The Second to Seventh Sermon to His Majesty, Sermon 5

The Second to Seventh Sermon to His Majesty · Sermon 5

¶The sixte Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latymer, whych he preached before the Kinges Maiestie within his graces Palayce at Westminster the .xii. daye of Apryll.

QVecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Al thinges that are wrytten, they are writtē to be our doctrine. What doctrine is written for vsus in the .viii. Chapter of the fyrst boke of the Kynges, I dyd partelye shewe vntounto you (most honorable audience) thys day sennyght, of that good man father Samuell, y^e good iudge howe good a man he was, what helpers, and coadiutours, he toke vntounto hym, to hauehave hys offyce well discharged. I toulde you also of the wyckednes of hys sonnes, how they toke bribes, and lyued wyckedlye, and by that meanes, brought bothe theyr father, and them selues to deposition. And howe the people dyd offende God in askyng a Kynge in father Samuelles tyme. And howe father Samuel was put from hys offyce, who deserued it not. I opened to you also, howe father Samuel cleares hym selfe, that he knewe not y^e fautes of his sōnes he was no bearer w^t his sonnes, he was sory for it, whē he herde it, but he wold not beare w^t thē in their wickednes. Filii mei vobiscū sunt my sōs ar w^t you saith he Do wyth theym accordynge to theyr desertes, I wyll not maintayne them, nor beare with thē. After that he cleares him self at the kynges fete, that the people had nothynge to burden hym with al, neyther monye, nor money worth. In treatinge of that parte, I chaunced to shewe you, what I heard of a mā that was slayne, and I heare saye it was not well taken.

For soth I entend not to empayre anye mannes estimacion or honestye, and they that enforce it to that, enforce it not to my meanynge, I sayd I heard, but of suche a thynge, and toke occasion by that, that I heard, to speake agaynste the thynge, that I knewe to be noughte, that no man should beare wyth any mā to the mayntenaunce of voluntary and prepensed murder. And I heare saye syns, the man was other wyse an honeste man, and they that spake for hym, are honeste men. I am inclinable inoughe to credite it. I spoke not bycause I woulde hauehave anye mannes honestye impayred. Onelye I dyd as Saynct Paule dyd,Theprachers are occasyoned by hering to invehe agaynst suche vyce as y^e people are infected w^t as paul to the corinth. y^e .i.x.xi. Cha. who heerynge, of the Corinthyans, that there shoulde be contencyons and mysordre among them, dyd wryte vntounto theym that he harde, and there vponupon by occasion of heerynge he set furthe verye holsome doctryne of the supper of the Lord. We myght not hauehave lacked that doctryne I tel you. Be it so the Corinthians had no suche contencyons among thē, as Paule wrote of, Be it so, they had not misordred them selues, it was neyther of, nor on, to that that Paule sayed. The matter laye in that, that vponupon hearynge he woulde take occasiō to set out the good & true doctryne. So, I dyd not affirm it to be true that I hard. I spake it to aduertis you,Why M. L. vsed this example and to what ende & purpose. to be ware of bearinge, wyth wylful and prepensed murder. I wold hauehave nothyng enforsed against any man. Thys was myne entent and meanynge. I do not knowe, what ye call chaunche medly in the lawe, it is not for my studye.Chaunce med…. I am a scholer in scripture in gods boke, I study that. I knowe what voluntary murder is before God. If I shall fal out wyth a man He is angrye wyth me, and I wyth hym, and lackynge oportunitie and place,Voluntary murder mystermed chanche medly. we shall put it of for that tyme, in the meane season I prepare my weapō, & sharpe it agaynste a nother tyme, I swell and boyle in thys passyon towardes hym. I seke hym, we medle together, it is my chaūce by reason my weapon is better then his, & so fourth, to kyl him, I geue him his deathes stroke, in my vengeaunce and anger. Thys call I voluntarye murder in scripture, what it is in the lawe I can not tell. It is agreate synne, and therefore I call it voluntarye. I remembre what a greate Clarke wryteth of thys.

Omne peccatū adeo est voluntarium, vt nisi sit voluntarium, non sit peccatum. Euerye synne (sayeth he) is so voluntarye,He meaneth anstyn. that if it be not voluntarye, it can not be called synne. Synne is no actuall synne, if it be not voluntarye. I would we woulde all knowe ou…e faultes and repent, that that is done, is done, it can not be called backe agayne. God is mercifull,The tyme of repentance is here. the Kynge is mercyfull, heare we maye repente, thys is the place of repentaunce When we are gone hence, it is to late then to repente. And let vsus be content wyth suche order as the magystrates shall take. But suer it is a perilous thing to beare wyth anye suche matter. I toulde you what I harde saye, I woulde hauehave no mans honestye empayred by my tellynge. I harde saye synce of another murder, that a Spanyarde shoulde kyl an Englishe man,The spaniard that kylled y^e Englyshman and ronne hym thorowe wyth hys swerde: they saye he was a tall man. But I here it not that the Spanyarde was hanged for hys laboure. If I had, I woulde hauehave toulde you it to. They fell oute. as the tale goeth, a bont a whore. O Lord what whordom is vsed nowe a dayes. As I here by the relacion of honeste men, whyche tell it not after a worldlye sorte, as thoughe they reioysed at it, but heauely, wyth heauy hertes howe GOD is dyshonored by whordome in thys citye of London.As abhominable whordom vsed in lōdon as euer was vponupon y^e banck Yea the bancke, when it stode, was neuer so commune. If it be true that is toulde, it is maruaile that it doeth not sinck, and that the earth gapeth not and swalloweth it vp.Let vsus feare the one & put no doubt but that the other is to foule a tale to be a lye It is wō derfull that the Citye of London doeth suffer such whordom vnpunished. God hath suffered long of hys great lenitie, mercye, and benygnitie, but he wil punish sharply at the lēgth, if we do not repente. There is sum place in London,Ther be places in Londō priueleged wher whoredome is haunted. as they saye: Immunitie, Impunitie. What should I call it? a pryueledged place for whoredome. The Lorde Mayer hath nothyng to do there, the Shiriffes, they can not medle wyth it. And the queste,A laulesse place of lycētiose lybertye. they do not enquyre of it and there men do brynge theyr whores: yea, other mennes wyues, and there is no reformaciō of it.

