Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 13 · Sermon – Letter 11
¶The tenoure and effecte of certayne Sermons, made by mayster Latimer in Cambridge, about the yeare of our Lord. 1529.
TV quis es? which wordes are as much to say in Englyshe, Who art thou? These be the wordes of the Phariseis, which were sent by the Iewes vntounto sainct Iohn Baptist in wildernesse, to hauehave knowledge of hym, whom he was, which woordes they spake vntounto hym of an euill intent, thinkyng that he would hauehave taken on hym to be Christe, and so they woulde hauehave had him done with their good willes, because they knewe that he was more carnall, and geuen to their lawes, then Christ in deede should be, as they perceyued by their old prophecies: and also because they maruayled muche of his great doctryne, preachyng, and baptising, they were in doubt whether he was Christ or not: wherefore they sayd vntounto him, who art thou? Then answered sainct Iohn, and confessed, that he was not Christ. Now here is to be noted, the great, and prudent answere of saincte Iohn Baptist vntounto the Phariseis, that when they required of him whom he was, he would not directly answere of himselfe what he was him selfe: but he sayd he was not Christ, by the which saying he thought to put the Iewes and Phariseis out of their false opinion, & beliefe towardes him, in that they would hauehave had him to exercise the office of Christ, and …o declared farther vntounto them of Christ, saying: he is in ye middes of you, and amongst you, whō ye know not, whose …atchet of his shoe I am not worthy to vnlose, or vndoe. By this you may perceiue that saint Iohn spake much in the lande, and prayse of Christ his maister, professing himselfe to be in no wise like vntounto him. So likewise it shalbe necessary vntounto all men & women of this world, not to ascribe vntounto them selues any goodnes of themselues, but all vntounto our Lorde God, as shall appeare herafter, when this question aforesayd, (Who art thou?) shall be moued vntounto thē: not as the Phariseis did vntounto saint Iohn, of an euill purpose, but of a good and simple minde, as may appeare hereafter.
Now then, according to the preachers mynd, let eueryevery man and woman, of a good & simple mind, contrary to the Phariseis intent, aske this question (Who art thou?) this question must be moued to themselues, what they be of themselues, on this fashion. What art thou of thy only and natural generatiō betwene father, & mother, whē thou camest into this world? What substāce, what vertue, what goodnes art thou of by thy selfe? which question if thou reher…e often times vntounto thy selfe, thou shalt well perceiue, & vnderstand, how thou shalt make aunswer vntounto it, which must be made on this wayes: I am of my selfe, and by my selfe, cōming from my naturall father & mother, the childe of the ire, & indignation of God, the true inheritour of hel, a lumpe of sinne, & working nothing of my selfe but all towardes hell, except I hauehave better helpe of an other, then I hauehave of my selfe. Now we may see in what state we enter in to this world, that we be of our selues the true, and iust inheritours of hell, the children of the ire & indignation of Christ, working all towardes hell, whereby we deserue of our selues perpetuall dampnation, by ye ryght iudgement of God, and the true clayme of our selues: which vnthrifty state that we be borne vntounto, is come vntounto vsus for our own desertes, and proueth well this example followyng.
Let it be admitted for the probatiō of this, that it might please the kynges grace now being, to accept into his fauour a meane man, of a simple degre, and byrth, not borne to any possession, whom the kynges grace fauoureth, not because this person hath of himselfe deserued any such fauoure, but that the kyng casteth this fauoure vntounto him of his owne mere motion, & fantasy: and for because ye kings grace will more declare his fauoure vntounto him, he geueth vntounto his sayd man a thousand poundes in landes, to hym and his heyres, on this condition, that he shall take vponupon him to be the chiefe captayne, and defendour of his towne of Calice, and to be trew, and faythfull vntounto hym, in the custodie of the same, agaynst the Frenche men specially, aboue all other enemies.
This man taketh on hym this charge, promysing his fidelitie thereunto. It chaunceth in processe of tyme, that by the singuler acquaintaunce, and frequent familiaritie of this Captaine with the French men, these French men geue vntounto this sayde Captayne of Calice a great summe of money, so that he will be content, and agreeable, that they may enter into the sayde towne of Calice by force of armes, and so thereby to possesse ye same vntounto the Crowne of Fraunce: vponupon this agreement the French men doe inuade the sayde Towne of Calice, alonely by the neglygence of this Captayne.
Now the Kynges grace hearyng of this inuasion, commeth with a great puissaunce to defende this his sayd Towne, and so by good pollicie of warre ouercommeth the sayd French men, and entreth againe into his Towne of Calice. Then he beyng desyrous to knowe how these enemies of his came thyther, he maketh profound searche, and enquirie, by whom this treason was conspyred: by this searche it was knowen and founde, his owne Captayne to be the very authoure and beginner of the betraying of it. The King seeing the great infidelitie of this person, dischargeth this man of his office, and taketh from him and his heyres, this thousande poundes possessions. Thinke you not but the Kyng doth vse iustice vntounto him, and all his posteritie, and heyres? Yes truely: the sayde Capitayne cannot deny hymselfe, but that he hadde true iustice, consyderyng howe vnfaythfully he behaued hym to his Prince, contrary to his own fidelitie and promyse: so likewyse it was of our fyrst Father, Adam. He had geuen vntounto him the spirite of science, & knowledge, to worke all goodnesse therewith: this sayd spirite was not geuen alonely vntounto him, but vntounto all his heyres and posteritie. He had also deliuered him the Towne of Calice, that is to say, Paradise in earth, the most strong and fayrest Towne in the worlde, to be in his custodie: He neuerthelesse, by the instigation of these Frenche menne, that is to say, the temptation of the Feende, dyd obey vntounto their desire, and so brake his promise and fidelitie, the commaundemēt of the euerlasting kyng, his maister, in eatyng of the apple by hym inhibited.
