diff options
Diffstat (limited to '2458.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 2458.txt | 3499 |
1 files changed, 3499 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/2458.txt b/2458.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9229887 --- /dev/null +++ b/2458.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3499 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Sermons on the Card and Other Discourses, by +Hugh Latimer, Edited by Henry Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Sermons on the Card and Other Discourses + + +Author: Hugh Latimer + +Release Date: April 22, 2005 [eBook #2458] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SERMONS ON THE CARD AND OTHER +DISCOURSES*** + + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1883 Cassell & Co. edition by David Price, email +ccx074@coventry.ac.uk. + + + + + +SERMONS ON THE CARD AND OTHER DISCOURSES +by Hugh Latimer + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Hugh Latimer, a farmer's son, was born about the year 1491, at +Thurcaston, in Leicestershire. He was an only son, with six sisters, who +were all well cared for at home. He was a boy of fourteen when sent to +Clare College, Cambridge. When about twenty-four years old, he had +obtained a college fellowship, had taken the degree of Master of Arts, +and was ordained Priest of the Roman Church at Lincoln. In 1524, at the +age of about thirty, he proceeded to the degree of B.D., and on the +occasion of his doing so he argued publicly for the Pope's authority +against opinions of Melancthon. Thomas Bilney went afterwards to +Latimer's rooms, gave him his own reasons for good-will to the teaching +of Melancthon, and explained to him his faith as a Reformer in a way that +secured Latimer's attention. Latimer's free, vigorous mind, admitted the +new reasonings, and in his after-life he looked always upon "little +Bilney" as the man who had first opened his eyes. + +With homely earnestness Latimer began soon to express his new +convictions. His zeal and purity of life had caused him to be trusted by +the University as a maintainer of old ways; he had been appointed cross- +bearer to the University, and elected one of the twelve preachers +annually appointed in obedience to a bull of Pope Alexander VI. Now +Latimer walked and worked with Bilney, visiting the sick and the +prisoners, and reasoning together of the needs of Christendom. The +Bishop of the diocese presently forbade Latimer's preaching in any of the +pulpits of the University. Robert Barnes, prior of the Augustinian +Friars at Cambridge, a man stirred to the depths by the new movement of +thought, then invited Latimer to preach in the church of the +Augustinians. Latimer was next summoned before Wolsey, whom he satisfied +so well that Wolsey overruled the Bishop's inhibition, and Latimer again +became a free preacher in Cambridge. + +The influence of Latimer's preaching became every year greater; and in +December, 1529, he gave occasion to new controversy in the University by +his two Sermons on the Card, delivered in St. Edward's Church, on the +Sunday before Christmas, 1529. Card-playing was in those days an +amusement especially favoured at Christmas time. Latimer does not +express disapproval, though the Reformers generally were opposed to it. +The early statutes of St. John's College, Cambridge, forbade playing with +dice or cards by members of the college at any time except Christmas, but +excluded undergraduates even from the Christmas privilege. In these +sermons Latimer used the card-playing of the season for illustrations of +spiritual truth drawn from the trump card in triumph, and the rules of +the game of primero. His homely parables enforced views of religious +duty more in accordance with the mind of the Reformers than of those who +held by the old ways. The Prior of the Dominicans at Cambridge tried to +answer Latimer's sermon on the cards with an antagonistic sermon on the +dice: the orthodox Christian was to win by a throw of cinque and +quatre--the cinque, five texts to be quoted against Luther; and the +quatre the four great doctors of the Church. Latimer replied with +vigour; others ranged themselves on one side or the other, and there was +general battle in the University; but the King's Almoner soon intervened +with a letter commanding silence on both sides till the King's pleasure +was further declared. The King's good-will to Latimer was due, as the +letter indicated, to the understanding that Latimer "favoured the King's +cause" in the question of divorce from Katherine of Arragon. + +In March, 1530, Latimer was called to preach before Henry VIII., at +Windsor. The King then made Latimer his chaplain, and in the following +year gave him the rectory of West Kington, in Wiltshire. The new rector, +soon accused of heresy, was summoned before the Bishop of London and +before Convocation; was excommunicated and imprisoned, and absolved by +special request of the King. When Cranmer became Archbishop of +Canterbury, Latimer returned into royal favour, and preached before the +King on Wednesdays in Lent. In 1535, when an Italian nominee of the +Pope's was deprived of the Bishopric of Worcester, Latimer was made his +successor; but resigned in 1539, when the King, having virtually made +himself Pope, dictated to a tractable parliament enforcement of old +doctrines by an Act for Abolishing Diversity of Opinion. From that time +until the death of Henry VIII. Latimer was in disgrace. + +The accession of Edward VI. brought him again to the front, and the +Sermon on the Plough, in this volume, is a famous example of his use of +his power under Edward VI., as the greatest preacher of his time, in +forwarding the Reformation of the Church, and of the lives of those who +professed and called themselves Christians. The rest of his story will +be associated in another volume of this Library with a collection of his +later sermons. + +H. M. + + + + +SERMONS ON THE CARD. + + +THE TENOR AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN SERMONS MADE BY MASTER LATIMER IN +CAMBRIDGE, ABOUT THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1529. + + +_Tu quis es_? Which words are as much to say in English, "Who art thou?" +These be the words of the Pharisees, which were sent by the Jews unto St. +John Baptist in the wilderness, to have knowledge of him who he was: +which words they spake unto him of an evil intent, thinking that he would +have taken on him to be Christ, and so they would have had him done with +their good wills, because they knew that he was more carnal, and given to +their laws, than Christ indeed should be, as they perceived by their old +prophecies; and also, because they marvelled much of his great doctrine, +preaching, and baptizing, they were in doubt whether he was Christ or +not: wherefore they said unto him, "Who art thou?" Then answered St. +John, and confessed that he was not Christ. + +Now here is to be noted the great and prudent answer of St. John Baptist +unto the Pharisees, that when they required of him who he was, he would +not directly answer of himself what he was himself, but he said he was +not Christ: by the which saying he thought to put the Jews and Pharisees +out of their false opinion and belief towards him, in that they would +have had him to exercise the office of Christ; and so declared further +unto them of Christ, saying, "He is in the midst of you and amongst you, +whom ye know not, whose latchet of his shoe I am not worthy to unloose, +or undo." By this you may perceive that St. John spake much in the laud +and praise of Christ his Master, professing himself to be in no wise like +unto him. So likewise it shall be necessary unto all men and women of +this world, not to ascribe unto themselves any goodness of themselves, +but all unto our Lord God, as shall appear hereafter, when this question +aforesaid, "Who art thou?" shall be moved unto them: not as the Pharisees +did unto St. John, of an evil purpose, but of a good and simple mind, as +may appear hereafter. + +Now then, according to the preacher's mind, let every man and woman, of a +good and simple mind, contrary to the Pharisees' intent, ask this +question, "Who art thou?" This question must be moved to themselves, +what they be of themselves, on this fashion: "What art thou of thy only +and natural generation between father and mother, when thou camest into +this world? What substance, what virtue, what goodness art thou of, by +thyself?" Which question if thou rehearse oftentimes unto thyself, thou +shalt well perceive and understand how thou shalt make answer unto it; +which must be made on this wise: I am of myself, and by myself, coming +from my natural father and mother, the child of the ire and indignation +of God, the true inheritor of hell, a lump of sin, and working nothing of +myself but all towards hell, except I have better help of another than I +have of myself. Now we may see in what state we enter into this world, +that we be of ourselves the true and just inheritors of hell, the +children of the ire and indignation of Christ, working all towards hell, +whereby we deserve of ourselves perpetual damnation, by the right +judgment of God, and the true claim of ourselves; which unthrifty state +that we be born unto is come unto us for our own deserts, as proveth well +this example following: + +Let it be admitted for the probation of this, that it might please the +king's grace now being to accept into his favour a mean man, of a simple +degree and birth, not born to any possession; whom the king's grace +favoureth, not because this person hath of himself deserved any such +favour, but that the king casteth this favour unto him of his own mere +motion and fantasy: and for because the king's grace will more declare +his favour unto him, he giveth unto this said man a thousand pounds in +lands, to him and his heirs, on this condition, that he shall take upon +him to be the chief captain and defender of his town of Calais, and to be +true and faithful to him in the custody of the same, against the +Frenchmen especially, above all other enemies. + +This man taketh on him this charge, promising his fidelity thereunto. It +chanceth in process of time, that by the singular acquaintance and +frequent familiarity of this captain with the Frenchmen, these Frenchmen +give unto the said captain of Calais a great sum of money, so that he +will but be content and agreeable that they may enter into the said town +of Calais by force of arms; and so thereby possess the same unto the +crown of France. Upon this agreement the Frenchmen do invade the said +town of Calais, alonely by the negligence of this captain. + +Now the king's grace, hearing of this invasion, cometh with a great +puissance to defend this his said town, and so by good policy of war +overcometh the said Frenchmen, and entereth again into his said town of +Calais. Then he, being desirous to know how these enemies of his came +thither, maketh profound search and inquiry by whom this treason was +conspired. By this search it was known and found his own captain to be +the very author and the beginner of the betraying of it. The king, +seeing the great infidelity of this person, dischargeth this man of his +office, and taketh from him and from his heirs this thousand pounds of +possessions. Think you not that the king doth use justice unto him, and +all his posterity and heirs? Yes, truly: the said captain cannot deny +himself but that he had true justice, considering how unfaithfully he +behaved him to his prince, contrary to his own fidelity and promise. So +likewise it was of our first father Adam. He had given unto him the +spirit of science and knowledge, to work all goodness therewith: this +said spirit was not given alonely unto him, but unto all his heirs and +posterity. He had also delivered him the town of Calais; that is to say, +paradise in earth, the most strong and fairest town in the world, to be +in his custody. He nevertheless, by the instigation of these Frenchmen, +that is to say, the temptation of the fiend, did obey unto their desire; +and so he brake his promise and fidelity, the commandment of the +everlasting King his master, in eating of the apple by him inhibited. + +Now then the King, seeing this great treason in his captain, deposed him +of the thousand pounds of possessions, that is to say, from everlasting +life in glory, and all his heirs and posterity: for likewise as he had +the spirit of science and knowledge, for him and his heirs; so in like +manner, when he lost the same, his heirs also lost it by him and in him. +So now this example proveth, that by our father Adam we had once in him +the very inheritance of everlasting joy; and by him, and in him, again we +lost the same. + +The heirs of the captain of Calais could not by any manner of claim ask +of the king the right and title of their father in the thousand pounds of +possessions, by reason the king might answer and say unto them, that +although their father deserved not of himself to enjoy so great +possessions, yet he deserved by himself to lose them, and greater, +committing so high treason, as he did, against his prince's commandments; +whereby he had no wrong to lose his title, but was unworthy to have the +same, and had therein true justice. Let not you think, which be his +heirs, that if he had justice to lose his possessions, you have wrong to +lose the same. In the same manner it may be answered unto all men and +women now being, that if our father Adam had true justice to be excluded +from his possession of everlasting glory in paradise, let us not think +the contrary that be his heirs, but that we have no wrong in losing also +the same; yea, we have true justice and right. Then in what miserable +estate we be, that of the right and just title of our own deserts have +lost the everlasting joy, and claim of ourselves to be true inheritors of +hell! For he that committeth deadly sin willingly, bindeth himself to be +inheritor of everlasting pain: and so did our forefather Adam willingly +eat of the apple forbidden. Wherefore he was cast out of the everlasting +joy in paradise into this corrupt world, amongst all vileness, whereby of +himself he was not worthy to do any thing laudable or pleasant to God, +evermore bound to corrupt affections and beastly appetites, transformed +into the most uncleanest and variablest nature that was made under +heaven; of whose seed and disposition all the world is lineally +descended, insomuch that this evil nature is so fused and shed from one +into another, that at this day there is no man nor woman living that can +of themselves wash away this abominable vileness: and so we must needs +grant of ourselves to be in like displeasure unto God, as our forefather +Adam was. By reason hereof as I said, we be of ourselves the very +children of the indignation and vengeance of God, the true inheritors of +hell, and working all towards hell: which is the answer to this question, +made to every man and woman, by themselves, "Who art thou?" + +And now, the world standing in this damnable state, cometh in the +occasion of the incarnation of Christ. The Father in heaven, perceiving +the frail nature of man, that he, by himself and of himself, could do +nothing for himself, by his prudent wisdom sent down the second person in +Trinity, his Son Jesus Christ, to declare unto man his pleasure and +commandment: and so, at the Father's will, Christ took on him human +nature, being willing to deliver man out of this miserable way, and was +content to suffer cruel passion in shedding his blood for all mankind; +and so left behind for our safeguard laws and ordinances, to keep us +always in the right path unto everlasting life, as the evangelists, the +sacraments, the commandments, and so forth: which, if we do keep and +observe according to our profession, we shall answer better unto this +question, "Who art thou?" than we did before. For before thou didst +enter into the sacrament of baptism, thou wert but a natural man, a +natural woman; as I might say, a man, a woman: but after thou takest on +thee Christ's religion, thou hast a longer name; for then thou art a +christian man, a christian woman. Now then, seeing thou art a christian +man, what shall be thy answer of this question, "Who art thou?" + +The answer of this question is, when I ask it unto myself, I must say +that I am a christian man, a christian woman, the child of everlasting +joy, through the merits of the bitter passion of Christ. This is a +joyful answer. Here we may see how much we be bound and in danger unto +God, that hath revived us from death to life, and saved us that were +damned: which great benefit we cannot well consider, unless we do +remember what we were of ourselves before we meddled with him or his +laws; and the more we know our feeble nature, and set less by it, the +more we shall conceive and know in our hearts what God hath done for us; +and the more we know what God hath done for us, the less we shall set by +ourselves, and the more we shall love and please God: so that in no +condition we shall either know ourselves or God, except we do utterly +confess ourselves to be mere vileness and corruption. Well, now it is +come unto this point, that we be christian men, christian women, I pray +you what doth Christ require of a christian man, or of a christian woman? +Christ requireth nothing else of a christian man or woman, but that they +will observe his rule: for likewise as he is a good Augustine friar that +keepeth well St. Augustine's rule, so is he a good christian man that +keepeth well Christ's rule. + +Now then, what is Christ's rule? Christ's rule consisteth in many +things, as in the commandments, and the works of mercy, and so forth. And +for because I cannot declare Christ's rule unto you at one time, as it +ought to be done, I will apply myself according to your custom at this +time of Christmas: I will, as I said, declare unto you Christ's rule, but +that shall be in Christ's cards. And whereas you are wont to celebrate +Christmas in playing at cards, I intend, by God's grace, to deal unto you +Christ's cards, wherein you shall perceive Christ's rule. The game that +we will play at shall be called the triumph, which, if it be well played +at, he that dealeth shall win; the players shall likewise win; and the +standers and lookers upon shall do the same; insomuch that there is no +man that is willing to play at this triumph with these cards, but they +shall be all winners, and no losers. + +Let therefore every christian man and woman play at these cards, that +they may have and obtain the triumph: you must mark also that the triumph +must apply to fetch home unto him all the other cards, whatsoever suit +they be of. Now then, take ye this first card, which must appear and be +shewed unto you as followeth: you have heard what was spoken to men of +the old law, "Thou shalt not kill; whosoever shall kill shall be in +danger of judgment: but I say unto you" of the new law, saith Christ, +"that whosoever is angry with his neighbour, shall be in danger of +judgment; and whosoever shall say unto his neighbour, 'Raca,' that is to +say, brainless," or any other like word of rebuking, "shall be in danger +of council; and whosoever shall say unto his neighbour, 'Fool,' shall be +in danger of hell-fire." This card was made and spoken by Christ, as +appeareth in the fifth chapter of St. Matthew. + +Now it must be noted, that whosoever shall play with this card, must +first, before they play with it, know the strength and virtue of the +same: wherefore you must well note and mark terms, how they be spoken, +and to what purpose. Let us therefore read it once or twice, that we may +be the better acquainted with it. + +Now behold and see, this card is divided into four parts: the first part +is one of the commandments that was given unto Moses in the old law, +before the coming of Christ; which commandment we of the new law be bound +to observe and keep, and it is one of our commandments. The other three +parts spoken by Christ be nothing else but expositions unto the first +part of this commandment: for in very effect all these four parts be but +one commandment, that is to say, "Thou shalt not kill." Yet +nevertheless, the last three parts do shew unto thee how many ways thou +mayest kill thy neighbour contrary to this commandment: yet, for all +Christ's exposition in the three last parts of this card, the terms be +not open enough to thee that dost read and hear them spoken. No doubt, +the Jews understood Christ well enough, when he spake to them these three +last sentences; for he spake unto them in their own natural terms and +tongue. Wherefore, seeing that these terms were natural terms of the +Jews, it shall be necessary to expound them, and compare them unto some +like terms of our natural speech, that we, in like manner, may understand +Christ as well as the Jews did. We will begin first with the first part +of this card, and then after, with the other three parts. You must +therefore understand that the Jews and the Pharisees of the old law, to +whom this first part, this commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," was +spoken, thought it sufficient and enough for their discharge, not to kill +with any manner of material weapon, as sword, dagger, or with any such +weapon; and they thought it no great fault whatsoever they said or did by +their neighbours, so that they did not harm or meddle with their corporal +bodies: which was a false opinion in them, as prove well the three last +other sentences following the first part of this card. + +Now, as touching the three other sentences, you must note and take heed, +what difference is between these three manner of offences: to be angry +with your neighbour; to call your neighbour "brainless," or any such word +of disdain; or to call your neighbour "fool." Whether these three manner +of offences be of themselves more grievous one than the other, it is to +be opened unto you. Truly, as they be of themselves divers offences, so +they kill diversly, one more than the other; as you shall perceive by the +first of these three, and so forth. A man which conceiveth against his +neighbour or brother ire or wrath in his mind, by some manner of occasion +given unto him, although he be angry in his mind against his said +neighbour, he will peradventure express his ire by no manner of sign, +either in word or deed: yet, nevertheless, he offendeth against God, and +breaketh this commandment in killing his own soul; and is therefore "in +danger of judgment." + +Now, to the second part of these three: That man that is moved with ire +against his neighbour, and in his ire calleth his neighbour "brainless," +or some other like word of displeasure; as a man might say in a fury, "I +shall handle thee well enough;" which words and countenances do more +represent and declare ire to be in this man, than in him that was but +angry, and spake no manner of word nor shewed any countenance to declare +his ire. Wherefore as he that so declareth his ire either by word or +countenance offendeth more against God, so he both killeth his own soul, +and doth that in him is to kill his neighbour's soul in moving him unto +ire, wherein he is faulty himself; and so this man is "in danger of +council." + +Now to the third offence, and last of these three: That man that calleth +his neighbour "fool," doth more declare his angry mind toward him, than +he that called his neighbour but "brainless," or any such words moving +ire: for to call a man "fool," that word representeth more envy in a man +than "brainless" doth. Wherefore he doth most offend, because he doth +most earnestly with such words express his ire, and so he is "in danger +of hell-fire." + +Wherefore you may understand now, these three parts of this card be three +offences, and that one is more grievous to God than the other, and that +one killeth more the soul of man than the other. + +Now peradventure there be some that will marvel, that Christ did not +declare this commandment by some greater faults of ire, than by these +which seem but small faults, as to be angry and speak nothing of it, to +declare it and to call a man "brainless," and to call his neighbour +"fool:" truly these be the smallest and the least faults that belong to +ire, or to killing in ire. Therefore beware how you offend in any kind +of ire: seeing that the smallest be damnable to offend in, see that you +offend not in the greatest. For Christ thought, if he might bring you +from the smallest manner of faults, and give you warning to avoid the +least, he reckoned you would not offend in the greatest and worst, as to +call your neighbour thief, whoreson, whore, drab, and so forth, into more +blasphemous names; which offences must needs have punishment in hell, +considering how that Christ hath appointed these three small faults to +have three degrees of punishment in hell, as appeareth by these three +terms, judgment, council, and hell-fire. These three terms do signify +nothing else but three divers punishments in hell, according to the +offences. Judgment is less in degree than council, therefore it +signifieth a lesser pain in hell, and it is ordained for him that is +angry in his mind with his neighbour, and doth express his malice neither +by word nor countenance: council is a less degree in hell than hell-fire, +and is a greater degree in hell than judgment; and it is ordained for him +that calleth his neighbour "brainless," or any such word, that declareth +his ire and malice: wherefore it is more pain than judgment. Hell-fire +is more pain in hell than council or judgment, and