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Twenty-Seven Sermons · Hugh Latimer

Twenty-Seven Sermons, Sermons 2 · Sermon 5

The fyfth Sermon of maister Doctour Latymers. Matth. ix. Luc 8. Marc. 5.

WHile he spake vntounto them this, Behold there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying: my daughter is euen now diseased, but come and laye thy hand vppon her, and she shall lyue. And Iesus arose, and folowed hym, and so dyd his disciples: & behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of bloud twelfe yeres, cam behind him &c. This is a notable storie, and much comfort we shall fynde in it: yf we will consider and waye it, with all the circumstaunces. The Euangelist Marc sayth, the rulars name was Iairus, he was an officer: somme thynke that he was a reader of scripture, as there were at that tyme: or perchance he was such an officer as we cal churchwardēs, which is a … office in the greatThe churche vvarden's may do much. cities: Churchwardēs can bryng much matters to passe: such a great officer he was. For though yt Iewes had a law, that they should make no sacrifices no where but at Ierusalem, where the temple was & al the ceremonies: yet for all yt they had in eueryevery towne their churches or synagoges: like as we hauehave churches here in England, cōmonly eueryevery towne hath a church. And this word Church, somtimes it signifieth the congregation: the people that is gathered together: somtymes it signifieth the place where the people come together,The thing that conteineth for that vvhiche is con te yned. continens pro contento. Nowe our sauiour commyng to Capernau where that great man dwelled, which was such a towne as Bristowe or Conentreis. Iairus commeth vntounto him in all hast, and falleth downe before him: Et precabatur multum, and maketh greate sute vntounto hym, that he woulde come to his house and heale his doughter, which was sycke. No doubt he had heard what maner a man our sauior was: and wherfore he was come into this worlde: namely to saue … bothe in soules and bodies: and he had hearde also the generall proclamation, written in the. xi. chap. of Math.Math … where our sauiour saith: Come vntounto me all ye that laboure… had hearde Christes proclama tion. and are laden, and I will ease you. This proclamation this Iairus had hearde, and beleued it. And therefore he cometh to Christ: He dyd not as a great many of vsus do, which whan we be in trouble, or sicknes, or lose any thing: we runne hither and thither to wyssardes, or …, whome we call wyse men: whan there is no man so foolishe and blynde as they … the … leadeth them accordyng vntounto his will and pleasure: and yet we runne after them sekyng ayde and comfort at their handes. But this good man dyd not so: he knew that god had forbidden to run to wyssards. But what doothe he? Mary be commeth to Christ, our …, with aIairus … neth not … good strong and vnfained faith. For (as I tolde you before) he had hearde before of Christ, of his proclamation, whiche moued hym nowe in his distresse to come vntounto him. And no doubt he had a good substanciall faithe, as it appered by his behauiors: yet he had not so good a faithe as the CenturionCenturiō had a grea ter faith then Iairus. had, which sent a message vntounto hym, saying: Lord, say but one word, and my seruant shal be whole. This was a wonders great faith: in somuche that Christ saith: Non reperi … fidem in Israel, I hauehave not foūd such a faith in al Israel. But though this Iairus had not so good a faith as the CenturionMath. 8. had: yet he hath had suche one which leadeth hym to Christ. He commeth to Christe, he beleeueth that Christ is able to helpe hym, and accordyng vntounto his belefe, it happeneth vntounto hym. For his doughter was healed, as ye shall heare afterwarde: And so vppon hym is fulfylled the Scripture. Credide … quod … sum, I hauehave beleued and therefore I hauehave spoken. For looke what manne so euerIairus had a good faith. hath a good faythe, he wyll not holde his peace, he wil speake, he wyll calle for healpe at his handes: For yf this Iairus hadde not hadde a good faythe: he woulde not hauehave humbled hymselfe so muche, to falle downe before such a poore man as our sauiour was. Some wold hauehave had respect to their honors: They would hauehave thought it skorne to fall doune before such a poore man as our sauiour was: or els he would hauehave bene afraide of the people that were present, to honor him so highly, and to confesse hym to be a helper. And no doubt, that Iairus was in greate danger of his …: for Christ was not beloued amongest the Iowes, therfore it was a great matter for this Iairus to honor Christ so openly before all the multitude. And no doubt if he had not … so good, strong, and earnest faith, he wold not hauehave done as he did, but he had a good strong faithe: therfore he was not afraide of any thing in the worlde.