There is suche dysynge howses also, they saye,Dysyng houses. as hath not bene wonte to be, where yonge Gentelmen dyse awaye theyr thrifte, and where dysynge is, there are other folyes also For the louelove of God lette remedye be hadde, lette vsus wrestele and stryue agaynste synne? Menne of Englande in tymes paste, when they woulde exercyse theym selues (for we must nedes hauehave some recreacion,Shoting was wont to be y^e old exercise of England but the pastime is to paynful for our deyntye dys…rs. oure bodyes canne not endure wythoute some exercyse) they were wonte to goo a brode in the fyeldes a shootynge▪ but now it is turned in to glossing, gullyng, and whoringe wythin the housse.

The arte of shutyng hath bene in tymes past much estemed in thys realme,Shoting hath bene set by in tymes past. it is a gyft of God that he hath geuen vsus to excell all other nacions wyth all, It hath bene goddes instrumente whereby he hath geuen vsus manye victoryes agaynste oure enemyes.Whoryng in the tounes in steade of shutyng in the feeldes. But nowe we hauehave taken vp whoryng in tounes, in steade of shutyng in the feeldes. A wonderous thynge, that so excellente a gift of God should be so lytle estemed. I desyer you my Lordes, euen as ye louelove the honoure, and glory of GOD, and entende to remoue his indignacion, let there be sente fourth some proclamacion, some sharpe proclamacion to the iustices of peace, for they do not their dutye. Iustices nowe be no iustices, ther be manye good actes made for thys matter already. Charge them vpō their allegiaunce that this singular benefit of god may be practised, and that it be not turned into bollyng, glossyng and whoryng wythin the townes, for they be negligente in excecutyng these lawes of shoting. In my tyme, my poore father,M. L. father taght him the feayte of shoting in a long bow. was as diligent to teach me to shote, as to learne me any other thynge, and so I thynke other menne dyd theyr chyldren. He taught me how to drawe, howe to laye my bodye in my bowe, and not to drawe with strength of armes as other nacions do, but with strength of the bodye I had my bowes boughte me according to my age & strength as I encreased in them, so my bowes were made bigger, and bigger, for men shal neuer sho…e well, excepte they be broughte vp in it. It is a goodli art, a hol some kynde of exercise, & muche commended in phisike.Shotyng is cōmended of Marcilius Phicinus. Marcilius Phicinus in his boke de triplici vita (it is a greate while since I red hym nowe) but I remē bre he commendeth this kynde of exercyse, and sayth, that it wresteleth a gaynste manye kyndes of diseases. In the reuerēce of God, let it be continued. Let a Proclamatiō go fourth, chargynge the Iustices of Peace, that thei se such Actes & statutes kept, as were made for this purpose. I wyl to my matter. I intend thys daye to entreate of a pece of scripture, written in the begynnyng of the fyft Chapter of Luke. I am occasyoned to take thys place by a boke sent, to the Kynges Mayestye that deade is, by Mayster Pole. It is a texte,Regynald Pole the Cardinall. that he doeth greatelye abuse, for the supremicye. He rackes it, and vyolentes it, to serue for the mayntenaunce of the byshop of Rome. And as he did enforce the other place, that I entreated of last, so dyd he inforce thys also, to serue hys matter. The storye is thys.

Our Sauyoure Chryst was come nowe to the bancke of the water of Genezareth.

The people were come to hym, and flocked about hym, to here hym preache.

And Iesus toke a boote that was standynge at the poole, it was Symones bote,Iesus sate in symones bote and wente into it. And sittyng in the bote he preached to them that were on the bancke. And when he had preached and taught them, he spake to Symon and bad hym launche oute further into the depe, and louse hys nettes, to catche fyshe. And Symon made aunswere, and sayed. Mayster, we hauehave labored all night. but we caught nothynge howe be it at thy commaundement because thou byddeste vsus. we wyll go to it agayne. And so they dyd, and caughte a greate draught, a myraculus draught so muche that the net brake, & they called to theyr fellowes that were by, for they had two bootes to come to healpe them, and they came and fylled both their bootes so full, that they were nygh drounynge. Thys is the storye: That I maye declare thys texte so, that it maye be to the honoure of God and edifycacion of youre soules and myne bothe. I shall desyer you to healpe me wyth your prayer in the whych. &c.

Factum est autem. (Saith the text) Cum turba irrueret in eum. In the .v. of Luke.Sayncte Luke telles the storye, and it came to passe, when the people preased vpō him, so that he was in peryl to be cast into the pond they rushed so faste vponupon hym and made suche throng to him. A wonderous thynge, what a desyre the people had in those dayes to heare oure sauyoure Chryste preache, and the cause maye be gathered of the latter ende of the Chapter that went before.iiij. of Luke. Oure Sauyour Christ had preached vntounto them, and healed the sycke folkes of suche dyseases and maladyes as they had, and therefore the people woulde hauehave retayned him styl. But he made them aunswere, and sayed.