it is ordained for him +that calleth his neighbour "fool," by reason that in calling his +neighbour "fool," he declareth more his malice, in that it is an earnest +word of ire: wherefore hell-fire is appointed for it; that is, the most +pain of the three punishments. + +Now you have heard, that to these divers offences of ire and killing be +appointed punishments according to their degrees: for look as the offence +is, so shall the pain be: if the offence be great, the pain shall be +according; if it be less, there shall be less pain for it. I would not +now that you should think, because that here are but three degrees of +punishment spoken of, that there be no more in hell. No doubt Christ +spake of no more here but of these three degrees of punishment, thinking +they were sufficient, enough for example, whereby we might understand +that there be as divers and many pains as there be offences: and so by +these three offences, and these three punishments, all other offences and +punishments may be compared with another. Yet I would satisfy your minds +further in these three terms, of "judgment, council, and hell-fire." +Whereas you might say, What was the cause that Christ declared more the +pains of hell by these terms than by any other terms? I told you afore +that he knew well to whom he spake them. These terms were natural and +well known amongst the Jews and the Pharisees: wherefore Christ taught +them with their own terms, to the intent they might understand the better +his doctrine. And these terms may be likened unto three terms which we +have common and usual amongst us, that is to say, the sessions of +inquirance, the sessions of deliverance, and the execution-day. Sessions +of inquirance is like unto judgment; for when sessions of inquiry is, +then the judges cause twelve men to give verdict of the felon's crime, +whereby he shall be judged to be indicted: sessions of deliverance is +much like council; for at sessions of deliverance the judges go among +themselves to council, to determine sentence against the felon: execution- +day is to be compared unto hell-fire; for the Jews had amongst themselves +a place of execution, named "hell-fire:" and surely when a man goeth to +his death, it is the greatest pain in this world. Wherefore you may see +that there are degrees in these our terms, as there be in those terms. + +These evil-disposed affections and sensualities in us are always contrary +to the rule of our salvation. What shall we do now or imagine to thrust +down these Turks and to subdue them? It is a great ignominy and shame +for a christian man to be bond and subject unto a Turk: nay, it shall not +be so; we will first cast a trump in their way, and play with them at +cards, who shall have the better. Let us play therefore on this fashion +with this card. Whensoever it shall happen the foul passions and Turks +to rise in our stomachs against our brother or neighbour, either for +unkind words, injuries, or wrongs, which they have done unto us, contrary +unto our mind; straightways let us call unto our remembrance, and speak +this question unto ourselves, "Who art thou?" The answer is, "I am a +christian man." Then further we must say to ourselves, "What requireth +Christ of a christian man?" Now turn up your trump, your heart (hearts +is trump, as I said before), and cast your trump, your heart, on this +card; and upon this card you shall learn what Christ requireth of a +christian man--not to be angry, nor moved to ire against his neighbour, +in mind, countenance, nor other ways, by word or deed. Then take up this +card with your heart, and lay them together: that done, you have won the +game of the Turk, whereby you have defaced and overcome him by true and +lawful play. But, alas for pity! the Rhodes are won and overcome by +these false Turks; the strong castle Faith is decayed, so that I fear it +is almost impossible to win it again. + +The great occasion of the loss of this Rhodes is by reason that christian +men do so daily kill their own nation, that the very true number of +Christianity is decayed; which murder and killing one of another is +increased specially two ways, to the utter undoing of Christendom, that +is to say, by example and silence. By example, as thus: when the father, +the mother, the lord, the lady, the master, the dame, be themselves +overcome by these Turks, they be continual swearers, avouterers, +disposers to malice, never in patience, and so forth in all other vices: +think you not, when the father, the mother, the master, the dame, be +disposed unto vice or impatience, but that their children and servants +shall incline and be disposed to the same? No doubt, as the child shall +take disposition natural of the father and mother, so shall the servants +apply unto the vices of their masters and dames: if the heads be false in +their faculties and crafts, it is no marvel if the children, servants, +and apprentices do joy therein. This is a great and shameful manner of +killing christian men, that the fathers, the mothers, the masters, and +the dames shall not alonely kill themselves, but all theirs, and all that +belongeth unto them: and so this way is a great number of christian +lineage murdered and spoiled. + +The second manner of killing is silence. By silence also is a great +number of christian men slain; which is on this fashion: although that +the father and mother, master and dame, of themselves be well disposed to +live according to the law of God, yet they may kill their children and +servants in suffering them to do evil before their own faces, and do not +use due correction according unto their offences. The master seeth his +servant or apprentice take more of his neighbour than the king's laws, or +the order of his faculty, doth admit him; or that he suffereth him to +take more of his neighbour than he himself would be content to pay, if he +were in like condition: thus doing, I say, such men kill willingly their +children and servants, and shall go to hell for so doing; but also their +fathers and mothers, masters and dames, shall bear them company for so +suffering them. + +Wherefore I exhort all true christian men and women to give good example +unto your children and servants, and suffer not them by silence to +offend. Every man must be in his own house, according to St. Augustine's +mind, a bishop, not alonely giving good ensample, but teaching according +to it, rebuking and punishing vice; not suffering your children and +servants to forget the laws of God. You ought to see them have their +belief, to know the commandments of God, to keep their holy-days, not to +lose their time in idleness: if they do so, you shall all suffer pain for +it, if God be true of his saying, as there is no doubt thereof. And so +you may perceive that there be many a one that breaketh this card, "Thou +shalt not kill," and playeth therewith oftentime at the blind trump, +whereby they be no winners, but great losers. But who be those now-a- +days that can clear themselves of these manifest murders used to their +children and servants? I think not the contrary, but that many have +these two ways slain their own children unto their damnation; unless the +great mercy of God were ready to help them when they repent there-for. + +Wherefore, considering that we be so prone and ready to continue in sin, +let us cast down ourselves with Mary Magdalene; and the more we bow down +with her toward Christ's feet, the more we shall be afraid to rise again +in sin; and the more we know and submit ourselves, the more we shall be +forgiven; and the less we know and submit ourselves, the less we shall be +forgiven; as appeareth by this example following: + +Christ, when he was in this world, amongst the Jews and Pharisees, there +was a great Pharisee whose name was Simon: this Pharisee desired Christ +on a time to dine with him, thinking in himself that he was able and +worthy to give Christ a dinner. Christ refused not his dinner, but came +unto him. In time of their dinner it chanced there came into the house a +great and a common sinner named Mary Magdalene. As soon as she perceived +Christ, she cast herself down, and called unto her remembrance what she +was of herself, and how greatly she had offended God; whereby she +conceived in Christ great love, and so came near unto him, and washed his +feet with bitter tears, and shed upon his head precious ointment, +thinking that by him she should be delivered from her sins. This great +and proud Pharisee, seeing that Christ did accept her oblation in the +best part, had great indignation against this woman, and said to himself, +"If this man Christ were a holy prophet, as he is taken for, he would not +suffer this sinner to come so nigh him." Christ, understanding the +naughty mind of this Pharisee, said unto him, "Simon, I have somewhat to +say unto thee." "Say what you please," quod the Pharisee. Then said +Christ, "I pray thee, tell me this: If there be a man to whom is owing +twenty pound by one, and forty by another, this man to whom this money is +owing, perceiving these two men be not able to pay him, he forgiveth them +both: which of these two debtors ought to love this man most?" The +Pharisee said, "That man ought to love him best, that had most forgiven +him." "Likewise," said Christ, "it is by this woman: she hath loved me +most, therefore most is forgiven her; she hath known her sins most, +whereby she hath most loved me. And thou hast least loved me, because +thou hast least known thy sins: therefore, because thou hast least known +thine offences, thou art least forgiven." So this proud Pharisee had an +answer to delay his pride. And think you not, but that there be amongst +us a great number of these proud Pharisees, which think themselves worthy +to bid Christ to dinner; which will perk, and presume to sit by Christ in +the church, and have a disdain of this poor woman Magdalene, their poor +neighbour, with a high, disdainous, and solemn countenance? And being +always desirous to climb highest in the church, reckoning themselves more +worthy to sit there than another, I fear me poor Magdalene under the +board, and in the belfry, hath more forgiven of Christ than they have: +for it is like that those Pharisees do less know themselves and their +offences, whereby they less love God, and so they be less forgiven. + +I would to God we would follow this example, and be like unto Magdalene. +I doubt not but we be all Magdalenes in falling into sin and in +offending: but we be not again Magdalenes in knowing ourselves, and in +rising from sin. If we be the true Magdalenes, we should be as willing +to forsake our sin and rise from sin, as we were willing to commit sin +and to continue in it; and we then should know ourselves best, and make +more perfect answer than ever we did unto 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 understand, and know how you ought to play at +this card, "Thou shalt not kill," without any interruption of your deadly +enemies the Turks; and so triumph at the last, by winning everlasting +life in glory. Amen. + + + +ANOTHER SERMON OF M. LATIMER, CONCERNING THE SAME MATTER. + + +Now you have heard what is meant by this first card, and how you ought to +play with it, I purpose again to deal unto you another card, almost of +the same suit; for they be of so nigh affinity, that one cannot be well +played without the other. The first card declared, that you should not +kill, which might be done divers ways; as being angry with your +neighbour, in mind, in countenance, in word, or deed: it declared also, +how you should subdue the passions of ire, and so clear evermore +yourselves from them. And whereas this first card doth kill in you these +stubborn Turks of ire; this second card will not only they should be +mortified in you, but that you yourselves shall cause them to be likewise +mortified in your neighbour, if that your said neighbour hath been +through your occasion moved unto ire, either in countenance, word, or +deed. Now let us hear therefore the tenor of this card: "When thou +makest thine oblation at mine altar, and there dost remember that thy +neighbour hath any thing against thee, lay down 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 St. Matthew in his fifth +chapter, against all such as do presume to come unto the church to make +oblation unto God either by prayer, or any other deed of charity, not +having their neighbours reconciled. Reconciling is as much to say as to +restore thy neighbour unto charity, which by thy words or deeds is moved +against thee: then, if so be it that thou hast spoken to or by thy +neighbour, whereby he is moved to ire or wrath, thou must lay down thy +oblation. Oblations be prayers, alms-deeds, or any work of charity: +these be all called oblations to God. Lay down therefore thine oblation; +begin to do none of these foresaid works before thou goest unto thy +neighbour, and confess thy fault unto him; declaring thy mind, that if +thou hast offended him, thou art glad and willing to make him amends, as +far forth as thy words and substance will extend, requiring him not to +take it at the worst: thou art sorry in thy mind, that thou shouldest be +occasion of his offending. + +"What manner of card is this?" will some say: "Why, what have I to do +with my neighbour's or brother's malice?" As Cain said, "Have I the +keeping of my brother? or shall I answer for him and for his faults? This +were no reason--As for myself, I thank God I owe no man malice nor +displeasure: if others owe me any, at their own peril be it. Let every +man answer for himself!" Nay, sir, not so, as you may understand by this +card; for it saith, "If thy neighbour hath anything, any malice against +thee, through thine occasion, lay even down (saith Christ) thine +oblation: pray not to me; do no good deeds for me; but go first unto thy +neighbour, and bring him again unto my flock, which hath forsaken the +same through thy naughty words, mocks, scorns, or disdainous countenance, +and so forth; and then come and offer thine oblation; then do thy +devotion; then do thy alms-deeds; then pray, if thou wilt have me hear +thee." + +"O good Lord! this is a hard reckoning, that I must go and seek him out +that is offended with me, before I pray or do any good deed. I cannot go +unto him. Peradventure he is a hundred miles from me, beyond the seas; +or else I cannot tell where: if he were here nigh, I would with all my +heart go unto him." This is a lawful excuse before God on this fashion, +that thou wouldest in thy heart be glad to reconcile thy neighbour, if he +were present; and that thou thinkest in thy heart, whensoever thou shalt +meet with him, to go unto him, and require him charitably to forgive +thee; and so never intend to come from him, until the time that you both +depart one from the other true brethren in Christ. + +Yet, peradventure, there be some in the world that be so devilish, and so +hard-hearted, that they will not apply in any condition unto charity. For +all that, do what lieth in thee, by all charitable means, to bring him to +unity. If he will in no wise apply thereunto, thou mayest be sorrowful +in thy heart, that by thine occasion that man or woman continueth in such +a damnable state. This notwithstanding, if thou do the best that lieth +in thee to reconcile him, according to some doctors' mind, thou art +discharged towards God. Nevertheless St. Augustine doubteth in this +case, whether thy oblations, prayers, or good deeds, shall avail thee +before God, or no, until thy neighbour come again to good state, whom +thou hast brought out of the way. Doth this noble doctor doubt therein? +What aileth us to be so bold, and count it but a small fault, or none, to +bring our neighbour out of patience for every trifle that standeth not +with our mind? You may see what a grievous thing this is, to bring +another man out of patience, that peradventure you cannot bring in again +with all the goods that you have: for surely, after the opinion of great +wise men, friendship once broken will be never well made whole again. +Wherefore you shall hear what Christ saith unto such persons. Saith +Christ, "I came down into this world, and so took on me bitter passion +for man's sake, by the merits whereof I intended to make unity and peace +in mankind, to make man brother unto me, and so to expel the dominion of +Satan, the devil, which worketh nothing else but dissension: and yet now +there be a great number of you, that have professed my name, and say you +be christian men, which do rebel against my purpose and mind. I go about +to make my fold: you go about to break the same, and kill my flock." "How +darest thou," saith Christ, "presume to come unto my altar, unto my +church, or into my presence, to make oblation unto me, that takest on +thee to spoil my lambs? I go about like a good shepherd to gather them +together; and thou dost the contrary, evermore ready to divide and lose +them. Who made thee so bold to meddle with my silly beasts, which I +bought so dearly with my precious blood? I warn thee out of my sight, +come not in my presence: I refuse thee and all thy works, except thou go +and bring home again my lambs which thou hast lost. Wherefore, if thou +thyself intend to be one of mine, lay even down by and by thine oblation, +and come no further toward mine altar; but go and seek them without any +questions, as it becometh a true and faithful servant." + +A true and faithful servant, whensoever his master commandeth him to do +any thing, he maketh no stops nor questions, but goeth forth with a good +mind: and it is not unlike he, continuing in such a good mind and will, +shall well overcome all dangers and stops, whatsoever betide him in his +journey, and bring to pass effectually his master's will and pleasure? On +the contrary, a slothful servant, when his master commandeth him to do +any thing, by and by he will ask questions, "Where?" "When?" "Which +way?" and so forth; and so be putteth every thing in doubt, that although +both his errand and way be never so plain, yet by his untoward and +slothful behaviour his master's commandment is either undone quite, or +else so done that it shall stand to no good purpose. Go now forth with +the good servant, and ask no such questions, and put no doubts. Be not +ashamed to do thy Master's and Lord's will and commandment. Go, as I +said, unto thy neighbour that is offended by thee, and reconcile him (as +is afore said) whom thou hast lost by thy unkind words, by thy scorns, +mocks, and other disdainous words and behaviours; and be not nice to ask +of him the cause why he 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, like the slothful servant, thy master's message with cautels and +doubts: come not to thy neighbour whom thou hast offended, and give him a +pennyworth of ale, or a banquet, and so make him a fair countenance, +thinking that by thy drink or dinner he will shew thee like countenance. +I grant you may both laugh and make good cheer, and yet there may remain +a bag of rusty malice, twenty years old, in thy neighbour's bosom. When +he departeth from thee with a good countenance, thou thinkest all is well +then. But now, I tell thee, it is worse than it was, for by such cloaked +charity, where thou dost offend before Christ but once, thou hast +offended twice herein: for now thou goest about to give Christ a mock, if +be would take it of thee. Thou thinkest to blind thy master Christ's +commandment. Beware, do not so, for at length he will overmatch thee, +and take thee tardy whatsoever thou be; and so, as I said, it should be +better for thee not to do his message on this fashion, for it will stand +thee in no purpose. "What?" some will say, "I am sure he loveth me well +enough: he speaketh fair to my face." Yet for all that thou mayest be +deceived. It proveth not true love in a man, to speak fair. If he love +thee with his mind and heart, he loveth thee with his eyes, with his +tongue, with his feet, with his hands and his body; for all these parts +of a man's body be obedient to the will and mind. He loveth thee with +his eves, that looketh cheerfully on thee, when thou meetest with him, +and is glad to see thee prosper and do well. He loveth thee with his +tongue, that speaketh well by thee behind thy back, or giveth thee good +counsel. He loveth thee with his feet, that is willing to go to help +thee out of trouble and business. He loveth thee with his hands, that +will help thee in time of necessity, by giving some alms-deeds, or with +any other occupation of the hand. He loveth thee with his body, that +will labour with his body, or put his body in danger to do good for thee, +or to deliver thee from adversity: and so forth, with the other members +of his body. And if thy neighbour will do according to these sayings, +then thou mayest think that he loveth thee well; and thou, in like wise, +oughtest to declare and open thy love unto thy neighbour in like fashion, +or else you be bound one to reconcile the other, till this perfect love +be engendered amongst you. + +It may fortune thou wilt say, "I am content to do the best for my +neighbour that I can, saving myself harmless." I promise thee, Christ +will not hear this excuse; for he himself suffered harm for our sakes, +and for our salvation was put to extreme death. I wis, if it had pleased +him, he might have saved us and never felt pain; but in suffering pains +and death he did give us example, and teach us how we should do one for +another, as he did for us all; for, as he saith himself, "he that will be +mine, let him deny himself, and follow me, in bearing my cross and +suffering my pains." Wherefore we must needs suffer pain with Christ to +do our neighbour good, as well with the body and all his members, as with +heart and mind. + +Now I trust you wot what your card meaneth: let us see how that we can +play with the same. Whensoever it shall happen you to go and make your +oblation unto God, ask of yourselves this question, "Who art thou?" The +answer, as you know, is, "I am a christian man." Then you must again ask +unto yourself, What Christ requireth of a christian man? By and by cast +down your trump, your heart, and look first of one card, then of another. +The first card telleth thee, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not be +angry, thou shalt not be out of patience. This done, thou shalt look if +there be any more cards to take up; and if thou look well, thou shalt see +another card of the same suit, wherein thou shalt know that thou art +bound to reconcile thy neighbour. Then cast thy trump upon them both, +and gather them all three together, and do according to the virtue of thy +cards; and surely thou shalt not lose. Thou shalt first kill the great +Turks, and discomfort and thrust them down. Thou shalt again fetch home +Christ's sheep that thou hast lost; whereby thou mayest go both patiently +and with a quiet mind unto the church, and make thy oblation unto God; +and then, without doubt, he will hear thee. + +But yet Christ will not accept our oblation (although we be in patience, +and have reconciled our neighbour), if that our oblation be made of +another man's substance; but it must be our own. See therefore that thou +hast gotten thy goods according to the laws of God and of thy prince. For +if thou gettest thy goods by polling and extortion, or by any other +unlawful ways, then, if thou offer a thousand pound of it, it will stand +thee in no good effect; for it is not thine. In this point a great +number of executors do offend; for when they be made rich by other men's +goods, then they will take upon them to build churches, to give ornaments +to God and his altar, to gild saints, and to do many good works +therewith; but it shall be all in their own name, and for their own +glory. Wherefore, saith Christ, they have in this world their reward; +and so their oblations be not their own, nor be they acceptable before +God. + +Another way God will refuse thy voluntary oblation, as thus: if so be it +that thou hast gotten never so truly thy goods, according both to the +laws of God and man, and hast with the same goods not relieved thy poor +neighbour, when thou hast seen him hungry, thirsty, and naked, he will +not take thy oblation when thou shalt offer the same, because he will say +unto thee, "When I was hungry, thou gavest me no meat; when I was +thirsty, thou gavest me no drink; and when I was naked, thou didst not +clothe me. Wherefore I will not take thy oblation, because it is none of +thine. I left it thee to relieve thy poor neighbours, and thou hast not +therein done according unto this my commandment, _Misericordiam volo, et +non sacrificium_; I had rather have mercy done, than sacrifice or +oblation. Wherefore until thou dost the one more than the other, I will +not accept thine oblation." + +Evermore bestow the greatest part of thy goods in works of mercy, and the +less part in voluntary works. Voluntary works be called all manner of +offering in the church, except your four offering-days, and your tithes: +setting up candles, gilding and painting, building of churches, giving of +ornaments, going on pilgrimages, making of highways, and such other, be +called voluntary works; which works be of themselves marvellous good, and +convenient to be done. Necessary works, and works of mercy, are called +the commandments, the four offering-days, your tithes, and such other +that belong to the commandments; and works of mercy consist in relieving +and visiting thy poor neighbours. Now then, if men be so foolish of +themselves, that they will bestow the most part of their goods in +voluntary works, which they be not bound to