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Sermons on the Car|^

ASD OTHER DISCOURSE^'.

BTf

HUGH LATIMER, fep

(^SOMETIME BISHOP OF WORCESTER,
MARTYR, 1555. ,

/^^P-

# ^^mM C<^

^

CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited

LONDON. PARIS, NEJV YORK £ MELLOVRNE.
1883.

\\ ^ )/

INTEODUCTION.

Hugh Latimer, a farmer's son, was born about the year 1491,
at Thurcaston, in Leicestershire. He was an only son, with
six sisters, who were all well cared for at home. He was a
boy of fourteen when sent to Clare College, Cambridge. When
about twenty-four years old, he had obtained a college fellow-
ship, had taken the degree of Master of Arts, and was ordained
Priest of the Roman Church at Lincoln. In 1.524, at the age
of about thirty, he i^roceeded to the degree of B.D., and on
the occasion of his doing so he argued publicly for the Pope's
authority against opinions of Melancthon. Thomas Bilney
went afterwards to Latimer's rooms, gave him his own reasons
for goodwill to the teaching of Melancthon, and explained to
him his faith as a Reformer in a way that secured Latimer's
attention. Latimer's free, vigorous mind admitted the new
reasonings, and in his after-life he looked always upon "little
Bilney " as the man who had first opened his eyes.

With homely earnestness Latimer began soon to express his
new convictions. His zeal and purity of life had caused him
to be trusted by the University as a maintainor of old ways ;
he had been appointed cross-bearer to the University, and
elected one of the twelve preachers annually appointed in obedi-
ence to a bull of Pope Alexander VI. Now Latimer walked
and worked with Bilney, visiting the sick and the prisoners,
and reasoning together of the needs of Christendom. The
Bishop of the diocese presently forbade Latimer's preaching in
any of the pulpits of the University. Robert Barnes, prior of
the Augustinian Friars at Cambridge, a man stirred to the
depths by the new movement of thought, then invited Latimer
to preach in the church of the Augustinians. Latimer was
next summoned before Wolsey, whom he satisfied so well that
Wolsey overruled the Bishop's inhibition, and Latimer again
became a free preacher in Cambridge.

The influence of Latimer's preaching became every year
greater ; and in December, 1529, he gave occasion to new con-
troversy in the University by his two Sermons on the Card,
delivered in St. Edward's Church, on the Sunday before Christ-
mas, 1529. Card-playing wae in those days an amusement
especially favoured at Christmas time. Latimer does not ex-
press disapproval, though the Reformers generally were opposed
to it. The early statutes of St. John's College, Cambridge,

IV INTRODUCTION.

forbade playing with dice or cards by members of the college
at any time except Christmas, but excluded undergraduates
even from the Christmas privilege. In these sermons Latimer
used the card-playing of the season for illustrations of spiritual
truth dra^vn from the trump card in triumph, and the rules
of the game of primero. His homely parables enforced views
of religious duty more in accordance with the mind of the
Reformers than of those who held by the old ways. The Prior
of the Dominicans at Cambridge tried to answer Latimer's
sermon on the cards with an antagonistic sermon on the dice :
the orthodox Christian was to win by a throw of cinque and
quatre — the cinque, five texts to be quoted against Luther ;
.and the quatre tlie four great doctors of the Church. Latimer
replied with vigour ; others ranged themselves on one side or
the other, and there was general battle in the University ; but
the King's Almoner soon intervened with a letter commanding
silence on both sides till the King's pleasure was further de-
clared. The King's good-will to Latimer was due, as the letter in-
dicated, to the understanding that Latimer " favoured the King's
cause " in the question of divorce from Katherine of Arragon.

In March, 1530, Latimer was called to preach before Henry
VIII., at Windsor. The King then made Latimer his chaplain,
and in the following year gave him the rectory of West
Kington, in Wiltshire. The new rector, soon accused of
heresy, was summoned before the Bishop of London and before
Convocation ; was excommunicated and imprisoned, and ab-
solved by special request of the King. When Cranmer became
Archbishop of Canterbury, Latimer returned into royal favour,
and preached before the King on Wednesdays in Lent. In
1535, when an Italian nominee of the Pope's was deprived of
the Bishoprioof Worcester, Latimer was made his successor ; but
resigned in 1539, when the King, having virtually made himself
Pope, dictated to a tractable parliament enforcement of old doc-
trines by an Act for Abolishing Diversity of Opinion. From that
time until the death of Heniy VIII. Latimer was in disgrace.

The accession of Edward VI. brought him again to the front,
and the Sermon on the Plough, in this volume, is a famous
example of his use of his power under Edward VI., as the
greatest preacher of his time, in forwarding the Reformation
of the Church, and of the lives of those who professed and
called themselves Christians. The rest of his story will ba
associated in another volume of i\m Library with a collection
of his later sermons. p. Mk

Sermons on the Card,

THE TENOR AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN SERMONS
MADE BY IMASTER LATIMER IN CAMBRIDGE,
ABOUT THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1529.

Tu quis es ? Whicli words ate as much to say in
English, "Who art thouT' These be the words
of the Pharisees, which were sent bj the Jews unto
St. John Baptist in the wilderness, to have know-
ledge of him who he was : which words they spake
unto him of an evil intent, thinking that he would
have taken on him to be Christ, and so they would
have had him done with their good wills, because
they knew thS-t he was more carnal, and given to
their laws, than Christ indeed should be, as they
perceived by their old prophecies ; and also,
because they marvelled much of his great doctrine,
preaching, and baptizing, they were in doubt

6 SEKMONS ON THE CARD.

whether he was Christ or not : wlierefore they
said unto him, " Who art thou ? " Then answered
St. John, and confessed that he was not Christ. j
Now here is to be noted the great and prudent
answer of St. John Baptist unto the Pharisees,
that when they required of him who he was, he
would not directly answer of himself what he was
himself, but he said he was not Christ : by the
which saying he thought to put the Jews and
Pharisees out of their false opinion and belief
towards him, in that they would have had him to
exercise the office of Christ; and so declared
further unto them of Christ, saying, " He is in the
midst of you and amongst you, whom ye know not,
whose latchet of his shoe I am not worthy to
unloose, or undo." By this you may perceive that
St. John spake much in the laud and praise of
Christ his Master, professing himself to be in no
wise like unto him. So likewise it shall be
necessary unto all men and women of this world,
not to ascribe unto themselves any goodness of
themselves, but all unto our Lord God, as shall

SERMONS ON THE^CARD. 7

appear hereafter, when this question aforesaid,
" Who art thou ? " shall be moved unto them : not
as the Pharisees did unto St. John, of an evil
purpose, but of a good and simple mind, as may
appear hereafter. 'iii3iTv.ib! !

] Now then, according to the preacher's mmd, let
every man and woman, of a good and simple mind,
contrary to the Pharisees' intent, ask this question,
" Who art thou 1 " This question must be moved
to themselves, what they be of themselves, on this
fashion : " What art thou of thy only and natural
generation between father and mother, when thou
earnest into this world? What substance, what
virtue, what goodness art thou of, by thyself?"
Which question if thou rehearse oftentimes unto
thyself, thou shalt well perceive and undeistand
how thou shalt make answer unto it ; which must
be made on this wise: I am of myself, and by
myself, coming from my natural father and mother,
the child of the ire and indignation of God, the
true inheritor of hell, a lump of sin, and working
nothing of myself but all towards hell, except 1

8 SEEMONS ON THE CARD.

have better help of another than I have of myself.
Now we may see in what state we enter into this
world, that we be of ourselves the true and just
inheritors of hell, the children of the ire and
indignation of Christ, working all towards hell,
whereby we deserve of ourselves perpetual damna-
tion, by the right judgment of God, and the true
claim of ourselves ; which unthrifty state that we
be born unto is come unto us for our own deserts,
as proveth well this example following :

Let it be admitted for the probation of this, that
it might please the king's grace now being to
accept into his favour a mean man, of a simple
degree and birth, not born to any possession;
whom the king's grace favoureth, not because this
person hath of himself deserved any such favour,
but that the king casteth this favour unto him of
his own mere motion and fantasy : and for because
the king's grace will more declare his favour unto
him, he giveth unto this said man a thousand
pounds in lands, to him and his heirs, on this
condition, that he shall take uf)on him to be the

SERMONS ON THE CARD. d

chief captain and defender of his town of Calais,
and to be true and faithful to him in the custody
of the same, against the Frenchmen especially,
above all other enemies. i'^W' 'fl^ii

This man taketh on him this charge, promising
his fidelity thereunto. It chanceth in process of
time, that by the singular acquaintance and fre-
quent familiarity of this captain with the French-
men, these Frenchmen give unto the said captain
of Calais a great sum of money, so that he will but
be content and agreeable that they may enter into
the said town of Calais by force of arms ; and so
thereby possess the same unto the crown of
France. Upon this agreement the Frenchmen do
invade the said town of Calais, alonely by the
negligence of this captain.

Now the king's grace, hearing of this invasion,
cometh with a great puissance to defend this his
said town, and so by good policy of war over-
cometh the said Frenchmen, and entereth again
into his said town of Calais. Then he, being
desirous to know how these enemies of his came

10 SBEMONS ON THE CAED.

thither, maketh profound search and inquiry by
whom this treason was conspired. By this search
it was known and found his own captain to be the
very author and the beginner of the betraying of
it. The king, seeing the great infidelity of this
person, dischargeth this man of his office, and
taketh from him and from his heirs this thousand
pounds of possessions. Think you' not that the
king doth use justice unto him, and all his
posterity and heirs ? Yes, truly : the said captain
cannot deny himself but that he had true justice,
considering how unfaithfully he behaved him to
his prince, contrary to his own fidelity and promise.
So likewise it was of our first father Adam. He
had given unto him the spirit of science and know-
ledge, to work all goodness therewith : this said
spirit was not given alonely unto him, but unto all
his heirs and posterity. He had also delivered
him the town of Calais, that is to say, paradise in
earth, the most strong and fairest town in the
world, to be in his custody. He nevertheless, by
the instigation of these Frenchmen, that is to

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 11

say, the temptation of the fiend, did obey unto
their desire; and so he brake his promise and
fidelity, the commandment of the everlasting
King his master, in eating of the apple by him
inhibited.''^ ■ -^^^^^H ^^^'" -^^^^ - ^^^

Now tli^h'thi^ K^iiig, seieing this great trea^oii iti
his captain, deposed him of the thousand pounds of
possessions, that is to say, from everlasting life in
glory, and all his heirs and posterity : for likewise
as he had the spirit of science and knowledge, for
him and his heirs ; so in like manner, when he lost
the same, his heirs also lost it by him and in him.
So now this example proveth, that by our father
Adam we had once in him the very inheritance of
everlasting joy ; and by him, and in him, again we
lost the same. Wflri v&Jf)mh aim tiso io 9m3 ^^m'i

The heirs of the captain of Calais could not by
any manner of claim ask of the king the right and
title of their father in the thousand pounds of
possessions, by reason the king might answer and
say unto them, that although their father deserved
not of himself to enjoy so great possessions, yet he

12 SEEMONS ON THE CAED.

deserved by himself to lose them, and greater,
committing so high treason, as he did, against his
prince's commandments ; whereby he had no wrong
to lose his title, but was unworthy to have the
same, and had therein true justice. Let not you
think, which be his heirs, that if he had justice to
lose his possessions, you have wrong to lose the
same. In the same manner it may be answered
unto all men and women now being, that if our
father Adam had true justice to be excluded from
his possession of everlasting glory in paradise, let
U3 not think the contrary that be his heira, but
that we have no wrong in losing also the same ;
yea, we have true justice and right. Then in
what miserable estate we be, that of the right and
just title of our own deserts have lost the ever-
lasting joy, and claim of ourselves to be true
inheritors of hell ! For he that committeth deadly
sin willingly, bindeth himself to be inheritor of
everlasting pain : and so did our forefather Adam
willingly eat of the apple forbidden. Wherefore
he was cast out of the everlasting joy in paradise

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 13

into this corrupt world, amongst all vileness,
whereby of himself he was not worthy to do any
thing laudable or pleasant to God, evermore bound
to corrupt affections and beastly appetites, trans-
formed into the most uncleanest and variablest
nature that was made under heaven; of whose
seed and disposition all the world is lineally
descended, insomuch that this evil nature is so
fused and shed from one into another, that at this
day there is no man nor woman living that can of
themselves wash away this abominable vileness :
and so we must needs grant of ourselves to be in
like displeasure unto God, as our forefather Adam
was. By reason hereof, as I said, we be of
ourselves the very children of the indignation and
vengeance of God, the true inheritors of hell, and
working all towards hell : which is the answer to
this question, made to every man and woman, by
themselves, *' Who art thouV

And now, the world standing in this damnable
state, Cometh in the occasion of the incarnation of
Christ, The Father in heaven, perceiving the

14 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

frail nature of man, that he, by himself and of
himself, could do nothing for himself, by his
prudent wisdom sent down the second person in
Trinity, his Son Jesus Christ, to declare unto
man his pleasure and commandment : and so, at
the Father's will, Christ took on him human
nature, being willing to deliver man out of this
miserable way, and was content to suffer cruel
passion in shedding his blood for all mankind ;
and so left behind for our safeguard laws and
ordinances, to keep us always in the right path
unto everlasting life, as the evangelists, the
sacraments, the commandments, and so forth :
which, if we do keep and observe according to
our profession, we shall answer better unto this
question, "Who art thou?" than we did before.
For before thou didst enter into the sacrament
of baptism, thou wert but a natural man, a natural
woman ; as I might say, a man, a woman : but
after thou takest on thee Christ's religion, thou
hast a longer name ; for then thou art a christian
man, a christian woman. Now then, seeing thou

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 15

art a christian man, what shall be thy answer of
this question, " Who art thou V .,

The answer of this question is, when I ask it
unto myself, I must say that I am a christian
man, a christian woman, the child of everlasting
joy, through the merits of the bitter passion of
Christ. This is a joyful answer. Here we may
see how much we be bound and in danger unto
God, that hath revived us from death to life, and
saved us that were damned : which great benefit
we cannot well consider, unless we do remember
what we were of ourselves before we meddled
with him or his laws ; and the more we know our
feeble nature, and set less by it, the more we shall
conceive and know in our hearts what God hath
done for us; and the more we know what God
hath done for us, the less we shall set by ourselves,
and the more we shall love and please God : so
that in no condition we shall either know our-
selves or God, except we do utterly confess our-
selves to be mere vileness and corruption. Well,
now it is come unto this point, that we be christian

16 SEEMONS ON THE CARD.

men, christian women, I pray you what doth
Christ require of a christian man, or of a christian
woman? Christ requireth nothing else of a
christian man or woman, but that they will
observe his rule : for likewise as he is a good
Augustine friar that keepeth well St. Augustine's
nile, so is he a good christian man that keepetl\
well Christ's rule.

Now then, what is Clirist's rule 1 Christ's rule
consisteth in many things, as in the command-
ments, and the works of mercy, and so forth.
And for because I cannot declare Christ's rule
unto you at one time, as it ought to be done, I
will apply myself according to your custom at this
time of Christmas : I will, as I said, declare unto
you Christ's rule, but that shall be in Christ's
cards. And whereas you are wont to celebrate
Christmas in playing at cards, I intend, by God's
grace, to deal unto you Christ's cards, wherein you
shall perceive Christ's rule. The game that we
will play at shall be called the triumph, which, if
it be well played at, he that dealeth shall win ;

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 17

the players slmll likewise win ; and the stanclers
and lookers upon shall do the same ; insomuch
that there is no man that is willing to play at this
triumph with these cards, but they shall be all
winners, and no losers.

Let therefore every christian man and woman
play at these cards, that they may have and
obtain the triumph : you must mark also that the
triumph must apply to fetch home unto him all
the other cards, whatsoever suit they be of. Now
then, take ye this first card, which must appear
and be shewed unto you as folio weth : you have
heard what was spoken to men of the old law,
" Thou shalt not kill ; whosoever shall kill shall
be in danger of judgment : but I say unto you "
of the new law, saith Christ, " that whosoever is
angry with his neighbour, shall be in danger cf
judgment ; and whosoever shall say unto his
neighbour, ' Raca,' that is to say, brainless," or
any other like word of rebuking, "shall be in
danger of council ; and whosoever shall say unto
bis neighbour, ' Fool,' sliall be in danger of hell-

18 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

fire." This card was made and spoken by Christ,
as appeareth in the fifth chapter of St. Matthew.

Now it must be noted, that whosoever shall
play with this card, must first, before they play
with it, know the strength and virtue of the same :
wherefore you must well note and mark terms,
howlthey be spoken, and to what purpose. Let us
therefore read it once or twice, that we may be the
better acquainted with it.

Now behold and see, this card is divided into
four parts : the first part is one of the command-
ments that was given unto Moses in the old law,
before the coming of Christ ; which command-
ment we of the new law be bound to observe and
keep, and it is one of our commandments. The
other three parts spoken by Christ be nothing else
but expositions unto the first part of this command-
ment : for in very effect all these four parts be but
one commandment, that is to say, " Thou shalt not
kill." Yet nevertheless, the last three parts do
shew unto thee how many ways thou mayest kill
thy neighbour contrary to this commandment : yet.

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 19

for all Christ's exposition in the three last parts
of this card, the terms be not open enough to thee
that dost read and hear them spoken. No doubt,
the Jews understood Christ well enough, when he
spake to them these three last sentences ; for he
spake unto them in their own natural terms and
tongue. Wherefore, seeing that these terms were
natural terms of the Jews, it shall be necessary to
expound them, and compare them unto some like
terms of our natural speech, that we, in like
manner, may understand Christ as well as the
Jews did. We will begin first with the first
part of this card, and then after, with the other
three parts. You must therefore understand that
the Jews and the Pharisees of the old law, to
whom this first paii;, this commandment, "Thou
shalt not kill," was spoken, thought it sufficient
and enough for their discharge, not to kill with
any manner of material weapon, as sword, dagger,
or with any such weapon ; and they thought it
no great fault whatsoever they said or did by
their neighbours, so that they did not harm or

20 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

meddle with their corporal bodies : which was
a false opinion in them, as prove well the three
last other sentences following the first part of this
card.

Now, as touching the three other sentences, you
must note and take heed, what difi'erence is
between these three manner of offences : to be
angry with your neighbour ; to call your neighbour
" brainless," or any such word of disdain ; or to call
your neighbour "fool." Whether these three
manner of offences be of themselves more grievous
one than the other, it is to be opened unto you.
Truly, as they be of themselves divers offences, so
they kill diversly, one more than the other ; as you
shall perceive by the first of these three, and so
forth. A man which conceiveth against his
neighbour or brother ire or wrath in his mind, by
some manner of occasion given unto him, although
he be angry in his mind against his said neighbour,
he will peradventure express his ire by no manner
of sign, either in word or deed : yet, nevertheless,
he offendeth against God, and bieaketh this com-

SEEMONS ON THE CARD. 21

mandment in killing liis own soul ; and is there-
fore "in danger of judgment."

Now, to the second part of these three : That
man that is moved with ire against his neighbour,
and in his ire calleth his neighbour " brainless," or
some other like word of displeasure ; as a man
might say in a fury, " I shall handle thee well
enough ; " which words and countenances do more
represent and declare ire to be in this man, than in
him that was but angry, and spake no manner of
word nor shewed any countenance to declare his
ire. Wherefore as he that so declareth his ire
either by word or countenance offendeth more
against God, so he both killeth his own soul, and
doth that in him is to kill his neighbour's soul in
moving him unto ire, wherein he is faulty himself ;
and so this man is "in danger of council."

Now to the third offence, and last of these three :
That man that calleth his neighbour " fool," doth
more declare his angry mind toward him, than he
that called his neighbour but "brainless," or any
Buch words moving ire : for to call a man " fool,"

22 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

that word representeth more envy in a man
than " brainless " doth. Wherefore he doth most
offend, because he doth most earnestly with such
words express his ire, and so he is "in danger of
hell-fire." u ^ul au-

Wherefore you may understand now, these
three parts of this card be three ofiences, and that
one is more grievous to God than the other, and
that one killeth more the soul of man than the
other.

Now peradventure there be some that will
marvel, that Christ did not declare this command-
ment by some greater faults of ire, than by these
which seem but small faults, as to be angry and
speak nothing of it, to declare it and to call a man
"brainless," and to call his neighbour "fool:"
triily these be the smallest and the least faults that
belong to ire, or to killing in ire. Therefore be-
ware ht)w you offend in any kind of ire : seeing
that the smallest be damnable to oflfend in, see that
you oflfend not in the greatest. For Christ thought,
if he might bring you from the smallest manner of

SEBMONS ON THE CARD. 23

faults, and give you warning to avoid the least, he
reckoned you would not offend in the greatest and
worst, as to call your neighbour thief, whoreson,
whore, drab, and so forth, into more blasphemous
names; which offences must needs have punish-
ment in hell, considering how that Christ hath
appointed these three small faults to have three
degrees of punishment in hell, as appeareth by
these three terms, judgment, council, and hell-fire.
These three terms do signify nothing else but three
divers punishments in hell, according to the offences.
Judgment is less in degree than council, therefore
it signifieth a lesser pain in hell, and it is ordained
for him that is angry in his mind with his neigh-
bour, and doth express his malice neither by word
nor^ countenance : council is a less degree in hell
than hell-fire, and is a greater degree in hell than
judgment ; and it is ordained for him that calleth
his neighbour " brainless," or any such word, that
declareth his ire and malice : wherefore it is more
pain than judgment. Hell-fire is more pain in hell
than council or judgment, and it is ordained for

24 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

him that calleth his neighbour " fool," by reason
that in calling his neighbour " fool," he declareth
more his malice, in that it is an earnest word of
ire : wherefore hell-fire is appointed for it j that is,
the most pain of the three punishments.

