Twenty-Seven Sermons, Sermons 2 · Sermon 4

Twenty-Seven Sermons · Sermons 2 · Sermon 4

The fourth Sermon of Maister Doctor Latymer. Philip. 3.

… be folowers together of me, and looke on thē, which walke euen so, as ye … vsus for anPhilip 3.Phil 3 ensample: for many walk, of whō I hauehave told you often: and now tell you weping, that they are the enemies of the … of Christ.

This is the Epistle which is red this day in the churche, & conteineth many good things. And this day two yere, I entreated of the gospell of this day, at Stamford. And such matersA sermon made at Stamford. as I had in hand wer gathered of a diligent person, and put in prynte. The Gospel was this: Geue vntounto Cesar, that thing that pertaineth vntounto Cesar, and vntounto god that thing, that pertaineth vntounto god: I will reherse in fewe words that which I sayd at the same time.

The Pharisees and Scribes asked Christ our sauior whether they should geue tribute vntounto Cesar or not: for it irked them that they should pay tribute, they thoughte it to bee a great seruitude: but they asked Christ this question of a mis cheuous mynde, intendyng to take him in his words: but he disapointed thē pretily, asking whose ymage the money bareThe … are … pointed. they aunswered, the Emperors: then our sauior saith, … therfore vntounto the emperour that that pertayneth vntounto hym, and vntounto god that which pertaineth vntounto god. They spake nothing of god, but onelyonly of the tribute, but our Sauiour in his answer telleth them and all the world their dueties: yet he doth it with darke and couered wordes: they confessed that the ymage was the emperors, and so consequently subiects vntounto him: then our sauiour commaunded them to pay according vntounto the order, as themperor had agreed with thē, thatThis … is … to vsus … as to the … was their duety to do. Our sauiour he referred them to their lawes, signifieng that they ought to obey the lawes in … common wealth, and so ought we to do too. for our sauior in p. 88his answer teacheth not only them but vsus also: for like as it was with the Iewes, so is it with vsus, here in England. Our soueraigne lord the king, when he lacketh anye thing to the defence of his …, it is presented in the parliament, there is required such things as be necessary for the kings affairs. Now looke whatsoeuer is graunted vntounto his maiesty by the parliament, the whole realme is bound in conscience to pay, it, eueryevery man as it is required of him: and that is our due vn to the king, namely to … & do our duties in all thinges towardes our soueraign lord the king: as far forth as it is notThe prince must be o beyed in things not against god against god, we must obey him & do his requests. But now ye wil say, this is a great bondage, and a heauy yoke and ser uitude. Consider therfore who speaketh these words, who is he that commaunded vsus to be obedient? Mary our sauior him selfe. Now he saith Meum iugum leue est, my yoke is light, how chaunced it then that he wil lay vponupon me such a heauye … it is a great burthen for me to forgo my goods, as when there is a subsidie, so that the king required 1. … of eueryevery pounde. Now I am worth 40. pound and so I pay 40. shillings, to which money y^t king hath as good right as to any … whiche his … hath. And this IThis realm is ful of … ues. speake to this end, for I feare this realm be ful of theues: for he is a thefe y^t withdraweth any thing … any man, whosoeuer he be. Now I put the case it is allowed by the parliamēt by common authority that the king shall hauehave i. shilling of eueryevery pound, & there be certaine men appointed in eueryevery shire which be valuers: when I now either corrupt the valuer, or sweare against my … y^t I am not worth an C. li. when I am worth two hundred; Here I am a thefe before god, and shalbe hāged for it in hel. Now how many theues thinke … Gods mat ters … not be tri fled v vithal… there in Englād, which wil not be valued aboue x. li. whē they be worth a C. …, but this is a pitiful thing, & god wil punish them one day: for gods matters are not to bee tristed withall. Now ye will say this is a heauy yoke, and intollera ble to beare. … I … tell ye what ye shall …? Consider … one with … what Christ hath done for vsus. … what great & … he hath deliuered vsus, … ye cōsider that, this burthē which the king … vpō, vsus wyl be light enough vntounto vsus: for Christ hath deliuered … Two thinges conside … we shalbe vvel coutent.from the burthen of our sinnes: when we consider, that, first who is he, that commandeth it vntounto vsus: secondarily what he hath done for vsus that biddeth vsus to obey, no doute we shalbe well content withall. But there be a great manye of vsus whiche cōsider not that, but rather deceiue the king, or forswere themselues, or els rebell against the king: which thinges no doute displease god most highly and …. An other thing is, that should moue vsus to beare this burthen willingly, which is, his promise. For who soeuer will be contente to pay his duety truly and vyrightly, as he oughte to doe, that man shall hauehave neuertheles in fulfilling the commaundementHe that pai … his due tie shal hauehave neuer the lesse. of god. for so saith god: if thou shalt herken diligentlye vntounto the voice of the Lord, thou shalt be blessed in the …, and blessed in the fields &c. So that yf we do according as he … vsus to do, if we giuegive vntounto the king y^t which pertainethDeut. 28Deut 28 vntounto the king, No dout we shalbe blessed, we shall hauehave …, for gods blessing will light vponupon vsus. But there be a great many amongest vsus, which do not beleue those thynges to be true, they beleue not the promises of god: & so they make god a lyar: for Qui non credit deo facit deum mendacem, He that beleueth not god, maketh god a lyar. Now yf thys will not moue vsus to doo our duties, namely that ChristVVe shall … our goods … to the king hath deliuered vsus from the great burthen of our sinnes, lette vsus be moued at least wayes with his promises: namely that we shall increase our goods, in doyng oure dueties vntounto the kynge.