Et alijs ciuitatibus oportet me euāge lizare regnum dei, nā in hoc missus sum. I must preache the kyngdome of GOD to other cyties also, I must shewe thē my fathers wil: for I came for that purpose. I was sente to preache the worde of God.An example of Chryst for oure vnpreachinge prelates. Our Sauyour Chryst sayed, howe he must not tarye in one place, for he was sent to the worlde to preache euerye where. Is it not a maruaylous thyng, that oure vnpreachyng prelates can reade thys place, & yet preache no more then they do. I meruayle, that they can go quyetly to bed, and se howe he allureth thē with hys example, to be diligente in theyr, office.A godly lessō how our Sauyour Chryst fled from glory. Here is a godly lesson also howe oure Sayuoure Christe fled from glory. Yf these ambyciouse parsons, that climbe to honour by by walkes inordinatly, would cōsider thys example of Iesus christ, they shold come to more honour thē they do: for when thei seke honour by suche by walkes, they come to confusiō honour foloweth thē that fle frō it. Our sauiour Christ,Honour foloweth them y^e fle from it. gat hym awaye earlye in the mornynge, and went vntounto the wyldernes. I woulde they woulde folow… thys example of Christe, and noc seke honoure by suche by walkes as they do. But wha… dyd the people? when he had hyd hym selfe,The comen people smelled Christ out in the wildernes & folowed hym thyther but so did not the Scrybes y^e Pharises nor the Byshoppes. they smelled hym out in the Wylldernes, and came vntounto hym by flockes, and folowed him a greate nombre. But where reede you that a greate nomber of scrybes and Pharyses, and Byshoppes folowed him. There is a doctoure that wryteth of thys place hys name is Doctoure Gorrham, Nycolas Gorrham, I knewe hym to be a schoole Docture agreate while a go. but I neuer knewe hym to be an interpreter of scripture tyl nowe of late▪ he sayeth thus, maior deuocio in laicis Vetulis quam in clericis &c. There is more deuocyon sayeth he, in laye folke, and olde Wyues, These symple folke▪ the vulgar people, thē in the clarkes, they be better affected to the worde of God, then those, that be of the clergye, I maruayle not at the sentence, but I maruayle to fynd such a sentence in suche a doctor. Yf I shoulde saye so muche, it woulde be sayed to me, that it is an euyll byrde that defiles hys owne neste, and Nemo leditur nisi a …epso. Ther is no man hurte, but of hys owne selfe. There was veryfyed the sayinge of oure Sauoure Christe Whyche he spake in an other place. Vbicun…ue fuerit cada…, ibi eō gregabuntur a…nile. Wheresoeuer a deade carionis, thither will y^e egles gather. Our sauiour christ compares hym selfe to a dead… carrion,Christ compares hym self to a dead carrion for where the carryon is there wyll the Egles be, and though it be an euyl smel to vsus and stinckes in a mannes noose yet it is a swete smelle to the Egles, thei wil seke it out. So the the people sought oute Christe, they smelt hys sauoure, he was a swet smel to them. He is. Odor nite aduitam. the smel of life to life Thei flocked about him like Egles. Christ was the carriō, and the people were the Egles. Thei had no pleasure to heare the Scribes, and the Pharises thei stanke in their nose, their doctryne was vnsauery, it was but of Loliones, of decimaciōs of Anets seade, and Cummyn and suche gere. There was no comfort in it forsore consciences …es, there was no consolatyon for wounded soules, there was no remedy for synnes,The Pharises doctrine was voide of remedy for synne. as was in Christes doctryne. Hys doctryne eased the burden of the soule, it was swete to the common people, & sower to y^e Scribes. It was such comforte and pleasure to them, that thei came flockynge aboute hym. Where fore came thei? Vt audirēt uerbū dei it was a good commyng. They came to heare the word of God. It was not to be thoughte that they came all of one mynde to here the worde of GOD. It is likely that in so grat a multitud some came of curiositie, to here some nouelles, & some cā smellīg a swete sauour, to hauehave consolaon & cōfort of gods word,We can not be saued with out heryng … the worde … God. for we cannot be saued without hering of the worde. It is a necessarye waye to saluation.

