The Second to Seventh Sermon to His Majesty, Sermon 3
¶The fourth Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latymer, whych he preached before the Kynge wythin hys graces Palayce at Westminster the .xxix. daye of Marche.
QVecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Al thinges that are wryten, are wrytten to be oure doctryne. The Parable that I toke to begyn wyth (most honorable audience) is written in the .xviii Chapter of S. Luke, and there is a certayne remnaunt of it behynd yet. The Parable is thys: There was a certayne Iudge in a cytye, that feared neyther God nor man.
And in the same cytye there was a wyddowe that requyred Iustyce at hys handes, but he woulde not heare hyr, but putte hyr of and delayed the matter.
In processe the Iudge seynge hyr importunitye, sayed, thoughe I feare neyther God nor manne, yet for the importunitye of the womann, I wyll heare hyr leaste she rayle vponupon me and moleste me wyth exclamations, and oute cryes I wyll heare hyr matter, I wyll make an ende of it.
Oure Sauyoure Chryste added more vntounto thys and sayed. Audite quid iudex dicat, et cetera. Heare you sayed Christe, what the wycked iudge sayed.
And shall not God reuenge hys eiecte, that crye vponupon hym daye and nyghte? Al though he tarye and dyfferre theym. I say vntounto you, he wil reuenge them and that shortelye. But when the sonne of man shall come, shall he fynd fayth in the earth.
That I maye hauehave grace so to open the remnaunte of thys parable that it maye be to the glorye of God, and edifyinge of youre soules, I shall desier you to praye. In the whyche prayer. &c.
I shewed you the laste daye. (mooste honourable Audience) the cause why oure Sauioure Christe, rather vsed the example of a wycked Iudge then of a good.
And the cause was for that in those dayes ther was greate plentye of wycked Iudges,Why Chryst vsed rather the example of a wycked Iudge, then of a good. so that he myghte borrowe an example amonge theym well ynoughe. For there was muche scarsitie of good Iudges. I did excuse the wyddowe also for cō mynge to the Iudge agaynste her aduersary, because she dyd it not of malice: she dyd it not for appetite of vengeance.
A brefe rehersal of thinges toched and spoken of, in hys thyrde sermon.And I tolde you that it was good and lawefull, for honest vertuose folke, for Goddes people, to vse the lawes of the realme, as an ordinari helpe against theyr aduersaryes, and oughte to take them as Godes holy ordinaunces, for the remedyes of theyr iniuryes and wronges. when they are distressed
So that they do it charitablye louyngelye, not of malyce, not vengeablye, not couetouslye.
I shulde hauehave tolde you here of a certayne secte of herytykes that speake agaynste thys order and doctryne,He meaneth ye Annabaptystes, for thys is one of their detestable & pernicyouse errores. they wyl hauehave no magystrates nor Iudges on the earthe.
Here I hauehave to tell you, what I hearde of late by the relation of a credible person, and a worshypful man, of a towne in thys realme of Englande,How busye ye Deuyll is to hinder ye word & sclaunder ye Gospel. that hathe aboue .v.C. herytykes of thys erroniouse opinion in it as he sayed. Oh so busy the Deuyll is nowe to hynder the woorde commynge oute, and to sclaunder the Gospell. A sure argumente and an euydent demonstration, that the lyght of Gods worde is a borde, and that thys is a true doctryne that we are taught now,The deuyl is busi sturring, is an euidente argument that this doctryne is true. else he woulde not tore and styrre aboute as he doeth whan he hathe the vpper hande. He wyl kepe hys possession quyetly as he dyd in the popyshe dayes, whan he bare a rule of supremacye in peaceable possession. If he reigned now in open relygion, in open doctryne as he dyd than, he woulde not styrre vppe erroniouse opynyons, he woulde hauehave kepte vsus wythout contencyon, wythoute dyssencion. There is no suche dyuersytie of opynions amonge the Turkes, nor amōg ye Iewes And why? For ther he raigneth peaceably in the hole relygyon, Christ sayth. Cum fortis armatus custodierit atrium: et cet. Whan the stronge armid man kepeth hys house, those thinges that he hath in possessyon, are in a quyetnes, he doeth enioye them peaceably. Sed cum fortior eo superuenerit. But whan a stronger than he commeth vponupon hym, whan the light of goddes word is ones reueled, thā he is busi, thē he rores then he fyskes abrode, and styrreth vp erronius opinions, to sclaūder godds word. And this is an argumente that we hauehave the true doctryne. I beseche God continewe vsus and kepe vsus in it. The deuyll declareth the same, and therfor he rores thus and goeth about to stir vp these wanton headdes and busye braynes. And wyll you knowe where thys towne is? I wyll not tell you dyrectlye. I wyll put you to muse a lyttle. I wyl vtter the matter by a cyrcumloqution. Wher is it? Wher the byshop of the dioces is an vnpreachynge prelate. Who is that? If there be but one suche in al England, it is easi to gesse. And if ther were no mo but one, yet it were to many by one. And yf there be moe, they hauehave the more to aunswere for, that they suffer in this Realme an vnpreachyng prealeatye vnrefourmed I remember wel what. S. Paule sayeth to a byshop. And thoughe he spake it to Timothe beynge a byshop, yet I may say it now to the magistrates for al is one …ase, al is one matter. Non cō municabis peccatis alienis. i. Timoth. vThou shalt not be partaker of other mennes faultes. Laye not thy handes rashely vponupon anye, be not hastye in makynge of curates, in receyuinge menne to hauehave cure of Soules that are not worthye of the offyce, that eyther, canne not or wyl not do theyr dutye. Do it not. Whye? Quia communicabis peccatis alienis. Thou shalt be partaker of other mennes sinnes. Now me thinke it nedes not to be partaker of other mennes synnes we shall fynd inough of oure owne. And what is Communicare peccatis alienis. To be partaker of other mē nes euils, if this be not, to make vnpreaching prealates, & to suffer them to continue stil in their vnpreachynge prelacye?