This litle I thought good to say, and so to put you in remembraunce of such things as I hauehave sayd at that tyme, for yf this were well considered, we would be wyllinge to doo our duties, and so please god withal: for god loueth a cherefullGod loueth a cherefull …. obeyer, one that with a good will is redy to do such thinges as he appointeth him.

Now let vsus turne to the Epistle. Brethren be folowers, together of me, and loke on them that walke, euen so, as ye hauehave vsus for an ensample. These are maruelous wordes of S. Paule, which seme out wardlie to be arrogantly spoken: yf any man should say so at thys time, we would thinke him p. 89to be a very arrogant felow. but ye muste see that ye righte vnderstande S. Paule: for he spake these wordes not of an… seme … gant but … not so. arrogant mynde: fyrst ye must consider with whom he had to do, namely with false apostles whiche didde corrupte goddes moste holye worde, the gospel which he had preached before. And so the same false Prophetes didde muche harme: for a great number of people did credite them, and folowed theyr doctryne: which thinges greeued saint Paule very sore: ther fore he admonished them, as who say, ye hauehave preachers amongest you: I would not hauehave you to folowe them: folowe rather me, and them that walke lyke as I do. This was not arrogantly spoken, but rather louingly, to kepe them from error. he saith the same to the …. 11. Cap. saying, Be ye the folowers of me: but there he addeth, as I am the folower of Christ: so put the same wordes hither, set them together and then all is well. For I tell you it is a daungerous thyng toIt is a … gerous thing to … folow men, & we are not bounde to folowe them further thē they folow Christ: we ought not to liue after any Saint, nor after S. Paule or Peter, nor after Mary y^e mother of Christ to folowthem I say vniuersally we ar not bound so to do, for they did many thinges amysse. Therfore let vsus folowe them as they folow Christ: for our sauiour Christ geueth vsus a generall rule and warnyng saying: Whatsoeuer they teache you do it, but after their workes do ye not, and he addeth sittyng in Moses cheare, that is to say whē they teach the truth so that we oughte to … them that teache the truthe: butLearne hovv long men … be … ed. whan they do nought we should not folow them: therfore he saith in an other place, … vestra iustitia, Except your rightuousnes be more than the Scribes and Pharise is ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen. This he speaketh of the clergy men, geuing vsus warnyng not to do as they did: we must hauehave such a rightuousnes as may stand before god: we are not appointed to folow …: as whenVVe are … be sainctes apes. I here this saincte hath prayed so manye psalmes, so manye houres in a daye, I am not bounde in … to followe hym, to he his ape, and to doo as he dyd, my vocation beynge … vntounto it.

There is a place in the 2. Macha. 12. Cha. where we rede2 Machbeus. 12. how that Iudas … us that … sendeth certain money to Ierusalem, to make a sacrifice for the dead. Now Iudas dyd this: but it foloweth not, that we are bound in conscience to do the lyke, as the papistes which by and by conclude vponupon it. Iudas did this, & be was a godlye man, ergoIudas … is … to be … ed. we shold do it too: we shold folow his … le and sacrifice for the dead. Nego argumentum, it is a naughtye argumente, to conclude vponupon that thing which he did …, ha uyng not gods worde: he did it, ergo it was well done. For we are not bounde to folowe them in theyr doynges. For yf Marye the mother of Christe shoulde hauehave done some what disagreeyng from gods worde, we should not folow her, whi che in dede hath had her faultes, as saincte Augustyne plamlye affirmeth in the 3. treatise vponupon Iohn: where she moued Christe to do a myracle when their wyne was lacking at the mariage: when our sauiour called her Mulier, woman, what hauehave I to do with thee? as who say, to do myracles is my fathers worke, and he knoweth the tyme when it is best to bee done: what hauehave you to doe with … where Chrysostome and Augustyne plainly …, that Mary was somewhat arrogant.Maryvvas … arrogant. So likewise it appeared in the Euangelist Mathew, where she interruptyng his Sermon, desyred to speake with him, and a felow tolde him when he was teachyng the people, saying: Thy mother is here and would speake with thee he aunswered and sayd, who is my mother? or syster, or brother? and stretched oute his hand, saying: whosoeuer doth the wyll of my father which is in heauen, he is my mother, sister and brother. So lykewise when he was but twelue … of age, his mother and father seekyng hym, he sayde, … know ye not that I must be in y^t busines of my father? Now in all these places as the wryters saye, passa est …, she hath shewed her frayle nature: shall we go now and followe…. 4. her? No no, we maye not do so. S. Paule teacheth vsus howe we shall folow them, and in what thynges, Bonum est emulari in bono semper, It is good alwayes to be seruent, and to folow in good thinges: then it is not such a good argument, such a mā doth it, ergo it is a good thyng? No not so: we must … so & do so al things, as it may stande with our …, p. 90wherunto god hath called vsus: for when we leaue our vocationTo … our … on is dam nable. whereunto god hath appointed vsus, no dout we do naught and damnably: As for an ensample. Our sauiour fasted 40. dais & 40. nightes without any maner of sustinance: Ergo we shal do so too, no, because we are not able to do so too, we should kyll our selues: likewise Moses that holy prophete of god killed an Egiptian which was a wycked and naughtye man: ergo I shall go and kill yonder wycked man to? No, I may not do so, for it is agaynste my callyng, I am no magistrate, therfore I may not do it: as for Moses he had a special inspiration of god. Phenees that godly man killed … & …, which wer occupied together in y^t act of …: Phenees y^t zelous man came and killed them bothe at onesNum. …. … his doyng plcased god very wel. Now ye may make such an argumēt, Phenees did so, and pleased god in his doynges, ergo we may doo so too: when we see any man dishonor god, we may goe and kyll hym by and by. This is not a good argument: for as I sayde before, we must take heede to our callyng, to oure office. This Phenees had a speciall … to do so, we may not folow his ensample. Abraham was a good and holye man, he was redye to kyll hys sonne and … him wyth fyre: whiche doynges pleased god wonders well: afterwarde there were many which would folowe theThat only is vvell done that god wil leth vsus to do. ensaumple of Abraham, and burnte theyr children, but they did excedyng yl, and god was angry with them for so doing: therfore we must folowe theyr ensample so far forth as may stand with our vocation.

