finalis causa, nor anything else that is good; therefore our Lord
God commonly giveth riches to such from whom he withholds all
Spiritual good.


Giving to the Poor that truly stand in need of our Help.

St. John saith, "He that hath this world's goods, and seeth his
brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from
him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" And Christ saith, "He
that desireth of thee, give to him;" that is, to him that hath need
and is in want. He saith not to every idle, lazy, and wasteful
companion, which commonly are the greatest beggars, to whom although
one gave much and often, yet were they nothing helped thereby. In
this town, said Luther, no men are in greater want than the students
and scholars. The poverty here indeed is great, but idleness and
laziness are far greater. A man can scarcely get a poor body to
work for money, and yet they will all beg. There is, said he, no
good government. Though I were able, yet I would not give to those
idle beggars, for the more one helpeth and giveth them, the more and
oftener they come. I will not cut my bread away from my wife and
children, and give it to such; but when one is truly poor, to him I
will give with all my heart, according to my ability. And no man
should forget that Scripture which saith, "He that hath two coats,
let him part with one," etc.; for the Holy Scripture, in naming a
coat, meaneth all manner of apparel that one hath need of, according
to his state and calling, as well for credit as for necessity. As,
also, by "the daily bread" is understood all maintenance necessary
for the body, therefore "a coat," in Scripture, is signified to be
all usual apparel.