Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Lo here he calleth a traveller and a stranger too, by the name of ¹Lord (even as we Germans in the entertaining of strangers are wont to say: Sind mir Got well kommen, lieben herren und gouten friind.) And although he were in the land, where he dwelt, a man of high authority and very great name, yet notwithstanding he did, as it were, forget himself and say: Pass not, I pray thee, away from thy servant. He calleth himself a servant of strangers. He goeth on moreover & saith: Let a little water be fet & wash your feet & refresh your selves under the tree. And I will fetch a morsel of bread to comfort your hearts, and then shall ye go on your way. In these few words he containeth in a manner all the points of civil courtesy. Neither did Abraham use these words to make a show only of bounteous liberality: but when he had by entreaty requested them to stay and by their grant obtained his desire, he bestirreth his stumps to accomplish in deeds, the thing that he had promised, he maketh hast to Sarah which was in the tent and saith: Make ready at once three measures of fine meal, knead it, and ²make cakes. The Scripture yet addeth further this cause: And Abraham running unto his beasts caught a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man, which hasted and made it ready at once. And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them. and stood himself with them: That is, did himself serve them, as they ate under the tree. This is wonderful verily, and to be thought on deeply. Those goods were well and worthily bestowed upon so bountiful, liberal, and courteous a man as Abraham was, which knew how to use his wealth so honestly and with so commendable courtesy.

Loe heere hee calleth a traueller and a straunger too, by the name of ¹Lord (euen as wee Germanes in the enterteyning of straungers are wont to say: Sind mir Gott wol kommen, lieben herren vnd gouten friind.) And althoughe hee were in the land, where hee dwelt, a man of highe authoritie and verie great name, yet notwithstanding hee did, as it were, forget himselfe and say: Passe not, I pray thee, away from thy seruaunt. He calleth himself a seruant of strangers. He goeth on moreouer & sayth: Let a little water be fet & wash your feete & refresh your selues vnder the tree. And I will fet a morsell of bread to comforte your heartes, and then shall yee goe on your way. In these fewe woordes hee conteyneth in a manner all the pointes of ciuil courtesie. Neyther did Abraham vse these woordes to make a shewe onely of bounteous liberalitie: but when hee had by entreatie requested them to stay and by their graunt obteyned his desire, hee bestirreth his stumpes to accomplishe in deedes, the thinge that hee had promised, hee maketh hast to Sara which was in the tent and sayth: Make readie at once three measures of fine meale, kneade it, and