Twenty-Seven Sermons, Sermons 3 · Sermon 6
The syxte Sermon os Maister Hugh …, whiche he … before K. Edward, the xii. day of ….
QVecunque scripta sunt ad nostiam doctrinam scripta sunt. Al things that are written, they … to be …. What doctrine is … for … in yt 8. Chap. of the fyrst booke of the kynges, I … partely shewe vntounto you (most honourable audience) this … sennight, of that good ma n father Samuel, that good iudge how good a man he was, what helpers, and coadiutours, he toke vntounto him, to hauehave his office well discharged. I told you also of the wyckednes of hys sonnes, howe they toke …, and lyued wickedly, and by that meanes, brought both theyr father, and themselues to deposition. And how the people did offende God in asking a kyng in sather Samuels tyme. And how father Samuel was put from his office, who deserued it not. I opened to you also, how father Samuel cleares hym selfe, that he knewe not the fautes of hys sonnes: he was no bearer with hys sonnes, he was sory for it, when he heard it: but he would not beare with them in their wickednes, Filii mei vobiscum sunt, my sonnes are with you saith he. Do wt them according to their desertes, I wil not maintain them, nor beare with them. After that he cleares himself at the kin ges feete, that the people … nothing to burthen hym wyth all, neyther money, nor money worth. In treating of yt part, I chaunced to shewe you, what I hearde of a man that was slayne, and I heare say it was not well taken. Forsoth I entende not to empayre any mans estimation or honesty, & they that enforce it to that, enforce it not to my meaning. I sayd I heard, but of such a thynge, and toke occasion by that, that I heard, to speake against yt thyng, that I knew to be naught that no man should beare with any man to yt maintenance of volūtary and prepensed murder. And I heare say synce, the man was other wise an honest man, and they that spake for him, are honest men. I am … inoughe to credite it. I spake not because I would hauehave any mannes honestye impaired. OnelyOnly I did as Saincte Paule dyd, who hearyngThe preachers are occasyo ned … to inueye a. gainstsuch vyce as the … are infec ted vvith as Paul to the Cor. thei. x, xi cap. of the Corinthians, that there shoulde bee contencions and mysorder among them, did wryte vntounto them that he hearde, and therevpon by occasion of … he set forth very whol some doctryne of the Supper of the Lorde. We myght not hauehave lacked that doctryne I tell you. Bee it so the Corinthians had no such contentions amonge them, as Paule wrote of, Be it so they had not misordred thēselues, it was neither of, nor on, to that that Paule saide. The matter lay in that, that vponupon hearing he wold take occasion to set out the good and true doctryne. So, I did not affirme it to bee true that I heard, I spake it to aduertise you, to beware of bearing withVVhy M. Latymer vsed this example; and to what end and purpose. wilful & prepēsed murder. I wold hauehave nothing enforced against any man. This was myne intent and meaning. I do not know, what ye calle chaunce medly in the lawe, it is not for my study. I am a scholer in scripture, in gods booke: I stu dy that. I know what voluntary murder is before god. Yf I shall fall out with a man, he is angry with me, and I wyth hym, and lacking oportunitie and place, we shal put it of forChaunce medly. that time, in the meane season I prepare my weapō & sharp it against another tyms, I swell and boyle in this passion towardesVoluntary murder mistermed chācemed ly. hym, I seke him, we medle together, it is my chance by reason my weapon is better then his, & so forth to kil him. I geue him his deathes stroke, in my vengeance and anger. This call I voluntary murder in scripture: what it is in theHe meaneth Austin. law I cannot tell. It is a great sin, and therfore I cal it volū tary. I remēber what a great clearke writeth of this. OmneThe tyme of repentance is here. peccatum adeo est voluntariū, vt nisi fit voluntariū nō sit pec catū. EueryEvery sin (saith he) is so voluntary, that if it be not voluntary, it can not be called synne. Synne is no actuall sin, if it be not voluntarye. I woulde we would all knowe oureThe span: ard … killed the English. man. faultes and repente: that that is done, is done, it cannot bee called backe …. God is mercifull, the kynge is mercyfull, here we may repente, thys is the place of repentaunce: when we are gone hence, it is to late then to repente. And letAs abhominable vvhore. dome vsed ia London as … vvas vponupon the banck Le tvs feare the one and put no doute but that the other is to foule … to be a lie There be places in London priuileged where … is haunted A laulesse place of licentious libertye, Dicing houses. … be content with suche order as the magistrates shall take But sure it is a perilous thyng to beare with any such matter. I tolde you what I hearde say, I woulde hauehave no mans honesty empayred by my tellyng. I heard … sence of another murder, that a Spanyarde should kyll an Englyshman and ronne him thorough with his sworde: they say he was a tall man. But I here it not, that the Spanyarde was hanged for hys laboure. If I hadde, I woulde hauehave tolde you it to. They fell out as the tale goeth aboute a whoore. O Lord what whoredome is vsed now a dayes. As I here by the relation of honest men, which tel it not after a worldly sort, as though they reioyced at it, but heauily with heauye hearts. how God is dishonoured by whoredome in this city of London. Yea the bancke, when it stoode, was neuer so common. If it be true that is tolde, it is meruail that it doth not sinke, and that the earth gapeth not and swalloweth it vp. It is wō becfull that the city of London doth suffer such whoredome vnpunished. God hath suffred long of his great lenitie, mercye, and benignitie, but he will punish sharply at the length, if we do not repent. There is some place in London, as they say: Immunitie, impunitie, what shold I cal it? a priuileged place for whoredome. The Lord Mayre hath nothyng to doe there, the …, they can not medle with it. And the quest they do not enquire …, and there men do bryng their whores:Shooting vvas wōt to be the old exercise of Eng land but the pastime is to … full … dicers. yea, other mens wyues, and there is no reformaciō of it.
