Twenty-Seven Sermons, Sermon 2 – Title page 3
¶ A notable sermon of the reuerend father Maister Hugh Latimer, preached in the Shroudes at Poules churche in London, on the xviii. day of January. Anno. 1548. (*)
Quecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt.
Roma. xiiii.
AL things which are written, are writtē for ourThe rest of these sermones of yt plough, are not ye … to our handes. erudition and knowledge. Al thinges that are written in gods boke, in the Byble boke, in the boke of the holy scripture, are writtē to be our doctrine. I told you in my fyrst sermon, honorable audiēce, that I purposed to declare vntounto you. ii. thinges. The one what seede should be sowen in Gods field, in gods plough land. And the other who shuld be the sowers. That is to say, what doctrine is to be taught in christes church & congregacion, & what men should be the teachers & preachers of it. The first part I hauehave told you in yt. 3. sermons past, in which I hauehave assaied to set furth my plough, to proue what I could do. And now I shal tel you, who be yt plowers, for Gods word is a seede to be sowen in Gods field, that is the faythful congregacion, and the preacher is the sower. And it is in the gospell: Exiuit qui seminat seminare semen suum. … that soweth, the husbandman, the ploughman went foorth to sow his sede, so that a preacher is resembled to a ploughman, as it is in a nother place: Nemo admota aratro manu, et a tergo respiciens aptus est regno Dei. No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe, is apt for the kingdome of god. That is to say: let no preacher be negligent in doyng hys office. Al be it this is one of the places that hath bene racked, as I told you of rackyng scriptures. And I hauehave bene one of thē A place of scripture racked … mysunderstand.my self, that hath racked it, I cry God mercy for it, and hauehave bene one of them that hauehave beseued and hauehave expounded it, a gainst religious persons, yt would forsake theyr order, which they had professed, & woulde go out of theyr cloyster, whereas in dede it toucheth not Monkery, nor maketh anye thyng at al for any such matter. But it is directly spoken of diligent preachyng of the word of God. For preachyng of the GospellThe ryght understanding of this place. is one of Gods ploughe woorkes, and the Preacher is one of Gods plough men. Ye may not be offended wyth my similitude, in that I compare preachyng to the labour and … of ploughyng, & the preacher to a plowman. Ye maye not be offended wyth thys my similitude, for I hauehave bene … red of some persons for such thinges. It hath bene said of me: Oh …, …, as for hym I wyl neuer beleue him, while I liue, nor neuer trust him, for he likened our blessed Lady to a saffron bag, wher in dede I neuer vsed that similitude. But it was as I hauehave said vntounto you before now, accordyng to that which Peter saw before in the spirite of prophecye, and sayde that there should come afterward men: Per quos via veritatis maledictis afficeretur, there should come felowes by whom the way of truth should be yil spoken of and sclaundred. But in case I had vsed thys similitude, it had not ben to be reproued,… out lady might bee compared to a saf … bag. but myght hauehave bene wythout reproche. For I myght hauehave sayd thus: as the saffron bag that hath bene ful of saffron, or hath had saffron in it, doth euer after sauour and smel of the swete saffron that it contayneth: so our blessed Ladye whych conceiued and bare Christe in her wombe, dyd euer after resomble the maners and vertues of that precious babe whych she bare. And what had our blessed Lady bene the worse for thys? or what dishonour was thys to our blessed Lady. But as preachers must be ware & circumspect that they … not any … occasion to be sclaundered, & yl spoken of by the hearers: so must not the Auditours be offended … cause. For heauen is in the gospellykened to a musterde seede. It is… vsed in the Gospel compared also to a peece of leauen, as Christ saith, that at the last day he wyl come … a these, & what … is this … … what … is thys to heauen? Ye may not then (I say) he offended wyth my similitude, for because I lyken preaching to a … labour, & a prclate to a plowman. But now you wyl aske me whom I cal a prelat. A prelate is that man, whatsoeuer he be, that hath a flock to be taught ofThe description of a prelate. hym, who so euer hath anye spiritual charge in the faythful congregation, & whosoeuer he be that hath cure of soule. And wel may the Preacher & the Plowman be lykened together.How the preacher is lykened to yt plowmā. Fyrst for theyr labour of al seasons of the yere. For ther is no tyme of the yeare, in which the plowman hath not some special worke to do, as in my coūtry in Lecester shire, the plow man hath a tyme to set forth, and to assay his plough, & other tymes for other necessary workes to be done. And then they also may be lykened together for the diuersity of workes, and variety of offices that they hauehave to doo. For as the plowman first setteth foorth his plough, & then tylleth hys lande, & breaketh it in furrowes, & somtime rydgeth it vp agayne. And at an other tyme harroweth it, & clotteth it, & somtime dongethThe Prelate hath many offices. it, & hedgeth it, diggeth it, & weedeth it, purgeth and maketh it cleane: so the prelat, the preacher hath many diuers offices to do. He hath first a busy woorke to bryng hys Parishners to a ryght fayth, as Paul calleth it. And not a swaruing faith, butNote the Properties of a ryght fayth. to a fayth that embraceth Christ, & trusteth to his merytes, a … fayth, a … fayth, a faythe that maketh a man ryghteous wythout respect of woorkes. As ye hauehave it verye wel declared & set foorth in the Homily. He hath then a busyeThe firste. woorke I saye, to bryng hys flocke to a ryght fayth, & then to confirme them in the same fayth. Now castyng them downe with the law, and wyth threatninges of God for sinne. NowThe lawe feareth. … them vp agayne with the Gospel, & with the promises of Gods fauour. Now … thē, by tellyng them theyr faultes, & makyng them forsake synne. Now clottyng them,The gospel cōforteth. by breaking theyr stony hartes, hartes, & by makyng thē supple harted, & makyng them to hauehave hartes of flesh, yt is soft hartes, & apt for doctrine to enter in. Now teaching to know god right ly, & to know theyr duty to God & to theyr neighbours. Now exhorting them when they know theyr duty, that they doo it, & be diligent in it: so that they hauehave a continual worke to doo. Great is theyr busynes, & therfore great should be theyr hire. They hauehave great labours, & therfore they ought to hauehave … Great … shoulde hauehave good rewardes.lyuinges, that they may commodiously feede their flocke, for the preaching of the woordc of God vntounto the people is called meate. Scripture calleth it meat, not strawberies, that com but once a yeare & tary not long, but are soone gone, but it is meate, it is no dainties. The people must hauehave meate yt must be familiar & continual, and dayly geuen vntounto them to feede vponupon. Many make a strawbery of it, ministring it but once aPreachig … a daylye …. yere, but suche do not the office of good Prelates. For Christ sayth: Quis putas est seruus prudens et fidelis? qui dat cibum in tempore. Who thinke you is a wyse & a faithful seruaunt? he yt geueth meate in … tyme. So that he must at all tymes conuenient preache diligently. Therefore sayth he: Who trowe you is a faithful seruaunt? He speaketh it as though it were a care thing to finde such a one, & as though he wonld say: ther be but a few of them to finde in the world. And howe fewe of them ther be throughout this realm that geue meate to their flocke as they should do: the Uisitours can best tel. To few, to few, the nioze is the pity, & neuer so few as now. By thys then it appeareth that a prelate, or any that hath cure of soul, must diligently and subitancially worke & labour. Therefore saith Paule to Timothe: Qui episcopatum desidcrat, bic bonum opus desiderat. He that desireth to hauehave the offi: e of a Bishop, or a prelate, that man desireth a good woorke. Then if it be good woorke, it is worke. Ye can make but a worke of it. It is Gods worke, Gods plough, & that plough God woulde hauehave styl goyng. Suche then as … & lyue ydlelye, are not good prelates or Ministers. And of such as do not preach & teache, nor do not their duties, God saith by his prophet Jeremy: Ma ledictusqui facit opus dei fraudutenter. … or deceitfully, some bookes hauehave negligenter, negligently or slackly. How ma ny such prelates, how many such bishops, Lord for thy mercy, are there now in England? And what shal we in this case do? Shal we company with them? O Lord for thy mercy shal we not company with them? O Lord whither shal we flee frō them? But curssed be he that doth the woorke of God negligently or gylefully. A sore woord for them that are negligent in discharging their office, or hauehave done it fraudulentlye, for that is the thyng that maketh the people yll. But true it must be that Christ saith: Multi sunt …, pauci …. ….vero electi. Many are called, but few are chosen. Here hauehave I an occasiō by the way, somwhat to say vntounto you, yea, for the place that I alledged vntounto you before out of Jeremy the. 48. Chapter. And it was spoken of a spirituall woorke of God, a worke that was cōmaunded to be done, & it was of shedding bloud, & of destroying the Cities of Moab. for (saith he) cursed be he that keepeth backe hys swoorde from sheddyng of bloud. As Saule when he kept backe the swoord from sheddyng of bloud, at what time he was sent agaynst Amalech, was refused of God for beyng disobedient to Gods cōmaundementes, in that he spared Agag the Kyng. So that, that place of the Prophet was spoken of them that went to the destruction of the Cities of Moab, amonge the whych there was one called Nebo, whych was much reproued for wolatry, supersticion, pride, auarice, cruelty, tiranny, & for hurdnes of hart, and for these synnes was plaged of God and destroied. Now what shal we say of these rich citizens of Lō don?An admoni cion to Lodon. What shal I say of them? shal I cal them proude men of London, malicious men of London, merciles men of Lō don? No, no, I may not say so, they wyl be offended with me than. Yet must I speake. For is there not raygning in London, as much pride, as much couetousnes, as much cruelty, as much oppression, as much supersticion, as was in Nebo? Yes I thynke, and much more to. Therfore I say, repent O London, repent, repent. Thou hearest thy faultes told thee, amende them, amende them. I thynke if Nebo had had the preachyng that thou hast, they would hauehave conuerted. And you rulers & officers, be wise and circumspect, … to yourAn … cion to the rulers and …. charge, & se you doo your duties, & rather be glad to amende your … lyuing, then to be angrye when you are warned or told of your fault. What a do was there made in London at a certain man, because he said (and in dede at that tyme on a sust cause) … (quoth he) nay butterflies. Lord what a do there was for that word. And yet would God they wer no wrose then Butterflies. Butterflies do but theyr