Twenty-Seven Sermons, Sermons 3 · Sermon 3
¶ The thyrde Sermon of Maister Hughe Latymer, whyche he preached before the kynge, wythin hys graces Palayce at Westminster, the xxii. daye of Marche.
QVecunque scripta sunt, ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. All thynges that are wrytten, are wrytten to be our doctrine. All thynges that be wrytten in goddes … booke, the byble, were wrytten to be oure doctrin long before our time, to serue from tyme to time, and so forth to the worldes end.
Ye shall hauehave in remembraunce, most benigne and graciousA precher hath two offyces. audience, that a preacher hathe two offices, and the one to be used orderly after an other.
The … is Exhortari … sanam doctrinam. To teache truei. To teach true doctryne. doctryne He shall hauehave also occasyon oftentymes to vse an other, and that is. Contradicentes conuincere.
To reprehend, to conuince, to confute gainsayers and spurii. To cōfute gainsayers and … agaynste the …. ners against the truth. Why? you wil saye, wil anye bodye gaine say true doctrine, and sound doctrine? Wel, let a pre cher be sure, that his doctrine be true, and it is not to be thought, that any body wil gain say it. If S. Paul had not forsene that there shuld be gainsayers, he had not neade to hauehave appoynted the confutation of gaine sayinge. Was ther euer yet prechers, but ther wer gainsayers? that spurPreachers hauehave euer hadd gainsayers. ex. vii. viii. ix. x ned? that winst? that whimpered against him? that blasphemed, that gaynesayed it? When Moses came to Egipte wt sound doctrin, he had Pharao to gaine saye him. Ieremye was the minyster of the true word of God, he had gainsayers the priestes, and the false Prophets. Ely had al … priestes supported by Iesabel to speake against him. Ihoniii. king. xviii Baptist and our sauiour Iesus Christe, had the Phariseis,Ma. xii. xv. xvi …. xxviii the Scribes, and the priestes gain sayers to them. The Apostles, had gain sayers also, for it was said to S. Paul at Rome: Notum est nobis quod vbique … huic contradicitur.
We know that eueryevery man doth gaine say this learnynge.Eusebius de …. After the Apostles time the truthe was gaine sayed wyth tyrauntes, as Nero. Maxentius, Domicianus, and sucheHystoria ecclesiastica. like, and also by the doctrine of wicked heretikes. In the po pyshe masse tyme, there was no gayn sayinge, all thyngesAntonius Sabellicus. seemed to be in peace, in a concorde, in a quyet agremente. So longe as we had in adoration, in admiratyon, the PopysheWe were then at a peace with the deuyl, and at debate with God. masse, we were then wythoute gaynsayinge. What was that? The same that Christe speaketh of. Cum fortis armatus custodieritatrium. &c. When Sathan the Deuyll hathe the guidinge of the house, he kepeth al in peace that is in hys possessyon: whan Sathan ruleth, and beareth dominion in open religyon, as he did wyth vsus when we prea ched pardon matters, purgatory matters, and pilgrimage matters, all was quiet. He is ware inough, he is wilye, and circumspect for stirring vp any sedition. When he keepeth his territory all is in peace. If there were any man that preached in England in times past, in the popes times (as peraduenture there was. ii. or iii) strayght waies he was takē and niped in the head with the title of an heretique. When he hath the religion in pos session, he sturreth vp no sedicyon, I warrant you.
How many discentions hauehave we hard of in Turky? But a few I warrant you. He busyeth hym selfe there with noThe deuill makes no dissention in Tur kye. discention. For he hath there dominion in the open Relygion, and neadeth not to trouble him selfe any further.
The Jewes lyke ronnagates where so euer they dwell) for they be disperst and be tributaryes in all contreyes where they enhabite) loke wheather ye heare of any heresyes amongNo … amongst the Jewes. them? But when fortis superuenerit, when one stronger then the Deuill, cometh in place, which is oure Sauyour Iesus Chryst, and reueleth his word, then the deuil roaWhen the deuill bestirreth him and plaieth his parte. reth, then he bestirreth him, then he rayseth diuersitie of opinions to sclaunder gods word. And if euer cōcord should hauehave ben in religion. When should it hauehave ben but when … was here? ye find fault with preachers, & say, theyPreachers are noted to be the cause of …. cause sedition. We are noted to be rash, & vndiscret in oure preaching. Yet as discrete as Christ was there was diuersitie,…. xvi. of Math. Mark. viii. Luke. ix. yea, what he was himself. For when he asked, what men called him. His Apostles answered him. Some saye, you are John Baptist, som say, you are Helias, and some saye, you are one of the prophets, and these were they that spake best of him. For some sayde, he was a Samaritane, that he had a deuyll within him, a glosser, a drincker, a … companion. There was neuer Prophet to be compared toThere was ne uer so great … as … Christe preached. him, and yet was there neuer more dissention then when he was, and preached him self. If it were contraryed then, will ye thinke it shall not be contraryed now, when charitie is so cold and iniquitie so stronge? Thus these backebyters, & sclaunderers must be conuinced. Saint Paule said:ii. Timo. iii. There shall be intractabiles, that will whimpe and whine, there shall be also, Vaniloqui, vayn speakers. For the which S. Paule appointeth the preacher to stop their mouthes & it is a preachers office to be a mouth stopper.A preachers of fice is to be amouth ….
This day I must somwhat do in the second offyce, I must be againe sayer, and I must stop theyr mouthes, conuince, refell, and confute that they speake sclaunderously of me.