Now you have heard, that to these divers offences
of ire and killing be appointed punishments accord-
ing to their degrees : for look as the offence is, so
shall the pain be : if the offence be great, the pain
shall be according ; if it be less, there shall be less
pain for it. I would not now that you should
think, because that here are but three degrees of
punishment spoken of, that there be no more in
hell. No doubt Christ spake of no more here but
of these three degrees of punishment, thinking
they were sufficient, enough for example, whereby
wo might understand that there be as divers and
many pains as there be offences : and so by these
three offences, and these three punishments, all
other offences and punishments may be compared
with another. Yet I would satisfy your minds
further in these three terms, of "judgment, council,

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 25

and hell-fire." Whereas you might say, What was
the cause that Christ declared more the pains of
hell by these terms than by any other terras ? I
told you afore that he knew well to whom he spake
them. These terms were natural and well known
amongst the Jews and the Pharisees : wherefore
Christ taught them with their own terms, to the
intent they might understand the better his
doctrine. And these terms may be likened unto
three terms which we have common and usual
amongst us, that is to say, the sessions of in-
quirance, the sessions of deliverance, and the
execution-day. Sessions of inquirance is like unto
judgment ; for when sessions of inquiry is, then
the judges cause twelve men to give verdict of the
felon's crime, whereby he shall be judged to be
indicted : sessions of deliverance is much like
council ; for at sessions of deliverance the judges
go among themselves to council, to determine
sentence against the felon : execution-day is to be
compared unto hell-fire ; for the Jews had amongst
themselves a place of execution, named " hell -fire : "

2<> SERMONS ON THE CARD.

and surely when a man goeth to his death, it is the
greatest pain in this world. Wherefore you may
see that there are degrees in these our terms, as
there be in those terms.

These evil-disposed affections and sensualities in
us are always contrary to the rule of our salvation.
What shall we do now or imagine to thrust down
these Turks and to subdue them 1 It is a great
ignominy and shame for a christian man to be
bond and subject unto a Turk : nay, it shall not be
so ; we will first cast a trump in their way, and
play with them at cards, who shall have the better.
Let us play therefore on this fashion with this
card. Whensoever it shall happen the foul passions
and Turks to rise in our stomachs against our
brother or neighbour, either for unkind words,
injuries, or wrongs, which they have done unto us,
contrary unto our mind ; straightvmys let us call
unto our remembrance, and speak this question
unto ourselves, " Who art thou 1 " The answer is,
" I am a 'ehiistian man." Then further we must
say to ourselves, "What requircth Christ of a

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 27

christian man '} " Now turn up your trump, your
heart (hearts is trump, as I said before), and cast
your trump, your heart, on this card ; and upon
this card you shall learn what Christ requireth of
a christian man — not to be angry, ne moved to ire
against his neighbour, in mind, countenance, nor
other ways, by word or deed. Then take up this
card with your heart, and lay them together : that
done, you have won the game of the Turk, whereby
you have defaced and overcome him by true and
lawful play. But, alas for pity ! the Khodes are
won and overcome by these false Turks ; the strong
castle Faith is decayed, so that I fear it is almost
impossible to win it again.

The great occasion of the loss of this Rhodes
is by reason that christian men do so daily kill
their own nation, that the very true number of
Christianity is decayed ; which murder and killing
one of another is increased specially two ways, to
the utter undoing of Christendom, that is to say, by
example and silence. By example, as thus : when
the father, the mother, the lord, the lady, the

28 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

master, the dame, be themselves overcome by these
Turks, they be continual SAvearers, avouterers,
disposers to malice, never in patience, and so forth
in all other vices : think you not, when the father,
the mother, the master, the dame, be disposed unto
vice or impatience, but that their children and
servants shall incline and be disposed to the same 1
No doubt, as the child shall take disposition natural
of the father and mother, so shall the servants
apply unto the vices of their masters and dames :
if the heads be false in their faculties and crafts, it
is no marvel if the children, servants, and appren-
tices do joy therein. This is a great and shameful
manner of killing christian men, that the fathers,
the mothers, the masters, and the dames shall not
alonely kill themselves, but all theirs, and all that
belongeth unto them : and so this way is a great
number of christian lineage murdered and spoiled.
The second manner of killing is silence. By
silence also is a great number of christian men slain ;
which is on this fashion : although that the father
and mother, master and dame, of themselves be

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 29

well disposed to live according to the law of God,
yet they may kill their children and servants in
suffering them to do evil before their own facef?,
and do not use due correction according unto their
offences. The master seeth his servant or appren-
tice take more of his neighbour than the king's
laws,' or the order of his faculty, doth admit him ; or
that he suffereth him to take more of his neighbour
than he himself would be content to pay, if he were
in like condition : thus doing, I say, such men kill
willingly their children and servants, and shall
go to hell for so doing ; but also their fathers and
mothers, masters and dames, shall bear them
company for so suffering them.

"Wherefore I exhort all true christian men and
women to give good example unto your children
and servants, and suffer not them by silence to
offend. Every man must be in his own house, ac-
cording to St. Augustine's mind, a bishop, not
alonely giving good ensample, but teaching accord-
ing to it, rebuking and punishing vice ; not suffer-
ing your children and servants to forget the laws

30 SEIilVIOXS ON THE CAllD.

of God. You ought to see them have their belief,
to know the commandments of God, to keep their
holy-days, not to lose their time in idleness : if they
do so, you shall all suffer pain for it, if God be true
of his saying, as there is no doubt thereof. And
so you may perceive that there be many a one that
breaketh this card, "Thou shalt not kill," and
playeth therewith oftentime at the blind trump,
whereby they be no winners, but great losers. But
who be those now-a-days that can clear themselves
of these manifest murders used to their children
and servants 1 I think not the contrary, but that
many have these two ways slain their own children
unto their damnation ; unless the great mercy of
God were ready to help them when they repent
there-for.

Wherefore, considering that we be so prone and
ready to continue in sin, let us cast down ourselves
with Mary Magdalene ; aaid the more we bow down
with her toward Christ's feet, the more we shall
be afraid to rise again in sin ; and the more we
know and submit ourselves, the more we shall be

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 31

forgiven ; and the less we know and submit our-
selves, the less we shall be forgiven ; as appeareth
by this example following :

Christ, when he was in this world, atnongst the
Jews and Pharisees, there was a great Pharisee
whose name was Simon : this Pharisee desired
Christ on a time to dine with him, thinking in
himself that he was able and worthy to give Christ
a dinner. Christ refused not his dinner, but came
unto him. In time of their dinner it chanced
there came into the house a great and a common
sinner named Mary Magdalene. As soon as she
perceived Christ, she cast herself down, and called
unto her remembrance what she was of herself, and
how greatly she had offended God ; whereby she
conceived in Christ great love, and so came near
unto him, and washed his feet with bitter tears,
and shed upon his head precious ointment, think-
ing that by him she should be delivered from her
sins. This great and proud Pharisee, seeing that
Christ did accept her oblation in the best part,
had great indignation against this woman, and said

32 SEHMONS Om THE CARD.

to himself, "If this man Christ were a holy
prophet, as he is taken for, he would not suffer
this sinner to come so nigh him." Christ, under-
standing the naughty mind of this Pharisee, said
unto him, " Simon, I have somewhat to say unto
thee." " Say what you please," quod the Pharisee.
Then said Christ, " I pray thee, tell me this : If
there be a man to whom is owing twenty pound
by one, and forty by another, this man to whom
this money is owing, perceiving these two men be
not able to pay him, he forgiveth them both :
which of these two debtors ought to love this
man most 1 " The Pharisee said, " That man ought
to love him best, that had most forgiven him."
" Likewise," said Christ, " it is by this woman : she
hath loved me most, therefore most is forgiven her ;
she hath known her sins most, whereby she hath
most loved me. And thou hast least loved me, be-
cause thou hast least known thy sins : therefore,
because thou hast least known thine offences, thou
art least forgiven." So this proud Pharisee had
au answer to delay his pride. And think you not,

SERMONS ON THE GAUD. 33

but that there be amongst us a great number of
these proud Pharisees, which think themselves
worthy to bid Christ to dinner ; which will perk,
and presume to sit by Christ in the church, and
have a disdain of this poor woman Magdalene,
their poor neighbour, with a high, disdainous,
and solemn countenance? And being always
desirous to climb highest in the church, reckon-
ing themselves more worthy to sit there than
another, I fear me poor Magdalene under the
board, and in the belfry, hath more forgiven of
Christ than they have : for it is like that those
Pharisees do less know themselves and their
offences, whereby they less love God, and so they
be less forgiven.

I would to God we would follow this example,
and be like unto Magdalene. I doubt not but we be
all Magdalenes in falling into sin and in offending:
but we be not again Magdalenes in knowing our-
selves, and in rising from sin. . If we be the true
Magdalenes, we should be as willing to forsake our
sin and rise from sin, as we were Avilling to commit

34 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

sill and to continue in it ; and we then should know
ourselves best, and make more perfect answer than
ever we did unto this question, " Who art thou 1 "
to the which we might answer, that we be true
christian men and women : and then, I say, you
should understand, and know how you ought to
play at this card, " Thou shalt not kill," without
any interruption of your deadly enemies the Turks j
and so triumph at the last, by winning everlasting
life in glory. Amen.

ANOTHER SERMON OF M. LATIMER, CON-
CERNING THE SAME MATTER.

Now you have heard what is meant by this first
card, and how you ought to play with it, I purpose
again to deal unto you another card, almost of the
same suit ; for they be of so nigh affinity, that one
cannot be well played without the other. The first
card declared, that you should not kill, which
might be done divers ways ; as being angry with

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 35

your neighbour, in mind, in countenance, in word, or
deed : it declared also, how you should subdue the
passions of ire, and so clear evermore yourselves
from them. And whereas this first card doth kill
in you these stubborn Turks of ire; this second
card will not only they should be mortified in you,
but that you yourselves shall cause them to be like-
wise mortified in your neighbour, if that your said
neighbour hath been through your occasion moved
unto ire, either in coimtenance, word, or deed.
Now let us hear therefore the tenor of this card :
" When thou makest thine oblation at mine altar,
and there dost remember that thy neighbour hath
any thing against thee, lay down there thy oblation,
and go first and reconcile thy neighbour, and then
come and offer thy oblation."

This card was spoken by Christ, as testifieth St.
Matthew in his fifth chapter, against all such as do
presume to come unto the church to make oblation
unto God either by prayer, or any other deed of
charity, not having their neighbours reconciled.
Reconciling is as much to say as to restore thy

33 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

neighbour unto charity, which hy thy words or
deeds is moved against thee : then, if so be it that
thou hast spoken to or by thy neighbour, whereby
he is moved to ire or wrath, thou must lay down
thy oblation. Oblations be prayers, alms-deeds, or
any work of charity : these be all called oblations
to God. Lay down therefore thine oblation;
begin to do none of these foresaid works before
thou goest unto thy neighbour, and confess thy
fault unto him ; declaring thy mind, that if thou
hast offended him, thou art glad and willing to
make him amends, as far forth as thy words and
substance will extend, requiring him not to take it
at the worst : thou art sorry in thy mind, that thou
shouldest be occasion of his offending.

" What manner of card is this 1 " will some say :
" Why, what have I to do with my neighbour's or
brother's malice 1 " As Cain said, " Have I the
keeping of my brother 1 or shall I answer for him
and for his faults 1 This were no reason — As for
myself, I thank God I owe no man malice nor dis-
pleasure : if others owe me any, at their own peril

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 37

be it. Let every man answer for himself ! " Nay,
sir, not so, as you may understand by this card ;
for it saith, " If thy neighbour hath anything, any
malice against thee, through thine occasion, lay
even down (saith Christ) thine oblation : pray not
to me ; do no good deeds for me ; but go first unto
thy neighbour, and bring him again unto my
flock, which hath forsaken the same through thy
naughty words, mocks, scorns, or disdainous
countenance, and so forth ; and then come and offer
thine oblation ; then do thy devotion ; then do thy
alms-deeds ; then pray, if thou wilt have me hear
thee."

" 0 good Lord ! this is a hard reckoning, that I
must go and seek him out that is offended with
me, before I pray or do any good deed. T cannot
go unto him. Peradventure he is a hundred miles
from me, beyond the seas ; or else I cannot tell
where : if he were here nigh, I would with all my
heart go unto him." This is a lawful excuse be-
fore God on this fashion, that thou wouldest in thy
heart be glad to reconcile thy neighbour, if he were

38 SERMONS ON THE CARD,

present ; and that thou thinkest in thy heart, when-
soever thou shalt meet with him^ to go unto him,
and require him charitably to forgive thee ; and so
never intend to come from him, until the time that
you both depart one from the other true brethren
in Christ.

Yet, peradventure, there be some in the world
that be so devilish, and so hard-hearted, that they
will not apply in any condition unto charity. For
all that, do what lieth in thee, by all charitable
means, to bring him to unity. If he will in no wise
apply thereunto, thou mayest be sorrowful in thy
heart, that by thine occasion that man or woman
continueth in such a damnable state. This not-
withstanding, if thou do the best that lieth in thee
to reconcile him, according to some doctors' mind,
thou art discharged towards God. Nevertheless
St. Augustine doubteth in this case, whether thy
oblations,, prayers, or good deeds, shall avail thee
before God, or no, until thy neighbour come again
to good state, whom thou hast brought out of the
way. Doth this noble doctor doubt therein'?

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 39

What ailetli us to be so bold, and count it but a
small fault, or none, to bring our neighbour out of
patience for every trifle that standeth not with our
mind 1 You may see what a grievous thing this
is, to bring another man out of patience, that per-
adventure you cannot bring in again with all the
goods that you have : for surely, after the opinion
of great wise men, friendship once broken will be
never well made whole again. Wherefore you
shall hear what Christ saith unto such persons.
Saith Christ, " I came down into this world, and
so took on me bitter passion for man's sake,
by the merits whereof I intended to make unity
and peace in mankind, to make man brother
unto me, and so to expel the dominion of Satan,
the devil, which worketh nothing else but dissen-
sion : and yet now there be a great number of you,
that have professed my name, and say you be
christian men, which do rebel against my purpose
and mind. I go about to make my fold : you go
about to break the same, and kill my flock." " How
darest thou," saith Christ, " presume to come unto

40 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

my altar, unto my church, or into my presence, to
make oblation unto me, that takest on thee to spoil
my lambs ] I go about like a good shepherd to
gather them together ; and thou dost the contrary,
evermore ready to divide and lose them. Who
made thee so bold to meddle with my silly beasts,
which I bought so dearly with my precious blood 1
I warn thee out of my sight, come not in my pre-
sence : I refuse thee and all thy works, except thou
go and bring home again my lambs which thou hast
lost. Wherefore, if thou thyself intend to be one
of mine, lay even down by and by thine oblation,
and come no further toward mine altar; but go
and seek them without any questions, as it be-
cometh a true and faithful servant."

A true and faithful servant, whensoever his
master commandeth him to do any thing, he
maketh no stops nor questions, but goeth forth
with a good mind : and it is not unlike he, con-
tinuing in such a good mind and will, shall well
overcome all dangers and stops, whatsoever betide
him in his journey, and bring to pass effectually

SEBMONS ON THE CARD. 41

his master's will and pleasure On the contrary,
a slothful servant, when his master commandeth
him to do any thing, by and by he will ask
questions, " Where ] " " When 1 " " Which way 1 "
and so forth ; and so he putteth every thing in
doubt, that although both his errand and way be
never so plain, yet by his untoward and slothful
behaviour his master's commandment is either
undone quite, or else so done that it shall stand
to no good purpose. Go now forth with the good
servant, and ask no such questions, and put no
doubts. Be not ashamed to do thy Master's and
Lord's will and commandment. Go, as I said,
unto thy neighbour that is offended by thee, and
reconcile him (as is afore said) whom thou hast
lost by thy unkind words, by thy scorns, mocks,
and other disdainous words and behaviours ; and
be not nice to ask of him the cause why he is
displeased with thee : require of him charitably
to remit ; and cease not till you both depart, one
from the other, true brethren in Christ.

Do not, like the slothful servant, thy 'master's

42 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

message with cautels and doubts : come not to thy
neighbour whom thou hast offended, and give him
a pennyworth of ale, or a banquet, and so make him
a fair countenance, thinking that by thy drink or
dinner he will shew thee like countenance. I
grant you may both laugh and make good cheer,
and yet there may remain a bag of rusty malice,
twenty years old, in thy neighbour's bosom. When
he departeth from thee with a good countenance,
thou thinkest all is well then. But now, I tell
thee, it is worse than it was, for by such cloaked
charity, where thou dost offend before Christ but
once, thou hast offended twice herein : for now
thou goest about to give Christ a mock, if he
would take it of thee. Thou thinkest to blind
thy master Christ's 'commandment. Beware, do
not so, for at length he will overmatch thee, and
take thee tardy whatsoever thou be ; and so, as I
said, it should be better for thee not to do his
message on this fashion, for it will stand thee in
no purpose. "What?" some will say, *' I am
sure he loveth me well enough : he speaketli fair

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 43

to my face." Yet for all that thou may est be
deceived. It proveth not true love in a man, to
speak fair. If he love thee with his mind and
heart, he loveth thee with his eyes, ',with his
tongue, with his feet, with his hands and his body ;
for all these parts of a man's body be obedient to
the will and mind. He loveth thee with his eyes,
that looketh cheerfully on thee, when thou meetest
with him, and is glad to see thee prosper and do
well. He loveth thee with his tongue, that
speaketh well by thee behind thy back, or giveth
thee good counsel. He loveth thee with his feet,
that is willing to go to help thee out of trouble
and business. He loveth thee with his hands,
that will help thee in time of necessity, by giving
some alms-deeds, or with any other occupation of
the hand. He loveth thee with his body, that will
labour with his body, or put his body in danger to
do good for thee, or to deliver thee from adversity :
and so forth, with the other members of his body.
And if thy neighbour will do according to these
sayings, then thou mayest think that he loveth

44 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

thee well ; and thou, in like wise, oughtest to
declare and open thy love unto thy neighbour in
like fashion, or else you be bound one to reconcile
the other, till this perfect love be engendered
amongst you.

It may fortune thou wilt say, " I am content to
do the best for my neighbour that I can, saving
myself harmless." I promise thee, Christ will not
hear this excuse ; for he himself suffered harm for
oar sakes, and for our salvation was put to
extreme death. I wis, if it had pleased him, he
might have saved us and never felt pain ; but in
suffering pains and death he did give us example,
and teach us how we should do one for another, as
he did for us all ; for, as he saith himself, "he that
will be mine, let him deny himself, and follow me,
in bearing my cross and suffering my pains."
Wherefore we must needs suffer pain with Christ
to do our neighbour good, as well with the body
and all bis members, as with heart and mind.

Now I trust you wot what your card meaneth :
let us see how that we can play with the same.

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 45

Whensoever it shall happen you to go and make
your oblation unto God, ask of yourselves this
question, " Who art thou ? " The answer, as you
know, is, " I am a christian man." Then you
must again ask unto yourself, What Christ requireth
of a christian man 1 By and by cast down your
trump, your heart, and look first of one card, then
of another. The first card telleth thee, thou shalt
not kill, thou shalt not be angry, thou shalt not
be out of patience. This done, thou shalt look if
there be any more cards to take up ; and if thou
look well, thou shalt see another card of the same
suit, wherein thou shalt know that thou art
bound to reconcile thy neighbour. Then cast thy
trump upon them both, and gather them all three
together, and do according to the virtue of thy
cards ; and surely thou shalt not lose. Thou shalt
first kill the great Turks, and discomfort and
thrust them down. Thou shalt again fetch home
Christ's sheep that thou hast lost ; whereby thou
mayest go both patiently and with a quiet mind
unto the church, and make thy oblation unto

46 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

God ; and then, without doubt, he will hear
thee.

But yet Christ will not accept our oblation
(although we be in patience, and have reconciled
our neighbour), if that our oblation be made of
another man's substance ; but it must be our own.
See therefore that thou hast gotten thy goods
according to the laws of God and of thy prince.
For if thou gettest thy goods by polling and
extortion, or by any other unlawful ways, then,
if thou offer a thousand pound of it, it will stand
thee in no good effect ; for it is not thine. In
this point a great number of executors do offend ;
for when they be made rich by other men's goods,
then they will take upon them to build churches,
to give ornaments to God and his altar, to gild
saints, and to do many good works therewith ; but
it shall be all in their own name, and for their
own glory. .Wherefore, saitli Christ, they have
in this world their reward ; and so their oblations
be not their own, nor be they acceptable before
God.

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 47

Another way God will refuse thy voluntary
oblation, as thus : if so be it that thou hast gotten
never so truly thy goods, according both to the
laws of God and man, and hast with the same
goods not relieved thy poor neighbour, when thou
hast seen him hungry, thirsty, and naked, he
will not take thy oblation when thou shalt oSer
the same, because he will say unto thee, *' When
I was hungry, thou gavest me no meat ; when I
was thirsty, thou gavest me no drink ; and when
I was naked, thou didst not clothe me. Where-
fore I will not take thy oblation, because it is
none of thine. I left it thee to relieve thy poor
neighbours, and tliou hast not therein done accord-
ing unto this my commandment, Misericordiam
volo, et non sacrificium ; I had rather have mercy
done, than sacrifice or oblation. Wherefore until
thou dost the one more than the other, I will not
accept thine oblation."

Evermore bestow the greatest part of thy goods
in works of mercy, and the less part in voluntary
works. Voluntary works be called all manner of

48 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

offering in the church, excei)t your four offering-
days, and your tithes : setting up candles, gilding
and painting, building of churches, giving of
ornaments, going on pilgx'images, making of high-
ways, and such other, be called voluntary works ;
v/hich works be of themselves marvellous good, and
convenient to be done. Kecessary works, and
works of mercy, are called the commandments, the
four offering-days, your tithes, and such other that
belong to the commandments ; and works of mercy
consist in relieving and visiting thy poor neighbours.
Now then, if men be so foolish of themselves, that
they will bestow the most part of their goods in
voluntary works, which they be not bound to keep,
but willingly and by their devotion ; and leave
the necessary works undone, which they are bound
to do ; they and all their voluntary works are like
to go unto everlasting damnation. And I promise
you, if you build a hundred churches, give as
much as you can make to gilding of saints, and
honouring of the church ; and if thou go as many
])ilgrimages as thy body can well suffer, and offer

SERMONS ON THE CARD. 49

as great candles as oaks ; if thou leave the works
of mercy and the commandments undone, these
works shall nothing avail thee. No doubt the
voluntary works be good and ought to be done;
but yet they must be so done, that by their
occasion the necessary works and the works of
mercy be not decayed and forgotten. If you will
build a glorious church unto God, see first your-
self to be in charity with your neighbours, and
suffer not them to be offended by your works.
Then, when ye come into your parish-churcL,
you bring with you the holy temple of God ; as
St. Paul saith, " You yourselves be the very holy
temples of God : " and Christ saith by his prophet,
" In you will I rest, and intend to make my
mansion and abiding-place." Again, if you list to
gild and paint Christ in your churches, and honour
him in vestments, see that before your eyes the
poor people die not for lack of meat, drink, and
clothing. Then do you deck the very true temple
of God, and honour him in rich vestures that will
never be worn, and so forth use yourselves accord-

50 SERMONS ON THE CARD.

ing unto the commandments : and then, finally,
set up your candles, and they will report what a
glorious light remaineth in your hearts ; for it is
not fitting to see a dead man light candles. Then,
I say, go your pilgrimages, build your material
churches, do all your voluntary works ; and they
will then represent you unto God, and testify with
you, that you have provided him a glorious place
in your hearts. But beware, I say again, that
you do not run so far in your voluntary works,
that ye do quite forget your necessary works of
mercy, which you are bound to keep : you must
have ever a good respect unto the best and
worthiest works toward God to be done first and
with more efiicacy, and the other to be done
secondarily. Thus if you do, with the other that
I have spoken of before, ye may come according to
the tenor of your cards, and ofier your oblations
and prayers to our Lord Jesus Christ, who will
both hear and accept them to your everlasting joy
and glory : to the which he bring us, and all
those whom he suffered death for. Amen.