nature, the Buttersly is not …, is not greedy of other mens …, is not ful of … & hatred, is not malicious, is not cruel, is not merciles. The Butterflye … not in her own dedes, … preferreth the tradicions of men before Gods word, it cōmitteth not idolatri, nor worshippeth false Gods. But London can not abide to be rebuked, such is the nature of man. If they be pricked they wyl kick. If they be rubbedGaled baiarde wyll wynche. on the gale: they wyl wynce. But yet they wyl not amende theyr faultes, they wyl not be yl spoken of. But how shall I speake well of them? If you could be content to receyue and folow the word of God and fauour good preachers, if you could beare … be tolde of your faultes, if you could amend when you heare of them: if you would be glad to refourme that is a mysse: yf I might se any such inclinacion in you, that you would leaue to be mercyles and begin to be charitable, I would then hope wel of you, I would then speake wel of you. But London was neuer so yl as it is now. In tymes … The euyls … are now in Londonmen were ful of pity and compassion, but now there is no pity, for in London their brother shal die in the stretes for cold, he shal lye sicke at theyr dore betwene stock and stock. I cannot tell what to cal it, and perish ther for hunger, was there any more vnmercifulnes in Nebo? I thinke not. In tymes past when any ryche man dyed in London, they were wontThe … of …, by the rych in Lō don is gon. to help the poore Scholars of the … with exhibycion. When any man dyed, they would bequeth great sums of mony towarde the relife of the poore. When I was a scoler in Chambridge my self, I heard very good report of London, and knew many that had reliefe of the rich men of London, but now I can heare no such good report, and yet I enquire of it, and herken for it, but now charitie is waxen cold, none helpeth the scholer, nor yet the …. And in those … Charitie is waxen cold in Londonwhat did they whē they helped the scholers? Mary they main teined & gaue them liuinges that were very … and professed the Popes doctrine, & now that the knowledg of Gods word is brought to lyght, and many earnestly study and labour to set it forth, now almost no man helpeth to maintaynHe moueth London. to repentaūce by example of Nebo. them. Oh London London, repent repent, for I thinke God is more displeased with London, then euer he was with the City of Nebo. … therfore repent London, & remembre yt the same god liueth now yt punished Nebo, euen yt same god & none other, & he wil punish syn as wel now, as he did then, & he wil punish yt iniquity of Londō as wel, as he did thē of NeAn admoni cion to prelates to … their office bo. Amend therfore. And ye that be prelates, … wel to your office, for right prelating, is busy labouring and not lordyng. Therefore preach & teach, & let your plow be doing. Ye Lords I say yt lyue like loiterers, … wel to your office, yt plow is your office & charge. If you liue idle & loiter, you do not your duty, you folow not your vocation let your plow therfore be goyng and not cease, that the ground may bryng … fruit. But now me thinketh I heare one say vntounto me: … ye whatAn answer to a …. you say? Is it a … Is it a labour? howe then hath it haypenened, that we hauehave had so many hundred yeares, so many vnpreaching prelates, lordyng loyterers and ydle ministers? Ye would hauehave me here to make aunswer, and to shewe the … therof. Nay, thys land is not for me to ploughe, it is to stony, to thorny, to hard for me to plough. They hauehave so … thynges that make for them, so manye thynges to lay for them selues, that it is not for my weake teame to plow them. They hauehave to lay for thē selues, long customes, …,A weake teame. and authoritye, placing in Parliament, and manye thynges more. And I feare me this land is not yet rype to be plowed. For as the saying is: It lacketh wetheryng: This geare lacketh wethering, at least waye it is not for me to plough. For what shal I looke for amonge thornes, but prickyng & scratchyng? What among stones, but stumblyng? What (I had almost sayd) among Serpentes but stinging? But this much I dare saye, that since lordyng and loyteryng hath come vp, preachyng hath come down, contrary to the Apostles times.Lordyng hath put down … chyng. For they preached and lorded not. And nowe they Lorde and preach not. For they that be Lords, wil yl go to plow. It is no meete office for them. It is not seeming for … estate. Thus cam vp lording …. Thus crept in vnpreachīg prelats, & so hauehave they long continued. For how many … prelates hauehave we now at this day? And no maruel. For if yt plow men that now be, were made Lordes, they would cleane giuegive … ploughyng, they would leaue of theyr labour, & fal to lorThe necessitye of the plough. ding outright, & let yt plowe stand. And then both … not walkyng, nothing should be in the … but hunger. For euer since the Prelates wer made Lordes & Nobles, the plough standeth, there is no worke done, the people sterue. They hauke, they hunt, they carde, they dice, they pastime in there prelacyes with galaunte gentlemen, with their daunsing minions, and with their … cōpanions, so that ploughing is set a syde. And by the lording and loytring, preaching and ploughing is cleane gon. And thus if the ploughmen of the country, were as negligent in theyr office, as prelates be, we should not long lyue for lacks of sustenaunce. And as it is necessary for to hauehave this ploughyng for the … of the body: so must we hauehave also the other for the satisfaction of the soule, or elles wee can not lyue long gostly. For as the