There be some gainesaiers gainsayers, for there be some sclaunderous people, vayne speakers, & intractabiles whiche I must nedes speake against. But first I will make a short rehersall to put you in memory of that, that I spake in my last Sermon. And that done, I … confute one that sclaū dereth me. For one there is that I must nedes aunswer vn to, for he sclaundreth me for my preachring before … kinges …. There be some to blame, that when a preacher is weary, yet they will hauehave him speake all at once.
Ye must tary till ye heare more. Ye must not be offended till ye here the rest. Here all and then iudge all. What ye ar very hastie, very quick with your preachers? But before I enter further into this matter I shall desier you to pray. &c,
Frst of all as touching my first …, I will runne it, ouer cursorie, rypping alitle the matter. I brought in an historieThe Epiloge, or reh ersall of the first sermon of the Bible, exciting my audience to beware of by walkings, to walke ordinatly, plainly, the kings high way & a gre to that, which standeth with the order of a Realm. I shewed you how we were vnderunder the blessing of God, for our king is Nobilis, I shewed you we hauehave a noble kinge. True inheritour to the crowne with out doubte. I shewed furthermore of his godly education. He hath suche scholemasters as can not be gotten in all the Realme againe.The … Scholemasters
Wherfore we may be sure that God blessed this realm, all though he curssed the realme, whose ruler is a child, vnderunder whome the officers be climing, and gleyyng, sturyng, scratching, and scraping, and volupteously set on banketyng & for the maintenaunce of their volupteousnes, go by walksThe counsayll of Englande hauehave their conding and worthyprayse. And althoughh he be yong he hath as good, and as sage acounsayle, as euer was in Englande, whiche we may well knowe by their godly procedinges, and setting fourthe of the word of God: Therefore let vsus not be worse? then the stiffe necked Iewes. In king Iosias time, (who being yongThe people did not repine against king To … in his mynorite. did alter, chaunge and correct wonderfully the religion (it was neuer heard in Iewry that the people repyned or said, The king is a child. This geare will not last long. It is but … or two mens doinges. It will not but for a tyme.
The king knoweth it not. Wo worth that euer suche men were borne. Take hede lest for our rebellion. God take his blessing a way from vsus. I entred into the place of the kingsWhat is a Princelike pastime. pastime. I tolde you howe he must passe his tyme in readinge the booke of God (for that is the kinges pastime by Gods appointmente) in the whiche boke he shall learne to feare God. Oh howe carefull God is to set in an order allGod is careful for a kinges house. thinges that belonge to a king in his chaumber, in his stable in his treasure house.
These peuish people in thys realme hauehave nothing but the kinge, the king in their mouthes, when it maketh for theirThe king is in eueryevery mannes mouth when it makes for … purpose. purpose. As there was a doctor that preached, the kinges maiestye hathe his holy water, he crepeth to the crosse, and then they hauehave nothing but the kinge the kinge. in their mouthes. These be my good people that muste hauehave their mouthes stopte, but if a man tell them of the kinges proceadinges,Mayn for shiftes and put offes. now they hauehave their shifts, and their putofs say ing, we may not go before a law, we may breake no order. These be ye wicked preachers, their mouths must be stopt, these be the gainsaiers. … other thing there is that I toldeA … must not be proude. you of Ne eleuetur cor regis. &c. The king must not be proud ouer his brethren. He must order his people with brotherly louelove and charitie. Here I brought in examples of proudiii. … of pride in a king. kynges. It is a great pride in kings and matestrates when they will not heare, nor be conformable to the sound doctrine of God. It is an other kind of pride in kinges when they thinke them selues so high, so lofty, that they disdayne and think it not for their honour to heare poore mens causes themselues. They hauehave claubackes that say vntounto them.Kinges hauehave clawe backes … docter picke mote and hys fellow. What sir? what nede you to trouble youre selfe? take you your pleasure, hunt hauke, daunce, and dally, let vsus a lone: we will gouerne and order the commune weale matters …. Wo worth them, they hauehave ben the root of alClawbackes counsell. mischief and destruction in this realme. A king ought not only for to reade and study, but also to praye. Let him borowA king muste praye as well as rede. example at Srlomon, who pleased God highly with his peticion, desiring no worldly things, but wisdō whiche god did not only graūt him, but because he asked wisdō, he gaue him many mo things. … riches, honoure & such like.Salomon pray co for wisdom; Oh how it pleased God that he asked wisdom? And after he had geuen him this wisdom he sent him also occasion to vse yt same by a couple of strūpets. Here I told an exāple of a meke king, who, so continued, vntill he came into the cō pany of straunge women. He heard them not by meanes,Salomon hard the causes and complaintes of his people. or by any other, but in his owne perso, & I think verely the naturall mother had neuer had her owne childe if he had not herd the cause him self. They were Meritrises. Hoores al though some excuseth the matter, and say they were but tipplers, such as kepe alehouses. But it is but foly to excuse them, seing the Jewes were suche, and not vnlike, but they had their stewes and the maintenaunce of whordome as they had of other vices. One thinge I must here desier you to reform my Lords, you hauehave put downe the stewes.M. Latimers request to the Lordes for the abolishement of whordom. But I pray you what is the matter a mended? what a vayleth that? ye hauehave but chaunged the place, and not takē the whordom away. God should be honored euerywhere. For the scripture sayth. Domini est terra et plenitudo eius. The earth and the lande is the Lordes. What place shoulde be then within a christian realme left, for to dishonour God. I must nedes shew you such newes as I here. For thoughe I see it not my self, not withstanding it cometh faster to me then I would wish. I doo as S. Paule doth to the Corinthians Auditur interuus stuprum. There is such a wordom among you as is not among the gentils. So likewise. Auditur. I here say that there is suche whordom in England as neuer was sene the lyke. He charged all the Corinthians… the Corinthians charged for one mans …. for one mannes offence saying. They were all gilty for one mans sinne, if they woulde not correct and redresse it, but wink at it. Lo, here may you see how that one mans sinne poluted all Corinth. A litle leauen as S. Paule sayeth, corrupteth a greate deale of dough. This is, Communicare alienis peccatis, to be partaker of other mē sines I aduertise … in gods name loke to it. There say, there is now more whor dom in London, then euer ther was on the bancke. TheseMore whordō in London thē euer there was on the banke. be the newes I hauehave to tell you. I feare they be true. Ye ought to heare of it, and redres it. I