There is suche dieyng houses also, they sya, as hath not bene wonte to be, where yong Gentlemen dyse away theyr thrifte, and where dysyng is, there are other folyes also. For the louelove of God let remedy be had, let vsus wrastle and stryue against synne. Menne of England in tymes past, when they would exercyse themselues (for we must nedes hauehave some re creacion, our bodies can not endure without some exercyse) they were wonte to go abroad in the fieldes a shootyng, but now it is turned into glossing, gulling and whoring … theShooting hath bene set by in tymes past VVhoring … the tou … in … af … in … fieldes house. The art of shooting hath … in times past much estemed in this realm, it is a gift of god yt he hath geuē vsus to excel al other nations wtal, it hath bene gods instrument wherby he hath geuē vsus many victories against our enemies. But now we hauehave takē … whroing in townes, in stead of shooting in … fieldes. A wonderous thing that so excellent a gift of god shoulde be so litle …. I … you … Lordes, euen as ye louelove the honoure, … glorye of God, and entende to remoue his …, let … be sent fourth som proclama tion, some … proclamation to the Iustices of peace, for they do not their duety. Iustices now be no iustices, there be many good actes made for this matter alredy. Charge them … their allegiance, that this singuler benefit of god may be practised and that it be not turned into bolling, …, & … within the tounes: for they be negligent in executyng… taug … the feate of … in a … bovve. these lawes of …. In my tyme, my poore father was as … to teache me to shoote, as to learn me any other …, and so I thynke other men did theyr children. He taught me how to draw, how to lay my bodye in my bowe, and not to draw with strength of armes as other nacions do but with strength of the bodye, I had my bowes bought me, according to my age and strength: as I encreased in them, so my bowes were made bygger, & bigger, for men shall neuer shote wel, except they be brought vp in it. It is a goodly art, a wholsome kind of exercise, & much commended in phisike.
Marcilius Phicinus in his booke de … (it is a greatShooting is … of Mar cilius … cinus. while since I red him now) but I remember he commendeth this kynde of exercise, and saith, that it wresteleth agaynste many kindes of diseases. In the reuerence of god, let it be cō tinued. Let a proclamation go forth, charging the iustices of peace, that they see such acts and statutes kept, as wer made for this purpose. I wil to my matter. I intend this day to intreat of a pece of scripture, writen in the beginning of the vcap. of Luke. I am occasioned to take this place by a boke … to the Kynges Maiestie that deade is, by Maister Pole. It isRegnold Poole the Cardinall a texte, that he doeth greatelye abuse, for the supremacye. He rackes it, and violentes it, to serue for the maintenance of the bishop of Rome. And as he did enforce thother place, that I entreated of laste, so dyd he inforce thys also, to serue his mater. The story is this. Our Sauiour Christ was come now to the bancke of the water of Genezareth. The people were come to him, & flocked about him, to here him preache.… sate in Simons ….
And Iesus toke a boote that was standing at the poole, it was Simons bote, and went into it. And sitting in the boote he preached to them that were on the bancke. And when he had preached and taught them, he spake to Symon, and bad him launche out further into the depe, and … hys …, to catche fyshe. And Symon made aunswere, and sayde: Master, we hauehave laboured al night, but we … nothing: how be it at thy commaundement, because thou … vsus, we wyll go to it agayne. And so they did, and caught a great draught, a miraculous draught, so much that the net brake, & they called to theyr felowes that were by, for they had two … to come to helpe them, and they came and fylled bothe their … so full, that they were nighe drounynge. Thys is the story. That I … declare this texte so, that it maye be to the honor of god, and … of your soules and myne …. I shall desyre you to helpe me with your prayer, in the whych. &c.