Further … and Mary they were maried folke, but they exercised not the acte of generation, yf we would now followe the ensaumple of Marye and Josephe, and inhibite vntounto maried folkes the acte of generation: thys were naughte and against the order of GOD: for Mary and Ioseph had a special calling, and gifte of god to abstaine: but yf we hauing no suche calling or suche giftes as they hauehave had shoulde folow their ensample, we shouldgo to the deuil at y^t length, for not doing according vntounto our calling. So it appeareth partly that we are not … to folow y^t … or doings of y^t saints. Iacob, Dauid, Salomōother good, & holy men hauehave had many wiues, ergo we may hauehave manye to? Not so, they had a speciall lycence and prerogatiuc, whicheVVe must … in oure … the sain … did in …. we hauehave not. Therfore take this for a sure rule, we hauehave not to folow the sayntes in their vocatiō, but we must folow god in our vocatiō, for lyke as they folowed god in their vocation and callyng, so we must follow god in oure vocation: but when we wil go about to folow god in their callyng, and forsake our owne callyng, then no dout we shal do noughte. This I hauehave said to that ende that ye might vnderstande the wordes of S. Paule, where he saith, be folowers of me: ther fore I shewed you how farre forth we ought to folow the ensample of the sayntes.

For many walke of whom I hauehave tolde you often, and now tell you weping, that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ. S. Paule speaketh of the false prophetes, he saieth they walke. By this word walke, is signified our conuersati on and lyuyng. for whan we will … any man to liue wickedly, we may expresse it with these wordes, he walketh wickedly. Now if there were many in S. Paules time, whi che did walke wickedly, thinke ye is the matter any thynge amended now at oure tyme? I thynke nothing at all: for weApo. 2 rede in the 20. …. of Apoca. that Satan shalbe lose in the laste dayes, that is to say, god will suffer him to exercise hys craftes, his … wicked mynde, which he beareth againsteSathan is lose … god: and truely when a man considereth the state of the whole world in eueryevery countrey, it appeareth no lesse but y^t the deuil is leuse: for what rebellions, what cruelties, what couetousnes, what hatered and malice is amongest men? In so much that a man would thinke the whole world to be full of deuils. therfore when there wer many at S. Paules tyme, it must nedes folow that there be more now: for nowe is the defection and sweruyng from the truth.

Of which I hauehave told you often, and now tel you weping. s. Paul was a good mā a harty & an earnest mā in gods causeSaint Paul vvas a vve per. he was a weeper, he wēt a pilgrimage wherof I told you the last time: it was a griefe to him to see the dishonor of god amō gest them, which he had instructed in the word of god: he was … to see the people blinded and seduced with false doctrine. p. 91but suche thinges greue not vsus: though god be dishonoured we care not for it: but when we hauehave losse of oure goods, and … certain domages, then we can wepe from the … of our heartes, and be most sorowful: but when we heare that god is dishonoured, that lechery is committed, or other horrible sinnes done, that greeueth vsus not, then we weepe not:Vve vvepe not as S. Paul did. & so it appeareth most manifestly that we hauehave not the hearte of S. Paule, we are not so mynded.

Now peraduenture some body might say that S. Paule had standred these men in writyng so sharply against them, and in callyng them the enemies of the crosse of Christe: but2. Tim. 22 Tim 2 it is not so, he slaundereth them not. In the Epistle to Timo the he named some by their names Philetum, and Hyneneū. You must consider that Saint Paule did well in reprouyng them openlye: for a man maye sometimes tell an other mans faultes: for not eueryevery tellyng is slaunderyng. When a man telleth an other mans faultes with a good mynde, and to a good purpose, this tellyng is wel: but that is nought and very slaundering when I reherse before other men the faults ofVVhat sla undering is. my neighbour with a malicious stomacke: I hate him, & ther fore I make him to be knowen, I paynte him oute in hys colours, and sometymes I say more by him then I am able to proue, this is slaunderyng: but when a man telleth an other mans faultes with a good mynde to his reformation, that is not standeryng. As we rede a story of S. Bernhard, whether it be true other not, it is no matter, take it for an ensaumple, and learne thereby what is …, and what is not. Saint Berneharde was a goodly vprighte younge man and well fauoured, he came at a tyme with his company to an ynne, where he taried all nighte. And because he was a faire man,A fable of S. Bernhard and his hostes the woman in the house caste her eyes vppon hym: desiring in her heart to hauehave carnal company with him, and therfore after supper she apointed a chamber for: him alone, to that end that she might come vntounto him afterwarde, and so she diddet for whan euerye bodye was at reste she came vntounto hys bedde intendynge to lye wyth hym: Saincte Berneharde perceyuynge that, cryed out with a loude voyce, Fures, Fures, theues, theues: hys fellowes hearyng hym …, came vntounto hym, askyng what the matter was: he tolde them that there was a theefe there: nowe they thoughte he hadde dreamed, wente to bedde agayne: As soone as they were gone, by and by the woman came agayne, then he cryed againe. So in the mornyng saincte Berneharde woulde not tarye long in that house, and as they were in the way, he tolde to his fellowes how that the woman hadde come vntounto him, desyring them to take hede an other tyme of that womā, for she was a naughty woman, she would hauehave stolen from him the holy ghoste, the remission of his sinnes, and all goodnes: for if he shoulde hauehave folowed her, she shoulde hauehave robbed him of all these thynges: of such a fashion we may tel other mens faultes.