We can not be saued wythout fayeth, and fayeth commeth by herynge of the worde. Fides exa… ditu. And howe shall they heare wythout a preacher? I tell you it is the fotesteppes of the ladder of heauen,The fotesteppes of the ladder of saluation. of our saluacion. There must be preachers if we loke to be saued. I toulde you of thys gradacion before in the tenth to the Romaynes. Consider it well. I had rather ye shoulde come of a naughtye mynde, to heare the worde of God, for noueltie, or for curiosite to heare some pastyme, then to be a waye. I had rather ye shoulde come as the tale is by thē Gentylwoman of London. One of her neyghbours mette her in the streate, and sayed mestres whether go ye, Marye sayed she, I am goynge to S. Thomas of Acres to the sermō I coulde not slepe al thys laste nyght,M. L exhortes them to resort to the herynge of sermons notw^t stādinge they purpose of their cōmyng is not all of y^e best. and I am goynge nowe thether, I neuer fayled of a good nap there. And so I had rather ye should go a nappyng to the sermons, than not to go at al. For with what mynd so euer ye come, though ye come for an ill purpose, yet peraduenture ye maye chaunce to be caughte or ye go, the preacher maye chaunce to catche you on hys hoke. Rather then ye should not come at al, I would hauehave you come of curiositie, as Sayncte Augustyne came to heare Sainct Ambrose.S. Augustine came of curiositie to Millane to here Ambrose. When Sayncte Augustyne came to Myllane, (he telles the storye hym selfe in the end of his boke of confessiōs) he was very desirous to here S. Ambrose, not for anye louelove he had to the doctrine that he taught, but to here hys eloquence, whether it was so greate, as the speache was and as the brute went. Well, before he departed Sayncte Ambrose caught hym on hys hoke and conuerted hym so, that he became of a Manyche, and of a Platonist a good christen,S Agustine be came of a Maniche a christian. a defender of christes religyon, and of the fayeth afterwarde. So I woulde hauehave you come to sermones, It is declared in manye mo places of scrypture, howe necessarye preaching is, as this Euangelium est potentia dei. adsalutem omni credenti. The preachynge of the Gospel, is the power of god to eueryevery man that doeth beleue He meanes gods word opened It is the instrumēt, & the thing wherby we are saued.Beware of diminishing the office of preachyng. Beware beware ye dyminyshe not thys office, for if ye do, ye decaye goddes power to al that do beleue. Christ sayth consonaunte to the same. Nisiquis renatus fuerit esuper …is, non potest uidere regnum dei. Except a mā be borne againe from aboue, he cannot se the kyngedome of God. He muste hauehave a-regeneracion: and what is thys regeneracyon?What is regeneracion or to be borne from aboue It is not to be Christened in water (as these fyre brandes expounde it) and nothynyge elles. Howe is it to be expounded thē? Saynct. Peter sheweth. That one place of Scrypture declareth anothere. It is the circumstaunce,One place of scripture declareth another. and collacyon of places that make scripture playne. Regeue… mur autem (sayeth Sayncte Peter) and we be borne agayne. Howe? Non ex semine mortali, sed immortali. Not by a mortal sede, but by animmortall. What is this immortall seade? persermonē dei viuentis. By the word of the liuing God,How necessary the offyce of preachyng is to oure saluacion. by the worde of God preached and opened. Thus commeth in oure newe byrth. Here you maye se howe necessarye thys offyce is to our saluacion. This is the thynge that the deuill wrastleth most agaynst. Yt hath bene all hys studye to decaye thys offyce.The deuyl is diligent to decai preaching He worketh agaynste it as muche as he can he hath preuayled to muche, to much in it. He hath set vppe a state of vnpreachynge prelacye in thys Realme this .vii.c. yere, A state of vnprechynge prelacy He hath made vnpreachynge prelates, He hath styrred vp by heapes to persecute thys offyce in y^e title of heresy. He hath sturred vppe the Magystrates to persecute it in the title of sedicion. And he hath styrred vp the people to persecute it wyth exprobacions & sclaūderous wordes, as by the name of newe learnenynge straunge preacheynge:If a priest hadde lefte masse vndon on a sondaye he woulde hauehave though hym selfe vndone on mondaye. and with impropriacions he hath turned preachynge in to priuate Masses. If a prieste should hauehave left Masse vndone On a sonday within these tē yeres, all Englande shoulde hauehave wondered at it, but they mighte hauehave left of the sermon .xx. sondayes and neuer hauehave bene blamed.Note the propostorous iudgement of the priestes. And thus by these impropriations priuate Masses were set vp, and preparynge of gods worde troden under foote. Bu… what doth he nowe?The deuil be sterres hym still he is neuer ydle thoughe he be neuer mell occupied. what doeth he now? he sturres mē vp to outragious rearyng of rentes, that pore mē shal not be able to find their children at the schole to be diuines. What an vnreasonable deuill is thys? he prouides a great while before hād for the tyme that is to come. He hath broughte vppe nowe of late the most monstrouse kynde of couetousnes that euer was hearde of.A monstrous kind of couetousnes deui…ed by the deuyl these ferming of benefyces. He hath inuented fee fermyng of benifices, and al to decaye thys office of preachynge, in so much that when anye man heare after shall hauehave a benefice, he maye go where he wyll for any house he shall hauehave to dwell vponupon, or any glebe lande to kepe hospitalytye withal, but he must take vp a chāber in an Alehouse & there sit and playe at the tables al the day.The sellynge of benefices by patrons perceyued by the deuil. A good lye curate. He hath caused also through this monstrous kynde of couetousnes, patrones to sell theyr benefices. Yea what doth he more? He gettes him to the vniuersity, and causeth gret men,The diuil goeth to th… vniuersitie to teacy but not to learne. and esquiers to sende their sonnes thither, & put out poore scholars that shuld be diuines: for theyr parentes entēd not thei shalbe preachers, but that they may hauehave a shewe of learnyng. Tut it were to lōg to declare vntounto you what desceite & meanes the deuil hath foūd to decay the office of saluaciō, this office of regeneratiō. But to return to my mater. The people came to here y^e word of god, thei hard hym w^t I remember nowe a sayinge of Saynte Chrisostome, and peraduenture it myghce come here after in better place, but yet I wyll take it, whiles it commeth to mind. The saying is thys. Et loquentem eum audierunt in silentio, seriem locucionis non interrumpentes. Thei herd him (saith he) in silēce not interruptynge the order of his preachynge. He meanes: they herde hym quyetlye, wyth out any shouelynge of feete,The misorder of walkers Ianglers Ideltalkers shouelyng of feete hussynge and b…ssyng in time of y^e sermon is vsd in. Manchester as well as at london. or walkynge vp and downe. Suerly it is an yl mysorder, that folke shalbe walkyng vp and downe in the sermon tyme) as I hauehave sene in thys place thys Lente) and there shalbe suche hussynge and bussynge in the preachers eare, that it maketh hym often tymes to forget hys matter. O let vsus consyder the Kynges Maiestyes goodnes, Thys place was prepared for bankettynge of the bodye, and hys Maiestye hath made it a Place for the comforte of the soule, and to hauehave the worde of God preached in it, shewynge hereby that he would hauehave all hys subiectes at it,To whut end the Kynges Grace orbeined the bā …etinge place. if it myghte be possible. Consyder what the Kynges Maiestye hath done for you, he alloweth you all to here wyth hym. Cōsider where …e be. Fyrst ye oughte to hauehave a reuerence to Goddes word, and thoughe it be preached by poore men, yet it is the same worde that oure Sauioure spake. Consider also the presēce of the Kynges Maiestye Gods hygh vycare in earth, hauynge a respecte to his personage, ye ought to hauehave reuerēce to it, & consider that he is gods highe minister, & yet alloweth you al to be partakers with him, of the herynge of gods word. This benefite of his, would be thankfully taken, and it would be highli estemed. Heare in silēce, as Chrisostō sayeth. It maye chaūce that sum in the cōpanie may fall sicke, or be diseased. If therebe any such, let thē go away with silence, let thē leaue their salutacions till they come in the courte, let theym d… parte with silence. I toke occasion of Chrisostomes wordes to admonishe you of thys thynge.

What shoulde be the cause, that oure Sauioure Christe wente into the bote? the Scripture calleth it. Nauis or nauicula. But it was no shyppe, it it was a fyshers bote, they were not able to hauehave a shyp. What shold be the cause, whi he wolde not stand on the bāke & preache there, but he desired Peter to drawe the bote sumwhat frō the shore into the middes of the water? What should be the cause?Why Christe would rather go into the bote thē stād vponupon the lād or the banke.

