A sermon preached before the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor, the Court of Aldermen, the sheriffs, and the governors of the several hospitals of the City of London. At the parish-church of St. Bridget on Monday in Easter-week, 1738 / by Thomas Lord Bishop of Oxford.

Thomas Secker

Date:: 1738

Credit: A sermon preached before the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor, the Court of Aldermen, the sheriffs, and the governors of the several hospitals of the City of London. At the parish-church of St. Bridget on Monday in Easter-week, 1738 / by Thomas Lord Bishop of Oxford. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$owned a difficult Matter, not to miftake in thefe Cafes on one Side or other: But involuntary Mi- ftakes will never be imputed to us. It muff be owned a very ferious Thing, to be Stewards of God: But it is a very noble one, to be employed under our heavenly Father in the Work he delights in moft; and for the Happinefs of our Brethren, perhaps to all Eternity. If indeed we are found Matth. xxv. inftead of this, either hiding the Talents committed I8 ke xvi i t0 us? °r wa^n§ our Matter’s Goods, or mifufing Matth. xxiv.* thofe to whom we ought to have miniftred; then 49- miferable will our Condition be, when God fhall Luke xvi. 2. fay to us, Give an Account of thy Stewardship^ for thou may eft be no longer Steward. But on the other hand our Comfort is, that a fincere Endea¬ vour to difcharge our Office as we ought, whatever our Difficulties, or whatever our Imperfections be, Matth. xxv. fhall intitle us to the Sentence, Well done good and 2 3* faithful Servant, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord\ With the Impreffion therefore of thele Refle¬ xions upon our Minds, let us now proceed to in¬ quire II. What Influence the Thought, that we are Stewards of the manifold Grace of God, fhould have upon us, with refpedt to thofe particular Methods of doing good, which are the Occafion of our pre- fent meeting* Now thefe are of three Sorts, which indeed comprehend almoft the whole of pubiick Charity : Places$