If the kynge and hys councel should suffer euil Iudges of this realme to take bribes, to defeate iustice & suffer the great, to ouer go the poore,Kynges and rulars muste wake and not wy…ke and leaue lokynge thorow theyr fyngers. & should loke through his fingers, & wynk at it, should not the king be partaker of theyr naughtynes? And why? Is he not supreme head of the churche? what? is the supremacye a dygnytye and nothyng else?A dygnity wyth a charge. is it not comptable? I thynke it wylbe a chargeable dygnitye whan accompte shalbe asked of it. Oh what a vauntage hath the Deuyll? what entrye hathe the wolfe whan the shepard tendeth not hys flocke, and leades theym not to good pasture? Saynt Paul doth say Qui bene presunt presbiteri duplici honore digni sunt. …. Timothe. vWhat is thys preesse. It is as muche to say as to take charge & cure of soules we say ille preest, he is sette ouer the flocke. He hath taken charge vppon hym. And what is, Bene preesse?To rule wel▪ what that is▪ To discharg the cure To rule well, to fede the flocke with pure foode, and good example of lyfe. Well then, Qui bene presunt duplici honore digni sunt. What is double honoureThey that dyscharge theyr cure wel, are worthy duble honor. What is thys duble honour? The first is to be reuerensed, to be had in estimacion and reputacion with the people, and to be regarded as good pastours. A nother honoure is, to hauehave al thynges necessarye for their state, mynystred vntounto theym. Thys is the double honour that they ought to hauehave. Qui presunt Bene, that discharge the cure if they do it Bene.
There was a merye moncke in Cambrydge in the Colledge that I was in,The merye monke of Cambryge. and it chanced a greate companye yf vsus to be together, entendynge to make good cheare, and to be merye (as sholers wyll be mery when they are disposed) One of the company brought out thys sentence. Nil melius quam lee ari et facere bene. There is nothynge better then to be merye and to do well. A vēgeaunce of that Bene (quod the Monke) I would that, Bene had bene banyshed beyonde the sea, and that Bene were oute, it were well. For I coulde be mery, and I coulde do, but I louelove not to do well That, Bene marres altogether. I woulde Bene were out quod the mery monke for it, importeth many thynges to lyue well, to dyscharge the cure. In dede it were better for them yf it were oute, And it were as good to be out as to be ordered as it is. It wyll be a heuy Bene. to some of them, when they shall come to theyr accōpt. But perauenture you wyll saye, What and they preache not at al? Yet, presunte. Are they not worthye double honoure? is it not an honorable ordre they be in? Nay an horrible misorder it is an horror rather then and honoure,Where the preacher doth not hys duty, ther the order is not honorable, but horryble. and horrible rather, then honourable, if the preacher be naughte, and do not hys dutye. And thus go these prelates aboute too wreastle for honoure that the Deuyll may take hys pleasure in sclaunderynge the realme, and that it maye be reported a borde that we brede, herisyes amonge oure selues. It is to be thoughte that some of them would hauehave it so,The entent of vnpreachyng prelates. to bryng in poperye agayne.
This I feare me is theyr entente, And it shalbe blowen abrode to oure holye father of Romes eares, and he shall sende forth hys thonderboltes vponupon these brutes, and al thys dothe come ta passe thorow theyr vnpreachynge prelacye.
Are they not worthye double honore? Nay rather double dyshonore, not to be regarded, not to be estemed amonge the people, and to hauehave no liuynge at their handes? For as good preachers be worthy double honour: so vnpreaching prelates be worthy double dishonoure.An argument of cōgruans. They must be at theyr doublets. But now these .ii dishonoures what be thei? Our sauiour christ doth shew. Si sal infatuatus fuerit ad nihil ultra valet nisi vt proiiciatur foras. Math. v.If the salte be vnsauarye it is good for nothinge, but to be cast out and troden of men. By thys salt? is vnderstande preachers, and such as hauehave cure of soules. What be they worthye then? wherfor serue thei? For nothing elles but to be caste oute. Make them quōdammes, out with thē cast them out of ther office, what shuld thei do with cure yt wil not loke to thē? An other dishonor is this Vt conculcentur ab hominibus. To be trodē vnderunder mēs fete, not to be regarded, not to be estemed They be at theyr doublets styl. S. Paule in hys epistle qualifieth a bishop, & saith that he must be Aptus ad docendum, ad refellendum apte. To teache and to confute all maner of false doctryne But what shall a man do wyth aptenes, if he do not vse it? It were as good for vsus to be wythout it.A Ayshop angrie with M. L. & why: because he wold hauehave ye Kyng make of vnprechyng prelates quondā mes, dominus regnauit A byshop came to me the laste daye, and was angry wyth me for a certayne Sermon that I made in thys place. Hys chaplayne hadde complayned agaynste me because I hade spoken agaynst vnpreachinge prelates.
Naye quod the byshoppe, he made so indifferente a Sermon the fyrst daye, that I thoughte he woulde marre all the seconde daye. He wyll hauehave euerye man a quondam as he is. As for my quondamshype I thancke God that he gaue me ye grace to come by it by so honeste a meanes as I dyd. I thanke hym for, myne owne quondamshyppe, and as for them I wyl not hauehave theym made quonndams, yf they dyscharge theyr offyce. I woulde hauehave theym do theyr dutye. I woulde hauehave no more quōdams as God healpe me. I owe theym no other malyce then thys, and that is none at al.The byshops answere to his chaplayn
Thys byshop answered hys chaplayne, wel (sayes he) well, I dyd wysely to daie, for as I was goynge to hys Sermon, I remembred me that I had neither sayed masse, nor mattens.A wyse answer of mayster byshop to his chaplayn. And homewarde I gate as faste as I coulde, and I thanke god I hauehave sayed both, and let hys vnfruteful Sermon alone. Unfruitefull sayeth one, an other sayeth sedicion. Wel, vnfruitefull is the beste, and whether it be vnfruitfull or no, I can not tell, it lyeth not in me to make it fruitful. And God worke not in your hartes: my preachynge can do you but lyttle good.Preachers ar Gods instrumen…es. I am goddes instrumēt but for a tyme. It is he that muste gyue the encrease, and yet preachyng is necessarye.