here of it, & as Paule sayth. Aliqua ex parte credo. There is more open whordom more stued whordō thē euer was before. For gods sake let it be loked vpō. It is your office to see vntounto it. Now to my confutacion. There is a certain man that shortly after my first sermon, being asked if he had ben at the sermon that daye, answerd yea: I pray you sayd he how liked you him? mary sayd he euen as I liked him alwayes, a sedicious fellow. Oh LordeOf one that re ported M. … to be … fellow. he pinched me there in dede. Nay he had rather a full bit at me. Yet I comfort my self with that, that Christe him selfe was noted to be a sturrer vp of the people against the Emperour,Christ was no ted for a sebicious stirrer of the people. and was contented to be called sedicious. It be cō meth me to take it in good worth, I am not better then he was. In the kinges dayes that dead is, a meany of vsus were called together before him to say oure mindes in certayne matters. In the end, one kneleth me downe, & accuseth meHow M. Latimer was accused to kinge Henry the. viii, of sedicion, that I had preached sedicious doctryne. A …, and a hard point of such a mans doyng, as if I should name hym, ye would not think it. The king turned to me and sayd. What say you to that sir? Then I kne led downe, and turned me first to myne accuser, and required him. Sir what forme of preaching would you appoynt me to preache before a kynge? Would you hauehave me for to preache nothing as concerning a king, in the kings sermō? HaueHave you any cōmission to a point me what I shal preach? Besides this, I asked him diuers other questions, & he wold make no answer to none of thē all. He had nothing to say. Then I turned me to the kinge, and submitted my selfe to his grace and sayde, I neuer thought my self worthy, nor I neuer sued to be a preacher before youre grace, but I was called to it, and would be willing (if you mislike me)His … to the kyng. to … place to my betters. For I graunt there be a greate meany more worthy of the roume then I am. And if it be your graces pleasure so to allow thē for preachers, I could be contente to beare their bookes after them. But if youre grace allow me for a preacher. I would desyre your grace to geue me leaue to discharge my consciēce. Geue me leaue to frame my doctrine according to mine audiēce. I had ben a very dolt to hauehave preached so, at yt borders of your realm,A preacher must hauehave respect to the place and to the persons. as I preache before your grace. And I thank almightye God, which hath alwaies ben my remedy, that my sainges were well accepted of the kinge, for like a gratious Lorde he turned into a nother communication, it is euen as the scripture sayeth. Cor Regis in manu domini, the Lorde directed the kings hart. Certain of my frends came to me with teares in their eyes, and told me, they loked I should hauehave ben in the tower the same night. Thus hauehave I euer more ben burdened with the worde of sedition. I hauehave offended God greuously, transgressing his law, and but for this remedy and his mercy, I would not loke to be saued. As for sedicion, for ought that I knowe, me thinkes, I should not nede Christe, if I might so saye. But if I be cleare in any thing, I am cleare in this. So farre as I know mine owneM. Latimer was euer voyd of sedicion. hart, there is no man further from sediciou then I, whiche I hauehave declared in all my doinges, and yet it hathe ben euer layd to me. Another time, when I gaue ouer myne offyce, I should hauehave receyued a certayne dutie that they call a Pentecostall, it came to the sūme of fiftye and fyue poūd. I set my commissary to gather it, but he could not be suffered. For it was said a sedicion should rise vponupon it.
Thus they burdened me euer with sedicion. So this gentilman commeth vp now with sedicion. And wot ye what? I chaunced in my last Sermon to speake a mery worde of the new shilling (to refresh my auditory) how I was lykeOf the newe shylling. to put away my new shilling for an olde grote, I was here in noted to speake sediciously. Yet I comfort my self in one thing, that I am not alone, and that I hauehave a fellowe. For it is, Consolatio miserorum. It is the comfort of the wretched to hauehave companye. When I was in trouble, it was obiected and sayde vntounto me that I was singular, that no manM. Latimer noted of a syng …. thought as I thought, that I loued a singularitie in al that I did, and that I tooke away, contrary to the king, and the whole parliamente, and that I was trauailed with them, that had better wittes then I, that I was contrary to them al. Mary sir this was sore thunderbolts. I thought it an irk some thing to be alone, and to hauehave no fellow. I thoughte it was possible it might not be true that they tolde me. In the. vii. of John the priestes sent oute certayn of the Jewes to bring Christ vntounto them violentlye. When they came into the temple and hearde him preache, they were so moued with his preaching, that they returned home agayne, and sayd to them that sent them. Nunquam sic locutus est homo vt hic homo. There was neuer man spake like this man. Then aunswered the Pharyses: Num et vos seducit estis? What ye brainsick foles, ye hoddy pecks. Ye doddy poules,A … call exposition. ye huddes, doo ye beleue him? are you seduced also? Nunquis ex Principibus credit in eum? Did ye se any great man, or any great officer take his part? do ye see any boddy follow him, but beggerly fishers, and suche as hauehave nothing to take to? Nunquis … Phariseis? Do ye see any holy man? any perfecte man? any learned man take his parte? Turba que ignorat legem execrabilis est. This lay people is …, it is they that know not the law, that takes his part, and none ells.The bishops … led the people ignoraunt and they were the cause of it them selues. Lo here the Pharises had nothing to … yt people, with all, but ignoraunce. They did as oure bishops of England, who … the peoplè alwayes with ignoraūce where they were the cause of it themselues. There were sayth S. John. Multi ex principibus qui crediderunt in eum. Many of the chief menne beleued in him, and that was contrary to the Phariseis saying, Oh then by like they belyed him, he was not alone. So thought I, there be more of mine opinionM. Latimer hath gotten Esay the prophet to be his compa nion. then I, thought I was not alone. I hauehave now gotten one felow more, a companion of sedition, and wot ye who is my felow? Esay the Prophet, I spake but of a litle preaty shilling. But he speaketh to Hierusalem after an other sort and was so bold to meddle with their coin. Thou proude, thou couetous, thou hautie citie of Hierusalem. Argentum Marke well his termes.tuum versum est inscoriam. Thy siluer is turned into, what?Esai medled with the coyne of the minte. into testions? Scoriam, into drosse. Ah sedicious wretche, what had he to doo with the minte? Why shoulde not he hauehave left that matter to some master of policie to reproue? Thy siluer is drosse, it is not fine, it is counterfait, thy siluer is turned, thou haddest good …. What pertayned that to Esay. Mary he espied a pece of diuinitie in that poli cie, he threateneth them Goddes vengeaunce for it.Two causes why money in. Esaies time was more … and worse.