Factum est autem, (saith the …) Cum turba irruerct in ….… v. Sainct Luke … the storie, and it came to passe, when the people preased vpō …, so that he was in perill to be cast into the pond, they rushed so fast vponupon him, & made such throng to him. A wonderous thyng, what a desire the people had inLuc. iiii. those days to here our Sauiour Christ preache: and the cause may be gathered of the later end of the chapter that went before. Our sauior Christ had preched vntounto them, & healed the sicke folkes of such diseases & maladies as … had: and therfore the people would hauehave retained him still. But he made them answere, and sayd: Et alus … me euan … in hoc missus sū, I must … yt king dom of god to other cities also, I must shew them my fathers will: for I came for that purpose. I was sent to preache the word of God. Our Sauior Christ sayd, how he must not taAn exam. … of … for …. ry in one place: for he was sent toyt world to preache eueryevery where. Is it not a meruailous thyng, that our vnpreachyng … can rede this place, & yet preache no more than they do. I … that they can go quictly to bed, and se how he allureth them with his example, to be diligent in their officeOur … glory. Here is a godly lesson also, how our sauior Christ fled …. If these ambitious persons, that climbe to honor by bywalkes mordinatly, wold … this example of Iesus Christ, they shold come to more honor then … do. for when they seke honour by such bywalkes, they come to confusion: honor foloweth them that … from it. Our sauior Christ, gatHonor foloweth them that … it. him away early in the morning, & went vntounto the wildernes. I would they would folow this example of Christe, and not seeke honour by such bywalkes as they do. But what did the people? when he had hid hymselfe, they smelled him oute in the wyldernes, and came vntounto him by flockes, and folowed him a great nombre. But where rede you that a great numberThe common people smelled Christ out in the vvildernes and folovv ed him … ther but so did not the Scribesthe … nor the bi …. of Scribes and Pharisees, and Bishops followed hym. There is a doctor that writeth of this place, his name is … Gorrhā, Nycholas Gorrham, I knew him to be a schole doctor a great while ago, but I neuer knew him to be an interpreter of scripture til now of late: he saith thus, maior deuotio in laicis vetulis quā in clericis. &c. There is more deuotion saith he, in laye folke, and olde, wiues these symple folke, the vulgar people, then in ye clerkes: they be better affected to the word of god, then those that be of the cleargy. I meruail not at the sentence, but I meruail to find such a sen tence in such a doctor. If I shold say so much, it wold be said to me, that it is an … birde that defiles his owne nest, and Nemo leditur nisi à …, There is no man hurt, but … hys own self. There was verified the saying of our sauior Christ which he spake in another …. … que fuerit cadauer, ibi … aquilae, Whersoeuer a dead carion is, thither wil the Egles gather. Our sauior Christ compares him self to a dead carrion: for where the carrion is, there will the Egles be, & though it be an euil smel to vsus, and … in a mans nose, yet it is a swete smel to the Egles, they wil seekeCstrist … him … to a dead … on. it out. So the people sought out Christ, they smelt his sauor he was a swete smel to …. He is … ad …, the smel of life to life. Thei flocked about him like Egles. Christ was the carrion, & the people were the Egles. They had no pleasure to heare the Scribes, and the Pharisees, they stanke in their nose, their doctrine was vnsauory, it was of Loliones, of decimations, of Anets seade, and Cummyn and such gere.The Phari sees doctrine vvas void of remedy for …. There was no comfort in it for sore …, there was no cōsolatiō for wounded soules, there was no remedy for sins, as was in Christes doctrine. His doctryne eased the burden of yt soule: it was swete to the common people, & sower to the Scribes. It was such cōfort & pleasure … them, yt they came flocking about him: wherfore came they? Vt … verbum dei, it was a good cōming. They came to here ye word of god. It was not to be thought that they came all of one mynde to here ye worde of … It is likely that in so great a … VVe can not be saued without hea ring of the … of god.som came of curiositie, to heresom nouelles, & som came smel ling a swete sauor, to hauehave consolatiō & cōfort of gods word: for we cānot be saued without hering of the word. It is a ne cessary way to saluatiō. We … not be … without faith and faith commeth by hearing of the word. Fides ex …. And how shal they heare without a preacher? I tell you it isThe foote … of the ladder of saluatiō the footesteps of ye ladder of heauen, of our saluation. There must be preachers if we loke to be saued. I tolde you of thys gradation before in the tenth to the Romaynes. Consider it wel. I had rather ye shold come of a naughty mynd, to heare the word of god, for noueltie, or for … to heare someM. … them to resorte to the hea … of … mons not withstan ding the purpose of … com ming is not all of the best. S. Augu stine … of curiosi tie to Mil lane to … Am brose. …. Augustine … came of a Maniche a …. pastime, then to be away. I had rather ye should come as the tale is, by ye gentlewoman of London. One of her neighbors met her in the streate, and said mistres, whether go ye: Mary said she, I am goyng to s. Thomas of Acres to the Sermon, I could not slepe al this last night & I am going now thether, I neuersayled of a good nap there. And so I had rather ye shold go a nappyng to ye sermōs, thā not to goe at all. For wt what mynd soeuer ye come, though ye come for an yll purpose, yet peraduenture ye may chaunce to be cought or ye go, the prea cher may chance to catche you on hys hoke. Rather then ye shold not come at al. I would hauehave you come of curiositie, as S. Augustine came to heare S. Ambrose. When