Now then, the kyng seyng this great treason in hys capitayne, deposed hym of the thousand pound of possessions, that is to say, from euerlasting lyfe in glory, and all his heires and posteritie: for likewy…e as he had the spirit of science and knowledge, for him and his heires, so in like maner whē he lost the same, his heyres lost it also by him, and in him. So now, this example prooueth, that by our father Adam, we had once in hym the very enheritance of euerlasting ioy: and by him, and in him againe we lost the same.
The heires of the captaine of Calice could not by any maner of claime aske of the King the right & …itle of theyr father, in the thousand poundes possessions, by reason the kyng myght aunswer, and say vntounto them, that although theyr father deserued not of hymselfe to enioy so great possessions, yet he deserued by hymselfe to loose thē, and greater, committyng so hygh treason as he dyd, agaynst hys Princes commaundementes: whereby he had no wrong to loose his title, but was vnworthy to hauehave the same, and had therein true iustice: let not you thinke which bee hys heyres, that if hee had iustice to loose his possessions, you hauehave wrong to loose the same: In the same maner it may be aunswered vntounto all men and women now beyng, that if our father Adam had true Iustice to bee excluded from hys possession of euerlastyng glory in Paradise, let not vsus thinke the contrary that be his heyres, but that wee hauehave no wrong in loosing also the same: yea, we hauehave true Iustice and right. Then in what miserable state be we, that of the right and iust title of our owne deserts, hauehave lost the euerlasting ioy, and clayme of our selues to be the true inheritours of hell? For hee that committeth deadly sinne, willyngly, byndeth hymselfe to be inheritor of euerlasting payne: and so dyd our forefather Adam willingly eate of the apple forbidden. Wherefore he was cast out of euerlastyng ioy in Paradise, into this corrupt world, amongst all vilenesse, whereby of hymselfe he was not woorthy to do any thyng laudable or pleasaunt to GOD, euermore bound to corrupt affections, and beastly appetites, transfourmed into the most vncleannest and variablest nature that was made vnderunder heauen, of whose seede and disposition, all the world is lineally discended, in so much that this euill nature is so fused and shedde from one into another, that at this day there is no man nor woman liuyng, that can of themselues wash away this abhominable vilenesse: and so we must needes graunt of our selues to be in lyke displeasure vntounto God, as our forefather Adam was: by reason hereof as I sayd, we bee of our selues the very children of the indignation and vengeaunce of God, the true enheritours of hell, and workyng all towardes hell, which is the answer of this question, made to eueryevery man and woman by themselues, Who art thou?
And now the world standyng in this damnable state, commeth in the occasion of the incarnation of Christ: the Father in heauen perceiuyng the frayle nature of man, that he by hymselfe and of hymselfe could doe nothyng for hymselfe by hys prudent wisedome sent downe the second person in Trinitie, hys sonne Iesu Christ, to declare vntounto man hys pleasure and commaundement: and so at the fathers wyll Christ tooke on hym humaine nature, beyng willyng to deliuer man out of this miserable way, & was content to suffer cruell passion in shedyng hys bloud for all mankynd, and so left behynd for our safegard, lawes and ordinaunces to keepe vsus alwayes in the right path, to euerlastyng lyfe, as the Euangelistes, the Sacramentes, the commaundementes, and so foorth: which if wee doe keepe and obserue accordyng vntounto our profession, wee shall aunswer better vntounto this question, (Who art thou?) then we dyd before: for before thou diddest enter into the Sacrament of Baptisme, thou wert but a naturall man, a naturall woman: as I myght say, A man, A woman. But after thou takest on thee Christes Religion, thou hast a longer name: for then thou art a Christian man, a Christian woman. Now then, seeyng thou art a Christian man, what shall be thy aunswer of this question▪ Who art thou?
The aunswer of this question is, when I aske it vntounto my selfe, I must say that I am a Christian man, a christian woman, the childe of euerlastyng ioy thorough the merites of the bitter passion of Christ. This is a ioyfull aunswer. Here we may see how much wee bee bounde, and in daunger vntounto GOD, that hath reuiued vsus from death to lyfe, and saued vsus that were damned, which great benefite we cannot well consider, vnlesse we doe remember what we were of our selues before wee medled wyth hym or hys lawes: and the more we know our feeble nature, and set lesse by it, the more wee shall conc…iue and know in our heartes what God hath done for vsus: and the more that we know what God hath done for vsus, the lesse wee shall set by our selues▪ the more wee shall louelove and please God, so that in no condition wee shall eyther know our selues or God, except wee doe vtterly conf…sse our selues to bee meere vilenesse and corruption. Well, now it is come vntounto this poynt, that we bee Ch…istian men, Christian women, I pray you what doth Christ require of a Christian man, or of a Christian woman? Christ requireth nothyng els of a Christian man or a woma…, but that they will obserue hys rule. For likewyse as hee is a good Augustine Frier that keepeth well Saint Augustines rule, so is he a good Christian man that keepeth well Christes rule.