He wente to the roote of the matter, whych was couetousnes. He espyed two poyntes in it, that eyther it came of couetousnes, whyche became hym to reproue, or els that it tended to the hurte of the poore people, for the noughtynes of the siluer was the occasyon of dearthe of all thinges in the Realme. He imputeth it to them as a great crime. He may be called a master of sedicion in dede. Was not this a sedicious harlot to tell them this to their beardes? to their face?
This sedicious man goth also forth, saying: Vinum tuum mixtuum est aqua. Thy wyne is mingled with water. Here he medeleth with vinteners, be like there were bruers inEsay … with vintners. those daies, as there be nowe. It had ben good for our missal priestes to hauehave dwelled in that contrey, for they might hauehave ben sure to hauehave had their wine well mingled with water. I remembre how Scrupulous I was in my time ofM. Latimer was sumthing …, whē he … a masse sayer. blindnes and ignorauncie, when I should say masse, I hauehave put in water twise or thrise for fayling, in so much when I hauehave ben at my Memento, I hauehave had a grudg in my consyence, fearing that I had not put in water ynoughe, … that whiche is here spoken of wine, he meaneth it of al arts, in the citie, of all kindes of faculties, for they hauehave all their medles and minglings. That he speaketh of one thing, heEsay spoke of one vice but he … it of mo. meaneth generally of all. I must tell you more newes yet.
I here say there is a certain conning come vp in mixing of wares. How say you, were it no wonder to heare that cloth makers should becom poticaries. Yea and as I heareCloth makers are become poticaries. say, in suche a place, where as they hauehave professed the Gospell, and the worde of God most earnestly of a long tyme. Se how busie the Deuill is to sclaunder the word of God? Thus the pore gospell goeth to wrack. Yf his cloth be. xviii yeardes long, he will set him on a rack, & slretch him oute with ropes, and racke him till the senewes shrinck a gaine, whiles he hathe brought him to. xxvii. yardes. When theyA prety kinde of multiplying. hauehave brought him to that perfectiō, they hauehave a prety feat to thick him again. He makes me a powther for it, & plais the poticary, they call it floke pouther they doo so in corporateFloke powther. it to the cloth, that it is wonderfull to consider, truly a goodly inuention. Oh that so goodly wittes should be so ill applied, they may well deceiue the people but they can not deceiue God. They, were wont to make beds of flocks & it was a good bed to. Now they hauehave turned their flocks into pouther to play the false theues with it. O wicked diuell what can he not inuent to … Gods worde? These mixtures come of couetousnes. They ar plain theft. Wo worth that these flockes should so slaunder the word of God. As he said to the Iewes, thy wine … mingled with water, so myghte he hauehave sayde to vsus of thys lande. ThyThese … and … are theft. clothe is mingled wyth … pouder. He goeth yet on. This seditious man reproueth this honourable citye, and sayeth: Principes tui infideles. Thou lande of Ierusalem, thy magistrates, thy iudges are vnfaithful, they kepe no touch they wil talke of many gay things, they will pretend thys and that, but they kepe no promise. They be worse thē vnfaithful, he was not afraid to cal the officers vnfaithfull. Et … furum. Felowes of theues: for … and theues felowes, be all of one sort. They were wont to saye. Aske my felow if I be a these. He calleth princes theues? What?Esay calleth the magistrates … and … of theues. Princes theues? What a seditions harlot was this! was he worthy to liue in a common wealthe that woulde call princes on this wise, fellowes of theues; Had they a standing at shoters hil, or Stangat hole to take a purse. Why? did they stand by the high way side? Did they rob? or … open any mannes house or doore? No, no. That is a grosse kind of theuing. They were princes, they had a … kinde of theuing. Omnes diligunt munera. They al louelove bribes.There are two kynde of theuynges. Bribe ry is a kynd of theuynge. Bribery is a princelye kinde of theuinge. They will be waged by the rich, either to geue sentence against the pore, or to put of the pore mans causes. This is the noble thefte of princes, & of magistrates. They are bribetakers. Now a daies they cal them gentle rewardes: let them leaue theyr colouring, and call them by their christian name Bribes,Bribes hauehave gotten a new name. Omnes diligunt munera. Al the princes, all the iudges, all the priests, al yt rulers are bribers. What? were all the magistrates in Ierusalem, all bribe takers, none good? No dout there were some good. Thys woorde omnes, signifieth the moost part, and so there be some good I doubte not of it, in England. But yet we be farre worse then those stifnecked Iewes. For we read of none of them that winsed, nor kickedWe are worse then the … ked Iewes. against Esais preching, or said that he was a seditious felow. It behoueth the magistrates to be in credite, & therfore it might seme that Esay was to blame to speak opēly against the magistrates. It is verye sure that they that be good wil beare, & not spurne at the preachers, they that be faulty they must amende, & … spurn, nor wynse, nor whine. He that findeth him self touched or galled, he decla reth him self not to be vprighte. Wo worthe these giftes,So it … by a galled horse. they subucrt iustice eueryevery where. Sequuntur retributiones. They folow bribes. Somwhat was geuen to them before and they muste neades geue somewhat a gaine, for giffe gaffe was a good felow, this giffe gaffe led them clene frō iustice. They folow giftes.Giffe gaffe was a good fellow.