keep, but willingly and by +their devotion; and leave the necessary works undone, which they are +bound to do; they and all their voluntary works are like to go unto +everlasting damnation. And I promise you, if you build a hundred +churches, give as much as you can make to gilding of saints, and +honouring of the church; and if thou go as many pilgrimages as thy body +can well suffer, and offer as great candles as oaks; if thou leave the +works of mercy and the commandments undone, these works shall nothing +avail thee. No doubt the voluntary works be good and ought to be done; +but yet they must be so done, that by their occasion the necessary works +and the works of mercy be not decayed and forgotten. If you will build a +glorious church unto God, see first yourself to be in charity with your +neighbours, and suffer not them to be offended by your works. Then, when +ye come into your parish-church; you bring with you the holy temple of +God; as St. Paul saith, "You yourselves be the very holy temples of God:" +and Christ saith by his prophet, "In you will I rest, and intend to make +my mansion and abiding-place." Again, if you list to gild and paint +Christ in your churches, and honour him in vestments, see that before +your eyes the poor people die not for lack of meat, drink, and clothing. +Then do you deck the very true temple of God, and honour him in rich +vestures that will never be worn, and so forth use yourselves according +unto the commandments: and then, finally, set up your candles, and they +will report what a glorious light remaineth in your hearts; for it is not +fitting to see a dead man light candles. Then, I say, go your +pilgrimages, build your material churches, do all your voluntary works; +and they will then represent you unto God, and testify with you, that you +have provided him a glorious place in your hearts. But beware, I say +again, that you do not run so far in your voluntary works, that ye do +quite forget your necessary works of mercy, which you are bound to keep: +you must have ever a good respect unto the best and worthiest works +toward God to be done first and with more efficacy, and the other to be +done secondarily. Thus if you do, with the other that I have spoken of +before, ye may come according to the tenor of your cards, and offer your +oblations and prayers to our Lord Jesus Christ, who will both hear and +accept them to your everlasting joy and glory: to the which he bring us, +and all those whom he suffered death for. Amen. + + + + +A SERMON MADE BY M. HUGH LATIMER, AT THE TIME OF THE INSURRECTION IN THE +NORTH, WHICH WAS IN THE TWENTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF KING HENRY +THE EIGHTH, ANN. DOM. 1535. UPON THE EPISTLE READ IN THE CHURCH THE +TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY SUNDAY, TAKEN OUT OF THE SIXTH CHAPTER +OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS. + + + _Put on all the armour of God, that ye may stand_, &c. [Ephes. vi. + 10, et seq.] + +Saint Paul, the holy apostle, writeth this epistle unto the Ephesians, +that is, to the people of the city of Ephesus. He writeth generally, to +them all; and in the former chapters he teacheth them severally how they +should behave themselves, in every estate, one to another; how they +should obey their rulers; how wives should behave themselves towards +their husbands; children towards their parents; and servants towards +their masters; and husbands, parents and masters should behave them, and +love their wives, children, and servants; and generally each to love +other. + +Now cometh he forth and comforteth them, and teacheth them to be bold, +and to play the men, and fight manfully. For they must fight with +valiant warriors, as appeareth afterward in the text. And against they +come to fight he comforteth them, saying, "My brethren." He calleth them +brethren; for though he taught them before to be subject to kings and +rulers, and to be obedient to their superiors, yet he teacheth them that +in Christ we be all brethren, according to the saying in this same +chapter, "God is no accepter of persons." "My brethren," saith he, "be +ye comforted, be ye strong;" not trusting to yourselves; no, but be bold, +and comforted "by our Lord, and by the power of his virtue:" not by your +own virtue, for it is not of power to resist such assaults as he speaketh +of hereafter. "Put on, or apparel you with, the armour of God." Armour +is an apparel to clothe a man, and maketh him seemly and comely; setteth +forth his body, and maketh him strong and bold in battle. And therefore +Saint Paul exhorteth generally his brethren to be armed; and as the +assaults be strong, and not small, so he giveth strong armour, and not +small: "Put on," saith he, "the armour of God." He speaketh generally of +armour, but afterwards he speaketh particularly of the parts of armour, +where he saith, be armed complete, whole; be armed on every part with the +armour of God; not borrowed, nor patched, but all godly. And as armour +setteth forth a man's body, so this godly armour maketh us seemly in the +sight of God, and acceptable in his wars. + +Be ye therefore "armed at all points with the armour of God, that ye may +stand strongly against the assaults of the devil." "That ye may stand," +saith he. Ye must stand in this battle, and not sit, nor lie along; for +he that lieth is trodden under foot of his enemy. We may not sit, that +is, not rest in sin, or lie along in sluggishness of sin; but continually +fight against our enemy, and under our great Captain and Sovereign Lord +Jesus Christ, and in his quarrel, armed with the armour of God, that we +may be strong. We cannot be strong unless we be armed of God. We have +no power of ourselves to stand against the assaults of the devil. There +St. Paul teacheth what our battle is, and wherefore we must be thus +armed. + +For, saith he, "we have not wrestling or strife against flesh and blood:" +which may be understood, against certain sins, which come of the flesh +only; but let us take it as it standeth, "against flesh and blood," that +is, against any corporal man, which is but a weak thing in comparison, +and with one stroke destroyed or slain: but we have to do with strong, +mighty princes and potentates; that mighty prince, that great conqueror +of this world, the devil, yea a conqueror: for though our Saviour Jesus +Christ conquered him and all his, by suffering his blessed passion, yet +is he a great conqueror in this world, and reigneth over a great +multitude of his own, and maketh continual conflicts and assaults against +the rest, to subdue them also under his power; which, if they be armed +after St. Paul's teaching, shall stand strongly against his assaults. +"Our battle," saith St. Paul, "is against princes, potestates," that is, +against devils: for, after the common opinion, there fell from heaven of +every order of angels, as of potentates. He saith also, "against worldly +rulers of these darknesses:" for, as doctors do write, the spirits that +fell with Lucifer have their being in _aere caliginoso_, the air, in +darkness, and the rulers of this world, by God's sufferance, to hurt, vex +and assault them that live upon the earth. For their nature is, as they +be damned, to desire to draw all mankind unto like damnation; such is +their malice. And though they hang in the air, or fall in a garden or +other pleasant place, yet have they continually their pain upon their +backs. Against these we wrestle, and "against spiritual wickedness in +_coelestibus_," that is, in the air; or we fight against spiritual +wickedness in heavenly things. + +Think you not that this our enemy, this prince with all his potentates, +hath great and sore assaults to lay against our armour? Yea, he is a +crafty warrior, and also of great power in this world; he hath great +ordnance and artillery; he hath great pieces of ordnance, as mighty kings +and emperors, to shoot against God's people, to persecute or kill them; +Nero, the great tyrant, who slew Paul, and divers other. Yea, what great +pieces hath he had of bishops of Rome, which have destroyed whole cities +and countries, and have slain and burnt many! What great guns were +those! + +Yea, he hath also less ordnance evil enough, (they may be called +_serpentines_;) some bishops in divers countries, and here in England, +which he hath shot at some good christian men, that they have been blown +to ashes. So can this great captain, the devil, shoot his ordnance. He +hath yet less ordnance, for he hath of all sorts to shoot at good +christian men; he hath hand-guns and bows, which do much hurt, but not so +much as the great ordnance. These be accusers, promoters, and +slanderers; they be evil ordnance, shrewd hand-guns, and bows; they put a +man to great displeasure; oftentimes death cometh upon that shot. For +these things, saith the text, "take the armour of God." Against the +great captains, the devils, and against their artillery, their ministers, +there can nothing defend us but the armour of God. + +"Take therefore this armour," saith the text, "that ye may resist in the +evil day, and in all things stand perfectly, or be perfectly strong." +This evil day is not so called here, because any day or time is evil; for +God made every day good, and all days be good: but St. Paul calleth it +the "evil day," because of the misfortune that chanceth or cometh in that +day. As we have a common saying, "I have had an evil day, and an evil +night," because of the heaviness or evil that hath happened; so saith +Paul, "that ye may resist in the evil day:" that is, when your great +adversary hath compassed you round about with his potestates and rulers, +and with his artillery, so that you be almost overcome, then, if you have +the armour of God, you shall be strong, and need not to fear his +assaults. + +St. Paul hath spoken of this armour of God generally, and now declareth +the parts and pieces of armour; and teacheth them how to apparel every +part of the body with this armour. He beginneth yet again, saying, "Be +strong, having your reins, or your loins girded about." Some men of war +use to have about their loins an apron or girdle of mail, gird fast for +the safeguard of the nether part of their body. So St. Paul would we +should gird our loins, which betokeneth lechery or other sinfulness, with +a girdle, which is to be taken for a restraint or continence from such +vices. In "truth," or "truly gird:" it may not be feigned, or falsely +girt, but in verity and truth. There be many bachelors, as yet men +unmarried, which seem to be girt with the girdle of continence, and yet +it is not in truth, it is but feignedly. And some religious persons make +a profession of continence or chastity, and yet not in truth, their +hearts be not truly chaste. Such feigned girding of the loins cannot +make a man strong to resist the assaults of the great captain or enemy in +the evil day. Yet some get them girdles with great knots, as though they +would be surely girt, and as though they would break the devil's head +with their knotted girdles. Nay, he will not be so overcome: it is no +knot of an hempton girdle that he feareth; that is no piece of harness of +the armour of God, which may resist the assault in the evil day; it is +but feigned gear; it must be in the heart, &c. + +"And be ye apparelled or clothed," saith Paul, "with the habergeon or +coat-armour of justice, that is, righteousness." Let your body be +clothed in the armour of righteousness: ye may do no wrong to any man, +but live in righteousness; not clothed with any false quarrel or privy +grudge. Ye must live rightly in God's law, following his commandments +and doctrine, clothed righteously in his armour, and not in any feigned +armour, as in a friar's coat or cowl. For the assaults of the devil be +crafty to make us put our trust in such armour, he will feign himself to +fly; but then we be most in jeopardy: for he can give us an after-clap +when we least ween; that is, suddenly return unawares to us, and then he +giveth us an after-clap that overthroweth us: this armour deceiveth us. + +In like manner these men in the North country, they make pretence as +though they were armed in God's armour, gird in truth, and clothed in +righteousness. I hear say they wear the cross and the wounds before and +behind, and they pretend much truth to the king's grace and to the +commonwealth, when they intend nothing less; and deceive the poor +ignorant people, and bring them to fight against both the king, the +church, and the commonwealth. + +They arm them with the sign of the cross and of the wounds, and go clean +contrary to him that bare the cross, and suffered those wounds. They +rise with the king, and fight against the king in his ministers and +officers; they rise with the church, and fight against the church, which +is the congregation of faithful men; they rise for the commonwealth, and +fight against it, and go about to make the commons each to kill other, +and to destroy the commonwealth. Lo, what false pretence can the devil +send amongst us? It is one of his most crafty and subtle assaults, to +send his warriors forth under the badge of God, as though they were armed +in righteousness and justice. + +But if we will resist strongly indeed, we must he clothed or armed with +the habergeon of very justice or righteousness; in true obedience to our +prince, and faithful love to our neighbours; and take no false quarrels +in hand, nor any feigned armour; but in justice, "having your feet shod +for [the] preparation of the gospel of peace." + +Lo, what manner of battle this warrior St. Paul teacheth us, "to be shod +on our feet," that we may go readily and prepare way for the gospel; yea, +the gospel of peace, not of rebellion, not of insurrection: no, it +teacheth obedience, humility, and quietness; it maketh peace in the +conscience, and teacheth true faith in Jesus Christ, and to walk in God's +laws armed with God's armour, as Paul teacheth here. Yea, if bishops in +England had been "shod for the preparation of this gospel," and had +endeavoured themselves to teach and set [it] forth, as our most noble +prince hath devised; and if certain gentlemen, being justices, had +executed his grace's commandment, in setting forth this gospel of peace, +this disturbance among the people had not happened. + +But ye say, it is new learning. Now I tell you it is the old learning. +Yea, ye say, it is old heresy new scoured. Nay, I tell you it is old +truth, long rusted with your canker, and now new made bright and scoured. +What a rusty truth is this, _Quodcumque ligaveris_, "Whatsoever thou +bindest," &c. This is a truth spoken to the apostles, and all true +preachers their successors, that with the law of God they should bind and +condemn all that sinned; and whosoever did repent, they should declare +him loosed and forgiven, by believing in the blood of Christ. But how +hath this truth over-rusted with the pope's rust? For he, by this text, +"Whatsoever thou bindeth," hath taken upon him to make what laws him +listed, clean contrary unto God's word, which willeth that every man +should obey the prince's law: and by this text, "Whatsoever thou +loosest," he hath made all people believe that, for money, he might +forgive what and whom he lusted; so that if any man had robbed his +master, or taken anything wrongfully, the pope would loose him, by this +pardon or that pardon, given to these friars or those friars, put in this +box or that box. And, as it were, by these means a dividend of the spoil +was made, so that it was not restored, nor the person rightly discharged; +and yet most part of the spoil came to the hands of him and his +ministers. What is this but a new learning; a new canker to rust and +corrupt the old truth? Ye call your learning old: it may indeed be +called old, for it cometh of that serpent which did pervert God's +commandment and beguiled Eve; so it is an old custom to pervert God's +word, and to rust it, and corrupt it. + +We be a great many that profess to be true ministers of the gospel; but +at the trial I think it will come to pass as it did with Gideon, a duke, +which God raised up to deliver the children of Israel from the +Midianites, in whose hands they were fallen, because they had broken +God's commandment, and displeased God: yet at the length he had +compassion on them, and raised up Gideon to deliver them. When they +heard that they had a captain, or a duke, that should deliver them, they +assembled a great number, about thirty thousand: but when it came to pass +that they should fight, they departed all save five hundred. So, I fear +me, that at the trial we shall be found but a few ministers of the true +gospel of peace, and armed in the true armour of God. + +It followeth, "And in all things take the shield or buckler of faith." +The buckler is a thing wherewith a man most chiefly defendeth himself: +and that must be perfect faith in Jesus Christ, in our Captain, and in +his word. It must also be a true faith, it is else no part of the armour +of God: it may not be feigned, but a buckler, which may stop or quench +the violence of the flaming darts of the most wicked. + +"Take also the helmet or head-piece of health," or true health in Jesus +Christ; for there is no health in any other name: not the health of a +grey friar's coat, or the health of this pardon or that pardon; that were +a false helmet, and should not defend the violence of the wicked. + +"And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Lo, St. Paul +teacheth you battle; to take in your left hand the shield of faith, to +defend and bear off the darts of the devil, and in the other hand a sword +to strike with against the enemy: for a good man of war may not stand +against, and defend only, but also strike against his enemy. So St. Paul +giveth us here a sword, "The word of God." For this sword is it that +beateth this great captain, our enemy. Christ himself gave us ensample +to fight with this sword; for he answered the devil with the scripture, +and said, "It is written." With this sword he drave away the devil: and +so let us break his head with this sword, the true word of God, and not +with any word of the bishop of Rome's making; not with his old learning, +nor his new learning, but with the pure word of God. + +The time passeth: I will therefore make an end. Let us fight manfully, +and not cease; for no man is crowned or rewarded but in the end. We must +therefore fight continually, and with this sword; and thus armed, and we +shall receive the reward of victory. And thus the grace of our Lord +Jesus Christ be with all your spirits. Amen. + + + + +THE SERMON THAT THE REVEREND FATHER IN CHRIST, M. HUGH LATIMER, BISHOP OF +WORCESTER, MADE TO THE CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY, BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT +BEGAN, THE 9 DAY OF JUNE, THE 28 YEAR OF THE REIGN OF OUR LATE KING HENRY +THE 8. TRANSLATED OUT OF LATIN INTO ENGLISH, TO THE INTENT THAT THINGS +WELL SAID TO A FEW MAY BE UNDERSTOOD OF MANY, AND DO GOOD TO ALL THEM +THAT DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH. + + + _Filii hujus seculi_, &c.--Luc. xvi. + +Brethren, ye be come together this day, as far as I perceive, to hear of +great and weighty matters. Ye be come together to entreat of things that +most appertain to the commonwealth. This being thus, ye look, I am +assured, to hear of me, which am commanded to make as a preface this +exhortation, (albeit I am unlearned and far unworthy,) such things as +shall be much meet for this your assembly. I therefore, not only very +desirous to obey the commandment of our Primate, but also right greatly +coveting to serve and satisfy all your expectation; lo, briefly, and as +plainly as I can, will speak of matters both worthy to be heard in your +congregation, and also of such as best shall become mine office in this +place. That I may do this the more commodiously, I have taken that +notable sentence in which our Lord was not afraid to pronounce "the +children of this world to be much more prudent and politic than the +children of light in their generation." Neither will I be afraid, +trusting that he will aid and guide me to use this sentence, as a good +ground and foundation of all such things, as hereafter I shall speak of. + +Now, I suppose that you see right well, being men of such learning, for +what purpose the Lord said this, and that ye have no need to be holpen +with any part of my labour in this thing. But yet, if ye will pardon me, +I will wade somewhat deeper in this matter, and as nigh as I can, fetch +it from the first original beginning. For undoubtedly, ye may much +marvel at this saying, if ye well ponder both what is said, and who saith +it. Define me first these three things: what prudence is; what the +world; what light; and who be the children of the world; who of the +light: see what they signify in scripture. I marvel if by and by ye all +agree, that the children of the world should be wiser than the children +of the light. To come somewhat nigher the matter, thus the Lord +beginneth: + + There was a certain rich man that had a steward, which was accused + unto him that he had dissipated and wasted his goods. This rich man + called his steward to him and said, What is this that I hear of thee? + Come, make me an account of thy stewardship; thou mayest no longer + bear this office. + +Brethren, because these words are so spoken in a parable, and are so +wrapped in wrinkles, that yet they seem to have a face and a similitude +of a thing done indeed, and like an history, I think it much profitable +to tarry somewhat in them. And though we may perchance find in our +hearts to believe all that is there spoken to be true; yet I doubt +whether we may abide it, that these words of Christ do pertain unto us, +and admonish us of our duty, which do and live after such sort, as though +Christ, when he spake any thing, had, as the time served him, served his +turn, and not regarded the time that came after him, neither provided for +us, or any matters of ours; as some of the philosophers thought, which +said, that God walked up and down in heaven, and thinketh never a deal of +our affairs. But, my good brethren, err not you so; stick not you to +such your imaginations. For if ye inwardly behold these words, if ye +diligently roll them in your minds, and after explicate and open them, ye +shall see our time much touched in these mysteries. Ye shall perceive +that God by this example shaketh us by the noses and pulleth us by the +ears. Ye shall perceive very plain, that God setteth before our eyes in +this similitude what we ought most to flee, and what we ought soonest to +follow. For Luke saith, "The Lord spake these words to his disciples." +Wherefore let it be out of all doubt that he spake them to us, which even +as we will be counted the successors and vicars of Christ's disciples, so +we be, if we be good dispensers and do our duty. He said these things +partly to us, which spake them partly of himself. For he is that rich +man, which not only had, but hath, and shall have evermore, I say not +one, but many stewards, even to the end of the world. + +He is man, seeing that he is God and man. He is rich, not only in mercy +but in all kind of riches; for it is he that giveth to us all things +abundantly. It is he of whose hand we received both our lives, and other +things necessary for the conservation of the same. What man hath any +thing, I pray you, but he hath received it of his plentifulness? To be +short, it is he that "openeth his hand, and filleth all beasts with his +blessing," and giveth unto us in most ample wise his benediction. Neither +his treasure can be spent, how much soever he lash out; how much soever +we take of him, his treasure tarrieth still, ever taken, never spent. + +He is also the good man of the house: the church is his household which +ought with all diligence to be fed with his word and his sacraments. +These be his goods most precious, the dispensation and administration +whereof he would bishops and curates should have. Which thing St. Paul +affirmeth, saying, "Let men esteem us as the ministers of Christ, and +dispensers of God's mysteries." But, I pray you, what is to be looked +for in a dispenser? This surely, "That he be found faithful," and that +he truly dispense, and lay out the goods of the Lord; that he give meat +in time; give it, I say, and not sell it; meat, I say, and not poison. +For the one doth intoxicate and slay the eater, the other feedeth and +nourisheth him. Finally, let him not slack and defer the doing of his +office, but let him do his duty when time is, and need requireth it. This +is also to be looked for, that he be one whom God hath called and put in +office, and not one that cometh uncalled, unsent for; not one that of +himself presumeth to take honour upon him. And surely, if all this that +I say be required in a good minister, it is much lighter to require them +all in every one, than to find one any where that hath them all. Who is +a true and faithful steward? He is true, he is faithful, that cometh no +new money, but taketh it ready coined of the good man of the house; and +neither changeth it, nor clippeth it, after it is taken to him to spend, +but spendeth even the self-same that he had of his Lord, and spendeth it +as his Lord's commandment is; neither to his own vantage uttering it, nor +as the lewd servant did, hiding it in the ground. Brethren, if a +faithful steward ought to do as I have said, I pray you, ponder and +examine this well, whether our bishops and abbots, prelates and curates, +have been hitherto faithful stewards or