Now ye shall learne of this Iairus, first by his ensample to go to Christ, in all distresses to seke helpe by hym: And alsoIairus isto be folow ed in two thynges. ye shall marke and obserue his greate and fatherlye louelove, that he hath towardes his daughter: for he maketh greate sute to Christ for her, whiche signifieth that he hath a greate and earnest louelove towardes her. The same fatherly affection and louelove of the parentes towards their children, is the good gift of God: And god hath planted the same in their hertes: And this specially, for two respectes. Fyrst, for the childrens sake: for it is an irkesome thyng to bryng vp children: and not only that, but also it is a chargeable thing to kepe them, and to waite vponupon them: and preserue them from all perill: if god had not planted such louelove in the parentes heartes, in … it were impossible to doo so muche for theim: but God hath planted suche louelove in their heartes, whiche louelove takethThe commoditie of naturall affection. away all irksomnes of all labour and payne. for what is a chylde whan it is left alone? what can it do? How is it able to lyue? An other cause is, wherfore god hath planted such louelove in the parentes hearts towards their children: that we might lerne by it, what affections he beareth towards vsus. for though the louelove of parentes towardes their children bee very great: yet the louelove of god towards vsus is greater: yea his loueloveVVe are the … children of god. towardes vsus, passeth farre all fatherly louelove, which they hauehave towardes their children. And though Christ only be the very naturall sonne of god: yet with his deathe and passion he hath merited that we be the chosen children of god. For god for our sake hath bestowed his onelyonly natural sonne, vntounto the death, to the ende that we should be made thorough him, his chosen children. Now therfore all that … in Christ, and trust thorow his passion to be saued: all they are the childrē of god: And god loueth them more than any naturall father loueth his childe. For the louelove of God … vsus is more ernest, and more … towards vsus, than is the fatherly louelove towardes his natural childe: which thyng shall comfort vsus in all our distresse: in what perill or danger soeuer we be, we shall beleue that god is our father. And therfore we shall come vntounto him in the name of Christ his naturall sonne our …: therfore we … not to despaire in any maner of thinges: but rather what soeuer we hauehave in hand, let vsus run to him, which beareth such a fatherly affection towardes vsus, more a great dele than our naturall fathers and mothers canOur paren … no louelove vsus so … as god doth. …. As for oure carnall or temporall fathers and mothers, sometymes they be vnnaturall, so that they will not healpe their children in their distresse: sometimes agayne they wold fayne helpe, but they ar not able to helpe them. But our heuenly Father, he is louyng and kynde towurdes vsus, so that he will helpe. And then agayn he is mightie, he is almighty, he can and may helpe: so that there lacketh neither good will in hym, neither power. Therfore let vsus not dispeyre, but rather come vntounto hym in all tribulation, and no doubt we shal be eased by him. For certaine it is, that the almyghtye God hath greater affection towards vsus, than our naturall fathers and mothers can hauehave. And this appeareth by that that he hath geuen his natural sonne (the highest treasure that euer he had in … or in earth) for vsus, euen vntounto the deathe in his bytter passion. Further in the prophets eueryevery where he setteth out his great louelove which he hath towards vsus, saying:…. 49 Nunquid potest …. &c. Can a woman forgette her owne child which … hath born into this world? yea and though she doo forget the same: yet wyll not I forget the. It is a rare thyng whan the deuill so muche preuatleth in parentes, that a mother shold neglect or forget her own child: yet saith God, though it were so that she woulde forget her child, yet wil not I forget thee, whā thou beleuest in my … Christ. For the … can not preuaile agaynst me, though he preuail against womē, so that somtimes they forget their own children, or kil thē, yet shal he not preuaile against me: for I am … than he is. Further his louelove which he be a reth towards vsus, is expressed in yt. 7. cap. of Mat. wher Christ saith: Is there any man amongst you, which if his sonne ask bread, wil he offer him a stone? or if he asketh …, wil be offer him a serpent? If ye than beyng euil, can geue your children good gifts, how much more shal your father which is in heuen geue good things if ye aske them of him? As who say: though you be euyll, yet whan your children wold hauehave any thing that might hurt thē: yet you beyng fathers & mothers do gene them good things, which shal not hurt them. NoweMath. 7. sayth he: seyng ye, whose nature is yll, corrupt, and poisoned… saintes in heauen vvere euell vvh they … in th islife with wickednes (for ther is no saint in heuen, neither S. Peter or Paul, but whan they were here, their nature was corrupt and geuen to wickednesse, and so they myght be called yl) can giuegive good gifts vntounto your children, how much more wyll God which is the fountaine of all goodnes, geue you good thynges whan ye desire them of hym? Here ye maye learne now that the louelove of God towards mankynd passeth all naturall louelove: and that he is redy to giuegive vntounto eueryevery one that commeth to him for helpe, yea the verye holy ghoste … wyll geue vsus whan we wyll desyre it.

