Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Appendix · Sermon 2 – Account 27
¶Another Sermon of M. Latimer concerning his playing at Cardes.
NOw you hauehave heard what is ment by this first carde, and how you ought to play with it,Referre this to the pag. 1734. I purpose againe to deale vntounto you another carde, almost of the same sute: for they be of so nigh affinitie, that one cannot be wel plaied without the other. The first Carde declared that you should not kill, which might bee done diuers wayes, as beyng angry with your neighbour, in mynde, in countenaunce, in word, or deed. It declared also how you should subdue the passions of Ire, and so cleare euermore your selues from them: and where this first Card doth kill in you these stubburne Turkes of Ire: This second Carde will not all onelyonly they should be mortified in you, but that you your selues shall cause them to bee likewyse mortified in your neighbour, if that your sayd neighbour hath bene thorough your occasion mooued vntounto Ire, either in countenaunce, word or deed. Now let vsus heare therfore the tenour of this Carde.
When thou makest thy oblation at myne aultar, & there doest remember that thy neighbor hath any thing against thee, lay downe there thy oblation, and go first and reconcile thy neighbour, and then come and offer thy oblation. This Card was spoken by Christ as testifieth S. Marke in his v. chapter, against all such that do presume to come vntounto the church to make oblation vntounto GOD either by prayer, or any other deede of charitie, not hauyng their neighbors reconciled. Reconciling is as much to say, as to restore thy neighbor vntounto charitie, which by thy words or deeds is mooued against thee: then if so be it that thou hast spoken to, or by thy neighbour, wherby he is mooued to Ire or wrath, thou must lay downe thy oblation. Oblations be prayers, almes deeds, or any worke of charitie: these bee called oblations to God. Laye downe therefore thine oblation, begin to do none of these foresaid workesr before thou goest vntounto thy neighbor, and confesse thy fault vntounto him, declaryng thy mynde, that if thou hast offended him, thou ar… glad and willing to make him amendes, as far foorth as thy words and substaunce will extend, requiring him not to take it at the worst. Thou art sory in thy mynd that thou shouldest be the occasion of his offending. What maner of Carde is this will some say, why? What hauehave I to do with my neighbours or brothers malice? As Caine said: HaueHave I the keeping of my brother, or shall I aunswer for him and for his faultes? This were no reason: As for my selfe, I thanke God I owe no man malice nor displeasure, if other owe me any, at their owne perill. Let eueryevery man answer for himselfe: Nay sir not so, as you may vnderstand by this Card: for it sayth. If thy neighbor hath any thing, any malice against thee, through thine occasion, lay euen downe saith Christ thine oblation: pray not to me, do no good deeds for me, but go first vntounto thy neighbour, and bring him againe vntounto my flocke whiche hath forsaken ye same through thy naughty words, mocks, scornes, or disdainous countenance, and so foorth: & then come and offer thine oblation, then do thy deuotion, then do thy almes deeds, then pray, if thou wilt hauehave me heare thee. O good Lord this is an hard reckoning, that I must go and seeke him out that is offended with me, before I pray or do any good deed. I cannot go vntounto him. Peraduenture he is a 100. miles from me beyond the seas, or els I cannot tell where: and if he were here nigh, I woulde with al my hart go vntounto him. This is a lawfull excuse before God on this fashion, That thou wouldest in thy hart be glad to reconcile thy neighbour, if he were present, and that thou thinkest in thy heart when so euer thou shalte meete with him, to go vntounto him and require him charitably to forgeue thee, and so neuer entend to come from him vntill the tyme that you both depart one from the other true brethren in Christ. Yet peraduenture there be some in the world that be so diuelish and so hard harted, that they will not apply in no condition vntounto charitie. For all that, do that lyeth in thee by all charitable meanes to bring him to vnitie: If he will in no wayes apply therevnto, thou mayest be sorrowfull in thy hart that by thine occasiō that man or woman continueth in such a damnable state, this notwithstanding, If thou do the best that lyeth in thee to reconcile hym, accordyng to some Doctours mynde, thou art discharged towards God. Neuerthelesse, S. Augustine doubteth in this case whether thy oblations, praiers or good deedes, shal auaile thee before God or no, vntil thy neighbour come againe to good state, whome thou haste brought out of the way, doth this noble doctor doubt therin? what ayleth vsus to be so bold, and count it but a small fault or none, to bring another man out of patience for eueryevery trifle that standeth not with our minde? You may see what a grieuous thing this is to bring another man out of patience, that peraduenture you cannot bring in againe with all the goods that you hauehave: for surely after the opinion of great wise men, friendship once broken will be neuer well made whole agayne. Wherfore you shall heare what Christ sayth vntounto such persones: Sayeth Christ, I came downe into this worlde, and so tooke on mee bitter passion for mans sake, by the merites whereof I intended to make vnitie and peace in mankynd, to make man brother vntounto me, and so to expel the dominion of Sathan the