S. Augustine came to Millane, (he telles the story himself, in the ende of his boke of confessions) he was very desirous to heare S. Ambrose, not for any louelove he had to the doctrine ye he taught but to here his eloquēce, whether it was so great, as yt … was, and as the brute went. Wel, before he departed S. Am brose caught him on his hoke, and conuerted him so, that he became of a Maniche, and of a Platonist a good christen, a defender of Christes religion, and of the faith afterward. So I wold hauehave you to come to sermons: it is declared in many mo places of scripture, how necessary preachyng is, as this: …, … est …, ad … omni … The… the …. … of the …, is the power of God to eueryevery man … dothe …. He … gods worde …, it is the …, and the thyng … by we are …. … ware, beware, ye … not this office: for if ye doo, … power to … that do beleue. Christ saith … to the same, Nisi quis … è …, nō potest videre … de, Except a mā be borne againe from aboue, he cannot … the kingdom of God. He must hauehave a …: & whatVVhat is …, …, or … bee born … aboue. is this regeneration? It is not to be christened in … (as these … brandes expound it) and nothing els. How is it to be expounded then? Saint Peter sheweth, That one place of Scripture declareth an other. It is the circūstance, and collation of places, that make scripture plain. Regeneremur autem,One … of … an …. (saith S. Peter) and we be borne again. How? Non ex semine …, sed immortal Not by a mortal sede, but by an immortall. What is this immortall sede? … sermonē … viuentis, By the word of the liuing God, by the word of godHovv necessary the office of preaching is to oure saluation. preached and opened. Thus cometh in our new birth. Here you may se how necessary this office is to our saluatiō. This is the thing that the deuill wrastleth moste against. It hath ben all his studie to … this office. He worketh against it as much as he can, he hath preuailed to much, to much in it.The deuil is … to decaye preaching He hath set vp a state of vnpreaching prelacie in this … this. vii. C. yere: A state of vnpreaching prelacie. He hath made vnpreching prelates: he hath stired vp by heapes to per secute this office in yt title of heresy: He … stirred vp … maiestrates to persecute it in yt title of …. And he hath stirred vp the people to persecute it with … & …. … wordes: as by the name of ne …, strange preaching: and with impropriations he hath turned preaching in to priuate masses. If a … left masse vndoneon a sonday within these x. yeres, all England shold hauehave wō dred at it: but they might hauehave left of the sermon. xx. sondaysNote the … ment of the …. & neuer hauehave ben blamed. And thus by these … priuate Masses were set vp, and preparing of gods word … den vnderunder fute. But what doth he now? what doth he now? he … vp to ou tragious rearing of rents, that poreThe deuil …. men shal not be able to find their children at the schole to be …. What an vnreasonable … is this? he prouides a great … before … for the tyme that is to come. He hath brought vp now of late the … monstrous kynd of couetousnes that euer was heard of. He hath … see fermyngThe fee … mynge of …. of …, and all … this … of preaching: in so much that whan any man … shall … a benefice, he may go where he will, for any house he shall hauehave to dwell vponupon, or any glebe lande to keepe hospitalitie withall: but he must take vp a chamber in an alehouse, & there sit & play at the tables al the day. A goodly curate. He hath cauThe deuil goth to the vniuer … to tea che, but … sed also through this monstrous kynde of couetousnes, patrons to sel their benefices. Yea what doth he more? He gettes him to the …, and causeth great men, and … ers to sende their sonnes thither, & put oute poore scholars that should be diuines: for their parentes … not they shalbe preachers: but that they may hauehave a shew of lerning. But it were to long to declare vntounto you, what … & meanes the deuill hath found to decay the office of saluation, this office of regeneration. But to retourne to my …. The people came to here the word of god: … heard him with silence. I remembre now a saying of …, and … it might … hereafter in better place: but yet I will take it, whiles it co neth to mynd. The saying is this. Et loquentem eum … in … interrūpentes, … him (saith he) in silence, not interrupting the order of his …. He meanes, they herd himThe mysorder of vvalkers …. quietly, without any … of …, or walking vp and downe. Surely it is an yl misorder yt folk shalbe walking vp & down in the sermon time (as I hauehave sene in this place this Lent: & there shalbe such … & … in the preachersTo vvhat ende the Kynges grace … the banketing place. eare, that it maketh hym oftentymes to forget his matter. O let vsus consider the kyngs … goodnes: This place was prepared for … of the body: and his … hath made it a place for the … of the soule, & to hauehave the word of god preched in it, shewing herby, that he … hauehave … his … at it, if it might be possible. … what the kynges … hath done for you, he alloweth you all to heare with hym. Cōsider where ye be. First ye ought to hauehave a reuerēce to gods word: and though it be preached by poore men, yet it is the same worde that our sauiour spake. Consider also the presence of the kynges …, goddes high vycare in earth, hauyng a respecte to his personage, ye ought to hauehave reuerence to it, & consider that he is gods high minister, & yet alloweth you al to be partakers with him, of the hering of gods word. This benefit of his, wold be thankfully takē, and it wold be highly estemed. Heare in silence as …, it may chaunce that some in the company maye fall sicke, or be diseased. If there be any suche, let them go awaye with silence, let them leaue their salutations till thei come in the courte, let them depart with silence. I tooke occasion of Chrisostomes wordes to … you of this thyng.