A good fellow on a time bad an other of his frends to a breakfast, and said: If you wil come, you shal be welcome, but I tel you afore hand, you shal hauehave but flēder fare, one dish and that is al, what is that said he? A pudding and nothingA good fellowe was bydden to breakfaste to a pudding. els. Mary said he, you can not please me better, of al meats, that is for mine own toth, you may draw me … about the town with a pudding. These bribing maiestrates, and iudges folow giftes faster, then the felow woulde folow the pudding.They folow bribes as faste, as the fellowe did the poding.
I am content to beare the title of sedition wyth …. Thankes be to God, I am not alone, I am in no singularity. This same man that laid sedition … to my charge, was asked an other time, whether he were at the Sermon at Paules crosse, he answered that he was there, and being asked what newes there. Mary quod he wonderful newes,A gentleman which said that he & hys … had full absolution at Paules crosse. we were there cleane absolued, my Mule and all had full absolution, ye may see by this, that he was such a one that rode on a Mule, and that he was a gentleman. In dede his mule was wiser then he, for I dare saye, the Mule neuer slaundered the preacher. Oh what an vnhappye chaunce had this Mule to cary such an Asse vppon his backe. I was there at the sermon my selfe. In the ende of hys sermon, he gaue a generall absolution, and as farre as I remember these, or suche other lyke woordes, but at the … I am sure, thys was his meaninge, as manye as doo knowledge your selues to be synners, and confesse the same, & stande not in defence of it, and hartely abhorreth it, and will … The prechers wordes in hys absolution. Mule.… in the death of Christe, and be conformable thervnto, Ego absoluo vos, quod he. Nowe saithe this gentleman, his mule was absolued. The precher absolued but such as … sory, & did repent, Be like then she did … her … hys mule was wiser then he a greate deale. I speake not of worldly wisdome, for therin he is to wise, yea he is so wise that wise men meruail, how he came truly by yt tenth part of that he hath. But in wisdome whiche consisteth In rebus The misreporter of M. … mer, is … wise, but in godly matters as blinde as a betel.…, … rebus salutis, in godly matters, and appertaininge to our saluation, in this wisdom he is as blind as a beatle. Tanquam equus & Mulus, in quibus nō est intellectus. Like hor ses and mules, that hauehave no vnderstanding. If it wer true that the mule repented her of her stumbling, I thinke she was better absolued then he. I pray God stop his mouth; or els to open it, to speake better, and more to his …:A charitable wish. An other man quickned with a word I spake (as he sayde opprobriously against the nobility, that their children dyd not setforth Gods word, but were vnprcaching prelates)Tender & dain tye eared mē of these days, had rather cōmit xx faults, thē hear tel of one was offended wyth me. I dyd not meane so, but that some noble mennes children had setforth Gods woord, how be it the poore mennes sonnes hauehave doone it alwayes for the most part. Johannes … was here a great learned mā, and as they say a noble man in his country, and is gon his way again, if it be for lack of intertainmēt, the more pity. I wold wish such men as he to be in the realm, for ye realmPoore mennes sonnes for the most part hauehave cuer traueled a bout the … for the of gods worde. shuld prosper in receiuing of thē. Qui vos recipit, me recipit. Who receiueth you receiueth me (said Christ) & it shuld be for the kings honor to receiue them and kepe thē. I heard say master …, that great clark, shuld come hither. I wold wish hym, & such as he is to hauehave …. poūd a yere.…. Alasco- The king should neuer want it in his coffers at the yeres end. There is yet among vsus ii. great learned men, Petrus Martir, & Bernard …, which hauehave a C. markes a pece.It is honorable for the king to be beneficyal toward the … ned. I woulde the kynge woulde … we a thousande pound on that sort.
Now I wil to my place again. In the latter ende of my sermon, I exhorted iudges to hear the smal as well as the great. … quod iustum est iudicare. You must not onlye doo… martir, and Bernardin … iustice, but do it iustlye. You muste obserue all circumstances. You must geue iustyce, and minister iuste iudgemente in tyme.
For the delaying of matters of the pore folke, is as sinfull before the face of God as wrong iudgement. I rehersed here a parable of a wicked iudge, which for importunitiesThe parable of … wyck. d iudg sake hard the poore womans cause. &c.
