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…

For thus saith the holy ghost by Solomon: He that giveth unto the poor, shall never want. Men suppose that by hording and laying up still, they shall at length be rich, and that by distributing and laying out, although it be for most necessary and godly uses, they shall be brought to poverty. But the holy ghost, which knoweth all trueth, teacheth us another lesson, contrary to this. He teacheth us that there is a kind of dispending that shall never diminish the stock, and a kind of saving that shall bring a man to extreme poverty. For where he saith, that the good alms man shall never have scarcity, he addeth: But he that turneth away his eyes from such as be in necessity, shall suffer great poverty him self. Howe far different then is the judgement of man, from the judgement of the holy ghost? The holy Apostle Paul, a man full of the holy ghost, and made privy even of the secrete will of God, teacheth: that the liberal alms giver, shall not thereby be impoverished. ⟨p. 334⟩He that ministereth (saith he) seed unto the sower, ¹will minister also bread unto you for food, yea, he will multiply your seed and increase the fruits of your righteousness. He is not content here to advertise them that they shall not lack, but he showeth them also after what sort God will provide for them. Even as he provideth seed for the sower in multiplying it & giving great increase: so he will multiply their goods, & increase them that there shall be great abundance. And least we should think his sayings to be but words and not trueth, we have an example thereof in the third book of kings, which doth confirm and seal it up as a most certain trueth. The poor widow that received the banished prophet of God Elijah, when as she had but an handful of meal in a vessel, and a little oil in a cruse, whereof she would make a cake for her self and her son, that after that they had eaten that, they might dye, because in that great famine there was no more food to be gotten: yet when she gave part thereof unto Elijah, & defrauded her own hungry belly, mercifully to relieve him, she was so blessed of God, that neither the meal nor the oil was consumed all the time while that famine did last, but thereof both the prophet Elijah, she, & her son were sufficiently nourished & had enough.

For thus sayth the holy ghost by Salomon: He that geueth vnto the poore, shal neuer want. Men suppose that by hoording and laying vp styll, they shall at length be riche, and that by distributing and laying out, although it be for moste necessarie and godly vses, they shalbe brought to pouertie. But the holy ghost, which knoweth all trueth, teacheth vs another lesson, contrary to this. He teacheth vs that there is a kynde of dispendyng that shall neuer diminishe the stocke, and a kynde of sauing that shall bryng a man to extreame pouertie. For where he sayth, that the good almes man shall neuer haue scarscitie, he addeth: But he that turneth away his eies from such as be in necessitie, shal suffer great pouertie him selfe. Howe farre different then is the iudgement of man, from the iudgement of the holy ghost? The holy Apostle Paul, a man ful of the holy ghost, and made priuie euen of the secrete wyll of God, teacheth: that the liberall almes geuer, shall not thereby be impouerished.