For take a waye preachinge, & take a way saluaciō. I tould you of Scala cely and I made it a preachynge matter, not a massyng matter. Christ is the preacher of al prachers, the patrone and the exemplar, that all preachers oughte to folowe. For it was he by whome the father of heauen sayde, Hic est filius meus dilectus, ipsum audite, Thys is my welbeloued sonne, heare hym, Euē he whē he was here on the earth, as wysely,Though Christe preachyd, yet hys sede fel into thre partes as learnedlye as circumspectli as he preached yet hys sede fell in thre partes so that the fourth parte onelye was fruiteful. And if he had no better lucke that was preacher of all preachers, what shall we loke for? Yet was ther no lacke in hym, but in the ground: And so nowe ther is no fault in preaching, the lacke is in the people that hauehave stoni hertes, and thorny hartes. I beseche God to amēd thē. And as for these folke that spake agaynst me I neuer loke to hauehave theyr good worde as longe as I lyue. Yet wyl I spake of their wickednes, as lōg as I shalbe permitted to spake As longe as I liue, I wilbe an enemye to it. No preachers can passe it ouer wyth sylence. It is the originall roote of all myschiefe. As for me I owe them no other yll wyl, but I praye God amende theym,He returneth to the Parable. when it pleaseth him. Now to the parable, What dyd the wycked Iudge in the ēde of the tale? The louelove of god moued him not, the lawe of god was thys, and it is writ in the fyrste of Deuteronomye, Audite eos. Heare them. These two wordes wylbe heauy wordes to wicked iudges another daye. But some of them peraduenture wyl say. I wil heare them, but I wil heare suche as wil geue brybes, and these that wyl do me good tournes. Nayeye, be hedged out of that libertie. He sayth: Ita paruum vt magnum. The smalle as well as the greate. Ye muste do iustum, deale Iustelye? mynister iustyce, and that to al mē,Iustice muste be ministered wtout delays. and you muste do it iuste. In tyme conueniente, wythoute anye delayes, or dryuyng of with expedycyon.
Well, I saye, neyther thys lawe, nor the woorde and commaundemente of God moued thys wycked Iudge,What moued, the wycked iudge to heare the cō playnte of the wydowe. nor the myserye of thys wyddowe, nor the vpryghteousnes of hyr cause, nor the wronge whyche shetoke, moued hym, but to auoyde importunytye, and clamoure, and exclamatyon, he gaue hyr the hearynge, he gaue hyr fynal sentence, and so she hadde hyr requeste.
Thys place of Iudgemente it hathe bene euer vnperfecte, it was neuer sene that all Iudges dyd theyr dutye,All iudges hauehave not done theyr dutye at all tymes. that they woulde heare the small as well as the greate. I wyll not proue thys by the wytnes of anye priuate magistrate, but by the wyseste Kynges sayinge that euer was. Vibi subsole (sayth Salomō) In loco iusticie, impietatem, et in loco equitatis iniquitatem. The lacke of minystracyon of Iustice what Salomon dyd se in hys tyme in Iudges.I hauehave sene vnderunder the sunne, that is to saye, ouer all, in euerye place where ryght iudgement shoulde hauehave bene, wickednes, as who would saye brybes takinge, defeatinge of iustice, oppressyng of ye poore. Men sente away with wepynge teares, wythout anye hearynge of their causes, and in the place of equitye sayth he: I hauehave sene iniquitie. No equitie. No iustice a sore worde for Salomon to pronounce vniuersallye, gene. rallye. And if Salomon said it, ther is a matter in it.
I wene he sayed it not onelye for hys owne tyme, but he sawe it both in those that were before hym, and also that were to come after hym.
Nowe comes Esay and he affyrmeth ye same speaking of the iudgementes done in hys tyme in the commune place, as it myghte be Westminster hall, the gylde hall, the Iudges hall, the pretpro house.
Call it what you wyll. In the opē place.Iudges sat in the gates. of the cyty in the hie way. For iudgs at that tyme (accordynge to the maner) sate in the gates of che citye in the hye way.
A goodly and Godlye order for to sitte,Thys was done for the ease of ye people, for maiestrates muste be indued wt affabilitie. so that the poore people maye easelye come to them. But what sayeth Esaye that seditiouse fellowe? He sayeth of hys countrey this Expectaui ut facere tiuditium, et fecit iniquitatem I loked the iudges should do theyr dutye, and I sawe them worcke iniquitye.
There was bribes and bribers as wel thē as nowe.Ther was brybes walkynge money makynge, makynge of handes (quod the Prophete) or rather almyghtye God by the Prophete) suche is theyr parcialitye, affeccion, and brybes They be suche money makers, inhauncers, and promoters of them selues.
Esay knewe thys by the cryynge of the people Ecce clamor populi sayeth he. And thoughe some a monge theym be vnreasonable people (as manye be nowe adayes) yet no doubte of it some cryeth not wythout a cause. And why? Theyr matters are not hearde,The teares of the pore whose cause is not accordynge to equity & iustice herd, cry for vēgeaūce to God. they are fayne to go home wyth weping teares, that fall downe by theyr chekes, and ascende vp to heauen and crye for vengeaunce, Let Iudges loke a boute them for surely God wyl reuenge his elect one day.
And suerlye me thynke, yf a Iudge woulde followe but a worldelye reason,An aduertisemente to oure Iudges. and wey the matter politickelye, wythoute these examples of scripture, he should feare more the hurt that maye be done hym by a poore wyddowe, or a myserable man, then by the greateste Gentyll man of them all, God hath pulled ye iudges skinnes ouer their heades, for the poore mās sake, yea, the pore wyddowe maye do hym more hurt wyth hyr poore pater noster in hyr mouth, then any other weapon, and with .ii. or thre wordes shall bryng him downe to the grounde, and destroye hys iollitye, & cause hym to lose more in one day, then he gate in seuē yeres. For God wil reuenge these miserable folkes that can not helpe them selues. He sayth. Ego in diei visitationis. etc. In the daye of visitatyon I wyll reuenge theym. An non ulcisceturanima mea? Shall not my soule be reuēged? As who shuld saye.
I must nedes take theyr part Veniens ueniam et non tardabo, Yes, thoughe I tary, and thoughe I seme to linger neuer so long yet I wyl come at the length, & that shortly.
And if god spake this, he wil perfourme his promise. He hath for their sakes (as I tould you) pulled thē skynne ouer the iudges eares or thys.
Kinge Dauid trusted some in hys olde age,Dauid was deceyued in puttyng trust in hys iudges when he waxed olde hym selfe. that dyd hym no very good seruece.