bodyAn apt Amilitude. wasteth and consumeth away for lack of bodily meate: so doth the soule yyne away for default of gostly meate. But there be two kindes of in closing to let or hynder both theso.Two kyndes of inclo syng. kindes of ploughyng. The one is an inclosing to let or hynder the bodily ploughyng, and the other to let or hinder the holy day ploughing, yt church ploughing. The bodily plough ing, is taken in and enclosed thorow singular cōmodity. For what man wil let go or diminish his priuate commodity, for a commune welth? and who wyl susteine any damage for the respect of a publique commodity? The other plough also no man is diligent to set forwarde, nor no man wyll herken to it. But to hynder and let it, al mens eares ar open, yea and a great many of this kind of ploughmen which are very busy, and would seme to be very good workmen. I feare me some be rather mocke gospellers thē faithful ploughmen. I knoweMock Gospellers. many my selfe that professe the gospel, and liue nothing there after. I know them, and hauehave bene conuersant with some of them. I know them, and I speake it with an heauy heart, ther is as litle charity and good liuing in them, as in any other, according to that which Christ sayd in the Gospel to the great numbre of people that folowed hym, as though they had had an earnest zcale to his doctrine, wher as in dede they had it …. Non quia vidist is signa, sed quia comedistis de panibus. Ye folow me (saieth he) not because ye hauehave … the signes & miracles that I hauehave don, but because ye hauehave eate the bread, and … your bodyes. … me, so that I thinke many one now a dayes professeth the Gospel for the liuinge sake, not for the lone they beare to Gods word. But they that will be true ploughmen must worke fayth fully for Gods sake, for the edifiyng of theyr …. And as diligent lye as the husband man plougheth for the sustentacion of the body: so diligently must the prelates & ministers la bour for the feding of the soule: both the ploughes must stil be doing,The … of Magistrates. as most necessary for man. And wherefore are magistrates ordeined, but that the trāquility of the commune weale maye be confirmed, limiting both ploughes. But now for the fault of vnpreaching Prelates, me thinke I could gesse what might be sayd for excusing of them. They are so troubled with … liuing, they be so placed in palacies, couched in courtes, ruffelyng in theyr rentes, dauncing in their dominions, burdened with ambassages, pampering of their paunches like a Monke that maketh his Jubilie, mounching in their maungers, and moiling in theyr gay manours and man syons, and so troubled with loyteryng in theyr Lordshippes, that they can not attend it. They are otherwise occupied, som in the kings matters, some are Ambassadours, some of the priuye… prelats excused. councel, some to furnish the courte, some are Lordes of the Parliament, some are Presidentes, and some Comptrollers of myntes. Wel, wel. Is this their duety? Is this their office? Is this their calling? should we hauehave ministers of the church to be comptrollers of the myntes? Is this a meete office for a priest that hath cure of soules? Is this his charg? I would here aske one question: I would fayne know who cōptrolleth the deuil at home at his parish, whyle he comptrolleth the mynt? If the Apostles myght not leaue the office of preaching to be deacons, shall one leaue it for minting? I can not tel you, butMyntyng Priestes. the saying is, that synce Priestes hauehave bene mynters, mony hath bene wurse then it was before. And they saye that the euilnesse of mony hath made al things dearer. And in this behalfe I must speake to England. Heare my coūtry England, as Paule sayd in his first epistle to the Cor. vi. Chapter. For Paule was no sitting Byshop, but a walking & a preaching Byshop. But whē he went from them, he lefte there behind … the plough going styl, for he wrot vntounto them & rebuked them for going to law and pleading them causes before … then Iudges. Is there (sayth he) vtterly among you no wise man, to be an arbitratour in matters of iudgement? What? not one of all that can … betwene brother and brother? But one brother go to lawe with an other, and that vnderunder … Iudges? Constitute contemptos qui sunt in ecclesia. &c. Appoynte them Iudges that are most abiect, and vyle in the congregacid, which he speaketh in rebuking them, for (saith he) Ad erubescentiam vestram dico. I speake it to your shame. So England I speake it to thy shame. Is there neuer a noble man to be a Lorde President, but it muste be a prelate? Is there neuer a wyse man in the realme to be a Comptroler of the Mint? I speake it to your shame, I speake it to your shame. If there be neuer a wise man, make a Water bearer, a Tinker, a Cobler, a slaue, a page, Comptroler of the Mint. Make a meane …, a Groome, a Yeman, make a poore baggar Lord president. Thus I speak not that I would hauehave it so, but to your shame. If there be neuer a gentilman meeteThe bringing vp of Gentlemē. nor able to be Lord president. For why are not the noble men and yong gentlemen of England, so brought vp in knowledge of god and in learning, that they may be able to execute offices in the commune weale? The King hath a great many of wardes, and I trow ther is a court of wards, why is there not a scoole for the wardes, as wel as ther is a court for theyr landes? Why are they not set in schooles, where they maye learne? Or why are they not sent to the Uniuersityes, that they may be able to serue the king when they come to age? Yf the wardes & yong gentlemen were wel brought vp in