For … Berneharde tolde it to that ende to gene the warnyng to take hede of y^t womā. Now this was not slandering and so likewise S. Paule here slaundereth them not, but set them out in their colours, to admonish vsus to beware of them and so we ought to do, when we know a man that is wicked and wil not leaue his wickednes after due admonitious: No doute it is a good thyng to geue vntounto other men warnyng of such a man, that they maye take heede of him: As for an ensample.Theues sworue to be true. There be a company of theeues sworne together to be true one to theother, and not to disclose one another. Now I am amongest them: and after some mischiefe done I am taken and condemned by the law to be hanged. Shall I not disclose now my company and geue vntounto the magistrates warnyng of them? yes I would thinke that man that is in suche a case, doth well to disclose his company, for it pertaineth to a good ende, and is a charitable deede, els his company may doe muche harme afore they be knowen. No doute that manA good wishe. shoulde doe well, and I thynke he oughte to doe it. And I woulde GOD that all theeues in Englande were so persuaded in theyr heartes, that when one were taken that he should disclose his felowes too: No doute we should hauehave better reste, theeues would not so much trouble the common welthe as they do.

Weepynge. It greeued Saincte Paule verye sore that Christian soules should so bee seduced thorough false religion, p. 92I woulde wyshe that there were suche a feruente zeale now in vsus, as was in hym then: but it is not so, we hauehave no care for the soules of Christian people. And that appeareth moste manyfestly by those vnpreachyng prelates. For yf they hadde suche an earnest mynde to the … of Chryst, as Saincte Paule hadde, no doute they wouldeVn preaching pre lates hauehave … zeale. All the pa pistes in … are enemies to Christe. not bee so lordelye, so slouthfull in doyng of theyr oueties: but they lacke suche an earnest as saincte Paule had, such an earnest zeale they lacke: They are the enemy of the crosse of Chryste. A man may be an enemy of the crosse of Christe two manner of wayes. All the papistes in Englande and speciallye the spirituall men, be the enemyes of the crosse of Christe two maner of wayes. Fyrste when he is a ryghte papiste geuen to monkerye, I warraunt you he is in this opinion, that wyth hys owne workes he doth merite remission of hys synnes, and satisfieth the law thorough and by his owne workes, and so thinketh himselfe to bee saued euerlastynglye. This is the opinion of all papystes. And thys doctryne was taughte in tymes paste in scholes and in the pulpettes. Nowe all these that be in suche an opinion, they be the enemies of the crosse of Christe, of his passion and bloudshedyng: for they thynke in themselues Christe needeth not to dye, and so they despyse his bitter passion: they doe not consider oure byrth, synne, and the corruption of our nature nor yet doe they knowe the quantitys of our actuall synnes, howe many tymes we fall in synnes, or howe muche oure owne power is diminished, nor what power & might the deuyll hath: they consider not suche thynges, but thynke themselues able with theyr owne workes to enter into the kyngdome of God. And therfore I tell you, this is the peryllous doctryne that canne be deuysed. For all faythefull and true Christians beleue onelye in hys deathe, they long to bee saued thoroughe his passion, and bloudeshedyng: thys is all theyr comforte: they knowe and most stedfastly beleue, that Christ fulfylled the lawe. And that his fulfyllynge is …, so that they attribute vntounto Christ the gettyng & meriting of euerlasting lyfe. And so it foloweth that thei which attribute the remission of synnes, the getting of euerlasting life, vntounto thēselues or their works, they denie Christ, they blaspheme and … him: For, for what other cause did Christ come, but onelyonly to take away our synnes by his passion, and so deliuer vsus frome the power of the deuill? But these merites mongers hauehave so many good workes, that they be able to sell… mongers. them for money, and so to bryng other men to heauen to by their good workes: which no doubt is the greatest contempt of the passion of Christ that can be deuised. For Christ onelyonly and no man … merited remission, iustification, and eternall felicitie for as many as will beleue the same: they that will not beleue it, shall not hauehave it: for it is no more but beleue and hauehave. For Christ shed as much blood for Iudas as he dyd for Peter. Peter beleued it, and therfore he was saued.… and … fore … not be sa ued. Iudas would not beleue, and therfore he was condemned, the faulte beyng in hym onelyonly, in no body ells. But to say or to beleue that we should be saued by the law, this is a great dishonoring of Christes passion: for the lawe serued to an other purpose, it bringeth vsus to the knowlege of our sinnes, and so to Christ: for whan we be come through the law to the knowlege of our syns, when we perceiue our filthines then we be redy to come to Christ and fetch remission of our synnes at hys handes. But the Papistes fetch the remission of their synnes, not in the passion of Christ, but in their own doings: they thinke to come to heauen by their own works, which is naught. We must do good workes, we must endeuour our selues to lyue accordyng to the commandementes of God: yet for all that we must not trust in our doynges. For though we doo the vttermost, yet is it al vnperfect, whā ye examine them by the rigor of the law, which law seruethVVe must work but not trust in our workes. to bryng vsus to the knowlege of our sinnes, and so to Christ, and by Christ we shall com to the quietnes of our conscience. But to trust in our good workes, is nothing but a robbing of Christ, of his glorie and maiestie. Therfore it is not more necessarie to doo good workes, than it is to beware howe to esteme them. Therfore take heede good christen people, deny not Christe, put not your hope in youre dooynges: for … ye shall repent.