51

A SERMON MADE BY M, HUGH LATIMER, AT THE
TIME OP THE INSURRECTION IN THE NORTH,
WHICH WAS IN THE TWENTY-SEVENTH YEAR
OF THE REIGN OF KING HENRY THE EIGHTH,
ANN. DOM. 1535. UPON THE EPISTLE READ IN
THE CHURCH THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY
AFTER TRINITY SUNDAY, TAKEN OUT OF THE
SIXTH CHAPTER OP THE EPISTLE OP ST. PAUL
TO THE EPHESIANS.

1 Put on all the armour of God, that ye may stand, ^-c.
[Ephes. vi. 10, et seq.]

Saint Paul, the holy apostle, writeth this epistle
unto the Ephesians, that is, to the people of the
city of Ephesus. He writeth generally, to them
all ; and in the former chapters he teacheth them
severally how they should behave themselves, in
every estate, one to another ; how they should obey
their rulers ; how wives should behave themselves
towards their husbands ; children towards their
parents ; and servants towards their masters ; and
husbands, parents and masters should behave them,

5li SERMON ON THE EPISTLE READ ON THE

and love their wives, children, and servants ; and
generally each to love other.

Now Cometh he forth and comforteth them, and
teacheth them to be bold, and to play the men, and
fight manfully. For they must fight with valiant
warriors, as appeareth afterward in the text. And
against they come to fight he comforteth them,
saying, "My brethren." He calleth them breth-
ren; for though he taught them before to be
subject to kings and rulers, and to be obedient to
their superiors, yet he teacheth them that in Christ
we be all brethren, according to the saying in this
same chapter, " God is no accepter of persons."
" My brethren," saith he, " be ye comforted, be yo
strong ; " not trusting to yourselves ; no, but be
bold, and comforted " by our Lord, and by the
power of his virtue : " not by your ov/n virtue, for
it is not of power to resist such assaults as he
speaketh of hereafter. "Put on, or apparel you
with, the armour of God." Armour is an apparel
to clothe a man, and maketh him seemly and comely ;
sotteth forth his body, and maketh him strong and

TWENTY-FIEST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 53

bold in battle. And therefore Saint Paul exliorteth
generally his brethren to be armed ; and as the
assaults be strong, and not small, so he giveth
strong armour, and not small : " Put on," saith he,
" the armour of God." He speaketh generally of
armour, but afterwards he speaketh particularly of
the parts of armour, where he saith, be armed
complete, whole ; be armed on every part with the
armour of God ; not borrowed, nor patched, but all
godly. And as armour setteth forth a man's body,
so this godly armour maketh us seemly in the sight
of God, and acceptable in his wars.

Be ye therefore " armed at all points with the
armour of God, that ye may stand strongly against
the assaults of the devil." "That ye may stand,"
saith he. Ye must stand in this battle, and not sit,
nor lie along ; for he that lietli is trodden under
foot of his enemy. We may not sit, that is, not
rest in sin, or lie along in sluggishness of sin ; but
continually jBght against our enemy, and under our
great Captain and Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, and
in his quarrel, armed with the armour of God, that

51. SERMON ON THE EPISTLE READ ON THE

we may be strong. We cannot be strong unless we
be armed of God. We have no power of ourselves
to stand against the assaults of the devil. There
St. Paul teacheth what our battle is, and wherefore
we must be thus armed.

For, saith he, " we have jiot wrestling or strife
against flesh and blood : " which may be understood,
against certain sins, which come of the flesh only ;
but let us take it as it standeth, " against flesh and
blood," that is, against any corporal man, which is
but a weak thing in comparison, and with one
stroke destroyed or slain : but we have to do with
strong, mighty princes and potentates ; that mighty
prince, that great conqueror of this world, the devil,
yea a conqueror : for though our Saviour Jesug
Christ conquered him and all his, by suflTering his
})lessed passion, yet is he a great conqueror in this
world, and reigneth over a great multitude of his
own, and maketh continual conflicts and assaults
a^jainst the rest, to subdue them also under [his
power ; which, if they be armed after St. Paul's
teaching, shall stand strongly against his assaults.

TWENTY'FIKST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 55

" Our battle/' saith St. Paul, " is against princes,
potestates," that is, against devils : for, after the
common opinion, there fell from heaven of every
order of angels, as of potentates. He saith also,
" against worldly rulers of these darknesses : " for,
as doctors do write, the spirits that fell with
Lucifer have their being in aere caliginoso, the air,
in darkness, and the rulers of this world, by God's
sufferance, to hurt, vex and assault them that live
upon the earth. For their nature is, as they be
damned, to desire to draw all mankind unto like
damnation ; such is their malice. And though they
hang in the air, or fall in a garden or other plea-
sant place, yet have they continually their pain
upon their backs. Against these we wrestle, and
" against spiritual wickedness in coelestibics," that
is, in the air ; or we fight against spiritual wicked-
ness in heavenly things.

Think you not that this our enemy, this prince
with all his potentates, hath great and sore assaults
to lay against our armour 1 Yea, he is a crafty
warrior, and also of great power in this world ; he

bv CSEilON ON THS EPISTLE READ ON THE

hath great ordnance and artillery ; he hath great
pieces of ordnance, as mighty kings and emperors,
to shoot against God's people, to persecute or kill
them ; Nero, the great tyrant, who slew Paul, and
divers other. Yea, what great pieces hath he had
of bishops of Rome, which have destroyed whole
cities and countries, and have slain and burnt many !
What great guns were those !

Yea, he hath also less ordnance evil enough,
(they may be called serpentines ; ) some bishops in
divers countries, and here in England, which he
hath shot at some good christian men, that they
have been blown to ashes. So can this great
captain, the devil, shoot his ordnance. He hath
yet less ordnance, for he hath of all sorts to shoot at
good christian men ; he hath handguns and bows,
which do much hurt, but not so much as the great
ordnance. These be accusers, promoters, and
slanderers ; they be evil ordnance, shrewd hand-
guns, and bows ; they put a man to great dis-
pleasure ; oftentimes death cometh upon that shot.
For these things, saith the text, *' take the armour

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. o7

of Crod." Against the great captains, the devils,
and against their artillery, their ministers, there
can nothing defend us but the armour of God.

"Take therefore this armour," saith the text,
"that ye may resist in the evil day, and in all
things stand perfectly, or be perfectly strong."
This evil day is not so called here, because any day
or time is evil ; for God made every day good, and
all days be good : but St. Paul calleth it the " evil
day," because of the misfortune that chanceth or
Cometh in that d&y. As we have a common saying,
" I have had an evil day, and an evil night," because
of the heaviness or evil that hath happened ; so
saith Paul, " that ye may resist in the evil day : "
that is, when your great adversary hath compassed
you round about with his potestates and rulers, and
with his artillery, so that you be almost overcome,
then, if you have the armour of God, you shall be
strong, and need not to fear his assaults.

St. Paul hath spoken of this armour of God
generally, and now declareth the parts and pieces of
armour ; and teachcth them how to apparel every

58 SEEMON ON THE EPISTLE READ ON THE

part of the body with this armour. He beginneth
yet again, saying, " Be strong, having your reins,
or your loins girded about." Some men of war use
to have about their loins an apron or girdle of mail,
gird fast for the safeguard of the nether part of
their body. So St. Paul would we should gird our
loins, which betokeneth lechery or other sinfulness,
with a girdle, which is to be taken for a restraint
or continence from such vices. In "truth," or
" truly gird :" it may not be feigned, or falsely girt,
but in verity and truth. There be many bachelors,
as yet men unmarried, which seem to be girt with
the girdle of continence, and yet it is not in truth, it
is but feignedly. And some religious persons make
a profession of continence or chastity, and yet not
in truth, their hearts be not truly chaste. Such
feigned girding of the loins cannot make a man
strong to resist the assaults of the great captain or
enemy in the evil day. Yet some get them girdles
with great knots, as though they would be surely
girt, and as though they would break the devil's head
with their knotted girdles. Nay, ho will not be so

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 59

overcome : it is no knot of an hempton girdle that
he feareth ; that is no piece of harness of the armour
of God, which may resist the assault in the evil day ;
it is but feigned gear ; it must be in the heart, &c.

" And be ye apparelled or clothed," saith Paul,
" with the habergeon or coat-armour of justice, that
is, righteousness." Let your body be clothed in the
armour of righteousness ; ye may do no wrong to
any man, but live in righteousness ; not clothed
with any false quarrel or privy grudge. Ye must live
rightly in God's law, following his commandments
and doctrine, clothed righteously in his armour,
and not in any feigned armour, as in a friar's coat
or cowl. For the assaults of the devil be crafty :
to make us put our trust in such armour, he will
feign himself to fly ; but then we be most in
Jeopardy : for he can give us an after- clap when
we least ween ; that is, suddenly return unawares
to us, and then he giveth us an after-clap that
overthroweth us : this armour deceiveth us.

In like manner these men in the North country,
they make pretence as though they were armed in

60 SEEMON ON THE EPISTLE READ ON THE

God's armour, gird in truth, and clothed in right-
eousness. I hear say they wear the cross and the
wounds before and behind, and they pretend much
truth to the king's grace and to the commonwealth,
when they intend nothing less; and deceive the
])oor ignorant people, and bring them to fight against
both the king, the church, and the commonwealth.

They arm them with the sign of the cross and
of the wounds, and go clean contrary to him that
bare the cross, and suflfered those wounds. They
rise with the king, and fight against the king in
his ministers and officers ; they rise with the
cliurch, and fight against the church, which is the
congregation of faithful men ; they rise for the
commonwealth, and fight against it, and go about
to make the commons each to kill other, and to
destroy the commonwealth. Lo, what false pre-
tence can the devil send amongst us 1 It is one
of his most crafty and subtle assaults, to send his
warriors forth under the badge of God, as though
they were armed in righteousness and justice.

But if we will resist strongly indeed, we must

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 61

be clothed or armed with the habergeon of very-
justice or righteousness ; in true obedience to our
prince, and faithful love to our neighbours; and
take no false quarrels in hand, nor any feigned
armour; but in justice, "having your feet shod
for [the] preparation of the gospel of peace."

Lo, what manner of battle this warrior St. Paul
teacheth us, " to be shod on our feet," that we may
go readily and prepare way for the gospel ; yea,
the gospel of peace, not of rebellion, not of insur-
rection : no, it teacheth obedience, humility, and
quietness ; it maketh peace in the conscience, and
teacheth true faith in Jesus Christ, and to walk in
God's laws armed with God's armour, as Paul
teacheth here. Yea, if bishops in England had
been "shod for the preparation of this gospel," and
had endeavoured themselves to teach and set [it]
forth, as our most noble prince hath devised ; and
if certain gentlemen, being justices, had executed
his grace's commandment, in setting forth this
gospel of peace, this disturbance among the people
had not happened.

62 SERMON ON THE EPISTLE READ ON THE

But ye say, it is new learning. Now I tell you
it is the old learning. Yea, ye say, it is old heresy
new scoured. Nay, I tell you it is old truth, long
rusted with your canker, and now new made bright
and scoured. "What a rusty truth is this, Quod-
cumque ligaverisj " Whatsoever thou bindest," &c.
This is a truth spoken to the apostles, and all true
preachers their successors, that with the law of
God they should bind and condemn all that sinned ;
and whosoever did repent, they should declare him
loosed and forgiven, by believing in the blood of
Christ. But how hath this truth over-rusted' with
the pope's rust ? For he, by this text, " Whatso-
ever thou bindeth," hath taken upon him to make
what laws him listed, clean contrary unto God's
word, which willeth that every man should obey
the prince's law : and by this text, " Whatsoever
thou loosest," he hath made all people believe that,
for money, he might forgive what and whom he
lusted ; so that if any man had robbed his master,
or taken anything wrongfully, the pope would
loose him, by this pardon or that pardon, given to

I

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 63

these friars or those friars, put in this box or that
box. And, as it were, by these means a dividend
of the spoil was made, so that it was not restored,
nor the person rightly discharged ; and yet most
part of the spoil came to the hands of him and his
ministers. What is this but a new learning 3 a new
canker to rust and corrupt the old truth 1 Ye call
your learning old : it may indeed be called old, for it
cometh of that serpent which did pervert God's com-
mandment and beguiled Eve ; so it is an old custom
to pervert God's word, and to rust it, and corrupt it.
We be a great many that profess to be true
ministers of the gospel ; but at the trial I think it
will come to pass as it did with Gideon, a duke,
which God raised up to deliver the children of
Israel from the Midianites, in whose hands they
were fallen, because they had broken God's com-
mandment, and displeased God : yet at the length
he had compassion on them, and raised up Gideon
to deliver them. When they heard that they had
a captain, or a duke, that should deliver them, they
assembled a great number, about thirty thousand :

C-i) SERMON ON THE EPISTLE READ ON THE

but when it came to pass that they should fight,
they departed all save five hundred. So, I fear
me, that at the trial we shall be found but a few
ministers of the true gospel of peace, and armed in
the true armour of God.

It followeth, " And in all things take the shield
or buckler of faith." The buckler is a thing where-
with a man most chiefly defendeth himself : and that
must be perfect faith in Jesus Christ, in our Captain,
and in his word. It must also be a true faith, it is
else no part of the armour of God : it may not be
feigned, but a buckler, which may stop or quench
the violence of the flaming darts of the most wicked.

" Take also the helmet or head-piece of health,"
or true health in Jesus Christ ; for there is no
health in any other name : not the health of a grey
friar's coat, or the health of this pardon or that
pardon ; that were a false helmet, and should not
defend the violence of the wicked.

" And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word
of God." Lo, St. Paul teacheth you battle; to
take in your left hand the shield of faith, to defend

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 65

and bear off the darts of the devil, and in the

other hand a sword to strike with against the

enemy : for a good man of war may not stand

against, and defend only, but also strike against

his enemy. So St. Paul giveth us here a sword,

"The word of God.'^ For this sword is it that

beateth this great captain, our enemy. Christ

himself gave us ensample to tight with this sword ;

for he answered the devil with the scripture, and

said, " It is written." With this sword he drave

away the devil : and so let us break his head with

this sword, the true word of God, and not with any

word of the bishop of Home's making ; not with his

old learning, nor his new learning, but with the

pure word of God.

The time passeth : I will therefore make an end.

Let us fight manfully, and not cease ; for no man

is crowned or rewarded but in the end. We must

therefore fight continually, and with this sword ;

and thus armed, and we shall receive the reward

of victory. And thus the grace of our Lord Jesus

Christ be with all your spirits. Amen,
c— 8

SEEMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

THE SERMON THAT THE REVEREND FATHER IN
CHRIST, M. HUGH LATIMER, BISHOP OF WOR-
CESTER, MADE TO THE CONVOCATION OF THE
CLERGY, BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT BEGAN, THE
9 DAY OF JUNE, THE 28 YEAR OF THE REIGN
OF OUR LATE KING HENRY THE 8. TRANS-
LATED OUT OF LATIN INTO ENGLISH, TO THE
INTENT THAT THINGS WELL SAID TO A PEW
MAY BE UNDERSTOOD OF MANY, AND DO GOOD
TO ALL TIIEM THAT DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND
THE TRUTH.

Mlii hujus sccidi, ^c. — Luc. xvi.
Brethren, ye be come together this day, as far
as I perceive, to hear of great and weighty matters.
Ye be come together to entreat of things that
most appertain to the commonwealth. This being
thus, ye look, I am assured, to hear of me, which
am commanded to make as a preface this exhorta
tion, (albeit I am unlearned and far unworthy,)
such things as shall be much meet for this your
-assembly. I therefore, not only^ very desirous to
obey the commandment of our Primate, but also

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 67

right greatly coveting to serve and satif^fy all your
expectation ; lo, briefly, and as plainly as I can,
will speak of matters both worthy to be heard in
your congregation, and also of such as best shall
become mine office in this place. That I may do
this the more commodiously, I have taken that
notable sentence in which our Lord was not afraid
to pronounce "the children of this world to be
much more prudent and politic than the children
of light in their generation." Neither will I be
afraid, trusting that he will aid and guide me to use
this sentence, as a good ground and foundation of
all such things, as hereafter I shall speak of.

Now, I suppose that you see right well, being
men of such learning, for what purpose the Lord
said this, and that ye have no need to be holpen
with any part of my labour in this thing. But yet,
if ye will pardon me, I will wade somewhat deeper
in this matter, and as nigh as I can, fetch it from
the first original beginning. For undoubtedly, ye
may much marvel at this saying, if ye well ponder
both what is said, and who saith it. Define me first

68 . SEEMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

these three things : what prudence is ; Avhat the
world; what light; and who be the children of tJic
world ; who of the light : see what they signify in
scripture. I marvel if by and by ye all agree, that
the children of the world should be wiser than the
children of the light. To come somewhat nigher the
matter, thus the Lord beginneth :
There was a certain rich man that had a steward^
which was accused unto him that Jie luid dissi-
pated and wasted his goods. This rich man
called his steward to him and said, What is
this tJiat I hear of thee ? Come, make me an ac-
count of thy stewardsJiip ; thou mayest no longer
hear this office.
Brethren, because these words are so spoken in
a parable, and are so wrapped in wrinkles, that yet
they seem to have a face and a similitude of a thing
done indeed, and like an history, I think it much pro-
fitable to tarry somewhat in them. And though we
may perchance find in our hearts to believe all that
is there spoken to be true ; yet I doubt whether we
may abide it, that these words of Christ do pertain

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 69

unto us, and admonish us of our duty, whicli do and
live after such sort, as though Christ, when he spake
any thing, had, as the time served him, served his
turn, and not regarded the time that came after
him, neither provided for us, or any matters of
ours ; as some of the philosophers thought, which
said, that God walked up and down in heaven, and
thinketh never a deal of our affairs. But^ my good
brethren, err not you so ; stick not you to such your
imaginations. For if ye inwardly behold these
words, if ye diligently roll them in your minds, and
after explicate and open them, ye shall see our
time mucli touched in these mysteries. Ye shall
perceive that God by this example shakcth us by
the noses and pulleth us by the ears. Ye shall per-
ceive very plain, that God setteth before our eyes
in this similitude what we ought most to flee, and
what we ought soonest to follow. For Luke saith,
" The Lord spake these words to his disciples,"
Wherefore let ifc be out of all doubt that he spake
them to us, which even as we will be counted the
successors and vicars of Christ's disciples, so we be,

70 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

if we be good dispensers and do our duty. He said
these things partly to us, which spake them partly of
himself. For he is that rich man, which not only
had, but hath, and shall have evermore, I say not
one, but many stewards, even to the end of the
world.

He is man, seeing that he is God and man. He
is rich, not only in mercy but in all kind of riches;
for it is he that giveth to us all things abundantly.
It is he of whose hand we received both our lives,
and other things necessary for the conservation of
the same. What man hath any thing, I pray you,
but he hath received it of his plentifulness 1 To be
short, it is he that "openeth his hand, and filleth
all beasts with his blessing," and giveth unto us in
most ample wise his benediction. Neither his trea-
sure can be spent, how much soever he lash out ;
how much soever we take of him, his treasure tar-
rieth still, ever taken, never spent.