deuill, which worketh nothyng els but dissention: & yet now there bee a great number of you that hauehave professed my name, and say you be christian men which doe rebel against my purpose and mynde. I goe about to make my fold, you go about to breake the same and kill my flocke. How darest thou (sayeth Christ) presume to come vntounto my aultar, vntounto my church, or vntounto my presence, to make oblation vntounto me, that takest on thee to spoile my lambs? I goe about like a good shepeheard to gather them together: and thou doest the contrary, euermore ready to deuide and loose them. Who made thee so bolde to meddle wt my silly beasts which I bought so dearely with my precious bloud? I warne thee out of my sight, come not in my presence. I refuse thee and all thy workes, except thou goe and bring home againe my lambes which thou hast loste: wherfore, if thou thy selfe intend to be one of myne, lay euen down by and by thine oblation, and come no further toward mine aulter, but goe and seeke them without any questions, as it becommeth a true and faithfull seruaunt? A true and faithfull seruaunt when so euer his maister cō maundeth him to do any thing, he maketh no stoppes ne questions, but goeth foorth with a good mynde: and it is not vnlike, he continuing in such a good mynde and will, shall well ouercome all dangers and stoppes, whatsoeuer betides him in his iourney, and bring to passe effectually his maisters will and pleasure. In the contrary, a slouthfull seruaunt when his maister commaundeth him to any thing, by and by he wil aske questions, where, whē, which way? and so foorth, and so he putteth eueryevery thing in doubt, that although both his errand and way be neuer so plain, ye… by his vntoward and slouthfull behauiour, his maisters commaundement is either vndone quite, or els so done, that it shall stand to no good purpose. Go now forth with the good seruaunt, and aske no such questions, & put no doubts, be not ashamed to do thy maisters and Lordes will, and commaundement. Go as I said vntounto thy neighbour that is offended by thee, and reconcile him as is aforesaid, whom thou hast lost by thy vnkynde wordes, by thy scornes, mockes, and other disdainous words and behauiours, and be not nise to aske of him the cause why hee is displeased with thee: require of him charitably to remit and cease not till you both depart one from the other true brethren in Christ. Do not lyke the slouthfull seruant, thy maisters message with cautels and doubts: come not to thy neighbour whom thou hast offended, and geue hym a peny woorth of ale, or a banket, and so make hym a fayre countenance, thinking that by thy drinke or dinner, he wil shew the like countenance. I graunt you may both laugh and make good cheere, and yet there may remaine a bag of rustie malice, twentie yere old, in thy neighbours bosom, when he departeth from thee with a good countenaunce, thou thinkest all is well then. But nowe I tell th…e it is worse then it was, for by such cloked charitie, where thou doest offend before Christ but once, thou hast offēded twise herein, for now thou goest about to geue Christ a moche, if he would take it of thee: Thou thinkest to blynde thy maister Christes commaundement. Beware, doe not so, for at length he will ouermatch thee and take thee tardie whatsoeuer thou be, and so as I sayd, it should bee better for thee not to do his message on this fashion, for it wyll stand thee in no purpose. What? some will say, I am sure he loueth me well inough. He speaketh faire to my face, yet for all that thou mayest be deceiued. It prooueth not true louelove in a man to speak faire. If he louelove thee with his mind and hart, he loueth thee with his eies, with his tong, with his feete, with his hands and his body: for all these parts of a mans body be obedient to the will and mynd. He loueth thee with his eyes that looketh chearefully on thee, when thou meetest with him, and is glad to see thee prosper and do well: he loueth thee with his tong that speaketh well by thee behynde thy backe, or geueth thee good counsaile: he loueth thee with his feete that is willyng to go to helpe thee out of trouble and businesse. Hee loueth thee with his hands that will helpe thee in tyme of necessitie, by geuing some almes deedes, or with any other occupation of the hand. He loueth thee with his body, that will labour with his body, or put his body in daunger to do good for thee, or to deliuer thee from aduersitie, and so forth with the other mēbers of thy body. And if thy neighbour will do according to these sayings, then thou mayest thinke that he loueth thee wel, and thou in likewise ought to declare and open thy louelove vntounto thy neighbour in lyke fashion, or els you be bound one to reconcile the other, till this perfect louelove be ingendered amongst you. It may fortune thou wilte say, I am content to doe the best for my neighbour that I can, sauing my selfe harmelesse, I promise thee Christ will not heare this excuse: for he himselfe suffred harme for our sakes, and for our saluatiō was put to extreme death. I wisse if it had pleased him, hee myght hauehave saued vsus and neuer felt payne, but in suffring paines and death, he did geue vsus example, and teach vsus how wee should do one for another, as he did for vsus all: For as hee sayth himselfe, he that will be myne, let him deny himselfe and folow me in bearing my crosse and suffring my pains. Wherfore we must needes suffer paine with Christ to doe our neighbours good, as well with the body and all hys members, as with hart and mynd.