p. 93An other denyinge of Christ is thys masmonging: for all those that be massemongers be deniers of Christe, which beleue… deny Christ. or truste in the sacrifice of the masse, and seke remission of theyr sinnes therin: for this opinion hath done very much harme, and brought innumerable soules to the pytte of hell: for they beleued the masse to be a sacrifice for the dead and liuynge: and this opinion hath gotten all these abbeyes and chauntries, almost the halfe parte of all England: and theyA man vvil spare no … his soule. should hauehave gotten more yf they had not bene restrained by certayne lawes. For what would folkes not do to case them selues from the burthen of theyr sinnes? But it was a false easment, a deceitful thing: Therfore how much ar we bound vntounto god which hath delyuered vsus from thys bondage, from this heuye yoke of popery, which woulde hauehave thurst vsus to euerlasting damnation. For now we know the verye waye howe we shalbee deliuered, we knowe that Christe is offered once for vsus: And that this one offring remedieth all the synnes of the whole worlde, for he was Agnus occisus ab origineApoc. 13Rev 13 …. He was the lambe which was killed from the beginning of the worlde, That is to saye: all they that beleued in him sence Adā was created they were saued by him. They that beleued in Abrahames seede, it was as good vntounto them, and stoode them in as good effecte, as it dothe vntounto vsus now at this day. So that his oblation is of suche efficacye that it purifieth and taketh away all the synnes of the whole world. They now that wyl be content to leaue theyr synful lyfe, … with sinne, and then beleue in our sauior Christ they shal bee partakers of euerlastyng …. Here ye maye perceiue that Christe hathe manye … in the whole worlde, he hathe many that slaunder him, that diminishChriste hath … ny ene mies. hys glorye: namelye all the papistes that truste in their owne merites or seeke remission of their sinnes by the sacrifice of the masse: all these nowe are enemies to the crosse of Christ. In summa al those that seke remission of their sinnes other wayes then in the passion of Christe, they be … to God, and shalbee damned worlde withoute …, vnlesse they repent. But here I muste sate some thinge vntounto you, and I speake it to the satisfienge of some of you: For I think there be many which will reason very sore, they thinke it to be no matter though the curate be erronious and naught in his doctryne, they care not for y^t: for they wyll say, I wil here hym, and doe accordyng as he commaundeth vntounto me to doe: when he teacheth false doctryne and leadeth me the wronge way, he shall make answer for me before god: his false doctrine shall do me no harme though I folow the same. Thys is a naughty reason and contrarye to Christes our sauioursNot the blynde guide a louelove, but he and his … together. doctrine, for so he sayeth: yf the blynde leade the blynde, they shall fall bothe into the pytte. Marke here, he saieth not the leader shall fall into the pytte, but they shall fall both, y^t leader & he that is led, the blynd curate and his blynd parishners and so it was at S. Paules tyme, not onelyonly the leaders, the false teachers, went to the deuyll, but also they that folowed theyr false doctrine. And therefore S. Paule is so earnest in admonishyng them to be ware and take hede to themselues, yea with weepyng eyes he desyreth them to refuse the false prophetes. So lykewise God himselfe geneth vsus warnyngeEzech. 3Ezek 3 in the 3. Chapter of the prophet Ezechiel saieng: yf I say vntounto thee concernyng the vngodly man, that (without dout) he must dye, and thou geuest not hym warning, nor speakest vn to him that he may turne from his euill way, and so to lyue: then shall the … vngodly man die in his owne vnrightuousnes: but his bloud wyll I requyre of thy handes. Again in the 33. Chap. he saieth. When I sende a sworde vppon a land, yf the people of the land take a man of theyr countrey,Ezec 33.Ezek 33 and set him to be theyr watcheman: the same man when he seeth the sword come vponupon the lande, shall blow the trompet and warne the people: if a man nowe heare the noyse of the trompet, and wil not be warned, and the sword come & take hym awaye, hys bloude shalbee vponupon his owne heade: for he hearde the sounde of the trompet and would not take heede, therfore his bloud be vponupon him: but yf he wyll receyue warnyngOnly he that recei ueth war ning shal be salfe. he shall saue hys lyfe. Agayne, yf the watcheman seeeth the sworde come and shew it not with the trompette, so that the people is not warned: yf the sworde come … and take any manne from amongest them, the same shalbee taken awaye in his owne synne: but hys bloud wyl I requyre p. 94of the watchmans handes. In these places of Scripture it appeareth moste manifestly, that not onelyonly the naughty curate shall go to the deuyll, but also all those that folowe hys naughtye doctryne. The wicked shall dye in his wickednes: for thoughe God doe require the bloude of the parishners at the curates hands, yet for all that they shalbe damned in theIt is daun gerous to hauehave an … cu rate. meane season. But I praye you be not offended with me, whan I tell you one thynge manye tymes, for I do it to that ende that ye might perceiue what daunger it is to hauehave an yll curate: this maketh me to put you manye tymes in remembraunce of it.