He is also the good man of the house : the
church is his household which ought with all
diligence to be fed with his word and his sacra-

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 71

ments. These be his goods most precious, the
dispensation and administration whereof he would
bishops and curates should have. Which thing
St. Paul affirmethj saying, " Let men esteem us
as the ministers of Christ, and dispensers of God's
mysteries." But, I pray you, what is to be looked
for in a dispenser ? This surely, " That he be
found faithful," and that he truly dispense, and
lay out the goods of the Lord ; that he give meat
in time ; give it, I say, and not sell it ; meat,
I say, and not poison. For the one doth intoxicate
and slay the eater, the other feedeth and nourisheth
him. Finally, let him not slack and defer the
doing of his office, but let him do his duty when
time is, and need requireth it. This is also to
be looked for, that he be one whom God hath called
and put in office, and not one that cometh uncalled,
unsent for ; not one that of himself presumeth to
take honour upon him. And surely, if all this
that I say be required in a good minister, it is
much lighter to require them all in every one,
than to find one any where that hath them all. Who

72 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

is a true and faithful steward 1 He is true, he
is faithful, that coineth no new money, but taketh
it ready coined of the good man of the house ;
and neither changeth it, nor clippeth it, after it
is taken to him to spend, but spendeth even the
self-same that he had of his Lord, and spendeth
it as his Lord's commandment is ; neither to his
own vantage uttering it, nor as the lewd servant
did, hiding it in the ground. Brethren, if a
faithful steward ought to do as I have said, I
pray you, ponder and examine this well, whether
our bishops and abbots, prelates and curates, have
been hitherto faithful stewards or no 1 Ponder,
whether yet many of them be as they should be
or no 1 Go ye to, tell me now as your conscience
leadeth you (I will let pass to speak of many
other), was there not some, that despising the
money of the Lord, as copper and not current,
eitiier coined new themselves, or else uttered
abroad newly coined of other ; sometime either
adulterating the word of God or else mingling
it (as taverners do, which brew and utter the evil

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 73

and good both in one pot), sometime in the stead
of God's word blowing out the dreams of men 1
while they thus preached to the people the redemp-
tion that cometh by Christ's death to serve only
them that died before his coming, that were in
the time of the old testament ; and that now since
redemption and forgiveness of sins purchased by
money, and devised by men is of efficacy, and not
redemption purchased by Christ (they have a
wonderful pretty example to persuade this thing,
of a certain married woman, which, when her
husband was in purgatory, in that fiery furnace
that hath burned away so many of our pence, paid
her husband's ransom, and so of duty claimed
him to be set at liberty) : while they thus preached
to the people, that dead images (which at the first,
as I think, were set up, only to represent things
absent) not only ought to be covered with gold,
but also ought of all faithful and christian people
(yea, in this scarceness and penury of all things),
to be clad with silk garments, and those also laden
w^th precious gems and jewels ; and that beside

74 SERMON PEEACHED BEFOKE THE

all this, they are to be lighted with wax candles,
both within the church and without the church,
yea, and at noon days ; as who should say, here
no cost can be too great ; whereas in the mean time
we see Christ's faithful and lively images, bought
with no less price than with his most precious
blood (alas, alas !) to be an hungred, a-thirst,
a-cold, and to lie in darkness, wrapped in all
wretchedness, yea, to lie there till death take away
their miseries : while they preached these will-
works, that come but of our own devotion, although
they be not so necessary as the works of mercy,
and the precepts of God, yet they said, and in the
pulpit, that will-works were more principal, more
excellent, and (plainly to utter what they mean)
more acceptable to God than works of mercy ;
as though now man's inventions and fancies could
please God better than God's precepts, or strange
things better than his own: while they thus
preached that more fruit, more devotion cometh
of the beholding of an image, though it be but
a Pater-noster while, than is gotten by reading and

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 75

contemplation in scripture, though ye read and
contemplate therein seven years' space : finally,
while they preached thus, souls tormented in pur-
gatory to have most need of our help, and that
they can have no aid, but of us in this world : of
the which two, if the one be not false, yet at the
least it is ambiguous, uncertain, doubtful, and there-
fore rashly and arrogantly with such boldness
affirmed in the audience of the people ; the other,
by all men's opinions, is manifestly false : I let
pass to speak of much other such like counterfeit
doctrine, which hath been blasted and blown out
by some for the space of three hours together. Be
these the Christian and divine mysteries, and not
rather the dreams of men ? Be these the faithful
dispensers of God's mysteries, and not rather false
dissipators of them 1 whom God never put in office,
but rather the devil set them over a miserable
family, over an house miserably ordered and en-
treated. Happy were the people if such preached
seldom.

And yet it is a wonder to see these, in their

76 SERMON PPvEACHED BEFORE THE

generation, to be much more prudent and politic
than the faithful ministers are in their generation ;
while they go about more prudently to stablish
men's dreams, than these do to hold up God's
commandments.

Thus it Cometh to pass that works lucrative,
will-works, men's fancies reign; but christian
works, necessary works, fruitful works, be trodden
under the foot. Thus the evil is much better set
out by evil men, than the good by good men ;
because the evil be more wise than be the good
in their generation. These be the false stewards,
whom all good and faithful men every day accuse
unto the rich master of the household, not without
great heaviness, that they waste his goods ; whom
he also one day will call to him, and say to them
as he did to his steward, when he said, " What
is this that I hear of theef Here God partly
wonderetli at our ingratitude and perfidy, partly
ohideth us for them ; and being both full of wonder
and ready to chide, asketh us, " What is this that
I hear of you V As though he should say unto

COJfVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 77

US ; "All good men in all places complain of you,
accuse your avarice, your exactions, your tyranny.
They have required in you a long season, and yet
require, diligence and sincerity. I commanded
you, that with all industry and labour ye should
feed my sheep : ye earnestly feed yourselves from
day to day, wallowing in delights and idleness.
I commanded you to teach my commandments, and
not your fancies ; and that ye should seek my
glory and my vai^tage : you teach your own tradi-
tions, and seek your own glory and profit. You
preach very seldom ; and when ye do preach, do
nothing but cumber them that preach truly,
as much as lieth in you : that it were much better
such were not to preach at all, than so perniciously
to preach. Oh, what hear I of you 1 You, that
ought to be my preachers, what other thing do
you, than apply all your study hither, to bring all
my preachers to envy, shame, contempt? Yea,
more than this, ye pull them into perils, into
prisons, and, as much as in you lieth, to cruel
deaths. To be short, I would that christian people

78 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

should hear my doctrine, and at their convenient
leisure read it also, as many as would : your care
is not that all men may hear it, but all your care
is, that no lay man do read it : surely, being afraid
lest they by the reading should understand it, and
understanding, learn to rebuke our slothfulness.
This is your generation, this is your dispensation,
this is your wisdom. In this generation, in this
dispensation, you be most politic, most witty.
These be the things that I hear of your demeanour.
I wished to hear better report of you. Have ye
thus deceived me 1 or have ye rather deceived
yourselves ? Where I had but one house, that
is to say, the church, and this so dearly beloved
of me, that for the love of her I put myself forth
to be slain, and to shed my blood ; this church at
my departure I committed unto your charge, to
be fed, to be nourished, and to be made much of.
My pleasure was ye should occupy my place ; my
desire was ye should have borne like love to this
church, like fatherly affection, as I did : I , made
you my vicars, yea, in matters of most importance.

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY.

" For thus I taught openly : ' He that should
hear you, should hear me; he that should despise
you, should despise me.' I gave you also keys,
not earthly keys, but heavenly. I left my goods
that I have evermore most highly esteemed, that
is, my word and sacraments, to be dispensed of you.
These benefits I gave you, and do you give me
these thanks 1 Can you find in your hearts thus
to abuse my goodness, my benignity, my gentle-
ness'? Have you thus deceived me? No, no, ye
have not deceived me, but yourselves. My gifts
and benefits towards you shall be to your greater
damnation. Because yon have contemned the
lenity and clemency of the master of the house,
ye have right well deserved to abide the rigour
and severity of the judge. Come forth then, let
us see an account of your stewardship. An horrible
and fearful sentence : Ye may have no longer my
goods in your hands. A voice to weep at, and
to make men tremble ! "

You see, brethren, you see, what evil the evil
stewards must come to. Your labour is paid for,

80 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

if ye can so take heed, that no such sentence be
spoken to you ; nay, we must all take heed lest
these threatenings one day take place in us. But
lest the length of my sermon offend you too sore,
I will leave the rest of the parable and take me
to the handling of the end of it ; that is, I will
declare unto you how the children of this world be
more witty, crafty, and subtle, than are the chil-
dren of the light in their generation. Which
sentence would God it lay in my poor tongue to
explicate with such light of words, that I might
seem rather to have painted it before your eyes,
than to have spoken it ; and that you might rather
seem to see the thing, than to hear it ! But I
confess plainly this thing to be far above my
power. Therefore this being only left to me, I
wish for that I have not, and am sorry that that
is not in me which I would so gladly have, that is,
power so to handle the thing that I have in hand,
that all that I say may turn to the glory of God,
.your souls' health, and the edifying of Christ's
body Wherefore I pray you all to pray with me

CONYOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 8l

unto God, and that in your petition you desire,
that these two thincjs he vouchsafe to grant us,
first, a mouth for me to speak rightly ; next, ears
for you, that in hearing me ye may take profit at
my hand : and that this may come to effect, you
shall desire him, unto whom our master Christ bad
we should pray, saying even the same prayer that he
himself did institute. Wherein ye shall pray for
our most gracious sovereign lord the king, chief
and supreme head of the church of England under
Christ, and for the most excellent, gracious, and
virtuous lady queen Jane, his most lawful wife,
and for all his, whether they be of the clergy or
laity, whether they be of the nobility, or else other
his grace's subjects, not forgetting those that being
departed out of this transitory life, and now sleep
in the sleep of peace, and rest from their labours
in quietness and peaceable sleep, faithfully, lovingly,
and patiently looking for that that they clearljr
shall see when God shall be so pleased. For ali
these, and for grace necessary, ye shall say unto
God God's prayer, Pater-noster.

82 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

TBDE SECOND SEEMON, IN THE AFTERNOON.
Filii kujiis seculi, ^-c. — Luc. xvi. [8].
Christ in this saying touched the sloth and slug-
gishness of his, and did not allow the fraud and
subtlety of others ; neither was glad that it was in-
deed as he had said, but complained rather that it
should be so : as many men speak many things, not
that they ought to be so, but that they are wont to
be so. Nay, this grieved Christ, that the children
of this world should be of more policy than the
children of light ; which thing was true in Christ's
time, and now in our time is most true. Who is
so blind but he seeth this clearly ; except perchance
there be any that cannot discern the children of
the world from the children of light? The chil-
dren of the world conceive and bring forth more
prudently ; and things conceived and brought
forth they nourish and conserve with much more
policy than do the children of light. "Which thing
is as sorrowful to be said, as it seemeth absurd to

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 83

be heard. When ye hear the children of the
world, you understand the world as a father. For
the world is father of many children, not by the
first creation and work, but by imitation of love.
He is not only a father, but also the son of another
father. If ye know once his father, by and by ye
shall know his children. For he that hath the
devil to his father, must needs have devilish
children. The devil is not only taken for father,
but also for prince of the world, that is, of worldly
folk. It is either all one thing, or else not much
different, to say, children of the world, and children
of the devil ; according to that that Christ said to
the Jews, " Ye are of your father the devil : "
where as undoubtedly he spake to children of this
world. Now seeing the devil is both author and
ruler of the darkness, in the which "the children of
this world walk, or, to say better, wander ; they
mortally hate both the light, and also the children
of light. And hereof it cometh, that the children
of light never, or very seldom, lack persecution in
this world, unto which the children of the world.

84 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

that is, of the devil, bringeth them. And there is
no man but he seeth, that these use much more
policy in procuring the hurt and damage of the
good, than those in defending themselves. There-
fore, brethren, gather you the disposition and study
of the children by the disposition and study of the
fathers. Ye know this is a proverb much used :
"An evil crow, an evil egg.'' Then the children
of this world that are known to have so evil a
father, the world, so evil a grandfather, the devil,
cannot choose but be evil. Surely the first head
of their ancestry was the deceitful serpent the
devil, a monster monstrous above all monsters. I
cannot wholly express him, I wot not what to call
him, but a certain thing altogether made of the
hatred of God, of mistrust in God, of lyings,
deceits, perjuries, discords, manslaughters ; and, to
say at one word, a thing concrete, heaped up and
made of all kind of mischief. But what the devil
mean I to go about to describe particularly the
devil's nature, when no reason, no power of man's
mind can comprehend it 1 This alonely I can say

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 85

grossly, and as in a sum, of the which all we (our
hurt is the more) have experience, the devil to be
a stinking sentine of all vices ; a foul filthy channel
of all mischiefs ; and that this world, his son, even
a child meet to have such a parent, is not much
unlike his father.

Then, this devil being such one as can never be
unlike himself ; lo, of Envy, his well-beloved Le-
man, he begat the World, and after left it with
Discord at nurse ; which World, after that it came
to man's state, had of many concubines many sons.
He was so fecund a father, and had gotten so
many children of Lady Pride, Dame Gluttony,
Mistress Avarice, Lady Lechery, and of Dame
Subtlety, that now hard and scant ye may find any
corner, any kind of life, where many of his children
be not. In court, in cowls, in cloisters, in rochets,
be they never so white ; yea, where shall ye not
find them^ Howbeit, they that be secular and
laymen, are not by and by children of the world ;
nor they children of light, that are called spiritual,
and of the clergy. No, no ; as ye may find among

86 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

the laity many diildren of light, so among the
clergy, (how much soever we arrogate these holy
titles unto us, and think them only attributed to
us, Vos estis lux mundi, peculium Christi, S^c.
" Ye are the light of the world, the chosen people
of Christ, a kingly priesthood, an holy nation, and
such other,") ye shall find many children of the
world ; because in all places the world getteth
many children. Among the lay people the world
ceaseth not to bring to pass, that as they be called
wordly, so they are wordly indeed ; driven head-
long by worldly desires : insomuch that they may
right well seem to have taken as well the manners
as the name of their father. In the clergy, the
world also hath learned a way to make of men
spiritual, worldlings ; yea, and there also to form
worldly children, where with great pretence of
holiness, and crafty colour of religion, they utterly
desire to hide and cloak the name of the world, as
though they were ashamed of their father ; which
do execrate and detest the world (being neverthe-
less their father) in words and outward signs, but

CONVOCATION OF THE CLEEGY. 87

in heart and work tliej coll and kiss liim, and in
all their lives declare themselves to be his babes ;
insomuch that in all worldly points they far pass
and surmount those that they call seculars, laymen,
men of the world. The child so diligently fol-
loweth the steps of his father, is never destitute of
the aid of his grandfather. These be our holy
holy men, that say they are dead to the world,
when no men be more lively in worldly things than
some of them be. But let them be in profession
and name most farthest from the world, most
alienate from it ; yea, so far, that they may seem
to have no occupying, no kindred, no affinity,
nothing to do w4th it : yet in their life and deeds
they shew themselves no bastards, but right be-
gotten children of the world; as that which the
world long sithens had by his dear wife Dame
Hypocrisy, and since hath brought them up and
multiplied to more than a good many ; increased
them too much, albeit they swear by all he-saints
and she-saints too, that they know not their father,
nor mother, neither the world, nor hypocrisy ; as

88 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

indeed they can semble and dissemble all things ;
which thing they might learn wonderful well of
their parents. I speak not of all religious men,
but of those that the world hath fast knit at his
girdle, even in the midst of their religion, that is,
of many and more than many. For I fear, lest in
all orders of men the better, I must say the
greater part of them be out of order, and children
of the world. Many of these might seem ingrate
and unkind children, that will no better acknow-
ledge and recognise their parents in words and
outward pretence, but abrenounce and cast them
oif, as though they hated them as dogs and ser-
pents. Howbeit they, in this wise, are most
grateful to their parents, because they be most like
them, so lively representing them in countenance
and conditions, that their parents seem in them to
be young again, forasmuch as they ever say one
thing and think another. They shew themselves
to be as sober, as temperate, as Curius the Roman
was, and live every day as though all their life
were a shroving time. They be like their parents,

I

CONVOCATION OF THE CLEEGY. 89

I say, inasmuch as they, in following them, seem
and make men believe they hate them. Thus
grandfather Devil, father "World, and mother
Hypocrisy, have brought them up. Thus good
obedient sons have borne away their parents'
commandments ; neither these be solitary, how
religious, how mocking, how monking, I would
say, soever they be.

O ye will lay this to my charge, that monachus
and solitarius signifieth all one. I grant this to
be so, yet these be so solitary that they be not
alone, but accompanied with great flocks of frater-
nities. And I marvel if there be not a great sort
of bishops and prelates, that are brethren germain
unto these ; and as a great sort, so even as right
born, and world's children by as good title as they.
But because I cannot speak of all, when I say
prelates, T understand bishops, abbots, priors,
archdeacons, deans, and other of such sort, that
are now called to this convocation, as I see, to en-
treat here of nothing but of such matters as both
appertain to the glory of Christ, and to the wealth

90 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

of the people of England. Which thing I pray
God they do as earnestly as they ought to do.
But it is to be feared lest, as light hath many her
children here, so the world hath sent some of his
whelps hither ; amongst the which I know there
can be no concord nor unity, albeit they be in one
place, in one congregation. I know there can be
no agreement between these two, as long as they
have minds so unlike, and so contrary affections,
judgments so utterly diverse in all points. But if
the children of this world be either more in
number, or more prudent than the children of
light, what then availeth us to have this convoca-
tion 1 Had it not been better we had not been
called together at all 1 For as the children of this
world be evil, so they breed and bring forth things
evil ; and yet there be more of them in all places,
or at the least they be more politic than the chil-
dren of light in their generation. And here I
speak of the generation whereby they do engender,
and not of that whereby they are engendered, be-
cause it should be too long to entreat how the

CONVOCATION" OP THE CLERGY. 91

children of light are engendered, and how they
come in at the door ; and how the children of the
world be engendered, and come in another way.
Howbeit, I think all you that be here were not
engendered after one generation, neither that ye
all came by your promotions after one manner :
God grant that ye. engendered worldly, do not en-
gender worldly : and as now I much pass not how
ye were engendered, or by w^hat means ye were
promoted to those dignities that ye now occupy, so
it be honest, good and profitable, that ye in this
your consultation shall do and engender.

The end of your convocation shall shew what
ye have done ; the fruit that shall come of your
consultation shall shew what generation ye be of.
For what have ye done hitherto, I pray you, these
seven years and more 1 What have ye engendered 1
What have ye brought forth 1 What fruit is come
of your long and great assembly'? What one
thing that the people of England hath been the
better of a hair ; or you yourselves, either more
accepted before God, or better discharged toward

92 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

the people committed unto your cure 1 For that
the people is better learned and taught now, than
they were in time past, to whether of these ought
we to attribute it, to your industry, or to the
providence of God, and the foreseeing of the king's
grace ! Ought we to thank you, or the king's high-
ness 1 Whether stirred other first, you the king,
that he might preach, or he you by his letters,
that ye should preach oftener? Is it unknown,
think you, how both ye and your curates were, in
[a] manner, by violence enforced to let books to be
made, not by you, but by profane and lay persons ;
to let them, I say, be sold abroad, and read for the
instruction of the people 1 I am bold with you,
but I speak Latin and not English, to the clergy,
not to the laity; I speak to you being present,
and not behind your backs. God is my witness, I
speak whatsoever is spoken of the good-will that I
bear you ; God is my witness, which knoweth my
heart, and compelleth me to say that I say.

Now, I pray you in God's name, what did you,
so great fathers, so many, so long a season, so oft

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 93

assembled together? What went you about?
What would ye have brought to pass 1 Two things
taken away — the one, that ye (which I heard)
burned a dead man : the other, that ye (which I
felt) went about to burn one being alive : him,
because he did, I cannot tell how, in his testament
withstand your profit ; in other points, as I have
heard, a very good man ; reported to be of an
honest life while he lived, full of good works, good
both to the clergy, and also to the laity : this other,
which truly never hurt any of you, ye would havo
raked in the coals, because he would not subscribe
to certain articles that took away the supremacy
of the king : — take away these two noble acts, and
there is nothing else left that ye went about, that
I know, saving that I now remember, that some-
what ye attempted against Erasmus, albeit as yet
nothing is come to light. Ye have oft sat in con-
sultation, but what have ye done ? Ye have had
many things in deliberation, but what one is put
forth, whereby either Christ is more glorified, or
else Christ's people made more holy 1 I appeal to

94 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

your own conscience. How chanced this ? How
came it thus ? Because there were no children of
light, no children of God amongst you, which,
setting the world at nought, would study to illus-
trate the glory of God, and thereby shew them-
selves children of light 1 I think not so, certainly
I think not so. God forbid, that all you, which
were gathered together under the pretence of light,
should be children of the world ! Then why
happened this? Why, I pray you? Perchance,
either because the children of the world were more
in number in this your congregation, as it oft
happeneth, or at the least of more policy than the
children of light in their generation : whereby it
might very soon be brought to pass, that these
were much more stronger in gendering the evil
than these in producing the good. The children of
light have policy, but it is like the policy of the
serpent, and is joined with doveish simplicity.
They engender nothing but simply, faithfully, and
plainly, even so doing all that they do. And
therefore they may with more facility be cum-

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 95

bered in their engendering, and be the more ready-
to take injuries. But the children of this world
have worldly policy, foxly craft, lion-like cruelty,
power to do hurt, more than either aspis or
hasiliscus, engendering and doing all things fraudu-
lently, deceitfully, guilefully : which as Nimrods
and such sturdy and stout hunters, being full of
simulation and dissimulation before the Lord,
deceive the children of light, and cumber them
easily. Hunters go not forth in every man's sight,
but do their affairs closely, and with use of guile
and deceit wax every day more craftier than
other.

The children of this, world be like crafty
hunters; they be misnamed children of light,
forasmuch as they so hate light, and so study to
do the works of darkness. If they were the
children of light, they would not love darkness.
It is no marvel that they go about to keep other
in darkness, seeing they be in darkness, from, top
to toe overwhelmed with darkness, darker than is
the darkness of hell. Wherefore it is well done in

96 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

all orders of men, but especial in the order of
prelates, to put a difference between children of
light and children of the world, because great
deceit ariseth in taking the one for the other.
Great imposture cometh, when they that the
common people take for the light, go about to take
the sun and the light out of the world. But these
be easily known, both by the diversity of minds,
and also their armours. For whereas the children
of light are thus minded, that they seek their
adversaries' health, wealth, and profit, with loss
of their own commodities, and ofttimes with
jeopardy of their life ; the children of the world,
contrariwise, have such stomachs, that they will
sooner see them dead that doth them good, than
sustain any loss of temporal things. The armour
of the children of light are, first, the word of God,
which they ever set forth, and with all diligence
put it abroad, that, as much as in them lieth, it
may bring forth fruit : after this, patience and
prayer, with the which in all adversities the Lord
comforteth them. Other things they commit to

CONVOCATION OF THE CLEEGY. 97

God, unto whom they leave all revengement. The

armour of the children of the world are, sometime

frauds and deceits, sometime lies and money : by

the first they make their dreams, their traditions ;

by the second they stablish and confirm their

dreams, be they never so absurd, never so against

scripture, honesty, or reason. And if any man

resist them, even with these weapons they procure

to slay him. Thus they bought Christ's death, the

very light itself, and obscured him after his death :

thus they buy every day the children of light, and

obscure them, and shall so do, until the world be at

an end. So that it may be ever true, that Christ

said : " The children of the world be wiser, &c."

