The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Paul ¹both to use plenty, and also to suffer penury, remembering that we must yield accounts of those things which we have received, unto him who abhorreth all excess, pride, ostentation, and vanity, who also utterly condemneth and disalloweth whatsoever draweth us from our duty towards God, or diminish our charity towards our neighbours and brethren, whom we ought to love as our selves. The fourth and ²last rule is, that every man behold and consider his own vocation, in as much as God hath appointed every man his degree and office, within the limits whereof it behoveth him to keep him self. Therefore all may not look to wear like apparel, but every one according to his degree, as God hath placed him. Which, if it were observed, many one doubtless should be compelled to wear a russet coat, which now ruffleth in silks and velvets, spending more by the year in sumptuous apparel, than their fathers received for the whole revenue of their lands. But alas now a days how many may we behold occupied wholly in pampering the flesh? taking no care at all, but only how to deck them selves, setting their affection altogether ⟨p. 217⟩on worldly bravery, abusing Gods goodness, when he sendeth plenty, to satisfy their wanton lusts, having no regard to the degree wherein God hath placed them. The Israelites were contented with such apparel as God gave them, ³although it were base and simple: And God so blessed them, that their shoes and clothes lasted them forty years, yea, and those clothes which their fathers had worn, their children were con tent to use afterward. But we are never contented, and therefore we prosper not, so that most commonly he that ruffleth in his Sables, in his fine furred gown, corked slippers, trim buskins, and warm mittens, is more ready to chill for cold, then the poor labouring man, which can abide in the field all the day long, when the north wind blows, with a few beggarly clouts about him. We are loth to wear such as our fathers have left us, we think not that sufficient or good enough for us. We must have one gown for the day, another for the night, one long, another short, one for winter, another for summer, one through furred, another but faced, one for the working day, another for the holy day, one of this colour, another of that colour, one of cloth, another of silk or Damask.