learning and in the knowledge of God, they would not whē they come to age so much gaue them selues to other vanities. And if the Nobility be well trayited in godly learning, the people would folow yt same traine. For truly, such as the noble men be, such wyl the people be. And now the onelyonly cause, why noble… noble … not … Lord …. men be not made Lord …, is because they hauehave not bene brought vp in learning. Therfore for the louelove of god appoint teachers and schole maisters, you that hauehave charg of youth, & geue the teachers stipēds worthy theyr paines yt they may bring them vp in Grāmer, in Logike, in Rethorike, in Philosophy, in yt ciuil law and in that which I cannot leaue vnspoken of, the word of God. Thankes be vntounto god the nobility, otherwyse is very well brought vp in learning & Godlynes, to the great ioy and comfort of England, so that … is now good hope in the youth, that we shal an other day hauehave a florishing common wealth, consideryng theyr godly educacion. Yea, and there he all ready noble men ynough, though not so many as I would wysh able to be Lord Presidentes, & wysemen inough, for the mynt. And as … a thing it is for Bishoppes to be Lord presidētes or … to be minters, as it was for the Corthinthians to plead matters of variaūte before heathen Iudges. It is also a sclaūder to the noble … as though they lacked wysedome, and learnyng to be able for such offices, or elles were no men of consclence, or els were not meete to be trusted, and able for such offices. And a prelate hath a charge and cure otherwise, and therefore he cannot discharge his duety, and be a Lord president to. For a presidentshipA iust cause to deny him to offices. requireth a whole man, and a Byshop can not be two men. A Byshop hath his office, a slock to teach, to loke vntounto, and therefor he can not meddle wyth an other office, which alone requireth a whole man. He should therfore geue it ouer to whom it is meete, and labour in his owne busines, as Paule wryteth to the Thessalonions. Let eueryevery man do his owne busines, & folow his calling. Let the Priest prcach, & the noble men handle the tēporal matters. Moses was a meruaslous man, a good man. Moses was a wonderful felowe, & did his duty being a maried mā, we lack such as Moses was. Wel, I wold al men wold loke to their duty, as God hath cal led them, & then we should hauehave a florishing Christian cōmon weale. And now I would aske a straunge question. Who is the most diligentest Byshop and prelate in al England, thatThe moste diligentest preacher in England. passeth all the rest in doing his office? I can tell, for I know him who it is, I know hym wel. But now I thinke I se you listining and barkening, that I should name hym. There is one that passeth all the other, and is the most diligent prelate and preacher in al England. And wil ye know who it is? I wyl tel you. It is yt deuil. He is the most diligēt preacher of …, he is neuer out of his dioces, he is neuer frō his cure, ye shal neuer find hym vnoccupyed, he is euer in his …, he … at al tymes, ye shal neuer fynd hym out of the way: call for hym when you wyl, he is euer at home, the diligentest preacher in all the realme, he is euer at his plough: no lording nor loyteryng can hynder hym, he is euer appliyng his busynes, ye … neuer fynd him idle I warrant you. And his office is to hynder religion, to mayntayne super sticion, to set vp Idolatry, to teach al kinde of popery. He is ready as can be wyshed, for to set forth his plough, to deuyse as many wayes as can be to deface and obscure Gods glory. Where the Deuyl is resydent and hath his plough going: there away with bookes, and vp with candelles, away wythNote wher the Dyuel dwelleth. Bybles and vp with beades, away with the light of the gospel, and vp with the lighte of candelles, yea at noone dayes. Where the Deuil is resident, that he may preuayle, vp with al supersticion and Idolatry, sensing, painting of Images, candels, palmes, asshes, holy water, and new seruice of mens inuenting, as though man could inuent a better waye to honour God with, then God hym selfe hath appoynted. Downe with Christes crosse, vp with purgatory picke purs, vp wt hym, the popish Purgatory I meane. Away with clothing the naked, the pore and impotent, by with decking of Images… are … ready to … our … inuencious, then Gods …. and gay garnishing of stocks and stones. Up with mans tradicions and his lawes, downe with Gods tradicions and his most holy word. Downe with the old honour dewe to god and vp with the new Gods honour: let all thinges be don in latine. There must be nothing but latine, not as much as. Memento homo quod cinis es, et in cinerem reuerteris: Remember man that thou are asshes, and into … thou shalt return. Which be the … that the … speaketh to the … people, when he geueth thē asshes vponupon asshe wensdaye, but it must be spoken in latin. Gods word may in no wyse be translated into English. Oh that our prelates would bee as diligent to sowe the … of good doctrine, as Sathan is, to … cockel … darnel. And this is the Deuelish ploughing, the which worketh to hauehave thinges in latine, and … the … edificacion. But here some manne wyll saye to me: what sir, are ye so … of the Deuils counsell, that ye know al this to be true? Truly I know him to well, and hauehave obeyed him a little to much in cōdiscending to som folies. And I know him as other men do, yea, that he is euer … and … busy in folowing his plow. I know by S. Peter which sayth of hym. Sicut leo rugiens circuit quaerens quem deuoret, he goeth about like a roaring lion … whom he may …: …. I would hauehave this text wel vewed and examined eueryevery word of it. Circuit, … goeth about in eueryevery … of his dioces. He goeth on visitacion dayly. He leaueth noNote a … wel …. place of his cure …. He walketh round about front place to place, and ceaseth not. Sicut leo, as a … that is strongly, bodly, and proudly, stately, and fiercely with haut lookes, with his prowd countenaunces, with his … bragginges: rugiens, roaryng, for he letteth not slip any occasion to speake or to roare out when he … hys tyme. …, … goeth about seking and not sleping, as our Byshops do, but he seketh diligently, he searcheth diligently al corners, … as he may hauehave his …. He roueth abrode in eueryevery place of his …, he standeth not styll, he is neuer at rest, but euer in hand with his plough that it maye go foreward. But there was neuer such a preacher in England as he is. Who is able to tel his dylygent preaching? which eueryevery … and eueryevery …, laboreth to sowe cockel and barnel, that he may bring … of forme and out of estimacion and …, thinstitution of the Lords supper and Christes crosse, for there he lost his right, for Christ sayd: Nunc iudicium est mundi, princeps … eiicietur …. Et sicut … Moses serpentem in deserto, it a … oportet filium hominis. Et cum exaltatus fuero, a terra, omnia traehom ad meipsum. Nowe is the iudgement of this world, and the Prince of this world shal be cast out. And as Moses dyd lyft vp the serpent in the wyldernes, so must the sonne of man be lyft vp. And when I shal be lyft vp from the earth, I wyl … all thynges vntounto my selfe. For the deuyl was dysappoynted of his purpose, for he thought al to be his own. And when he had once brought Christ to the crosse, … thought al cocke sure.
But there loste he all hys …, for … sayde: … meipsum, I wyll … all thynges … selfe. He meaneth drawyng of mannes soule too …. And that he sayde hee woulde doo: Por semetipsum, by hys owne selfe, not by any other bodyes Sacrifice. He ment by hys owne sacryfice on the crosse, where he offered him selfe for the cedemption of mankynde, and not the sacrifice of the … to be offered by an other. For who can offer hym, but hym selfe? He was both the Offerer and the offeryng. And thys is the pricke, thys is the marcke at the whych the DeuyllThe mark that the dyuel shoteth at. shooteth, to euacuate the crosse of Christ, and to myngle the institucion of the Lordes Supper, the whych althoughe he can not bryng to passe: yet he goeth about by his sleightes and subtyle meanes, to frustrate the same, and these … hundreth yeares he hath beene a dooer, onelye purposyng to euacuate Christes death, and to make it of small efficacie and vertue. For where as Christe, accordyng as the Serpent was lyfte vp in wyldernes: so woulde he hym selfe to bee exalted, that thereby as manye as … in hym should hauehave saluacion. But the Deuyl would none of that. They would hauehave vsus saued by a dayly oblacion propiciatory, by a sacrifice expiatory, or remissory. Now yf I should preach in the country among the vnlearned, I would tel what propiciatory, expiatory and remissory is: but here is a learned au …, yet for them that be vnlearned I wilerpound it. Propiciatory, expiatory, remissory, or satisfactory, for they signify al one thing in effect, and is nothing els but a thing wherby to obteyne … ofsynnes, and to hauehave saluacion. And this way the Deuyl vsed to euacuate the death of Christ, that we myght hauehave affiaunce in other thynges, as in the dayly sacrifice of the prieste, where as Christe would hauehave vsus to trust in his onelyonly sacrifice. So he was: Agnus occisus ab origine mundi, the lambe that hath ben slain from the beginning of the world, … therfore he is …, iuge sacrificium, a continual sacrifice, and not for the continuaunce of the …, as the Blaunchers hauehave blaunched it, and … it. And as I my selfe … once mystake it. But Paule saythe: Per semetipsum purgatio facta, by him selfe and by none other, Christ made … and … for the whole …. Would Christ thys woorde (by hym selfe) had … better weyghed and looked vponupon, and in sanctificationem, to make them holy, for he is iuge sacrificium, a continuall sacrifice, in effect, fruite and operation, that lyke as they whyche … the Serpent hange vppe in the deserte, were put in remembraunce of Christes deathe, in whom as manye as beleuedThe vse of the brasen Serpent. were saued: so al men that trusted in the death of Christ shal be saued, as wel they that were before, as they that came after. For he was a continuall Sacrifice, as I sayde in effecte, fruite, operacion and vertue. As though he had from the begynnyng of the world, and continually should to the worlds ende, hang styll on the crosse, and he is as freshe hangyng on the crosse nowe, to them that beleue and trust in hym: as he was fyftene hundreth yeares a go, when he was …. Then let vsus trust vponupon hys onelye death, and looke for none other sacrifice propitiatory, then the same bloudye Sacrifice, the lyuely sacrifice, and not the dry Sacrifice, but a bloudye Sacrifice. For Christ hym selfe sayde: con summatum est, It is perfectly finished. I hauehave taken at my fathers hande the dispensation of redeemyng mankynde. I hauehave wrought mans redemption, and hauehave dispatched the matter. Why then mingle ye hym? why … ye diuide hym? why make you of hym mo sacrifices then one: Paule sayth: Pascha nostrum immolatus est christus, Christe our … is … vppe, so that the thyng is done, and Christe hath done it, and he hathe done it semel, once for al. And it was a bloudye Sacrifice, not a drye Sacrifice.