These worldlings pull down the lively faith, and

full confidence that men have in Christ, and set up

another faith, another confidence, of their own

making : the children of light contrary. These

worldlings set little by such works as God hath

prepared for our salvation, but they extol traditions

and works of their own invention : the children of

light contrary. The worldlings, if they spy profit,
D— 8

98 SEEMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

gains, or lucre in any things be it never such a
trifle, be it never so pernicious, they preach it to
the people (if they preach at any time), and these
things they defend with tooth and nail. They can
scarce disallow the abuses of these, albeit they be
intolerable, lest in disallowing the abuse they lose
part of their profit. The children of the light
contrary, put all things in their degree, best
highest^ next next, the worst lowest. They extol
things necessary. Christian, and commanded of God.
They pull down will-works feigned by men, and
put them in their place. The abuses of all things
they earnestly rebuke. But yet these things be so
done on both parties, and so they both do gender,
that the ckildren of the world shew themselves
wiser than the children of light, and that frauds
and deceits, lies and money, seem evermore to have
the upper hand. I hold my peace ; I will not say
how fat feasts, and jolly banquets, be jolly instru-
ments to set forth worldly matters withal. Neither
the children of the world be only wiser than the
children of light, but are also some of them among

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 99

themselves much wiser than the other in their
generation. For albeit, as touching the end, the
generation of them all is one ; yet in this same
generation some of them have more craftily en-
gendered than the other of their fellows.

For what a thing was that, that once e very-
hundred year was brought forth in Rome of the
children of this world, and with how much policy
it was made, ye heard at Paul's Cross in the
beginning of the last parliament : how some
brought forth canonizations, some expectations,
some pluralities and unions, some tot-quots and
dispensations, some pardons, and these of wonder-
ful variety, some stationaries, some jubilaries, some
pocularies for drinkers, some manuaries for handlers
of relicks, some pedaries for pilgrims, some oscu-
laries for kissers ; some of them engendered one,
some other such fetures, and every one in that he
was delivered of, was excellent politic, wise ; yea,
so wise, that with their wisdom they had almost
made all the world fools.

But yet they that begot and brought forth that

100 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

our old ancient purgatory pick-purse ; that that
was swaged and cooled with a Franciscan's cowl,
put upon a dead man's back, to the fourth part of
his sins ; that that was utterly to be spoiled, and
of none other but of our most prudent lord Pope,
and of him as oft as him listed ; that satisfactory,
that missal, that scalary : they, I say, that were
the wise fathers and genitors of this purgatory,
were in my mind the wisest of all their generation,
and so far pass the children of light, and also the
rest of their company, that they both are but fools,
if ye compare them with these. It was a pleasant
fiction, and from the beginning so profitable to the
feigners of it, that almost, I dare boldly say, there
hath been no emperor that hath gotten more by
taxes and tallages of them that were alive, than
these, the very and right-begotten sons of the
world, got by dead men's tributes and gifts. If
there be some in England, that would this sweet-
ing of the world to be with no less policy kept still
than it was born and brought forth in Rome, who
then can accuse Christ of lying 1 No, no ; as it

CONVOCATION OP THE CLERGY. 101

hath been ever true, so it shall be, that the children
of the world be much wiser, not only in making
their things, but also in conserving them. I wot
not what it is, but somewhat it is I wot, that some
men be so loth to see the abuse of this monster,
purgatory, which abuse is more than abominable :
as who should say, there is none abuse in it, or else
as though there can be none in it. They may
seem heartily to love the old thing, that thus
earnestly endeavour them to restore him his old
name. They would not set an hair by the name,
but for the thing. They be not so ignorant (no,
they be crafty), but that they know if the name
come again, the thing will come after. Thereby it
ariseth, that some men make their cracks, that
they, maugre all men's heads, have found • pur-
gatory. I cannot tell what is found. This, to
pray for dead folks, this is not found, for it was
never lost. How can that be found that was not
lost 1 0 subtle finders, that can find things, if God
will, ere they be lost ! For that cowlish deliver-
ance, their scalary losings, their papal spoliations,

102 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

and other such their figments, they cannot find.
No, these be so lost, as they themselves grant, that
though they seek them never so diligently, yet they
shall not find them, except perchance they hope to
see them come in again with their names ; and
that then money-gathering may return again, and
deceit walk about the country, and so stablish
their kingdom in all kingdoms. But to what end
this chiding between the children of the world and
the children of light will come, only he knoweth
that once shall judge them both.

Now, to make haste and to come somewhat
nigher the end. Go ye to, good brethren and
fathers, for the love of God, go ye to ; and seeing
we are here assembled, let us do something where-
by we may be known to be the children of light.
Let us do somewhat, lest we, which hitherto have
been judged children of the world, seem even still
to be so. All men call us prelates : then, seeing
we be in council, let us so order ourselves, that we
be prelates in honour and dignity ; so we may be
prelates in holiness, benevolence, diligence, and

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 103

sincerity. All men know that we be here gathered^
and with most fervent desire they anheale, breathe,
and gape for the fruit of our convocation : as our
acts shall be, so they shall name us : so that now
it lietli in us, whether we will be called children of
the world, or children of light.

Wherefore lift up your heads, brethren, and look
about with your eyes, spy what things are to be
reformed in the church of England. Is it so hard,
is it so great a matter for you to see many abuses
in the clergy, many in the laity ? What is done
in the Arches ? Nothing to be amended 1 What
do they there 1 Do they evermore rid the people's
business and matters, or cumber and ruffle them ?
Do they evermore correct vice, or else defend it,
sometime being well corrected in other places ?
How many sentences be given there in time, as
they ought to be ? If men say truth, how many
without bribes? Or if all things be well done
there, what do men in bishops' Consistories ? Shall,
you often see the punishments assigned by the laws,
executed, or else money-redemptions used in their

104 SEEMON PREACHED BEPOEE THE

stead ?. How think you by the ceremonies that are
in England, oft-times, with no little offence of weak
•consciences, contemned ; more oftener with super-
stition so defiled, and so depraved, that you may
doubt whether it were better some of them to tarry
still, or utterly to take them away ? Have not our
forefathers complained of the ceremonies, of the
superstition, and estimation of them ]

Do ye see nothing in our holidays ? of the which
V'ery few were made at the first, and they to set
forth goodness, virtue, and honesty : but sithens,
in some places, there is neither mean nor measure
dn making new holidays, as who should say, this
-one thing is serving of God, to make this law, that
no man may work. But what doth the people on
these holidays 1 Do they give themselves to god-
liness, or else ungodliness? See ye nothing,
brethren? If you see not, yet God seeth. God
seeth all the whole holidays to be spent miserably
in drunkenness, in glossing, in strife, in envy, in
dancing, dicing, idleness, and gluttony. He seeth
all this, and threaleneth punishment for it. He

CONVOCATION OF THE CLEEGY. 105

seeth it, whicli neither is deceived in seeing, nor
deceiveth when he threateneth.

Thus men serve the devil ; for God is not thus
served, albeit ye say ye serve God. No, the devil
hath more service done unto him on one holiday,
than on many working days. Let all these abuses
be counted as nothing, who is he that is not sorry,.
to see in so many holidays rich and wealthy persons-
to flow in delicates, and men that live by their
travail, poor men, to lack necessary meat and drink
for their wives and their children, and that they
cannot labour upon the holidays, except they will
be cited, and brought before our Officials 1 Were
it not the office of good prelates to consult upon
these matters, and to seek some remedy for them 1
Ye shall see, my brethren, ye shall see once, what
will come of this our winking.

"What think ye of these images that are had
more than their fellows in reputation ; that are
gone unto with such labour and weariness of the
body, frequented with such our cost, sought out
and visited with such confidence ? What say ye

106 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

by these images, that are so famous, so noble, so
noted, being of them so many and so divers in
England? Do you think that this preferring of
picture to picture, image to image, is the right use,
and not rather the abuse, of images 1 But you will
say to me, "Why make ye all these interrogations 1
and why, in these your demands, do you let and
withdraw the good devotion of the people ? Be not
all things well done, that are done with good intent,
when they be profitable to us 1 So, surely, cove-
tousness both thinketh and speaketh. Were it not
better for us, more for estimation^ more meeter for
men in our places, to cut away a piece of this our
profit, if we will not cut away all, than to wink at
such ungodliness, and so • long to wink for a little
lucre ; specially if it be ungodliness, and also seem
unto you ungodliness 1 These be two things, so oft to
seek mere images, and sometime to visit the relicks
of saints. And yet, as in those there may be much
ungodliness committed, so there may here some
superstition be hid, if that sometime we chance to
visit pigs' bones instead of saints' relicks, as in

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 107

time past it hath chanced, I had almost said, in
England. Then this is too great a blindness, a
darkness too sensible, that these should be so com-
mended in sermons of some men, and preached to
be done after such manner, as though they could
not be evil done ; which, notwithstanding, are such,
that neither God nor man commandeth them to be
done. No, rather, men commanded them either
not to be done at all, or else more slowlier and
seldomer to be done, forasmuch as our ancestors
made this constitution : " We command the priests
that they oft admonish the people, and in especial
women, that they make no vows but after long
deliberation, consent of their husbands and counsel
of the priest." The church of England in time
past made this constitution. What saw they that
made this decree ? They saw the intolerable abuses
of images. They saw the perils that might ensue
of going on pilgrimage. They saw the superstitious
difference that men made between ima^e and image.
Surely, somewhat they saw. The constitution is
so made, that in manner it taketh away all such

108 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

pilgrimages. For it so plucketh away the abuse of
them, that it leaveth either none or else seldom use
of. them. For they that restrain making vows for
going of pilgrimage, restrain also pilgrimage ; see-
ing that for the most part it is seen that few go on
pilgrimage but vow-makers, and such as by promise
bind themselves to go. And when, I pray you,
should a man's wife go on pilgrimage, if she went
not before she had well debated the matter with
herself, and obtained the consent of her husband,
being a wise man, and were also counselled by a
learned priest so to do 1 When should she go far
off to these famous images 1 For this the common
people of England think to be going on pilgrimage ;
to go to some dead and notable image out of town,
that is to say, far from their house. Now if your
forefathers made this constitution, and yet thereby
did nothing, the abuses every day more and more
increased, what is left for you to do 1 Brethren
and fathers, if ye purpose to do any thing, what
should ye sooner do, than to take utterly away
these deceitful and juggling images ; or else, if ye

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 109

know any other mean to put away abuses, to shew
it, if ye intend to remove abuses? Methink it
should be grateful and pleasant to you to mark the
earnest mind of your forefathers, and to look upon
their desire where they say in their constitution,
"We command you," and not, "We counsel you."
How have we been so long a-cold, so long slack in
setting forth so wholesome a precept of the church
of England, where we be so hot in all things that
have any gains in them, albeit they be neither
commanded us, nor yet given us by counsel ; as
though we had lever the abuse of things should
tarry still than, it taken away, lose our profit 1 To
let pass the solemn and nocturnal bacchanals, the
prescript miracles^ that are done upon certain days
in the west part of England, who hath not heard %
I think ye have heard of St. Blesis's heart which
is at Malverne, and of St. Algar's bones, how long
they deluded the people : I am afraid, to the loss of
many souls. Whereby men may well conjecture,
that all about in this realm there is plenty of such
juggling deceits. And yet hitherto ye have sought

110 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

no remedy. But even still the miserable people
are suffered to take the false miracles for the true,
and to lie still asleep in all kind of superstition.
God have mercy upon us !

Last of all, how think you of matrimony ? Is
all well here 1 What of baptism 1 Shall we ever-
more in ministering of it speak Latin, and not in
English rather, that the people may know what is
said and done 'i

What think ye of these mass-priests, and of the
masses themselves 1 What say ye 1 Be all things
here so without abuses, that nothing ought to be
amended ? Your forefathers saw somewhat, which
made this constitution against the venality and
sale of masses, that, under pain of suspending, no
priest should sell his saying of tricennals or annals
What saw they, that made this constitution ^ What
priests saw they 1 What manner of masses saw
they, trow ye ? But at the last, what became of so
good a constitution 1 God have mercy upon us ! If
there be nothing to be amended abroad, concerning
the whole, let every one of us make one better : if

CONVOCATION OF THE CLEEGY, 111

there be neither abroad nor at home any thing to
be amended and redressed, my lords, be ye of good
cheer, be merry ; and at the least, because we have
nothing else to do, let us reason the matter how
we may be richer. Let us fall to some pleasant
communication ; after let us go home, even as
good as we came hither, that is, right-begotten
children of the world, and utterly worldlings.
And while we live here, let us all make bone cheer.
For after this life there is small pleasure, little
mirth for us to hope for ; if now there be nothing
to be changed in our fashions. Let us say, not as
St. Peter did, " Our end approacheth nigh, ' this is
an heavy hearing ; but let us say as the evil ser-
vant said, " It will be long ere my master come."
This is pleasant. Let us beat our fellows : let us
eat and drink with drunkards. Surely, as oft as
we do not take away the abuse of things, so oft we
beat our fellows. As oft as we give not the people
their true food, so oft we beat our fellows. As oft
as we let them die in superstition, so oft we beat
them. To be short, as oft as we blind lead them

112 SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE

blind, so oft we beat, and grievously beat our
fellows. When we welter in pleasures and idle-
ness, then we eat and drink with drunkards.
But God will come, God will come, he will not
tarry long away. He will come upon such a day
as we nothing look for him, and at such hour as we
know not. He will come and cut us in pieces.
He will reward us as he doth the hypocrites. He
will set us where wailing shall be, my brethren ;
where gnashing of teeth shall be, my brethren.
And let here be the end of our tragedy, if ye will.
These be the delicate dishes prepared for the
world's well-beloved children. These be the wafers
and junkets provided for worldly prelates — wailing
and gnashing of teeth. Can there be any mirth,
where these two courses last all the feast 1 Here
we laugh, there we shall weep. Our teeth make
merry here, ever dashing in delicates ; there we
shall be torn with teeth, and do nothing but gnash
and grind our own. To what end have we now
excelled other in policy ? What have we brought
forth at the last ? Ye see, brethren, what sorrow,

CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY. 113

what punishment is provided for you, if ye be
worldlings. If ye will not thus be vexed, be ye
not the children of the world. If ye will not be
the children of the world, be not stricken with the
love of worldly things ; lean not upon them. If
ye will not die eternally, live not worldly. Come,
go to ; leave the love of your profit ; study for the
glory and profit of Christ ; seek in your consul-
tations such things as pertain to Christ, and bring-
forth at the last somewhat that may please Christ.
Feed ye tenderly, with all diligence, the flock of
Christ. Preach truly the word of God. Love the
light, walk in the light, and so be ye the children
of light while ye are in this world, that ye may
shine in the world that is to come bright as the
sun, with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ;
to whom be all honour, praise, and glory. Amen.

114

A SERMON OF THE REVEREND FATHER MASTER
HUGH LATIMER, PREACHED IN THE SHROUDS

AT ST. Paul's church in London, on the

EIGHTEENTH DAY OF JANUARY, ANNO 1518.

Qiicecimque seripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. —
Rom. XV. 4.

" All things which are written, are written for
our erudition and knowledge. All things that are
written in God's book, in the Bible book, in the
book of the holy scripture, are written to be our
doctrine."

I told you in my first sermon, honourable
audience, that I purposed to declare unto you two
things. The one, what seed should be sown in
God's field, in God's plough land ; and the other,
who should be the sowers : that is to say, what
doctrine is to be taught in Christ's church and con-
gregation, and what men should be the teachers and
preachers of it. The first part I have told you in
the three sermons'past, in which I have assayed to

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 115

set forth my plough, to prove what I could do. And
now I shall tell you who be the ploughers : for God's
word is a seed to be sown in God's field, that is,
the faithful congregation, and the preacher is the
sower. And it is in the gospel : Exivit qui semhi-
at seminare semen suum ; " He that soweth, the
husbandman, the ploughman, went forth to sow
his seed." So that a preacher is resembled to a
ploughman, as it is in another place : Ifemo
admota aratro manu, et a tergo respiciens, aptics
est regno Dei. " No man that putteth his hand
to the plough, and looketh back, is apt for the
kingdom of God." That is to say, let no preacher
be negligent in doing his office. Albeit this is
one of the places that hath been racked, as I told
you of racking scriptures. And I have been one
of them myself that hath racked it, I cry God
mercy for it; and have been one of them that
have believed and expounded it against religious
persons that would forsake their order which thej'^
had professed, and would go out of their cloister :
whereas indeed it toucheth not monkery, nor

116 SERMON OP THE PLOUGH.

maketli any thing at all for any such matter ; but
it is directly spoken of diligent preaching of the
word of God.

For preaching of the gospel is one of God's
plough-works, and the preacher is one of God's
ploughmen. Ye may not be offended with my
similitude, in that I compare preaching to the
labour and work of ploughing, and the preacher
to a ploughman : ye may not be offended with this
my similitude ; for I have been slandered of some
persons for such things. It hath been said of me,
" Oh, Latimer ! nay, as for him, I will never
believe him while I live, nor never trust him ; for
he likened our blessed lady to a saffron-bag:" where
indeed I never used that similitude. But it was,
as I have said unto you before now, according to
that which Peter saw before in the spirit of
prophecy, and said, that there should come after
men ^;er quos via veritatis mcdedictis afficeretur ;
there should come fellows " by whom the way of
truth should be evil spoken of, and slandered."
But in case I had used this similitude, it had not

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 117

been to be reproved, but might have been without
reproach. For I might have said thus : as the
saffron-bag that hath been full of saffron, or hath
had saffron in it, doth ever after savour and smell
of the sweet saffron that it contained ; so our
blessed lady, which conceived and bare Christ in
her womb, did ever after resemble the manners
and virtues of that precious babe that she bare.
And what had our blessed lady been the worse for
this? or what dishonour was this to our blessed
lady 1 But as preachers must be wary and cir-
cumspect, that they give not any just occasion to
be slandered and ill spoken of by the hearers, so
must not the auditors be offended without cause.
For heaven is in the gospel likened to a mustard-
seed : it is compared also to a piece of leaven ; and
as Christ saith, that at the last day he will come
like a thief : and what dishonour is this to God ?
or what derogation is this to heaven? Ye may
not then, I say, be offended with my similitude,
for because I liken preaching to a ploughman's
labour, and a prelate to a ploughman. But now

118 SERMON OP THE PLOUGH.

you will ask me, whom I call a prelate 1 A prelate
is that man, whatsoever he be, that hath a flock
to be taught of him ; whosoever hath any spiritual
charge in the faithful congregation, and whosoever
he be that hath cure of souls. And well may the
preacher and the ploughman be likened together:
first, for their labour of all seasons of the year;
for there is no time of the year in which the plough-
man hath not some special work to do : as in my
country in Leicestershire, the ploughman hath a time
to set forth, and to assay his plough, and other times
for other necessary works to be done. And then
they also may be likened together for the diversity of
works and variety of offices that they have to do.
For as the ploughman first setteth forth his plough,
and then tilleth his land, and breaketh it in
furrows, and sometime ridgeth it up again; and
at another time harroweth it and clotteth it, and
sometime dungeth it and hedgeth it, diggeth it
and weedeth it, purgeth and maketh it clean : so
the prelate, the preacher, hath many diverse offices
to_do. He hath first a busy work to bring his

SERMON or THE PLOFGH. 119

parishioners to a right faith, as Paul calleth it,
and not a swerving faith ; but to a faith that
embraceth Christ, and trusteth to his merits ;
a lively faith, a justifying faith ; a faith that
maketh a man righteous, without respect of works :
as ye have it very well declared and set forth in
the Homily. He hath then a busy work, I say,
to bring his flock to a right^ faith, and then to
confirm them in the same faith : now casting them
down with the law, and with threatenings of God
for sin ; now ridging them up again with the
gospel, and with the promises of God's favour :
now weeding them, by telling them their faults,
and making them forsake sin ; now clotting them
by breaking their stony hearts, and by making
them supplehearted, and making them to have
hearts of flesh; that is, soft hearts, and apt for
doctrine to enter in : now teaching to know God
rightly, and to know their duty to God and their
neighbours : now exhorting them, when they know
their duty, that they do it, and be diligent in it ;
so that they have a continual work to do. Great is

120 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

their business, and therefore great should be their
liire. They have great labours, and therefore they
ought to have good livings, that they may com-
modiously feed their flock ; for the preaching of
the word of God unto the people is called meat :
scripture calleth it meat ; not strawberries, that
come but once a year, and tarry not long, but are
soon gone : but it is meat, it is no dainties. The
people must have meat that must be familiar and
continual, and daily given unto them to feed upon.
Many make a strawberry of it, ministering it but
once a year ; but such do not the office of good
prelates. For Christ saith, Quis putas est servus
prudens et Jidelis ? Qui dat cibuni in tempore.
"Who think you is a wise and faithful servant?
He that giveth meat in due time." So that he
must at all times convenient preach diligently :
therefore saith he, " Who trow ye is a faithful
servant ? " He speaketh it as though it were a
rare thing to find such a one, and as though he
should say, there be but a few of them to find in
the world. And how few of them there be

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 121

throughout this realm that give meat to their flock
as they should do, the Visitors can best tell. Too
few, too few ; the more is the pity, and never so
few as now.

By this, then, it appeareth that a prelate, or any
that hath cure of soul, must diligently and sub-
stantially work and labour. Therefore saith Paul
to Timothy, Qui episcopatum desiderat, hie bonuin
opus desiderat : " He that desireth to have the
office of a bishop, or a prelate, that man desireth a
good work." Then if it be a good work, it is
work ; ye can make but a work of it. It is God's
work, God's plough, and that plough God would
have still going. Such then as loiter and live idly,
are not good prelates, or ministers. And of such
as do not preach and teach, nor do their duties,
God saith by his prophet Jeremy, Maledictus qui
facit opus Dei fraudulenter ; " Cursed be the man
that doth the work of God fraudulently, guilefully
or deceitfully : " some books have it negligenter,
"negligently or slackly." How many such pre-
lates, how many such bishops. Lord, for thy mercy,

122 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

are there now in England ! And what shall we in
this case do 1 shall we company with them ] 0
Lord, for thy mercy ! shall wo not company with
them ? O Lord, whither shall we flee from them ?
But "cursed be he that doth the work of God
negligently or guilefully." A sore word for them
that are negligent in discharging their office, or
have done it fraudulently ; for that is the thing
that maketh the people ill.