I wyll tell you nowe a prety storye of a … to refresh you withall: A limitoure of the graye fryers in the tyme ofAn history of a … limitor. his limitation preached manye tymes, and hadde but one Sermon at all tymes: Whiche Sermon was of the tenne commaundementes. And because this fryar hadde preached thys sermon so often: one that hearde it before told the friars seruaunte that his maister was called, friar Iohn ten commaundement: wherfore the seruaunte shewed the fryar hys maister thereof, and aduysed him to preach of some other maters: for it greeued the seruaunte to here his maister deryded. Now the fryar made answere, sayeng: Belyke then thou canste the x. commaundements well, seeyng thou hast heard them so many a time: yes said the seruaunt, I warraunt you, lette me heare them saith the maister: then he beganne, pride …, lecherye, and so numbred the deadly sinnes, for the ten commaundements. And so there be many at this time, whiche be werye of the olde gospel: they would sayneSome be wery be fore the hauehave lea ned. heare some newe thynges: they thinke themselues so perfecte in the olde, when they be no more skilfull then this seruaunte was in hys tenne commaundementes. Therfore I saye bee not offended with me, whenne I tell you one thynge twoo or three tymes. And specially marke thys well, that the parisheners are not excused before GOD by the wickednesse and blyndenesse of the prieste. For GOD sayeth not, I wyll require the bloude of the people at the curates hande, and the people shalbee withoute blame: No not so, but the wycked shall perishe beecause of his wickednes, so that the blynde people and the blynde curate shall go to hell together. I would wishe that all England were persuaded so: for the moste part of the people thinkA good vvish for England. themselues to be excused by their curates. But it is not so: for yf there bee any man wicked because his curate teacheth hym not, his bloud shalbe required at the curates hands: yet for all that the parishner shall goe to the diuell withall: that shal be his end. Therfore beware of that opinion, thinke not to be excused by your curate. for when ye do, ye do not well: and so you shall repente in the ende. S. Paule therfore is so diligent to geue vsus warnyng of the false prophetes, … we should be deceiued by them. In an other place S. Paule com pareth their doctrine vntounto a sycknes, which is is called a canker, which sickenes when she once beginneth at a place of theFalse doc trine com pared to a …. bodye, excepte it be withstanden, wyll runne ouer the whole body, and so at the length kil: so it is with this false doctrine. Now I must answer vntounto you to an obiection, or doute, that peraduenture some of you may hauehave: you will thinke whenAn … ction or doubt. ye heare what is the nature of false doctrine, ye will thinke I say: Alas what is done with our graūdfathers: no dout they are lost euerlastyngly if this doctrine bee true: for after your saying they hauehave had the false doctryne: therfore they be … ned, for the nature of false doctryne is to condemne. Suche doutes some will make, yea and there bee some whiche in no wise wil receiue y^t gospel, and y^t only for thys opinions sake: for they thinke that whan they should receiue the gospel, it were in as much as to thynke theyr forefathers be damned. Now to this obiection or doutefulnes I will make you aunswere.An aun swere to that obie ction. It is with the false doctryne like as it is with fyre: the nature of syre is to burne and consume all that which is layed in the syre, that may be burned. So the nature of false doctrine is to condemne, to bring to euerlasting damnation,… fyre … not althat is … in to it. that is the nature of the false doctrine. But yet for all that thoughe the nature of the fyre be to burne and consume all thinges, yet there hath bene many thyngés in the fyre whiche hauehave not bene burned, nor consumed, as the bushe which áppeared vntounto Moses, he burned in the fyre, and yet he was not consumed. … was the cause? Mary gods power. We p. 95rede also in the 3. Chap. of Daniell, how that Nabuchadonozcr,Danie. 3. the king caused a golden image to be made: And so called all his lordes and his people to come and worship his Idole which he had set vp, threatning further that whosoeuer wold not fall doune and worship the said ydole, should be caste in a hote ouen. Now there were three young men, Sydrach, Mesach, and Abdenago, which refused to worship the said ydole, saienge, O Nabuchadonozer, we ought not to consente vntounto thee in this matter for why? our god whom we serue is able to kepe vsus from the hote burnyng ouen, and can righte well delyuer vsus oute of thy handes: and thoughe he will not, yet shalte thou know that we will not serue thy gods, nor doe any reuerēce to that ymage which thou hast set vp. Then was Nabuchadonozer exceding full of indignation against them, and commaunded by and by that the ouen should be made se uen tymes hoter than it was wonte to bee, and spake vntounto the strongest men that were in his hoste, to bynde Sydrach, Mesach, and Abdenago, and cast them in the burnyng ouen. So these menne were bounde in theire coates, hosen, shoes, w^t theirother garments, and cast in to an hote burning ouen, for the kinges commaundement was so strayght, and the ouen was exceding hote, and these three men Sydrach, Mesach, and Abdenago fell doune in the hote burning ouen, beyng fast bound. Then Nabuchadonozer the king merueyled and stode vp in all hast and spake vntounto his councell, saying, did ye not cast these three men into the fyer? they answered, …: yea O king: he answered and sayd, lo for al that, I doGod suf frednot he fyre to do his nature see fowre men goyng lose in the myddest of the fyre, and nothyng corrupte, and the fourth is like the sonne of GOD to looke ….