Now then, what is Christes rule? Christes rule consisteth in many thyngs, as in the commaundements, and the workes of mercy and so foorth. And for because I can not declare Christs rule vntounto you at one tyme, as it ought to be done, I will applye my selfe accordyng to your custome this tyme of Christenmasse, I wyll as I sayde, declare vntounto you Christes rule, but that shall bee in Christes cardes. And where you are woont to celeb…ate Christenmasse in playing at cardes, I intend with gods grace to deale vntounto you Christes cardes, wherein you shall p…rceyue Christes rule. The Game that we will p…ay at, shal be called the Triumph, which if it bee well played at, bee that dealeth shall winne: the Players shall lykewyse winne, and the standers and lookers vppon, shall doe the same, in so much that there is no man that is willyng to play at this Triumph with these cardes, but they shall be all winners, and no loosers.
Let therefore eueryevery Christian man and woman playe at these cardes, that they may hauehave and obtayne the Triumph: you must marke also that the Triumph must apply to fetch home vntounto hym all the other cardes, what so euer suite they bee of. Now then take ye this first carde, which must appeare and be shewed vntounto you as followeth. You hauehave heard what was spoken to the men of the olde Lawe. Thou shalt not kyll, whosoeuer shall kyll, shall be in daunger of iudgement. But I say vntounto you of the new Lawe (sayeth Christ) that who so euer is angry with hys neighbour, shall bee in dau…ger of iudgement, and whosoeuer shall say vntounto hys neighbour Racha, that is to say, braynlesse, or any other lyke worde of rebuking, shall be in daunger of counsayle: and whosoeuer shall say vntounto his neighbour, Foole, shall be in daunger of hell fire. This carde was made and spoken by Christ, as appereth in the first chapter of S. Mathew.
Now it must bee noted, that who so euer shall playe with this carde, must first before they play with it, knowe the strength and vertue of the same: wherefore you must well note and marke tearmes how they be spoken, and to what purpose: Let vsus therfore read it once or twise, that we may be the better acquainted with it.
Now behold and see, This card is deuided into foure partes: The first part is one of the Commaundementes that was geuen vntounto Moses in the olde lawe, before the commyng of Christ, which commaundement wee of the new Lawe be bounde to obserue and keepe, and is one of our commaundementes. The other three partes spoken by Christ, bee nothyng els but expositions vntounto the first part of this commaundement: for in very effect all th…se foure partes be but one commaundement, that is to say, Thou shalt not kill: yet neuerthelesse, the three last parts doth shew vntounto thee how many wayes tho… mayest kyll thy neighbour contrary to this Commaundement: Yet for all Christes exposition, in the last three partes of thys carde, the termes bee not open enough to th…e that doest read and heare them spoken: no doubte the Iewes vnderstoode Christ well enough when he spake to them these three last sentences, for he spake vntounto them in theyr owne naturall termes and tongue: wherefore s…yng that these termes were naturall termes of the Iewes, it shall be necessary to expounde them, and compare them vntounto some lyke termes of our naturall speach, that we in lyke manner may vnderstand Christ, as well as the Iewes dyd: we wyll begin first with the first parte of this carde, and then after with the other three partes: you must therfore vnderstand that the Iewes and the Pharises of the olde lawe, to whome this first parte, this Commaundement, Thou shalt not kyll, was spoken, thought it sufficient and enough for their discharge not to kyll with any maner weapon of materiall weapon, as sworde, dagger, or with any such weapon, and they thought i… no great fault whatsoeuer they sayd or dyd by their neighbour, so that they did not harme or meddle with their corporall bodies, which was a false opinion in them, as p…ooueth well the three last other sentences followyng the first part of this carde.
Now as touchyng the three other sentences, you must note and take heede what difference is betweene these thre maner of offences, To bee angrye with your neighbour, To call your neighbour braynelesse, or any such worde of disdayne, Or to call your neighbour foole: whether these three maner of offences be of themselues more grieuous one then other, it is to bee opened vntounto you: Truely as they be of themselues diuers offences, so they kill diuersly more one then the other, as you shall perceyue by the first of these three, and so foorth: A man which conceyueth agaynst hys neighbour or brother, Ire, or wrath in hys mynde, by some maner of occasion geuen vntounto hym, although he be angry in hys mynde agaynst his sayd neighbour, he will not peraduenture expresse hys ire by no maner of signe, eyther in worde or deede: yet neuertheles he offendeth agaynst God, and breaketh this commaundement in killyng hys owne soule, and is therefore in daunger of iudgement.
Now to the second part of these three: That man that is mooued with ire agaynst his neighbour, and in hys ire calleth hys neighbour braynlesse, or some other lyke word of displeasure, As a man might say in a fury, I shall handle thee well enough, which wordes and countenaunces doth more represent and declare Ire to be in this man, thē in hym that was but angry, and spake no maner of word, ne shewed no countenaunce to declare hys Ire: wherefore he that so declareth hys Ire eyther by worde or countenaunce, offendeth more agaynst God: so he both killeth hys owne soule, and doth that in hym is, to kyl his neighbours soule in moouyng hym vntounto ire, wherein he is faultie hymselfe, and so this man is in danger of counsaile.