Here is a comfortable place, for al you that cry out and are oppressed. For you hauehave not a wicked iudge, but a mercifull iudge to call vntounto: I am not nowe so full offolish pity, but I can consider wel inoughe, that some of you complaine withoute a cause. They wepe, they wayle, they mourne, I am sure some not wythoute a cause. I dyd not here reproue all iudges, and fynde faulte wyth all. I thinke we hauehave some as painful magistrates, as euer wasSome as payn ful magistrates in England as cuer was. in England: but I wil not sweare they be all so: and they that be not of the best, muste be content to be taughte, and not disdaine to be reprehended. Dauid sayeth. Erudimini A good … for suche as are magistrats but noue of the bestqui iudicatis terram. I referre it to your conscience. Vos … iu dicatis terram. Ye that be iudges on the earthe, whether ye hauehave heard pore mennes causes with expedition or no: if ye hauehave not, then erudimini, be contēt to be touched, to be told. You widowes, you Orphanes, you poore people, here is a confortable place for you. Thoughe these iudges of the world wil not hear you, there is one wil be contente wyth your importunity, he wil remeady you, if you come after a ryght fort vntounto him. Ye say. The … doth blame you for your importunity, it is … vntounto him. He entred into this parable to teach you to be importune in your petitiō. Non defatigari. Not to be wery. Here he teacheth you, howHow and … what meanes … shoulde resorte to god in …. to come to God in aduersity, and by what meanes, whyche is by prayer. I do not speake of the merite of Christ: for he sayth: Ego sum via, I am the way, Qui credit in … habet vitam aeternam. Who so beleueth in me, hath euerlastinge life. But when we are come to Christ, what is our way to … aduersity? in anguish? in tribulations? in our necessities? in our iniuries? The waye is prayer. We are taughte by the commaundement of God. Inuoca me in die tribulationis & ego eripiam te. Thou widowe, thou orphane, thou fatherlesse chylde, I speake to thee that haste no frendes … healpe thee, call vppon me in the daye of thy tribulatyon, call vppon me. … eripiam te. I wyll plucke thee a waye, I wyll deliuer thee, I will take thee awaye, I wyll relieue thee, thou shalt hauehave thy hartes desyre.
Here is the promise, here is the comforte, Glorificabis me. Thanke me, accept me for the author of it, and thanke not this creature or that for it. Here is the iudge of all iudges, come vntounto him, and he wil heare you. For he sayeth: Quicquid petieritis patrem in nomine meo. &c. What so euer ye … my father in my name, shall be geuen you thoroughe my merites. You miserable people … are … in the worlde, aske of my father in your distresses, but put … afore,The order of our … and asking. … you come not with bragges of your owne merites, but come in my name, and by my merite. He hathe not the … of this stout iudge, he wil bear your …, he wil not be angry at your cryinge and calling. The Prophet sayeth: Sperauerunt in te patres nostri & exaudiuisti illos. Thou God, thou God, oure fathers dyd cry vponupon thee, and thou hardest them. Arte not thou oure God as wel as theirs? There is nothing more plesant to God, then for to put him in remembraunce of hys goodnesseWhat God … heare of vsus and wherin he …. shewed vntounto our forefathers. It is a pleasant thing to tel God of the benefites that he hath done before oure time. Go to Moyses, who had the guiding of Goddes people, se how he vsed prayer as an instrument to be deliueredMoyses vsed prayer as an in … in … uersity. out of aduersity, when he had great rough mountains on eueryevery side of him, and before him the red sea, Pharaos host behind him, pearill of death round about him. What did he? despaired he? no. Whether wente he? He repayred to God with this prayer, and said nothinge. Yet wyth a great ardency of spirit, he pearsed Gods eares. Now help or neuer good Lord, no help, but in thy hand quod he. Thoughe he neuer moued his lippes, yet the scrypture sayeth: he cryed oute, and the Lord hearde him, and sayd: quid clamas ad me? Why criest thou out so loude? The people hard him say nothing, and yet God sayd. Whye crycstExod. xiiii. thou oute? Straight waies he stroke the water with hys rod, and deuided it, and it stode vp like two walles on either side, betwene ye which gods people passed, & the … were drowned. Iosue was in anguish, and like di… was in anguish and … and prayed. stresse at Iericho, that true captaine, yt faithfull iudge, no folower of retributions, no …, he was no money who made his petition to almighty God to shewe him the cause of his wrath toward him, when his armye was plaged after the … of Iericho. So he obtained his … and learned, that for one mannes fault, all the reaste wereFor A chans … many a thousand punished. Iosue. vii punished. For Achans couetousnes many a thousand wer in agony, and fear of death, who hid his mony, as he thought from god. But god saw it wel inoughe, and broughte it to lighte. This Acan was a bywalker. Well, it came to passe, when Iosua … it, straight waies he purged … army, and tooke away Malum de Israel, that is wickednesse from the people. For Iosua called hym before the people,Iosue put … to death. and sayde, Dagloriam Deo, geue prayse to god, tell trouthe… vii. man, and forth with he tolde it. And then he and all hys house suffered deathe. A … ensample for all Magystrates to followe. Here was the execution of a true iudge, he was no gyfte taker, he was no wincker, he was no … …. xx.walker. Also when the Assirians with an innumerable po wer of men in Iosaphates tyme … the lande of Israell. Iosaphat that good … goeth me strait to god, and made hys prayer. Non est in nostra fortitudine, (sayd he) buic populo …, it is not in oure strengthe, O Lorde, to resyste this people, and after his prayer god deliuered him, and at the same time x. M. were destroyed. So ye miserable people, you must … to god in anguishes, and make your prayer to hym.
Arme your selues with prayer in your aduersities. ManyMany begin to praye, … and continue in prayer. begin to pray, and sodenly cast away prayer, the deuyll putteth suche fantasyes in theyr heades, as thoughe God could not entend them, or had somewhat els to doo.