What should be the cause, that our Sauiour Christe wente into the boate? the scripture callethit. Nauis or nauicula, … it was no ship, it was a fishers …, they were not able toVVhy Christe vvould ra ther go in to the boat then … vponupon the land or the banke. hauehave a shippe. What should be the cause, why he would not stand on the banck and preach there, but he desired Peter to drawe the boate somewhat from the shore in to the middes of the water, what shold be the cause? One cause was, for yt be might sit there more commodiously, then on the bancke, an other cause was, for that he was lyke to be thrust into the pond of the people that came vntounto hym. Why? our sautoure Christ might hauehave withstand them, he was strong … toAn aun svver to a prety ob iectiō the sigure is …. hauehave kept himselfe from thrustyng into the water. He was stronger then thei al, and if he had listed he might hauehave stand on the water, as well as he walked on the water: truth it is, so might he hauehave done in dede. But as it was sometime hys pleasure to shewe the power of his Godhead, so he declared nowe the … and imbecility of his manheade. Here … God must not be … so lōg as vve may worke by … meanesgeueth vsus an example what we shal do, we must not tempte god by any miracles, so long as we may walke by ordinary …. As our sauior Christ, when the diuell had hym on the top of the temple, & wold hauehave had him cast himself down, he made him this answer. Non tentabis dominum deum …. … not tempt thy lord god, as if he shold hauehave said, we may not tempte god at all. It is no … now to shew any miracles: there is an other way to goe downe, by gresin ges. Thus he dyd to shew vsus an example, that we muste notVVe must not tempt god. tempte God, except it bee in extreeme necessitye, and when we cannot other wayes remedy the matter, to leaue it all toVVhy Christe came into Simons boate … ther then into any other. God, elles we may not tempt the maiestye of his …. Beware temptyng of God? wel, he commes to Symons boate, and why rather to Symons boate then another. I wyll answere, as I fynde in experience in my selfe. I came hyther to day from Lambeth in a whirry, and when I came to take my boate, the water men came aboute me (as the maner is) and he wold hauehave me, and he would hauehave me. I toke one of them. Now ye wyll aske me why, I came in that boate, rather then in another, beecause I woulde goe into that, that I see stand nexte me, it stoode more … for me. And so did Christe by Simons boate. It stoode neerer for hym, he saw a better seate in it. A good natural reason. Now come the papystes, and they will make a misterye of it, theyA simple mater that standeth vponupon so … a ground. wyll pycke out the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome in Pe ters boate. We may make allegories ynough of eueryevery place in scripture: but surely, it muste needes bee a symple matter that standeth on so weke a grounde. But ye shal see further. He desyred Peter to thruste out his boate from the shore. He desired hym. Here was a good lesson, for ye byshop of Rome, and all his colledge of Cardinalles, to learne … and gentlenes. Rogabat eum He desired him, it was … doneA good lesson of humilitie. of hym, without any austeritie, but … all …, … nes, and softenes, and humility. What an … is this, that he geueth them here? but they spye it not, they can se nothing but the supremacye of the bishop of Rome. A wonderous thing, what sight they hauehave. They see nothing but the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome. Imperabatis ouibus meisHowe the bishop of Rome rule and raigne ouer the people. saith Ezechiel Cū auaritia, & austeritate, & disperse sunt absque pastore. Ye hauehave ruled my shepe, and commanded them with great lordlines, austerity, and power: and thus ye hauehave dispersed my shepe abroad, & why? There was no shepherd, they had wanted one a great while. Rome hath bene many a hundred yeres wtout a good shepherd. They wold not learn to rule them gētly, they had rule ouer them: but it was with …, excōmunications, with great austeritie, and thunderboltes, and the deuill and …, to … their …. I beseche God open their …, that they may se the truth, and not be blynded with those things, yt noman can se but …. It foloweth in the text, … deThe prea cher vseth to …. …. He taught syttyn …. … belike, were sitters in those days, as it is writen in an other place, … in …, They syt in the chayre of Moyses.
I would our preachers … or standyng, one waye, or other. It was a goodly pulpytte that oure SautourChrist re … the people more … the … The … of God may bee … in any co … place vvhere it … hearde Christe had gotten hym here: An olde rotten boate. And yet he … his fathers will, his fathers … out of thys pulpyt. He cared not for the pulpyt, so he mighte do the people good. In deede it is to bee commended for the preacher to stand, or sit, as the place is, but I wold not … it so … estemed, but that a good preacher may de clare the word of god … on a horse, or preching in a tre. And yet if … shoulde bee done, the vnpreaching prelates would laugh it to scorne. And though it be good to hauehave the … sette vp in churches, that the people maye resort thither: yet I … not hauehave it so … vsed, but that in a prophane place the worde of God might be … som tymes, and I … not hauehave the people offended wythall, no more then they be with our Sauiour Christes preachyng out of a boate. And … to hauehave pulpettes in churches it is ve ry wel done to hauehave them, but they would be occupied: for it is a vain thing to hauehave them as they stād in many churches. I heard of a Bishop of Englande that … on … A merve tale and … of a bishop … on vi sitation.(and as it was the custome) when the Bishoppe should come and be runge into the town, the great belles clapper was fal len down, the tyall was broken, so that the Bishop could not be … into the toune. There was a great matter made of …, and the chiefe of the paryshe were much blamed for it, in the visitation. The bishoppe was somewhat quicke wyth theym, and … that he was muche offended. They made theyr aunsweres, and … themselues, as well as they could, it was a chaunce sayd they, that the … brake and we coulde not get it mended by and by, we must tarye tyll we canne hauehave it done? It shal be amended as … as may be. Among the other, there was one wyser then theThe pulpit … his clapper. rest, & he commes me to the Bishop, Why my lord, saith he, doth your lordshyp make to greate a matter of the bell, that lacketh hys clapper? here is a … (sayeth he) and poynted to ye pulpit, yt hath lacked a clappar this 20. yeres. We hauehave a person that … out of this benefice fyftye pounde euerye yere, but we neuer see hym. I warrant you the Bishop was an vnpreachyng presate. He coulde finde faute with the bel, that wāted a clapper to ring him into the town, but he could not find any faut with the person that preached not at his be …. Euer this office of preaching hath ben left regarded, it hath scant had the name of gods seruice. They muste syng … festa dies, about the churche, that no man was the better… do foo les in … for it, but to shewe theyr gay coates, and garmentes. I came once my selfe to a place, ridyng on a iorney homeward from London, and I sente worde ouer night into the toune, that I would preach there in the morning, bicause it was ho lyday, and me thoughte it was an holydayes worke. The churche stode in my way, and I toke my horse, and my company, and wente thither, I thought I should hauehave founde a great company in the churche, and when I came there, the churche dore was faste locked. I taried there halfe an hower and more, at last the keye was found, and one of the … commes to me and sayes. Syr this is a busy day with vsus, weRobin hoode vvold not geue M. Latymer leaue to preach. canne not heare you, it is Robin hoodes daye. The paryshe are gone abroade to gather for Robyn hoode, I pray you let them not. I was fayne there to geue place to Robin hoode: I thought my rochet shoulde hauehave bene regarded, though I were not: but it would not serue, it was faine to geue place to Robin hoodes men.