Now to the matter: This Iairus is a good and louyng father towards his child: be cometh & desireth help of Christ: yt his daughter may be heled: A conetous mā wold hauehave passed on, he wold not hauehave takē so much pain as to com to Christ & desire his help. Therfore by this … we may lern to hauehave a good faith towards god, & a right natural louelove towards our children. But it is a cōfortable thing to consider this fatherly affection of god towardes va: if we wold wel cōsider yt same,The consideration of gods … vvor keth obedience to his …. it wold stirr vp a childly louelove in our harts towards him, so yt we wold be content to be ordered by …, & ruled acording to his pleasure: like as a good & godly child is cōtent to be ruled by his father & mother, & wil in no wife do against them: so we shold be obedset vntounto god, like as yt child is vntounto his parēts. But ye wil say, I pray you tell vsus what is the wil of …? Answere. The general will of God is expressed in the … commaundementes: there we shall fynde what we shall doe and what we shall leaue vndone. But there is a speciall wyll of god, whiche is eueryevery mans callyng: for it is the will & pleasure of god yt eueryevery one shall do accordyng vntounto his cal ling, wherunto god hath appointed hym: as the magistratesThe speci all vvill of god. theyr callyng is to … that all thynges be well, that Iustice be …, that the wycked be punished, and the good be re warded. Item, that the good and godlye lawes be mayntayned and executed: and most specially that the word of god be taught, that the people be not ignoruant in that: and thys is the will of god: when the magistrates do so when they endeuor themselues that gods honor and glory be set abroade, and wyckednes bee abolished, then they do accordyng vntounto theyr callyng. So likewise the callyng of the subiectes is to bee obediente vntounto the magistrates: not to rebell agaynste them: for when they do, they striue against GOD himselfe, and shalbee punished of him. Item the maried man oughte to doe his duetye towardes his wyfe, that is the wyll of GOD, to louelove his wyfe, to prouyde for her &c. Lykewise the woman … to doe her duetye towardes her husbande in obeying hym in all thynges that be not against god. For she may not obey her … in wicked thin ges, which be against god: but els there is no exception, but obey she must. For so it is writē, so saith god vntounto her: In sorow shalte thou bring … thy children, and thy … shall pertayne vntounto thy husband, and he shall hauehave the rule of theGene. 3. Now when the woman doth so, then she doth accordyng vntounto her callyng.

Further, maisters ought to do theyr dueties towards their seruauntes, and householde: to instruct them in gods word: to let them hauehave theyr meate and drynke. Lykewise, seruantes oughte to obey theyr maisters, with al hūblenes, to serue them vprightlye, and diligentlye: accordyng as god willeth them to do. Now this is the special wyll of god, namely that eueryevery oneshal do accordyng vntounto his callyng, as god willeth him to do. Now to fulfyll thys wyll of god, we should be mouedGods fatherly … by the great louelove and fatherly affections, which god … towardes vsus: this louelove should moue vsus to obey him: like as the good chylde obeyeth his father and mother.

Now commeth an other matter: for as oure sauiour wasshould moue vsus to do his will. goyng to the house, where thys younge mayde laye sycke: there commeth a good faythfull woman, … thorough the people: for oure sauiour was tossed and tormoyled in the multitude: for ye must vnderstande, that thys Iairus was a great man, a man of great estimatiō: therfore the people hea ring that his daughter was sycke, or dead, came vntounto hym to go with the corse.

Here I must take occasion to speake somewhat: there beeOuer hasty buriēg of men scarse dead, many, now a dais, very hasty to bury their frendes: yea somtymes before they be well dead. I heard say …, that a yong woman was sicke, and fell in a sounde: her frendes whyche were with her, by and by made her redye to be buried: and when they went with the corse, and were commyng into the church yarde, the corse stirred: and the vicar commaunded thē yt bare her, to set her doune, and so finally the womā recouered. I tell this tale, to the ende to … you warnyng, not to be to hasty with sick folkes. I hauehave red in S. Augustine, that there was once a man which lay …. dayes …, neither secyng, nor hearing, nor yet receiuyng any sustinaunce, except some lycour, whiche they poured in hys throate with a… man ly. eth 7. dais … quill. Now that same man after seuen dayes spake agayne. And the first word yt he spake was this: what is the clock? he thought he had lyen but a litlewhyle. Now yf his … had ben so hasty with him, he should hauehave ben buried before that tyme. Therfore I admonish you, be not to hasty with deade corses: as long as they bee warme, kepe them in the bed: for when a man is dead in dede, he wyll soone be cold.