But true |^it must be that Christ saith, MuUi
sunt vocatiy pauci vero electi: "Many are called,
but few are chosen.'' Here have I an occasion by
the way somewhat to say unto you ; yea, for the
place I alleged unto you before out of Jeremy, the
forty- eighth chapter. And it was spoken of a
spiritual work of God, a work that was com-
manded to be done ; and it was of shedding
blood, and of destroying the cities of Moab.
For, saith he, " Cursed be he that keepeth back
his sword from shedding of blood." As Saul,
when he kept back the sword from shedding of
blood at what time he was sent against Amaleck,

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 123^

was refused of God for being disobedient to God's
commandment, in that he spared Agag the king.
So that that place of the prophet was spoken of
them that went to the destruction of the cities of
Moab, among the which there was one called
Nebo, which was much reproved for idolatry,
superstition, pride, avarice, cruelty, tyranny, and
for hardness of heart ; and for these sins was
plagued of God and destroyed.
^ Now what shall we say of these rich citizens of
London 1 What shall I say of them 1 Shall I
call them proud men of London, malicious men of
London, merciless men of London? No, no, I
may not say so ; they will be offended with me
then. Yet must I speak. For is there not reigning
in London as much pride, as much covetousness,
as much cruelty, as much oppression, and as much
superstition, as was in Nebo ? Yes, I think, and
much more too. Therefore I say, repent, O Lon-
don ; repent, repent. Thou hearest thy faults told
thee, amend them, amend them. . I think, if Nebo
had had the preaching that thou hast, they would

124 SERMON OP THE PLOUGH.

have converted. And, you rulers and officers, be
wise and circumspect, look to your charge, and see
you do your duties ; and rather be glad to amend
your ill living than to be angry when you are
warned or told of your fault. What ado was there
made in London at a certain man, because he said,
(and indeed at that time on a just cause,) "Bur-
gesses !" quoth he, "nay. Butterflies." Lord, what
ado there was for tliat word ! And yet would God
they were no worse than butterflies ! Butterflies
do but their nature : the butterfly is not covetous,
is not gi-eedy, of other men's goods ; is not full
of envy and hatred, is not malicious, is not cruel,
is not merciless. The butterfly glorieth not in her
own deeds, nor preferreth the traditions of men
before God's word ; it committeth not idolatry,
nor worshippeth false gods. But London cannot
abide to be rebuked ; such is the nature of man.
If they be pricked, they will kick; if they be
rubbed on the gall, they will wince ; but yet they
will not amend their faults, they will not be ill
spoken of. But how shall I speak well of them ?

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 125

If you could be content to receive and follow the
word of God, and favour good preachers, if you
could bear to be told of your faults, if you could
amend when you hear of them, if you would be
glad to reform that is amiss ; if I might see any
such inclination in you, that you would leave to be
merciless, and begin to be charitable, I would then
hope well of you, I would then speak well of you.
But London was never so ill as it is now. In
times past men were full of pity and compassion,
but now there is no pity ; for in London their
brother shall die in the streets for cold, he shall
lie sick at the door between stock and stock, I
cannot tell what to call it, and perish there for
hunger : was there ever more unmercifulness in
Nebo ? I think not. In times past, when any
rich man died in London, they were wont to help
the poor scholars of the Universities with ex-
hibition. When any man died, they would be-
queath great sums of money toward the relief of
the poor. When I was a scholar in Cambridge
myself, I heard very good report of London, and

126 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

knew many that had relief of the rich men of Lon-
don : but now I can hear no such good report, and
yet I inquire of it, and hearken for it ; but now
charity is waxen cold, none helpeth the scholar,
nor yet the poor. And in those days, what did
they when they helped the scholars 1 Marry, they
maintained and gave them livings that were very
papists, and professed the pope's doctrine : and now
that the knowledge of God's word is brought to
light, and many earnestly study and labour to set it
forth, now almost no man helpeth to maintain them.
Oh London, London ! repent, repent ; for I
think God is more displeased with London than
ever he was with the city of Nebo. Repent
therefore, repent, London, and remember that the
same God liveth now that punished Nebo, even
the same God, and none other ; and he will punish
sin as well now as he did then : and he will
punish tiie iniquity of London, as well as he did
then of Nebo. Amend therefore. And ye that
be prelates, look well to your office, for right prel-
ating is busy labouring, and not lording. There-

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 127

fore preach and teach, and let your plough be
doing. Ye lords, I say, that live like loiterers,
look well to your office ; the plough is your office
and charge. If you live idle and loiter, you do
not your duty, you follow not your vocation : let
your plough therefore be going, and not cease, that
the ground may bring forth fruit.

But now methinketh I hear one say unto me :
Wot ye what you say 1 Is it a work 1 Is it a
labour 1 How then hath it happened that we have
had so many hundred years so many unpreaching
prelates, lording loiterers, and idle ministers 1 Ye
would have me here to make answer, and to show
cause thereof. Nay, this land is not for me to
plough ; it is too stony, too thorny, too hard for
me to plough. They have so many things that
make for them, so many things to lay for
themselves, that it is not for my weak team to
plough them. They have to lay for themselves
long customs, ceremonies and authority, placing
in parliament, and many things more. And
I fear me this land is not yet ripe to be

128 SEEMON OF THE PLOUGH.

ploughed : for, as the saying is, it lacketh
weathering : this gear lacketh weathering ; at least
way it is not for me to plough. For what shall I
look for among thorns, but pricking and scratch-
ing 1 What among stones, but stumbling 1 What
(I had almost said) among serpents, but stinging ?
But this much I dare say, that since lording and
loitering hath come up, preaching hath come
down, contrary to the apostles' times : for they
/ preached and lorded not, and now they lord and
, ,' preach not. For they that be lords will ill go to
plough : it is no meet ofl&ce for them ; it is
not seeming for their estate. Thus came up
lording loiterers : thus crept in unpreaching prel-
ates ; and so have they long continued. For how
many unlearned prelates have we now at this
day ! And no marvel : for if the ploughmen that
now be were made lords, they would clean give
over ploughing ; they would leave off their labour,
and fall to lording outright, and let the plough
stand : and then both ploughs not walking, no-
thing should be in the commonweal but hunger.

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 129

For ever since the prelates were made lords and
nobles, tbe plough standeth; there is no work
done, the people starve. They hawk, they hunt,
they card, they dice ; they pastime in their prel-
acies with gallant gentlemen, with their dancing
minions, and with their fresh companions, so that
ploughing is set aside : and by their lording and
loitering, preaching and ploughing is clean gone.
And thus if the ploughmen of the country were as
negligent in their office as prelates be, we should
not long live, for lack of sustenance. And as
it is necessary for to have this ploughing for the
sustentation of the body, so must we have also the
other for the satisfaction of the soul, or else we
cannot live long ghostly. For as the body wasteth
and consumeth away for lack of bodily meat, so
doth the soul pine away for default of ghostly
meat. But there be two kinds of inclosing, to let
or hinder both these kinds of ploughing : the
one is an inclosing to let or hinder the bodily
ploughing, and the other to let or hinder the
holiday-ploughing, the church-ploughing.

130 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

The bodily ploughing is taken in and inclosed
through singular commodity. For what man will
let go, or diminish his private commodity for a
commonwealth 1 And who will sustain any damage
for the respect of a public commodity? The other
plough also no man is diligent to set forward, nor
no man will hearken to it. But to hinder and let
it all men's ears are open ; yea, and a great "many of
this kind of ploughmen, which are very busy, and
would seem to be very good workmen. I fear me
some be rather mock-gospellers, than faithful plough-
men. I know many myself that profess the gospel,
and live nothing thereafter. I know them, and have
been conversant with some of them. I know them,
and (T speak it with a heavy heart) there is as little
charity and good living in them as in any other ;
according to that which Christ said in the gospel
to the great number of people that followed him, as
though they had had any earnest zeal to his doc-
trine, whereas indeed they had it not ; iV^on quia
vidistis signa, sed quia comedistis de panibus. "Ye
follow me," saith he, " not because ye have seen

SERMON OF THE. PLOUGH. 131

the signs and miracles that I have done; but
because ye have eaten the bread, and refreshed your
bodies, therefore you follow me." So that I
think many one now-a-days professeth the gospel
for the living's sake, not for the lov€ they bear to
God's word. But they that will be true ploughmen
must work faithfully for God's sake, for the edify-
ing of their brethren. And as diligently as tlie
husbandman plougheth for the sustentation of the
body, so diligently must the prelates and ministers
labour for the feeding of the soul : both the ploughs
must still be going, as most necessary for man.
And wherefore are magistrates ordained, but that
the tranquillity of the commonweal may be con-
firmed, limiting both ploughs 1

But now for the fault of unpreaching prelates,
methink I couid guess what might be said for ex-
cusing of them. They are so troubled with lordly
living, they be so placed in palaces, crouched in
courts, ruffling in their rents, dancing in their
dominions, burdened with ambassages, pampering
of their paunches, like a monk that maketh his

132 SEEMON OF THE PLOUGH.

jubilee ; munching in their mangers, and moiling
in their gay manors and mansions, and so troubled
with loitering in their lordships, that they cannot
attend it. They are otherwise occupied, some in
king's matters, some are ambassadors, some of the
privy council, some to furnish the court, some are
lords of the parliament, some are presidents, and
comptrollers of mints.

Well, well, is this their duty? Is this their office?
Is this their calling 'I Should we have ministers
of the church to be comptrollers of the mints 1 Is
this a meet office for a priest that hath cure of souls?
Is this his charge 1 I would here ask one question :
I would fain know who controlleth the devil at
home in his parish, while he controlleth the mint ?
If the apostles might not leave the office of preach-
ing to the deacons, shall one leave it for minting?
I cannot tell you ; but the saying is, that since
priests have been minters, money hath been worse
than it was before. And they say that the evilness
of money hath made all things dearer. And in
this behalf I must speak to England. " Hear, my

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 133

country, England," as Paul said in his first epistle
to the Corinthians, the sixth chapter ; for Paul was
no sitting bishop, but a walking and a preaching
bishop. But when he went from them, he left there
behind him the plough going still; for he wrote
unto them, and rebuked them for going to law,
and pleading their causes before heathen judges :
" Is there," said he, utterly among you no wise
man, to be an arbitrator in matters of judgment ?
What, not one of all that can judge between
brother and brother ; but one brother goeth to law
with another, and that under heathen judges'?
Gonstituite contemptos qui sunt in ecclesia, &c. Ap-
point them judges that are most abject and vile in the
congregation." Which he speaketh in rebuking
them ; " For," saith he, ad eruhescentiam vestram
dico — " I speak it to your shame." So, England^ I
speak it to thy shame : is there never a nobleman
to be a lord president, but it must be a prelate?
Is there never a wise man in the realm to be a
comptroller of the mint 1 I speak it to your shame.
I speak it to your shame. If there be never a

134 SERMON OF THE PIJOUGH.

wise man, make a water-bearer, a tinker, a cobbler,
a slave, a page, comptroller of the mint : make a
mean gentleman, a groom, a yeoman, or a poor
beggar, lord president.

Thus I speak, not that I would have it so ; but
"to your shame," if there be never a gentleman
meet nor able to be lord president. For why are
not the noblemen and young gentlemen of England
so brought up in knowledge of God, and in learn-
ing, that they may be able to execute offices in
the commonweal ? The king hath a great many of
wards, and I trow there is a Court of Wards :
why is there not a school for the wards, as well as
there is a Court for their lands? Why are they
not set in schools where they may learn 1 Or why
are they not sent to the universities, that they
may be able to serve the king when they come to
age? If the wards and young gentlemen were
well brought up in learning, and in the knowledge
of God, they would not when they come to age so
much give themselves to other vanities. And if
the nobility be well trained in godly learning, the

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 135

people would follow the same train. For truly,
such as the noblemen be, such will the people be.
And now, the only cause why noblemen be not
made lord presidents, is because they have not
been brought up in learning.

Therefore for the love of God appoint teachers
and schoolmasters, you that have charge of youth ;
and give the teachers stipends worthy their pains,
that they may bring them up in grammar, in
logic, in rhetoric, in philosophy, in the civil law,
and in that which I cannot leave unspoken of, the
word of God. Thanks be unto God, the nobility
otherwise is very well brought up in learning and
godliness, to the great joy and comfort of England ;
so that there is now good hope in the youth, that
we shall another day have a flourishing common-
weal, considering their godly education. Yea, and
there be already noblemen enough, though not so
many as I could wish, able to be lord presidents,
and wise men enough for the mint. And as
unmeet a thing it is for bishops to be lord presi-
dents, or priests to be minters, as it was for the

136 SERMON OP THE PLOUGH.

Corinthians to plead matters of variance before
heathen judges. It is also a slander to the noble-
men, as though they lacked wisdom and learning
to be able for such offices, or else were no men of
conscience, or else were not meet to be trusted, and
able for such offices. And a prelate hath a charge
and cure otherwise ; and therefore he cannot
discharge his duty and be a lord president too.
For a presidentship requireth a whole man ; and a
bishop cannot be two men. A bishop hath his
office, a flock to teach, to look unto ; and therefore
he cannot meddle with another office, which alone
requireth a whole man : he should therefore give
it over to whom it is meet, and labour in his own
business; as Paul writeth to the Thessalonians,
" Let every man do his own business, and follow
his calling." Let the priest preach, and the noble-
men handle the temporal matters. Moses was a
marvellous man, a good man : Moses was a
wonderful fellow, and did his duty, being a
married man : we lack such as Moses was. Well,
I would all men would look to their duty, as God

SEEMON OF THE PLOUGH. 137

hath called them, and then we should have a
flourishing christian commonweal.

And now I would ask a strange question : who
is the most diligentest bishop and prelate in all
England, that passeth all the rest in doing his
office I I can tell, for I know him who it is ; I
know him well. But now I think I see you
listening and hearkening that I should name him.
There is one that passeth all the other, and is the
most diligent prelate and preacher in all England.
And will ye know who it is ? T will tell you : it
is the devil. He is the most diligent preacher of
all other ; he is never out of his diocess ; he is
never from his cure ; ye shall never find him
unoccupied ; he is ever in his parish ; he keepeth
residence at all times ; ye shall never find him out
of the way, call for him when you will he is ever
at home ; the diligentest preacher in all the realm ;
he is ever at his plough : no lording nor loitering
can hinder him ; he is ever applying his business,
ye shall never find him idle, I warrant you. And
his office is to hinder religion, to maintain

188 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

superstition, to set up idolatry, to teach all kind of
popery. He is ready as he can be wished for to
set forth his plough ; to devise as many ways as
can be to deface and obscure God's glory. Where
the devil is resident, and hath his plough going,
there away with books, and up with candles;
away with bibles, and up with beads ; away with
the light of the gospel, and up with the light of
candles, yea, at noon-days. Where the devil is
resident, that he may prevail, up with all super-
stition and idolatry ; censing, painting of images,
candles, palms, ashes, holy water, and new service
of men's inventing ; as though man could invent a
better way to honour God with than God himself
hath appointed. Down with Christ's cross, up
with purgatory pickpurse, up with him, the popish
purgatory, I mean. Away with clothing the
naked, the poor and impotent ; up with decking of
images, and gay garnishing of stocks and stones :
up with man's traditions and his laws, down with
God's traditions and his most holy word. Down
with the old honour duo to God, and up with the

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 139

new god's honour. Let all things be done in
Latin : there must be nothing but Latin, not so
much as Memento, homo, ' quod cinis es, et in
cinerem reverteris : "Hemember, man^ that thou
art ashes, and into ashes thou shalt return : "
which be the words that the minister speaketh
unto the ignorant people, when he giveth them
ashes upon Ash- Wednesday ; but it must be
spoken in Latin : God's w^ord may in no wise be
translated into English, wiw ';.;;; , ; , ■ n ,7i!f)«(>;iJa
Oh that our prelates would be as diligent to sow
the corn of good doctrine, as Satan is to sow
cockle and darnel ! And this is the devilish
ploughing, the which worketh to have things in
Latin, and letteth the fruitful edification. But
here some man will say to me, What, sir, are ye so
privy of the devil's counsel, that ye know all this
to be true 1 Truly I know him too well, and have
obeyed him a little too much in condescending to
some follies; and I know him as other men do,
yea, that he is ever occupied, and ever busy in
following his plough. I know by St. Peter, which

140 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

saith of him, Sicut leo rugieiis circuit qucerens
quern devoret : " He goeth about like a roaring
lion, seeking whom he may devour." I would
have this text well viewed and examined, every
word of it : " Circuit," he goeth about in every
corner of his diocess ; he goeth on visitation daily,
he leaveth no place of his cure unvisited : he
walketh round about from place to place, and
ceaseth not. " jSicut leo^'' as a lion, that is,
strongly, boldly, and proudly ; stately and fiercely
with haughty looks, with his proud countenances,
with his stately braggings. '■^ Rugiens,'^ roaring;
for he letteth not slip any occasion to speak or to
roar out when he seeth his time. " (^wcerens," he
goeth about seeking, and not sleeping, as our
bishops do ; but he seeketh diligently, he search eth
diligently all corners, where as he may have his
prey. He roveth abroad in every place of his
diocess ; he standeth not still, he is never at rest^
but ever in hand with his plough, that it may go
forward. But there was never such a preacher in
England as he is. Who is able to tell his diligent

SERMON OP THE PLOUGH, 141

preaching, which every day, and every hour,
laboureth to sow cockle and darnel, that he may
bi'ing out of form, and out of estimation and room,
the institution of the Lord's supper, and Christ's
cross ? For there he lost his right ; for Christ
said, Nunc judicmm est mundi, princeps seculi
hujus ejicietur foras. Et sicut exaltavit Moses
serpentem in deserto, ita exaltari oiiortet Filium
honiinis. Et cum exaltatus fuero a terra, omnia
traham ad meipsum. " Now is the judgment of
this world, and the prince of this world shall be
cast out. And as Moses did lift up the serpent in
the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lift up.
And when I shall be lift up from the earth, I will
draw all things unto myself." For the devil was
disappointed of his purpose : for he thought all to
be his own ; and when he had once brought Christ
to the cross, he thought all cocksure. But there
lost he all reigning : for Christ said, Omnia
traham ad meipsum : "I will draw all things to
myself." He meaneth, drawing of man's soul to
salvation. And that he said he would do per

14i2l SERMON OP THE PLOUGH.

semetipsum, by his own self; not by any other
body's sacrifice. He meant by his own sacrifice
on the cross, where he offered himself for the
redemption of mankind ; and not the sacrifice of
the mass to be offered by another. For who can
offer him but himself? He was both the offerei'
and the offering. And this is the prick, this is
the Eiark at the which the devil shooteth, to
evacuate the cross of Christ, and to mingle the
institution of the Lord's supper; the which
although he cannot bring to pass, yet he goeth
about by his sleights and subtil means to frustrate
the same ; and these fifteen hundred years he hath
been a doer, only purposing to evacuate Christ's
death, and to make it of small efficacy and virtue.
For whereas Christ, according as the serpent was
lifted up in the wilderness, so would he himself be
exalted, that thereby as many as trusted in him
should have salvation ; but the devil would none
of that : they would have us saved by a daily
oblation propitiatory, by a sacrifice expiatory, or
remissory.

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 143

Now if I should preach in the country, among
the unlearned, I would tell what propitiatory,
expiatory, and remissory is ; but here is a learned
auditory : yet for them that be unlearned I will
expound it. Propitiatory, expiatory, remissory, or
satisfactory, for they signify all one thing in eflfect,
and is nothing else but a thing whereby to obtain
remission of sins, and to have salvation. And
this way the devil used to evacuate the death of
Christ, that we might have affiance in other things,
as in the sacrifice of the priest; whereas Christ
would have us to trust in his only sacrifice. So he
was, Agnus occisus ah origine mundi ; " The Lamb
that hath been slain from the beginning of the
world ; " and therefore he is called juge sacrificiurrbf
" a continual sacrifice ; " and not for the con-
tinuance of the mass, as the blanchers have
blanched it, and wrested it ; and as I myself did
once betake it. But Paul saith, per semetipsum
purgatio facta : " By himself," and by none other,
Christ " made purgation " and satisfaction for the
whole world.

144 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

Would Christ this word, " by himself," had
been better weighed and looked upon, and in
sanctijicationem, to make them holy ; for he is
juge sacrificium, " a continual sacrifice," in effect,
fruit, and operation ; that like as they, which
seeing the serpent hang up in the desert, were put
in remembrance of Christ's death, in whom as
many as believed were saved ; so all men that
trusted in the death of Christ shall be saved, as
well they that were before, as they that came
after. For he was a continual sacrifice, as I said,
in effect, fruit, operation, and virtue ; as though
he had from the beginning of the world, and con-
tinually should to the world's end, hang still on
the cross ; and he is as fresh hanging on the cross
now, to them that believe and trust in him, as
he was fifteen hundred years ago, when he was
crucified.

Then let us trust upon his only death, and look
for none other sacrifice propitiatory, than the same
bloody sacrifice, the lively sacrifice ; and not the
dry sacrifice, but a bloody sacrifice. For Christ

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 145

himself said, consummatum est : "It is perfectly
finished : I have taken at my Father's hand the
dispensation of redeeming mankind, I have wrought
man's redemption, and have despatched the matter."
Why then mingle ye him 1 Why do ye divide
him*? Why make you of him more sacrifices
than one 1 Paul saith, Pascha nostrum immolatus
est Christus : " Christ our passover is offered ; "
so that the thing is done, and Christ hath
done it semel^ once for all ; and it was a bloody
sacrifice, not a dry sacrifice. Why then, it
is not the mass that availeth or profiteth for the
quick and the dead.