One cause was, for that he might sit their more cōmodiously, then on the bancke, an other cause was, for that he was like to be thrust into the pond of the people y^t came vntounto him. Whi? our sauiour Christ might hauehave with stāde thē,An aunswere to a preuei obiection the figure is called antipophora. he was strong inough to hauehave kept him self frō thrustynge into the water. He was stronger, thē they al, & if he had listed he myght hauehave stand on the water, as well as he walked on the water, truth it is, so myghte he hauehave done in dede. But as it was sometyme hys pleasure to shewe the power of hys Godheade, so he declared nowe the infirmitie and imbecilitye of his manheade. Heare he geueth vsus an example what we shall do, we must not tempte God by any miracles,God must not be tempted so long as we maye worke by ordinary meanes. so lōg as we may walke by ordinary wayes. As oure Sauioure Christe when the diuel hadde hym on the top of the tēple, and woulde hauehave had hyd hym cast him selfe doune, he made hym thys aunswere. Non tētabis dominū deum …. Thou shalt not tempt thy lorde God, as if he shoulde hauehave sayed, We maye not tempte God at all. It is no tyme nowe to shewe any miracles, there is an other way to go doune, by gresinges. Thus he dyd to shewe vsus an example, that we muste not tempte God,We muste not tempte god. except it be in extreme necessitye, and when we cannot other wayes remedy the matter to leaue it all to God, elles we maye not tempte the maiestye of hys …yte. Beware temptynge of God? well, he commes to Symons boote, and why rather to Symons bote then an nother.Why Christ came into Simōs bote rather thē into any other. I wyl aū swere, as I fynde in experience in my selfe. I came hyther to daye, frō Lambeth in a whirry and when I came to take my bote, the water mē came aboute me (as the maner is) and he wold hauehave me, & he would hauehave me. I toke one of them▪ Nowe ye wyll aske me why, I came in the bote, rather thē in another, because I woulde go in to tha… that I se stande nex…e me, it stode more commodiouslye for me. And …o dyd Christe by Simons bote. It stode nerer for him, he sawe a better seate in it. A good natural reasō. Nowe come the papystes, and they wyll make a misterie of it, they wyll pyke out the supremesy of the Bishop of Rome in Peters bote. We maye make allegoryes inoughe of euerye place in scripture,A symple matter that standeth vponupon so weake agrūd but suerly, it must nedes be a symple matter that standeh on so weke a grounde. But ye shall se further. He desired Peter to thruste oute his bote from the shore. He desired hym. Heare was a good lesson for the Byshoppe of Rome, & al hys colledge of Cardinalles to learne humilitye and gentelnes. Rogabateum. He desired him it was gently done of him, with out any austeritie,A good lesson of humilitye. but wyth all vrbanitye, wyldnes, & softnes, and humilitie. What an example is this, that he giueth them heare? but they spye it not, they can se nothinge but the supremycye of y^e Byshoppe of Rome. A wounderous thynge, what syghte they hauehave. They se nothynge but the supremicie of the Byshoppe of Rome. Imperabatis onibus meis. saith Ezechiel Cum anaxicia, et austeritate, et disperse sunt absque pastore.

Ye hauehave ruled my shepe and commaunded them wyth greate lordlynes, austeritye, and power, and thus ye hauehave dispersed my shepe a brode, and why? There was no shephard, they had wanted one a greate while Rome hath bene many a hundred yeres without a good shepard.How the byshop of Rom rule & raigne ouer the people. They would not lerne to rule thē gētly, they hade rule ouer thē, but it was with curssyngs excōmunicacions, wyth great aust…rite, & thūderboltes, and the diuell and all, to mayntayne their vnpreachynge prelacye. I beseche God open their …yes, y^t they maye se the truth, & not be blinded with those thynges, that no mā can se but they. It foloweth in the texte. Sedens doc… bat de naui. He taught sitting. Preachers be lyke,The precher vseht to syite. were sitters in those dayes, as it is written in a nother place. S…dent in cathedra moisis. They sit in the chayre of Moses.

I woulde oure preachers woulde preache sittyng or slandynge, one waye, or other. It was a goodly pulpyt that oure Sauioure Christe had gotten hym here. And olde rotten bote.Christ regardeth the people more thē the pulpyt.

And yet he preached his fathers wyll, hys fathers message oute of thys pulpyt. He cared not for the pulpit, so he myght do the people good. In dede it is to be cōmended for the preacher to stand, or sit, as the place is, but I woulde not hauehave it so supersticiously estemed,The word of god maye be preached in any cōuenient place where yt may be herde. but y^• a good preacher maye declare the worde of god syttynge on a horse or preachyng in a …re. And yet if this shoulde be done the vnpreachinge prelattes woulde laughe it to skorne.