When our sauiour was goyng amongest this great multitude to Iairus house: there commeth a woman thorough the people, desirous to touche his garment. The EuangelistMark. 5. Marke setteth out this story more plainly, thē Mathew doth, he …: There was a certayne woman which had bene disea sed of an yssue. 12 yeres, and hadde suffred many thynges, of many phisitions: and … spent all that she had, and felte no amendment at all: but rather was worse and worse. Whan she had hearde of Iesus, she came in the prease of the people: behynde him, and touched hys garment: for she said, yf I on ly may touche yt … of hys clothes, I shalbe whole. … woman was sicke of a shamefull disease, and had bene … … an … thing to go to phisike.of it. 12. yeres. Passa … multa, she had suffred much sorow … it. For no dout whosoeuer hath adoe with phisitiōs, he … bee a sufferer: it is an yrkesome thyng to goe to phisike: A man must receiue many bitter medicines and …. Ther fore Mark saith: She suffred much, they had put her to great payne: and she had besto wed all her … vponupon them, and was neuer the better, but rather the worse. Belyke she hadde bene a woman of great ryches, of greate …, els she shold not hauehave … able to wage phisitions so long. This place of scripture reproueth not phisicions, as though phisike were a superstuous thyng, and not necessary because this woman was not healed: As when ye woulde reason of this maner: What? shall I go to phisike? No that I wyll not: for I reade in scripture, that a woman spente all her good vponupon phisitions, and yet was neuer the better. But thys texte maketh no more agaynste phisike, then thys texte doth agaynst labour, where Peter saith: Per totam noctem laborauimus, & nihil coepimus, we hauehave laboured the whole night, and hauehave gotten nothyng. Now a rashe felow wil say what: hath S. Peter laboured al nyght, and cought nothing? then I wyll not labour at all: For I shall get nothyng with my labour: but this is a folishe reasonyng. For thoughe the woman spent all vponupon phisitions, and yet was not healed: And though Peter laboured all nyght, and catched nothing, yet for all that we are allowed to vse phisike, and commaunded to labour. For so saith scripture: Hon ora medicum prop ter …, Honour the phisition for nedes sake. Item,VVe … labour and may … à deo est omnis medel a, from God is all cure: and the hyghest hath created yt medicyne. If we knew the vertue of eueryevery …, we myghte be oure owne …: but we know theym net, therefore God hathe ordeyned, that some shoulde geue theymselues to the knowledge of suche thynges, and then teache others.

We reade in the 4. Regum. 20. when … the king4. Rc. 20 was sycke, god … Esay the Prophete vntounto hym, say …: dispone domui tuae quia morieris, Putte thy house in an order, for thou shalt dye: but here note by the waye, that god required the king to set his thinges in an order, to make his testament, so we shall folowe thys ensample. When we perceyue that god … call vsus oute of this lyfe, we shall order all thynges so, that there be no … after oure departure,VVe must … gs in an orderbe fore vve dye. that men may knowe what euerye body shall hauehave.

For that whych was said … Czechia, is said to eueryevery one of vsus: for god loueth not … nor contentions: he is a god of vnitye and concorde: therfore to auoyde all contentions, we ought to set our thynges in good order. Now although God sendeth Esay thither to tell him that he shall dye, yet it was not such a straight sentence, that it should be done out of hād, by and by: but rather god would moue hym by this message that Esay brought, to make sute for longer lyfe. Lyke as he sendeth Ionas to …, with a straight commaundement:By threatnyng god myndeth to bring vsus to … tance. whereby god woulde moue them to make sute and mone to hym, and so to leaue their sinnes, and wycked lyfe. Now Ezechiashearyng such a message of the Prophet, what did he? Mary he fell to prayer, rehearsyng howe beneficiall god had bens vntounto hym, saying: I be seche the now, O lord, remember how I hauehave walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and hauehave done that which is good in thy sight: and Hezechia … very sore: & so god sendeth the prophet vntounto hym againe, promisyng hym, that he should lyue yet. 15. yeares more. Now did he nothing els after … had this … of …, he vsed phisike, he toke a lumpe of sygges, and layde it vppon the sore: lyke as we in sicknes tyme, layeEzechias vsed phasike. plasters vponupon it. So ye see by the ensaple of Hezekia, that it is laufull to vse phisike. But now at oure tyme, phisike is a remedy prepared only for riche folkes, not for poore: for the poore man is not able to wage the phisicion. GOD in dede hathe made phisike, for ryche and poore: but phisitions now a dayes seeke onelye theyr owne profites, howe to gette money, not how they myght doe good vntounto theyr poore neyghbour. Wherby it appeareth, that they be for the moste parte … charity: And so consequently not the chyldren of god and no … but the heauy iudgement of god hangeth ouer theyr heades: for they are commonly all welthy and redy to purchase lands, but to helpe theyr poore neighbour that thei can not do: but god wil finde thē oute one day I doute not. We must be ware whan we go to phisike, that we trust notVVe may not truste to much to phisike to muche in phisitions, and forget God in the meane season. Like as kyng Asa dyd, which had a disease in his …: and is much reproued bycause he soughte not the Lorde: he trusted2. Par. 16 not in god but rather in phisitions: for Scripture saithe: In his sicknes he sought not the Lorde, but phisitions.