Here in this storie you se that though the nature of the fire is to consume, yet these three men were not consumed wyth the same. for not a heare of their heade perished, but rather the fyre brake oute and consunied them that put them in the ouen: so the fyre of his nature woulde hauehave consumed them, yet thorow the power of god the strength of the fyre was … quished and the menne were preserued from it. Euen so is it with the …, with the false doctryne, the nature of itis to consume, to corrupt and bryng to euerlastyng sorow: yet letGod hath manye vvayes to saue. vsus hope that our forefathers were not damned: for god hath many ways to preserue them from perishing, ye a in thelast houre of death god can worke with his holy ghost, and teach them to know Christ his sonne for theyr sauior, though they were taught other wayes before: yet god can preserue theym from the poyson of the false doctryne. I wyl shewe you a notable story done in kyng Achabs ryme, written in the …. boke…. Reg. 18 of the kynges 18. Chap. At the tyme when Achab that wycked kyng and his wife Iezabel, more wickeder then her husbande, when they had the rule, they abolished the worde of god cleane, and set vp false doctryne, killed the true prophets of god: in so much that Elias saith vntounto god with cryeng and great lamentations, sayeng: Lord the children of Israel hauehave forsaken thy couenaunte, broken doune thyne altars, and … thy prophetes with the sworde: And I only am lefte, and they seke my life to take it away. Here it appereth, that the pulpets at that tyme were occupied with false teachers, with false religion, lyke as it was in the tyme of our forefathers: in so much that Elias crieth out and faith plainly, that there were left no more but he oncly. But what saith god? IGod had hys num ber in Eli as tyme. hauehave lefte me seuen thousande which hauehave not bowed their knees vntounto Baal: when Elias, thought that there was lefte more but he only, then god shewed hym a great many which were left, and not infected with the poyson of the false doctryne. Therfore lyke as god could preserue a greate number of the Israelites at the same tyme, so he could preserue oure forefathers from the poyson of poperye which was taught at that tyme: for the Lorde knoweth whyche arc hys. Item, Christe hymselfe sayeth, Quos mihi dedit Pater, No manIohn. 6.John 6 shall take these from me whiche my father hath geuen vntounto me, that is to say which are ordeyned to euerlasting lyfe.

Non repellet dominus … suam, & haereditatem suam non relinquet, the Lorde wyll not caste away hys people,…. 94. and hys inheritaunce he wyll not forsake: therfore lette vsus hope that thoughe the doctryne at that tyme was … and poysoned, yet for all that God hathe had his: he hathe … seuen thousand, that is to say, a great number amongest p. 96theim, whyche … no harms by the false …, for he wonderfully preserued them: lyke as he dydde in the greate dearthe, when all thynges were so dere, whenne the rycheCod … preserue vvithout … meanes. frankelinges would not sell theyr corne in the markets, then at that time, the poore was wonderfullye preserued of god: for after mans reason they could not lyue, yet god preserued them: in so muche that theyr chylden were as fat and as wel lykyng, as yf they had ben gentilmens children. So lyke as god could preserue the poore with his chyldren in that great derthe, so he could preserue our forcfathers from euerlasting perdition: thoughe they lacked the foode of theyr soules, yet he could fede them inwardly with the holy ghost.

But now ye will say: seeyng then that God can saue … … other obiectionand bryng them to euerlasting lyfe, withoute the outwarde hearyng of the woorde of God, then wee hauehave no neede to heare the word of GOD, we nede not to hauehave preachers amongest vsus. For lyke as he hath preserued them, so he will pre serue vsus to, with out the hearinge of gods worde. ThisAn aunsvver to the same is a folishe reason: I will aunswere you this. I wyll make you thys argument: God can and is able to preserue thyngs from fyre, so that they shal not burne or consume: and therfore I wyll go & set my house a fyre, and it shalbee preserued. Or this: god prescrued these three men from fyre so that thei toke no harme, ergo I wyll goe and caste my … into the fyre and I shall take no harme: Is this nowe a good reason? No no, for these thrce men had their vocation to goe in the fyrc, they were caste in by violence: so if god wyll hauehave thee to goe into the fyre by violence for hys wordes sake: … go with a good wyll, and no doute either he wil prescrue thee as he dyd them, or els he will take thee oute of thys myserable lyse to euerlastyng felicitie: but to caste my selfe into the fyere with oute anye … I mase not: for it is written: Non tentabis dominum … tuum, Thou … not tempteMath. 4.Matt 4 the Lord thy God.

So lykewyse in oure tyme GOD hath … light into the worlde, he hathe opened the gates of heauen vntounto … by hys wordes, whyche worde he opened vntounto vsus byVVe may notdcspise the mean his officers, by hys preachers: shal we now … the preachers shall we refuse to heare gods word, to learne the way to heauen? and require him to saue vsus without his word? NoVVe may notdespise the mean no, for when we doe so, we tempte god, and shalbee damned worlde without ende.

This much I thought good to say against the suggestion of the deuill, when he putteth thee in mynd saying: (thy fore fathers are damned) that thou mightest learn not to dispeire of theyr saluation: and yet not be to carefull, for they hauehave theyr parte: we must not make an accompt for their doings: eueryevery one must make answer for himselfe. for when they be damned they can not be brought agayne with our sorowfulnes: let vsus rather indeuour our selues to heare gods worde diligently, and learne the way of saluation, so that when we shalbe called, we may be sureof it.