Now to the third offence, and last of these three. That man that calleth hys neighbour foole, doth more declare hys angry mynde toward hym, then hee that called hys neighbour but braynelesse, or any such wordes moouyng Ire: for to call a man foole, that worde representeth more enuy in a man, then braynelesse doth. Wherefore hee doth most offende, because hee doth most earnestly with such wordes expresse hys Ire, and so he is in daunger of hell fire: wherfore you may vnderstand now these thre parts: Of thys carde be three offences, and that one is more greuous to God then the other, and that one killeth more the soule of man then the other.
Now peraduenture there be some that wyll meruaile that Christ dyd not declare this commaundement by some greater faultes of Ire, then by these which seeme but smal faultes, as to bee angry and speake nothyng of it, to declare it, and to call a man braynelesse, and to call his neighbour foole: truely these be smallest, and the lest faults that longeth to ire, or to killyng in ire. Therfore beware how you offend in any kynd of Ire, seeyng that the smallest be damnable to offend in: see that you offend not in the greatest. For Christ thought, if he myght bryng you from the smallest maner of faultes, and geue you warnyng to auoid the least, he reckoned you would not offend in the greatest and worst, as to call your Neighbour thiefe, whoreson, whore, drab, and so forth, into more blasphemous names, which offences must needes hauehave punishment in hel, consideryng how that Christ hath appointed these three small faultes, to hauehave three degrees of punishment in hel, as appeareth by these three termes, iudgement, counsaile, and hell fire: these three termes doe signifie nothyng els but three diuers punishments in hell, accordyng to the offences, iudgement is lesser in degree then counsaile, therefore it signifieth a lesser payne in hell, and it is ordeined for him that is angry in his mynde with his neighbour, and doth not expresse hys malice neyther by worde ne countenance: counsaile is a lesse degree in hel, then hel fire, and is a more degree in hell then iudgement: and it is ordeyned for him that calleth hys neighbour braynelesse, or any such worde, that declareth his Ire and malice: wherefore it is more payne then iudgement, hel fire is more payne in hell, then counsaile or iudgement, and it is ordeined for hym that calleth hys neighbour foole, by reason that in callyng his neighbour foole, he declareth more hys malice, in that it is an earnest worde of Ire. Wherfore hell fire is appoynted for it, that is, the most payne of the three punishments.
Now you hauehave heard that to these diuers offences of Ire and killyng, be appoynted punishments according to their degrees: for looke as the offence is, so shall the paine be, if the offence be great, the payne shall be accordyng: if it be lesse, there shal be lesse paine for it. I would not now that you should thinke because that here is but three degrees of punishmentes spoken of, that there bee no more in hell: no doubt Christ spake of no more here but of these three degrees of punishmentes, thinkyng they were sufficient enough for example, wherby we myght vnderstand, that there be as diuers and many paynes as there bee o… fenses: and so by these three offences, and these three punishmentes, all other offences and punishments may bee compared with an other: yet I would satisfy your mynds further in these three termes of iudgement, counsaile, and hell fire. Where you might say, what was the cause that Christ declared more the paynes of hell by these termes, then by any other termes? I tolde you afore that he knew well to whome he spake them: these termes were naturall and well knowen amongest the Iewes and Phariseies. Wherefore Christ taught them with their owne termes, to the intent they might vnderstand the better his doctrine: and these termes may bee likened vntounto three termes which we hauehave common and vsuall amongst vsus, that is to say, the sessions of enquirance, the sessions of deliuerance, and the execution day: Sessions of enquirance is lyke vntounto iudgement: for when sessions of enquiry is, then the Iudges causeth xij. men to geue verdite of the felons crime, whereby he shall be iudged to be endited: sessions of deliueraunce is much lyke counsayle: for at sessions of deliueraunce, the Iudges go amongest themselues to counsaile, to determine sentence agaynst the fellon. Execution day is to be compared vntounto hel fire: for the Iews had amongest themselues a place of execution named hell fire: and surely when a man goeth to hys death, it is the greatest payne in this world: wherefore you may see that there are degrees in these our termes, as there is in those termes, these euill disposed affections and sensualities in vsus, are alwayes contrary to the rule of our saluation. What shall we doe now or imagine to thrust downe these Turkes, and to subdue them? It is a great ignominy and shame for a Christian man to be bond and subiect vntounto a Turke: Nay it shall not bee so, wee will first cast a Trumpe in their way, and play with them at cardes who shall hauehave the better, let vsus play therefore on this fashion with this carde. Whensoeuer it shall happen these fowle passions and Turkes to ryse in our stomackes agaynst our brother, or neighbour, eyther for vnkynd wordes, iniuries or wrongs, which they hauehave done vntounto vsus, contrary vntounto our mynd, straight wayes let vsus call vntounto our remembraunce, and speake this question vntounto our selues. Who art thou? The answer is, I am a christian man.Hartes trompe. Thē further we must say to our selues, What requireth Christ of a christian man? Now turne vp your trump, your hart, (hartes is trumpe as I sayd before) and cast your trumpe your heart on this carde, and vppon this carde you shall learne what Christ requireth of a Christian man, not to be angry, ne mooued to Ire agaynst hys Neighbour, in mynde, countenaunce, nor other wayes, by word or deed. Then take vp this carde with your hart, and lay them together: that done, you hauehave won the game of the Turke, wherby you hauehave defaced and ouercome by true and lawfull play: but alas for pitie, the Rhodes are wonne and ouercome by these false Turkes, the strong Castle Fayth is decayed, so that I feare it is almost impossible to winne it agayne.
