Now, I suppose that you see right well, being men of such learning, for what purpose the Lord said this, and that ye have no need to be holpenwith any part of my labour in this thing.But yet, if ye will pardon me, I will wade somewhat deeper in this matter, and as nigh as I can, fetch it from the first original beginning.For undoubtedly, ye may much marvel at this saying, if ye well ponder both what is said, and who saith it.Define me first these three things: what prudence is; what the world; what light; and who be the children of the world; who of the light: see what they signify in scripture.I marvel if by and by ye all agree, that the children of the world should be wiser than the children of the light.To come somewhat nigher the matter, thus the Lord beginneth:
There was a certain rich man that had a steward, which was accused unto him that he had dissipated and wasted his goods.This rich man called his steward to him and said, What is this that I hear of thee? Come, make me an account of thy stewardship; thou mayest no longer bear this office.
Brethren, because these words are so spoken in a parable, and are so wrapped in wrinkles, that yet they seem to have a face and a similitude of a thing done indeed, and like an history, I think it much profitable to tarry somewhat in them.And though we may perchance find in our hearts to believe all that is there spoken to be true; yet I doubt whether we may abide it, that these words of Christ do pertain unto us, and admonish us of our duty, which do and live after such sort, as though Christ, when he spake any thing, had, as the time served him, served his turn, and not regarded the time that came after him, neither provided for us, or any matters of ours; as some of the philosophers thought, which said, that God walked up and down in heaven, and thinketh never a deal of our affairs.But, my good brethren, err not you so; stick not you to such your imaginations.For if ye inwardly behold these words, if ye diligently roll them in your minds, and after explicate and open them, ye shall see our time much touched in these mysteries.Ye shall perceive that God by this example shaketh us by the noses and pulleth us by the ears.Ye shall perceive very plain, that God setteth before our eyes in this similitude what we ought most to flee, and what we ought soonest to follow.For Luke saith, "The Lord spake these words to his disciples." Wherefore let it be out of all doubt that he spake them to us, which even as we will becounted the successors and vicars of Christ's disciples, so we be, if we be good dispensers and do our duty.He said these things partly to us, which spake them partly of himself.For he is that rich man, which not only had, but hath, and shall have evermore, I say not one, but many stewards, even to the end of the world.
He is man, seeing that he is God and man.He is rich, not only in mercy but in all kind of riches; for it is he that giveth to us all things abundantly.It is he of whose hand we received both our lives, and other things necessary for the conservation of the same.What man hath any thing, I pray you, but he hath received it of his plentifulness? To be short, it is he that "openeth his hand, and filleth all beasts with his blessing," and giveth unto us in most ample wise his benediction.Neither his treasure can be spent, how much soever he lash out; how much soever we take of him, his treasure tarrieth still, ever taken, never spent.