Now these false preachers of which saint Paule speakethOur care fulnes can not bring oure fa thers oute of hell. here, are enemies vntounto the crosse of Christ. what shalbe their ende? Mary perdition, destruction, and euerlastyng damnati on, Whose god is their belly. The false preachers preache onelyonly pleasaunt thinges, and so get great rewardes, and are able to liue wealthely in this world & to make good chere. IThe ende of the fals preachers Preachers vvill go …. fear me there be many of these belly goods in y^t world, which preache pleasaunt thinges to get ryches, to go gay and trick vp themselues: they care for no more, they study and do what they can to buckle the gospel & the world together, to set god and the deuyl at one table, they be gospellers no longer but till they get riches: when they hauehave that that they seeke for, they care for no more: than the gospell is gone quite out of theyr hartes, and theyr glorye is to theyr shame: it is a short glorye and a longe shame, that they shall hauehave: for in the other worlde, Erunt ad satietatem visionis omni carni, all the worlde shall laughe vponupon them to their shame, whiche are worldlye mynded. Is there not more that be worldly mynded then that bee godlye mynded? I thinke S. Paule spake these wordes by the cleargie men, that wil take vppon them the spirituall office of preaching, and yet meddle in worldlyA note for our cleargy. matters to, contrarye to theyr callinge: The cleargye of our tyme hathe procured vntounto themselues a libertie to purchase landes. thinke ye not that such doinges sauered somwhat of worldlye thynges? But I will desyer them to take hede. for p. 97S. Paule saith here, that all they that be worldlye mynded, ar enemies of the crosse of Christ: for they make theyr bellies to be theyr gods. Therfore they shall receiue their punyshmentThe revvard of such preachers. for theyr wicked doings. what shal that be? marie euer lasting paine of hellishe fire world without ende, without any deliuerance from the same, this is their rewarde.

But what shall become of Saint Paule and all true preachers? he saith: But our conuersation is in heauen. What was Saincte Paule in heauen whan he spake these woordes?The revvard of true preachers. No, he was here on earthe: but whan we walke the pilgremage of whiche I told you the last day, Gods pilgremage: than our conuersation is in heauen, that is conformable vntounto gods heauenly wil: and god seeth them and wil reward them. whan we will do the workes of our vocation, & wrastle with synne and wickednes, and liue after gods willVVhat it is to hauehave our conuersation in heauen and pleasure: who soeuer doth so, that man or woman hath his conuersation in heauen. From whence we long for the sauior, euen the lord Jesus Christ. S. Paule looked for hym to come from heauen. what is he not here all ready? Christ is here with vsus alredy to our comfort, by his spirite and power to be our helper, and to worke with his sacramentes, to defend vsus from danger and perill, so he is with vsus in earth: but he is not here bodily. For he ascended into heauen, and sittethChrist is not here bodely. at the right hand of god the almightie: from thens shall he come to iudge the quick and the dead: all good men & women long for hym. And no doubte he will come, and verye shortely: and wyll take accompt of eueryevery one of vsus: therfore as all the writers monyshe vsus: lette vsus neuer forget this day which we call the domes day. Sainct Hierome saythe, that he euer thoughte he hearde the trompette. Nowe they that hauehave in consideration this day, and make themselues ready: it is a ioyfull thyng vntounto theym: but they that be customable synners, wyll not leaue their wickednesse, suche as bre swearers, or adulterers, or idolaters, and doo credite poperie:The day of dome shal beterrible to …. vntounto theym this daye shall bee a fearefull daye: it shall bee a heauy commyng vntounto theym. Saincte Paule telleth what good chere they shall hauehave, namely euerlastyng damnation, beyng the ennemie of Christe, theyr glorye shall turne to their eternall shame. So you see that all the worlde may be deuided in two partes: namely into the faithfull and vnfaithfull. Now S. Paule saithe, that he looketh for this Sauiour, which shall chaunge our … bodies accordyng to y^t workyng: wherby he is able also to subdue all things vntounto hym …, We hauehave a … body, mortall, subiect to all … and miseries: it is a grosse body, but for all that itOurgrosse … be changed. shall rise againe, and shall be chaunged. It is mortall now, it shall be immortall then: it is … now, it shall be … than: it is grosse now, it shall be tourned to agilitie than: it is corrupt now, it shalbe incorrupt then. It is … nowe, it shall … glorious than, like vntounto his body. Now whan it shalbe so with our bodies: ye maye bee sure it shalbe so with our soules too: for that felicitie that we shall hauehave, that God hath layd vp for vsus, passeth al mens thoughtes: what ioye they shall hauehave that be content to leaue the … … of heauen passe all … thoughts.synnes, and lyue godly. And these thynges Christ our sauiour shall bryng to passe by his infinite power.

Now to make an ende, for Gods sake marke these lessons well: for this is a very good pece of scripture, wherin Paul sheweth both wayes: I thinke it were better for vsus to lyue so, that we may attaine to this felicitie, which is prepared for vsus in heauen, rather than to folow our carnal desires and lustes. For whan we leaue our wicked life, & credite the word of god, and hauehave a delite in it: No dout it shall bryng vsus in the end to this saluation, of which saint Paul speaketh here.

But how shall it go with the other whyche wyll not heare gods worde, nor leaue their wickednes: Marie Vermis eorumMark. 9Mark 9 non morietur, Theyr woorme shall not dye. By these wordes of Christ, is expressed the great payne and sorowe that the wycked shall hauehave: therfore saith scripture, Mors peccatorum pessima, The death of the synners is the worstPsal. 34.Ps 34 thyng that can happen vntounto thē. What meaneth he by that?The vvic … shalbe punished here and hense to. He signifieth vntounto vsus, that the wicked be not enough punished here: it shall … woorse with them after their deathe. So that it shall be a chaunge, they that hauehave pleasure here, and lyue accordyng to their desyres, they shall come to afflictions in the other worlde. Againe, they that hauehave afflictions p. 98here, they shall come yonder to the perpetuall sabboth: where there is no maner of miseries, but a perpetuall landyng and praisyng of GOD. To whome with the … and the holy ghost, be all honour and glorie, nowe and euer worlde without ende.

Amen.