Now if in the people of God there were some folkes that fel to brybing, thē what was their among the Heathen?
Absalon Dauids sonne was a by walker,Absalō was a bywalker. and made disturbaunce amonge the people in his fathers tyme.
And thoughe he were a wycked man, and a by walker, yet some there were in that tyme that were good, and walked vp ryghtlye.
I speake not thys agaynste the Iudges seate. I speake not as though all iudges were naught, and as thoughe I dyd not holde wyth the Iudges, maiestrates, and offycers, as the Anabaptystes these faulse heretykes do.Iudges are honorable necessarye, and Gods ordinaunces concernyng their offices. But I Iudge them honorable, necessarye, and Goddes ordinaunce, I speake it as scripture speaketh to geue a Caueat, and a warnynge to all magistrates, to cause theym to loke to theyr offices, for the deuyll, the greate magistrate, is verye busy nowe, he is euer doynge, he neuer ceaseth to go about to make thē like hym selfe The prouerbe is Simele gaudet simili Lyke woulde hauehave lyke: If the iudge be good, and vpright he wil assaye to deceaue hym either by the subtyll suggestyon of crafty laywers or els by false wytnesse,The crafte of the deuyll. and subtyll vtterynge of a wrong matter. He goeth about as much as he can to corrupt the men of lawe, to make them fal to brybery, to laye burdens on pore mennes backes. and to make them fal to periurye, and to bryng into the place of iudgement al corruptyon, iniquytye, and impietye. I hauehave spoken thus much, to occasyon al Iudges and magystrates to loke to theyr offyces.Lest the deuil be behind thē to make them peruerte Iustice. They had nede to loke about them.
This geare moued saint Christome to speake thys sentence. Miror sialiquis rectorū potest saluari. I maruaile (saied this doctour) if anye of these rulers or greate magistrates can be saued.A notable & bolde sayinge of Chrisostome.
He spake it not for the impossibilitie of the thinge (God forbyd that all the magistrates & iudges should be condempned) but for the difficultye.
If the deuyll wold allowe a man to loke into hel what he shoulde se.Oh that a man myght hauehave the contemplation of hell, that the deuyl woulde a lowe a man to loke into hel, to se the state of it, as he shewed all the worlde whē he tēpted Christ, in the wildernes. Commonstrat illi omnia regna mundi. He shewed hym al the kyngedomes of the worlde, and al theyr iollytye, and tolde hym that he woulde gyue hym all,Math▪ iiii▪ if he would knele downe and worshyp hym. He lyed lyke a faulse harlot, he could not gyue theym he was not able to giuegive so much as a gose wynge: for they were none of hys to giuegive.
The other that he promysed them vntounto: had more ryghte to them then he.
But I saye if one were admytted to viewe hell thus, and beholde it thorowelye, the deuyll wolude saye. On yonder syde are punyshed vnpreaching prelates. I thynke a man shoulde se as far as a kenninge and se nothynge but vnpreachynge Prealates.vnpreachinge prelates are wyth the deuyll in hell (god saue vsus) but they be not there a louelove, for brybyng Iudges are wyth them for companye.
He myghte loke as farre as Calice I warrant you. And thā if he wold go on the other side, and shewe wher that brybynge iudges were, I thynke he shold se so many, that there were scant roume for any other. Our Lord amende it. Well to our matter. This Iudge I speake of, sayd. Though I feare neyther God,He returneth to hys f…mer matter. nor man. &.c. And did he thynke thus? Is it the maner of wiked Iudges to cōfesse, theyr faultes nay he thought not so.
And a man had come to hym, & called hym wycked, he woulde forth wyth hauehave cōmaūded him to ward, he woulde hauehave defended him selfe stoutly.
Whi the iudge was forsed then to cōfesse hys faultes.It was God that spake in his conscience. God putteth hym to vtter suche thynges as he sawe in hys herte, and were hydde to hym selfe.
And there be lyke thynges in the scripture. as. Dixit insipieus in corde suo non est deus The vnwise man sayed in hys herte, there is no God, and yet if he shoulde hauehave bene asked the questiō, he woulde hauehave denied it.
Esay the prophet sayeth also. Mādatio protectisumus. We are defended with lyes. We hauehave put our trust in lyes,
And in an other place he saith Ambulabo in prauitate cordis mei. I wyll walcke in the wyckednes of my herte. He vttereth what lyeth in his hert, not knowne to hym selfe, but to God.
It was not for nought that Ezechiel describeth mans herte in his colours.Ezechiel described the herte of man Iere. xvii. Pranum corhominis et inscrutabile. The herte of man is naughty, a croked, & a frowarde pece of worke.
Let eueryevery man humble hym selfe, & acknowledge hys faulte and do as saynte Paule dyd.
When the people to whome he had preached, had sayed manye thynges in his commendation, yet he durste not iustifye him self. Paul would not prayse hym selfe,Paule durst not iustyfye hym selfe to his owne iustification, and therfore whē they had spoken those thynges by him, I passe not at all sayth he. what ye saye by me, I wyll not stand to your reporte, and yet he was not forward that when he herd the trueth reported of hym, he woulde say it to be false, but he sayed, I wyll neyther stande to your reporte, though it be good and iuste, neither yet I wil saye that it is vntrue. He was. bonus Pastor.
A good shepeheard. He was one of thē. qui bene presūt. yt discharged his cure, & yet he thought yt ther might be a farther thing in him selfe then he sawe in hym selfe.
And therefore he sayed. The Lorde shall Iudge me. I wyll stand onelyonly to the Iudgemente of the Lord. For loke whom he iudges to be good, he is sure he is safe, he is cocke sure. I spake of this geare the last daye,The truth gettes hatred. & of some I had litle thāke for my laboure. I smelled some folkes that were greaued wyth me for it, because I spake against Temerarius iudgmēt. What hath he to do wyth iudgmēt (say thei. I wēt about to kepe you frō arrogāt iudgment. Wel I could hauehave sayd more thē I dyd, and I can saye muche more nowe. For why? I knowe more of my Lord admirals death syth that tyme, then I did knowe before. O saye they. The man dyed very boldly, he woulde not hauehave done so, hadde he not bene in a iust quarell.