Wo worth thee, O devil, wo v*^ortli thee, that
hast prevailed so far and so long ; that tast made
England to worship false gods, forsaking Christ
their Lord. Wo worth thee, devil, wo worth thee,
devil, and all thy angels. If Christ by his death
draweth all things to himself, and draweth all
men to salvation, and to heavenly bliss, that trust
in him ; then the priests at the mass, at the
popish mass^ I say, what can they draw, when

146 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

Christ draweth all, but lands and goods from the
right heirs ? The priests draw goods and riches,
benefices and promotions to themselves ; and such
as believed in their sacrifices they draw to the
devil. But Christ is he that draweth souls unto
him by his bloody sacrifice. What have we to do
then but epulari in Domino, to eat in the Lord at
his supper ? What other service have we to do
to him, and what other sacrifice have we to offer,
but the mortification of our flesh ? What other
oblation have we to make, but of obedience, of
good living, of good works, and of helping our
neighbours ? But as for our redemption, it is
done already, it cannot be better : Christ hath
done that thing so well, that it cannot be amended.
It cannot be devised how to make that any better
than he hath done it. But the devil, by the help
of that Italian bishop yonder, his chaplain, hath
laboured by all means that he might to frustrate
the death of Christ and the merits of his passion.
And they have devised for that pui-pose to make
us believe in other vain things by his pardons ; as

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 147

to have remission of sins for praying on hallowed
beads ; for drinking of the bakehouse bowl ; as a
canon of "Waltham Abbey once told me, that when-
soever they put their loaves of bread into the oven,
as many as drank of the pardon-bowl should have
pardon for drinking of it. A mad thing, to give
pardon to a bowl! Then to pope Alexander's
holy water, to hallowed bells, palms, candles,
ashes, and what not 1 And of these things, every
one hath taken away some part of Christ's sanctifi-
cation ; every one hath robbed some part of
Christ's passion and cross,, and hath mingled
Christ's death, and hath been made to be propitia-
tory and satisfactory, and to put away sin. Yea,
and Alexander's holy water yet at this day
remaineth in England, and is used for a remedy
against spirits and to chase away devils ; yea, and
I would this had been the worst. I would this
were the worst. But wo worth thee, O devil,
that has prevailed to evacuate Christ's cross, and
to mingle the Lord's supper. These be the
Italian bishop's devices, and the devil hath pricked

■148 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

at this mark to frustrate the cross of Christ : he
shot at this mark long before Christ came, he
shot at it four thousand years before Christ
hanged on the cross, or suffered his passion.

For the brasen serpent was set up in the wilder-
ness, to put men in remembrance of Christ's
coming ; that like as they which beheld the brasen
serpent were healed of their bodily diseases, so
they that looked spiritually upon Christ that was to
come, in him should be saved spiritually from the
devil. The serpent was set up in memory of
Christ to come ; but the devil found means to
steal away the memory of Christ's coming, and
brought the people to worship the serpent itself,
and to cense him, to honour him, and to offer to
him, to worship him, and to make an idol of him.
And this was done by the market-men that I told
you of. And the clerk of the market did it for
the lucre and advantage of his master, that thereby
his honour might increase ; for by Christ's death
he could have but small worldly advantage. And
BO even now so hath he certain blanchers belonging

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 149

to the market, to let and stop the light of the
gospel, and to hinder the king's proceedings in
setting forth the word and glory of God. And
when the king's majesty, with the advice of his
honourable council, goeth about to promote God's
word, and to set an order in matters of religion,
there shall not lack blanchers that will say, "As
for images, whereas they have used to be censed,
and to have candles offered unto to them, none be
so foolish to do it to the stock or stone, or to the
image itself; but it is done to God and his honour
before the image." And though they should abuse
it, these blanchers will be ready to whisper the
king in the ear, and to tell him, that this abuse is
but a small matter ; and that the same, with all
other like abuses in the church, may be reformed
easily. " It is but a little abuse," say they, " and
it may be easily amended. But it should not be
taken in hand at the first, for fear of trouble or
further inconveniences. The people will not bear
sudden alterations ; an insurrection may be made
after sudden mutation, which may be to the great

150 SEEMON OP THE PLOUGH.

harm and loss of the realm. Therefore all things
shall be well, bnt not out of hand, for fear of
f'lrther business." These be the blanchers, that
hitherto have stopped the word of God, and
hindered the true setting forth of the same. There
be so many put-ofFs, so many put-byes, so many
respects and considerations of worldly wisdom :
and I doubt not but there were blanchers in the
old time to whisper in the ear of good king
Hezekiah, for the maintenance of idolatry done to
the brasen serpent, as well as there hath been now
of late, and be now, that can blanch the abuse of
images, and other like things. But good king
Hezekiah would not be so blinded ; he was like to
Apollos, " fervent in spirit." He would give no
ear to the blanchers ; he was not moved with the
worldly respects, with these prudent considerations,
with these policies : he feared not insurrections of
the people : he feared not lest his people would
bear not the glory of God ; but he, without any of
these respects, or policies, or considerations, like a
good king, for God's sake and for conscience sake,

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 151

by and by plucked down the brasen serpent, and
destroyed it utterly, and beat it to powder. He
put of hand did cast out all images, he destroyed
all idolatry, and clearly did extirpate all super-
stition. He would not hear these blanchers and
worldly-wise men, but without delay followeth
God's cause, and destroyeth all idolatry out of
hand. Thus did good king Hezekiah ; for he was
like ApoUos, fervent in spirit, and diligent to
promote God's glory. > l- if>rriii.h>/

And good hope there is, that it shall be likewise
here in England ; for the king's majesty is so
brought up in knowledge, virtue, and godliness,
that it is not to be mistrusted but that we shall
have all things well, and that the glory of God
shall be spread abroad throughout all parts of the
realm, if the prelates will diligently apply their
plough, and be preachers rather than lords. But
our blanchers, which will be lords, and no labourers,
when they are commanded to go and be resident
upon their cures, and preach in their benefices, they
would say, " What 1 I have set a deputy there j I

152 SERMON OF THE PLOUGH.

have a deputy that looketh well to my flock,
and the which shall discharge my duty." " A
deputy," quoth he ! I looked for that word all
this while. And what a deputy must he be, trow
ye *? Even one like himself : he must be a canonist ;
that is to say, one that is brought up in the study
of the pope's laws and decrees ; one that will set
forth papistry as well as himself will do ; and one
that will maintain all superstition and idolatry ; and
one that will nothing at all, or else very weakly,
resist the devil's plough : yea, happy it is if he take
no part with the devil ; and where he should be an
enemy to him, it is well if he take not the devil's
part against Christ.

But in the meantime the prelates take their
pleasures. They are lords, and no labourers : but
the devil is diligent at his plough. He is no un-
preaching prelate : he is no lordly loiterer from his
cure, but a busy ploughman ; so that among all the
prelates, and among all the pack of them that have
cure, the devil shall go for my money, for he still
applieth his business. Therefore, ye unpreaching

SERMON OF THE PLOUGH. 153

prelates, learn of the devil : to be diligent in doing
of your office, learn of the devil : and if you will
not learn of God, nor good men, for shame learn of
the devil ; ad erubescentiam vestrum dico, " I speak
it for your shame : " if you will not learn of God,
nor good men, to be diligent in your office, learn of
the devil. Howbeit there is now very good hope
that the king's majesty, being of the help of good
governance of his most honourable counsellors
trained and brought up in learning, and knowledge
of God's word, will shortly provide a remedy, and
set an order herein ; which thing that it may so be,
let us pray for him. Pray for him, good people ;
pray for him. Ye have great cause and need to
pray for him.

154 PARABLE OF A KING

A SERMON" ON THE PAEABLE OF A KING
THAT MARRIED HIS SON, MADE BY MASTER
LATBIER.

Matthew XXII. [2, 3.]
Simile factum est regnum coelonim homini regi qui fecit nuptias

flio suo.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which
married his son, and sent forth his servants to call
them that, &c.

This is a gospel that containetli very much matter ;
and there is another like unto this in the fourteenth
of Luke : but they be both one in effect, for they
teach both one thing ; and therefore I will take
them both in hand together, because they tend to
one purpose. Matthew saith, " The kingdom of
heaven is like unto a certain king, which married
his son ; " Luke saith, " A certain man ordained a
great supper : " but there is no difference in the
very substance of the matter, for they pertain to
one purpose. Here is made mention of a feast-
maker : therefore we must consider who was the
feast-maker : secondarily, who was his son : thirdly,

THAT MAREIED HIS SON. 155

we must consider to whom lie was married : fourthly,
who were they that called the guests : fifthly, who
were the guests. And then we must know how
the guest-callers behaved themselves : and then,
how the guests behaved themselves towards them
that called them. When all these circumstances
be considered, we shall find much good matters
covered and hid in this gospel.

Now that I may so handle these matters, that it
may turn to the edification of your souls, and to
the discharge of my office, I will most instantly
desire you to lift up your hearts unto God, and
desire his divine Majesty, in the name of his only-
begotten Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, that he
will give unto us his Holy Ghost : — unto me, that
I may speak the word of God, and teach you to
understand the same ; unto you, that you may hear
it fruitfully, to the edification of your souls ; so
that you may be edified through it, and your lives
reformed and amended ; and that his honour and
glory may increase daily amongst us. Wherefore
I shall desire you to say with me, " Our Father," <fec.

156 PARABLE OF A KING

Dearly beloved in the Lord, the gospel that is
read this day is a parable, a similitude or com-
parison. For our Saviour compared the kingdom
of God unto a man that made a marriage for his
son. And here was a marriage. At a marriage,
you know, there is commonly great feastings. Now
you must know who was this feast-maker, and who
was his son, and to whom he was married ; and
who were those that should be called, and who
were the callers ; how thoy behaved themselves, and
how the guests behaved themselves towards them
that called them.

Now this marriage-maker, or feast-maker, is
Almighty God. Luke the Evangelist calleth him
a man, saying, " A certain man ordained a great
supper." He calleth him a man, not that he was
incarnate, or hath taken our flesh upon him : no,
not so ; for you must understand that there be
three Persons in the Deity, God the Father, God
the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. And these
three Persons decked the Son with manhood ; so
that neither the Father, neither the Holy Ghost,

' THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 157

took flesh upon them, but only the Son ; he took
our flesh upon him, taking it of the Virgin Mary.
But Luke called God the Father a man, not
because he took flesh upon him, but only compared
him unto a man ; not that he will affirm him to be
a man. Who was he now that was married 1 Who
was the bridegroom ? Marry, that was our Saviour
Jesus Christ, the second person in the Deity ; the
eternal Son of God. Who should be his spouse 1
To whom was he married 1 To his church and
congregation : for he would have all the world to
come unto him, and to be married unto him : but
we see by daily experience that the most part
refuse his ofier. But here is shewed the state of
the church of God : for this marriage, this feast,
was begun at the beginning of the world, and
shall endure to the end of the same : yet for all
that, the most part refused it : for at the very
beginning of the world, ever the most part refused
to come. And so it appeareth at this time, how
little a number cometh to this wedding and feast :
though we have callers, yet there be but few of

158 PARABLE OF A KING

those that come. So ye hear that God is the feast-
maker ; the bridegroom is Christ, his Son, our
Savioui' ; the bride is the congregation.

Now what manner of meat was prepared at this
great feast 1 For ye know it is commonly seen,
that at a marriage the finest meat is prepared that
can be gotten. What was the chiefest dish at this
great banquet 1 What was the feast-dish 1 Marry,
it was the bridegroom himself : for the Father, the
feast-maker, prepared none other manner of meat
for the guests, but the body and blood of his own
natural Son. And tliis is the chiefest dish at this
banquet ; which truly is a marvellous thing, that
the Father ofiereth his Son to be eaten. Verily,
I think that no man hath heard the like. And
truly there was never such kind of feasting as
this is, where the Father will have his Son to
be eaten, and his blood to be drunk.

We read in a story, that a certain man had
eaten his son ; but it was done unawares : he
knew not that it was his son, else no doubt he
would not have eaten him. The story is this :

I

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 159

There was a king named Astyages, which had
heard by a prophecy, that one Cyrus should have
the rule and dominion over his realm after his de-
parture ; which thing troubled the said king very
sore, and therefore [he] sought all the ways and
means how to get the said Cyrus out of the way ;
how to kill him, so that he should not be king
after him. Now he had a nobleman in his house,
named Harpagus, whom he appointed to destroy
the said Cyrus : but howsoever the matter went,
Cyrus was preserved and kept alive, contrary to
the king's mind. Which thing when Astyages
heard, what doth he ] This he did : Harpagus,
that nobleman which was put in trust to kill
Cyrus, had a son in the court, whom the king com-
manded to be taken ; his head, hands, and feet to
be cut-off; and his body to be prepared, roasted, or
sodden, of the best manner as could be devised.
After that, he biddeth Harpagus to come and eat
with him, where there was jolly cheer ; one dish
coming after another. At length the king asked
him, " Sir, how liketh you your fare 1 " Harpagus

160 PARABLE OP A KING

thanketh the king, with much praising the king's
banquet. Now the king perceiving him to be
merrily disposed, commanded one of his servants to
bring in the head, hands, and feet of Harpagus's
son. When it was done, the king showed him
what manner of meat he had eaten, asking him
how it liketh him, Harpagus made answer, though
with an heavy heart, Quod regi placet, id 7nihi
quoque placet', "Whatsoever pleaseth the king,
that also pleaseth me." And here we have an en-
sample of a flatterer, or dissembler : for this Harp-
agus spake against his own heart and conscience.
Surely, I fear me, there be a great many of flat-
terers in our time also, which will not be ashamed
to speak against their own heart and consciences,
like as this Harpagus did ; which had, no doubt, a
heavy heart, and in his conscience the act of the
king misliked him, yet for all that, with his tongue
he praised the same. So I say, we read not in any
story, that at any time any father had eaten his
son willingly and wittingly ; and this Harpagus,
of whom I rehearsed the story, did it unawares.

THAT MAEEIED HIS SON. 161

But the Almighty God, which prepared this feast
for all the world, for all those that will come
unto it, he offerebh his only Son to be eaten, and his
blood to be drunken. Belike he loved his guests
well, because he did feed them with so costly a dish.
Again, our Saviour, the bridegroom, oiFereth
himself at his last supper, which he had with his
disciples, his body to be eaten, and his blood to be
drunk. And to the intent that it should be done
to our great comfort ; and then again to take away
all cruelty, irksomeness, and horribleness, he
sheweth unto us how we shall eat him, in what
manner and form ; namely, spiritually, to our great
comfort : so that whosoever eateth the mystical
bread, and drinketh the mystical Avine worthily,
according to the ordinance of Christ, he receiveth
surely the very body and blood of Christ spiritu-
ally, as it shall be most comfortable unto his soul.
He eateth with the mouth of his soul, and digesteth
with the stomach of his soul, the body of Christ.
And to be short : whosoever believeth in Christ,
putteth his hope, trust, and confidence in him, he
F— 8

162 PARABLE OF A KING

eateth and drinketh. him : for the spiritual eating
is the right eating to everlasting life ; not the cor-
poral eating, as the Capernaites understood it. For
that same corporal eating, on which they set their
minds, hath no commodities at all ; it is a spiritual
meat that feedeth our souls.

But I pray you, how much is this supper of
Christ regarded amongst us, where he himself ex-
hibiteth unto us his body and blood ? How much,
I say, is it regarded ? How many receive it with
the curate or minister ? O Lord, how blind and
dull are we to such things, which pertain to our
salvation ! But I pray you, wherefore was it or-
dained principally 1 Answer : it was ordained for
our help, to help our memory withal ; to put us in
mind of the great goodness of God, in redeeming
lis from everlasting death by the blood of our
Saviour Christ ; yea, and to signify unto us, that
his body and blood is our meat and drink for our
souls, to feed them to everlasting life. If we were
now so perfect as we ought to be, we should not
have need of it : but to help our imperfectness it

THAT MAERIED HIS SON. 163

was ordained of Christ; for we be so forgetful,
when we be not pricked forward, we have soon for-
gotten all his benefits. Therefore to the intent
that we might better keep it in memory, and to
remedy this our slothfulness, our Saviour hath
ordained this his supper for us, whereby we should
remember his great goodness, his bitter passion and
death, and so strengthen our faith : so that he in-
stituted this supper for our sake, to make us to
keep in fresh memory his inestimable benefits.
But, as I said before, it is in a manner nothing
regarded amongst us : we care not for it ; we will
not come unto it. How many be there, think ye,
which regard this supper of the Lord as much as a
testoon 1 But very few, no doubt of it : and I will
prove that they regard it not so much. If there
were a proclamation made in this town, that who-
soever would come unto the church at such an hour,
and there go to the communion with the curate,
should have a testoon ; when such a proclamation
were made, I think, truly, all the town would come
and celebrate the communion to get a testoon : but

164 PARABLE OF A KING

tliey will not come to receive the body and blood of
Christ, the food and nourishment of their souls, to
the augmentation and strength of their faith ! Do
they not more regard now a testoon than Christ 1
But the cause which letteth us from celebrating of
the Lord's Supper, is this : we have no mind nor
purpose to leave sin and wickedness, which maketh
us not to come to this supper, because we be not
ready nor meet to receive it. But I require you in
God's behalf, leave your wickedness, that ^e may
receive it worthily, according to his institution.
For this supper is ordained, as I told you before,
for our sake, to our profits and commodities : for if
we were perfect, we should not need this outward
sacrament ; but our Saviour, knowing our weakness
and forgetfulness, ordained this supper to the
augmentation of our faith, and to put us in remem-
brance of his benefits. But we will not come:
there come no more at once, but such as give the
holy loaves from house to house ; which follow
rather the custom than any thing else. Our
Saviour Chiist saith in the gospel of St. John,

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 165

Ego sum panis vivus, qui de ccelo descendi ; " I am
the living bread which came down from heaven."
Therefore whosoever feedeth of our Saviour Christ,
he shall not perish ; death shall not prevail against
him : his soul shall depart out of his body, yet
death shall not get the victory over him ; he shall
not be damned. He that cometh to that marriage,
to that banquet, death shall be unto him but an en-
trance or a door to everlasting life. Panis quern
ego daho caro mea est ; " The bread that I will give
is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the
world." As many as will feed upon him, shall
attain to everlasting life : they shall never die ; they
shall prevail against death ; death shall not hurt
them, because he hath lost his strength. If we
would consider this, no doubt we would be more
desirous to come to the communion than we be ; we
would not be so cold ; we would be content to leave
our naughty living, and come to the Lord's table.

Now ye have heard what shall be the chiefest
dish at this marriage, namely, the body and blood
of Clirist. But now there be other dishes, which

166 PARABLE OF A KING

be sequels or hangings-on, wherewith the chief dish
is powdered : that is, remission of sins ; also the
Holy Ghost, which ruleth and governeth our hearts;
also the merits of Christ, which are made ours.
For when we feed upon this dish worthily, then we
shall have remission of our sins ; we shall receive
the Holy Ghost. Moreover, all the merits of
Christ are ours ; his fulfilling of the law is ours ; and
so we be justified before God, and finally attain to
everlasting life. As many, therefore, as feed
worthily of this dish, shall have all these things
with it, and in the end everlasting life. St. Paul
saith, Qui proprio Filio suo non pepercit, sed pro
nobis omnibus tradidit ilium, quomodo non etiani
cum illo omnia nobis donabit .? " He which spared
not his own Son, but gave him for us all, how shall
he not with him give us all things also 1 " There-
fore they that be in Christ are partakers of all his
merits and benefits ; of everlasting life, and of all
felicity. He that hath Christ hath all things that
are Christ's. He is our preservation from dam-
nation ; he is our comfort ; he is our help, our

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 167

remedy. When we feed upon him. then we shall
have remission of our sins : the same remission of
sins is the greatest and most comfortable thing that
can be in the world. O what a comfortable thing
is this, when Christ saith, Remittuntur tibi 2)eccata,
" Thy sins are forgiven unto thee ! " And this is a
standing sentence ; it was not spoken only to the
same one man, but it is a general proclamation unto
all us : all and every one that believeth in him
shall have forgiveness of their sins. And this
proclamation is cried out daily by his ministers and
preachers ; which proclamation is the word of grace,
the word of comfort and consolation. For like as
sin is the most fearful and the most horriblest thing
in heaven and in earth, so the most comiortablest
thing is the remedy against sin ; which remedy is
declared and offered unto us in this word of grace -.
and the power to distribute this remedy against
sins he hath given unto his ministers, which be
God's treasurers, distributers of the word of God.
For now he speaketh by me, he calleth you to this
wedding by me, being but a poor man ; yet he hath

168 PARABLE OF A KING

sent me to call you. And though he be the author
of the word, yet he will have men to be called
through his ministers to that word. Therefore let
us give credit unto the minister, when he speaketh
God's word : yea, rather let us credit God when he
speaketh by his ministers, and offereth us remission
of our sins by his word. For there is no sin so
great in this world, but it is pardonable as long as
we be in this world, and call for mercy : for here is
the time of mercy ; here we may come to forgive-
ness of our sins. But if we once die in our sins and
wickedness, so that we be damned, let us not look
for remission afterwards : for the state after this
life is unchangeable. But as long as we be here, we
may cry for mercy. Therefore let us not despair :
let us amend our lives, and cry unto God for forgive-
ness of our sins ; and then no doubt we shall obtain
remission, if we call with a faithful heart upon him,
for so he hath promised unto us in his most holy word.
The holy scripture maketh mention of a sin
against the Holy Ghost, which sin cannot be
forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to

THA'i' MARRIED HIS SON. 169

come. And this makefch many men unquiet in
their hearts and consciences ; for some there be
which ever be afraid, lest they have committed
that same sin against the Holy Ghost, which is
irremissible. Therefore some say, "I cannot tell
whether I have sinned against the Holy Ghost or
not : if I have committed that sin, I know I shall
be damned." But I tell you what ye shall do :
despair not of the mercy of God, for it is im-
measurable. I cannot deny but that there is a
sin against the Holy Ghost, which is irremissible :
but we cannot judge of it aforehand, we cannot
tell which man hath committed that sin or not, as
long as he is alive ; but when he is once gone,
then I can judge whether he sinned against the
Holy Ghost or not. As now I can judge that
Nero, Saul, and Judas, and such like, that died in
sins and wickedness, did commit this sin against
the Holy Ghost : for they were wicked, and
continued in their wickedness still to the very
end ; they made an end in their wickedness.
But we cannot judge whether one of us sin

170 PARAKLE OF A KING

this sin against the Holy Ghost, or not ; for
though a man be wicked at this time, yet
he may repent, and leave his wickedness to-
morrow, and so not commit that sin against
the Holy Ghost. Our Saviour Christ pro-
nounced against the scribes and Pharisees, that
they had committed that sin against the Holy
Ghost ; because he knew their hearts, he knew
they would still abide in their wickedness to the
very end of their lives. But we cannot pronounce
this sentence against any man, for we know not
the hearts of men : he that sinneth now, perad-
venture shall be turned to-morrow, and leave his
sins, and so be saved. Further, the promises of
our Saviour Christ are general ; they pertain to all
mankind : he made a general proclamation, saying,
Qui credit in me, hahet vitam ceternam ; *' Whoso-
ever believeth in me hath everlasting life." Like-
wise St. Paul saith, Gratia exsuperat supra pecca-
turn; "The grace and mercies of God exceedeth
far our sins." Therefore let us ever think and
believe that the grace of God, his mercy and good- o

THAT MABE.IED HIS SON. 171

ness, exceedeth our sins. Also consider what Christ
saith with his own mouth : Venite ad me, omnes qui
laboratis, dec. " Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are laden, and I will ease you." Mark, here
he saith, "Come all ye : " wherefore then should
any body despair, or shut out himself from these
promises of Christ, which be general, and pertain
to the whole world? For he saith, "Come all
unto me." And then again he saith, RefociUaho
vos, " I will refresh you : " you shall be eased
from the burdens of your sins. Therefore, as I
said before, he that is blasphemous, and obstinately
wicked, and abideth in his wickedness still to the
very end, he sinneth against the Holy Ghost ; as
St. Augustine, and all other godly writers do
affirm. But he that leaveth his wickedness and
sins, is content to amend his life, and then believing
in Christ, seeketh salvation and everlasting life by
him, no doubt that man or woman^ whosoever he
or they be, shall be saved : for they feed upon
Christ, upon that meat that G-od the Father, this
feast-maker, hath prepared for all his guests.

