrinis non opprimendis aut lædendis; Exod. xxii. 21, &c. Lev. xix. 33, 34. Deut. x. 18, 19.

¶15p. 524 Huic opponitur inhospitalitas. Deut. xxvii. 19. maledictus qui pervertit jus peregrini. Ezech. xxii. 29. pauperem et egentem opprimunt, ac peregrinum fraudant injuria. 3 Joan. 10. qui etiam his non contentus, neque ipse admittit fratres, et volentes admittere prohibet, et ex ecclesia ejicit.

¶1p. 691 Thus far of domestic duties. We are next to speak of those which are exercised towards strangers.

¶2The principal virtues in this class are almsgiving and hospitality.

¶3ALMSGIVING consists in AFFORDING RELIEF TO THE POOR, ESPECIALLY TO SUCH AS ARE BRETHREN, IN PROPORTION TO OUR MEANS, OR EVEN BEYOND THEM, WITHOUT OSTENTATION, AND FROM THE MOTIVE OF TRUE CHARITY.¹ Exod. xxiii. 11. the seventh year thou shalt let the land rest, and lie still, that the poor of thy people may eat. Deut. xv. 2. this is the manner of the release, &c. v. 11. thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor and to thy needy, in thy land. xxiv. 19—21. when thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field—. Luke iii. 11. he that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none. xiv. 12—14. when thou makest a dinner.....call not thy friends.....lest they also bid thee again......but call the poor, the lame, &c. xvi. 9. make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. Christ himself, although poor, set us an example of this virtue. John xiii. 29. that he should give something to the poor. Eph. iv. 28. rather let him labour.....that he may have to give to him that needeth.

¶4p. 692 IN PROPORTION TO OUR MEANS. Matt. x. 42. whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in my name—. Luke xi. 41. rather give alms of such things as ye have. Acts iii. 6. silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee. 2 Cor. viii. 12, 13. if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

¶5OR EVEN BEYOND THEM. Luke xxi. 4. all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God, but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. 2 Cor. viii. 3. to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves. He subjoins however, v. 13. I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want. On this, as on similar occasions, we are to be guided by geometrical rather than by arithmetical proportion, regulating our bounty according to the rank and dignity, the education and previous condition of each individual; lest we fall into the absurdity of equalizing those whom nature never intended for an equality.

¶6–8TO THE POOR; that is, to such as are unable to support themselves by their own labour and exertions. Lev. xxv. 35. if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee, then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger. Deut. xv. 7, &c. if there be among you a poor man, &c. 2 Thess. iii. 10. if any would not work, neither should he eat. Hence we are not bound to relieve those vagrants and beggars who are such of choice, and not of necessity. v. 11, 12. we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies; now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. Among the poor are to be reckoned orphans and widows, on account of the desolate situation of the one, and the tender age of the other. Exod. xxii. 22—24. ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. Deut. x. 18. he doth create the judgement of the father- p. 693 less and widow. xiv. 28, 29. at the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase......and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied. xxvii. 19. cursed be he that perverteth the judgement of the fatherless or widow. Job xxix. 11, &c. because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless—. xxxi. 16. if I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless have not eaten thereof. Psal. lxviii. 5. a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. cxlvi. 9. he relieveth the fatherless and widow. Prov. xxiii. 10, 11. enter not into the fields of the fatherless; for their redeemer is mighty. To these may be added such as are weak or helpless from any cause whatever, and all who are in affliction, especially for religion's sake. Isai. lviii. 7. is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Matt. xxv. 36. naked, and ye clothed me; sick, &c. Luke xiv. 13. call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. Heb. vi. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

¶9WITHOUT OSTENTATION. Prov. xxi. 14. a gift in secret pacifieth anger, and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. Matt. vi. 1, &c. when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee—. 2 Cor. viii. 24. wherefore show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

¶10OUT OF TRUE CHARITY. 1 Cor. xiii. 3. though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, I am nothing. Not therefore of compulsion. 2 Cor. viii. 3. they were willing of themselves. v. 8. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

¶11p. 694 Scripture everywhere declares that the reward of almsgiving is great. Job xxix. 11—25. when the ear heard me, then it blessed me.....because I delivered the poor that cried, &c. Psal. xli. 1. blessed is he that considereth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the time of trouble. cxii. 9. compared with 2 Cor. ix. 8, 9. God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work; as it is written, He hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness remaineth for ever. Prov. xiv. 21. he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. xix. 17. he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to Jehovah, and that which he hath given will he pay him again. xxii. 9. he that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor. xxviii. 27. he that giveth to the poor shall not lack. Isai. lviii. 6, &c. is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? &c. then shall thy light break forth as the morning. Matt. x. 40—42. he that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. xxv. 34, 35. come, ye blessed of my Father.....for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat—. Luke xi. 41. give alms..... and behold, all things are pure unto you. xii. 33. provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not. xiv. 12—14. thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee. Acts x. 2—4. thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 2 Cor. ix. 6. he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19. laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

¶12On the other hand, the neglect of this duty is condemned, Prov. xxi. 13. whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. xxviii. 27. he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse. Matt. xxv. 45. inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 2 Cor. ix. 6. he which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly.

¶13HOSPITALITY consists in receiving under our own roof, or providing for the kind reception of the poor and strangers; especially such as are p. 695 recommended to us by the churches, or by our brethren in the faith. Deut. xxiii. 7, 8. thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land. Job xxxi. 32. the stranger did not lodge in the street—. Rom. xii. 13. distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality. xvi. 2. that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you, for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. Heb. xiii. 2. be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 1 Pet. iv. 9. use hospitality one to another without grudging. 3 John 5, 6, &c. beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the church. The reward of a hospitable spirit is signally exemplified in the woman of Sarepta, and in the Shunammite, who received prophets under their roof.

¶14Injury or oppression of guests or strangers was forbidden by various laws, recorded Exod. xxii. 21, &c. Levit. xix. 33, 34. Deut. x. 18, 19.

¶15Opposed to this is inhospitality. Deut. xxvii. 19. cursed be he that perverteth the judgement of the stranger. Ezek. xxii. 29. they have vexed the poor and needy, yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. 3 John 10. not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.