I knewe ones a great ryche man, and a couetous …, he had purchased about an hundred pound: that … man came ones to London, where he fell sicke, as stoute as he was: And in his sycknes whan he was exhorted to beare it well, & submit hymself vntounto god: He cried out wt horribleThe eoue tous … will not …: to … hismoney vponupon phisike. swearyngs, Shal I dye, shall I … phisitions, phisitions, call phisitions. As well as he loued his good (which was his god) yet he could fynde in his … to spende it vponupon phisitions: but in the ende he died lyke a beast without any …. This man nowe abused the phisitions: for we maye vse phisike, but we must not trust in phisike, as Asa the kyng dyd, and that wicked man, of whome I tolde you: we maye vse gods prouisions and …, whiche he hath lefte for vsus: yet for all that we maye not truste in them.

Now to the purpose: This woman had spent all her goodChrist did that phisicions could not do. and was neuer the better: Well, that the phisitions coulde not doo, Christ our sauiour dyd it, and on this wise: There was a great multitude of people about Christ, they preased vponupon him: Now the woman commeth amongst the prease of the people to him, desirynge to touche only the hemme of hys garment: for the beleued that Christ was such a healthfull man, that she shold be sound as soone as she might touch hym: which came to passe so as she beleued. For as soone as she had touched him, her issue was stopped, and her sicknes gone quite and cleane. She was a … woman, she was not so bolde as to speake to oure sautor: but she comethThe … man stale her …. behynde his backe, and stealeth as it were, her health. But what doth our … he would not suffer her to be hydde, but saieth to his disciples, quis me … who hathe touched my clothes: his disciples made answer, saying: thou seest the people thrust thee, & … thou, who touched me: And he loked round about for to se her yt had done this thyng. But the woman fearyng and tremblyng, knowyng what was done within her, came and fell doune before him, and tolde him … the truth. No dout this woman was ashamed to … sickenes, before the whole multitude: But what then, Christ wold hauehave it so. I perceiue saith Christ that vertue is gone out of me: he saith not my cloke, or my vestement hath done a worke: but he saieth, Scio virtutem ex me exiuisse, I knowe, vertue is gone out of me. Therfore we shall notbeeThe … went not out of the … but out of Christ. so foolish to thynk that our … had made the … mā whole: but rather her good faith and trust which she had in our sauiour. We must not do as the folish … papistes do, which impute great holmes vntounto the … of our samour. So ye see that this womā was made whole by Christ thorough him, by his …. And so is verifyed this which scripture saith, that which is impossible vntounto mā, is possible vntounto god. … had dispeired of that womā, it passed their cunnyng to helpe her: but our … he declared his diuyne power, and healed her out of hand, she doyng nothyng but touchyng the hemme of his vestement. So god can helpe when men cannot. An ensample we hauehave in scripture, when the people of … goyng out of …, cameThat whi … is … man is … god. vntounto the red …, they had great hylles of both …. … the kyng of Egipt folowed with al his … at theyr backes: yt red sea was afore them, so that there was nothyng after mās reason, but to …: what doth … he deuided by his infinite power, the red sea, and deliuered them out of al danger. So it appeared, that god is able to … his people that beleue in hym, …. Lykewise in the … they had no corne nor any thing to eate, there was no ordina ry way to …, what doth god: He taketh an extraordinarys way: he sendeth Manna from heauen, so we see that he is able to helpe vsus supernaturally: but yet we must take heede,VVe must not tempt … and not tempte God: we … vse all suche meanes as he … apointed to … this lyfe, els we should … god, which is forbidden. So lykewise we reade, that when … was in the wyldernes, and Saule hadde compassed hym … about: so that he after mannes iudgement could not …: what doth god: Mary he sendeth the … into … land of Saule, which when Saule hearde of, he went back1. Reg. 23 and left Dauyd. So by that meanes god deliuered his faithfull seruaunt Dauid, out of the handes of this cruell manne Saule.

By these ensamples we may learne to put oure … and hope in God, in all maner of troubles, lyke as this woman did hers: she beleued in our …, and therfore she was healed. All England, yea all the worlde may take this womanThis vvo man may bee a schole mi … to al the vvorld for a …, to learn by her to trust in Christ: and to seke helpe at his handes.