And though it be good to hauehave the pulpit set vp in churches, that the people maye resort thither, yet I woulde not hauehave it so supersticiously vsed, but that in a prophane place the worde of God might be preached some tymes, and I woulde not hauehave the people offended with all, no more then they be wyth our Sauioure Christes preachyng out of a bote. And yet to hauehave pulpettes in churches it is very well done to hauehave them, but they woulde be ocupyed, for it is a vayne thinge to hauehave them as they stād in many churches.A mery tale & a trew of a byshoppe goyng on visyacyon. I hard of a Byshoppe of Englande that wente on visitacion (and as it was the custom) whē the Byshoppe should come and be runge into the toune, the greate b…lles clapper was fallen doune, the tyall was brokē, so that the Bishoppe could not be runge into the toune. There was a greate matter made of thys, and the chyfe of the paryshe were muche blamed for it in the visitacion,Mary syr I t…ow yt was a matter to be angry for y… wold hauehave made amad byshoppe to hauehave hursed awaye hys myter. The Byshop was some what quicke wyth theym, and sygnyfyed that he was muche offended. They made theyr aunsweres, and excused them selues, as well as they coulde, it was a chaunce, sayd they, that the clapper brak and we coulde not get it mended by and by, we must tarrye tyl we can hauehave it done? It shal be amended as shortelye as mayc be. Amonge the other there was one wyser then the rest and he commes me to the Byshop. Why my Lorde sayth he,The pulpit y^t lackyd hys clapper. doth your lordshyp make so greate a matter of the hell, that lacketh hys clapper? here is a bell (sayeth he) and poynted to the pulpit, y^t hath lacked a clapper thys .xx. yeres. We hauehave a person that fetteth out of thys benefyce fyftye pounde euerye yeare,Thogh the byshop was no preacher, yet peraduē ture he colde baptyse a bel as well as y^e best of them. but we neuer se hym. I warraūte you the Byshop was an vnpreachyng prelate. He coulde finde faute with the bel, that wanted a clapper, to rynge him into the toune, but he could not find any faute with the person that preached not at his benefyce. Euer this office of preachynge hath bene leaste regarded, it hath skante hadde the name of goddes seruice. They must synge. Salua festadies about the churche, that no man was the better for it,So do fooles in christynmas, but these are no small fooles. but to shewe theyr gaye cotes, and garmenttes. I came once my selfe to a place, riding on a iornay homewarde from Londō, and I sent worde ouer nighte into y^e toune that I woulde preache there in the morning because it was holydaye, and me thought it was an holye dayes worcke. The churche stode in my waye, and I toke my horsse, and my companye, and wente thither, I thought I shoulde hauehave found agreat companye in the church, and when I came there, the churche dore was faste locked. I tarried there halfe an hower and more, at last the keye was founde, and one of the paryshe commes to me and sayes. Syr thys is a busye daye wyth vsus, we can not heare you, it is Rodyn hoodes daye. The paryshe are gone a brode to gather for Robyn hoode, I praye you let them not.Robyn hode would not geue M. latemer leue to preache, I was fayne there to geue place to Robyn hoode. I thought my rochet shoulde hauehave bene regarded, thoughe I were not, but it woulde not serue, it was faine to geue place to Robyn hoodes men.

It is no laughynge matter my friende, it is a wepyng matter, a heauy matter, a heauy matter vnderunder the pretence for gatherynge for Robyn hoode, a traytoure, and a thefe, to put out a preacher, to hauehave hys office lesse estemed, to prefer RoRobyn hoode before the ministraciō of Gods worde and all this hath come of vnpreaching prelates. Thys Realme hathe ben yl prouided for, that it hath had suche corrupte iudgementes in it, to prefer Robyn hood to goddes worde. Yf the Byshoppes had bene preachers, there shoulde neuer hauehave bene any suche thinge, but we hauehave a good hope of beteer. We hauehave had a good beginning, I besech God to continewe it. But I tell you, it is farre wyde,Some byshoppes wolde hauehave the people to contynue in ingnoraunce styll. that the people hauehave suche iudgementes, the Byshoppes they coulde laughe at it. What was that to them? they would hauehave them continue in theyr ignoraunce styll, and them selues in vnpreachyng prelacye. Wel, syttynge, syttynge. He satte doune and taught.A good place of scripture for a papyst to buyld …ogth vponupon nothing. The texte doeth tell vsus that he taughte, but it doeth not tell vsus what he taughte. If I were a papist I coulde tell what he sayde. I woulde in the Popes iudgemente shewe what he taught. For the Byshop of Rome hath in scrimio pectoris sui. The true vnderstandyng of Scriptures Yf he call a counsayle, the colledge of Cardinalles, he hathe authority to determyne the supper of the Lorde, as he dyd at y^e counsayle of Florence.

And Pope Nicolas, and Byshoppe Langfrancke shal come and expounde thys place, and saye, that oure Sauioure Christe, sayed thus. Peter I do meane thys by syttynge in thy bote that thou shalte goo to Rome, and be Byshoppe there fyue and twentie yeares, after myne ascension. And all thy successours shall be rulers of y^e vniuersal churche after the.Here is nogth vpō nothing. Heare woulde I place also holye water, and hollye breade, & al vnwrytten verites, if I were a Papyste, and that Scripture is not to be expoundyd by anye priuate interpretacion, but by oure holye father, and hys colledge of Cardinalles.

Thys is a greate deale better place then. duc in altum. But what was Coristes sermon? it maye sone be gathered what it was. He is alwayes lyke hym selfe.

Hys fyrste Sermon was. penitē ci…m agite, The state of chrystes first sermone.Do pennaunce, youre lyuynge is naught, repente. Agayne at Nazareth, when he redde in the temple and preached remission of synnes, and healynge of woundyd consciences, and in the longe sermon in the mount, he was alwayes lyke hym selfe, he neuer dissented from hym selfe. O there is a writer hathe a ioylie texte here and his name is Dionisimus. I chaunced to meate wyth hys boke in my Lorde of Caunterberyes lybrarye:A texte of one Dionisius. Rikel a monk of the charter house. he was a Monke of the charterhouse. I m…ruayle to fynde suche a sentence is that authour. What taugth Christ in thys sermon? Mary sayeth he, it is not written▪ And he addeth more vntounto it Euangeliste tantum scripser… de ser…onibus et miraculis cristi, quantum …gnonerunt inspirante deo sufficere ad edificacionem ecclesie ad confirmacionē fidei, et ad salutem animarum. It is true it is not written. Al hys miracles were not wrytten, so neyther were all his sermons written, yet for all y^t the euāgelistes dyd wryte so muche as was necessary. They wrote so muche if the myracles and sermons of Christ as they knewe by godes inspiracion to be sufficiēt for y^• edifiyng of the churche,The englysh of the lattine texte before. the cō firmacion of oure fayeth, and the health of oure soules. If thys be true as it is in dede▪ where be on wryttē verities? I meruayle not at the sentence but to fynde it in suche an authour. Iesus what authoriti he giues to goddes worde. But GOD woulde that suche men shoulde be wytnesse with the auctoritye of his boke, wyl they nyll they.