no? Ponder, whether yet many of +them be as they should be or no? Go ye to, tell me now as your +conscience leadeth you (I will let pass to speak of many other), was +there not some, that despising the money of the Lord, as copper and not +current, either coined new themselves, or else uttered abroad newly +coined of other; sometime either adulterating the word of God or else +mingling it (as taverners do, which brew and utter the evil and good both +in one pot), sometime in the stead of God's word blowing out the dreams +of men? while they thus preached to the people the redemption that cometh +by Christ's death to serve only them that died before his coming, that +were in the time of the old testament; and that now since redemption and +forgiveness of sins purchased by money, and devised by men is of +efficacy, and not redemption purchased by Christ (they have a wonderful +pretty example to persuade this thing, of a certain married woman, which, +when her husband was in purgatory, in that fiery furnace that hath burned +away so many of our pence, paid her husband's ransom, and so of duty +claimed him to be set at liberty): while they thus preached to the +people, that dead images (which at the first, as I think, were set up, +only to represent things absent) not only ought to be covered with gold, +but also ought of all faithful and christian people (yea, in this +scarceness and penury of all things), to be clad with silk garments, and +those also laden with precious gems and jewels; and that beside all this, +they are to be lighted with wax candles, both within the church and +without the church, yea, and at noon days; as who should say, here no +cost can be too great; whereas in the mean time we see Christ's faithful +and lively images, bought with no less price than with his most precious +blood (alas, alas!) to be an hungred, a-thirst, a-cold, and to lie in +darkness, wrapped in all wretchedness, yea, to lie there till death take +away their miseries: while they preached these will-works, that come but +of our own devotion, although they be not so necessary as the works of +mercy, and the precepts of God, yet they said, and in the pulpit, that +will-works were more principal, more excellent, and (plainly to utter +what they mean) more acceptable to God than works of mercy; as though now +man's inventions and fancies could please God better than God's precepts, +or strange things better than his own: while they thus preached that more +fruit, more devotion cometh of the beholding of an image, though it be +but a Pater-noster while, than is gotten by reading and contemplation in +scripture, though ye read and contemplate therein seven years' space: +finally, while they preached thus, souls tormented in purgatory to have +most need of our help, and that they can have no aid, but of us in this +world: of the which two, if the one be not false, yet at the least it is +ambiguous, uncertain, doubtful, and therefore rashly and arrogantly with +such boldness affirmed in the audience of the people; the other, by all +men's opinions, is manifestly false: I let pass to speak of much other +such like counterfeit doctrine, which hath been blasted and blown out by +some for the space of three hours together. Be these the Christian and +divine mysteries, and not rather the dreams of men? Be these the +faithful dispensers of God's mysteries, and not rather false dissipators +of them? whom God never put in office, but rather the devil set them over +a miserable family, over an house miserably ordered and entreated. Happy +were the people if such preached seldom. + +And yet it is a wonder to see these, in their generation, to be much more +prudent and politic than the faithful ministers are in their generation; +while they go about more prudently to stablish men's dreams, than these +do to hold up God's commandments. + +Thus it cometh to pass that works lucrative, will-works, men's fancies +reign; but christian works, necessary works, fruitful works, be trodden +under the foot. Thus the evil is much better set out by evil men, than +the good by good men; because the evil be more wise than be the good in +their generation. These be the false stewards, whom all good and +faithful men every day accuse unto the rich master of the household, not +without great heaviness, that they waste his goods; whom he also one day +will call to him, and say to them as he did to his steward, when he said, +"What is this that I hear of thee?" Here God partly wondereth at our +ingratitude and perfidy, partly chideth us for them; and being both full +of wonder and ready to chide, asketh us, "What is this that I hear of +you?" As though he should say unto us, "All good men in all places +complain of you, accuse your avarice, your exactions, your tyranny. They +have required in you a long season, and yet require, diligence and +sincerity. I commanded you, that with all industry and labour ye should +feed my sheep: ye earnestly feed yourselves from day to day, wallowing in +delights and idleness. I commanded you to teach my commandments, and not +your fancies; and that ye should seek my glory and my vantage: you teach +your own traditions, and seek your own glory and profit. You preach very +seldom; and when ye do preach, do nothing but cumber them that preach +truly, as much as lieth in you: that it were much better such were not to +preach at all, than so perniciously to preach. Oh, what hear I of you? +You, that ought to be my preachers, what other thing do you, than apply +all your study hither, to bring all my preachers to envy, shame, +contempt? Yea, more than this, ye pull them into perils, into prisons, +and, as much as in you lieth, to cruel deaths. To be short, I would that +christian people should hear my doctrine, and at their convenient leisure +read it also, as many as would: your care is not that all men may hear +it, but all your care is, that no lay man do read it: surely, being +afraid lest they by the reading should understand it, and understanding, +learn to rebuke our slothfulness. This is your generation, this is your +dispensation, this is your wisdom. In this generation, in this +dispensation, you be most politic, most witty. These be the things that +I hear of your demeanour. I wished to hear better report of you. Have +ye thus deceived me? or have ye rather deceived yourselves? Where I had +but one house, that is to say, the church, and this so dearly beloved of +me, that for the love of her I put myself forth to be slain, and to shed +my blood; this church at my departure I committed unto your charge, to be +fed, to be nourished, and to be made much of. My pleasure was ye should +occupy my place; my desire was ye should have borne like love to this +church, like fatherly affection, as I did: I made you my vicars, yea, in +matters of most importance. + +"For thus I taught openly: 'He that should hear you, should hear me; he +that should despise you, should despise me.' I gave you also keys, not +earthly keys, but heavenly. I left my goods that I have evermore most +highly esteemed, that is, my word and sacraments, to be dispensed of you. +These benefits I gave you, and do you give me these thanks? Can you find +in your hearts thus to abuse my goodness, my benignity, my gentleness? +Have you thus deceived me? No, no, ye have not deceived me, but +yourselves. My gifts and benefits towards you shall be to your greater +damnation. Because you have contemned the lenity and clemency of the +master of the house, ye have right well deserved to abide the rigour and +severity of the judge. Come forth then, let us see an account of your +stewardship. An horrible and fearful sentence: Ye may have no longer my +goods in your hands. A voice to weep at, and to make men tremble!" + +You see, brethren, you see, what evil the evil stewards must come to. +Your labour is paid for, if ye can so take heed, that no such sentence be +spoken to you; nay, we must all take heed lest these threatenings one day +take place in us. But lest the length of my sermon offend you too sore, +I will leave the rest of the parable and take me to the handling of the +end of it; that is, I will declare unto you how the children of this +world be more witty, crafty, and subtle, than are the children of the +light in their generation. Which sentence would God it lay in my poor +tongue to explicate with such light of words, that I might seem rather to +have painted it before your eyes, than to have spoken it; and that you +might rather seem to see the thing, than to hear it! But I confess +plainly this thing to be far above my power. Therefore this being only +left to me, I wish for that I have not, and am sorry that that is not in +me which I would so gladly have, that is, power so to handle the thing +that I have in hand, that all that I say may turn to the glory of God, +your souls' health, and the edifying of Christ's body. Wherefore I pray +you all to pray with me unto God, and that in your petition you desire, +that these two things he vouchsafe to grant us, first, a mouth for me to +speak rightly; next, ears for you, that in hearing me ye may take profit +at my hand: and that this may come to effect, you shall desire him, unto +whom our master Christ bad we should pray, saying even the same prayer +that he himself did institute. Wherein ye shall pray for our most +gracious sovereign lord the king, chief and supreme head of the church of +England under Christ, and for the most excellent, gracious, and virtuous +lady queen Jane, his most lawful wife, and for all his, whether they be +of the clergy or laity, whether they be of the nobility, or else other +his grace's subjects, not forgetting those that being departed out of +this transitory life, and now sleep in the sleep of peace, and rest from +their labours in quietness and peaceable sleep, faithfully, lovingly, and +patiently looking for that that they clearly shall see when God shall be +so pleased. For all these, and for grace necessary, ye shall say unto +God God's prayer, _Pater-noster_. + + + +THE SECOND SERMON, IN THE AFTERNOON. + + + _Filii hujus seculi_, &c.--Luc. xvi. [8]. + +Christ in this saying touched the sloth and sluggishness of his, and did +not allow the fraud and subtlety of others; neither was glad that it was +indeed as he had said, but complained rather that it should be so: as +many men speak many things, not that they ought to be so, but that they +are wont to be so. Nay, this grieved Christ, that the children of this +world should be of more policy than the children of light; which thing +was true in Christ's time, and now in our time is most true. Who is so +blind but he seeth this clearly; except perchance there be any that +cannot discern the children of the world from the children of light? The +children of the world conceive and bring forth more prudently; and things +conceived and brought forth they nourish and conserve with much more +policy than do the children of light. Which thing is as sorrowful to be +said, as it seemeth absurd to be heard. When ye hear the children of the +world, you understand the world as a father. For the world is father of +many children, not by the first creation and work, but by imitation of +love. He is not only a father, but also the son of another father. If +ye know once his father, by and by ye shall know his children. For he +that hath the devil to his father, must needs have devilish children. The +devil is not only taken for father, but also for prince of the world, +that is, of worldly folk. It is either all one thing, or else not much +different, to say, children of the world, and children of the devil; +according to that that Christ said to the Jews, "Ye are of your father +the devil:" where as undoubtedly he spake to children of this world. Now +seeing the devil is both author and ruler of the darkness, in the which +the children of this world walk, or, to say better, wander; they mortally +hate both the light, and also the children of light. And hereof it +cometh, that the children of light never, or very seldom, lack +persecution in this world, unto which the children of the world, that is, +of the devil, bringeth them. And there is no man but he seeth, that +these use much more policy in procuring the hurt and damage of the good, +than those in defending themselves. Therefore, brethren, gather you the +disposition and study of the children by the disposition and study of the +fathers. Ye know this is a proverb much used: "An evil crow, an evil +egg." Then the children of this world that are known to have so evil a +father, the world, so evil a grandfather, the devil, cannot choose but be +evil. Surely the first head of their ancestry was the deceitful serpent +the devil, a monster monstrous above all monsters. I cannot wholly +express him, I wot not what to call him, but a certain thing altogether +made of the hatred of God, of mistrust in God, of lyings, deceits, +perjuries, discords, manslaughters; and, to say at one word, a thing +concrete, heaped up and made of all kind of mischief. But what the devil +mean I to go about to describe particularly the devil's nature, when no +reason, no power of man's mind can comprehend it? This alonely I can say +grossly, and as in a sum, of the which all we (our hurt is the more) have +experience, the devil to be a stinking sentine of all vices; a foul +filthy channel of all mischiefs; and that this world, his son, even a +child meet to have such a parent, is not much unlike his father. + +Then, this devil being such one as can never be unlike himself; lo, of +Envy, his well-beloved Leman, he begat the World, and after left it with +Discord at nurse; which World, after that it came to man's state, had of +many concubines many sons. He was so fecund a father, and had gotten so +many children of Lady Pride, Dame Gluttony, Mistress Avarice, Lady +Lechery, and of Dame Subtlety, that now hard and scant ye may find any +corner, any kind of life, where many of his children be not. In court, +in cowls, in cloisters, in rochets, be they never so white; yea, where +shall ye not find them? Howbeit, they that be secular and laymen, are +not by and by children of the world; nor they children of light, that are +called spiritual, and of the clergy. No, no; as ye may find among the +laity many children of light, so among the clergy, (how much soever we +arrogate these holy titles unto us, and think them only attributed to us, +_Vos estis lux mundi, peculium Christi, &c_. "Ye are the light of the +world, the chosen people of Christ, a kingly priesthood, an holy nation, +and such other,") ye shall find many children of the world; because in +all places the world getteth many children. Among the lay people the +world ceaseth not to bring to pass, that as they be called wordly, so +they are wordly indeed; driven headlong by worldly desires: insomuch that +they may right well seem to have taken as well the manners as the name of +their father. In the clergy, the world also hath learned a way to make +of men spiritual, worldlings; yea, and there also to form worldly +children, where with great pretence of holiness, and crafty colour of +religion, they utterly desire to hide and cloak the name of the world, as +though they were ashamed of their father; which do execrate and detest +the world (being nevertheless their father) in words and outward signs, +but in heart and work they coll and kiss him, and in all their lives +declare themselves to be his babes; insomuch that in all worldly points +they far pass and surmount those that they call seculars, laymen, men of +the world. The child so diligently followeth the steps of his father, is +never destitute of the aid of his grandfather. These be our holy holy +men, that say they are dead to the world, when no men be more lively in +worldly things than some of them be. But let them be in profession and +name most farthest from the world, most alienate from it; yea, so far, +that they may seem to have no occupying, no kindred, no affinity, nothing +to do with it: yet in their life and deeds they shew themselves no +bastards, but right begotten children of the world; as that which the +world long sithens had by his dear wife Dame Hypocrisy, and since hath +brought them up and multiplied to more than a good many; increased them +too much, albeit they swear by all he-saints and she-saints too, that +they know not their father, nor mother, neither the world, nor hypocrisy; +as indeed they can semble and dissemble all things; which thing they +might learn wonderful well of their parents. I speak not of all +religious men, but of those that the world hath fast knit at his girdle, +even in the midst of their religion, that is, of many and more than many. +For I fear, lest in all orders of men the better, I must say the greater +part of them be out of order, and children of the world. Many of these +might seem ingrate and unkind children, that will no better acknowledge +and recognise their parents in words and outward pretence, but abrenounce +and cast them off, as though they hated them as dogs and serpents. +Howbeit they, in this wise, are most grateful to their parents, because +they be most like them, so lively representing them in countenance and +conditions, that their parents seem in them to be young again, forasmuch +as they ever say one thing and think another. They shew themselves to be +as sober, as temperate, as Curius the Roman was, and live every day as +though all their life were a shroving time. They be like their parents, +I say, inasmuch as they, in following them, seem and make men believe +they hate them. Thus grandfather Devil, father World, and mother +Hypocrisy, have brought them up. Thus good obedient sons have borne away +their parents' commandments; neither these be solitary, how religious, +how mocking, how monking, I would say, soever they be. + +O ye will lay this to my charge, that _monachus_ and _solitarius_ +signifieth all one. I grant this to be so, yet these be so solitary that +they be not alone, but accompanied with great flocks of fraternities. And +I marvel if there be not a great sort of bishops and prelates, that are +brethren germain unto these; and as a great sort, so even as right born, +and world's children by as good title as they. But because I cannot +speak of all, when I say prelates, I understand bishops, abbots, priors, +archdeacons, deans, and other of such sort, that are now called to this +convocation, as I see, to entreat here of nothing but of such matters as +both appertain to the glory of Christ, and to the wealth of the people of +England. Which thing I pray God they do as earnestly as they ought to +do. But it is to be feared lest, as light hath many her children here, +so the world hath sent some of his whelps hither; amongst the which I +know there can be no concord nor unity, albeit they be in one place, in +one congregation. I know there can be no agreement between these two, as +long as they have minds so unlike, and so contrary affections, judgments +so utterly diverse in all points. But if the children of this world be +either more in number, or more prudent than the children of light, what +then availeth us to have this convocation? Had it not been better we had +not been called together at all? For as the children of this world be +evil, so they breed and bring forth things evil; and yet there be more of +them in all places, or at the least they be more politic than the +children of light in their generation. And here I speak of the +generation whereby they do engender, and not of that whereby they are +engendered, because it should be too long to entreat how the children of +light are engendered, and how they come in at the door; and how the +children of the world be engendered, and come in another way. Howbeit, I +think all you that be here were not engendered after one generation, +neither that ye all came by your promotions after one manner: God grant +that ye, engendered worldly, do not engender worldly: and as now I much +pass not how ye were engendered, or by what means ye were promoted to +those dignities that ye now occupy, so it be honest, good and profitable, +that ye in this your consultation shall do and engender. + +The end of your convocation shall shew what ye have done; the fruit that +shall come of your consultation shall shew what generation ye be of. For +what have ye done hitherto, I pray you, these seven years and more? What +have ye engendered? What have ye brought forth? What fruit is come of +your long and great assembly? What one thing that the people of England +hath been the better of a hair; or you yourselves, either more accepted +before God, or better discharged toward the people committed unto your +cure? For that the people is better learned and taught now, than they +were in time past, to whether of these ought we to attribute it, to your +industry, or to the providence of God, and the foreseeing of the king's +grace! Ought we to thank you, or the king's highness? Whether stirred +other first, you the king, that he might preach, or he you by his +letters, that ye should preach oftener? Is it unknown, think you, how +both ye and your curates were, in [a] manner, by violence enforced to let +books to be made, not by you, but by profane and lay persons; to let +them, I say, be sold abroad, and read for the instruction of the people? +I am bold with you, but I speak Latin and not English, to the clergy, not +to the laity; I speak to you being present, and not behind your backs. +God is my witness, I speak whatsoever is spoken of the good-will that I +bear you; God is my witness, which knoweth my heart, and compelleth me to +say that I say. + +Now, I pray you in God's name, what did you, so great fathers, so many, +so long a season, so oft assembled together? What went you about? What +would ye have brought to pass? Two things taken away--the one, that ye +(which I heard) burned a dead man; the other, that ye (which I felt) went +about to burn one being alive: him, because he did, I cannot tell how, in +his testament withstand your profit; in other points, as I have heard, a +very good man; reported to be of an honest life while he lived, full of +good works, good both to the clergy, and also to the laity: this other, +which truly never hurt any of you, ye would have raked in the coals, +because he would not subscribe to certain articles that took away the +supremacy of the king:--take away these two noble acts, and there is +nothing else left that ye went about, that I know, saving that I now +remember, that somewhat ye attempted against Erasmus, albeit as yet +nothing is come to light. Ye have oft sat in consultation, but what have +ye done? Ye have had many things in deliberation, but what one is put +forth, whereby either Christ is more glorified, or else Christ's people +made more holy I appeal to your own conscience. How chanced this? How +came it thus? Because there were no children of light, no children of +God amongst you, which, setting the world at nought, would study to +illustrate the glory of God, and thereby shew themselves children of +light? I think not so, certainly I think not so. God forbid, that all +you, which were gathered together under the pretence of light, should be +children of the world! Then why happened this? Why, I pray you? +Perchance, either because the children of the world were more in number +in this your congregation, as it oft happeneth, or at the least of more +policy than the children of light in their generation: whereby it might +very soon be brought to pass, that these were much more stronger in +gendering the evil than these in producing the good. The children of +light have policy, but it is like the policy of the serpent, and is +joined with doveish simplicity. They engender nothing but simply, +faithfully, and plainly, even so doing all that they do. And therefore +they may with more facility be cumbered in their engendering, and be the +more ready to take injuries. But the children of this world have worldly +policy, foxly craft, lion-like cruelty, power to do hurt, more than +either _aspis_ or _basiliscus_, engendering and doing all things +fraudulently, deceitfully, guilefully: which as Nimrods and such sturdy +and stout hunters, being full of simulation and dissimulation before the +Lord, deceive the children of light, and cumber them easily. Hunters go +not forth in every man's sight, but do their affairs closely, and with +use of guile and deceit wax every day more craftier than other. + +The children of this world be like crafty hunters; they be misnamed +children of light, forasmuch as they so hate light, and so study to do +the works of darkness. If they were the children of light, they would +not love darkness. It is no marvel that they go about to keep other in +darkness, seeing they be in darkness, from top to toe overwhelmed with +darkness, darker than is the darkness of hell. Wherefore it is well done +in all orders of men, but especial in the order of prelates, to put a +difference between children of light and children of the world, because +great deceit ariseth in taking the one for the other. Great imposture +cometh, when they that the common people take for the light, go about to +take the sun and the light out of the world. But these be easily known, +both by the diversity of minds, and also their armours. For whereas the +children of light are thus minded, that they seek their adversaries' +health, wealth, and profit, with loss of their own commodities, and +ofttimes with jeopardy of their life; the children of the world, +contrariwise, have such stomachs, that they will sooner see them dead +that doth them good, than sustain any loss of temporal