Why then, it is not the … that auayleth or profiteth for the quycke and the deade? … woorth thee, O Dyuell, wo woorthe …, that hast preuayled so farre and so longe, that hast made England to … false Gods, forsaking Christ theyr Lorde. … woorth thee Diuel, wo woorth thee Deuil and al thy Angels. If Christ by his death … althinges to hym selfe, and draweth all men to saluacion, and to heauenly blisse, that trust in him: Then the Priests at the Masse, at the popyshe Masse (I saye) what can they …, when… som. thyng. Christ … all, but landes and goodes from the ryghte …? The Priestes drawe goodes and rychesse, … and promotions to them selues, and … as beleued in theyr …, they draw to the Diuel. But Christ it is that draweth soules vntounto hym by hys bloudye Sacrifice. What hauehave we to doo then, but epulari in domino, to eate in the Lorde at hys Supper.
What other seruice hauehave we to doo to hym? and what other sacrifice hauehave we to offer, but the mortification of our sleshe? What other oblacion hauehave wee to make, but of obedience, of good lyuyng, of good woorkes, and of helping our neyghbours? But as for our redemption, it is done already, it cannot be better. Christ hath done that thyng so well, that it can not bee amended. It can not be deuised howe to make that any better then he hath done it. But the Dyuell by the helpe of that Italian Byshop yonder, hys Chaplayne, hath laboured by al meanes that he myght, to frustrate the deathe of Christ, and the merites of hys passion. And they hauehave deuised for that purpose, to make vsus beleue in other vayne things by hys pardons, as to hauehave remission of synnes, for praying on halowed beades, for drynkyng of the bakehouse bole, as a Channon of Waltam Abbeyonce told me, that when so euerThe Mōke of Waltā. they put theyr loaues of bread into the ouen, as many as dranke of the pardon bole, should hauehave pardon for drynkyng of it. A mad thyng to geue pardon to a bole. Then to … Alexanders holy water, to halowed belles, palmes, candels, ashes, and what not? And of these thynges euerye one hath taken away some part of Christes sanctification. EueryEvery one hath robbed some part of Christes passion and crosse, & hath mingled Christes death, and hath bene made to be propitiatory and satisfactory, and to put away sinne. Yea and Alexanders holy water yet at thys day remayneth in England, and is vsed for a remedy agaynst spirites, and to chase away Deuyls, yea and I woulde thys had bene the woorste. I woulde thys were the woorst. But wo woorth thee, O Deuyll, that hast preuayled to euacuate Christes crosse, and to mingle the Lordes Supper. These be the Italian Byshops deuises, and the Dyuel hath prycked at thys marke, to frustrate the crosse of Christ. He shot at thys marke long before Christe came, he shotte at thys prycke foure thousande yeares before Christ hanged on the Crosse, or suffered hys passion. For the brasen Serpent, was set vp in the … to put men in remembraunce of Christes commyng, that lyke as they which beheld the brasen Serpent were healed of theyr bodely diseases: so they that looked spirituallye vponupon Christe that was to come, in hym shoulde be saued spirituallye from the Diuel. The Serpent was set vp in memorye of Christ to come, but the Diuel founde meanes to steale awaye the memory of Christes commyng, and brought the people to woorshyp the Serpent selfe, and to sence hym, to honour him, and to offer to hym, to woorshyppe hym, and to make an Idole of hym. And this was done by the market men that I tolde you of. And the Clarke of the market dyd it for the lucre and aduauntageThe … of the …. of hys Mayster, that thereby hys honour myghte encrease, for by Christes death, he could hauehave but final world ly aduauntage. And euen now so hath he certayn blaunchers longyng to the market, to let and stoppe the light of the Gospel, and to hynder the Kynges proceedynges in settyng foorth the woord and glory of God. And when the Kynges Maiesty wyth the aduise of hys honourable Counsayle goeth aboute to promote Gods woord, and to set an order in matters of religion, there shal not lacke blaunchers that wyl saye: As forBlaūchers Images, where as they hauehave bene vsed to be senced, and to hauehave candels offered vntounto them, none be so foolysh to doo it to the stock or stone, or to the Image selfe, but it is done to God and hys honour besore the Image. And though they … abuse it, these blaunchers wyl be ready to whysper the Kyng in the eare, and to tel hym, that thys abuse is but a smal matter. And that the same, with al other like abuses in the church may be refourmed easely. It is but a … abuse (say they) and it may be easely amended. But it should not be taken in … at the fyrste for feare