Now I trust you wot what your Card meaneth, let vsus see how that we can play with the same. Whensoeuer it shall happen you to goe and make your oblation vntounto God, aske of your selues this question, who art thou? the answer, as you know is, I am a christian man: then you must agayne aske vntounto your selfe what Christ requireth of a christen man? by and by cast down your trompe, your Hart, and looke first of one Card, thē of an other. The first Carde telleth thee thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not bee angry, thou shalt not be out of patience. This done, thou shalt looke if there be any mo Cardes to take vppe, and if thou looke well, thou shalt see an other Carde of the same sute, wherin thou shalt know that thou art bounde to reconcile thy neighbour. Then cast thy trompe vntounto them both, and gather them all three together, and do according to the vertue of thy Cards, and surely thou shalt not lose. Thou shalt first kill the great Turkes, and discomfite and thrust them downe. Thou shalt againe fetche home Christes sheepe that thou hast lost, whereby thou mayest goe both patiently, and with a quiet mynd vntounto the Churche, and make thy oblation vntounto God, and then without dout he will heare thee. But yet Christ will not accept our oblation, although we be in patience, & hauehave reconciled oure neighbour. If that our oblation be made of another mans substāce, but it must be our own. See therfore yt thou hast gotten thy goods according to the laws of God and of thy prince. For if thou getst thy goods by polling & extortiō, or by any other vnlawfull wayes, then if thou offer 1000. pound of it, it will stand thee in no good effect, for it is not thine. In this poynt a great number of executours do offend, for when they be made riche by other mens goodes, then they will take vponupon them to build Churches, to geue ornamentes vntounto God, and his aulter, to gild sayntes, & to do many good works therwith: but it shalbe all in their owne name, and for their owne glory. Wherefore (sayeth Christ) they hauehave in this world their reward, and so their oblations be not their owne, nor be not acceptable before God. An other wayes God will refuse thy voluntary oblation, as thus: If so be it that thou hast gotten neuer so truly thy goods, according both to the lawes of God and man, and hast with the same goodes not relieued thy poore neighbour, when thou hast seene him hungry, thirstie, and naked, he will not take thy oblation when thou shalt offer the same, because he will say vntounto thee: When I was hū gry, thou gauest me no meat: When I was thirstie, thou gauest me no drinke: and when I was naked, thou didst not clothe me. Wherfore I will not take thy oblation, because it is none of thine. I left it thee to relieue thy poore neighbors, and thou hast not therein done according vntounto this my commaundement, misericordiam volo & non sacrificium, I had rather hauehave mercy done, then sacrifice or oblation. Wherfore vntil thou doest the one more then the other, I will not accept thine oblation. Euermore bestow the greatest partes of thy good in workes of mercy, & the lesse part in voluntary workes. Uoluntary workes bee called all maner of offering in the Churche, except your foure offring dayes: and your tythes, setting vp candles, gilding and paynting, building of Churches, geuing of ornamēts, going on pilgrimages, making of high wayes and such other be called voluntary workes, which works be of themselues maruellous good, and conuenient to bee done. Necessary workes, and workes of mercy are called the commaundementes, the foure offering dayes, your tithe and such other that longeth to the commaundementes: and workes of mercy consisteth in relieuing and vysiting thy poore neighbors. Now then, if men be so foolish of themselues, that they will bestow the most part of theyr good in voluntary workes, which they be not bounde to keepe, but willingly, and by theyr deuotion, and leaue the necessary workes vndone, which they are bounde to doe, they and all theyr voluntary workes are like to goe vntounto euerlasting damnation. And I promise you, if you builde a hundred Churches, geue as much as you can make, to gilding of Sayntes, and honouring of the Church, and if thou goe as many pilgrimages as thy body can well suffer, and offer as great candles as okes, if thou leaue the workes of mercye and the commaundementes