things. The +armour of the children of light are, first, the word of God, which they +ever set forth, and with all diligence put it abroad, that, as much as in +them lieth, it may bring forth fruit: after this, patience and prayer, +with the which in all adversities the Lord comforteth them. Other things +they commit to God, unto whom they leave all revengement. The armour of +the children of the world are, sometime frauds and deceits, sometime lies +and money: by the first they make their dreams, their traditions; by the +second they stablish and confirm their dreams, be they never so absurd, +never so against scripture, honesty, or reason. And if any man resist +them, even with these weapons they procure to slay him. Thus they bought +Christ's death, the very light itself, and obscured him after his death: +thus they buy every day the children of light, and obscure them, and +shall so do, until the world be at an end. So that it may be ever true, +that Christ said: "The children of the world be wiser, &c." + +These worldlings pull down the lively faith, and full confidence that men +have in Christ, and set up another faith, another confidence, of their +own making: the children of light contrary. These worldlings set little +by such works as God hath prepared for our salvation, but they extol +traditions and works of their own invention: the children of light +contrary. The worldlings, if they spy profit, gains, or lucre in any +thing, be it never such a trifle, be it never so pernicious, they preach +it to the people (if they preach at any time), and these things they +defend with tooth and nail. They can scarce disallow the abuses of +these, albeit they be intolerable, lest in disallowing the abuse they +lose part of their profit. The children of the light contrary, put all +things in their degree, best highest, next next, the worst lowest. They +extol things necessary, Christian, and commanded of God. They pull down +will-works feigned by men, and put them in their place. The abuses of +all things they earnestly rebuke. But yet these things be so done on +both parties, and so they both do gender, that the children of the world +shew themselves wiser than the children of light, and that frauds and +deceits, lies and money, seem evermore to have the upper hand. I hold my +peace; I will not say how fat feasts, and jolly banquets, be jolly +instruments to set forth worldly matters withal. Neither the children of +the world be only wiser than the children of light, but are also some of +them among themselves much wiser than the other in their generation. For +albeit, as touching the end, the generation of them all is one; yet in +this same generation some of them have more craftily engendered than the +other of their fellows. + +For what a thing was that, that once every hundred year was brought forth +in Rome of the children of this world, and with how much policy it was +made, ye heard at Paul's Cross in the beginning of the last parliament: +how some brought forth canonizations, some expectations, some pluralities +and unions, some tot-quots and dispensations, some pardons, and these of +wonderful variety, some stationaries, some jubilaries, some pocularies +for drinkers, some manuaries for handlers of relicks, some pedaries for +pilgrims, some oscularies for kissers; some of them engendered one, some +other such fetures, and every one in that he was delivered of, was +excellent politic, wise; yea, so wise, that with their wisdom they had +almost made all the world fools. + +But yet they that begot and brought forth that our old ancient purgatory +pick-purse; that that was swaged and cooled with a Franciscan's cowl, put +upon a dead man's back, to the fourth part of his sins; that that was +utterly to be spoiled, and of none other but of our most prudent lord +Pope, and of him as oft as him listed; that satisfactory, that missal, +that scalary: they, I say, that were the wise fathers and genitors of +this purgatory, were in my mind the wisest of all their generation, and +so far pass the children of light, and also the rest of their company, +that they both are but fools, if ye compare them with these. It was a +pleasant fiction, and from the beginning so profitable to the feigners of +it, that almost, I dare boldly say, there hath been no emperor that hath +gotten more by taxes and tallages of them that were alive, than these, +the very and right-begotten sons of the world, got by dead men's tributes +and gifts. If there be some in England, that would this sweeting of the +world to be with no less policy kept still than it was born and brought +forth in Rome, who then can accuse Christ of lying? No, no; as it hath +been ever true, so it shall be, that the children of the world be much +wiser, not only in making their things, but also in conserving them. I +wot not what it is, but somewhat it is I wot, that some men be so loth to +see the abuse of this monster, purgatory, which abuse is more than +abominable: as who should say, there is none abuse in it, or else as +though there can be none in it. They may seem heartily to love the old +thing, that thus earnestly endeavour them to restore him his old name. +They would not set an hair by the name, but for the thing. They be not +so ignorant (no, they be crafty), but that they know if the name come +again, the thing will come after. Thereby it ariseth, that some men make +their cracks, that they, maugre all men's heads, have found purgatory. I +cannot tell what is found. This, to pray for dead folks, this is not +found, for it was never lost. How can that be found that was not lost? O +subtle finders, that can find things, if God will, ere they be lost! For +that cowlish deliverance, their scalary losings, their papal spoliations, +and other such their figments, they cannot find. No, these be so lost, +as they themselves grant, that though they seek them never so diligently, +yet they shall not find them, except perchance they hope to see them come +in again with their names; and that then money-gathering may return +again, and deceit walk about the country, and so stablish their kingdom +in all kingdoms. But to what end this chiding between the children of +the world and the children of light will come, only he knoweth that once +shall judge them both. + +Now, to make haste and to come somewhat nigher the end. Go ye to, good +brethren and fathers, for the love of God, go ye to; and seeing we are +here assembled, let us do something whereby we may be known to be the +children of light. Let us do somewhat, lest we, which hitherto have been +judged children of the world, seem even still to be so. All men call us +prelates: then, seeing we be in council, let us so order ourselves, that +we be prelates in honour and dignity; so we may be prelates in holiness, +benevolence, diligence, and sincerity. All men know that we be here +gathered, and with most fervent desire they anheale, breathe, and gape +for the fruit of our convocation: as our acts shall be, so they shall +name us: so that now it lieth in us, whether we will be called children +of the world, or children of light. + +Wherefore lift up your heads, brethren, and look about with your eyes, +spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England. Is it so +hard, is it so great a matter for you to see many abuses in the clergy, +many in the laity? What is done in the Arches? Nothing to be amended? +What do they there? Do they evermore rid the people's business and +matters, or cumber and ruffle them? Do they evermore correct vice, or +else defend it, sometime being well corrected in other places? How many +sentences be given there in time, as they ought to be? If men say truth, +how many without bribes? Or if all things be well done there, what do +men in bishops' Consistories? Shall you often see the punishments +assigned by the laws executed, or else money-redemptions used in their +stead? How think you by the ceremonies that are in England, oft times, +with no little offence of weak consciences, contemned; more oftener with +superstition so defiled, and so depraved, that you may doubt whether it +were better some of them to tarry still, or utterly to take them away? +Have not our forefathers complained of the ceremonies, of the +superstition, and estimation of them? + +Do ye see nothing in our holidays? of the which very few were made at the +first, and they to set forth goodness, virtue, and honesty: but sithens, +in some places, there is neither mean nor measure in making new holidays, +as who should say, this one thing is serving of God, to make this law, +that no man may work. But what doth the people on these holidays? Do +they give themselves to godliness, or else ungodliness? See ye nothing, +brethren? If you see not, yet God seeth. God seeth all the whole +holidays to be spent miserably in drunkenness, in glossing, in strife, in +envy, in dancing, dicing, idleness, and gluttony. He seeth all this, and +threateneth punishment for it. He seeth it, which neither is deceived in +seeing, nor deceiveth when he threateneth. + +Thus men serve the devil; for God is not thus served, albeit ye say ye +serve God. No, the devil hath more service done unto him on one holiday, +than on many working days. Let all these abuses be counted as nothing, +who is he that is not sorry, to see in so many holidays rich and wealthy +persons to flow in delicates, and men that live by their travail, poor +men, to lack necessary meat and drink for their wives and their children, +and that they cannot labour upon the holidays, except they will be cited, +and brought before our Officials? Were it not the office of good +prelates to consult upon these matters, and to seek some remedy for them? +Ye shall see, my brethren, ye shall see once, what will come of this our +winking. + +What think ye of these images that are had more than their fellows in +reputation; that are gone unto with such labour and weariness of the +body, frequented with such our cost, sought out and visited with such +confidence? What say ye by these images, that are so famous, so noble, +so noted, being of them so many and so divers in England? Do you think +that this preferring of picture to picture, image to image, is the right +use, and not rather the abuse, of images? But you will say to me, Why +make ye all these interrogations? and why, in these your demands, do you +let and withdraw the good devotion of the people? Be not all things well +done, that are done with good intent, when they be profitable to us? So, +surely, covetousness both thinketh and speaketh. Were it not better for +us, more for estimation, more meeter for men in our places, to cut away a +piece of this our profit, if we will not cut away all, than to wink at +such ungodliness, and so long to wink for a little lucre; specially if it +be ungodliness, and also seem unto you ungodliness? These be two things, +so oft to seek mere images, and sometime to visit the relicks of saints. +And yet, as in those there may be much ungodliness committed, so there +may here some superstition be hid, if that sometime we chance to visit +pigs' bones instead of saints' relicks, as in time past it hath chanced, +I had almost said, in England. Then this is too great a blindness, a +darkness too sensible, that these should be so commended in sermons of +some men, and preached to be done after such manner, as though they could +not be evil done; which, notwithstanding, are such, that neither God nor +man commandeth them to be done. No, rather, men commanded them either +not to be done at all, or else more slowlier and seldomer to be done, +forasmuch as our ancestors made this constitution: "We command the +priests that they oft admonish the people, and in especial women, that +they make no vows but after long deliberation, consent of their husbands +and counsel of the priest." The church of England in time past made this +constitution. What saw they that made this decree? They saw the +intolerable abuses of images. They saw the perils that might ensue of +going on pilgrimage. They saw the superstitious difference that men made +between image and image. Surely, somewhat they saw. The constitution is +so made, that in manner it taketh away all such pilgrimages. For it so +plucketh away the abuse of them, that it leaveth either none or else +seldom use of them. For they that restrain making vows for going of +pilgrimage, restrain also pilgrimage; seeing that for the most part it is +seen that few go on pilgrimage but vow-makers, and such as by promise +bind themselves to go. And when, I pray you, should a man's wife go on +pilgrimage, if she went not before she had well debated the matter with +herself, and obtained the consent of her husband, being a wise man, and +were also counselled by a learned priest so to do? When should she go +far off to these famous images? For this the common people of England +think to be going on pilgrimage; to go to some dead and notable image out +of town, that is to say, far from their house. Now if your forefathers +made this constitution, and yet thereby did nothing, the abuses every day +more and more increased, what is left for you to do? Brethren and +fathers, if ye purpose to do any thing, what should ye sooner do, than to +take utterly away these deceitful and juggling images; or else, if ye +know any other mean to put away abuses, to shew it, if ye intend to +remove abuses? Methink it should be grateful and pleasant to you to mark +the earnest mind of your forefathers, and to look upon their desire where +they say in their constitution, "We _command_ you," and not, "We +_counsel_ you." How have we been so long a-cold, so long slack in +setting forth so wholesome a precept of the church of England, where we +be so hot in all things that have any gains in them, albeit they be +neither commanded us, nor yet given us by counsel; as though we had lever +the abuse of things should tarry still than, it taken away, lose our +profit? To let pass the solemn and nocturnal bacchanals, the prescript +miracles, that are done upon certain days in the west part of England, +who hath not heard? I think ye have heard of St. Blesis's heart which is +at Malverne, and of St. Algar's bones, how long they deluded the people: +I am afraid, to the loss of many souls. Whereby men may well conjecture, +that all about in this realm there is plenty of such juggling deceits. +And yet hitherto ye have sought no remedy. But even still the miserable +people are suffered to take the false miracles for the true, and to lie +still asleep in all kind of superstition. God have mercy upon us! + +Last of all, how think you of matrimony? Is all well here? What of +baptism? Shall we evermore in ministering of it speak Latin, and not in +English rather, that the people may know what is said and done? + +What think ye of these mass-priests, and of the masses themselves? What +say ye? Be all things here so without abuses, that nothing ought to be +amended? Your forefathers saw somewhat, which made this constitution +against the venality and sale of masses, that, under pain of suspending, +no priest should sell his saying of tricennals or annals. What saw they, +that made this constitution? What priests saw they? What manner of +masses saw they, trow ye? But at the last, what became of so good a +constitution? God have mercy upon us! If there be nothing to be amended +abroad, concerning the whole, let every one of us make one better: if +there be neither abroad nor at home any thing to be amended and +redressed, my lords, be ye of good cheer, be merry; and at the least, +because we have nothing else to do, let us reason the matter how we may +be richer. Let us fall to some pleasant communication; after let us go +home, even as good as we came hither, that is, right-begotten children of +the world, and utterly worldlings. And while we live here, let us all +make bone cheer. For after this life there is small pleasure, little +mirth for us to hope for; if now there be nothing to be changed in our +fashions. Let us say, not as St. Peter did, "Our end approacheth nigh," +this is an heavy hearing; but let us say as the evil servant said, "It +will be long ere my master come." This is pleasant. Let us beat our +fellows: let us eat and drink with drunkards. Surely, as oft as we do +not take away the abuse of things, so oft we beat our fellows. As oft as +we give not the people their true food, so oft we beat our fellows. As +oft as we let them die in superstition, so oft we beat them. To be +short, as oft as we blind lead them blind, so oft we beat, and grievously +beat our fellows. When we welter in pleasures and idleness, then we eat +and drink with drunkards. But God will come, God will come, he will not +tarry long away. He will come upon such a day as we nothing look for +him, and at such hour as we know not. He will come and cut us in pieces. +He will reward us as he doth the hypocrites. He will set us where +wailing shall be, my brethren; where gnashing of teeth shall be, my +brethren. And let here be the end of our tragedy, if ye will. These be +the delicate dishes prepared for the world's well-beloved children. These +be the wafers and junkets provided for worldly prelates--wailing and +gnashing of teeth. Can there be any mirth, where these two courses last +all the feast? Here we laugh, there we shall weep. Our teeth make merry +here, ever dashing in delicates; there we shall be torn with teeth, and +do nothing but gnash and grind our own. To what end have we now excelled +other in policy? What have we brought forth at the last? Ye see, +brethren, what sorrow, what punishment is provided for you, if ye be +worldlings. If ye will not thus be vexed, be ye not the children of the +world. If ye will not be the children of the world, be not stricken with +the love of worldly things; lean not upon them. If ye will not die +eternally, live not worldly. Come, go to; leave the love of your profit; +study for the glory and profit of Christ; seek in your consultations such +things as pertain to Christ, and bring forth at the last somewhat that +may please Christ. Feed ye tenderly, with all diligence, the flock of +Christ. Preach truly the word of God. Love the light, walk in the +light, and so be ye the children of light while ye are in this world, +that ye may shine in the world that is to come bright as the sun, with +the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; to whom be all honour, praise, +and glory. Amen. + + + + +A SERMON OF THE REVEREND FATHER MASTER HUGH LATIMER, PREACHED IN THE +SHROUDS AT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH IN LONDON, ON THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF JANUARY, +ANNO 1548. + + + _Quaeunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt_.--Rom. xv. + 4. + + "All things which are written, are written for our erudition and + knowledge. All things that are written in God's book, in the Bible + book, in the book of the holy scripture, are written to be our + doctrine." + +I told you in my first sermon, honourable audience, that I purposed to +declare unto you two things. The one, what seed should be sown in God's +field, in God's plough land; and the other, who should be the sowers: +that is to say, what doctrine is to be taught in Christ's church and +congregation, and what men should be the teachers and preachers of it. +The first part I have told you in the three sermons past, in which I have +assayed to set forth my plough, to prove what I could do. And now I +shall tell you who be the ploughers: for God's word is a seed to be sown +in God's field, that is, the faithful congregation, and the preacher is +the sower. And it is in the gospel: _Exivit qui seminat seminare semen +suum_; "He that soweth, the husbandman, the ploughman, went forth to sow +his seed." So that a preacher is resembled to a ploughman, as it is in +another place: _Nemo admota aratro manu, et a tergo respiciens, aptus est +regno Dei_. "No man that putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh +back, is apt for the kingdom of God." That is to say, let no preacher be +negligent in doing his office. Albeit this is one of the places that +hath been racked, as I told you of racking scriptures. And I have been +one of them myself that hath racked it, I cry God mercy for it; and have +been one of them that have believed and expounded it against religious +persons that would forsake their order which they had professed, and +would go out of their cloister: whereas indeed it toucheth not monkery, +nor maketh any thing at all for any such matter; but it is directly +spoken of diligent preaching of the word of God. + +For preaching of the gospel is one of God's plough-works, and the +preacher is one of God's ploughmen. Ye may not be offended with my +similitude, in that I compare preaching to the labour and work of +ploughing, and the preacher to a ploughman: ye may not be offended with +this my similitude; for I have been slandered of some persons for such +things. It hath been said of me, "Oh, Latimer! nay, as for him, I will +never believe him while I live, nor never trust him; for he likened our +blessed lady to a saffron-bag:" where indeed I never used that +similitude. But it was, as I have said unto you before now, according to +that which Peter saw before in the spirit of prophecy, and said, that +there should come after men _per quos via veritatis maledictis +afficeretur_; there should come fellows "by whom the way of truth should +be evil spoken of, and slandered." But in case I had used this +similitude, it had not been to be reproved, but might have been without +reproach. For I might have said thus: as the saffron-bag that hath been +full of saffron, or hath had saffron in it, doth ever after savour and +smell of the sweet saffron that it contained; so our blessed lady, which +conceived and bare Christ in her womb, did ever after resemble the +manners and virtues of that precious babe that she bare. And what had +our blessed lady been the worse for this? or what dishonour was this to +our blessed lady? But as preachers must be wary and circumspect, that +they give not any just occasion to be slandered and ill spoken of by the +hearers, so must not the auditors be offended without cause. For heaven +is in the gospel likened to a mustard-seed: it is compared also to a +piece of leaven; and as Christ saith, that at the last day he will come +like a thief: and what dishonour is this to God? or what derogation is +this to heaven? Ye may not then, I say, be offended with my similitude, +for because I liken preaching to a ploughman's labour, and a prelate to a +ploughman. But now you will ask me, whom I call a prelate? A prelate is +that man, whatsoever he be, that hath a flock to be taught of him; +whosoever hath any spiritual charge in the faithful congregation, and +whosoever he be that hath cure of souls. And well may the preacher and +the ploughman be likened together: first, for their labour of all seasons +of the year; for there is no time of the year in which the ploughman hath +not some special work to do: as in my country in Leicestershire, the +ploughman hath a time to set forth, and to assay his plough, and other +times for other necessary works to be done. And then they also maybe +likened together for the diversity of works and variety of offices that +they have to do. For as the ploughman first setteth forth his plough, +and then tilleth his land, and breaketh it in furrows, and sometime +ridgeth it up again; and at another time harroweth it and clotteth it, +and sometime dungeth it and hedgeth it, diggeth it and weedeth it, +purgeth and maketh it clean: so the prelate, the preacher, hath many +diverse offices to do. He hath first a busy work to bring his +parishioners to a right faith, as Paul calleth it, and not a swerving +faith; but to a faith that embraceth Christ, and trusteth to his merits; +a lively faith, a justifying faith; a faith that maketh a man righteous, +without respect of works: as ye have it very well declared and set forth +in the Homily. He hath then a busy work, I say, to bring his flock to a +right faith, and then to confirm them in the same faith: now casting them +down with the law, and with threatenings of God for sin; now ridging them +up again with the gospel, and with the promises of God's favour: now +weeding them, by telling them their faults, and making them forsake sin; +now clotting them, by breaking their stony hearts, and by making them +supplehearted, and making them to have hearts of flesh; that is, soft +hearts, and apt for doctrine to enter in: now teaching to know God +rightly, and to know their duty to God and their neighbours: now +exhorting them, when they know their duty, that they do it, and be +diligent in it; so that they have a continual work to do. Great is their +business, and therefore great should be their hire. They have great +labours, and therefore they ought to have good livings, that they may +commodiously feed their flock; for the preaching of the word of God unto +the people is called meat: scripture calleth it meat; not strawberries, +that come but once a year, and tarry not long, but are soon gone: but it +is meat, it is no dainties. The people must have meat that must be +familiar and continual, and daily given unto them to feed upon. Many +make a strawberry of it, ministering it but once a year; but such do not +the office of good prelates. For Christ saith, _Quis putas est servus +prudens et fidelis_? _Qui dat cibum in tempore_. "Who think you is a +wise and faithful servant? He that giveth meat in due time." So that he +must at all times convenient preach diligently: therefore saith he, "Who +trow ye