Alms-deed

Murder is thy alms-deed; petitioner for blood thou ne'er putt'st back.

Let us put in the same scale the second excellence of alms-deeds, which is, that as it brings men to a nearer resemblance with God, so it renders them dear to him, and familiar with his divine majesty, because like to him:

A certain King once made proclamation to the people of his realm saying, "If any of you give alms of aught, I will verily and assuredly cut off his hand;" wherefore all the people abstained from alms-deed, and none could give anything to any one.