Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/115



also clean' But lest he should seem to refuse those alms which are given of the fruits of the earth, he saith, 'You ought to have done these things;' that is to say, the judgment and love of God; and not to neglect the other, that is to say, the alms of the fruit of the earth." This writeth St. Augustine, expressly calling the tithes, 'alms.'

Also Chrysostome, upon the same words, in Luke xi., "That which remaineth give in alms," saith thus: "Whereas it was spoken of the Jewish kind of cleansing, it is wholly passed; but forasmuch as tithes is a certain alms, and the time was not yet expressly come to kill the sacrifices of the law, for this cause," he saith, "Ye ought to do those things, and not omit the other." St. Thomas allegeth the same in his gloss upon St. Luke. And Chrysostome himself doth touch two points: first, that tithes are alms; secondly, that tithes are in a manner lawful, forasmuch as the gift thereof unto the priests did not cease in the time of Christ.

Also St. Augustine, in a certain sermon on giving alms, saith thus: "What is it to say, 'Give alms, and behold, all things are clean unto you?' Let us give ear, and peradventure he doth expound it himself. When he had spoken these words, without doubt they thought within themselves, Who do give alms, and how do they give it? They tithed all that they had, and took out the tenth part of all their fruits, and gave it for alms: which no Christian readily doth. Mark what the Jews did: they tithed, not only their wheat, but their wine and oil; and not that only, but also vile things, at the commandment of the Lord, as cummin, rue, and anise; of which they took the tenth part, and gave it for alms. I think, therefore, forasmuch as they called to mind, and thought within themselves, that our Lord Christ spake in vain unto them that they did no alms, when they knew their own works, that they tithed the smallest and worst of all their fruits, and gave alms thereof, they mocked him amongst themselves, because he did speak in such sort luito them, as unto men that did no alms. This the Lord foreseeing, by and by added notwithstanding, 'Woe be unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who tithe your mint, cummin, and rue, and all kind of herbs; for be assured that I do understand your alms. Truly, these are your tithes, these are your alms; you tithe out the least and worst of all your fruits, and have left the weighty matters of the law undone.'" Here St. Augustine often expoundeth that tithes are alms; also he writeth the like in his book of Homilies, in his sixth homily.

Item, For the proof of this article. That tithes are pure alms, it is thus argued. For this proposition. Tithes are pure alms, is infinite; taking the truth for many of its particularities. It is most certain that it is not damnable, but most catholic, that God is something; which being false in all particulars, it is only true for that alone which doth surmount all kind. Ergo, by like reason, this particular is true, tenths are pure alms: for it is thus proved. These tenths of a good layman being wholly distributed by a faithful minister unto a needy layman, according to a good intent, how can they be but pure alms, yea, and more pure than any alms given by any of the clergy who may be a fornicator? The whole antecedent I suppose as possible, and doubtful unto the condemners, if it be true.

Item, It is also thus proved; These tithes, and all other goods of fortune, are pure alms in respect of God, forasmuch as every man, emperor and king, is a beggar of God, as St. Augustine doth oftentimes affirm ; and, consequently, if he do receive fruitfully any such goodness at the hand of God, the same is pure alms in respect of God; neither is there any faithful man who will deny the same, but that it simply followeth that the same is pure alms before God: ergo, it is pure alms.

It is also thus argued; All tithes are by themselves, and every part of them, alms; neither is there any reason contrary to this, that they are alms: ergo, they are pure alms; for they are by no other means or reason other than alms, if they be altogether themselves alms; forasmuch as it followeth, if they be by any other means or otherwise than alms, then they are otherwise than some alms, and forasmuch as they themselves are some alms, it followeth that they are otherwise than they are indeed; which is false.

But now to pass beyond the bounds of logic, it is to be demanded, whether