But you must be importune and not weary, nor caste away prayer. Nay you must cast away …. God wil hearCast away sin, and then pray. your prayer, albeit, you be sinners, I send you a iudge that wil be glad to hear you. You that are oppressed, I speak to you. Christe in this parable dothe paynte the good wyll … A notable … for … whych ….god towarde you, o miserable people, he that is not receyued, let him not despair, nor thinke that god had forsaken him. For god tarieth til he seeth a time, and better can doo all thinges for vsus, then we oure selues canne wyshe. There was a wicked iudge, &c. What meaneth it that god … this parable rather of a wicked …, then of a good? Be like good iudges were rare at that time, & trowe ye the deuil hathe bene a slepe euer sence? No, no. He is as busye as euer he was. The common manner of a wyckedThe common maner of a wic ked iudge. iudge is, neither to fear God nor man. He … what a man he is, and therfore he careth not for man, because of his pride. He loketh hie … the pore, he will be had in admiration, in adoration. He semeth to be in a protection. Wel, shall he escape? Ho, ho, est Deus in celo. There is a god in heauen, he accepteth no persons, he will punyshe them. There was a pore woman came to this iudge, and sayde: Vindica me de aduersario. Se that mine aduersarye do me no wrong. He would not heare her, but droue her of. She had no money to wage eyther him, either them that were aboutWhether … stian people may seke to be auenged him. Did this woman wel to be auenged of her aduer sary? may christian people seke vengauuce? The Lord sayeth: Mihi vindictam et ego retribuam. When ye reueuge. ye take mine offyce vppon you. This is to be vnderstaude of priuate vengaunce. It is lawfull for Goddes flocke to vse meanes to put awaye …, to resorte to iudges, to require to hauehave sentence geuen of right. Saynte Paule sent to Lisias the tribune, to hauehave this ordinary remedy. & christActes. xxii also said. Si male locutus sum. &c. If I hauehave spokē euil rebuke me. Christ here answered for him self. Note here my … Math. xxvi.and masters what case pore widowes & orphanes be in, I wil tel you my lorde iudges, if ye cōsider this matter …, ye shuld be more afraid of the pore widow, … of a noble mā … the frends & power that he can make. But now a dais the iudges be a fraid to hear a pore mā against ye rich,The maner of … now a daies … agaynst the rych. in so much they wil ether pronoūce agaīst him, or so driue of the pore mās sute, that he shal not be able to go thorow wt it. The greatest man in a realm cānot so hurt a iudge as the pore widow, such a shreud turn she cādo him. And with what armor I pray you? She cā bring the iudges skin ouer his ears, & neuer lay hāds vponupon him. And how is that? Lachrime How God … dreth and regardes the … of the wy dow & the poremiserorū … ad maxillas. The tears of the pore fal down vpō their chekes, & ascēdūt ad celū, & go vp to heauē & cry for vēgāce before god, the iudge of widowes, the father of widowes & orphanes. Pore people be oppressed euen by lawes. Ve ijs qui cōdūt leges iniquas. Wo worth to them that make euill lawes agaynste the poore, what shalbe to them that hinder and … good lawes? Quid facietis in die vltionis. What will ye doo in the daye of greate vengaunce, When God shal vilit you? he sayth, he wyll hear the tears of pore women, when he goeth on visitation. For theyr sake he wil hurt the iudge, be he neuer so high, Deus trans fert regna. He wil for widowes sakes chang realms, bring thē into tēptation, pluck the iudges skins ouer their hedsCambises. Lābises was a great Emperor, suche another as our master is, he had many lord deputies, lord presidentes & lieue tenāts vnderunder him. It is a great while a goo syth I red the history. It chāced he had vnderunder him in one of his dominions a briber, a gifttaker, a gratifier of rich men, he folow ed gifts, as fast as he yt folowed the pudding, a hādmakerAn olde soth say, but though the saying be none of the newest I fear me yet it is one of the truest. in his office, to make his sonne a great man, as thold laying is. Happy is the child, whose father goth to the deuil. The cry of the pore widow came to them perors eare, and caused him to flay the iudge quick, and laid his skin in his chair of iudgement, that al iudges, that shuld geue iudgemētThe bribing iudge was flayed quick. afterward, shuld sit in the same skin. Surely it was a goodly sygne, a goodly monument, the sign of the iudges skin, I pray God we maye once se the signe of the … inA men, or els I … god we may hauehave such incorruptible iudges which wil not deserue it. England. Ye wil say peraduēture that this is cruelly & vn charitably spoken, no, no, I doo it charitablye for a louelove I bear to my country. God sayeth. Ego visitabo. I will visyte. God hath ii. visitatiōs. The first is when he reueleth hys word by prechers, & where the fyrst is accepted; the secondGod hath two visitations. cōmeth not. The second visitation is vengance. He went a visitation, when he broughte the iudges skin ouer hys eares. If his word be despised, he cōmeth with his secōd vi sitation wt vengance. Noe preached gods word an …. yeresNoe preached gods word an. C, yeares & was laught to skorn, & called an old doting fole, because they would not accept this first visitation, God visited the secōd time he poured down shours of rain, til al the world was drowned. … was a visitor of Sodome & Gomorre,Gene. xix. but because they regarded not his preaching, God visyted them the second time, and brent them al vp with brimston, sauing Loth. Moses came first a visitation into Egypte wt Exod. vii.Gods word, and because they would not heare hym, God visited them agayne, and drowned them in the redde Sea, GOD likewyse with his firste visitation visited the Israelites by his prophets, but because they wold not heare his Prophetes, he visited them the second tyme, and disper sed them in Assiria and Babilon. Iohn Baptist likewise and our Sauiour Christ visited them, afterward declaringGermany made a mingle …, of their … to them Goddes will: and because they despysed these vysitours, he destroyed Hierusalem by Titus and Uespasianus. Germany was visited. xx. yeares with Goddes word, but they did not earnestly embrace it, and in lyfe folowe it, but made a mingle mangle and a hotchpotch of it.