The great occasion of the losse of this Rhodes is by reason that Christian men doth so daily kill their own nation, that the very true number of Christianitie is decayed, which murther and killyng one of another, is encreased, specially two wayes, to the vtter vndoyng of Christendome, that is to say, by example and silence. By example as thus: When the Father, the Mother, the Lord, the Lady, the Maister, the Dame,Two maner of killinges be themselues ouercome with these Turkes, they be continuall swearers, adulterers, disposers to malice, neuer in patience, and so forth in all other vices. Thinke you not when the Father, the mother, the Maister, the Dame bee disposed vntounto vice or impatience, but that their children and seruants shall encline and be disposed to the same? No doubt, as the chylde shall take disposition naturall of their father and mother, so shal the seruaunts apply vntounto the vices of their Maisters and Dames: if the heads be false in theyr faculties and crafts, it is no meruayle if the children seruaunts, and apprentices do enioy therein. This is a great and shameful maner of killyng Christian men, that the Fathers, the Mothers, the Maisters and the Dames shall not alonely kyll themselues, but all theyrs, and all that longeth vntounto them, and so this way is a great number of christian linage murthered and spoiled. The second maner of killyng is silence. By silence also is a great number of christen men slayne, which is on this fashion: although that the father & mother, maister & dame of themselues be wel disposed to liue according to the law of God, yet they may kil their childrē and seruants in suffryng them to do euill before their own faces, and do not vse due correction accordyng vntounto theyr offences: the maister seeth his seruaunt or apprentice take more of his neighbour then the Kings lawes or the other of hys facultie doth admit hym, or that hee suffereth hym to take more of hys neighbour then he hymselfe would be content to pay if he were in lyke condition: thus doyng, I say such men kill willyngly their children and seruants and shall goe to hell for so doyng: but also their fathers and mothers, maisters and dames, shall beare them company for so sufferyng them. Wherefore I exhort all true Christian men and women, to geue good example vntounto your children and seruauntes, and suffer not them by silence to offend: eueryevery man must bee in hys owne house, accordyng to Saint Augustines mynde, a Bishop, not all onelyonly geuyng good ensample, but teach accordyng to it, rebuke and punish vice, not sufferyng your children & seruauntes to forget the lawes of GOD: you ought to see them hauehave their Beliefe, to know the Commaundements of God, to keepe their holy dayes, not to loose theyr tyme in idlenesse: if they doe so, you shall all suffer payne for it, if God be true of hys saying, as there is no doubt thereof: and so you may perceyue that there be many one that breaketh this carde, Thou shalt not kill, and playeth therwith oftentymes at the blynde trompe, whereby they bee no winners but great loosers: but who bee those now a dayes that can cleare themselues of this manifest murthers vsed to their children and seruaunts? I thinke not the contrary, but that many hath these two wayes slayne their owne children vntounto their damnations, vnlesse the great mercy of God were not ready to helpe them when they repent therefore.
Wherefore, consideryng that we be so prone and ready to continue in sinne, let vsus cast downe our selues wyth Mary Magdalene, and the more wee …ow downe wyth her toward Christes feete, the more we shall be afrayd to ryse agayne in sinne, and the more we knowe and submit our selues, the more we shall bee forgeuen: and the lesse we knowe and submit our selues, the lesse we shall be forgeuen, as appeareth by this example followyng.
Christ when he was in this world amongst the Iews and Phariseys, there was a great Pharisey whose name was Simon: this Pharisey desired Christ on a tyme to dyne with hym, thinkyng in hymselfe that hee was able and worthy to geue Christ a diner. Christ refused not hys dinner, but came vntounto hym. In tyme of their dinner, it chaunced there came into the house a great and a common sinner named Mary Magdalene: As soone as she perceiued Christ, she cast her selfe downe, and called vntounto her remembraunce what she was of her selfe, and how greatly she had offended God, whereby she conceyued in Christ great louelove, and so came neere vntounto hym, and washed hys feete with bitter teares, and shed vponupon hys head precious oyntment, thinkyng that by hym she should be deliuered from her sinnes: this great and proude Pharisey seeyng that Christ did accept her oblation in the best part, had great indignation agaynst this woman, and sayd to hymselfe: if this man Christ were a holy Prophet, as he is taken for, he would not suffer this sinner come so nigh hym: Christ vnderstandyng the naughty mynd of this Pharisey, sayd vntounto hym: Simon, I hauehave somewhat to say vntounto thee: say what you please (quod the Pharisey.) Then sayd Christ, I pray thee tell me this: If there be a man to whome is owyng xx. pound by one, and fourtie by an other, this man to whom this money is owyng perceyueth these two men bee not able to pay hym, he forgeueth them both. Which of these two debters ought to louelove this man most? The Pharisey sayd: That man ought to louelove him best, that had most forgeuen hym: Likewyse sayd Christ, it is by this woman, She hath loued me most, therefore most is forgeuen her, she hath knowen her sinnes most, whereby she hath most loued mee: and thou hast least loued me, because thou hast least knowen thy sinnes: therefore, because thou hast lest knowne thine offenses, thou art least forgeuen. So this proud Pharisey had an aunswere to delay hys pryde: and thinke you not, but that there be amongest vsus a great number of these proude Phariseys, which thinke themselues woorthy to bidde Christ to dinner, which wyll perke and presume to sitte by Christ in the Church, and hauehave disdayne of this poore womā Magdalene, theyr poore neyghbour, with a hygh disdaynous and solemne countenaunce: and beyng alwayes desirous to clymbe highest in the Church, reckonyng theyr selues more woorthy to sit there then an other, I feare me poore Magdalene vnderunder the boord, and in the belfrey, hath more forgeuen of Christ then they hauehave: for it is lyke that those Phariseys doe lesse knowe themselues and their offences, whereby they lesse louelove GOD, and so they bee lesse forgeuen.
