Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Every man must acknowledge these terrestrial goods to be the mere ¹and free gifts of our bountiful and heavenly father, and not to be given for our deserts, or gotten by our might. For we have of Gods liberality all things necessary to maintain our lives. It is the Lord which blesseth and doth prosper our labour. Finally they are not evil but the good gifts of God which he giveth for the maintenance of our lives, and not to our destruction: the fault is in our selves that riches are a snare to bring many men to evil ends. Moreover the Lord himself requireth and in his word commandeth us, to be thankful unto him for his good benefits bestowed on us, to use them with thanks giving, to praise his name for all things, and to rejoice in his fatherly goodness showed unto us. For thus doth Moses the servant of God in Deuteronomy charge the Israelites: When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thee self, then thank the Lord thy God in that good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not keep his commandments, his laws, and ordinances, which I command thee this day: yea, and when thou hast eaten & filled thee self, and hast built goodly houses and dwellest therein: and when thy beasts, and thy sheep are waxen many, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is increased: then beware least thine heart rise, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and from the house of bondage. Say not then in thine heart, my power and the might of mine own hand, hath prepared me this abundance. Remember the Lord thy GOD: for it is he that giveth thee power to get substance &c.

Euerie man must acknowledge these terrestriall goods to be ye meere ¹and free giftes of our bountifull and heauenly father, and not to be giuen for our deserts, or gottē by our might. For wee haue of Gods liberalitie all thinges necessarie to mainteyne oure liues. It is the Lord which blesseth and doth prosper our labour. Finallie they are not euil but the good gifts of God which he giueth for the maintenaunce of our liues, and not to our destruction: the fault is in our selues that riches are a snare to bring many men to euill ends. Moreouer ye Lord himselfe requireth and in his woord commaundeth vs, to be thanckful vnto him for his good benefits bestowed on vs, to vse them with thankes giuing, to praise his name for al things, and to reioyce in his fatherly goodnes shewed vnto vs. For thus doth Moses the seruaunt of God in Deuteronomie charge the Israelites: When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thee selfe, then thancke the Lord thy God in that good land which hee hath giuen thee. Beware that thou forgett not the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not keepe his commaundementes, his lawes, and ordinances, which I commaund thee this day: yea, and when thou hast eaten & filled thee selfe, and hast built goodly houses and dwellest therein: and when thy beastes, and thy sheepe are waxen many, and thy siluer and thy gold is multiplied, and al that thou hast is increased: then beware least thine heart rise, and thou forgett the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt, and from the house of bondage. Say not then in thine heart, my power and the might of mine owne hand, hath prepared mee this aboundance. Remember the Lord thy GOD: for it is hee that giueth thee power to gett substance &c.