I can not tell what, partely popery, partely true religion mingled together. They say in my countrey, when they call theyr hogges to the swyne trough. Come to thy mingle mangle come pyr, come pyr, euen so they made mingle… cloked vnderunder a coloure of …. mangle of it. They could clatter and prate of the Gospell, but when al commeth to all, they ioyned popery so with it, that they marde all together, they scratched and scraped al the liuinges of the churche, and vnderunder a coloure of religyon, turned it to theyr owne proper gaine and lucre. God seyng that they would not come vntounto his worde, now he visiteth them in the seconde time of his visitacion with his wrath. For the taking awaye of Goddes worde, is a manifest token of his wrath. We hauehave now a fyrst visitation in England, let vsus beware of the second. We hauehave the minisiracion of his worde, we are yet well, but the house is not cleane swept yet. God hath sent vsus a noble king in this hisGodly …. visitaciō, let vsus not prouoke him against vsus, let vsus beware let vsus not displease him, let vsus not be vnthankfull, and vnkind, let vsus beware of bywalkyng & contemnyng of Gods word, let vsus pray diligētly for our king, let vsus receyue with all obedience and prayer the word of God. A word or two more and I commit you to God. I will monish you of a thing, I heare say ye walke in ordinately, ye talke vnsemely otherwaies then it becommeth Christian subiectes. Ye take vponupon you to Iudge the iudgements of Iudges.
I will not make the king a Pope, for the Pope will hauehave all thinges that he doth, taken for an Article of our sayth.
I will not say but that the Kynge, and his councell may erre, the Parliamente houses, bothe the highe and lowe may erre. I pray dayly that they may not erre. It becommeth vsus what soeuer they decree to stande vntountoLet vsus learne our duty toward the king the lawes and ordinaunces of the realme. it and receyue it obediently, as far forth as it is not manifest wicked, and directly against the worde of God. It pertaineth vntounto vsus to think the best, though we can not reder a cause for yt doing of eueryevery thing. For Charitas omnia credit, omnia sperat. Charitie doth beleue and trust all things. We ought to expoūd to the best all things, although we can not yelde a reason. Therfore I exhorte you, good people, pronounce in good parte all the factes and dedes of the magistrates and iudges. Charitie iudgeth the best of all menne, and specially of magistrates S. Paule sayth, Nolite iudicare ante tempus donec Dominus aduenerit. Iudge not before the time of the Lords comming. Prauum cor hominis. Mans hart is vnserchable, it is a ragged pece of worke, no man know eth his owne hart, and therfore Dauid prayeth and sayeth Ab occultis meis munda me. Deliuer me from my vnknowenPsalme. …. faultes. I am a further offēder then I can see. A man shalbe blinded in louelove of himself, & cannot see so muche in … selfe as in other men: let vsus not therfore iudge iudges. We are comptable to God, and so be they. Let them alone, they hauehave their countes to make. If we hauehave charitie in vsus, we shall do this. For Charitas operatur. Charitie worketh.
What worketh it? mary Omnia credere, omnia sperare. To accept all thiugs in good part. Nolite iudicare ante tempus.
Iudge not before the Lordes comming. In this we learne… is knowē to know Antichrist, whiche doothe eleuate him selfe in the churche, and iudgeth at his pleasure, before the time. Hys canonizations and iudging of men before the Lords iudgment, be a manifest token of Antichrist. How can he know Sainctes? He knoweth not his owne hart, and he can not knowe them by myracles. For some miracle workers shall go to the deuill. I will tell you what I remembred yesternight in my bed. A meruaylous tale to perceyue, howe inscrutable a mans hart is. I was once at Oxford (for I had occasyon to come that way, when I was in my office) theyWhat he sawe and hard once at …. tolde me it was a gainer way, and a fayrer way, and by that occasion I lay there a night. Being there, I harde of an ex ecution that was done vppon one that suffered for …. It was as (ye knowe) a daungerous worlde: for it myghte sone cost a man his lyfe for aworde speaking.
I cannot tell what the matter was, but the iudge set it so out that the man was condemned. The. xii. men came in, and said giltye, and vponupon that, he was iudged to be hanged, drawen, & quartred. When the rope was about his necke, no man could perswade him that he was in any faulte, and stode there a great while in the protestation of his innocen cy. They hanged him and cut him downe somwhat to soneNote this ye wicked that wil not … faultes. afore he was cleane dead: then they drew him to the fyre, & he reuiued, and then he comming to his remembraunce, cō sessed his faulte and said he was giltye. O a wonderfull example: it may well be sayd: Prauum cor hominis et inscrutabile A crabbed peace of work and vnsercheable. I wil leue here, for I think you know what I meane well inough. I shall not nede to applie this example any further. As I began euer with this saying. Quoecunque scripta sunt, like a trouant & so I hauehave a commune place to the ende, if my memory fayle me, Beati qui audiunt verbum dei et custodiunt illud, Blessed be they that heare the word of God, & kepe it. It must be kepte in memorie, in liuing, & in our cōuersation. And if we so do, we shal come to ye blessednes, which god prepared for vsus tho row hys son Iesu Christ, to the which he bring vsus al. Amē.