the word 'sina,' which is to say 'commandment,' as it were a commandment of mercy, or otherwise from this word, 'elimonia.' By this letter 'I,' which is to say, 'God,' and this word 'sina,' which is 'commandment:' it is as if it were said, 'the commandment of God;' as Januensis, in his book entitled 'Catholicon,' affirmeth.[1]
For our Saviour doth command, in Luke xi., to give alms, saying, "Give alms, and behold all things are clean unto you:" lest that in this point there may be any equivocation, it is supposed, presently that the alms given by men is a corporal alms, given simply under the name of alms. Tithes.Secondly, it is to be noted, that tithes, in this case, are the tenth part of goods of fortune, given by man simply under the name of alms for God's sake.
These things being thus noted and supposed, the article is thus proved: Every gift of fortune, or temporal gift simply given under the name of alms, is alms. But some tithes are the gift of fortune, or a temporal gift under the name of alms; therefore some tithes are alms. This consequent is manifest of itself. The major appeareth by the first supposition; and the minor by the second.
Item, Every gift given by a man, even of love, to relieve and help the miserable out of his misery, is an alms. The tenth part of the goods of fortune given by a man, simply under the name of alms for God's sake, is given by the same man even of love, to help the miserable out of his misery; therefore, the tenth part of the goods of fortune, being given by any man simply under the name of alms for God's sake, is alms. The consequent is manifest. The major appeareth by this, that every such gift is either a spiritual or bodily alms. The minor seemeth hereby true, forasmuch as many holy men have given, and do give, even for love, to relieve the miserable out of his misery; neither is it to be doubted but that such kind of tithes are alms. St. Augustine proveth tithes to be pure alms.For St. Augustine, upon these words of the Lord in the Gospel, "Woe be unto you Pharisees, which do tithe the mint and anise," writeth thus: " If they cannot be cleansed without they believe in him who doth cleanse the heart by faith, to what purpose is it that He saith, 'Give alms, and behold, all things are clean unto you?' Let us give ear, and peradventure He doth expound it himself. They did take out the tenth part of all their fruits, and give it for alms; which any christian man doth not willingly. Then they mocked Him, when He spake these words to them, as unto men who would do no alms. This the Lord foreknowing said, 'Woe be unto you Pharisees, which tithe mint and rue, and all kind of herbs, and pass over the judgment and charity of God;' for this it is to do alms, if thou dost understand it, begin with thyself; for how canst thou be merciful unto another, who art unmerciful unto thyself?" This writeth St. Augustine, plainly saying, that "tithes are alms."
Also in his Enchiridion, chap. lxxvi., upon these words of St. Luke, chap, xi., "Notwithstanding that which is more than sufficient, give in alms, and all things shall be clean unto you," he saith thus: "When he had rebuked them, that they washed themselves outwardly, and inwardly were full of iniquity and abomination, admonishing them in what, and how, a man ought first to bestow alms upon himself, and first to cleanse himself inwardly, he saith, 'That which doth remain, give in alms; and behold, all things are clean unto you.' Afterwards, that he might the better declare what he had given them warning of, and what they had neglected to do, that they should not judge him ignorant of their alms, he saith, 'Woe be unto you Pharisees;' as though he should say, 'I verily gave you warning that you should give such alms, whereby all things might be clean unto you; but woe be unto you who tithe the mint, rue, and all kind of herbs, for I do know these your alms, that you should not think with yourselves that you had given me warning thereof, and neglect and pass over the judgment and charity of God, by which alms ye might be cleansed from all your inward filthiness, and your bodies also, which you do wash, should be clean, and all these things, both inward and also outward;' as it is said in another place, 'Cleanse that which is within, and the outward tilings shall be- ↑ An extract from the Latin is here subjoined. "Et hoc apparet ex ipso nomine. Nam in Græco misericordia derivatur, sicut Latinè miseratio a mlsericordia: sic eleemosyna ab elemonia, quod est misericordia: et sina, quod est mandatum, id est, mandatum misericordiæ, vel elimonia, per 'I' melius. Et tune dicitur ab 'eli' quod est 'Deus,' et 'sina,' quod est 'mandatum,' quasi mandatum Dei, ut dicit Januensis in suo Catholicon." Pp. 48, 49.—Ed.