The argument of suche men as thoughe the Lord admirals cause to be good becaus… he toke hys death so boldli is cō futed.This is no good argument my frendes. A man semeth not to feare death, therfore hys cause is good. Thys is a deceauable argumente. He went to hys death boldely. ergo he standeth in a iust quarel.
The Anabaptistes that were brente here in dyuers townes in England (as I heard of credyble menne I sawe them not my selfe) wente to theyr deathe,The Anabaptistes howe thei toke their death. euen Intrepide As ye wyll saye without any feare in the worlde chearfullye. Well, let them go
There was in the olde doctoures tymes an other kinde of poysoned heretikes,The Donatistes & howe they dyed. that were called Donatistes. And these heretikes wente to their execution as thoughe they shoulde hauehave gone to some Ioylle recreacion or banket, to some bealye chere, or to a play. And wyll ye argue then? He goeth to hys death boldely, or chearefullye, Ergo he dyeth in a iuste cause. Naye that sequele foloueth no more then thys.
A man semes to be a frayed of death, Ergo he dyeth euyl. And yet our Sauioure Christe was afrayed of death him selfe.
I warne you therefore,Iudge not them in authoritye rashlye. and charge you not to iudge theym yt be in authoritie, but to praye for them. It becometh vsus not to Iudge greate maiestrates, nor to condemne theyr doinges, vnlesse theyr dedes be openly and apparantlye wycked. Charytye requireth the same, for charitye iudgeth no man, but well of eueryevery bodye. And thus we maye trye whether wee hauehave charitye or no,Charyte is ye cognysaūce & badge of a christen man. & if we hauehave not charitye wee are not Gods disciples, for they are knowē by that badge. He that is hys disciple, hath the worke of charity in his breast.
It is a worthye sayinge of a clarke, Charitas si est, operatur, si nō operatur, nō est. If there be charity it worketh. Omnia credere omnia sperare. To beleue all thinges, to hope all, to say the best of the maiestrates, & not to stād to ye defending of a wicked matter. I wil go farder wt you now If I should hauehave saied al that I knewe,M.L. sayde not al that he knew cō cerninge the lorde admiralles cause. youre eares woulde hauehave yrked, to hauehave hearde it, & nowe God hathe brought more to lyghte. And as touchyng the kynde of hys death, whether he be saued or no, I referre that to God onelyonly. What God can do I can tell. I wyl not denye but that he maye in the twynkeling of an eye, saue a man, and turne hys harte. What he dyd I can not tell. And when a man hathe two strokes wyth an axe, whoo cā tel that betwene two strokes he doth repent. It is very hard to iudge, Well, I wyll not go so nye to worke, but this I wyl say, if thei aske me what I thi… ke of hys deathe? that he dyed verye daungerously, yrkesomlye, horryblye.
The man beyng in the tower wrote certayne papers whiche I sawe my selfe.The .ii. lyttle papers which the Lorde admirall wrote in the tower. Thei were two lyttleones, one to my Ladye Maryes grace, and another to my Ladye Elizabethe grace, tendynge to thys ende, that they shoulde conspyre agaynst my Lorde protectours grace. Surely so seditiously as could be· Nowe what a kind of death was thys, that when he was readye to laye his head vpō the blocke, he turnes me to the leuetenauntes seruaunte and sayeth, byd my seruaunte spede ye thyng that he wottes of?The wordes he spake to the leuetenauntes seruaunt. Wel, the worde was ouer heard. Hys seruaunte confessed these two Papers, and they were founde in a shooe of hys. They were sowen betwene the soules of a velued shooe. He made hys ynke so craftely, and wyth such workemanship as the lyke hath not bene sene.
I was prisoner in the tower miselfe, and I coulde neuer inuente to make ynke so. It is a wonder to heare of hys subtilitie. He made hys pen of the aglet of a poynte that he plucked from hys hose,The penne of the aglet of a poynt. and thus wrote these letters soo seditiouslye, as ye hauehave hearde, enforsynge manye matters agaynste my Lord protectours grace, and so forth. God had lefte him to him selfe, he hadde cleane forsaken hym. What woulde he hauehave done if he had liued styll? that were a bout this geare, when he layed hys head on the blocke at the ende of hys lyfe. Charytye (they saye) worketh but Godly, not after thys sorte. Well, he is gone, he knoweth hys fare by thys, he is eyther in ioye or in payne. There is but two states if we be once gone. There is no chaunge.There is but two states The state of saluaciō and ye state of dā nacion. Thys is the speach of the scripture. Vbicūque lignū ceciderit ibi erit, siue in austrū, siue in aquilone. Wheresoeuer the tree falleth, eyther into the southe or in to the north, there it shall rest.
By the fallyng of the tree, is signifyed the death of man. If he fall into the Southe he shall be saued.
☞ For the Southe is whote, and betokeneth Charitie or saluacion. If he fal in the Northe in the colde of infidelity, he shal be dampned. There are but two states, the state of saluaciō, and the state of damnacion.
Ther is no repentaūce after thys lyfe, but if he dye in the state of damnacion, he shal ryse in the same. Yea thoughe he hauehave a whole Monkerye to synge for hym. He shall hauehave hys fynall Sentence when he dyeth.
And that seruaunte of hys, that confessed and vttered thys gere was an honest manne.The seruaūt whyche vttered the secretes of ye two letters is cō mendid of M Latymer. He dyd honestlye in it. God put it in hys herte. And as for the to ther whether he be saued or no I leaue it to God. But surelye, he was a wycked man, the realme is well rydde of hym.
It hathe a treasure, that he is gone. He knoweth hys fare by thys.