of trouble, or further inconueniences. The people wyl not beare sodayne alteracions: an insurrection may be made after … mutacion, whych may be to the great harme and losse of the Realme. Therfore al things shal be wel, but not out of hand, for feare of further busynes. These be the blaunchers that hitherto hauehave stopped the word of God, and hyndered the true settyng foorthe of the same. There be so many put offes, so many put byes, so manye …, and considraetions of worldly wisdome. And I dout not but there were blaunchers in the olde time, to whysper in the eare of good Kynge Ezechyas, for the mayntenaunceTher hauehave bene blaunchers styl. of Idolatrye done to the brasen Serpent, aswell as there hath bene nowe oflate, and be now that can blaunche the abuse of Images and other lyke thynges. But good Kyng Ezechias woulde not bee so blynded, he was lyke to Apollos, feruent in spirite. He woulde geue no eare to the Blaunchers, he was not moued wyth the worldly …, wyth these prudent considerations, wyth these policies, he feared not insurrections of the people. He feared not least his people woulde not beare the glorye of God: but he (wythout anye of these respectes, or …, or considerations, like a good kynge for Goddes sake, and for conscience sake) by & by plucked downe the brasen serpente, and destroyed it vtterlye, and beate it to pouder. He out of hande, dyd caste downe all Images, he … al Idolatrie, and clerely dyd extirpate al supersticion. He woulde not heare these blaunchers and wordly wyse men but with out delaye, foloweth gods cause and destroyeth all … out of hande. Thus dyd good kinge Ezechias, for he was lyke Apollo, feruent in spirite, and diligente to promote Goddes glorie. And good hope ther is that it shall be lykewyse here in Englande, for the kynges Maiestye is so broughte vp in knowledge, vertue, and godlynesse, that it is not to be mystrusted, but that we shal hauehave al thynges well, and that … glorye of God shall be spread abrode, throughout all partes of the realme, yf the Prelates wil diligently apply their plough and be preachers, rather then Lordes. But our blaunchers, which wyl be Lordes, and no labourers, when they are commaunded to go and be resident vponupon their cures, and preache in theyr benifices, they would say.
What, I hauehave set a deputie there, I hauehave a deputie that loketh… bishops. well to my flocke, & the whiche shall discharge my dutie. A deputie (quod be) I loked for that worde all this whyle. And what a deputie must he be, trowe ye? Euen one like himself, he muste be a Cannonist, that is to saye, one that is brought vp in the studye of the Popes lawes and decres. One that wil set foorth papistrie as well as hym selfe wyll … and one that wyl … al supersticion, and Idolatrye. And one that wyll nothing at all, … els very weakely resist the Deuils plough, yea happy it is if he take not part wyth the Deuyl, & where he should be an enemy to hym, it is wel if he take not the Deuiles part agaynst Christ. But in the meane time the Prelates take theyr pleasures. They are Lords and no labou rers, but the Deuil is diligent at his plough. He is no vnpreaching prelate. He is no Lordly loyterer from his cure, but a busy plough man, so that among al the prelates, and amongThe … shall go for Latimers money. al the packe of them that hauehave cure, the … shal go for my mony. For he styl applyeth his busynes. Therfore ye vnpreaching prelates, learne ofthe Deuil to be diligent in doing of your office. Learne of the Deuil. And if you wyl not learne of God nor good men: for shame learne of the Deuyl, ad … dico. I speake it for your shame. If you wil not learne of God nor good man to be diligent in your office, learne of the Deuil. … there is now very good hope that the Kinges maiesty, being by the helpe of good gouernaunce of his moost honourable counsailours, he is trained & brought vp in learning and knowledge of gods word, wil shortly prouide a remedy and set an order herein, which thing that it may so be let vsus praye for hym. Praye for hym good people, praye for hym ye hauehave great cause, and neede to praye for hym.
FINIS.
THE SEVEN SERmons of the reuerend father, M. Hughe Latimer, whiche he preached before our late souerayne Lorde of famous memory king Edward the .vi. within the Preaching place, in the Palace at Westminster, in the yeare of our Lorde. 1549. the first Sermon the .viii. of Marche.
wherunto are added other two Sermons, aswel that he preached at Stamford, as also the last that he made before the late kyng Edward, whiche he called hys vltimum vale.
¶ Imprinted at Lōdon by Iohn Day, dwelling ouer Aldersgate.
¶ Cumgratia & priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis, per septennium.
An. 1562.