Sermons on the Card, and Other DiscoursesLatimer, Hugh
Religion
Sermons on the Card, and Other Discourses
Latimer, Hugh
Church of England -- Sermons; Sermons, English -- 16th century
A true and faithful servant, whensoever his master commandeth him to do
any thing, he maketh no stops nor questions, but goeth forth with a good
mind: and it is not unlike he, continuing in such a good mind and will,
shall well overcome all dangers and stops, whatsoever betide him in his
journey, and bring to pass effectually his master's will and pleasure? On
the contrary, a slothful servant, when his master commandeth him to do
any thing, by and by he will ask questions, "Where?" "When?" "Which
way?" and so forth; and so be putteth every thing in doubt, that although
both his errand and way be never so plain, yet by his untoward and
slothful behaviour his master's commandment is either undone quite, or
else so done that it shall stand to no good purpose. Go now forth with
the good servant, and ask no such questions, and put no doubts. Be not
ashamed to do thy Master's and Lord's will and commandment. Go, as I
said, unto thy neighbour that is offended by thee, and reconcile him (as
is afore said) whom thou hast lost by thy unkind words, by thy scorns,
mocks, and other disdainous words and behaviours; and be not nice to ask
of him the cause why he is displeased with thee: require of him
charitably to remit; and cease not till you both depart, one from the
other, true brethren in Christ.
Do not, like the slothful servant, thy master's message with cautels and
doubts: come not to thy neighbour whom thou hast offended, and give him a
pennyworth of ale, or a banquet, and so make him a fair countenance,
thinking that by thy drink or dinner he will shew thee like countenance.
I grant you may both laugh and make good cheer, and yet there may remain
a bag of rusty malice, twenty years old, in thy neighbour's bosom. When
he departeth from thee with a good countenance, thou thinkest all is well
then. But now, I tell thee, it is worse than it was, for by such cloaked
charity, where thou dost offend before Christ but once, thou hast
offended twice herein: for now thou goest about to give Christ a mock, if
be would take it of thee. Thou thinkest to blind thy master Christ's
commandment. Beware, do not so, for at length he will overmatch thee,
and take thee tardy whatsoever thou be; and so, as I said, it should be
better for thee not to do his message on this fashion, for it will stand
thee in no purpose. "What?" some will say, "I am sure he loveth me well
enough: he speaketh fair to my face." Yet for all that thou mayest be
deceived. It proveth not true love in a man, to speak fair. If he love
thee with his mind and heart, he loveth thee with his eyes, with his
tongue, with his feet, with his hands and his body; for all these parts
of a man's body be obedient to the will and mind. He loveth thee with
his eves, that looketh cheerfully on thee, when thou meetest with him,
and is glad to see thee prosper and do well. He loveth thee with his
tongue, that speaketh well by thee behind thy back, or giveth thee good
counsel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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