Nowe to drawe towardes an ende. It foloweth in the texte. duc in altum. Here cometh in the supremicye of the Byshoppe of Rome. When oure Sauioure Christ had made an ende of his sermō and had fed their soules,Christ prouides for the body as well as for the soule. he prouided for theyr bodies. Fyrst he began with the soule. Christes word is the fode of it. Nowe he goeth to the bodye, he hath charge of them bo…th: we must commit the fedynge of the bodye and of the soule to hym. Well, he sayeth to Peter. duc in altum. Launche into the depth, put forth thy bote farther into the deepe of the water. Lose youre nettes, nowe fyshe. As who shoulde saye, youre soules are now fedde, I hauehave taught you my doctrine, nowe I wyll confirme it wyth a miracle.Christ confi… red his doctryne wyth myracles. Lo sir here is duc in altum. Here Peter …as made a greate man saye …he Papystes, and all his successours after hym. And thys is deriued of these few wordes. Launch into the deepe. And theyr argumente is thys: he spake to Peter onelye,A faynt and a feble argumente. and he spake to hym in the syngulare number, ergo he gaue hym such a preeminence a boue the rest. A goodly argument, I wene it be a sillogismus in quem terra pontus. I wil make a like argumcē, Oure Sauioure Christe sayed to Iudas, when he was about to betraye hym quod fac citius. Nowe whan he spake to Peter there were none of his disciples by, but Iames and Iohn, but when he spake to Iudas they were all presēt. Wel, he said vn. ot hym. quod sacis fac citius. Sped thy busynes, y^t thou hast in thy head, do it, He gaue hym here a secret monicion, that he knewe what he intended, if Iudas had had grace to hauehave taken it and repented. He spake in the singular number to hym, ergo he gaue hym some preeminence.A good ground for the Colledge of Cardinalles. By like he made hym a Cardynall, and it mighte full well be, for they hauehave folowed Iudas euer sens. Here is as good a grounde for the Coledge of Cardinalles, as the other is for the supremitie of the Bishop of Rome. Our Sauiour Christ (say they) spake onelyonly to Peter for preeminence, because he was cheife of the Apostles, and you can shewe none other cause, Ergo thys is the cause why he spake to hym in the syngular number. I dare saye there is neuer a whirrimā at Westminster brydge but he can answere to thys, and gyue a naturall reason of it.

He knoweth that one man is able to shoue the bote▪ but one man was not able to caste out the nettes,Why christ spake in the plurall number & whyrin the syngular. and therefore he sayed in the plurall nomber, larate retia Louse youre nettes? and he sayd in the syngular number to Peter, launch out the bote. why? because he was able to do it.

But he spake the other in the plural nomber, because he was not able to conuaye the bote, and cast out the nettes to. One man coulde not do it. Thys woulde the whirry man saye, and that wyth better reason, then to make suche a misterie of it,Christ sends not food and lyuyng without laboure. as no man can spye but they. And the cause why he spake to all, was to shewe that he wyll hauehave all Christē men to worcke for theyr lyuynge. It is he that sendes foode both for the body, and soule, but he wyll not sende it, wythout laboure. He wyll hauehave all Christen people to laboure for it, he wyll vse oure laboure as a meane whereby he sendeth oure foode. Thys was a wounderous myracle of oure Sauioure Christe. and dyd it not onelyonly to allure them to hys discipleshippe, but also for our commoditye. It was a seale, a seale, to seale hys doctrine wyth all. Nowe ye knowe that suche as be kepars of seales,Kepars of seales hathe theyr sealyng tymes. as my Lorde Chauncelour and suche other, what so euer they be, they do not all wayes seale, they hauehave a sealynge tyme (For I hauehave herde poore men complayne, that they hauehave bene put of from tyme to time of sealynge,When chrystes doctryne was sufficintelye sealed tyll all theyr monye were spent, and as thei hauehave times to seale in, so our Sauioure Christ had his time of sealinge. When he was here in earth, wyth hys Apostlees, and in the tyme of the primitiue churche, Christes doctrine was, sufficientelye sealed alredy wyth seales of hys owne makynge, what shoulde oure seales do? What nede we to seale his seale? it is a confirmed doctrine alredy. O luther, when he came into the worlde fyrst,Luter hadde sumwhat to do in hys tyme. and disputed agaynst the decretales, the Clementines, Alexandrines, Extrauagantines, what a do had he. But ye wyll saye paraduenture he was deceyued in some thynges, I wyl not take vponupon me to defend him in al pontes. I wyll not stand to it,They called vponupon Luther to do myracles. y^t al that he wrot was true, I thinke he woulde not so hym selfe. For there is no man, but he maye erie. He came to further and further knowledge, (but suerly he was a goodly instrumēt) Wel I say when he preached fyrste they called vpō hym to do myracles, they were wrought before, And so we nede to do no miracles. In dede when y^e popish prelates preached fyrst,What kinde of miracles the papysh had. they had nede of miracles, & the deuil wroughte some in the preachynge of purgatorye. But what kynde of miracles these were, all Englande doeth knowe, but it wyll not knowe. A wounderfull thinge, that the people wyl contynewe in theyr blyndnes and ignoraūce stil. We hauehave greate vtilitie of the miracles of oure sauiour Iesus Christ.What profet we hauehave of christes myracles. He doth signifye vntounto vsus, by this wōderful worcke, y^t he is Lord as well of y^• water as of the lād. A good cōfort for those y^t be on y^• water whē they be in any tēpest or daū ger to call vponupon him. The fishe here came at his cōmaundemēt. Here we maye learne that all thynges in the water are subiecte to Christe. Peter sayed, Syr, we hauehave laboured all nighte, and hauehave not caught one fynne, howe be it at youre worde we wyll to it a freshe. By this it appereth that the gaine, the lucre,Oure luker and gaynes must be imputed to god and not to our laboure. the reuenewes that we get, must not be imputed to oure labour, we maye not say, gramercy labour it is not oure labour, it is our sauiour Christ that sendeth vsus liuynge, yet muste we laboure, for he that sayed to Peter laboure, and he that bad the fyshers laboure, biddes all menne to laboure in theyr busines. There be some people that ascrybe theyr gaynes, theyr encrease, gotten by anye facultye, to the deuyll. Is ther anye trowe ye in England would say so? Now if any man shulde come to an other, and saye he gat hys lyuynge by the dyuell, he would fall out wyth hym.Who gettes theyr liuynge by the dyuell. There is not a man in Englande that so sayeth, yet is there some that thyncke it. For al y^t get it with false biyng and sellyng, wyth circumuention, wyth vsury, impostures, myxte wares, false waightes, deceyuynge theyr Lordes and maysters, all those, that get theyr goodes on thys fashion, what do they thyncke, but that the deuill sendes them gaynes and rytches. For they be hys (beyng vnlawefully gotten) What is thys to say, but that the dyuell is aucthour of theyr gaynes when they be so gotten? For God inhabites them deus nou uolens iniquitatem tues. God wyll no iniquite.Sum impute all theyr gaynes to there laboure. These folke ar greatly deceiued. Ther be some againe impute all to theyr laboures and workes.

