LATIMER
1485--1555
ON CHRISTIAN LOVE
_This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved
you_.--John xv., 12.
Seeing the time is so far spent, we will take no more in hand at this
time than this one sentence; for it will be enough for us to consider
this well, and to bear it away with us. "This I command unto you, that
ye love one another." Our Savior himself spake these words at His last
supper: it was the last sermon that He made unto His disciples before
His departure; it is a very long sermon. For our Savior, like as one
that knows he shall die shortly, is desirous to spend that little time
that He has with His friends, in exhorting and instructing them how they
should lead their lives. Now among other things that He commanded this
was one: "This I command unto you, that ye love one another." The
English expresses as tho it were but one, "This is my commandment." I
examined the Greek, where it is in the plural number, and very well; for
there are many things that pertain to a Christian man, and yet all those
things are contained in this one thing, that is, love. He lappeth up
all things in love.
Pages:
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157