Agayne, by thys woman you may learne, that god sometymes bryngeth some lowe, and humbleth them to that ende to promote them, and to bryng them alofte: As in thys weman: she was … 12. yeres, and vered with such an yrke som sickenes, but at the length she was healed and not only that, but also …: for Christe called her his daughter, whiche was the greatest promotion that could be. So lykewise Joseph was in great …, solde into Egipt, and afterwarde caste into prison: where he lay a great while: he was greatly humbled, but what was the ende of it: Mary he was a rulerExamples of men … to … exalted. ouer all Egipt: this was a greate promotion. So lykewyse … was humbled, made an outlawe, an out …, durste not shew himselfe: but in the ende he was made kynge … all Jury, beyng at the … but a shephard, and afterward an …, but … the ende he was made kyng. So this womā though she was lowe and loth to confesse her … disease, yet she was well promoted, after she had … it, she was made his daughter, which was a great …. But mark that … saith not to her, my … hath healed thee: but he saith, thy faith hath holpē thee. … if we had thisVVe wold make muche of … if we had … …, we wold make a great matter of it: which thing wer but foolery: let vsus vse …, which hath a promise: for god promised … when we pray vntounto him, we shalbe heard: when we pray … afaithful heart, as this womā …, which beleued … Christ wold helpe her: And for this … sake, she was so highly commended of Christ, and al the people were … by her ensample. But specially Jairus, that great mā, whose daughter lay sicke, he had cause to strengthen his faith by … ensample of this woman: which woman beleued the word of god, & therfore she came vntounto Christ. So let vsus do too, let vsus stay our selues vponupon gods word. Christ saith: Venite ad me omnes, Come ye all to me: let vsus folowe this worde, and letThe saith that hath goddes … is a … faith. vsus come vntounto hym: … this faith … hath gods worde is a true faith: but … faith which hath not gods word, is a lieng faith, a false faith. As … and Jewes, they hauehave a faith, but their faith is not grounded in gods word: & therfore it is a lyeng faith, because it hath not the worde of god. Therfore like as the … is nothing, bringeth no profite, withoute the word of god: so the word of god bringeth no commodities except faith be there, … it be beleued: els it is to no purposeNeither doth faith auailvvith out the …, nor the vvord vvith out faith. But this woman beleued the worde of god, she beleued that Christ was … to heale the sick, of soules and bodies: therfore accordyng vntounto her beliefe, it happened vntounto her: and no doute she is a saynt in heauen: for we rede not that she fell afterward frō Christ. So we learne by this woman to hauehave a good faith in Christ, we must not … & thither to seke … hem. No, we must beleue in him, in all our distresses come vntounto him, … helpe & cōfort by him. Now our sauior after … he had healed this womā, he goeth to this great … house, which had called him to make soūd … daughter: whē he com meth nere vntounto … house, there cōmeth one of … seruāts …: thy daughter is dead she is gone: trouble … no …, … for al helpe is passed. Lo, this had … to bryng … out of his faith: hearing … daughter was dead alredy it … great … vntounto him. Buthere ye may learne, … whē ye go by … way & … to do a good dede, do … folowe the ensample of Christe, for he was going to Jairus …, & in the way he did this good dede, in healyng that diseasedVVe must … none occasion to dogood woman: geuyng vntounto vsus an ensample that we … no occasion, but whensoeuer we hauehave … to doe good, we shall do it. And here we learne an other thyng in our sauiour, namely that there is no respect of persons with him, he regardeth not the outwarde shewe of men whether they bee poore or ryche, but as Saincte Peter sayth, In all people, he that feareth God and worketh rightuousnes, be is accepted vntounto him. For … refused no mā neither rich nor poore. But we see they that be poore ar commonly yll handled in this worlde, no man regardeth them, eueryevery man despiseth them. Againe we rede eueryevery where that the ryche and greate men are yll spoken of in Scripture, potentesThe riche menne are euill spoken of in the … tures. potenter … patientur thy mightye men shall mightily suffer paynes in hell: yet this scripture disalo weth or reproucth not great men and mightye rulers, but it speaketh against those which abuse their power where wyth god hathe endued them, oppresse other poore men, do thē wrong and miuries. For commonly it is sene, that they that be rich are loftye and stoute, and abuse their riches or theyr power:Christe hath no re spect to the persōs for no doute riches may be vsed to good purposes. But oure sauiour he hath no respecte to persons, whether … be poore or riche: for here we see how he helpeth syrst the poore womā and now is goyng to helpe the richeman too, to rayse vp his daughter which was dead and redy to be buryed. Further we learne here by this Jairus to be constannt and stedfast in our faith, not to be moued wt … wind: for there was many thinges which might hauehave moued this Jairus to mistrust our sauiour, and to tunne from him. First bys seruant that came and told hym, thy daughter is gone, which was a greatNo thinge should dis courage vsus. discomfort: for as long as she was yet alyue he hadde a good hope, but when he hearde that she was gone, it discouraged hym very sore. Secondarily the preparatiō which was made for her to bee buried, for all the people were come now to go with the corse which was a great discomfort vntounto hym also. Thirdlye the wordes of our sautour most aboue all thynges discomforted hym, when our sauiour saith, she is not deade but she sleepeth: by these wordes Jairus might hauehave conceined an yll opinion in hym, saying: What: be thynketh that she slepeth: no if it were so, I could rayse her vp my self. Of such wyse this Jairus was tempted. Now when they came nere vntounto the house, there was a greate number of people which laughed oure sauiour to scorne, when he sayd that she slept: where we may lern to be contēt, though we be despised and not set by in this world: seyng that our sauiour himselfe was of such wyse despised. I doute not but I hauehave ben laugh cd to scorne when I hauehave preached, that the way to gette riches is, to geue away to the poore this that we hauehave. They hauehave called me olde dotyng foole: but what then, we must be content to be despised with Christe here in this worlde, that we may be glorifyed with him in yonder worlde.

