Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

¹² Give then, my brethren, to the poor, “Having food and covering, let us be therewith content.” The rich man has nothing from his riches, but what the poor man begs of him, food and covering. What more have you from all that you possess? You have got food and necessary covering. Necessary I say, not useless, not superfluous. What more do you get from your riches? Tell me. Assuredly all you have more will be superfluous. Let your superfluities then be the poor man's necessaries.

But you will say, I get costly banquets, I feed on costly meats. But the poor man, what does he feed on? On cheap food; the poor man feeds on cheap, and I, says he, on costly meats. Well, I ask you, when you both are filled, the costly enters into you, but when it is once entered, what does it become? If we had but looking-glasses within us, should we not be put to shame for all the costly meat whereby you have been filled? The poor man hungers, and so does the rich; the poor man seeks to be filled, so does the rich.

The poor man is filled with inexpensive, the rich with costly meats. Both are filled alike, the object whither both wish to attain is one and the same, only the one reaches it by a short, the other by a circuitous way. But you will say, I relish better my costly food. True, and it is hard for you to be satisfied, dainty as you are. You know not the relish of that which hunger seasons. Not that I have said this to force the rich to feed on the meat and drink of the poor. Let the rich use what their infirmity has accustomed them to; but let them be sorry, that they are not able to do otherwise.

For it would be better for them if they could. If then the poor man be not puffed up for his poverty, why should you for your infirmity? Use then choice, and costly meats, because you are so accustomed, because you can not do otherwise, because if you change your custom, you are made ill. I grant you this, make use of superfluities, but give to the poor necessaries; make use of costly meats, but give to the poor inexpensive food. He is looking to receive from you, and you are looking to receive from God; he is looking to the hand which was made as he was, and you are looking to the hand that made you, and made not you only, but the poor man with you.

He set you both one and the same journey, this present life: you have found yourselves companions in it, you are walking one way: he is carrying nothing, you are loaded excessively: he is carrying nothing with him, you are carrying with you more than you need. You are loaded: give him of that you have; so shall you at once feed him, and lessen your own burden.