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…

Verily so many as increase them selves by usury, by extortion, by perjury, by stealth, by deceits and craft, they have their goods of the devils gift. And all they that give them selves to such means, and have renounced the true means that god hath appointed, have forsaken him, and are become worshippers of the devil, to have their lucres and advantages. They be such as kneel down to the devil at his bidding, and worship him. For he promiseth them for so doing, that he will give them the world, and the goods therein. They can not otherwise better serve the devil, then to do his pleasure and commandment. And his motion and will it is, to have us forsake the trueth, and betake us to falsehood, to lies and perjuries. They therefore which believeth perfectly in their heart that God is to be honoured, and requested for the gift of all things necessary, would use no other means to relieve their necessities but trueth and verity, and would serve GOD to have competency ⟨p. 452⟩of all things necessary. The man in his need would not relieve his want by stealth. The woman would not relieve her necessity and poverty by giving her body to other in adultery for gain. If God be the author in deed, of life, health, richesse, and welfare, let us make our recourse to him, as the author, and we shall have it, saith Saint James. Yea it is hie wisdom by the wise man therefore to know whose gift it is. For many other skills it is wisdom to know and believe that all goodness and graces be of god, as the author. Which thing well considered, must needs make us think that we shall make account for that which God giveth us to occupy, and therefore shall make us to be more diligent well to spend them to gods glory, and to the profit of our neighbour, that we may make a good account at the last, & be praised for good stewards, that we may hear these words of our judge: Well done good servant & faithful, ¹thou hast ben faithful in little, I will make thee ruler over much, go in into thy masters joy. Besides, to believe certainly god to be the author of all the gifts that we have, shall make us to be in silence & patience when they be taken again from us. For as God of his mercy doth grant us them to use:

Ueryly so manye as increase them selues by vsurie, by extortion, by periurie, by stealth, by deceytes and crafte, they haue theyr goodes of the deuils gyfte. And all they that geue them selues to suche meanes, and haue renounced the true meanes that god hath appointed, haue forsaken him, and are become worshippers of the deuill, to haue their lukers and aduauntages. They be suche as kneele downe to the deuill at his bidding, and worship hym. For he promiseth them for so doyng, that he wyll geue them the worlde, and the goodes therein. They can not otherwyse better serue the deuyll, then to do his pleasure and commaundement. And his motion and wyll it is, to haue vs forsake the trueth, and betake vs to falshood, to lyes and periuries. They therefore whiche beleueth perfectly in theyr hearte that God is to be honoured, and requested for the gyft of all thynges necessarie, woulde vse no other meanes to relieue their necessities but trueth and veritie, and woulde serue GOD to haue competencie