Yea, on the hollye daye, they can not fynde in their hertes to come to the Temple, to the blessed cōmunion, they must be working at home. These are wyde againe on the otherside. And some there be y^t thinke, yf they worcke nothing at all, they shal hauehave inough,We must worcke, God geues not meate in our mouthes for gapyng. thei wil hauehave no good exercise, but gape and thinke y^t god wyl send meate in to their mouthes, & these are as fare wide: they muste worke, he had y^e fishers worcke. Our Sauiour Christ bad Peter worke, & he that sayed so to them, sayes the same to vsus, eueryevery man in hys arte. benedictio dei sacit diuitem.

The blessynge of God maketh a man ryche. He lettes hys sonne shyne vponupon the wycked, aswell as vponupon the good, he sendes ryches boeth to good and bad.

But thys blessynge turnes to them into a malediction and a curse, it encreseth their damnacion. Saynte Paule wrytynge to the Tessalonians, dyd put an order howe euerye man should worcke in his vocacion. Cum essemus apud vos, hoc precipiebamus vobis, vt si quis nollet operari, is nec edat.

When I was amonge you (sayeth he) I made thys ordynaunce, that whosoeuer would not do the worcke of hys vocation, shoulde hauehave no meate. It were a good ordinaunce in a common weale, that euerye mā shoulde be set on worke, eueryevery man in hys vocacion. Lette hym hauehave no mete. Nowe he saith furthermore. Audiuimus quos dam inter nos versantes inordinate, nihel operis facientes. I here saye there is some amongest you y^t lyues inordinatlye. What is y^e worde inordinatlye? ydellye, geuynge them selues to no occupacion for theyr lyuinge. Curiose agentes. Curiouse men, gyuen to curiositye, to searchynge what other men do. Saynct Paule sayeth, he harde saye, he coulde not tell whether it were so or no But he toke occasion of hearynge saye, to sette out a good and holsome doctrine. His autem qui sunt eiusmodi precipimus, et obsecramus. We commaund and desier you for the reuerence of God, if ther be any suche, that they wyll do y^e worckes of their vocacion, and go quietly to theyr ocupation, and so eate theyr owne breade, ells it is not theyr owne, it is other mens meate. Oure Sauiour Christ before he began hys preachynge, lyued of his occupaciō, he was a carpenter, and gat hys liuynge wyth greate laboure.

Therefore let no manne dysdayne, or thincke skorne to folowe hym in a meane liuynge, a meane vocacion, or a common callynge and occupacyon. For as he blessed oure nature wyth takynge vponupon hym the shape of man, so in his doing he blessed al occupaciōs and artes. This is a notable exāple to signifye y^t he abhorres all idlenes. When he was a Carpentar, then he went, and did the worke of hys callynge, and when he was a preacher he did the workes of that calling. He was no vnpreachyng prelate. The Byshoppe of Rome shoulde hauehave learned that at hym. And these gayners with false artes what be they? They are neuer contente wyth that y^t they hauehave, thoughe it be neuer so muche. And they that are true dealers, ar satisfied with that y^e God sendes, thoughe it be neuer so lytle. Qu…tus magnus pietas, cum animo sua sorte cont…nto. Godlines is great gayne, It is lucre inough, it is vantage inough to be contente w^t that, that God sednes. The faithfull can not lacke, the vnfaythfull is euer lackynge, though he hauehave neuer so much. I wyl nowe make an ende. labores mannū tuarum. Let vsus al laboure, Chryst teacheth vsus to laboure, yea the Byshop of Rome hyme selfe, he teacheth hym to labour, rather then to be hedde of the church. Let vsus put oure trust in God. Lubores manuum tu…rum. Cast thy care vpō y^e Lord and he wyl noryshe the and fede the. Againe the prophet saieth. Numquam uidi iustum de relictum nec semen eius querens panem.

I neuer sawe the ryghttuouse man for saken, nor hys seede to seke hys breade. It is infidelytie, infidelitye that marres all to gether.

Well to my texte. Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis, beatus et bene tibi erit. Because thou eatest thy labors of thy handes, that, y^t God sendes the of thy laboure. EueryEvery man must labour, yea though he be a kynge yet he muste laboure, for I knowe no mā hath a greater laboure then a Kinge. What is his laboure? To study goddes boke, to see y^t there be no vnpreachynge prelates in hys realme, nor bribing Iudges, t… se to all estates, to prouyde for the poore, to se vittailes goodchepe. Is not thys a labour trowe ye? thus if thou doste laboure, exercisynge the worckes of thy vocacyon, thou eatest the meate that God sendes the, and then it foloweth. Beatus es… Thou arte blessed manne in Goddes fauour, Et bene tibi rit. And it shal go well wyth the in this worlde, both in bodie & soule,Prouisiō both for the body & the soule▪ for God prouides for both. Howe shalt thou prouyde for thy soule? Go here sermons. Howe for the body? Eabour in thy vocation, and then shall it be well wyth the, bothe here and in the worlde to come through the fayth and merites of our sauiour Iesus Chryst. To whom with the father and the holy goste, be prayse for euer and euer, world with out ende. Amē. The ende of the .vi. Sermon.