I would to God we would followe this example, and be lyke vntounto Magdalen. I doubt not but we be all Magdalens in fallyng into sinne, and in offendyng: but we be not agayne Magdalens in knowyng our selues, and in rising from sinne. If we bee the true Magdalens, wee should be as willyng to forsake our sinne, and ryse from sinne, as we were willyng to commit sinne, and to continue in it, and we then should know our selues best, and make a more perfect aunswer, then euer we did vntounto this question, Who art thou? To the which we might answer, that we be true Christian men and women: and then I say you should vnderstand, and knowe how you ought to playe at this carde, Thou shalt not kyll, without any interruption of your deadly enemies the Turkes: and so triumph at the last, by winnyng euerlastyng lyfe in glory. Amen.
It would aske a long discourse to declare what a stirre there was in Cambridge, vponupon this preachyng of maister Latymer. Belike Sathan began to feele hymselfe and hys kyngdome to bee touched too neare, and therfore thought it tyme to looke about hym, and to make out hys men of armes.
First, came out the Priour of the Blacke Friers called Buckneham, otherwyse surnamed Domine labia, D. Dewface playeth at dice with M. Latimer.who thinking to make a great hand agaynst Maister Latimer, about the same tyme of Christenmas, when Maister Latymer brought foorth hys cardes to deface belyke the doyngs of the other, brought out hys Christenmasse Dice, castyng there to hys audience cinque and quater: meaning by the cinque fiue places in the New Testament, and the foure Doctors by the quater, by which his cinque quater, he would prooue, that it was not expedient the Scripture to be in English, least the ignoraunt and vulgar sort thorough the occasion thereof, myght happily be brought in daunger to leaue their vocation, or els to runne into some inconuenience: as for example.
The Plowman when he heareth this in the Gospell:Note these great reasons of the Catholicks, why the Scriptures should not come in English. No man that layeth hys hand on the Plough, and looketh backe, is meete for the kyngdome of God, might peraduē ture hearyng this, cease from his plough. Likewyse the Baker when he heareth that a little Leauen corrupteth a whole lumpe of dowe, may percase leaue our bread vnleuened, and so our bodies shall be vnseasoned. Also the simple man when he heareth in the Gospell: If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee, may make him selfe blynd, and so fill the world ful of beggers. These with other mo, this clarkely Frier brought out to the number of fiue, to prooue his purpose.
Maister Latymer hearyng this Frierly Sermon of Doctour Bucknham, commeth agayne the after noone, or shortly after to the Church, to aunswer the Frier, where resorted to hym a great multitude, as well of the Uniuersitie, as of the Towne, both Doctours and other Graduates, with great expectation to heare what he could say: among whom also, directly in the face of Latymer vnderneath the pulpit, sate Bucknham the foresayd Frier Prior of the blacke Friers, with his blacke Friers coule aboute hys shoulders.
Then M. Latymer first repeatyng the Frierly reasons of Doctour Bucknham, whereby hee would prooue it a daungerous thyng for the vulgare people,Answere of M. Latimer to D. Bucknhams Sermon. to hauehave the Scripture in the vulgar tongue, so refuted the Fryer, so aunswered to hys obiections, so dallied with hys balde reasons of the Ploughman lookyng backe, and of the Baker leauyng hys bread vnleauened, that the vanitie of the Frier myght to all men appeare, well proouyng and declaryng to the people, howe there was no such feare nor daunger for the Scriptures to be in English as the Frier pretended: at lest this requiryng, that the scripture might be so long in English tongue, tyll English men were so madde, that neyther the Ploughman durst looke back, nor the Baker would leaue hys breade vnleauened. And proceedyng moreouer in hys Sermon, he began to discourse of the mysticall speaches, and figuratiue phrases of the Scripture: which phrases he sayd were not so diffuse and difficult, as they were common in the Scripture, and in the Hebrue tongue most commonlye vsed and knowen, and not onelye in the Hebrue tongue: But also euerye speach (sayeth he) hath hys Metaphors and lyke figuratiue significations, so common and vulgar to all men, that the very Painters do paynt them on walles and in houses.
As for example (sayeth he, lookyng toward the Frier that sate ouer agaynst hym) when they paynt a foxe preachyng out of a Friers coule, none is so madde to take this to be a Foxe that preacheth, but knowe well enough the meanyng of the matter, which is to paynte out vntounto vsus, what hypocrisie, craft and subtile dissimulation lyeth hid many tymes in these Friers coules, willyng vsus thereby to beware of them. In fine, Frier Bucknham wyth this Sermon was so dashed, that neuer after hee durst peepe out of the pulpit agaynst M. Latymer.