It is no laughyng matter my frends, it is a wepyng matter, a heauye matter, a heauy matter vnderunder the … for gatheryng for Robyn hoode, a traytour, and a theefe, to put … a preacher, to hauehave hys office lesse estemed, to prefer Robyn … before the ministracion of Goddes worde, and all this hath come of vnpreachyng prelates. Thys realme hath bene yl prouided for, that it hath had such corrupt iudgementes in it, to prefer Robin hoode to goddes worde. Yf the Bishoppes had bene preachers, there shoulde neuer hauehave bene any such thing: but we hauehave a good hope of better. We hauehave had a good beginning, I beseche God to continue it. But I… bishoppes … hauehave the people to … in ignorance still. tell you, it is farre wyde, 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 themselues in vnpreaching prelacy. Well sytting, sytting. He sate doune and taught. The texte dotheA good place of scripture for a papist to builde nought v pon nothieg. tell vsus that he taught, but it doth not tel vsus what he taught. If I were a Papist I coulde tell what he sayde. I woulde in the Popes iudgemente shewe what, he taughte. For the Bishoppe of Rome hathe in serinio pectoris sui, the true vnderstandyng of scriptures: yf he call a counsayle, the colledge of Cardinals, he hath authority to determine the Supper of the Lorde, as he dyd at the counsaile of Florence. And Pope Nicolas, and Bishoppe Lanfranke shall come and exponud this place and say, that our Sauiour Christ, said thus. Peter I do meane this by sytting in thy boate, that thou shalt go to Rome, and be Byshoppe there syue and twenty yeres, after myne ascension. And all thy successours shal be rulers of the vniuersal churche after thee. Here woulde … also holyeHere is nought vpōnothing water, and holy breade, and all vnwritten verities, if I were a papist, and that Scripture is not to be expounded by anye priuate interpretation, but by our holy father, and hys Colledge of Cardinalles. This is a great deale better place then duc in alcum. But what was Christes sermon? it may soone be gathered what it was. He is alwayes lyke hymselfe. Hys fyrst sermon was poenitentiam agite, Do penaunce, your lyuyng is naughte, repente. Agayne at Nazareth, when he redThe … of Christs first sermo A text of one Dioni sius. Rikel a monk of the charter house. in the temple and preached remission of synnes, and healyng of wounded consciences, and in the longe Sermon in the mounte, he was alwayes lyke himselfe, he neuer dissented from himselfe. O there is a writer hath a iolie texte here, and his name is Dyonisius: I chaunced to meete wyth hys booke in my Lorde of Caunterburies librarye: he was a Monke of the Charterhouse, I meruayle to fynd such a sentence in that authour. What taughte Christ in this sermon? Mary sayeth he, it is not written. And he addeth more vntounto it. Euāgelistae tantum scripserunt de sermonibus & miraculis Christi, quantum cognouerunt inspirante deo sufficere ad aedificationem … ad confirmationem fidei, & ad salutem animarum? It is true, it is not written. All his miracles wer not written, so neither were al his sermons writen: yet for al that, the Euangelistes dyd wryte so much as was necessary. They wrote so much of the myracles and Sermons of ChristThe english of the latine text before. as they knewe by gods inspiration to be sufficient for the edifying of the churche, the confirmation of oure faithe, and the health of our soules. If this be true as it is in dede, wher … vnwritten verities? I meruayle not at the sentence, but to fynde it in such an authour. Iesus what authoritye he gyues to goddes woorde. But God woulde that suche menne should be wytnesse with the auctority of his booke, wyl they nyll they. Now to draw towardes an ende. It foloweth in the texte, duc in altum. Here commeth in the supremacye of the Bishop of Rome. When our Sauiour Christ had made an ende of his Sermon, and had fed their soules, he prouided for theyr bodies. Fyrst he beganne with the soule. Christes worde is the foode of it. Now he goeth to the bodye, he hathe charge of them both: we must commit the fedyng of the bodye and of the soule to him. Wel, he saith to Peter, duc in alChrist pro uides for the body as vvell as for the soule. tum, Launche into the depth, put forth thy boate farther into the depe of the water: Lose your nettes, nowe fyshe. As who should say, your soules are now fedde, I hauehave taughte you my doctrine, now I wyl confirme it with a myracle. Lo sir here is … in …, here Peter was made a great man, sayChrist con ferred his doctryne vvith mira cles. the Papystes, and all his successours after hym. And thys is deriued of these few wordes, Launche into the depe. And their argumente is this: he spake to Peter only, and he spake to hym in the synguler number, ergo he gaue him such a preVpō vvhat. vveake ground the Pope …. eminence aboue the rest. A goodly argument, I wene it be a sillogismus, in quē terra pontus, I wil make a like argumēt: Our Sauiour Christ said to Iudas when he was about to betray him, quod facis fac citiꝰ, Now whē he spake to PeterA faintand a feble argument. there were none of his disciples by, … James & Iohn, but when he spake to Iudas they were all present. Wel he said vntounto him, quodfacis