A terrible example suerlye, and to be noted of eueryevery man. Nowe before he shoulde dye, I hearde saye he had commendacions to the kyng,The lorde admirall had cōmendations to the kynge before hys death. and spake manye wordes of his maiestye. All is the kynge, the Kynge. Yea Bona verba. These were fayre wordes the kynge the kyng I was trauailed in the tower my selfe (with the kinges commaundemente, and the counsayle) and there was syr Roberte Cunstable, the Lorde Hussye, the Lord Darsy.What the Lorde Darsie sayed to maister Latimer in the tower. And the Lorde Darsye, was tellynge me of the fayethfull seruice that he hadde done the kynges maiestye that deade is. And I had sene my Soueraygne Lorde in the fyeld (sayd he) and I had sene hys grace come a gaynste vsus, I woulde hauehave lyghted from my horsse, and taken my sworde by the poynt, and yelded it into hys graces handes. Mary quod I but in the meane season ye played not the parte of a fayethfull subiecte in holdynge with the people in a cōmotion, & a disturbaunce. It hath bene the cast of al traitours to pretend nothing agaynste the kynges person,The cōmune cast of al traytours. they neuer pretende the matter to the kynge, but to other. Subiectts maye not resyste anye magistrates,The office & duty of subiectes. nor oughte to do nothinge contrarye to the the kynges lawes. And therefore these wordes, the kyng and so fourth, are of smalle effect. I hearde once a tale of a thinge that was done at Oxforde .xx.A thing yt happened at Oxforde. yeres a go. & the lyke hath bene sence in this realme as I was enformed of credible persons, & some of thē that sawe it be alyue yet.
A pryest robbed of a greate summe of money.There was a prieste that was robbed of a greate some of money, and there were .ii. or .iii. attached for the same robbery and to be bryefe were condemned & broughte to the place of execution. The fyrste manne, when he was vponupon the ladder denied the matter vtterly, & toke his death vponupon it that he neuer consented to the robbery of the preste, nor neuer knew of it. When he was deade, the seconde felowe commeth and maketh his protestation & acknoweleged the faute, sayinge, that among other greuouse offēces that he had done he was accessary to thys robberye, and sayeth he, I hadde my parte of it, I crye God mercy so hadde thys felow that dyed before me hys parte. Now who cā iudge whether this felow dyed wel or no? Who cā iudg a mās herte? The one denyed the matter,It is hard to iudge a mās herte. and the tother confessed it, there is no Iudginge of suche matters. I hauehave hearde muche wickednes of thys manne, and I hauehave thought oft, Iesu, what wil worth, what wyl be the ende of thys manne.
When I was wyth the byshop of Chichester in warde (I was not so with hym, but my frēdes might come to me,☞The byshoppes be stirred them so then, that some of them wer neuer so dilygence synce. & talke with me) I was desirous to heare of executiō done (as ther was eueryevery weke, some in on place of the citye or other) for there was thre wekes sessions at newgate, and fourthnyghte Sessions at the Marshialshy, and so forth.
I was desirous I saie to heare of execution, bycause I looked that my parte should hauehave bene theyrin, I loked eueryevery daie to be called to it my selfe,
Amonge al other I heard of a wanton woman,The whore yt cōmitted robbery. a naughtye lyuer. a whore, a vayne bodye, … was ledde from newgate to th… place of execution for a certaine robberye that she had committed, and she hadde a wycked cō munication by the waye. Here I wil take otcasiō to moue your grace that suche menne as shal be put to death maye hauehave learned menne to geue them instruction,M. Latimer exhorteth the kynges grace that learned men might be appoynted to such as shall suffer & are cō uict persons. and exhortacion.
For the reuerence of God when they be put to executiō, let them hauehave instructours, for manye of theim are cast away for lacke of instructiō, and dye miserably for lacke of good preaching. This womā I saye as she wēte by the waye, had wanton and folyshe talke, as thys, that yf good felowes hadde kept touch wyth hyr,The whores wordes as she went to execucion. she hadde not bene at thys tyme in that case, and amongeste al other talke, she saied, that suche a one, and named this manne, hadde hyr maidenheade fyrste, and herynge thys of hym at that tyme, I loked euer what woulde be hys ende, what woulde be come of hym.
He was a manne the fardest frome the feare of God that euer I knewe or heard of in Englande. Fyrste, he was author of all thys womannes whoredome. For if he had not had hyr maydenhead, she myghte hauehave bene maryed, and become an honeste womanne, where as nowe beynge nought with hym, shee fell afterwarde by that occasiō to other. And they that were nought with hyr fel to robbery and she folowed, and thus was he author of all thys.
This geare came bi Sequels Peraduenture thys maye seme to be a lyghte matter, but surelye it is a gr…ate matter, and he by vnrepentaunce fell frome euyl to worse, and from worse to worste of all, tyll at the length he was made a spectacle to all the worlde. I hauehave hearde saye, he was of the opiniō that he beleued not the immortalytye of the soule, that he was not ryght in ye matter. And it mighte well appeare by the takynge of hys death. But ye wyll saye. What ye sclaunder him, ye breake charitye.
Nay it is charitie that I do. We canne hauehave no better vse of hym nowe, then to warne other to beware by hym.
Christ saith.Lottes wyfe is our example to content our selues wt our state. Memores estote vx oris Loth. Remembre Lothes wyfe? She was a woman that would not be content with hir good state, but wresteled wyth Gods callinge, & shee was for that cause turned into a salte stone, & therefore the scripture doeth name hir as an example for vsus to take hede by. Ye shall se also in ye secōde Chapter, how that God almightye spared not a nomber of hys Aungels,God spared not hys aungellys. whiche had synned agaynste him to make them examples to vsus to beware by. He drowned the whole world in the time of Noe and destroyed for sinne the Cities of Sodome & Gomorhe.The whole worlde was drowned, Sodome and Gomor was burned and all for our example. Gene. xviii. And why? Fecit eos exemplum i…s qui impre forent acturi. He made them an example to them that would do wyckedlye in tyme to come. If God would not spare them, thynke ye he wyll fauour vsus? Thus maye thys man be an exāple to vsus. Let vsus all subiectes iudge wel of our magistrates, in suche matters and be contente wyth theyr doynges.An exhortatiō to al subiectes not to murmur misiudge nor repy…e agaynste the kinges procedynges. & loke not to be of the coūsaile.
And thus toke I occasion to speake of him, & to profyt you therby, & I besech you so to take it. He may be a good warnynge to vsus, & this is the best vse that we can hauehave of him now.
