he spake a similitude to them, saying: A certaine rich mans field yealded plentie of fruits. 17And he thought within himself, saying: [1] What shal I doe, because I have not whither to gather my fruits? 18And he said: This wil I doe, I wil destroy my barnes, and wil make greater, and thither wil I gather al things that are growen to me, and my goods. 19And I wil say to my soule; Soule, thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares, take thy rest, eate, drinke, make good cheere. 20But God said to him: [2] Thou foole, this night they require thy soule of thee; and the things that thou hast provided, whose shal they be? 21So is he that layeth up treasure to himself, and is not ″ rich to God-ward.
22And he said to his Disciples: Mt. 6, 25.* Therfore I say to you, [3] Be not careful for your life, what you shal eate; nor for your body, what you shal doe on. 23The life is more then the meate, and the body is more then the raiment. 24Consider the ravens, for they sow not, neither doe they reape, which neither have storehouse nor barne, and God feedeth them. How much more are you of greater price then they? 25And which of you by caring can adde to his stature one cubite? 26If then you be not able to doe so much as the least thing, for the rest why are you careful? 27Consider the lillies how they grow: they labour not, neither doe they spinne. But I say to you, Neither Salomon in al his glorie was arayed as one of these. 28And if the grasse that to day is in the field, and to morow is cast into the oven, God so clotheth; how much more you, O ye of litle faith? 29And you, doe not seeke what you shal eate, or what you shal drinke: and c μη μετεωριζεσθε.c be not lifted up on high. 30For al these things the Nations of the world doe seeke. But your Father knoweth that you have need of these things. 31But seeke first the Kingdom of God, and al these things shal be given you besides. 32 b The Ghospel for S. Francis de Paula, April 2. S. Paulinus, Jun. 22. S. Nicolas Tolentinas, Sept. 10. And for some other Confessours not Bishops.b Feare not [4] litle flocke, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a Kingdom. 33Sel the things that you possesse, and give almes. Mt. 6. 20.* Make to you purses that weare not, treasure that wasteth not, in Heaven: whither the theefe approcheth not, neither doth the mothe corrupt. 34For ″ where your treasure is, there wil your hart be also.✠ 35 c The Ghospel upon S. Silvesters day, Decemb. 31. S. Antonie, Jan. 17. S. Antonie of Padua, Jun. 13. S. Dominick, Augusti. 4. And for some other Confessours not Bishops.c Let your [5] loines be girded, and candles burning in your handes, 36and you like to men expecting their Lord, when he shal returne from the marriage: that when he doth come and knocke, forthwith they may open unto him. 37Blessed are those servants, whom when the Lord commeth, he shal find watching. Amen I say to you, that he wil gird himself, and make them sit downe, and passing wil minister unto them. 38And if he come in the second watch, and if in the third watch he come, and so find, blessed are those servants. 39 Mt. 24, 34.* And this know ye, that if the housholder did know what houre the theefe would come, he would watch verily, and would not suffer his house to be broken up. 40Be you also ready: for at what houre you thinke not, the Sonne of man wil come.✠
41And Peter said to him: Lord, doest thou spake this parable to us, or likewise to al? 42And our Lord said: Who (thinkest thou) is a faithful steward and wise, whom the Lord appointeth over his
- ↑ Give it to the poore, that shouldst thou doe, saith S. Basil.
- ↑ A goodly warning for al rich men.
- ↑ He forbiddeth not competent providence, but too much carefulnes. See Annot. upon S. Matth. c. 6, 25.
- ↑ It was litle at the beginning, and is stil in comparison of al the reprobate: but in itself very great, as in the parable of the great tree that grew of the litle mustard-seed. Mat. 13.
- ↑ To girde our loines, is to keepe chastitie and continencie. Grego. ho. 13.