is a faithful servant?" He speaketh it as though it were a rare +thing to find such a one, and as though he should say, there be but a few +of them to find in the world. And how few of them there be throughout +this realm that give meat to their flock as they should do, the Visitors +can best tell. Too few, too few; the more is the pity, and never so few +as now. + +By this, then, it appeareth that a prelate, or any that hath cure of +soul, must diligently and substantially work and labour. Therefore saith +Paul to Timothy, _Qui episcopatum desiderat, hic bonum opus desiderat_: +"He that desireth to have the office of a bishop, or a prelate, that man +desireth a good work." Then if it be a good work, it is work; ye can +make but a work of it. It is God's work, God's plough, and that plough +God would have still going. Such then as loiter and live idly, are not +good prelates, or ministers. And of such as do not preach and teach, nor +do their duties, God saith by his prophet Jeremy, _Maledictus qui facit +opus Dei fraudulenter_; "Cursed be the man that doth the work of God +fraudulently, guilefully or deceitfully:" some books have it +_negligenter_, "negligently or slackly." How many such prelates, how +many such bishops, Lord, for thy mercy, are there now in England! And +what shall we in this case do? shall we company with them? O Lord, for +thy mercy! shall we not company with them? O Lord, whither shall we flee +from them? But "cursed be he that doth the work of God negligently or +guilefully." A sore word for them that are negligent in discharging +their office, or have done it fraudulently; for that is the thing that +maketh the people ill. + +But true it must be that Christ saith, _Multi sunt vocati, pauci vero +electi_: "Many are called, but few are chosen." Here have I an occasion +by the way somewhat to say unto you; yea, for the place I alleged unto +you before out of Jeremy, the forty-eighth chapter. And it was spoken of +a spiritual work of God, a work that was commanded to be done; and it was +of shedding blood, and of destroying the cities of Moab. For, saith he, +"Cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from shedding of blood." As +Saul, when he kept back the sword from shedding of blood at what time he +was sent against Amaleck, was refused of God for being disobedient to +God's commandment, in that he spared Agag the king. So that that place +of the prophet was spoken of them that went to the destruction of the +cities of Moab, among the which there was one called Nebo, which was much +reproved for idolatry, superstition, pride, avarice, cruelty, tyranny, +and for hardness of heart; and for these sins was plagued of God and +destroyed. + +Now what shall we say of these rich citizens of London? What shall I say +of them? Shall I call them proud men of London, malicious men of London, +merciless men of London? No, no, I may not say so; they will be offended +with me then. Yet must I speak. For is there not reigning in London as +much pride, as much covetousness, as much cruelty, as much oppression, +and as much superstition, as was in Nebo? Yes, I think, and much more +too. Therefore I say, repent, O London; repent, repent. Thou hearest +thy faults told thee, amend them, amend them. I think, if Nebo had had +the preaching that thou hast, they would have converted. And, you rulers +and officers, be wise and circumspect, look to your charge, and see you +do your duties; and rather be glad to amend your ill living than to be +angry when you are warned or told of your fault. What ado was there made +in London at a certain man, because he said, (and indeed at that time on +a just cause,) "Burgesses!" quoth he, "nay, Butterflies." Lord, what ado +there was for that word! And yet would God they were no worse than +butterflies! Butterflies do but their nature: the butterfly is not +covetous, is not greedy, of other men's goods; is not full of envy and +hatred, is not malicious, is not cruel, is not merciless. The butterfly +glorieth not in her own deeds, nor preferreth the traditions of men +before God's word; it committeth not idolatry, nor worshippeth false +gods. But London cannot abide to be rebuked; such is the nature of man. +If they be pricked, they will kick; if they be rubbed on the gall, they +will wince; but yet they will not amend their faults, they will not be +ill spoken of. But how shall I speak well of them? If you could be +content to receive and follow the word of God, and favour good preachers, +if you could bear to be told of your faults, if you could amend when you +hear of them, if you would be glad to reform that is amiss; if I might +see any such inclination in you, that you would leave to be merciless, +and begin to be charitable, I would then hope well of you, I would then +speak well of you. But London was never so ill as it is now. In times +past men were full of pity and compassion, but now there is no pity; for +in London their brother shall die in the streets for cold, he shall lie +sick at the door between stock and stock, I cannot tell what to call it, +and perish there for hunger: was there ever more unmercifulness in Nebo? +I think not. In times past, when any rich man died in London, they were +wont to help the poor scholars of the Universities with exhibition. When +any man died, they would bequeath great sums of money toward the relief +of the poor. When I was a scholar in Cambridge myself; I heard very good +report of London, and knew many that had relief of the rich men of +London: but now I can hear no such good report, and yet I inquire of it, +and hearken for it; but now charity is waxen cold, none helpeth the +scholar, nor yet the poor. And in those days, what did they when they +helped the scholars? Marry, they maintained and gave them livings that +were very papists, and professed the pope's doctrine: and now that the +knowledge of God's word is brought to light, and many earnestly study and +labour to set it forth, now almost no man helpeth to maintain them. + +Oh London, London! repent, repent; for I think God is more displeased +with London than ever he was with the city of Nebo. Repent therefore, +repent, London, and remember that the same God liveth now that punished +Nebo, even the same God, and none other; and he will punish sin as well +now as he did then: and he will punish the iniquity of London, as well as +he did then of Nebo. Amend therefore. And ye that be prelates, look +well to your office, for right prelating is busy labouring, and not +lording. Therefore preach and teach, and let your plough be doing. Ye +lords, I say, that live like loiterers, look well to your office; the +plough is your office and charge. If you live idle and loiter, you do +not your duty, you follow not your vocation: let your plough therefore be +going, and not cease, that the ground may bring forth fruit. + +But now methinketh I hear one say unto me: Wot ye what you say? Is it a +work? Is it a labour? How then hath it happened that we have had so +many hundred years so many unpreaching prelates, lording loiterers, and +idle ministers? Ye would have me here to make answer, and to show cause +thereof. Nay, this land is not for me to plough; it is too stony, too +thorny, too hard for me to plough. They have so many things that make +for them, so many things to lay for themselves, that it is not for my +weak team to plough them. They have to lay for themselves long customs, +ceremonies and authority, placing in parliament, and many things more. +And I fear me this land is not yet ripe to be ploughed: for, as the +saying is, it lacketh weathering: this gear lacketh weathering; at least +way it is not for me to plough. For what shall I look for among thorns, +but pricking and scratching? What among stones, but stumbling? What (I +had almost said) among serpents, but stinging? But this much I dare say, +that since lording and loitering hath come up, preaching hath come down, +contrary to the apostles' times: for they preached and lorded not, and +now they lord and preach not. For they that be lords will ill go to +plough: it is no meet office for them; it is not seeming for their +estate. Thus came up lording loiterers: thus crept in unpreaching +prelates; and so have they long continued. For how many unlearned +prelates have we now at this day! And no marvel: for if the ploughmen +that now be were made lords, they would clean give over ploughing; they +would leave off their labour, and fall to lording outright, and let the +plough stand: and then both ploughs not walking, nothing should be in the +commonweal but hunger. For ever since the prelates were made lords and +nobles, the plough standeth; there is no work done, the people starve. +They hawk, they hunt, they card, they dice; they pastime in their +prelacies with gallant gentlemen, with their dancing minions, and with +their fresh companions, so that ploughing is set aside: and by their +lording and loitering, preaching and ploughing is clean gone. And thus +if the ploughmen of the country were as negligent in their office as +prelates be, we should not long live, for lack of sustenance. And as it +is necessary for to have this ploughing for the sustentation of the body, +so must we have also the other for the satisfaction of the soul, or else +we cannot live long ghostly. For as the body wasteth and consumeth away +for lack of bodily meat, so doth the soul pine away for default of +ghostly meat. But there be two kinds of inclosing, to let or hinder both +these kinds of ploughing: the one is an inclosing to let or hinder the +bodily ploughing, and the other to let or hinder the holiday-ploughing, +the church-ploughing. + +The bodily ploughing is taken in and inclosed through singular commodity. +For what man will let go, or diminish his private commodity for a +commonwealth? And who will sustain any damage for the respect of a +public commodity? The other plough also no man is diligent to set +forward, nor no man will hearken to it. But to hinder and let it all +men's ears are open; yea, and a great many of this kind of ploughmen, +which are very busy, and would seem to be very good workmen. I fear me +some be rather mock-gospellers, than faithful ploughmen. I know many +myself that profess the gospel, and live nothing thereafter. I know +them, and have been conversant with some of them. I know them, and (I +speak it with a heavy heart) there is as little charity and good living +in them as in any other; according to that which Christ said in the +gospel to the great number of people that followed him, as though they +had had any earnest zeal to his doctrine, whereas indeed they had it not; +_Non quia vidistis signa, sed quia comedistis de panibus_. "Ye follow +me," saith he, "not because ye have seen the signs and miracles that I +have done; but because ye have eaten the bread, and refreshed your +bodies, therefore you follow me." So that I think many one now-a-days +professeth the gospel for the living's sake, not for the love they bear +to God's word. But they that will be true ploughmen must work faithfully +for God's sake, for the edifying of their brethren. And as diligently as +the husbandman plougheth for the sustentation of the body, so diligently +must the prelates and ministers labour for the feeding of the soul: both +the ploughs must still be going, as most necessary for man. And +wherefore are magistrates ordained, but that the tranquillity of the +commonweal may be confirmed, limiting both ploughs? + +But now for the fault of unpreaching prelates, methink I could guess what +might be said for excusing of them. They are so troubled with lordly +living, they be so placed in palaces, crouched in courts, ruffling in +their rents, dancing in their dominions, burdened with ambassages, +pampering of their paunches, like a monk that maketh his jubilee; +munching in their mangers, and moiling in their gay manors and mansions, +and so troubled with loitering in their lordships, that they cannot +attend it. They are otherwise occupied, some in king's matters, some are +ambassadors, some of the privy council, some to furnish the court, some +are lords of the parliament, some are presidents, and comptrollers of +mints. + +Well, well, is this their duty? Is this their office? Is this their +calling? Should we have ministers of the church to be comptrollers of +the mints? Is this a meet office for a priest that hath cure of souls? +Is this his charge? I would here ask one question: I would fain know who +controlleth the devil at home in his parish, while he controlleth the +mint? If the apostles might not leave the office of preaching to the +deacons, shall one leave it for minting? I cannot tell you; but the +saying is, that since priests have been minters, money hath been worse +than it was before. And they say that the evilness of money hath made +all things dearer. And in this behalf I must speak to England. "Hear, +my country, England," as Paul said in his first epistle to the +Corinthians, the sixth chapter; for Paul was no sitting bishop, but a +walking and a preaching bishop. But when he went from them, he left +there behind him the plough going still; for he wrote unto them, and +rebuked them for going to law, and pleading their causes before heathen +judges: "Is there," said he, "utterly among you no wise man, to be an +arbitrator in matters of judgment? What, not one of all that can judge +between brother and brother; but one brother goeth to law with another, +and that under heathen judges? _Constituite contemptos qui sunt in +ecclesia_, &c. Appoint them judges that are most abject and vile in the +congregation." Which he speaketh in rebuking them; "For," saith he, _ad +erubescentiam vestram dico_--"I speak it to your shame." So, England, I +speak it to thy shame: is there never a nobleman to be a lord president, +but it must be a prelate? Is there never a wise man in the realm to be a +comptroller of the mint? I speak it to your shame. I speak it to your +shame. If there be never a wise man, make a water-bearer, a tinker, a +cobbler, a slave, a page, comptroller of the mint: make a mean gentleman, +a groom, a yeoman, or a poor beggar, lord president. + +Thus I speak, not that I would have it so; but "to your shame," if there +be never a gentleman meet nor able to be lord president. For why are not +the noblemen and young gentlemen of England so brought up in knowledge of +God, and in learning, that they may be able to execute offices in the +commonweal? The king hath a great many of wards, and I trow there is a +Court of Wards: why is there not a school for the wards, as well as there +is a Court for their lands? Why are they not set in schools where they +may learn? Or why are they not sent to the universities, that they may +be able to serve the king when they come to age? If the wards and young +gentlemen were well brought up in learning, and in the knowledge of God, +they would not when they come to age so much give themselves to other +vanities. And if the nobility be well trained in godly learning, the +people would follow the same train. For truly, such as the noblemen be, +such will the people be. And now, the only cause why noblemen be not +made lord presidents, is because they have not been brought up in +learning. + +Therefore for the love of God appoint teachers and schoolmasters, you +that have charge of youth; and give the teachers stipends worthy their +pains, that they may bring them up in grammar, in logic, in rhetoric, in +philosophy, in the civil law, and in that which I cannot leave unspoken +of, the word of God. Thanks be unto God, the nobility otherwise is very +well brought up in learning and godliness, to the great joy and comfort +of England; so that there is now good hope in the youth, that we shall +another day have a flourishing commonweal, considering their godly +education. Yea, and there be already noblemen enough, though not so many +as I could wish, able to be lord presidents, and wise men enough for the +mint. And as unmeet a thing it is for bishops to be lord presidents, or +priests to be minters, as it was for the Corinthians to plead matters of +variance before heathen judges. It is also a slander to the noblemen, as +though they lacked wisdom and learning to be able for such offices, or +else were no men of conscience, or else were not meet to be trusted, and +able for such offices. And a prelate hath a charge and cure otherwise; +and therefore he cannot discharge his duty and be a lord president too. +For a presidentship requireth a whole man; and a bishop cannot be two +men. A bishop hath his office, a flock to teach, to look unto; and +therefore he cannot meddle with another office, which alone requireth a +whole man: he should therefore give it over to whom it is meet, and +labour in his own business; as Paul writeth to the Thessalonians, "Let +every man do his own business, and follow his calling." Let the priest +preach, and the noblemen handle the temporal matters. Moses was a +marvellous man, a good man: Moses was a wonderful fellow, and did his +duty, being a married man: we lack such as Moses was. Well, I would all +men would look to their duty, as God hath called them, and then we should +have a flourishing christian commonweal. + +And now I would ask a strange question: who is the most diligentest +bishop and prelate in all England, that passeth all the rest in doing his +office? I can tell, for I know him who it is; I know him well. But now +I think I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him. There +is one that passeth all the other, and is the most diligent prelate and +preacher in all England. And will ye know who it is? I will tell you: +it is the devil. He is the most diligent preacher of all other; he is +never out of his diocess; he is never from his cure; ye shall never find +him unoccupied; he is ever in his parish; he keepeth residence at all +times; ye shall never find him out of the way, call for him when you will +he is ever at home; the diligentest preacher in all the realm; he is ever +at his plough: no lording nor loitering can hinder him; he is ever +applying his business, ye shall never find him idle, I warrant you. And +his office is to hinder religion, to maintain superstition, to set up +idolatry, to teach all kind of popery. He is ready as he can be wished +for to set forth his plough; to devise as many ways as can be to deface +and obscure God's glory. Where the devil is resident, and hath his +plough going, there away with books, and up with candles; away with +bibles, and up with beads; away with the light of the gospel, and up with +the light of candles, yea, at noon-days. Where the devil is resident, +that he may prevail, up with all superstition and idolatry; censing, +painting of images, candles, palms, ashes, holy water, and new service of +men's inventing; as though man could invent a better way to honour God +with than God himself hath appointed. Down with Christ's cross, up with +purgatory pick-purse, up with him, the popish purgatory, I mean. Away +with clothing the naked, the poor and impotent; up with decking of +images, and gay garnishing of stocks and stones: up with man's traditions +and his laws, down with God's traditions and his most holy word. Down +with the old honour due to God, and up with the new god's honour. Let +all things be done in Latin: there must be nothing but Latin, not so much +as _Memento, homo, quod cinis es, et in cinerem reverteris_: "Remember, +man, that thou art ashes, and into ashes thou shalt return:" which be the +words that the minister speaketh unto the ignorant people, when he giveth +them ashes upon Ash-Wednesday; but it must be spoken in Latin: God's word +may in no wise be translated into English. + +Oh that our prelates would be as diligent to sow the corn of good +doctrine, as Satan is to sow cockle and darnel! And this is the devilish +ploughing, the which worketh to have things in Latin, and letteth the +fruitful edification. But here some man will say to me, What, sir, are +ye so privy of the devil's counsel, that ye know all this to be true? +Truly I know him too well, and have obeyed him a little too much in +condescending to some follies; and I know him as other men do, yea, that +he is ever occupied, and ever busy in following his plough. I know by +St. Peter, which saith of him, _Sicut leo rugiens circuit quaerens quem +devoret_: "He goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may +devour." I would have this text well viewed and examined, every word of +it: "_Circuit_," he goeth about in every corner of his diocess; he goeth +on visitation daily, he leaveth no place of his cure unvisited: he +walketh round about from place to place, and ceaseth not. "_Sicut leo_," +as a lion, that is, strongly, boldly, and proudly; stately and fiercely +with haughty looks, with his proud countenances, with his stately +braggings. "_Rugiens_," roaring; for he letteth not slip any occasion to +speak or to roar out when he seeth his time. "_Quaerens_," he goeth +about seeking, and not sleeping, as our bishops do; but he seeketh +diligently, he searcheth diligently all corners, where as he may have his +prey. He roveth abroad in every place of his diocess; he standeth not +still, he is never at rest, but ever in hand with his plough, that it may +go forward. But there was never such a preacher in England as he is. Who +is able to tell his diligent preaching, which every day, and every hour, +laboureth to sow cockle and darnel, that he may bring out of form, and +out of estimation and room, the institution of the Lord's supper, and +Christ's cross? For there he lost his right; for Christ said, _Nunc +judicium est mundi, princeps seculi hujus ejicietur foras. Et sicut +exaltarit Moses serpentem in deserto, ita exaltari oportet Filium +hominis. Et cum exaltatus fuero a terra, omnia traham ad meipsum_. "Now +is the judgment of this world, and the prince of this world shall be cast +out. And as Moses did lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the +Son of man be lift up. And when I shall be lift up from the earth, I +will draw all things unto myself." For the devil was disappointed of his +purpose: for he thought all to be his own; and when he had once brought +Christ to the cross, he thought all cocksure. But there lost he all +reigning: for Christ said, _Omnia traham ad meipsum_: "I will draw all +things to myself." He meaneth, drawing of man's soul to salvation. And +that he said he would do _per semetipsum_, by his own self; not by any +other body's sacrifice. He meant by his own sacrifice on the cross, +where he offered himself for the redemption of mankind; and not the +sacrifice of the mass to be offered by another. For who can offer him +but himself? He was both the offerer and the offering. And this is the +prick, this is the mark at the which the devil shooteth, to evacuate the +cross of Christ, and to mingle the institution of the Lord's supper; the +which although he cannot bring to pass, yet he goeth about by his +sleights and subtil means to frustrate the same; and these fifteen +hundred years he hath been a doer, only purposing to evacuate Christ's +death, and to make it of small efficacy and virtue. For whereas Christ, +according as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, so would he +himself be exalted, that thereby as many as trusted in him should have +salvation; but the devil would none of that: they would have us saved by +a daily oblation propitiatory, by a sacrifice expiatory, or remissory. + +Now if I should preach in the country, among the unlearned, I would tell +what propitiatory, expiatory, and remissory is; but here is a learned +auditory: yet for them that be unlearned I will expound it. Propitiatory, +expiatory, remissory, or satisfactory, for they signify all one thing in +effect, and is nothing else but a thing whereby to obtain remission of +sins, and to have salvation. And this way the devil used to evacuate the +death of Christ, that we might have affiance in other things, as in the +sacrifice of the priest; whereas Christ would have us to trust in his +only sacrifice. So he was, _Agnus occisus ab origine mundi_; "The Lamb +that hath been slain from the beginning of the world;" and therefore he +is called _juge sacrificium_, "a continual sacrifice;" and not for the +continuance of the mass, as the blanchers have blanched it, and wrested +it; and as I myself did once betake it. But Paul saith, _per semetipsum +purgatio facta_: "By himself," and by none other, Christ "made purgation" +and satisfaction for the whole world. + +Would Christ this word, "by himself," had been better weighed and looked +upon, and _in sanctificationem_, to make them holy; for he is _juge +sacrificium_, "a continual sacrifice," in effect, fruit, and operation; +that like as they, which seeing the serpent hang up in the desert, were +put in remembrance of Christ's death, in whom as many as believed were +saved; so all men that trusted in the death of Christ shall be saved, as +well they that were before, as they that came after. For he was a +continual sacrifice, as I said, in effect, fruit, operation, and virtue; +as though he had from the beginning of the world, and continually should +to the world's end, hang still on the cross; and he is as fresh hanging +on the cross now, to them that believe and trust in him, as he was +fifteen hundred years ago, when he was crucified. + +Then let us trust upon his only death, and look for none other sacrifice +propitiatory, than the same bloody sacrifice, the lively sacrifice; and +not the dry sacrifice, but a bloody sacrifice. For Christ himself said, +_consummatum est_: "It is perfectly finished: I have taken