vndone, these workes shall nothing auaile thee. No doubt the voluntary workes be good, & ought to be done: but yet they must be so done, that by theyr occasion the necessary workes, and the workes of mercy be not decayed, and forgotten: if thou wilt builde a glorious Church vntounto God, see first your selues to be in charity with your neighbours, & suffer not them to be offended by your works. Thē when you come into your parish Churche, you bring with you the holy temple of God: as Saynt Paule sayth, you your selues be the very holy temples of God, and Christ sayth by his Prophet: in you I wil rest, and intend to make my mansion and abiding place: agayne, if you list to gild and paynt Christ in your Churches, and honour him in vestimentes, see that before your eyes the poore people dye not for lacke of meat, drinke, and clothing. Then do you decke the very true temple of God, and honour him in rich vestures, that will neuer be worne, and so forth vse your selues according vntounto the commaundementes: and then finally set vp your candles, & they will report what a glorious light remayneth in your hartes: for it is not sitting to see a dead man light candles. Then I say go your pilgrimages, builde your materiall Churches, doe all your voluntary workes, & they will then represent vntounto God, and testify with you, that you hauehave prouided him a gloryous place in your hartes. But beware I say agayne, that you doe not runne so farre into your voluntarye workes that ye do quite forget your necessary workes of mercye, which you are bound to keepe: you must hauehave euer a good respect vntounto the best and worthiest workes toward God, to be done first and with more efficacy, and the other to be done secondarilye. Thus if you doe with the other that I hauehave spoken of before, you may come according to the tenor of your cardes, and offer your oblations and prayers to our Lord Iesu Christ, who will both heare and accept them to your euerlasting ioy and glory, to the whiche he bring vsus, and all those whom he suffered deathe for. Amen.
¶A note of William Gie.
ONe William Gie seruant with Mayster Reuet marchant, bought a Bible and seruice booke of Richard Waterson, who then dwelt with maister Duixle in Pauls Churchyarde, and one Spilman bound the booke: and when the sayd Gye had enquired for the sayde Richard to hauehave his booke at Duxele, aunswere was made that hee was not within, and so the sayde Gie went his way to Spilmans for the booke: and because it was not done left it there, and immediately searche was made in Spilmans house, and the sayd bible and seruice booke was founde & caryed to Boner then Bishop of London, hee hauing the bookes commaunded Spilman for the binding thereof to Lollardes Tower, and as Cluny went for the key therof Spilman conueyed himselfe awaye. After that Waterson and Gie being apprehended by Robin Caly, Iohn Hil, & Iohn Auales, and being two dayes in the Counter, were brought before Boner and other Commissioners. Beyng examined D. Story demanded Gye: Wherfore he bought the Bible. He aunswered to serue God withal. Then said Boner: our Lady matines would serue a christen man to serue God. The Bible sayd Story, would breed heresies: a bibble babel were more fit thee. So they concluded that eyther of them shoulde hauehave xl. stripes lacking one, and Boner sayd it was the law. And they sayd to Waterson, if he would pay xl. poūd, he should be released of his stripes at length they came to x.li. & when they saw he would not they made a warrāt to mayster Grafton, and sent Waterson and Gie to Bride well to be beaten vponupon the Crosse. And because the matter shoulde not be slightly handled, Story was sent with thē to see it done. Gie being whipped vponupon the Crosse, intercession was made that he might be forgeuen part of his penaunce.
¶A note of Michaels wyfe.
MIchaels wife afore mentioned pag. 1893. being prisoner in Ipswiche for religion,Referre this to the pag. 1893. resorted dayly from the prison to her husbandes house, and returned agayn, keeping fayth and promise. And her husband thereat beyng fearefull, she would comfort him, saying: she came not to trouble him, neither shoulde hee susteyne trouble by her. Wherfore she would will him to be of good cheare, for her comming was of good will to see him and her children, & not to bring him into trouble, but to shew her duety therin while she might hauehave libertie.