I wil go on a word or two, in the applycacyon of the parable and then I wyll make an ende To what ende, and to what purpose, broughte Christe thys parable of the wycked iudge? The ende is,To what end ye parable of the wycked iudge tēdeth. that we shoulde be continually in prayer. Prayer is neuer interrupte but by wyckednes. We must therfore walk orderly, vpryghtly, callynge vponupon God in all oure troubles, & aduersitytyes, and for thys purpose there is not a more comfortable lesson in all the scripture then here nowe in the lappynge vp of the matter. Therefore I wyll open it vntounto you. You miserable people, if there be any here amongeste you, that are oppressed wyth greate men and can get no healpe, I speake for youre comfort,To whom in distresse & oppression we shall resorte. I wyll open vntounto you, whyther ye shal resorte, when ye be in any distres. Hys good wyl is redy, alwayes at hande, when so euer we shal cal for it. And therefore he calles vsus to hym selfe. We shall not doubt if we come to him. Marke what he sayeth to cause vsus beleue that our prayers shalbe hearde. Et deus non faciet vindictam. He reasons after thys fashyon Wyll not GOD, sayeth he, reuenge hys electe? and heare theim? seyng the wycked iudge hearde the wydowe? He semeth to go plainely to worcke, he wil leth vsus to praye to God, and to none but to God. We hauehave a maner of reasonynge in the scholes, and it is called Aminore ad main…. From the lesse to the more,An argumēt from the lesse to the more. and that may be vsed here The iudge was a tirant, a wycked man, God is a patrone, a defender, father vntounto vsus. If the iudge then, beynge a tirante woulde here the poore wyddowe, muche more God wyll here vsus in all dystresses. He beynge a father vntounto vsus, he wyll heare vsus soner, then the other beynge no father hauynge no fatherly affection. Moreouer, God is naturallye merciful.
The iudge was cruell, and yet he healped the wyddowe, muche more then God wil helpe vsus at our nede.
He sayeth by the oppressed. …um ipso sum in tribulatione. I am with him in his trouble. His tribulacion is myne.
I am touched wyth hys trouble. If the Iudge then beynge a cruell manne hearde the wyddowe, muche more GOD wyll healpe vsus, being touched wyth oure affectyon. Furthermore, thys iudge gaue the wyddowe, no cōmandment to come to him we hauehave a commaūdemente to resorte to GOD for he sayeth Inuoca mein die tribulationis:we hauehave a cō maundement to resorte to God. call vponupon me in the daye of thy trybulacyons, whyche is as well a commaundemente, as Non furaberis. Thou shalt not steale.
He that spake the one, spake the other, and what so euer he be that is in trouble, and calleth not vponupon God, breaketh hys commaundemente. Take hede therefore. The iudge dyd not promise the widdowe helpe. God promised vsus helpe, & wil he not perfourme it? He wyll, he wil. The Iudge (I say) did not promise the wyddowe healpe. God wyl geue vsus boeth hering and helpynge. He hath promised it vsus with a dubble othe. Amen, amen, sayeth he, verely, verely, he doubles it.
Quecūque pecieritis &c, what soeuer ye shall are in my name, ye shal hauehave it. And thoughe he put of some sinner for a tyme, and suffer hym to byte on the brydell, to proue hym (for there be many begynners, but fewe continewars in prayer) yet we may not thyncke that he hath forgotten vsus, & wil not healpe vsus. Veuiens ueniet, non …ardabit. When the healpe is moste nedefull, thē he wyl come and not tarye, He knoweth when it shalbe best for vsus to hauehave healpe, thoughe he tary he wyll come at the last. I wyll trouble you but halfe a quarter of an howre, in ye application of the parable, and so cō myt you to God.
What should it meane that god would hauehave vsus so dilygent and earnest in prayer?why GOD wold hauehave vsus to be diligent & earnest in prayer. Hath he such pleasure in our worckes? Many talke of prayer, and make it a lyp labourynge. Praying is not babling, nor praying is not monkerye.
It is, to miserable folke that are oppressed a conforte, solace, and a remedy.
But what maketh oure prayer to be acceptable to God? It lyeth not in our power. We must hauehave it by an other meane. Remembre what God sayed of hys sonne:
Hic est filius meus dilectus 'in quo mihi bene complacui. why our praier is acceptable to God.Thys is my dear son in whom I delyte. He hath pleasure in nothynge, but in hym.
How cometh it to passe then, that oure piayer pleaseth God? Oure prayer pleaseth God, because Christe pleaseth God.
When we praye, we come vntounto hym, in the confydence of Chrystes merytestand thus offerynge vp our prayers, they shalbe heard for Chrystes sake. Yea, Chryste wyl offer them vp for vsus, that offered vp once hys Sacryfyce to God, whych was acceptable, and he that commeth wyth anye other meane thē thys, god knoweth hym not.
Thys is not the Missal Sacrifice, the popyshe sacrifice to stand at the aultare, and offer vp Christ agayne. Oute vponupon it that euer it was vsed.
I wyl not saye naye, but that ye shall fynde in the olde doctours thys worde Sacrificiū but there is one generall solution for all the doctours that. S. Augustyne sheweth vsus.
The sygne of a thinge hath oftē times ye name of the thinge that it signifieth. As the supper of the Lord is the Sacrament of an other thinge, it is a commemoratiō of his death which suffered once for vsus, & bycause it is a signe of christes offering vp, therefore ye beares ye name therof. And this Sacrifyce a woman can offer as well as a man. Yea, a poore woman in the belfre a hath as good authoritie to offer vp thys sacrifyce, as hath the byshop in hys pontificalibus, wyth hys myter on hys heade, hys rynges on hys fyngers, and Sandales on hys fete. And whosoeuer commeth askynge the father remedye in hys necessitie for Christes sake, he offereth vp as acceptable a sacrifice as any byshop can do. And so to make an ende.
Thys muste be done wyth a constaunte fayeth, and a sure confidence in Christe. Fayeth, fayeth, fayeth. We are vndone for lacke of fayeth. Chryste nameth fayeth here, Fayeth is altogyther. When the sonne of man shall come, shall he fynde fayeth on the earthe? Why speaketh he so muche of faythe? because it is harde to fynde a true faythe. He speaketh not of a politicall faythe, a fayth set vp for a tyme, but a constante, a permanent, a durable faythe, as durable as goddes word. He came many tymes. Fyrste in the tyme of Noe, when he preached, but he founde lytle fayeth. He came also when Loth preached, when he destroyed Sodom and Gomorhe.