sac citius, Spede thy busines, that thou hast in thy head, do it. He gaue him here a secret monition, yt he knew what he intēded, if Iudas had had grace to hauehave ta ken it and repented. He spake in the singuler number to himA good groūd for the colledge of cardinals. ergo he gaue him som preeminence. Belike he made him a Cardinal, and it mighte full well be, for they hauehave followed Iudas euer …. Here is as good a ground for the Colledge of Cardinals, as the other is for yt supremicie of yt Bishop of Rome. Our Sauiour Christ (say they) spake onelyonly to Peter for preeminence, because he was chief of the Apostelles, and you can shew none other cause, ergo this is the cause why he spake to him in the synguler number. I dare saye there is … uer a … at Westminster brydge, but he can answer to this, & geue a naturall reason of it. He knoweth that one man is able to shoue the boate, but one man was not able to cast out the nets: and therefore he said in the plural number, laxate retia. Lose your nettes: and he saide in the synguler number to Peter, launch out the bote. why? because he wasVVhy Christe spake in the plural number and vvhy … singuler, Christ sen des not foode and lyuing vvithout labour. able to do it. But he spake the other in the plurall number, because he was not able to conuey the boate, and cast out the nettes to. One man could not do it. This would the whirry man say, and that with better reason, then to make such a mi stery of it, as no man can spie but they. And the cause why he spake to al, was to shew yt he wil hauehave al christē mē to work for their liuing. It is he yt sendes soodeboth for the body, and soule, but he wyll not sende it, without labour. He wil hauehave all christen people to labour for it, he wyll, vse our labour as a meane wherby he sendeth … foode. This was a wonderous myracle of our Sauior Christ, and did it not only to alKepers of feales … their sea ling tymes VVhen Christes doctrine vvas suffi ciently …. lure them to his …, but also for our commoditie. It was a seale, a seale, to seale his doctryne wythall. … we ye knowe that suche as be kepers of seales, as my Lorde Chan cellour and suche other, what so euer they hee, they do not always seale, they hauehave a sealinge time. (For I hauehave hearde poore men complayne, that they hauehave bens put of from tyme to tyme of sealing, tyll all theyr mony were spent, & as they hauehave times to seale in, so our Sauiour Christ had his time of sealyng. When he was … in earth, with his Apostles, and in the tyme of the primitine churche, Christes doctryne was sufficiently sealed already with seales of his own makyng, what should our seales do? What nede we to seale his seale? it is a confirmed doctrine alredy. O Luther, when he came into the world first, and disputed against the decretales, the Clementines, Alexandrines, Extrauagantines, what a … had he? But ye will saye peraduenture he was deceyued in some thynges, I wyl not take vponupon me to defend him in all points. I wil not stand to it, that al that he wrote was true, I thinke he wold not so himself. For there is no man but heThey called vppon Luther to doo myracles. may erre. He came to further & further knowledge (but surelye he was a goodly instrument) wel I say when he preched …, they called vponupon him to do miracles, they wer wrought before, & so we nede to do no myracles. In dede whē the popishVVhat kynde of miracles the … had. Vvhat pro sitte wee hauehave of Christes miracles. prelates preached first, they had nede of miracles, & the deuil wrought some in yt preaching of purgatory. But what kind of miracles these were, all England doth know, but it wil not know. A wonderful thing, that the people wyll continue in their blindnes and ignorance stil. We hauehave greate vtilitie of the miracles of our sauiour Iesus Christ. He doth signify vntounto vsus by this wonderful worke, that he is Lord as wel of the water as of the lād. A good comfort for those that be on the water, when they be in any tempest or daunger to call vponupon him. The fish here came at his commaundement. Here we may learne, that all thynges in the water are subiecte to Christ. Peter said, Syr, we hauehave laboured all night, and hauehave not caught one finne, how be it at your worde weOur … and gayns musle not be imputed to god and not to our labor. wyll to it a freshe. By this it appeareth that the gaine, the lucre, the reuenues that we get, must not be imputed to our labour: we may not say, gramercy labour, it is not our labor it is our sauiour Christ that sendeth vsus lyuing: yet must we labour, for he that said to Peter labour, and he that bad the fishers labour, biddes all menne to labour in their busines. There be some people yt ascribe their gaines, their encrease, gotten by any faculty, to the deuil. Is there any trowe ye in England would say so? Now if any man should come to another and so gat hys lyuing by the diuell, he would fall out with him. There is not a man in England that so safeth, yet … there some that thinke it. For all that get it with false byingVVho getes … luing by the diuell & sellyng, with circumuention, with vsury, impostures, mixte wares, false wayghtes, deceyuing their lordes and mai sters, all those, that get