It shall make us not to advance our selves before our neighbour, to despise him for that he hath fewer gifts, seeing God giveth his gifts where he will. It shall make us by the consideration of our gifts, not to extol our selves before our neighbours. •t ⟨p. 450⟩1shall make the wise man not to glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich to glory in his riches, but in the living god which is author of all these: lest if we should do so, we might be rebuked with the words of saint Paul, What hast thou, that thou hast not 2received? and if thou hast received it, why gloriest in thy self, as though thou haddest not received it? To confess that all good things cometh from almighty God, is a great point of wisdom my friends: For so confessing, we know whither to resort for to have them if we want, as saint James bid us, saying, If any man wanteth 3the gift of wisdom, let him ask it of God that gives it, & it shall be given him. As the wise man in the want of such a like gift, made his recourse to God for it, as he testifieth in his book. After I knew (saith he) that otherwise I could 4not be chaste, except God granted it, (and this was as he there writeth, high wisdom to know whose gift it was) I made haste to the Lord, & earnestly besought him, even from the roots of my heart, to have it. I would to God (my friends) that in our wants and necessities, we would go to God, as saint James biddeth, & as the wise man teacheth us that he did. I would we believed steadfastly that God only gives them: If we did, we would not seek our want and necessity of the devil and his ministers so oft as we do, as daily experience declareth it. For if we stand in necessity of corporal health, whither go the common people, but to charms, witchcrafts, and other delusions of the devil? If we knew ⟨p. 451⟩that god were the author of this gift, we would only use his means appointed, and bide his leisure, till he thought it good for us to have it given. If the merchant and worldly occupier knew that God is the giver of riches, he would content himself with so much as by just means approved of God he could get to his living, and would be no richer then trueth would suffer him, he would never procure his gain & ask his goods at the devils hand. God forbid ye will say, that any man should take his riches of the devil.
It shal make vs not to aduaunce our selues before our neyghbour, to despise him for that he hath fewer giftes, seeyng God geueth his giftes where he wyll. It shall make vs by the consyderation of our giftes, not to extoll our selues before our neyghbours. •t ⟨p. 450⟩1shal make the wyse man not to glory in his wysdome, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the riche to glory in his riches, but in the liuing god which is aucthour of all these: lest yf we should do so, we myght be rebuked with the wordes of saint Paul, What hast thou, that thou hast not 2receaued? and if thou hast receaued it, why gloriest in thy selfe, as though thou haddest not receaued it? To confesse that all good thinges commeth from almightie God, is a great poynt of wysdome my freendes: For so cōfessing, we know whyther to resort for to haue them yf we want, as saint James bid vs, saying, If any man wanteth 3the gyft of wysdome, let hym aske it of God that geues it, & it shalbe geuen hym. As the wyse man in the want of such a lyke gyft, made his recourse to God for it, as he testifieth in his booke. After I knew (sayth he) that otherwyse I coulde 4not be chast, except God graunted it, (and this was as he there wryteth, hye wysdome to know whose gyft it was) I made haste to the Lorde, & earnestly besought hym, euen from the rootes of my heart, to haue it. I woulde to God (my frendes) that in our wantes and necessities, we would go to God, as saint James biddeth, & as the wyse man teacheth vs that he dyd. I woulde we beleued stedfastly that God only geues them: If we did, we would not seeke our want and necessitie of the deuil and his ministers so oft as we do, as dayly experience declareth it. For yf we stand in necessitie of corporal health, whyther go the cōmon people, but to charmes, witchcraftes, and other delusions of the deuill? If we knewe ⟨p. 451⟩that god were thaucthour of this gift, we would only vse his meanes appoynted, and bide his leasure, till he thought it good for vs to haue it geuen. If the marchaunt and worldlye occupyer knewe that God is the geuer of riches, he would content himself with so much as by iust meanes appproued of God he could get to his liuing, and woulde be no rycher then trueth woulde suffer hym, he woulde neuer procure his gayne & aske his goodes at the deuils hande. God forbyd ye wyll say, that any man should take his ryches of the deuill.
- 1Jerem. •.Ierem. •.
- 2i. Cor. ix.
- 3Jacob. i.Iacob. i.
- 4Sapi. x.