Here is made mention of …, no dout they hauehave theirThe vse of minstrels and belles good vse to make folke mery, and to driue away phantasies, at that tyme they vsed minstrels to their burials, as we vse here bels. Now our sauiour seeing the people that was come to go with the corse, and the pypers and minstrels redy, he conforted Jairum, which no dout was in great anguish: ther fore Christ saith vntounto him: Noli timere, tantum crede, fcare not, but onelyonly beeleue: continue onelyonly in thy faith towardes me, and all thinges shalbe well. Now lyke as he saith to Jairus, so he saith to vsus too, in what peryl or tribulation soeuer we be, we should not saynte, we shuld not feare, but beleue, he wyll regarde our faith as muche as he regarded the fayth of Jairus. And we shall attayne to such an ende as he did: for ye must consider that the almighty god doth sometymes put of the fulfilling of his promises, and helpeth not by and by:The cause vvhy god graunteth not our … by and by. but wherfore dothe he … Mary for his owne glories sake, for if we shold hauehave by and by that thing whiche we desyre, then peraduenture we should attribute it vntounto our own selues, & not vntounto god: therfore it commeth not by and by, that we may afterwardes when we hauehave it, be the more thankeful for his helpe. Therfore let vsus continue in prayer, and in faith, and no doute he will helpe when it is the verye tymc. Expecta dominum sayth Dauid, tary for the Lorde, … & non tardabit, he wyll come and not tary: and when he com meth, he wyll sett all thynges in good order. Nowe he sayeth to the people, Quid ploratis, what weepe … You musseChrist … demneth nor all vveping. vnderstand that our … condemneth not all manner of weepyng, but onelye that whyeh is without hope: of whyche … Paule speaketh: tanquam qui spem non habent, as they that hauehave no hope: but charitably wepyng is alowed …, for S, Paule saieth, Flete cum flentibus. weeye with them that wepe, be sorowfull with them that be sorowfull: yet do it measurably as it becommeth …. In the time of popery, before the gospel came amongest va, we went to buriales, with wepyng and wailing, as thoughe there wer no god: but sence the gospell came vntounto …, I hauehave heard saye yt m some places they go with the corses girnyng and …, as though they went to a bearevaiting: which thing no ddute is naughte. for lyke as to muche weeping is… mean … beste in all these …. naught, so to be foreign without … is naught to: we shold kepe a meure in al things. We read in holy scripture that the holy Patriarch Abraham, mourned for his wise Sa ra. So like wise did Joseph, for his father Jacob: therefore to wepe charitably and measurably is not yll, but good, and allowed in gods worde. So likewise in the new testamēt whā that holy man S. Stephen was stoned to death, the tert saith yt the church, fecerunt planctum magnum, they made a great lamēation & weping ouer him. Here I might hauehave occasion to speake against those women which so soone … their husbandes that be departed, which thing I can not very welMaried persones … their makes. allowe: for it is a token of an vnperfect louelove. It was a lawe among the Romaines, that no woman should mary agayne before twelue monthes were expired, which no dout was an honest lawe: but to auoide … let the christian … man vse her libertye.

Now when our sauiour was come to the house, he suffred no man to go in with hym, but Peter James and John, and the father and mother of the chyld: al the other he thrust out, and toke the mayde by the hande, saying tabita cumi, that is to say, …, I say vntounto the …. And her spirite came agayne, and she arose strayghte wayes: what shall we learne … mary we shal learn here that our sauiour did ouercom deth, that he is the lord … deth, yt he hath the victory ouer him. Secundarily we learne here, yt our sauiour is verie god… but God alone. because he commaundeth death. For I tell you death is such an arrogante and stubburne felow, that he will obey no bodye but onelyonly God. Nowe he obeyed our sauiour, whereby … appeareth that he … lorde ouer deathe. He sayd, Mayde I say vntounto thee, arise: & by and by she was perfectly …: for she cate, to … yt she was right whole. here our … show ed hymself to be very god, & so the lord ouer death, fulfilling the saying of S. Paul, … mors tua, … mors, O …, I shal be thy death: this is now a comfortable thing that wc know that Christ hath … death, and not for himself but for vsus, for our sake, So that when we beleue in Christe, death shall not hurte vsus: for he hath lost his strength and power: in so much that it is no more a death, but rather a sleepe, to allThe resur … shall bee bothe of good and badde. them that be faithfull and feare god. From which slepe they shall ryse to … lyfe. Also the wicked truly shal rise, but they shall ryse to their …: so that it were better for them ncuer to ryse.