their good & on this fashion, what doe they thinke, but that the deuill sendes them gaines & riches. For they bee his (beyug vnlawfully gotten,) what is this to say, but that the diuell is authour of their …, when thei be so gotten? For god inhibites them Deus non volens iniquiratem tues, God wyll no iniquitie. These folke are greatly deceiued. There be some agayn impute all to their labors and workes. …, on the holy day, they cannot finde in theirSome … pute their gaines to theirlabo. heartes to come to the Temple, to the blessed communion, they must be workyng at home. These are wide again on the other side. And som there be yt thinke, if they worke nothing at al, they shal hauehave inough: they wil hauehave no good exercise, but gape and thinke that god wil send meate into their mou thes, and these are far wide: they must worke: he had the fyshers… must …. worke. Our sauiour Christ … Peter work, & he that said so to them, sayes the same to vsus, eueryevery man in his arte, Benedictio dei facit diuite n. The blessyng of god maketh a man ryche. He lettes his sonne shyne vppon the wycked, aswell as vpō the good, he sendes riches both to good and bad. But this blessyng turnes to them into a malediction, and a curse, it encreaseth their damnation. Saint Paule writyng to the Thessalonians, dyd put an order howe eueryevery manne should worke in his …. Cum essemus apud vos, hoc praecipiebamus …, vt si quis nollet operari, is nec edat.
When I was among you (saith he) I made this ordinance that whosoeuer would not do the worlt of his vocation, … hauehave no meat. It were a good ordinance in a common weale that eueryevery man should be set on worke, eueryevery man in his vocation. Let him hauehave no meate. Now he saith furthermore. Audiuimus quosdam inter vos … inordinate, nihil o. peris facientes. I here saye there is some amongest you, that … inordinately. What is that word inordinately? …. geuyng thēselues to no occupation for their …. Curiose … Curious men, geuē to curiositie, to searching whatCurious men. other men do. Saint Paule saieth, he heard say, he could not tel whether it were so or no. But he toke occasien of hearing saye, to sette out a good and wholsom doctrine. His autē qui sunt eiusmodi precipimus, & obsecramus. We … and desire you for the … of god, if there be any suche, that they will do the workes of their vocation, and go quietly to their occupation, and so eate their owne bread: els it is not their owne, it is other mens meate. Our sauiour Christ before he began his preachyng, lyued of his occupacion, heChrist laboured. was a carpenter, and gat his lyuing with greate labour.
Therfore let no man disdain, or think … to folow him, in a meane liuing, a meane vocation, or a common callyng and occupation. For as he blessed oure nature with taking vponupon him the shape of man, so in his doyng he blessed all occupations and artes. This is a notable example to signify, yt he … al ydlenes. When he was a Carpenter, thenhe wente, and did the worke of his calling, and when he was a preacher, he did the workes of that callyng. He was no vnpreaching prelate. The bishop of Rome shold hauehave learned that at him. And these gainers with false arts what be they? They are neuer content with that they hauehave, though it bee neuer so much. And they that are true …, are satissied with that that god sendes, though it be neuer so litle. Quest magnus pietas, cum … sua sorte contento. Godlines is great gain, it is lucre inough, it is vātage inough, to be cōtēt wt that, that god sends. The faithful can not lack, yt vnfaithful is euer lacking, though he hauehave neuer so muche. I wyll now make an end. Labores manuū tuarū. Let vsus al laboure, Christ teacheth vsus to labor: yea the bishop of Rome himself, he teacheth him to labor, rather thē to be … of yt church. Let vsus put our trust in god. Labores manuū tuarū. Cast thy … vpō yt lord, & he wil norish thee & … thee. Again yt prophet saith, Nunquā vidi iustū … eius querēs panē. I neuer saw the rightuous … forsaken, nor his … to … his bread. It is infidelity, infidelity that … al together. Well to my texte, Labores … tuarum quia manducabis, beatus … & bene tibi …. Because thou eatest thy labors of thy handes, that, that God sendes the of thy labour. EueryEvery man must labour, yea though he be a king, yet he must labour: for I knowe noman hath a greater labour then a king. What is his labour? To study gods booke, to see that there be no vnpreaching prelates in his realme, nor … iudges, to se to all estates, to prouide for the poore, to see vitailes good chepe. Is not this a labor trowe ye? thus, if yu doest labor exercisyng yt workes of thy vocation, yu eatest the meate that god sendes the, & thē it foloweth Beatuses. Thou art a blessed… bothe for the bodye and the soule. man in Gods fauour, Et bene tibi erit. And it shal go well with the in this world, both in body and souls, for God … for both. How shalt thou prouide for thy soule? go here sermons. How for the body? Labour in thy vocation, & then shall it be well with the, both here and in the worlde to come, through the faith and merites of oure Sausour Iesus Christe. To whome with the father and the holy ghosse be prayse for euer and euer world without end.
Amen.