But he founde no fayth, and to be shorte he shall come at the latter daye, but he shall fynde a lytle fayth. And I wene the daye be not farre of. And when he was here carnallye dyd he fynde anye fayethe? Manye speake of faythe, but fewe ther be that hathe it
Chryste mourneth the lacke of it. He complayneth that when he came, he founde no fayth.
Thys fayth is a greate state a Ladye, a Dutches,Fayth is agreat stat & a Dutches. a greate womanne, and she hath euer a greate companye and trayne about her (as a noble estat ought to hauehave (fyrste she hath a Gentilman vsher that goeth before her, and where he is not there is not Lady fayth.
This Gētilman vsher is called Agnitio pecctatorū ▪ knowledge of syn, whē we enter into our herte, & acknowledge our faultes, and stand not about to defend them He is none of these wynkers▪ Knowledge of synne is gentell man vsher to Lady fayeth.he kyckes not when he heares hys faulte. Nowe as the Gentilmā vshere goeth before her, so she hath a trayne that commeth be hynde hyr, and yet thoughe they come behynde, they be all of faythes companye, they are all wyth hyr, as Christe when he counterfaited a state goynge to Hierusalem, some wente before him, and some after, yet all were of hys company, so al these wayte vponupon fayeth. She hath a greate trayne after hyr besydes hyr Gentylman Usher, hyr whole houshold, and those be the workes of our vocation, when euerye man considereth what vocation he is in, what callynge he is in, and doeth the worckes of the same, as to be good to his neighbour, to obey God. &c.
Thys is the trayne that foloweth Lady Faieth, as for anexemple. An vnfaythful Iudge hath fyrst an heauye rekenyng of his faulte, repentynge hym selfe of his wickednes, and then forsaketh his iniquity, hys impeietie, fearring of no man, walkes vpright, and he yt doeth not thus, hath not Ladye fayeth, but rather a boldnes of synne and abusynge of Christes passion. Ladye faieth is neuer withoute hyr Gentyll man vshere.Fayeth is no ankers she … hath manye a atēdante vpō hyr parson. nor wythout hyr trayne, shee is no Anckres, she dwelles not alone, shee is neuer a pryuate woman, shee is neuer alone and yet manye therbe that boste thē selues that they hauehave fayeth, and that when Christ shal come they shal do well inough. Naye naye, these that be fayethfull shall be so fewe, that Christ shal skarce se them. Manye there be that runnes sayeth Sayncte Paule, but there is but one that receyueth the rewarde, it shall be wyth the multytude when he shall come, as it was in the tyme of Noe, and as it was in tyme of Loth.
The sodeyne comynge of ye Lorde in the time of Noe and LothIn the tyme of Noe, they were eatynge and drynckynge, building planting, and sodainely the water came vponupon thē, and drowned them.
In the tyme of Lothe also, they weare eatynge and drynckynge. &c. And sodenlye the fyre came vponupon them, and deuoured them. And nowe we are eatynge and drinckynge. Ther was neuer suche buyldynge then, as is nowe, plantynge, nor maryinge. And thus it shalbe euen when Christe shal come, at the iudgemente.
Is eatynge and dryncking and mariyng, reproued in scripture? Is it not? Naye he reproued not al kynd of eatynge and drynkynge, he muste be other wayes vnderstand.
If the scripture be not truelye expounded what is more erronious? And thoughe there be complayninges of some eatyng or drynckynge in the scripture yet he speaketh not as thoughe al were nought.
They maye be well ordered,what eatyng & drinking is allowed and what is discō mended. they are Goddes allowaunce, but to eate and dryncke as they dyd in Noes tyme, and as they dyd in Lothes tyme, Thys eatynge and drynkynge, and maryinge is spoken agaynste. To eate and dryncke in the forgetfulnes of goddes commaundemēt, voluptuously, in excesse and glotonnie, thys kinde of eatyng and drinking is noughte, when it is not done moderatlye soberly,What kynde of marying is reproued worthely. and with al circumspection. And lykewyse to marrye for fleshelye luste, and for ther owne fantasye. There was neuer suche marriynge in Engglande, as is nowe. I here tell of stealynge of wardes to marye theyr chyldren to.Stealynge of wardes. naye rather of landes. Thys is a straunge kynde of stealynge but it is not the wardes, it is the landes that they steale. And some ther be that knyt vp mariages to gether not for any louelove or Godlines in the partyes, but to gette frendshyppe,Another kind of mariage & all…egth. and make them stronge in the realme, to encrease their possessiōs and to ioyne lande to lande. And other there be that enuegle mennes daughters,The inueglers of mens doughters are notyd. in the contempte of theyr fathers, and go aboute to marrye them wythoute theyr consente. Thys marriynge is vngodlye.The parentes whyche forse their chyldren to marry whō they louelove not are worthelye reprehendyd▪ And manye parentes constrayne theyr sonnes and daughters to marrye where they louelove not, and some are beaten and conpulsed. And they that marrye thus marrye in a forgetfulnes and obliuiousnes of goddes commaundementes.A daye wyll come shall paye for all. But as in the tyme of Noe, sodenlye a clappe fel in theyr bosomes, so shall it be wyth vsus at the latter daye when Christe shall come.I feare it be so litle wyth some mē, that a man can neither fele it not yet se it. We hauehave as lytle conscyence as maye be, and when he shal come, he shal lacke Lady Fayeth, welis them that shalbe of that lytle flocke, that shalbe set on the ryghte hande. &c.
I hauehave troubled you longe, partelye beynge out of my matter, partelye beyng in. But now I wyl make an ende. I began with thys text. Quecunque scripta sunt. etc. So wyll I ende nowe for myne owne ease, as an olde treuaunte wyth thys sentence. Beati qui audiu ut Verbum dei. etc.
Blessed are they that heare the worde of God, and kepeth it. I tolde you in the beginning of this parable of Bene. Nil melius quam letari et facere. If I had ceaceased ther al hadde beene wel, quod the merye Moonke, so blessed are they that heare the worde of God. But what foloweth? and kepe it.
Oure blessednes commeth of the kepynge.Oure blessednes commeth of the kepeynge. It hanges all one the ende of the tale, in crediting and assentynge to the woorde, and followynge of it. And thus we shal begyn our bessednes here, and at the length we shall come to the blessynge that neuer shall hauehave ende, whyche God graunt both you and me Amē.