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
He is also the good man of the house: the church is his household which
ought with all diligence to be fed with his word and his sacraments.
These be his goods most precious, the dispensation and administration
whereof he would bishops and curates should have. Which thing St. Paul
affirmeth, saying, "Let men esteem us as the ministers of Christ, and
dispensers of God's mysteries." But, I pray you, what is to be looked
for in a dispenser? This surely, "That he be found faithful," and that
he truly dispense, and lay out the goods of the Lord; that he give meat
in time; give it, I say, and not sell it; meat, I say, and not poison.
For the one doth intoxicate and slay the eater, the other feedeth and
nourisheth him. Finally, let him not slack and defer the doing of his
office, but let him do his duty when time is, and need requireth it. This
is also to be looked for, that he be one whom God hath called and put in
office, and not one that cometh uncalled, unsent for; not one that of
himself presumeth to take honour upon him. And surely, if all this that
I say be required in a good minister, it is much lighter to require them
all in every one, than to find one any where that hath them all. Who is
a true and faithful steward? He is true, he is faithful, that cometh no
new money, but taketh it ready coined of the good man of the house; and
neither changeth it, nor clippeth it, after it is taken to him to spend,
but spendeth even the self-same that he had of his Lord, and spendeth it
as his Lord's commandment is; neither to his own vantage uttering it, nor
as the lewd servant did, hiding it in the ground. Brethren, if a
faithful steward ought to do as I have said, I pray you, ponder and
examine this well, whether our bishops and abbots, prelates and curates,
have been hitherto faithful stewards or no? Ponder, whether yet many of
them be as they should be or no? Go ye to, tell me now as your
conscience leadeth you (I will let pass to speak of many other), was
there not some, that despising the money of the Lord, as copper and not
current, either coined new themselves, or else uttered abroad newly
coined of other; sometime either adulterating the word of God or else
mingling it (as taverners do, which brew and utter the evil and good both
in one pot), sometime in the stead of God's word blowing out the dreams
of men? while they thus preached to the people the redemption that cometh
by Christ's death to serve only them that died before his coming, that
were in the time of the old testament; and that now since redemption and
forgiveness of sins purchased by money, and devised by men is of
efficacy, and not redemption purchased by Christ (they have a wonderful
pretty example to persuade this thing, of a certain married woman, which,
when her husband was in purgatory, in that fiery furnace that hath burned
away so many of our pence, paid her husband's ransom, and so of duty
claimed him to be set at liberty): while they thus preached to the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account