An other barking Fryer agaynst M. Latimer.Besides this Bucknham there was also another rayling Frier, not of the same coate, but of the same note and faction, a gray Frier and a Doctor, an outlandishman called D. Uenetus, who likewyse in his brawling sermons, rayled and raged agaynst M. Latymer, calling him a mad and braynelesse man, and willyng the people not to beleue hym, &c. To whome M. Latymer aunsweryng agayne, taketh for hys ground the wordes of our Sauiour Christ, Math. 5.Math. 5. Thou shalt not kyll, &c. but I say vntounto you, who so euer is angry with hys neighbour shall bee in daunger of iudgement: and who so euer shall say vntounto hys Neighbour Racha (or any other lyke wordes of rebukyng, as braynelesse) shall be in danger of counsayle: And who so euer shall say to his neighbour foole, shall be in daunger of hell fire. &c.
In discussing of which place, first hee deuideth the offence of killyng into three branches.Answere of M. Latimer to an other rayling Fryer. One to be with hand, an other with hart, the third with word. With hand when we vse any weapon drawen, to spill the lyfe of our neighbor. With hart, when we be angry with hym. With word, when in word or countenance we disdainfully rebuke our neighbour, or despitefully reuile hym. Wordes of rebukyng are when we speake any opprobrious and vnseemly thyng, whereby the pacience of our neighbour is mooued, as when we call hym mad (sayd he) or braynelesse, or such lyke, which are guiltie of Counsaile. Wordes of spite or reuilyng, are, whē we call hym foole: which Christ saith is guilty of hell fire, &c.
Thus M. Latimer in handlyng and trimmyng this matter, after that with the weight of Christes words, and the explanyng of the same, hee had sufficiently borne the Frier cleane downe, then he turned to the v. chapter of the booke of Wisdome. Out of the which chap. hee declared to the audience,Sapien. 5. how the true seruauntes and Preachers of God in this world commonly are scorned and reuiled of the proud enemies of Gods word, which count them here as mad men, fooles, brainelesse, and *Actes. 2.drunken: so did they (sayed he) in the Scripture call them which most purely preached, and set foorth the glory of Gods word. But (said he) what will be the ende of these iolly fellowes, or what will they say in the ende? Nos insensati, nos insensati, &c. We mad men, we mad fooles, We, we, our selues, &c. And that will be their end, except they repent. And thus endyng his Sermon, he so confounded the poore Frier, that hee droue hym not onelyonly out of countenaunce, but also cleane out of the Uniuersitie.
But what should I here stand deciphryng the names of his aduersaries, when whole swarmes of Friers & doctours flockt against hym on eueryevery side almost through the whole Uniuersitie, preachyng likewyse & barking against hym. Amongest whome was Doct. Watson Maister of Christes Colledge, whose scholer Latimer had bene afore. D. Notaries, Maister of Clarehall. D. Philo Maister of Michael house, D. Metecalfe Maister of Saint Iohns, D. Blithe of the Kyngs hall. D. Bullocke Maister of the Queenes Colledge, D. Cliffe of Clement house, Doctor Donnes of Iesus Colledge, Doctor Palmes Maister of S. Nicholas Hostle, Bain, Rud, and Greenewood Bachelor of Diuinitie, all three of Saint Iohns Colledge. Also Brikenden Bachelor of Diuinitie of the same house, and Scholer sometyme to the sayd Latimer. Briefly, almost as many as were heds there of houses, so many impugners did this worthy Standerd bearer of Christes gospell sustayne.
Then came at last D. West B. of Ely, who preachyng agaynst M. Latimer at Barwell Abbey,D. West Bishop of Eley forbidding M. Latimer to Preach. forbade him with in the Churches of that Uniuersitie to preach any more. Notwithstandyng, so the Lord prouided, that D. Barnes Prior of the Augustine Friers, did licence Maister Latymer to preach in hys Church of the Augustines, & he himselfe preached at the church by called S. Edwards church, which was the first Sermon of the Gospell which doctor Barnes preached, beyng vponupon Christenmas euen vponupon a Sonday. Wherupon certayne Articles were gathered out of his Sermon, and were commenced against hym by M. Tirell fellow of the Kyngs hall, and so by the Uice chancellor presented to the Cardinal, as in his story before hath bene declared.
This M. Latimer (as you hauehave heard) beyng bayted by the Friers, Doctors, and maisters of that Uniuersitie, about the yeare aforesaid, 1529. notwithstandyng the maugre and malice of these malignant aduersaries, continued yet in Cambridge, preaching the space of 3. yeres together▪ with such sauour and applause of the godly, also with such admiration of hys enemies that heard hym, that the Bishop himselfe commyng in, and hearyng his gilt, wyshed hymselfe to hauehave the lyke, and was compelled to commend hym vponupon the same.
So M. Latymer with M. Bilney, after this continued yet in Cambridge a certayne space,Bilney and Lat…m… ioyned …. where he with the sayde Bilney vsed much to conferre and companye together, in so muche that the place where they most vsed to walke in the fieldes, was called long after, the Heretikes hill.
