Matthew Wren

thumb|Ability is a poor man's wealth. Matthew Wren (23 December 1585 – 24 April 1667) was an influential English clergyman, bishop and scholar. Quotes thumb|The less ado there, the better, the less superstition. Ability is a poor man's wealth. Attributed to Wren in One Thousand Popular Quotations (New York: J. S. Ogilvie and Co, 1884) p. 8 Sermon preached before the King (1727) A Sermon Preached Before the Kings Maiestie on Sunday the Seventeenth of February Last, at White-Hall by Dor VVren, the Master of St Peters Colledge in Cambridge, and His Maiesties Chaplaine — Cambridge: Thomas and Iohn Buck, printers to the Vniversitie, 1627 [i.e. 1628] How'ere God requires truth in the inward parts, yet the inward parts alone are not all he requires, he will not know, that he is loved, unlesse that love doe outwardly appeare, and expression we must make of our Feare, or els he will not acknowledge, that we doe feare him. p. 12 The Epidemiall prophanation of our times. p. 15 We have a great deale of Religion in our Eares too. But yet higher or lower though we have none, None upon our Heads, for a due Reverence before him; None in our Knees, to bow at his blessed Name; None for our Bodies, to cast them downe and worship.Especially not in his house, in the most Sacred presence of our God; No, the lesse a doe there, the better, the lesse Superstition. Doe but come in confidently, and without any more stirre, sit downe, and be covered, and heare; and who dare say, that we feare not God? Whatsoever is more then this, for Adoration or any Beautie of Holines, talke K. David what he will of it, yet it is but δεισιδαιμονία, a Superstitious overfearing of God with many of us: for where requires he any of these Expressions and Externall operations in his worship? p. 16 External links Category:1585 births Category:1667 deaths Category:Anglican bishops Category:Clergy from England Category:Theologians from England Category:University of Cambridge alumni