¶A note of Iohn Spycer.
IN Queene Maryes time, there was one Iohn Spicer, of whome mention is made pag. 1894. he being at the stake ready to geue his lyfe for the truth,This belongeth to the pag. 1894. a bagge of gonpouder was brought him by his sonne. And an other stā ding by (one named maister Beckinham) tooke the gonpowder of his sonne, and put it vnderunder the girdle of ye sayd Spicer, and exhorted him to be strong in the Lord: also diuers of the sheriffes seruaunts comforted him in like maner, and desired him not to faynt. Unto whome Spicer aunswered. Doubt ye not of me (sayth he) my soule is quiet: but be you strong and stand fast in the Lord Iesus, and commit your selfe to him in ye confession of his holy mame and profession of his truth.
¶A note of Mandrell.
MAndrell standing at the stake as is mentioned before, pag. 1894.Referre this to the pag. 1894. Doctor Ieffray the Chauncellour spake to him, wishing him to yelde to the Doctoures, who many hundreth yeares had taught otherwise then hee doth beleue. &c. Unto whome Mandrell aunswered. M. Chauncellour sayd he, trouble me with none of youre Doctours whatsoeuer they say: but bring me the booke of God the olde Testament and the new, and I will aunswere you. What sayest thou Mandrel (quod he) by the sayntes in the Church, the image of our Lady, of the crucifixe, and other holy Sayntes? be they not necessary. &c. yes M. Chauncellour, sayd hee, very necessary to rost a shoulder of mutton. Then Doctor Billing, a frier once, standing by, sayd. Mayster Chauncellour, quod hee, heare howe these heretickes speake agaynst the crucifixe and the holy crosse, and yet the holy Crosse is mentioned in all the tongues, both Hebrew, Greek, and Latine. For in Latine it is called t. in Greeke tau &c. Whereupon one Thomas Gilford, a marchaunt of Poole standing by, sayd: ah mercifull Lord, sayd he, is not this a maruellous matter for a poore man thus to be charged and put to the paynes of fire for t. tau?
When Maundrell and Spicer were examined before the Chauncellour, the Chauncellour called them, saying. Come on, come on, sayth he, thou Spicer art to blame, for thou haste taught Maundrell these heresies. Thou arte by thy occupation a Brickeleyer: Yea that I am. And can sing in the Quyre: Yea, that I can sayth he. And can play on the Orgaynes. True sayth hee. Well then sayde the Chauncellour, and thou hast marred this poore man and hast taught him all these heresies. No Mayster Chauncellour (quoth he) I hauehave not taught him, but I hauehave read to him. He is able thankes be to God, to teache both you and me.
¶A note of Elizabeth Pepper.
Referre this to the page. 1916.ELizabeth Pepper before mentioned, pag. 1916. when she was burned at Stratford, was xj. weekes gone wt child, as she then testified to one Bosomes wife, who then vnloosed her neckerchiefe, saying moreouer whē she was asked, why she did not tell them, aunswered, why (quoth she) they know it well enough. Oh suche is the bloudy hartes of this cruell generation, that no occasion can stay them from their mischieuous murdering of the saintes of the Lord, that truly professe Christ crucified onelyonly, and alone, for the satisfaction of their sinnes.
¶A note of one confessing Gods truth at the Gallowes.
A Notorious fellone, one Dick Adams, beyng vponupon the gallowes making his confession, and ready to be caste downe from the ladder, was desired at that instant by one maistres Harries the Grammer schoolemaisters wyfe, to remember the blessed sacrament before he died, to whome the said Adams sayde: marrie maistresse neuer in better tyme, who went vp to the toppe of the ladder, and sayde it was the most abhominable idoll that euer was, and willed all men to take it so: for we hauehave bene greatly deceyued thereby. Whereupon the Shiriffe caused him to holde his peace, and to take his death patiently. He went down to his place and was cast from the ladder, speaking to his last worde, that it was an abhominable Idoll, his bodye therfore was buryed out of the Church yarde by the high way, who although he was a chiefe in his life, yet he earnestly repented thereof, that I doubt not but he dyed the childe of God, and not vnworthy to be put in the register of the Lordes accepted Confessors.