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…

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.