There be two kinde of people whiche will not sleepe: the first be the children whiche wepe and greue when they shall goe to bedde, for because they knowe not the commodityes that be in the slepe, they know not that the slepe refresheth aTvvo … tea af people loth to sleape. mannes body, and make th him to forget all the labours whiche he hath had before: this the children knowc not, therfore they go with an yll wyll to bedde. The other be …, whiche bee giuen to greate drinking, they care not thoughe they be all nighte at it, and commonly the sleepe dothe … harme, for be maketh them heauy forheades. So like wyse there be two kynde of men that feareth death, which deathe in very dede ought not to be feared: for he is the bcste phisition that euer was, he … at a clappe from all miseries and diseases: therfore he ought not to be …: but as I told you two kynde of men there be that feare hym, the children, that is to say they that are childish to god wards, that are ignoraunt in scripture, that knowe not what greate … we shal receiue at goddes handes after this life, but they are all whollie set and bent vponupon this worlde: and these are the children that will not goe to …, that is to saye, that … deathe that are … to goe oute of this world. The … be drunkardes, yt be … sinners, yt wyll not … their liues, yt are drunke or drouned in sins & …; yt regard sinne nothing; they are not wery of it. Like as it is …, … in … venit … he commeth in the middest of his sinne, thenne he careth no more for it, he … it, he is not sory for it: what remedyA remedy for these … of people now: Mary this, they that be in case as chyldren be, that is to say: they that be ignoraunte, let them gette knowledge, lette them indeuour themselues to vnderstand gods holye worde, wherin is sette out his will, what he would hauehave vsus to doe. Now when they hauehave heard goddes worde and beleued that same: no doute all the feare of death wilbe vanished & gone quite a way. For they shall fynde in gods worde, that deathe hath loste his strength, that he can not hurte any more. Likewise they that be dronkardes, that is to say, that be … sinners, let them repent here where the tyme of grace is, lette theym amende their lyues, bee sorye for that they, hauehave done: and take hede hence forwarde, and beleue in Christe, to bee saued by and thoroughe his passion. For I tell you drunkardes, you customable synners, as longe as you lye in sinne and wickednesse, and hauehave a delyte in them: so longe you are not in the fauoure of GOD, you … before hys face: for we muste wrastle wyth sinne, we muste hate synne, not agree vntounto it: when ye doe so, then ye oughte not to bee afrayde of deathe: for the deathe of Christ our sauiourChrist hath kil. led our death. hath kylled our death, so that he can not hurte vsus. Not withstandyng death hath bitter …: but what then? as soone as he hath done his office, we ar at liberty, and hauehave escaped all perill.

I wyll aske here a great clearkly question, where was the… question. soule now after it went oute of this yong mayde? it was not in heauen nor in hel, nam in inferno non est redemptio, there is no redemption in hell, where was it then? in purgatorye? so the papistes hauehave reasoned, it was not in hell nor in heanen, ergo it was in purgatory: which no doute is a vaine folish argumēt. Now I wil make a clearkely answer vntounto my …: & such an answer that if yt bishop of Rome woldhaueA clearkly aunsvver. gone no further, we shold hauehave bene wel enough: there wold not hauehave bene such errors & fooleries in religiō, as there hath ben. Now my answer is this, I cā not telbut where it plesed god it shold be, ther it was. Is this not a good answer to such a clerakly …? I think it be, other answer no body gettes at me: because scripture telleth me not where she was.

Now ye hauehave heard that our sauiour is the lord ouer death and so consequently very god: because he raised vp this yong woman which was dead. But peraduenture ye will saye, it is no great matter that he raised vp a mayden whiche was dead: for we reade of Elisa the prophete, that he raised vp a yong man from death. Answer, truth it is, he raysed him vp, but not by his owne power, not in hys owne name, but by the power of god: he dyd it not by himselfe. but Christ our sauiour, he raised vp Lazarus, and this yong mayd by his own diuyne power: the wing himself to be very god, and the sonne of the father eternall: therfore he saith, Ego sum resurrectioChrist raised vp the dead by his ovvne povver. & vita, I am the resurrection and the life: This was his doctrins: Now to proue that doctrine to be true, he did myracles by … owne diuyne power, she wyng hymselfe to bee verye god: so did not the prophetes, they were goddes seruauntes, gods ministers: but they were not gods themselues, neyther did they any thing in theyr owne name.

Now to make an end, let vsus remember what we hauehave herd, lette vsus take hede that we be not customable sinners: but rather let vsus stryue with sinne, for I tell you, there be but few of those that spende all theyr tyme in the … of the fleshe, that spede well at the end: therfore let vsus take hee …, yt murtherer vpō the crosse he sped wel: but what then, let vsus not presume to tary in wyckednes styll, to the last poynte of our lyfe: let vsus leaue wickednes, and stryue with our fleshly affections: than we shall attayne in the … to that fellcity, which god hath prepared for al them that louelove him: to whom with ye sonne, and holy ghost, be all honor and glory.

Amen.