172 PARABLE OF A KING

You have heard now who is the maker of this
feast or banquet : and again, you have heard what
meat is prepared for the guests; what a costly
dish the house-father hath ordained at the wedding
of his son. But now ye know, that where there be
great dishes and delicate fare, there be commonly
prepared certain sauces, which shall give men a
great lust and appetite to their meats ; as mustard,
vinegar, and such like sauces. So this feast, this
costly dish, hath its sauces ; but what be they 1
Marry, the cross, affliction, tribulation, persecution,
and all manner of miseries : for, like as sauces
make lusty the stomach to receive meat, so
affliction stirreth up in us a desire to Christ.
For when we be in quietness, we are not
hungry, we care not for Christ : but when we
be in tribulation, and cast in prison, then we
have a desire to him ; then we learn to call
upon him ; then we hunger and thirst after him ;
then we are desirous to feed upon him. As long
as we be in health and prosperity, we care not for
him ; we be slothful, we have no stomach at all ;

THAT MARRIED HIS EON. 1^3

and therefore these sauces are very necessary for
us. We have a common saying amongst us,
when we see a fellow sturdy, lofty, and proud,
men say, " This is a saucy fellow ; " signifying him
to be a high-minded fellow, which taketh more
upon him than he ought to do, or his estate
requireth : which thing, no doubt, is naught and
ill ; for every one ought to behave himself accord-
ing unto his calling and estate. But he that will
be a christian man, that intendeth to come to
heaven, must be a saucy fellow ; he must be well
powdered with the sauce of affliction, and tribula-
tion ; not with proudness and stoutness, but with
miseries and calamities : for so it is written,
Omnes qui pie volunt vivere in Christo persecw-
tionem patientur ; " Whosoever will live godly in
Christ, he shall have persecution and miseries : "
he shall have sauce enough to his meat. Again,
our-. Saviour saitli, Qui vult meics esse discipulus,
ahneget semetipsum et tollat crucem suam et sequatur
me ; " He that will be my disciple must deny him-
self and take his cross upon him, and follow me."

174 PAEABLE OF A KING

Is there any man that will feed upon me, that will
cat my flesh and drink my blood ? Let him for-
sake himself. O this is a great matter ; this is a
biting thing, the denying of my own will ! As for
an ensample : I see a fair woman, and conceive in
my heart an ill appetite to commit lechery with
her ; I desire to fulfil my wanton lust with her.
Here is my appetite, my lust, my will : but what
must I do 1 Marry, I must deny myself, and
follow Christ. What is that? I must not
follow my own desire, but the will and pleasure of
Christ. Now what saith he? Non fornicaberis,
non aduUeraberis ; " Thou shalt not be a whore-
monger, thou shalt not be a wedlock-breaker."
Here I must deny myself, and my will, and give
place unto his will ; abhor and hate my own will.
Yea, and furthermore I must earnestly call upon
him, that he will give me grace to withstand my
own lust and appetite, in all manner of things
which may be against his will : as when a man
doth me wrong, taketh my living from me, or
hurteth me in my good name and fame, my will is

I

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 175

to avenge myself upon liim, to do liim a foul
turn again ; but what saith God 1 Mihi vindicta,
ego retribitam ; " Unto me belongeth vengeance, I
will recompense the same." Now here I must give
over my own will and pleasure, and obey his will :
this I must do, if I will feed upon him, if I will
come to heaven. But this is a bitter thing, a sour
sauce, a sharp sauce ; this sauce maketh a stomach :
for when I am injured or wronged, or am in
other tribulation, then I have a great desire for
him, to feed upon him, to be delivered from trouble,
and to attain to quietness and joy.

There is a learned man which hath a saying
which is most true : he saith, Plus crux quam
tranqidllitas invitat ad Christum; "The cross
and persecution bring us sooner to Christ than
prosperity and wealth/' Therefore St. Peter saith,
Humiliamini sub potenti manu Dei; " Humble
yourselves under the mighty hand of God." Look,
what God layeth upon you, bear it willingly and
humbly. But you will say, " I pray you, tell me
what is my cross % " Answer : This that God

176 PARABLE OP A ZING

layeth upon you, that same is your cross ; not that
which you of your own wilfulness lay upon your-
selves : as there was a certain sect which were
called riagellarii, which scourged themselVtes with
whips till the blood ran from their bodies ; this
was a cross, but it was not the cross of God. No,
no : he laid not that upon them, they did it of
their own head. Therefore look, what God layeth
upon me, that same is my cross, which I ought to
take in good part ; as when I fall in poverty, or in
miseries, I ought to be content withal ; when my
neighbour doth me wrong, taketh away my goods,
robbeth me of my good name and fame, T shall
bear it willingly, considering that it is God's cross,
and that nothing can be done against me without
his permission. There falleth never a sparrow to
the ground without his permission ; yea, not a hair
falleth from our head without his will. Seeing
then that there is nothing done without his will,
I ought to bear this cross which he layeth upon
me willingly, without any murmuring or grudging.
But I pray you, consider these words of St. Peter

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 177

well : Humiliamini sub potenti mamo Dei ;
" Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of
God." Here St. Peter signifieth unto us that God
is a mighty God, which can take away the cross
from us when it seemeth him good ; yea, and he
can send patience in the midst of all trouble and
miseries. St. Paul, that elect instrument of God,
shewed a reason wherefore God layeth afflictions
upon us, saying : Corripimur a Domino, ne cum
mundo condemnemur ; " We are chastened of the
Lord, lest we should be condemned with the world."
For you see by daily experience, that the most part
of wicked men are lucky in this world ; they bear
the swing, all things goeth after their minds ; for
God letteth them have their pleasures here. And
therefore this is a common saying, "The more
wicked, the more lucky:" but they that pertain to
God, that shall inherit everlasting life, they must go
to the pot; they must suffer here, according to that
scripture, Judicium a domo Dei incipit ; "The
judgment of God beginneth at the house of God."
Therefore it cometh of the goodness of God, when

178 PARABLE OF A KING

we be put to taste the sauce of tribulation : for he
doth it to a good end, namely, that we should n©t
be condemned with this wicked world. For these
sauces are very good for us ; for they make us more
hungiy and lusty to come to Christ and feed upon
him. And truly^ when it goetli well with us, we
forget Christ, our hearts and minds are not upon
him : therefore it is better to have affliction than
to be in prosperity. For there is a common saying,
Vexatio dat intellectum ; " Yexation giveth under-
standing." David, that excellent king and prophet,
saith, Bonum est inihi quod humiliasti me^ Domine :
" Lord," saith he, " it is good for me that thou hast
pulled down my stomach, that thou hast humbled
me." But I pray you, what sauce had David, how
was he humbled ? Truly thus : his own son defiled
his daughter. After that, Absalom, one other of
his sons, killed his own brother. And this was not
enough, but his own son rose up against him, and
traitorously cast him out of his kingdom, and defiled
his wives in the sight of all the people. Was not
he vexed 1 had he not sauces ? Yes, yes : yet for

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 179

all that he cried not out against God ; he mur-
mured not, but saith, Bonum est mihi quod humi-
liasti me ; " Lord, it is good for me that thou hast
humbled me, that thou hast brought me low."
Therefore when we be in trouble, let us be of Jgood
comfort, knowing that God doth it for the best.
But for all that, the devil, that old serpent, the
enemy of mankind, doth what he can day and night
to bring us this sauce, to cast us into persecution,
or other miseries : as it appeareth in the gospel of
Matthew, where our Saviour casting him out of a
man, seeing that he could do no more harm, he
desired Christ to give him leave to go into the
swine ; and so he casb them all into the sea.
Where it appeareth, that the devil studieth and
seeketh all manner of ways to hurt us, either in soul,
or else in body. But for all that, let us not despair,
but rather lift up our hearts unto God, desiring his
help and comfort ; and no doubt, when we do so, he
will help : he will either take away the calamities,
or else mitigate them, or at the leastwise send pa-
tience into our hearts, that we may bear it willingly.

180 PARABLE OF A KING

Now you know, at a great feast, when there is
made a delicate dinner, and the guests fare well, at
the end of the dinner they have bellaria, certain
subtleties, custards, sweet and delicate things : so
when we come to this dinner, to this wedding, and
feed upon Christ, and take his sauces which he
hath prepared for us, at the end cometh the sweet-
meat. What is that] Marry, remission of sins,
and everlasting life ; such joy, that no tongue can
express, nor heart can think, which God hath pre-
pared for all them that come to this dinner, and
feed upon his Son, and taste of his sauces. And
this is the end of this banquet. Tliis banquet, or
marriage-dinner, was made at the very beginning
of the world. God made this marriage in paradise,
and called the whole world unto it, saying. Semen
mulieris conteret caput serpentis ; *' The Seed of
the woman shall vanquish the head of the serpent."
This was the first calling ; and this calling stood
unto the faithful in as good stead as it doth unto
us, which have a more manifest calling. After-
ward Almighty God called again with these words.

THAT MARRIED HIS SOIST. 181

speaking to Abraham : Ego ero Deus tuus et seminis
tui post te ; " I will be thy God, and thy seed's
after thee." Now what is it to be our God? For-
sooth to be our defender, our comforter, our
deliverer, and helper. Who was Abraham's seed %
Even Christ the Son of God, he was Abraham's
seed : in him, and through him, all the world shall
be blessed ; all that believe in him, all that come
to this dinner, and feed upon him. After that, all
the prophets, their only intent was to call the
people to this wedding. Now after the time was
expired which God had appointed, he said, Venite,
parata sunt omnia; "Come, all things are ready."
But who are these callers ? The first was John
Baptist, which not only called with his mouth, but
also shewed with his finger that meat which God
had prepared for the whole world. He saith, Ucce
Agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi; " Lo, the
Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the
world." Also Christ himself called, saying, Venite
ad me, omnes qui laboratis ; " Come to me, all ye
that travail and labour, and I will refresh you."

182 PARABLE OF A KING

Likewise the apostles cried, and called all the
whole world ; as it is written, Exivit sonus eorum
per, universam terram ; "Their sound is gone
throughout all the world." But, I pray you, what
thanks had they for their calling, for their labour ?
Verily this : John Baptist w^as beheaded ; Christ
was crucified ; the apostles were killed ; this was
their reward for their labours. So all the preachers
shall look for none other reward : for no doubt
they must be sufierers, they must taste of these
sauces : their ofiice is, arguere munduTti de peccato,
" to rebuke the world of sin ; " which no doubt is a
thankless occupation. Ut audiant monies judida
Domini, "That the high hills," that is, great
princes and lords, "may hear the judgments of
the Lord : " they must spare no body ; they must
rebuke high and low, when they do amiss ; they
must strike them with the sword of God's word :
which no doubt is a thankless occupation ; yet it
must be done, for God will have it so.

There be many men, which be not so cruel as to
persecute or to kill the preachers of God's word ;

THAT MARRIED HIS SOIf. 183

but when tliey be called to feed upon Christ, to
come to this banquet, to leave their wicked livings,
then they begin to make their excuses; as it
appeared here in this, gospel, where " the first said,
I have bought a farm, and I must needs go and
see it; I pray thee have me excused. Another
said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to
prove them ; I pray thee have me excused. The
third said, I have married a wife, and therefore I
cannot come." And these were their excuses.
You must take heed that you mistake not this
text : for after the outward letter it seemeth as
though no husbandman, no buyer or seller, nor
married man shall enter the kingdom of God.
Therefore ye must take heed that ye understand
it aright. For to be a husbandman, to be a buyer
or seller, to be a married man, is a good thing,
and allowed of God : but the abuse of such things
is reproved. Husbandman, and married man,
every one in his calling, may use and do the works
of his calling. The husbandman may go to
plough; they may buy and sell; also, men may

1S4 PARABLE OF A KING

marry ; but they may not set their hearts upon it
The husbandman may not so apply his husbandry
to set aside the hearing of the word of God ; for
when he doth so, he sinneth damnably : for he
more regardeth his husbandry than God and his
word J he liath all lust and pleasure in his hus-
bandry, which pleasure is naught. As there be
many husbandmen which will not come to service ;
they make tlieir excuses that they have other
business : but this excusing is naught ; for com-
monly they go about wicked matters, and yet
they would excuse themselves, to make themselves
faultless ; or, at the least way, they will diminish
their faults, which thing itself is a great wicked-
ness ; to do wickedly, and then to defend that same
wickedness, to neglect and despise God's word, and
then to excuse such doings, like as these men do
here in this gospel. The husbandman saith, " I
have bought a farm ; therefore have me excused : the
other saith, I have bought five yoke of oxen ; I
pray thee have me excused : " Now when he
Cometh to the married man, that same fellow saith

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 185

not, " Have me excused," as the others say ; but
he only saith, " I cannot come." Where it is to be
noted, that the affections of carnal lusts and con-
cupiscence are the strongest above all the other : for
there be some men which set all their hearts upon vo-
luptuousness ; they regard nothing else, neither God
nor his word ; and therefore this married man saith,
" I cannot come ; " because his affections are more
strong and more vehement than the other men's were.
But what shall be their reward which refuse to
come? The house-father saith, "I say unto you,
that none of those men which were bidden shall
taste of my supper." With these words Christ
our Saviour teacheth us, that all those that love
better worldly things than God and his word shall
be shut out from his supper ; that is to say, from
everlasting joy and felicity : for it is a great matter
to despise God's word, or the minister of the same ;
for the office of preaching is the office of salvation ;
it hath warrants in scripture, it is grounded upon
God's word. St. Paul to the Romans maketh a
gradation of such- wise : Omnis quicunqite invo-

186 PARABLE OF A KING

caverit nomen Domini salvabitur: quomodo ergo
invocahunt in quern Tion crediderunt^ aut quomodo
credent ei quem no7i audieru7it ? that is to say," Who-
soever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be
saved : but how shall they call upon him, in whom
they believe not ? How shall they believe on him
of whom they have not heard 1 How shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they
preach, except they be sent 1 " At the length he
concludeth, saying. Fides ex auditu ; "Faith
Cometh by hearing." Where ye may perceive,
how necessary a thing it is to hear God's word,
and how needful a thing it is to have preachers,
which may teacli us the word of God : for by
hearing we must, come to faith ; through faith we
must be justified. And therefore Christ saith
himself. Qui credit in me, habet vitam ceternam;
" He that belie veth in me hath everlasting life."
When we hear God's word by the preacher, and
believe that same, then we shall be saved : for
St. Paul saith, Evangelium est potentia Dei ad
aalutem omni credenti ; " The gospel is the power

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 187

of God unto salvation to all that believe ; the
gospel preached is God's power to salvation of all
believers." This is a great commendation of this
ofl&ce of preaching : therefore we ought not to
despise it, or little regard it ; for it is God's instru-
ment, whereby he worketh faith in our hearts.
Our Saviour saith to Nicodeme, Nisi quis renatus
fuerit, *' Except a man be born anew, he cannot
see the kingdom of God." But how cometh this
regeneration? By hearing and believing of the
word of God : for so saith St. Peter, Renati non
ex semine mortali corruptihili ; "We are born
anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal, by the
word of God." Likewise Paul saith in another
place. Visum est Deo per stultitiam prcedicationis
salvos facer e credentes ; "It pleased God to save
the believers through the foolishness of preaching."
But, peradventure, you will say, "What, shall a
preacher teach foolishness ?" No, not so : the
preacher, when he is a right preacher, he preacheth
not foolishness, but he preacheth the word of God ;
but it is 'taken for foolishness, the world esteemeth

188 PARABLE OF A KINO

it for a trifle : but howsoever the world esteemeth
it, St. Paul saith that God will save his through it.
Here I might take occasion to inveigh against
those which little regard the office of preaching ;
which are wont to say, " What need we such
preachings every day 1 Have I not five wits 1 I
know as well what is good or ill, as he doth that
preacheth." But I tell thee, my friend, be not too
hasty ; for when thou hast nothing to follow but
thy five wits, thou shalt go to tlie devil with them.
David, that holy prophet, said not so : he trusted
not his five wits, but he said,. Zwcerna pedibus meis
verhum tuum, Domine ; "Lord, thy word is a
lantern unto my feet." Here we learn not to
despise the word of God, but highly to esteem it,
and reverently to hear it ; for the holy day is
ordained and appointed to none other thing, but
that we should at that day hear the word of God,
and exercise ourselves in all godliness. But there
be some which think that this day is ordained only
for feasting, drinking, or gaming, or such foolish-
ness j but they be much deceived : this day was

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 189

appointed of God that we should hear his word,
and learn his laws, and so serve him. But I dare
say the devil hath no days so much service as upon
Sundays or holy days ; which Sundays are ap-
pointed to preaching, and to hear God's most holy
word. Therefore God saith not only in his com-
mandments, that we shall abstain from working ;
but he saith, Sanctificabis , " Thou shalt hallow : "
so that holy day keeping is nothing else but to ab-
stain from good works, and to do better works ;
that is, to come together, and celebrate the Com-
munion together, and visit the sick bodies. These
are holy-day works ; and for that end God com-
manded us to abstain from bodily works, that we
might be more meet and apt to do those works
which he hath appointed unto us, namely, to feed
our souls with his word, to remember his benefits,
and to give him thanks, and to call upon him. So
that the holy-day may be called a marriage-day,
wherein we are married unto God ; which day is
very needful to be kept. The foolish common
people think it to be a belly-cheer day, and so they

190 PARABLE OF A KING

make it a surfeiting day : there is no wickedness,
no rebellion, no lechery, but she hath most com-
monly her beginning upon the holy-day.

We read a story in the fifteenth chapter of the
book of Numbers, that there was a fellow which
gathered sticks upon the sabbath-day ; he was a
despiser of God's ordinances and laws, like as they
that now-a-days go about other business, when they
should hear the word of God, and come to the
Common Prayer : which fellows truly have need of
sauce, to be made more lustier to come and feed
upon Christ than they be. Now Moses and the
people consulted with the Lord, what they should
do, how they should punish that fellow which had
so transgressed the sabbath-day. " He shall die,"
saith God : which thing is an ensample for us to
take heed, that we transgress not the law of the
sabbath-day. For though God punish us not by
and by, as this man was punished ; yet he is the
very self-same God that he was before, and will
punish one day, either here, or else in the other
world, where the punishment shall be everlasting.

THAT MARRIED HIS SON. 191

Likewise in the seventeenth chapter of the
prophet Jeremy God threateneth his fearful wrath
and anger unto those which do profane his sabbath-
day. Again, he promiseth his favour and all
prosperity to them that will keep the holy-days ;
saying, " Princes and kings shall go through
thy gates," that is to say. Thou shalt be in pros-
perity, in wealth, and great estimation amongst
thy neighbours. Again : "If ye will not keep my
sabbath-day, I will kindle a fire in your gates ; "
that is to say, I will destroy you, I will bring
you to nought, and burn your cities ^vith fire.
These words pertain as well unto us at this time,
as they pertained to them at their time : for God
hateth the disallowing of the sabbath as well now
as then ; for he is and remaineth still the old God :
he will have us to keep his sabbath, as well now as
then : for upon the sabbath-day God's seed-plough
goeth ; that is to say, the ministry of his word is
executed ; for the ministering of God's word is
God's plough. Now upon the Sundays God sendeth
his husbandmen to come and till : he sendeth his

192 PARABLE OF A KING.

callers to come and call to the wedding, to bid the
guests ; that is, all the world to come to that
supper. Therefore, for the reverence of God, con-
sider these things : consider who calleth, namely,
God ; consider again who be the guests ; all ye.
Therefore I call you in God's name, come to this
supper ; hallow the sabbath-day ; that is, do your
holy-day work, come to this supper ; for this day
was appointed of God to that end, that his word
should be taught and heard. Prefer not your own
business therefore before the hearing of the word
of God. Remember the story of that man which
gathered sticks upon the holy day, and was put to
death by the consent of God : where God shewed
himself not a cruel God, but he would give
warning unto the whole world by that man, that
all the world should keep holy his sabbath-day.

The almighty ever-living God give us grace to
live so in this miserable world, that we may at the
end come to the great sabbath-day, where there
shall be everlasting joy and gladness ! Amen.

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Miwtwi^x attractive."— Z'^i- Timei,

\

HIGH-CLASS MAGAZINE FOR LADIES.

The Womau's World. Edited hr

Oscar Wil»e. Illustrated. Monthly, is,

FOR ALL GIRLS AND BOYS.

^'lAttle Folks'' Magazine.

Enhri:ed. Mtnihly, 6d.
" At Hit kead »f English illustrated wa^aainM for •hiidrta k
U'i I'LE FOLKS."— 7-/4^ ^«/^«,

i'X'/^ EVERY CULTIVATED HOME.

The Magazine of Art. M*ntkiy, u.

"'( ' « ,jir; beauty of the ewyravinjf* aitad the «x«ell«»et ofih*

mini r - *^ carry it ini» every h«mc whti-e Art i* ftpiprMiAttd. "

FOR THE HOMES OF THE FEOFLM.

Casseirs Saturday JoumaL

Illustrated. Wfgkfy, id. Monthly, %d.
* Is the best and ehcApwi p»»»yw©rtk •f jMftukr litwuSir* %r»

0AS3ELL k 00MPANV,|jii^tMl^acM2 Unit »tt Gookulitrv.