The societie of these two, as it was much noted of many in that Uniuersitie: so it was full of many good examples, to all such as would follow their doyngs, both in visityng the prisoners, in relieuyng the needy, in feeding the hungry, whereof somewhat is before mentioned in the history of M. Bilney. In a place of hys Sermons, M. Latymer maketh mention of a certaine history which happened about this tyme in Cambridge betweene them two, and a certayne woman then prisoner in the Castle or tower of Cambridge, which I thought here not vnworthy to be remembred. The historie is this: It so chaunced that after Maister Latymer had bene acquaynted with the fore sayd Maister Bilney, he went with hym to visite the prisoners in the Tower in Cambridge, and beyng there among other prysoners, there was a woman which was accused that she had killed her owne chylde, which acte she playnly and stedfastly denied. Whereby it gaue them occasion to searche for the matter, and at length they founde that her husbande loued her not, and therefore soughte all meanes he coulde to make her away. The matter was thus.
A child of hers had bene sicke a whole yere, & at length died in haruest tyme, as it were in a consumption.A story of a certayne woman … by M. Latimer. Which when it was gone, shee went to hauehave her neighboures to helpe her to the buriall, but all were in Haruest abroade: whereby she was enforced with heauinesse of heart, alone to prepare the chyld to the buriall. Her husband comming home, and not louyng her, accused her of murtheryng the child. This was the cause of her trouble, and M. Latimer by earnest inquisition, of conscience thought the woman not guilty. Thē immediatly after, was he called to preach before king Henry the 8. at Windsore: where after his sermon the kyngs maiestie sent for hym,M. Latimer obteyned pardon of the king for a woman wrongfully condemned. and talked with him familiarly. At which tyme M. Latimer finding oportunitie, kneeled downe, opened hys whole matter to the kyng, and begged her pardon, which the kyng most graciously granted, and gaue it hym at his return homeward. In the meane tyme the woman was deliuered of a chylde in the prison, whose Godfather was M. Latymer, and maistres Cheeke Godmother. But all that whyle he would not tel her of the pardone, but laboured to hauehave her confesse the truth of the matter. At length tyme came when she looked to suffer,Purification of women. and Maister Latymer came as he was woont to instruct her: vntounto whome shee made great lamentation and moue, to be purified before her suffring, for she thoght to be damned if she should suffer without purification. Then M. Bilney beyng with maister Latimer, both told her that that law was made to the Iewes, and not to vsus, and howe women bee as well in the fauour of GOD before they be purified, as after: and rather it was appointed for a ciuill and politike lawe, for naturall honestye sake, then that they should any thyng the more be purified from sinne thereby, &c. So thus they trauayled wyth this woman, till they had brought her to a good trade, and then at length shewed her the Kyngs pardon, and let her goe.
This good act among many other at this tyme happened in Cambridge, by M. Latimer, and Maister Bilney. But this was not alone, for many mo lyke matters were wrought by them if all were known, wherof partly some are touched before, such especially as concerne M. Bilney, mention whereof is aboue expressed. But as it is commonly seene in the naturall course of thynges, that as the fire beginneth more to kyndle, so the more smoke aryseth withall, in much lyke sort it happened with Maister Latymer, whose towardnesse the more it beganne to spryng, hys vertues to be seene, and hys doynges to bee knowen, the more hys aduersaries began to spurne and kindle against hym. Concernyng these aduersaries, and such as did molest him, partly their names bee aboue expressed. Among the rest of this number was Doct. Redman, of whome mention is made before in the raigne of king Edward, a man sauouring at that tyme somewhat more of superstition, then of true religion, after the zeale of the Phariseis, yet not so malignant or harmfull, but of a ciuill and quiet disposition, and also so liberall in well doyng, that few poore Scholers were in that vniuersitie, which fared not better by his purse. This Doct. Redman beyng of no little authoritie in Cambridge, perceiuyng & vnderstandyng the bold enterprise of M. Latymer, in settyng abroad the word and doctrine of the Gospell at thys tyme,D. Redman against M. Latimer. or much about the same, writeth to hym, seeking by perswasion to reuoke the sayd Latimer from that kynde & maner of teachyng: to whom M. Latimer maketh aunswer agayne in few words. The summe and effect of both their letters translated out of Latine, here followe to bee seene.
¶The summe of the Epistle written by Doctor Redman, to M. Latymer.
A letter of D Redman to M. Latimer.GRace be vntounto you, and true peace in Christ Iesu. I beseeche you hartily, and require most earnestly, euen for charities sake, that you wyll not stand in your owne conceite with a mind so indurate, nor preferre your owne singular iudgement in matters of religion and controuersies before so many learned men, and that more is, before the whole Catholike Church, especially consideryng that you neither hauehave any thyng at all in the word of God to make for you, nor yet the testimony of any autenticall wryter. Nay, nay: I beseech you rather consider that you are a man, and that lying and vanitie maye quickely bleare your eye, which doth sometyme transforme it selfe into an Aungell of lyght.
Iudge not so rashly of vsus, as that wicked spirite hath tickled you in the eare. Witte you well that we are carefull for you, and that we wish you to be saued, and that wee are carefull also for our owne saluation. Lay downe your stomacke I pray you, and humble your spirite, and suffer not the Church to take offence with the hardnes of your hart, nor that her vnitie and Christes coate without seame (as much as lyeth in you) should be torne a sunder. Consider what the sayeng of the wyseman is, and be obedient thereunto: Trust not in your owne wisedom. The Lord Iesus Christ, &c.