From “Homily of Almsdeeds,” Second Book of Homilies (1563)
St. Paul cries unto us after this sort, “comfort the feeble minded, lift up the weak, and be charitable towards all people” (1 Thess. 5.14). And again, “to do good to the poor, and to distribute alms gladly, see that you do not forget, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Heb. 13.16). Isaiah the prophet teaches on this wise, “deal your bread to the hungry, and bring the poor wandering home to your house. When you see the naked, see that you clothe him, and hide not your face from your poor neighbor, neither despise your own flesh” (Isa. 58.7)…
And the truth of this doctrine is verified by the example of those holy and charitable fathers, of whom we read in the scriptures, that they were given to merciful compassion toward the poor, and charitable relieving of their necessities. Such a one was Abraham, in whom God had such great pleasure, that he promised to come to him in the form of an angel and to be entertained by him at his house. Such was his kinsman Lot whom God so favored for receiving his messengers into his house who otherwise would have laid in the street that he saved himself with his whole family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorah. Such were the holy fathers, Job and Tobit, with many others, who felt most sensible proofs of God’s special love towards them…
Augustine writes that the giving of alms and relieving of the poor is the right way to heaven. The poor man, says Augustine, is the way to heaven. In times past, there were set in highways the picture of Mercury pointing with his finger the right way to the town. And we use a wooden or stone cross to admonish the traveler which way he must turn when he comes, to direct his journey aright. But God’s word, as St. Augustine says, “has set in the way to heaven the poor man and his house so that whoever will go right and not turn out of the way must go by the poor. The poor man is that Mercury that shall set us the ready way: and if we look well to this sign, we shall not wander much out of the right path.”…
Our savior Christ testifies of poor, that they are dear to him, and that he loves them especially: For he calls them his little ones, by a name of tender love, he says they are his brethren. And St. James says that God has chosen them to be the heirs of his kingdom. “Has not God,” says he, chosen the poor of this world to himself to make them hereafter the rich heirs of that kingdom which he has promised to those who love him’ (James 2.5)?…
Christ declares how much he accepts our charitable affection toward the poor, in that he promises a reward to those who give but a cup of cold water in his name to those who have need thereof, and that reward is the kingdom of heaven. No doubt is it therefore that God regards highly that which he rewards so liberally. For he that promises a princely recompence for a beggarly benevolence declares that he is more delighted with the giving then with the gift, and that he as much esteems the doing of the thing as the fruit and commodity that comes of it. Whoever therefore has neglected to give alms, let him know that God now requires it of him, and he who has been liberal to the poor, let him know that his godly doings are accepted, and thankfully taken at God’s hands, which he will repay double and triple.
The two Books of Homilies (1547 & 1571) were written to teach the reformed doctrine of the Church of England in local congregations, and were originally appointed to be read out during worship by parish priests, few of whom originally had licenses to preach. The Second Book of Homilies was mostly the work of Bishop John Jewel of Salisbury (1522-1571), a noted polemical theologian, who wrote the first major defense of the Church of England’s structure and worship. This version of the text is from Gerald Bray, ed., The Books of Homilies: A Critical Edition (London: James Clarke & Co., 2015).