at my Father's +hand the dispensation of redeeming mankind, I have wrought man's +redemption, and have despatched the matter." Why then mingle ye him? Why +do ye divide him? Why make you of him more sacrifices than one? Paul +saith, _Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus_: "Christ our passover is +offered;" so that the thing is done, and Christ hath done it _semel_, +once for all; and it was a bloody sacrifice, not a dry sacrifice. Why +then, it is not the mass that availeth or profiteth for the quick and the +dead. + +Wo worth thee, O devil, wo worth thee, that hast prevailed so far and so +long; that hast made England to worship false gods, forsaking Christ +their Lord. Wo worth thee, devil, wo worth thee, devil, and all thy +angels. If Christ by his death draweth all things to himself, and +draweth all men to salvation, and to heavenly bliss, that trust in him; +then the priests at the mass, at the popish mass, I say, what can they +draw, when Christ draweth all, but lands and goods from the right heirs? +The priests draw goods and riches, benefices and promotions to +themselves; and such as believed in their sacrifices they draw to the +devil. But Christ is he that draweth souls unto him by his bloody +sacrifice. What have we to do then but _epulari in Domino_, to eat in +the Lord at his supper? What other service have we to do to him, and +what other sacrifice have we to offer, but the mortification of our +flesh? What other oblation have we to make, but of obedience, of good +living, of good works, and of helping our neighbours? But as for our +redemption, it is done already, it cannot be better: Christ hath done +that thing so well, that it cannot be amended. It cannot be devised how +to make that any better than he hath done it. But the devil, by the help +of that Italian bishop yonder, his chaplain, hath laboured by all means +that he might to frustrate the death of Christ and the merits of his +passion. And they have devised for that purpose to make us believe in +other vain things by his pardons; as to have remission of sins for +praying on hallowed beads; for drinking of the bakehouse bowl; as a canon +of Waltham Abbey once told me, that whensoever they put their loaves of +bread into the oven, as many as drank of the pardon-bowl should have +pardon for drinking of it. A mad thing, to give pardon to a bowl! Then +to pope Alexander's holy water, to hallowed bells, palms, candles, ashes, +and what not? And of these things, every one hath taken away some part +of Christ's sanctification; every one hath robbed some part of Christ's +passion and cross, and hath mingled Christ's death, and hath been made to +be propitiatory and satisfactory, and to put away sin. Yea, and +Alexander's holy water yet at this day remaineth in England, and is used +for a remedy against spirits and to chase away devils; yea, and I would +this had been the worst. I would this were the worst. But wo worth +thee, O devil, that has prevailed to evacuate Christ's cross, and to +mingle the Lord's supper. These be the Italian bishop's devices, and the +devil hath pricked at this mark to frustrate the cross of Christ: he shot +at this mark long before Christ came, he shot at it four thousand years +before Christ hanged on the cross, or suffered his passion. + +For the brasen serpent was set up in the wilderness, to put men in +remembrance of Christ's coming; that like as they which beheld the brasen +serpent were healed of their bodily diseases, so they that looked +spiritually upon Christ that was to come, in him should be saved +spiritually from the devil. The serpent was set up in memory of Christ +to come; but the devil found means to steal away the memory of Christ's +coining, and brought the people to worship the serpent itself, and to +cense him, to honour him, and to offer to him, to worship him, and to +make an idol of him. And this was done by the market-men that I told you +of. And the clerk of the market did it for the lucre and advantage of +his master, that thereby his honour might increase; for by Christ's death +he could have but small worldly advantage. And so even now so hath he +certain blanchers belonging to the market, to let and stop the light of +the gospel, and to hinder the king's proceedings in setting forth the +word and glory of God. And when the king's majesty, with the advice of +his honourable council, goeth about to promote God's word, and to set an +order in matters of religion, there shall not lack blanchers that will +say, "As for images, whereas they have used to be censed, and to have +candles offered unto to them, none be so foolish to do it to the stock or +stone, or to the image itself; but it is done to God and his honour +before the image." And though they should abuse it, these blanchers will +be ready to whisper the king in the ear, and to tell him, that this abuse +is but a small matter; and that the same, with all other like abuses in +the church, may be reformed easily. "It is but a little abuse," say +they, "and it may be easily amended. But it should not be taken in hand +at the first, for fear of trouble or further inconveniences. The people +will not bear sudden alterations; an insurrection may be made after +sudden mutation, which may be to the great harm and loss of the realm. +Therefore all things shall be well, but not out of hand, for fear of +further business." These be the blanchers, that hitherto have stopped +the word of God, and hindered the true setting forth of the same. There +be so many put-offs, so many put-byes, so many respects and +considerations of worldly wisdom: and I doubt not but there were +blanchers in the old time to whisper in the ear of good king Hezekiah, +for the maintenance of idolatry done to the brasen serpent, as well as +there hath been now of late, and be now, that can blanch the abuse of +images, and other like things. But good king Hezekiah would not be so +blinded; he was like to Apollos, "fervent in spirit." He would give no +ear to the blanchers; he was not moved with the worldly respects, with +these prudent considerations, with these policies: he feared not +insurrections of the people: he feared not lest his people would bear not +the glory of God; but he, without any of these respects, or policies, or +considerations, like a good king, for God's sake and for conscience sake, +by and by plucked down the brasen serpent, and destroyed it utterly, and +beat it to powder. He out of hand did cast out all images, he destroyed +all idolatry, and clearly did extirpate all superstition. He would not +hear these blanchers and worldly-wise men, but without delay followeth +God's cause, and destroyeth all idolatry out of hand. Thus did good king +Hezekiah; for he was like Apollos, fervent in spirit, and diligent, to +promote God's glory. + +And good hope there is, that it shall be likewise here in England; for +the king's majesty is so brought up in knowledge, virtue, and godliness, +that it is not to be mistrusted but that we shall have all things well, +and that the glory of God shall be spread abroad throughout all parts of +the realm, if the prelates will diligently apply their plough, and be +preachers rather than lords. But our blanchers, which will be lords, and +no labourers, when they are commanded to go and be resident upon their +cures, and preach in their benefices, they would say, "What? I have set +a deputy there; I have a deputy that looketh well to my flock, and the +which shall discharge my duty." "A deputy," quoth he! I looked for that +word all this while. And what a deputy must he be, trow ye? Even one +like himself: he must be a canonist; that is to say, one that is brought +up in the study of the pope's laws and decrees; one that will set forth +papistry as well as himself will do; and one that will maintain all +superstition and idolatry; and one that will nothing at all, or else very +weakly, resist the devil's plough: yea, happy it is if he take no part +with the devil; and where he should be an enemy to him, it is well if he +take not the devil's part against Christ. + +But in the meantime the prelates take their pleasures. They are lords, +and no labourers: but the devil is diligent at his plough. He is no +unpreaching prelate: he is no lordly loiterer from his cure, but a busy +ploughman; so that among all the prelates, and among all the pack of them +that have cure, the devil shall go for my money, for he still applieth +his business. Therefore, ye unpreaching prelates, learn of the devil: to +be diligent in doing of your office, learn of the devil: and if you will +not learn of God, nor good men, for shame learn of the devil; _ad +erubescentiam vestrum dico_, "I speak it for your shame:" if you will not +learn of God, nor good men, to be diligent in your office, learn of the +devil. Howbeit there is now very good hope that the king's majesty, +being of the help of good governance of his most honourable counsellors +trained and brought up in learning, and knowledge of God's word, will +shortly provide a remedy, and set an order herein; which thing that it +may so be, let us pray for him. Pray for him, good people; pray for him. +Ye have great cause and need to pray for him. + + + + +A SERMON ON THE PARABLE OF A KING THAT MARRIED HIS SON, MADE BY MASTER +LATIMER. + + + MATTHEW XXII. [2,3.] + + _Simile factum est regnum coelorum homini regi qui fecit nuptias filio + suo_. + + The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which married his + son, and sent forth his servants to call them that, &c. + +This is a gospel that containeth very much matter; and there is another +like unto this in the fourteenth of Luke: but they be both one in effect, +for they teach both one thing; and therefore I will take them both in +hand together, because they tend to one purpose. Matthew saith, "The +kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which married his son;" +Luke saith, "A certain man ordained a great supper:" but there is no +difference in the very substance of the matter, for they pertain to one +purpose. Here is made mention of a feast-maker: therefore we must +consider who was the feast-maker: secondarily, who was his son: thirdly, +we must consider to whom he was married: fourthly, who were they that +called the guests: fifthly, who were the guests. And then we must know +how the guest-callers behaved themselves: and then, how the guests +behaved themselves towards them that called them. When all these +circumstances be considered, we shall find much good matters covered and +hid in this gospel. + +Now that I may so handle these matters, that it may turn to the +edification of your souls, and to the discharge of my office, I will most +instantly desire you to lift up your hearts unto God, and desire his +divine Majesty, in the name of his only-begotten Son, our Saviour Jesus +Christ, that he will give unto us his Holy Ghost:--unto me, that I may +speak the word of God, and teach you to understand the same; unto you, +that you may hear it fruitfully, to the edification of your souls; so +that you may be edified through it, and your lives reformed and amended; +and that his honour and glory may increase daily amongst us. Wherefore I +shall desire you to say with me, "Our Father," &c. + +Dearly beloved in the Lord, the gospel that is read this day is a +parable, a similitude or comparison. For our Saviour compared the +kingdom of God unto a man that made a marriage for his son. And here was +a marriage. At a marriage, you know, there is commonly great feastings. +Now you must know who was this feast-maker, and who was his son, and to +whom he was married; and who were those that should be called, and who +were the callers; how they behaved themselves, and how the guests behaved +themselves towards them that called them. + +Now this marriage-maker, or feast-maker, is Almighty God. Luke the +Evangelist calleth him a man, saying, "A certain man ordained a great +supper." He calleth him a man, not that he was incarnate, or hath taken +our flesh upon him: no, not so; for you must understand that there be +three Persons in the Deity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy +Ghost. And these three Persons decked the Son with manhood; so that +neither the Father, neither the Holy Ghost, took flesh upon them, but +only the Son; he took our flesh upon him, taking it of the Virgin Mary. +But Luke called God the Father a man, not because he took flesh upon him, +but only compared him unto a man; not that he will affirm him to be a +man. Who was he now that was married? Who was the bridegroom? Marry, +that was our Saviour Jesus Christ, the second person in the Deity; the +eternal Son of God. Who should be his spouse? To whom was he married? +To his church and congregation: for he would have all the world to come +unto him, and to be married unto him: but we see by daily experience that +the most part refuse his offer. But here is shewed the state of the +church of God: for this marriage, this feast, was begun at the beginning +of the world, and shall endure to the end of the same: yet for all that, +the most part refused it: for at the very beginning of the world, ever +the most part refused to come. And so it appeareth at this time, how +little a number cometh to this wedding and feast: though we have callers, +yet there be but few of those that come. So ye hear that God is the +feast-maker; the bridegroom is Christ, his Son, our Saviour; the bride is +the congregation. + +Now what manner of meat was prepared at this great feast? For ye know it +is commonly seen, that at a marriage the finest meat is prepared that can +be gotten. What was the chiefest dish at this great banquet? What was +the feast-dish? Marry, it was the bridegroom himself: for the Father, +the feast-maker, prepared none other manner of meat for the guests, but +the body and blood of his own natural Son. And this is the chiefest dish +at this banquet; which truly is a marvellous thing, that the Father +offereth his Son to be eaten. Verily, I think that no man hath heard the +like. And truly there was never such kind of feasting as this is, where +the Father will have his Son to be eaten, and his blood to be drunk. + +We read in a story, that a certain man had eaten his son; but it was done +unawares: he knew not that it was his son, else no doubt he would not +have eaten him. The story is this: There was a king named Astyages, +which had heard by a prophecy, that one Cyrus should have the rule and +dominion over his realm after his departure; which thing troubled the +said king very sore, and therefore [he] sought all the ways and means how +to get the said Cyrus out of the way; how to kill him, so that he should +not be king after him. Now he had a nobleman in his house, named +Harpagus, whom he appointed to destroy the said Cyrus: but howsoever the +matter went, Cyrus was preserved and kept alive, contrary to the king's +mind. Which thing when Astyages heard, what doth he? This he did: +Harpagus, that nobleman which was put in trust to kill Cyrus, had a son +in the court, whom the king commanded to be taken; his head, hands, and +feet to be cut off; and his body to be prepared, roasted, or sodden, of +the best manner as could be devised. After that, he biddeth Harpagus to +come and eat with him, where there was jolly cheer; one dish coming after +another. At length the king asked him, "Sir, how liketh you your fare?" +Harpagus thanketh the king, with much praising the king's banquet. Now +the king perceiving him to be merrily disposed, commanded one of his +servants to bring in the head, hands, and feet of Harpagus's son. When +it was done, the king showed him what manner of meat he had eaten, asking +him how it liketh him. Harpagus made answer, though with an heavy heart, +_Quod regi placet, id mihi quoque placet_; "Whatsoever pleaseth the king, +that also pleaseth me." And here we have an ensample of a flatterer, or +dissembler: for this Harpagus spake against his own heart and conscience. +Surely, I fear me, there be a great many of flatterers in our time also, +which will not be ashamed to speak against their own heart and +consciences, like as this Harpagus did; which had, no doubt, a heavy +heart, and in his conscience the act of the king misliked him, yet for +all that, with his tongue he praised the same. So I say, we read not in +any story, that at any time any father had eaten his son willingly and +wittingly; and this Harpagus, of whom I rehearsed the story, did it +unawares. But the Almighty God, which prepared this feast for all the +world, for all those that will come unto it, he offereth his only Son to +be eaten, and his blood to be drunken. Belike he loved his guests well, +because he did feed them with so costly a dish. + +Again, our Saviour, the bridegroom, offereth himself at his last supper, +which he had with his disciples, his body to be eaten, and his blood to +be drunk. And to the intent that it should be done to our great comfort; +and then again to take away all cruelty, irksomeness, and horribleness, +he sheweth unto us how we shall eat him, in what manner and form; namely, +spiritually, to our great comfort: so that whosoever eateth the mystical +bread, and drinketh the mystical wine worthily, according to the +ordinance of Christ, he receiveth surely the very body and blood of +Christ spiritually, as it shall be most comfortable unto his soul. He +eateth with the mouth of his soul, and digesteth with the stomach of his +soul, the body of Christ. And to be short: whosoever believeth in +Christ, putteth his hope, trust, and confidence in him, he eateth and +drinketh him: for the spiritual eating is the right eating to everlasting +life; not the corporal eating, as the Capernaites understood it. For +that same corporal eating, on which they set their minds, hath no +commodities at all; it is a spiritual meat that feedeth our souls. + +But I pray you, how much is this supper of Christ regarded amongst us, +where he himself exhibiteth unto us his body and blood? How much, I say, +is it regarded? How many receive it with the curate or minister? O +Lord, how blind and dull are we to such things, which pertain to our +salvation! But I pray you, wherefore was it ordained principally? +Answer: it was ordained for our help, to help our memory withal; to put +us in mind of the great goodness of God, in redeeming us from everlasting +death by the blood of our Saviour Christ; yea, and to signify unto us, +that his body and blood is our meat and drink for our souls, to feed them +to everlasting life. If we were now so perfect as we ought to be, we +should not have need of it: but to help our imperfectness it was ordained +of Christ; for we be so forgetful, when we be not pricked forward, we +have soon forgotten all his benefits. Therefore to the intent that we +might better keep it in memory, and to remedy this our slothfulness, our +Saviour hath ordained this his supper for us, whereby we should remember +his great goodness, his bitter passion and death, and so strengthen our +faith: so that he instituted this supper for our sake, to make us to keep +in fresh memory his inestimable benefits. But, as I said before, it is +in a manner nothing regarded amongst us: we care not for it; we will not +come unto it. How many be there, think ye, which regard this supper of +the Lord as much as a testoon? But very few, no doubt of it: and I will +prove that they regard it not so much. If there were a proclamation made +in this town, that whosoever would come unto the church at such an hour, +and there go to the communion with the curate, should have a testoon; +when such a proclamation were made, I think, truly, all the town would +come and celebrate the communion to get a testoon: but they will not come +to receive the body and blood of Christ, the food and nourishment of +their souls, to the augmentation and strength of their faith! Do they +not more regard now a testoon than Christ? But the cause which letteth +us from celebrating of the Lord's Supper, is this: we have no mind nor +purpose to leave sin and wickedness, which maketh us not to come to this +supper, because we be not ready nor meet to receive it. But I require +you in God's behalf; leave your wickedness, that ye may receive it +worthily, according to his institution. For this supper is ordained, as +I told you before, for our sake, to our profits and commodities: for if +we were perfect, we should not need this outward sacrament; but our +Saviour, knowing our weakness and forgetfulness, ordained this supper to +the augmentation of our faith, and to put us in remembrance of his +benefits. But we will not come: there come no more at once, but such as +give the holy loaves from house to house; which follow rather the custom +than any thing else. Our Saviour Christ saith in the gospel of St. John, +_Ego sum panis virus, qui de coelo descendi_; "I am the living bread +which came down from heaven." Therefore whosoever feedeth of our Saviour +Christ, he shall not perish; death shall not prevail against him: his +soul shall depart out of his body, yet death shall not get the victory +over him; he shall not be damned. He that cometh to that marriage, to +that banquet, death shall be unto him but an entrance or a door to +everlasting life. _Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est_; "The bread that I +will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." As +many as will feed upon him, shall attain to everlasting life: they shall +never die; they shall prevail against death; death shall not hurt them, +because he hath lost his strength. If we would consider this, no doubt +we would be more desirous to come to the communion than we be; we would +not be so cold; we would be content to leave our naughty living, and come +to the Lord's table. + +Now ye have heard what shall be the chiefest dish at this marriage, +namely, the body and blood of Christ. But now there be other dishes, +which be sequels or hangings-on, wherewith the chief dish is powdered: +that is, remission of sins; also the Holy Ghost, which ruleth and +governeth our hearts; also the merits of Christ, which are made ours. For +when we feed upon this dish worthily, then we shall have remission of our +sins; we shall receive the Holy Ghost. Moreover, all the merits of +Christ are ours; his fulfilling of the law is ours; and so we be +justified before God, and finally attain to everlasting life. As many, +therefore, as feed worthily of this dish, shall have all these things +with it, and in the end everlasting life. St. Paul saith, _Qui proprio +Filio suo non pepercit, sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum, quomodo non +etiam cum illo omnia nobis donabit_? "He which spared not his own Son, +but gave him for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things +also?" Therefore they that be in Christ are partakers of all his merits +and benefits; of everlasting life, and of all felicity. He that hath +Christ hath all things that are Christ's. He is our preservation from +damnation; he is our comfort; he is our help, our remedy. When we feed +upon him, then we shall have remission of our sins: the same remission of +sins is the greatest and most comfortable thing that can be in the world. +O what a comfortable thing is this, when Christ saith, _Remittuntur tibi +peccata_, "Thy sins are forgiven unto thee!" And this is a standing +sentence; it was not spoken only to the same one man, but it is a general +proclamation unto all us: all and every one that believeth in him shall +have forgiveness of their sins. And this proclamation is cried out daily +by his ministers and preachers; which proclamation is the word of grace, +the word of comfort and consolation. For like as sin is the most fearful +and the most horriblest thing in heaven and in earth, so the most +comfortablest thing is the remedy against sin; which remedy is declared +and offered unto us in this word of grace and the power to distribute +this remedy against sins he hath given unto his ministers, which be God's +treasurers, distributers of the word of God. For now he speaketh by me, +he calleth you to this wedding by me, being but a poor man; yet he hath +sent me to call you. And though he be the author of the word, yet he +will have men to be called through his ministers to that word. Therefore +let us give credit unto the minister, when he speaketh God's word: yea, +rather let us credit God when he speaketh by his ministers, and offereth +us remission of our sins by his word. For there is no sin so great in +this world, but it is pardonable as long as we be in this world, and call +for mercy: for here is the time of mercy; here we may come to forgiveness +of our sins. But if we once die in our sins and wickedness, so that we +be damned, let us not look for remission afterwards: for the state after +this life is unchangeable. But as long as we be here, we may cry for +mercy. Therefore let us not despair: let us amend our lives, and cry +unto God for forgiveness of our sins; and then no doubt we shall obtain +remission, if we call with a faithful heart upon him, for so he hath +promised unto us in his most holy word. + +The holy scripture maketh mention of a sin against the Holy Ghost, which +sin cannot be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. +And this maketh many men unquiet in their hearts and consciences: for +some there be which ever be afraid, lest they have committed that same +sin against the Holy Ghost, which is irremissible. Therefore some say, +"I cannot tell whether I have sinned against the Holy Ghost or not: if I +have committed that sin, I know I shall be damned." But I tell you what +ye shall do: despair not of the mercy of God, for it is immeasurable. I +cannot deny but that there is a sin against the Holy Ghost, which is +irremissible: but we cannot judge of it aforehand, we cannot tell which +man hath committed that sin or not, as long as he is alive; but when he +is once gone, then I can judge whether he sinned against the Holy Ghost +or not. As now I can judge that Nero, Saul, and Judas, and such like, +that died in sins and wickedness, did commit this sin against the Holy +Ghost: for they were wicked, and continued in their wickedness still to +the very end; they made an end in their wickedness. But we cannot judge +whether one of us sin this sin against the Holy Ghost, or not; for though +a man be wicked at this time, yet he may repent, and leave his wickedness +tomorrow, and so not commit that sin against the Holy Ghost. Our Saviour +Christ pronounced against the scribes and Pharisees, that they had +committed that sin against the Holy Ghost; because he knew their hearts, +he knew they would still abide in their wickedness to the very end of +their lives. But we cannot pronounce this sentence against any man, for +we know not the hearts of men: he that sinneth now, peradventure shall be +turned tomorrow, and leave his sins, and so be saved. Further, the +promises of our Saviour Christ are general; they pertain to all mankind: +he made a general proclamation, saying, _Qui credit in me, habet vitam +aeternam_; "Whosoever believeth in me hath everlasting life." Likewise +St. Paul saith, _Gratia exsuperat supra peccatum_; "The grace and mercies +of God exceedeth far our sins." Therefore let us ever think and believe +that the grace of God, his mercy and goodness, exceedeth our sins. Also +consider what Christ saith with his own mouth: _Venite ad me, omnes qui +laboratis, &c_. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are laden, and I +will ease you." Mark, here he saith, "Come all ye:" wherefore then +should any body despair, or shut out himself from these promises of +Christ, which be general, and pertain to the whole world? For he saith, +"Come all unto me." And then again he saith, _Refocillabo vos_, "I will +refresh you:" you shall be eased from the burdens of your sins. +Therefore, as I said before, he that is blasphemous, and obstinately +wicked, and abideth in his wickedness still to the very end, he sinneth +against the Holy Ghost; as St. Augustine, and all other godly writers do +affirm. But he that leaveth his wickedness and sins, is content to amend +his life, and then believing in Christ, seeketh salvation and everlasting +life by him, no doubt that man or woman, whosoever he or they be, shall +be saved: for they feed upon Christ, upon that meat that God the Father, +this feast-maker, hath prepared for all his guests. + +You have heard now who is the maker of this feast or banquet: and again, +you have heard what meat is prepared for the guests; what a costly dish +the house-father hath ordained at the wedding of his son. But now ye +know, that where there be great dishes and delicate fare, there be +commonly prepared certain sauces, which shall give men a great lust and +appetite to their meats; as mustard, vinegar, and such like sauces. So +this feast, this costly dish, hath its sauces; but what be they? Marry, +the cross, affliction, tribulation, persecution, and all manner of +miseries: for, like as sauces make lusty the stomach to receive meat, so +affliction stirreth up in us a desire to Christ. For when we be in +quietness, we are not hungry, we care not for Christ: but when we be in +tribulation, and cast in prison, then we have a desire to him; then we +learn to call upon him; then we hunger and thirst after him; then we are +desirous to feed upon him. As long as we be in health and prosperity, we +care not for him; we be slothful, we have no stomach at all; and +therefore these sauces are very necessary for us. We have a common +saying amongst us, when we see a fellow sturdy, lofty, and proud, men +say, "This is a saucy fellow;" signifying him to be a high-minded fellow, +which taketh more upon him than he ought to do, or his estate requireth: +which thing, no doubt, is naught and ill; for every one ought to behave +himself according unto his calling and estate. But he that will be a +christian man, that intendeth to come to heaven, must be a saucy fellow; +he must be well powdered with the sauce of affliction, and tribulation; +not with proudness and stoutness, but with miseries and calamities: for +so it is written, _Omnes qui pie volunt vivere in Christo persecutionem +patientur_; "Whosoever will live godly in Christ, he shall have +persecution and miseries:" he shall have sauce enough to his meat. Again, +our Saviour saith, _Qui vult meus esse discipulus, abneget semetipsum et +tollat crucem suam et sequatur me_; "He that will be my disciple must +deny himself and take his cross upon him, and follow me." Is there any +man that will feed upon me, that will eat my flesh and drink my blood? +Let him forsake himself. O this is a great matter; this is a biting +thing, the denying of my own will!' As for an ensample: I see a fair +woman, and conceive in my heart an ill appetite to commit lechery with +her; I desire to fulfil my wanton lust with her. Here is my appetite, my +lust, my will: but what must I do? Marry, I must deny myself, and follow +Christ. What is that? I must not follow my own desire, but the will and +pleasure of Christ. Now what saith he? _Non fornicaberis, non +adulteraberis_; "Thou shalt not be a whoremonger, thou shalt not be a +wedlock-breaker." Here I must deny myself, and my will, and give place +unto his will; abhor and hate my own will. Yea, and furthermore I must +earnestly call upon him, that he will give me grace to withstand my own +lust and appetite, in all manner of things which may be against his will: +as when a man doth me wrong, taketh my living from me, or hurteth me in +my good name and fame, my will is to avenge myself upon him, to do him a +foul turn again; but what saith God? _Mihi vindicta, ego retribuam_; +"Unto me belongeth vengeance, I will recompense the same." Now here I +must give over my own will and pleasure, and obey his will: this I must +do, if I will feed upon him, if I will come to heaven. But this is a +bitter thing, a sour sauce, a sharp sauce; this sauce maketh a stomach: +for when I am injured or wronged, or am in other tribulation, then I have +a great desire for him, to feed upon him, to be delivered from trouble, +and to attain to quietness and joy. + +There is a learned man which hath a saying which is most true: he saith, +_Plus crux quam tranquillitas invitat ad Christum_; "The cross and +persecution bring us sooner to Christ than prosperity and wealth." +Therefore St. Peter saith, _Humiliamini sub potenti manu Dei_; "Humble +yourselves under the mighty hand of God." Look, what God layeth upon +you, bear it willingly and humbly. But you will say, "I pray you, tell +me what is my cross?" Answer: This that God layeth upon you, that same +is your cross; not that which you of your own wilfulness lay upon +yourselves: as there was a certain sect which were called Flagellarii, +which scourged themselves with whips till the blood ran from their +bodies; this was a cross, but it was not the cross of God. No, no: he +laid not that upon them, they did it of their own head. Therefore look, +what God layeth upon me, that same is my cross, which I ought to take in +good part; as when I fall in poverty, or in miseries, I ought to be +content withal; when my neighbour doth me wrong, taketh away my goods, +robbeth me of my good name and fame, I shall bear it willingly, +considering that it is God's cross, and that nothing can be done against +me without his permission. There falleth never a sparrow to the ground +without his permission; yea, not a hair falleth from our head without his +will. Seeing then that there is nothing done without his will, I ought +to bear this cross which he layeth upon me willingly, without any +murmuring or grudging. + +But I pray you, consider these words of St. Peter well: _Humiliamini sub +potenti manu Dei_; "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God." Here +St. Peter signifieth unto us that God is a mighty God, which can take +away the cross from us when it seemeth him good; yea, and he can send +patience in the midst of all trouble and miseries. St. Paul, that elect +instrument of God, shewed a reason wherefore God layeth afflictions upon +us, saying: _Corripimur a Domino, ne cum mundo condemnemur_; "We are +chastened of the Lord, lest we should be condemned with the world." For +you see by daily experience, that the most part of wicked men are lucky +in this world; they bear the swing, all things goeth after their minds; +for God letteth them have their pleasures here. And therefore this is a +common saying, "The more wicked, the more lucky:" but they that pertain +to God, that shall inherit everlasting life, they must go to the pot; +they must suffer here, according to that scripture, _Judicium a domo Dei +incipit_; "The judgment of God beginneth at the house of God." Therefore +it cometh of the goodness of God, when we be put to taste the sauce of +tribulation: for he doth it to a good end, namely, that we should not be +condemned with this wicked world. For these sauces are very good for us; +for they make us more hungry and lusty to come to Christ and feed upon +him. And truly, when it goeth well with us, we forget Christ, our hearts +and minds are not upon him: therefore it is better to have affliction +than to be in prosperity. For there is a common saying, _Vexatio dat +intellectum_; "Vexation giveth understanding." David, that excellent +king and prophet, saith, _Bonum est mihi quod humiliasti me, Domine_: +"Lord," saith he, "it is good for me that thou hast pulled down my +stomach, that thou hast humbled me." But I pray you, what sauce had +David, how was he humbled? Truly thus: his own son defiled his daughter. +After that, Absalom, one other of his sons, killed his own brother. And +this was not enough, but his own son rose up against him, and +traitorously cast him out of his kingdom, and defiled his wives in the +sight of all the people. Was not he vexed? had he not sauces? Yes, yes: +yet for all that he cried not out against God; he murmured not, but +saith, _Bonum est mihi quod humiliasti me_; "Lord, it is good for me that +thou hast humbled me, that thou hast brought me low." Therefore when we +be in trouble, let us be of good comfort, knowing that God doth it for +the best. But for all that, the devil, that old serpent, the enemy of +mankind, doth what he can day and night to bring us this sauce, to cast +us into persecution, or other miseries: as it appeareth in the gospel of +Matthew, where our Saviour casting him out of a man, seeing that he could +do no more harm, he desired Christ to give him leave to go into the +swine; and so he cast them all into the sea. Where it appeareth, that +the devil studieth and seeketh all manner of ways to hurt us, either in +soul, or else in body. But for all that, let us not despair, but rather +lift up our hearts unto God, desiring his help and comfort; and no doubt, +when we do so, he will help: he will either take away the calamities, or +else mitigate them, or at the leastwise send patience into our hearts, +that we may bear it willingly. + +Now you know, at a great feast, when there is made a delicate dinner, and +the guests fare well, at the end of the dinner they have _bellaria_, +certain subtleties, custards, sweet and delicate things: so when we come +to this dinner, to this wedding, and feed upon Christ, and take his +sauces which he hath prepared for us, at the end cometh the sweetmeat. +What is that? Marry, remission of sins, and everlasting life; such joy, +that no tongue can express, nor heart can think, which God hath prepared +for all them that come to this dinner, and feed upon his Son, and taste +of his sauces. And this is the end of this banquet. This banquet, or +marriage-dinner, was made at the very beginning of the world. God made +this marriage in paradise, and called the whole world unto it, saying, +_Semen mulieris conteret caput serpentis_; "The Seed of the woman shall +vanquish the head of the serpent." This was the first calling; and this +calling stood unto the faithful in as good stead as it doth unto us, +which have a more manifest calling. Afterward Almighty God called again +with these words, speaking to Abraham: _Ego ero Deus tuus et seminis tui +post te_; "I will be thy God, and thy seed's after thee." Now what is it +to be our God? Forsooth to be our defender, our comforter, our +deliverer, and helper. Who was Abraham's seed? Even Christ the Son of +God, he was Abraham's seed: in him, and through him, all the world shall +be blessed; all that believe in him, all that come to this dinner, and +feed upon him. After that, all the prophets, their only intent was to +call the people to this wedding. Now after the time was expired which +God had appointed, he said, _Venite, parata sunt omnia_; "Come, all +things are ready." + +But who are these callers? The first was John Baptist, which not only +called with his mouth, but also shewed with his finger that meat which +God had prepared for the whole world. He saith, _Ecce Agnus Dei qui +tollit peccata mundi_; "Lo, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of +the world." Also Christ himself called, saying, _Venite ad me, omnes qui +laboratis_; "Come to me, all ye that travail and labour, and I will +refresh you." Likewise the apostles cried, and called all the whole +world; as it is written, _Exivit sonus eorum per universam terram_; +"Their sound is gone throughout all the world." But, I pray you, what +thanks had they for their calling, for their labour? Verily this: John +Baptist was beheaded; Christ was crucified; the apostles were killed: +this was their reward for their labours. So all the preachers shall look +for none other reward: for no doubt they must be sufferers, they must +taste of these sauces: their office is, _arguere mundum de peccato_, "to +rebuke the world of sin;" which no doubt is a thankless occupation. _Ut +audiant montes judicia Domini_, "That the high hills," that is, great +princes and lords, "may hear the judgments of the Lord:" they must spare +no body; they must rebuke high and low, when they do amiss; they must +strike them with the sword of God's word: which no doubt is a thankless +occupation; yet it must be done, for God will have it so. + +There be many men, which be not so cruel as to persecute or to kill the +preachers of God's word; but when they be called to feed upon Christ, to +come to this banquet, to leave their wicked livings, then they begin to +make their excuses; as it appeared here in this gospel, where "the first +said, I have bought a farm, and I must needs go and see it; I pray thee +have me excused. Another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go +to prove them; I pray thee have me excused. The third said, I have +married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." And these were their +excuses. You must take heed that you mistake not this text: for after +the outward letter it seemeth as though no husbandman, no buyer or +seller, nor married man shall enter the kingdom of God. Therefore ye +must take heed that ye understand it aright. For to be a husbandman, to +be a buyer or seller, to be a married man, is a good thing, and allowed +of God: but the abuse of such things is reproved. Husbandman, and +married man, every one in his calling, may use and do the works of his +calling. The husbandman may go to plough; they may buy and sell; also, +men may marry; but they may not set their hearts upon it. The husbandman +may not so apply his husbandry to set aside the hearing of the word of +God; for when he doth so, he sinneth damnably: for he more regardeth his +husbandry than God and his word; he hath all lust and pleasure in his +husbandry, which pleasure is naught. As there be many husbandmen which +will not come to service; they make their excuses that they have other +business: but this excusing is naught; for commonly they go about wicked +matters, and yet they would excuse themselves, to make themselves +faultless; or, at the least way, they will diminish their faults, which +thing itself is a great wickedness; to do wickedly, and then to defend +that same wickedness, to neglect and despise God's word, and then to +excuse such doings, like as these men do here in this gospel. The +husbandman saith, "I have bought a farm; therefore have me excused: the +other saith, I have bought five yoke of oxen; I pray thee have me +excused:" Now when he cometh to the married man, that same fellow saith +not, "Have me excused," as the others say; but he only saith, "I cannot +come." Where it is to be noted, that the affections of carnal lusts and +concupiscence are the strongest above all the other: for there be some +men which set all their hearts upon voluptuousness; they regard nothing +else, neither God nor his word; and therefore this married man saith, "I +cannot come;" because his affections are more strong and more vehement +than the other men's were. + +But what shall be their reward which refuse to come? The house-father +saith, "I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall +taste of my supper." With these words Christ our Saviour teacheth us, +that all those that love better worldly things than God and his word +shall be shut out from his supper; that is to say, from everlasting joy +and felicity: for it is a great matter to despise God's word, or the +minister of the same; for the office of preaching is the office of +salvation; it hath warrants in scripture, it is grounded upon God's word. +St. Paul to the Romans maketh a gradation of such-wise: _Omnis quicunque +invocaverit nomen Domini salvabitur: quomodo ergo invocabunt in quem non +crediderunt, aut quomodo credent ei quem non audisrunt_? that is to say, +"Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved: but how +shall they call upon him, in whom they believe not? How shall they +believe on him of whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without +a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" At the +length he concludeth, saying, _Fides ex auditu_; "Faith cometh by +hearing." Where ye may perceive, how necessary a thing it is to hear +God's word, and how needful a thing it is to have preachers, which may +teach us the word of God: for by hearing we must come to faith; through +faith we must be justified. And therefore Christ saith himself, _Qui +credit in me, habet vitam aeternam_; "He that believeth in me hath +everlasting life." When we hear God's word by the preacher, and believe +that same, then we shall be saved: for St. Paul saith, _Evangelium est +potentia Dei ad salutem omni credenti_; "The gospel is the power of God +unto salvation to all that believe; the gospel preached is God's power to +salvation of all believers." This is a great commendation of this office +of preaching: therefore we ought not to despise it, or little regard it; +for it is God's instrument, whereby he worketh faith in our hearts. Our +Saviour saith to Nicodeme, _Nisi quis renatus fuerit_, "Except a man be +born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." But how cometh this +regeneration? By hearing and believing of the word of God: for so saith +St. Peter, _Renati non ex semine mortali corruptibili_; "We are born +anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal, by the word of God." Likewise +Paul saith in another place, _Visum est Deo per stultitiam praedicationis +salvos facere credentes_; "It pleased God to save the believers through +the foolishness of preaching." But, peradventure, you will say, "What, +shall a preacher teach foolishness?" No, not so: the preacher, when he +is a right preacher, he preacheth not foolishness, but he preacheth the +word of God; but it is taken for foolishness, the world esteemeth it for +a trifle: but howsoever the world esteemeth it, St. Paul saith that God +will save his through it. + +Here I might take occasion to inveigh against those which little regard +the office of preaching; which are wont to say, "'What need we such +preachings every day? Have I not five wits? I know as well what is good +or ill, as he doth that preacheth." But I tell thee, my friend, be not +too hasty; for when thou hast nothing to follow but thy five wits, thou +shalt go to the devil with them. David, that holy prophet, said not so: +he trusted not his five wits, but he said, _Lucerna pedibus meis verbum +tuum, Domine_; "Lord, thy word is a lantern unto my feet." Here we learn +not to despise the word of God, but highly to esteem it, and reverently +to hear it; for the holy day is ordained and appointed to none other +thing, but that we should at that day hear the word of God, and exercise +ourselves in all godliness. But there be some which think that this day +is ordained only for feasting, drinking, or gaming, or such foolishness; +but they be much deceived: this day was appointed of God that we should +hear his word, and learn his laws, and so serve him. But I dare say the +devil hath no days so much service as upon Sundays or holy days; which +Sundays are appointed to preaching, and to hear God's most holy word. +Therefore God saith not only in his commandments, that we shall abstain +from working; but he saith, _Sanctificabis_, "Thou shalt hallow:" so that +holy day keeping is nothing else but to abstain from good works, and to +do better works; that is, to come together, and celebrate the Communion +together, and visit the sick bodies. These are holy-day works; and for +that end God commanded us to abstain from bodily works, that we might be +more meet and apt to do those works which he hath appointed unto us, +namely, to feed our souls with his word, to remember his benefits, and to +give him thanks, and to call upon him. So that the holy-day may be +called a marriage-day, wherein we are married unto God; which day is very +needful to be kept. The foolish common people think it to be a belly- +cheer day, and so they make it a surfeiting day: there is no wickedness, +no rebellion, no lechery, but she hath most commonly her beginning upon +the holy-day. + +We read a story in the fifteenth chapter of the book of Numbers, that +there was a fellow which gathered sticks upon the sabbath-day; he was a +despiser of God's ordinances and laws, like as they that now-a-days go +about other business, when they should hear the word of God, and come to +the Common Prayer: which fellows truly have need of sauce, to be made +more lustier to come and feed upon Christ than they be. Now Moses and +the people consulted with the Lord, what they should do, how they should +punish that fellow which had so transgressed the sabbath-day. "He shall +die," saith God: which thing is an ensample for us to take heed, that we +transgress not the law of the sabbath-day. For though God punish us not +by and by, as this man was punished; yet he is the very self-same God +that he was before, and will punish one day, either here, or else in the +other world, where the punishment shall be everlasting. + +Likewise in the seventeenth chapter of the prophet Jeremy God threateneth +his fearful wrath and anger unto those which do profane his sabbath-day. +Again, he promiseth his favour and all prosperity to them that will keep +the holy-days; saying, "Princes and kings shall go through thy gates," +that is to say, Thou shalt be in prosperity, in wealth, and great +estimation amongst thy neighbours. Again: "If ye will not keep my +sabbath-day, I will kindle a fire in your gates;" that is to say, I will +destroy you, I will bring you to nought, and burn your cities with fire. +These words pertain as well unto us at this time, as they pertained to +them at their time: for God hateth the disallowing of the sabbath as well +now as then; for he is and remaineth still the old God: he will have us +to keep his sabbath, as well now as then: for upon the sabbath-day God's +seed-plough goeth; that is to say, the ministry of his word is executed; +for the ministering of God's word is God's plough. Now upon the Sundays +God sendeth his husbandmen to come and till; he sendeth his callers to +come and call to the wedding, to bid the guests; that is, all the world +to come to that supper. Therefore, for the reverence of God, consider +these things: consider who calleth, namely, God; consider again who be +the guests; all ye. Therefore I call you in God's name, come to this +supper; hallow the sabbath-day; that is, do your holy-day work, come to +this supper; for this day was appointed of God to that end, that his word +should be taught and heard. Prefer not your own business therefore +before the hearing of the word of God. Remember the story of that man +which gathered sticks upon the holy day, and was put to death by the +consent of God: where God shewed himself not a cruel God, but he would +give warning unto the whole world by that man, that all the world should +keep holy his sabbath-day. + +The almighty ever-living God give us grace to live so in this miserable +world, that we may at the end come to the great sabbath-day, where there +shall be everlasting joy and gladness! _Amen_. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SERMONS ON THE CARD AND OTHER +DISCOURSES*** + + +******* This file should be named 2458.txt or 2458.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/5/2458 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: +https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + |