honorable audience is written in the .xviii Chapter of S. Luke and there is a certayne remnaunt of it behynd yet The Parable is thys There was a certayne Iudge in a cytye that feared neyther God nor man And in the same cytye there was a wyddowe that requyred Iustyce at hys handes but he woulde not heare hyr but putte hyr of and delayed the matter In processe the Iudge seynge hyr importunitye sayed thoughe I feare neyther God nor manne yet for the importunitye of the womann I wyll heare hyr leaste she rayle vpon me and moleste me wyth exclamations and oute cryes I wyll heare hyr matter I wyll make an ende of it Oure Sauyoure Chryste added more vnto thys and sayed Audite quid iudex dicat et cetera Heare you sayed Christe what the wycked iudge sayed And shall not God reuenge hys eiecte that crye vpon hym daye and nyghte Al though he tarye and dyfferre theym I say vnto you he wil reuenge them and that shortelye But when the sonne of man shall come shall he fynd fayth in the earth That I maye haue grace so to open the remnaunte of thys parable that it maye be to the glorye of God and edifyinge of youre soules I shall desier you to praye In the whyche prayer c. I shewed you the laste daye mooste honourable Audience the cause why oure Sauioure Christe rather vsed the example of a wycked Iudge then of a good And the cause was for that in those dayes ther was greate plentye of wycked Iudges so that he myghte borrowe an example amonge theym well ynoughe For there was muche scarsitie of good Iudges I did excuse the wyddowe also for coÌ„mynge to the Iudge agaynste her aduersary because she dyd it not of malice she dyd it not for appetite of vengeance And I tolde you that it was good and lawefull for honest vertuose folke for Goddes people to vse the lawes of the realme as an ordinari helpe against theyr aduersaryes and oughte to take them as Godes holy ordinaunces for the remedyes of theyr iniuryes and wronges when they are distressed So that they do it charitablye louyngelye not of malyce not vengeablye not couetouslye I shulde haue tolde you here of a certayne secte of herytykes that speake agaynste thys order and doctryne they wyl haue no magystrates nor Iudges on the earthe Here I haue to tell you what I hearde of late by the relation of a credible person and a worshypful man of a towne in thys realme of Englande that hathe aboue .v. C. herytykes of thys erroniouse opinion in it as he sayed Oh so busy the Deuyll is nowe to hynder the woorde commynge oute and to sclaunder the Gospell A sure argumente and an euydent demonstration that the lyght of Gods worde is a borde and that thys is a true doctryne that we are taught now else he woulde not tore and styrre aboute as he doeth whan he hathe the vpper hande He wyl kepe hys possession quyetly as he dyd in the popyshe dayes whan he bare a rule of supremacye in peaceable possession If he reigned now in open relygion in open doctryne as he dyd than he woulde not styrre vppe erroniouse opynyons he woulde haue kepte vs wythout contencyon wythoute dyssencion There is no suche dyuersytie of opynions amonge the Turkes nor amoÌ„g y e Iewes And why For ther he raigneth peaceably in the hole relygyon Christ sayth Cum fortis armatus custodierit atrium et cet Whan the stronge armid man kepeth hys house those thinges that he hath in possessyon are in a quyetnes he doeth enioye them peaceably Sed cum fortior eo superuenerit But whan a stronger than he commeth vpon hym whan the light of goddes word is ones reueled thaÌ„ he is busi theÌ„ he rores then he fyskes abrode and styrreth vp erronius opinions to sclauÌ„der godds word And this is an argumente that we haue the true doctryne I beseche God continewe vs and kepe vs in it The deuyll declareth the same and therfor he rores thus and goeth about to stir vp these wanton headdes and busye braynes And wyll you knowe where thys towne is I wyll not tell you dyrectlye I wyll put you to muse a lyttle I wyl vtter the matter by a cyrcumloqution Wher is it Wher the byshop of the dioces is an vnpreachynge prelate Who is that If there be but one suche in al England it is easi to gesse And if ther were no mo but one yet it were to many by one And yf there be moe they haue the more to aunswere for that they suffer in this Realme an vnpreachyng prealeatye vnrefourmed I remember wel what S. Paule sayeth to a byshop And thoughe he spake it to Timothe beynge a byshop yet I may say it now to the magistrates for al is one â—ase al is one matter Non coÌ„municabis peccatis alienis Thou shalt not be partaker of other mennes faultes Laye not thy handes rashely vpon anye be not hastye in makynge of curates in receyuinge menne to haue cure of Soules that are not worthye of the offyce that eyther canne not or wyl not do theyr dutye Do it not Whye Quia communicabis peccatis alienis Thou shalt be partaker of other mennes sinnes Now me thinke it nedes not to be partaker of other mennes synnes we shall fynd inough of oure owne And what is Communicare peccatis alienis To be partaker of other meÌ„nes euils if this be not to make vnpreaching prealates to suffer them to continue stil in their vnpreachynge prelacye If the kynge and hys councel should suffer euil Iudges of this realme to take bribes to defeate iustice suffer the great to ouer go the poore should loke through his fingers wynk at it should not the king be partaker of theyr naughtynes And why Is he not supreme head of the churche what is the supremacye a dygnytye and nothyng else is it not comptable I thynke it wylbe a chargeable dygnitye whan accompte shal be asked of it Oh what a vauntage hath the Deuyll what entrye hathe the wolfe whan the shepard tendeth not hys flocke and leades theym not to good pasture Saynt Paul doth say Qui bene presunt presbiteri duplici honore digni sunt What is thys preesse It is as muche to say as to take charge cure of soules we say ille preest he is sette ouer the flocke He hath taken charge vppon hym And what is Bene preesse To discharg the cure To rule well to fede the flocke with pure foode and good example of lyfe Well then Qui bene presunt duplici honore digni sunt They that dyscharge theyr cure wel are worthy duble honor What is thys duble honour The first is to be reuerensed to be had in estimacion and reputacion with the people and to be regarded as good pastours A nother honoure is to haue al thynges necessarye for their state mynystred vnto
The feare is past for it is done all redy New byshoppes of olde Abbottes Wordly polycye feareth not God Smel feastes or flatterâ—rs Pharao Exod. vij viij ix.x. Ieroboam iij. Kyng xij Thogh his termes are homely yet are the good inogh for the persones that c. Suche an answer woulde cut his comb make hym to go away as he had a flea in hys eare â— charme to chase away claubackes â—â—j of kyng iij ij of Chrenicles i b Salomon is a president of prayer for kynges Salomon asketh wisdome Study and prayer muste be coupled to geather God minystres occasioÌ„ to vse his gyftes at one time or other How shoulde we haue mo vpskypped gentlemen were it not for theyr purchasyng iij. of kyng iij The coÌ„playnt of the two harlottes to Salomon Wysdome causeth a king to be feared M.L. request to my Lord Protectours grace M. Money wyl be herd she soundes so shyrle and speaketh so pleasantly y t euery man is glad to haue her take her in their handes Veluet cotes vpskyppes M.L. is troubled in solycytyng poore mennes suytes The gentylwomaÌ„nes coÌ„playnt to M. L. Lawyers are lyke Swytcheners that serue where they may haue most money Luke y e xviâ—â— Except before except that is to saye except yt be for money The poore womaÌ„ lyinge in the Flete A preacher hath two offices i. To teache true doctrine ij To confute gaynsayers spurners against y e troth Preachers haue euer had gaynsayers Exo. vij vist ix.x. iij. King xviij Math. xij xv.xvi Actes xxviij Eusebius de temporibus Hystoria ecclesiastica Antonius sabellicus We were theÌ„ at a peace w t the deuyl and at debate w t God The deuyll makes no dissention in Turkye No heresyes amongest the Iewes When y e deuil bestyrreth him plaieth hys parte Preachers are noted to be the cause of sedition The .xvi. of Mat. Mark viij Luk ix They was neuer so great dissention as when Chryst preached ij Tymo iij. A preacher offyce is to be a mouth stopper But not to haue hys one mouthe stopped wyth a benefice or a byshop rike The Epiloge or rehersal of the fyrste sermon The Kynges Scole masteres are praysed worthely The Counsayle of England haue their coÌ„dyng and worthye prayse The people dyd not repyne agaynst Kynge Iosyas in hys minorite What is a Prynce lyke pastme God is carefull for a kynges house and the order of y e same The kinge is in euery mannes mouth when it makes for their purpose Mayn for shyftes and put offes A kynge must not be proude iii. Kyndes of prid in a king Kinges haue clawe backes and docter pycke mote hys fellowe a boute hym Clawbackes counsel A King must praye as wel as rede Salomon praied for wysedome Salomon herd the causes coÌ„plaintes of his people in hys own person M Latimers request to the lordes for the abolishemeÌ„t of whordome Al the Corinthyans charged for one mans synne More whoredom in londoÌ„ theÌ„ euer there was on the banke Of one that reported M. Latimer to be a sedicioÌ„s fellowe Christ was noted for a sediciouse styrrer of the people How M Latimer was accused to oure sate Kyng of famous memory Kynge Henry the eyght and hys answere His aunswer to the kynge In preaching we must haue respecte to the place and to the personnes M. Latimer was euer voide of sedicion and yet styl charged and burdened ther with How M. Latimer hys peÌ„tecostal was deteined and vppon what skyll Of the newe shyllynge M. Latimer noted of a syngalaritie A paraphrastical exposition The byshoppes called the people ignoraunte they were y e cause of it theÌ„ selus M. Latimer hath gotten Esay the prophet to be his companion in sedicion Marke well hys termes Esay medled wyth the coyne of the mynte Two causes why moneye in Esayes tyme was more basor worse Esaye medeleth wyth vinteners M. L. was sumthynge scrupulous when he was a masse sayet in delayinge of his wyne wyth water Esaye spoke of one vyce but he mente yt of mo Cloth makers are become Poticaryes and yet professe them selues to be Gospellers A pretti kynd of mlutipliing Folcke powther These mixtures and multipliynges are theft Esaye was sumwhat homely when he calleth the magystrates vnfaythfull and fellowes of theues Ther are two kynde of theuynges a grosse kynde of theuyng a pryncely kynde of theuynge Brybery is a kynde of theauynge Brybes haue gotten a new name and vnder a coloure are called geÌ„til rewardes but that is not their christen name We are worsse then the styffe necked Iewes The good wyl not spurne nor kycke at the preacher So it faryth by a galled Horsse Gyffe Gaffe was a good fellowe A good fellow was biddeÌ„ to breakfast to a puddynge They follow brybes as fast as the fellow dyd the puddynge Of the stout â— horneful geÌ„tilman which sayed y t he hys mule had ful absolucioÌ„ at Paules crosse The preachers wordes in hys absolucion Mule The mysreporte of M· Latimar is worldly wise but in godlye matters as blynde as a beatael A charytable whyshe of M Latimar Howe tender and deyntey eared men of these dayes be that had rather commyt .xx. faultes then here tel of one Poore mens sonnes for the most part haue euer traueled about the settynge forth of Goddes worde Iohannes Alasco â–ª Yt is honorable for the Kynge to be munificial lyberal toward the learned Petrus martyr and Bernardine Ochiue The parable of the wicked Iudge Some as paynefull magystrates in England an euer was A good leasson for suche as are magistrates but none of the best How and by what meanes we should resorte to God in aduersitye The sweteâ—â— promysse of Chryste The order of our prayer and askynge What God woulde heare of vs wher in he delytes Moyses vsed prrayer as an instrument in aduersyte Exod. xiiij Iosue was in anguyshe and dystresse and prayed For Achans couetousnes many a thousande punyshed Iosue vij Iosue put Achanto death Iosue vij Paral. xx Many begâ—â— to praye but few perseuer and contynue in prayer Caste awaye synne then praye A notable lesson for hym whych prayeth The coÌ„mon maner of a wycked Iudge Whether Chrystyan people maye seke to be auenged Actes xxij Math. xxvi The maner of our Iudges nowe a dayes in hearyng the poore against the ryche How god teÌ„dreth and regardes the cause of the wyddow and the poore Cambises And old soth say but thoughe y â— sayinge be none of y e newist I fear me yet it is it one of the tâ—west The brybing Iudge was flayed quicke and hys skyn layed in hys chapre Amen or els I praye god we may haue such incorruptible Iudges which wil not deserue it â–ª God hath .ij. vysitations Noe preached goddes worde an C. yeares and was called a foole for hys labour Geue xix Exod. vij Germany made a myngle mangle of theyr relygyon couetousnes cloked vnder a couloure of relygyon amongest the Germaynes
to rede the same for the comfort of thyne owne soule for the instruction of thi famyly the educacyon of thy childrē and edifiyng of thy neyghbour Thou that art so gorgiously apparelled and feadeth thy corruptible carkasse so dayntely thou that purchasest so fast to the vtter vndoynge of the poore consoider wherof thou camest wherunto thou shal returne Wher is thē all thy pompe where is al thy ruffe of thy gloriousnes become What wyl thou saye for thy selfe in that horryble daye of iudgment wher thou shalt stand naked before God wher the tables of thyne owne conscyence shal be opened and layed before thyne eyes to accuse the Thou which reysest the rentes so gredely as thoughe thou shouldest neuer haue inough Thy iudgemente is throw miserable māmon so captyuate blind that y u canst not tel when y u hast inough or what is inough Truly alitle is to much for him y t knoweth not how to vse much well Therfore learne first the vse of monie and riches some other honester means to attayne them that thys thyne insaciable couetousnes and vnlawful desyryng of other mens goodes maye be reduced to some reasonable measure that it do not excede the lymyttes or compasse of honesti and the bōdes of brotherly loue lest God before whom thou shalt appere one day to render a straight accōptes for the dedes done in thy flesh burden and charge the wyth thy vnmerciful hand lyng of thy Tennant but yet notwythstandyng thy brother whom wyth newe Incomes fynes inhauncyng of rentes and suche lyke vnreasonable exactyons thou pilles polles miserably oppresses Whē that terrible day shall once come a litle of Gods mercye wyll be worth a masse or a whole hepe of thy monei Ther thi wicked Māmon whom thou serueste like a slaue can purchase the no mercy There thy money so gleaned and gathered of the thine to the impouerishment of manye to make the only rych can not preuaile the nor yet redeme thy cause before that iuste seuere iudge which thē ther wil rēder to y e the selfe same measure y t y u measureste to other men What dyd we speke of preuaylynge or redeming of thy cause wtth mony Nay thē thy monei the roust of thy gold shall be a wytnes against y e shal eate thy flesh as the fyre Howe frantycke and folyshe myght al wyse men wel iudge and deme him too be which againste the daie of hys araignement when he should stād vpō the tryal of death and lyfe woulde busy hym self his folkes and his frendes to prepare and get many witnesses agaynste hym to cast him awaye by theyr euidēce witnes and to prouyde suche menne as shoulde be the onlye cause of hys deathe Euen So franctycke so folysh art thou whych doth toyle trauayle and turmoyle so ernestly and busylye aboute the gettynge of goodes and ryches before thou haste wel learned taken forth of the lesson of well vsyng the same Howbeit trulye I doute much of the wel vsyng of that which was neuer well nor truly gotten Learne therfore first to know what is inough For the wyse man sayth it is better to haue a lytle wyth the fear of the Lorde then great and insaciable ryches Sophonye sayth their golde shal not be able to delyuer thē in the day of the Lords wrath Let your conuersacion be without couetousnes be cōtent w t that ye haue alredy Godlines is a gret ryches if a man be content wyth suche as God sendes For we brought nothyng into thys world neither shal we carry anye thyng out When we haue foode and raymente let vs therwith be content Behold thy Scholemaster Paul teaches the heare a good lesson Here thou mayst learne wel inough to know what is inough But lest thou shouldest feare at any time the want or lacke of thys inoughe Here father the rest of thy lessō For god verely saith The Lorde is myne helpper I wyll not feare what man doeth to me If the reuenues and yerely Rentes of thy patrymonye and landes be not inough nor sufffcient for thi finddyng and wil not suffice thy charges then moderate thyne expences borrow of thy two next neighboures that is to say of thy backe and thi belly Learne to eat with in thy teather Pul downe thy sayle Saye downe proud hert Mayntayn no greater port then thou art able to bear out and support of thyne owne prouision Put thy hād no further then thy sleue will reache Lut thy cloth after thi measure Kepe thi house after the spending Thou must not pil and polle thy Tenante that thou mayest haue as thei sai Vnde that thy neuer inough to ruffull it out in a riotus ruffe and a prodigal disolute and licenciouse liuing We reade in the scripture geue to euery man his dutye tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whome Custome is due feare to whom feare belongeth honoure to whome honoure partayneth But we finde not there nor elles where fynes to whom fines incomes to whom incomes Paulle was not acquainted with none of those termes Belike they were not vsed and come vp in his time or else he would haue made menciō of them Yeat not with standyng we deny not but these reasonably required vpō honest couenātes cōtractes are y e more tolleraable so vsed so maye be permitted But the couenaūtes y e cōtractes we remit to the godly wisdom of the hie magistrates who we pray god may take such order and direction in thys and al other y t the cōmō people may be releaued eased of manye importable charges and iniures whych many of them cōtrary to al equitie and ryght sustaine But wo worth this couetousnesse not without skyll called the root of all euyll If couetousnes were not we thinke many things amisse should shortelye be redressed She is a mighty Matrō a Lady of great power She hath reteyned moo seruaūtes thē any Lady hath in Englande But marke howe well in fyne she hath rewarded her seruantes and lerne to be wyse by another mās harme Acham by the commaundemente of God was stoned to death because he toke of the excōmunicate goodes Saul moued wyth couetousnes dissobeied goddes worde reseruinge the Kyng Agag and a parsell of the fatteste of the cattle lost his kyngdome therby Gehize was strycken wyth leaprosy and all hys posteritie because he toke money and raymente of Naaman The rich and vnmerciful gloton which fared well and deyntely euerie day was buried in hel and ther he taketh nowe such fare as the deuil him selfe doth Woo be to you that ioyne house to house and feelde to feeld shal ye alone inhabyte the pearth Let these terrible exāples suffyce at thys presente to teach and admonysh the inhaunser of Rentes the vnresonable exactour and gredye requirer of fienes and incomes the couetouse lease monger the douourer of townes and contries as M. Latimer tearmeth
euer theyr grandfathers had before thē But I shall tell you what Chryst said He that loueth his childe better thē me is not worthye to be my dysciple I cā not se how ye shal stande before God at the later daye when thys sentence shall be layed agaynst you But to returne to my purpose there were two pore women came before Salomon to complayne They were two harlots and dwelled together in one house it chaunced with in .ii. dayes they chylded bothe The one of these womē by chaūce in the nyght had killed her chyld and rose pryuely wēt to the other woman and toke her lyue chylde awaye and lefte her dead chylde in hys place Upon that they came bothe before Salomon to haue the matter iudged whose the chylde was And the one sayde it is my chylde Naye sayeth the other it is myne So there was yea and naye betwene them and they helde vp the matter with skoldynge after a womanly fashyō At the lēgth Salomō repeted theyr tale as a good iudge oughte to do and sayd to the one woman Thou sayst the child is thine yea sayed she And thou sayest it is thyne to the other Well fetche me a swerd sayed he For there was no way nowe to trye whiche was the true mother but by naturall inclinacyon And so he sayed to one of hys seruaūtes Fetche me a swerde and deuyde the chylde betwene them When the mother of the chylde that accused the other hearde hym saye so Naye for Goddes sake sayed she let her haue the whole chylde and kyll it not Naye quod the other neyther thyne nor myne but let it be deuyded Then sayed Salomon Geue thys woman the chylde thys is the mother of the chyld What come of this Audiuit omnis Israel When al Israell heard of thys iudgemente they feared the kyng It is wysdome and Godly knowledge that causeth a kyng to be feared One word note here for Gods sake and I wyll trouble you no longer Woulde Salomon beynge so noble a kynge heare .ii. poore womē They were poore for as the scripture saith They were to geather alone in a house they hadde not so muche as one seruaunt betwene them boeth Woulde kynge Salomon I say heare them in his own person Yea forsothe And yet I heare of manye matters before my Lorde Protectoure and my Lorde Chaunceloure that can not be hearde I muste desyre my Lorde protectours grace to heare me in thys matter that youre grace would heare poore mens sutes your self Putte thē to none other to heare let them not be delayed The sayinge is nowe that money is heard euery where yf he be ryche he shall soone haue an ende of his matter Other are fayne to go home with wepīg teares for ani healp they can optaine at ani Iudges hand Heare menes suetes your selfe I require you in goddes be halfe put it not to the hearing of these veluette cotes these vpskippes Nowe a mā can skarse knowe them from an auncyent Knyght of the countrye I can not go to my boke fo◠poore folkes come vnto me desirynge me that I wyll speake y t theyr matters maye be hearde I trouble my Lorde of Canterburye beynge at hys house nowe and then I walke in the garden lokyng in my boke as I canne do but little good at it But some thynge I muste nedes do to satisfye thys place I am no soner in the garden and haue red a whyle but by by commeth there some one or other knocking at the gate Anone cometh my man and sayth Syr there is one at the gate woulde speake wyth you When I come there then is it some one or other y t desireth me that I wyll speake that hys matter might be heard and that he hathe layne thys longe at great costes and charges and can not once haue hys matter come to the hearing but among all other one specially moued me at thys tyme to speake Thys it is syr A gentylwoman came to me and tolde me that a greate man kepeth certayne landes of hyrs frō hyr and wil be hyr tenaunte in the spite of hyr tethe And that in a whole twelue moneth she coulde not gette but one daye for the hearynge of hyr matter and the same daye when the matter shoulde be hearde the greate manne broughte on hys syde a greate syghte of Lawyers for hys counsayle the gentilwoman had but one man of lawe and the great man shakes hym so that he can not tel what to do so that when the matter came to the poynte the Iudge was a meane to the Gentyl woman that she wold let the great man haue a quietnes in her lande I beseche youre grace that ye wyll loke to these matters Heare them your selfe Uyeue your Iudges And heare poore mens causes And you proude Iudges herken what God sayeth in his holy boke Audite illos ita paruum vt magnum Heare them sayeth he the small as well as the greate the pore as well as the ryche Regarde no person feare no man Why Quia domini iudicium est The iudgement is Goddes Marcke thys saytnge thou proude Iudge The deuyl wyll brynge thys sentence at the daye of Dome Hel wyl be ful of these Iudges if they repente not and amende They are worsse then the wycked Iudge that Chryste speaketh of that neyther feared God nor the worlde There was a certayne wyddowe that was a suter to a Iudge and she met hym in euery corner of the streate criynge I praye you heare me I beseche you heare me I aske nothyng but ryght When the Iudge sawe hyr so importunate though I feare neyther God sayth he nor the worlde yet bycause of hyr importunatnes I wyll graunte hyr requeste But owr Iudges are worsse then thys Iudge was For they wyll neyther heare men for Gods sake nor feare of y e world nor importunatenes nor anye thing else Yea some of them wil commaunde them to warde yf they be importunate I hearde saye that when a suter came to one of theym he saied What felow is it that geueth these folke counsayll to be so importunate he would be punished and commytted towarde Mary syr punyshe me then it is euen I that gaue them counsayll I woulde gladlye be punyshed in suche a a cause And yf ye amend not I wyl cause thē to crye oute vpon you styl euē as long as I lyue I wyll do it in dede but I haue troubled you long As I began wyth thys sentence Quecunque scripta sunt c. So wil I end now with this texte Beati qui audiūt verbū dei et custodiunt illud Blessed are they that heare the word of god and kepeth it There was an other sute I had almost forgotten it There is a poore womā y t lyeth in the Flete and can not come by anye meanes that she can make to her answere and woulde fayne be baylled offerynge
to put in suerties worth a thousande pounde and yet she can not be heard He thynk this is a reasonable cause it is great pitie y t such thinges shold so be I besech God that he wyl graunte that all that is amysse may be amēded y t we may heare hys word kepe it that we may come to the eternall blisse to the whych blysse I beseche GOD to bryng both you me Amen ¶ The thyrde Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latymer whych he preached before the Kynge wythin hys graces Palayce at Westminster the .xxij. daye of Marche QVecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt Al thinges that are wryten are wrytten to be oure doctrine All thynges that be wrytten in Gods holye Boke the Byble were wrytten to be oure doctrine longe before our tyme to serue from tyme to tyme and so forth to the worldes ende Ye shall haue in Remembraunce moste benynge and gracyouse Audience that a preacher hathe .ii. offices and the one to be vsed orderly after an other The fyrste is Exhortari per sanā doctrinam To teach true doctrine He shall haue also occasion oftentymes to vse an other that is Contradicentes conuincere To reprehende to conuynce to confute gaynesayers and spurners agaynst the truth Whye you wyll saye wyll anye bodye agayne saye true doctryne and sound doctryne Well let a preacher be sure that hys doctrine be true it is not to be thought that anye bodye wil gayne saye it If. S. Paule had not forsene that ther shold be gayne sayers he hadde not neadde to haue appoynted the confutacion of gayne sayinge Was there euer yet preachers but there were gayn sayars that spurned that winste that whympered agaynste him that blasphemed that gaynesayed it When Moyses came to Egipt wyth sounde doctrine he had Pharao to gayne saye hym Ieremy was the minister of the true worde of God he had gain sayers the priestes and the false Prophetes borne vp by Achab Ely had all Bals priestes supported by Iesabel to speake agaynste hym Iohn Baptiste and oure Sauioure Iesus Chryste had the Pharseis the Scribes and the priestes gayn sayers to theym The Apostles had gayn sayers also for it was sayde to saynct Paule at Rome Notum est nobis quod vbique secte huic contradicitur We know that euery man doth gayne say this lernynge After the Apostles tyme the trueth was gayne sayed w t tyrantes as Nero Maxentius Domicianus and suche lyke and also by the doctrine of wycked heretikes In the popysh masse tyme ther was no gayn sayinge all thynges semed to be in peace in a concorde in a quiet agrement So longe as we had in adoration in admiration the popyshe masse we were then wythoute gaynsayinge What was that Thesame y t Chryst speaketh of Cū fortis armatus custodierit atriū c. When Sathan the deuyll hath the guydynge of the house he kepeth al in peace that is in his possessyon whan Sathan ruleth and beareth dominion in open Religion as he dyd with vs whē we preached pardō matters purgatorye matters pylgremage maters all was quiet He is ware inoughe he is wily and circūspect for stiryng vp and sedicion When he kepeth his terrytory al ys in peace Yf there were anye manne that preached in England in times past in the popes tymes as peraduenture there was .ii or .iii strayght ways he was takē napped in y e head wyth the title of an heretique When he hath the religyon in possessyon he sturreth vppe no sedycyon I warrant yow How many discentyons haue we hearde of in Turkye But a fewe I warrant you He busyeth hym selfe there wyth no discention For he hath there dominion in the open Relygion neadeth not to trouble hym selfe any further The Iewes lyke ronnagates where so euer they dwell for they be disperst and be trybutaryes in all contryes where they inhabyte loke wheather ye here of anye heresyes amonge them But when fortis superuenerit whē one stronger then the Deuyll cometh in place whyche is oure Sauyour Iesus Chryste and reueleth hys worde then the Deuyll roareth then he bestyrreth hym then he rayseth diuersytye of opinions to sclaunder Gods word And yf euer cōcord shoulde haue bene in Religyon when shoulde it haue bene but when Christe was here Ye fynde faulte wyth preachers and saye they cause sedition We are noted to be rassh and vndiscret in our preachynge Yet as discrete as Chryste was ther was diuersitie yea what he was him self For when he asked what men called hym Hys Apostles answered hym Some saye you are Iohan Baptiste some saye you are Helias and some saye you are one of the prophetes and these were they that spake best of him For some sayed he was a Samaritane that he had a Deuyll wythin him a gloser a drincker a pot-companion There was neuer Prophet to be compared to hym and yet was there neuer more dyssentiō then whē he was and preached hym selfe If it were contraried thē wil ye thynke it shal not be contraried nowe when charitye is so colde and iniquitye so stronge Thus these backebyters and sclaunderers must be conuinced Saynte Paule sayed There shall be intractabiles that wyll whympe and whyne ther shall be also Vaniloqui vayne speakers For the whyche Sayncte Paule appoynteth the preacher to stoppe theyr mouthes and it is a preachers offyce to be a mouthe stopper Thys daye I muste somwhat do in the seconde offyce I muste be agayne sayer and I must stoppe theyr mouthes conuynce refell and confute that they speake sclaūderousely of me There be some gayne sayers gayne sayers for there be some sclaunderouse people vaynespeakers and intractabiles whych I muste nedes speake agaynst But fyrste I wyl make a shorte rehersall to put you in memorye of that that I spake in my last Sermon And that done I wyll confute one that sclaūdereth me For one there is y t I must nedes aunswre vnto for he sclaundreth me for my preachynge before the kynges maiestye There be some to blame that when a preacher is wearye yet they wyll haue hym speake all at once Ye must tary tyll he here more Ye must not be offended tyll ye here the rest Here all and then iudge al. What ye are very hastie very quicke with your preachers But before I enter further into thys matter I shal desier you to praye c. Fyrst of all as touchinge my fyrst sermon I wyll runne it ouer cursorie ryppynge alittle the matter I brought in an hystorye of the Byble excytynge my audience to beware of by walkynges to walke ordinatlye playnly the kynges hygh way and a gre to that which stādeth wyth the order of a Realme I shewed you how we were vnder the blessing of God for our kynge is Nobilis I shewed you we haue a noble Kynge True in heritoure to
God sayeth it poluteth the whole realme â–ª Polluitur illa terra et â—â—non potest expiari sine sanguine The lande can not be purged nor clensed agayne tyll hys bloude be shed that shed it It is the office of a king to se suche murders punished with death Non frustra gesta gladiuÌ„ What wyl ye make of a kinge He beareth a swerd before hym not a Pecokes fether I go not about to styrrc you nowe to crudelitye but I spake agaynste bearynge of bloudshed Thys bearynge must be loked vpon In certayne causes of murther such great circumstaunces may be that the kynge maye pardon a murtherer But if I were worthye to be of counsaylle or if I were asked myne aduice I wolde not haue the kynge to pardoÌ„ a voluntary murtherer a prepeÌ„sed murther I can tell where one man slew an other in a tounshyp was attached vpoÌ„ the same .xii. men were impaneled the man hadde frendes the Shirife laboured the bench the .xii. men stacke at it and sayed excepte he woulde disburse .xii. crownes they woulde fynd him gyltie Meanes were found that the xii crownes was payed The quest commes in and sayes not giltye Here was a not gyltye for xii crownes Thys is bearing And some of the bench were hanged thei were wel serued Thys makes men bolde to do murder and slaughter We shoulde reserue murderynge tyll we come to our ennemyes and whyle the Kynge bydde vs fight He that wolde be stur hym than were a pretie felow in dede Crowenes If theyr crownes were shauen to the shoulders they were serued well inoughe I knewe where a womanne was gotwyth chylde and was a shamed at the matter and wente into a secreate place where she hadde no women at her trauail and was deliuered of thre chyldren at a byrthe She wrounge theyr neckes and caste theym into a water and so kylde her chyldren Sodaynelye she was gaunte agayne and her neyghboures suspectynge the matter caused her to be examened she graunted all Afterwarde she was rayned at the barre for it and dyspatched and founde not giltye throughe bearynge of friendes and brybynge of the iudge Where at the same sessions another poore womanne was hanged for stealing a fewe ragges of a hedge that were not worthe a crowne There was a certayne gentle man a professour of the word of God he spedde neuer the better for that ye maye besure whoo was accused for murtheryng of a manne where vppon he was cast into prison And by chauÌ„ce as he was in pryson one of hys friendes came vnto hym for to visite hym and he declared to hys friende that he was neuer gylty in the murtheryng of the man So he wente hys wayes the gentle man was arayned condempned and as he wente to hys execusion he sawe hys frendes seruaunte and sayd vnto hym Commende me to thy master and I praye the tel him I am the same man styl I was when he was wyth me And if thou tary a whyle thou shalt se me dye There was sute made for thys mannes pardon but it coulde not be gotten Bilike the Shiriues or some other bare hym no good wyll But he dyed for it And afterwarde I beyng in the Tower hauynge leaue to come to the Lieuetenauntes table I hearde hym saye that ther was a man hanged afterwarde that kylled the same manne for whom this Gentyll man was put to death O Lord what bearyng what bolsteryng of naughtye matters is thys in a Chrystian realme I desyre youre Maiestye to remedye the matter and God grauÌ„t you to se a redres in thys realme in your owne person Althoughe my Lord Protector I doubt not and the reste of the counsayle do in the meane whyle all that lyeth in theym to redresse thinges I woulde such as be rulers noble men maisters should be at this poynt w t their seruauntes to certify them on thys sort If anye man go about to do you wrong I wyl do my best to helpe you in your right But if thou breke the lawe thou shalte haue iustice If ye wyll be manquellers murderers transgressoures loke for no bearynge at my handes A straunge thynge What nede wee in the vengaunce to burden oure selues wyth other meÌ„nes synnes Haue we not synnes inowe of oure owne what neade haue I to burden my selfe wyth other mennes synnes I haue burdens and .ii. heapes of synnes One hepe of knowen sinnes an other of vnknowen synnes I hade nede to say Aboccultis meis muÌ„dame domine O Lorde deliuer me froÌ„ my hidden and my vnknoweÌ„ synnes Then if I beare wyth other mennes synnes I muste saye Delyuer me frome my other mennes sinnes A straunge sayinge frome my other mens synnes Who beareth wyth other folkes offences he communycateth wyth other folkes synnes Men haue sinnes inoughe of theyr owne althoughe they beare not and bolster vp other men in theyr naughtynes thys bearinge thys bolsteryng lokyng thorowe their fingers is naught What the fayre happe should I or anye else encrease my burden Myne other mens synnes for gyue me o Lord. A strauÌ„ge language they haue hid sinnes of their own inough althoughe they beare not wyth gyltines of other mens synnes Oh father Samuell would not beare hys owne sonnes He offered hys owne sonnes to punyshment And saied Ecce filli mei vobiscum sunt Euen at the fyrste tyme he sayed Lo here they be I discharge my selfe take them vnto you and as for my parte Prestâ— sum loqui coram domino et Christo eius I am here ready to answer for my selfe before the Lorde and hys anointed Behold here I am record of me before the Lorde Vtrum cuiusquaÌ„ bona c. Whether I haue taken any mans oxe ani mans asse or wether I haue done anye man wronge or hurte anye man or taken any bribes at anye mans hande I canne commende the Englyshe traslation that doeth interprete munera bribes not gyftes They answered nay forsooth We knowe no such thinges in you Testis est michi deus saieth he God is witnes Quod nihil inueneritis in manu mea That you haue found nought in my handes Fewe suche Samuels are in England nor in the world Why dyd Samuell thys marye to purge hymselfe he was enforced to it for he was wroÌ„gfullye deposed TheÌ„ bi this ye mai perceiue the fault of the Iewes for they offended not God in askyng of a king but for asking for a kinge to the wronging and desposicioÌ„ of good father Samuel If after Samuels death the people had asked of God a kynge they hadde not faulted but it is no smale faute to put an innocente out of his office Kynge Dauyd lykewyse commaunded his people to be numbred and therewyth offended God greuouslye Why might he not knowe the numbre of hys people Yes it was not the numbrynge of the people that offended God for a king may number his people but he dyd it of a pride of an elacion of mynde not accordyng to Gods
I harde saye I woulde haue no mans honestye empayred by my tellynge I harde saye synce of another murder that a Spanyarde shoulde kyl an Englishe man and ronne hym thorowe wyth hys swerde they saye he was a tall man But I here it not that the Spanyarde was hanged for hys laboure If I had I woulde haue toulde you it to They fell oute as the tale goeth a bont a whore O Lord what whordom is vsed nowe a dayes As I here by the relacion of honeste men whyche tell it not after a worldlye sorte as thoughe they reioysed at it but heauely wyth heauy hertes howe GOD is dyshonored by whordome in thys citye of London Yea the bancke when it stode was neuer so commune If it be true that is toulde it is maruaile that it doeth not sinck and that the earth gapeth not and swalloweth it vp It is woÌ„derfull that the Citye of London doeth suffer such whordom vnpunished God hath suffered long of hys great lenitie mercye and benygnitie but he wil punish sharply at the leÌ„gth if we do not repente There is sum place in London as they saye Immunitie Impunitie What should I call it a pryueledged place for whoredome The Lorde Mayer hath nothyng to do there the Shiriffes they can not medle wyth it And the queste they do not enquyre of it and there men do brynge theyr whores yea other mennes wyues and there is no reformacioÌ„ of it There is suche dysynge howses also they saye as hath not bene wonte to be where yonge Gentelmen dyse awaye theyr thrifte and where dysynge is there are other folyes also For the loue of God lette remedye be hadde lette vs wrestele and stryue agaynste synne Menne of Englande in tymes paste when they woulde exercyse theym selues for we must nedes haue some recreacion oure bodyes canne not endure wythoute some exercyse they were wonte to goo a brode in the fyeldes a shootynge â–ª but now it is turned in to glossing gullyng and whoringe wythin the housse The arte of shutyng hath bene in tymes past much estemed in thys realme it is a gyft of God that he hath geuen vs to excell all other nacions wyth all It hath bene goddes instrumente whereby he hath geuen vs manye victoryes agaynste oure enemyes But nowe we haue taken vp whoryng in tounes in steade of shutyng in the feeldes A wonderous thynge that so excellente a gift of God should be so lytle estemed I desyer you my Lordes euen as ye loue the honoure and glory of GOD and entende to remoue his indignacion let there be sente fourth some proclamacion some sharpe proclamacion to the iustices of peace for they do not their dutye Iustices nowe be no iustices ther be manye good actes made for thys matter already Charge them vpoÌ„ their allegiaunce that this singular benefit of god may be practised and that it be not turned into bollyng glossyng and whoryng wythin the townes for they be negligente in excecutyng these lawes of shoting In my tyme my poore father was as diligent to teach me to shote as to learne me any other thynge and so I thynke other menne dyd theyr chyldren He taught me how to drawe howe to laye my bodye in my bowe and not to drawe with strength of armes as other nacions do but with strength of the bodye I had my bowes boughte me according to my age strength as I encreased in them so my bowes were made bigger and bigger for men shal neuer shoâ—e well excepte they be broughte vp in it It is a goodli art a hol some kynde of exercise muche commended in phisike Marcilius Phicinus in his boke de triplici vita it is a greate while since I red hym nowe but I remeÌ„bre he commendeth this kynde of exercyse and sayth that it wresteleth a gaynste manye kyndes of diseases In the reuereÌ„ce of God let it be continued Let a ProclamatioÌ„ go fourth chargynge the Iustices of Peace that thei se such Actes statutes kept as were made for this purpose I wyl to my matter I intend thys daye to entreate of a pece of scripture written in the begynnyng of the fyft Chapter of Luke I am occasyoned to take thys place by a boke sent to the Kynges Mayestye that deade is by Mayster Pole It is a texte that he doeth greatelye abuse for the supremicye He rackes it and vyolentes it to serue for the mayntenaunce of the byshop of Rome And as he did enforce the other place that I entreated of last so dyd he inforce thys also to serue hys matter The storye is thys Our Sauyoure Chryst was come nowe to the bancke of the water of Genezareth The people were come to hym and flocked about hym to here hym preache And Iesus toke a boote that was standynge at the poole it was Symones bote and wente into it And sittyng in the bote he preached to them that were on the bancke And when he had preached and taught them he spake to Symon and bad hym launche oute further into the depe and louse hys nettes to catche fyshe And Symon made aunswere and sayed Mayster we haue labored all night but we caught nothynge howe be it at thy commaundement because thou byddeste vs. we wyll go to it agayne And so they dyd and caughte a greate draught a myraculus draught so muche that the net brake they called to theyr fellowes that were by for they had two bootes to come to healpe them and they came and fylled both their bootes so full that they were nygh drounynge Thys is the storye That I maye declare thys texte so that it maye be to the honoure of God and edifycacion of youre soules and myne bothe I shall desyer you to healpe me wyth your prayer in the whych c. Factum est autem Saith the text Cum turba irrueret in eum Sayncte Luke telles the storye and it came to passe when the people preased vpoÌ„ him so that he was in peryl to be cast into the pond they rushed so faste vpon hym and made suche throng to him A wonderous thynge what a desyre the people had in those dayes to heare oure sauyoure Chryste preache and the cause maye be gathered of the latter ende of the Chapter that went before Oure Sauyour Christ had preached vnto them and healed the sycke folkes of suche dyseases and maladyes as they had and therefore the people woulde haue retayned him styl But he made them aunswere and sayed Et alijs ciuitatibus oportet me euaÌ„ge lizare regnum dei naÌ„ in hoc missus sum I must preache the kyngdome of GOD to other cyties also I must shewe theÌ„ my fathers wil for I came for that purpose I was sente to preache the worde of God Our Sauyour Chryst sayed howe he must not tarye in one place for he was sent to the worlde to preache euerye where Is it not a maruaylous
marres all to gether Well to my texte Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis beatus et bene tibi erit Because thou eatest thy labors of thy handes that y t God sendes the of thy laboure Euery man must labour yea though he be a kynge yet he muste laboure for I knowe no mā hath a greater laboure then a Kinge What is his laboure To study goddes boke to see y t there be no vnpreachynge prelates in hys realme nor bribing Iudges t◠se to all estates to prouyde for the poore to se vittailes goodchepe Is not thys a labour trowe ye thus if thou doste laboure exercisynge the worckes of thy vocacyon thou eatest the meate that God sendes the and then it foloweth Beatus es◠Thou arte blessed manne in Goddes fauour Et bene tibi rit And it shal go well wyth the in this worlde both in bodie soule for God prouides for both Howe shalt thou prouyde for thy soule Go here sermons Howe for the body Eabour in thy vocation and then shall it be well wyth the bothe here and in the worlde to come through the fayth and merites of our sauiour Iesus Chryst. To whom with the father and the holy goste be prayse for euer and euer world with out ende Amē The ende of the .vi. Sermon The seuenth Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latymer whych he preached before the Kinges Maiestie within his graces Palayce at Westminster the xix daye of Apryll QVecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt Al thinges that be writen thei be writē to be our doctrine By occasiō of this text most honorable audiēce I haue walked thys Lente in the brode filde of scripture and vsed my libertye intreated of suche matters as I thoughte mete for this auditory I haue had a do wyth many estates euen wyth the hyghest of all ▪ I haue entreated of the dutye of Kynges of the dutye of magestrates and Iudges of the dutye of prelates alowyng that y t is good disalowyng the contrary I haue taught that we are all synners I thinke there is none of vs al neither preacher nor hearer but we maye be amended and redresse oure lyues We maye all saye yea all the packe of vs peccauimus cum patribus nostris We haue offēded sinned w t our forefathers In multis offendimus omnes There is none of vs all but we haue in sondry thinges greuously offended almyghtye God I here intreated of manye fautes and rebuked manye kyndes of synnes I intende to daye by Goddes grace to shew you the remedy of synne We be in the place of repentaunce nowe is the tyme to cal for mercy whyles we be in this worlde We be all synners euen the best of vs all Therefore it is good to here the remedy of synne This day is comonlye called good Fryday although eueri daye ought to be wyth vs good fryday Yet thys day we ar accustomed specially to haue a commemoratiō and remembraunce of the passion of our sauiour Iesu Christ. This daye we haue in memory hys bytter Passion and death whych is the remedy of our syn Therefore I intend to intreate of a pece of a story of hys passion I am not able to intreate of all That I maye do that the better and that it maye bee to the honour of God y e edification of youre soules and myne both I shal desyre you to praye c. In thys prayer I wyll desyre you to remember the soules departed wyth laudes and prayse to almightie God that he woulde vouchsafe to assyste them at the hour of their death In so doynge you shal be putte in remembraunce to praye for youre selues that it maye please GOD to assyste and comforte you in the agonies and paynes of death The place that I wyll intreate of is in the .xxvi. Chapiter of Saynct Mathewe Howe be it as I intreate of it I wyll borrowe parte of Sayncte Marke and saynct Luke for they haue somwhat that saynct Mathew hath not and especiallye Luke The texte is Tunc cū uenisset Iesus in uillam que dicitur gethsemani then whē Iesus cāe some haue in nillō some in agrum some in prediū But it is allone whē Chryst came in to a Graūg into a peace of lād into a felde it makes no matter call it what he wyll at what tyme he had come into an honeste mans house and there eaten hys pascall lambe and instituted and celebrated the lordes supper and sette furth the blessed communion then when thys was done he toke his way to the place where he knewe Iudas woulde come It was a solitarye place and thyther he wente w t hys leauen Apostles For Iudas the twelfte was aboute his busines he was occupied aboute his marchaundyse and was prouydyng amōg the byshoppes and preistes to come with an imbushement of Iewes to take our sauiour Iesu christ And when he was come into this feeld or graunge this village or ferme place whych was called Gethsemani there was a Garden sayth Luke into the whych he goeth leues .viii. of hys disciples w tout howbeit he appoynted thē what they shold do He saith Sedete hic donec nadā il luc et orē Sit you here whiles I go yonder and pray He told thē that he went to pray to monysh thē what they should do to fall to praier as he dyd He lefte thē there toke no more with hym but .iii. Peter Iames and Ihō to teach vs that a solitari place is mete for prayer Then when He was come into thys garden cepit expauescere He begā to trimble in so much he sayed Tristis est anima mea vsque ad mortē Mi soule is heauye and pensyue euen vnto death Thys is a notable place and one of the moste especiall and chefest of al that be in the story of the passiō of Christ. Here is oure remedye Here we muste haue in consideracion all hys doynges and sayinges for oure learnynge for our edificacion for oure comforth and consolation Fyrst of al he set hys thre Disciples that he toke wyth him in an order and toulde them what they shoulde do sayinge Sedete hic et uigilate mecum et orate Syt here praye that ye enter not into tēptaciō but of that I wil entreate afterward Now when he was in y e garden cepit ex pauescere He began to be heauye pensiue heauye herted I lyke not Oregenes plaing with this word cepit it was a perfect heauines it was suche a one as was neuer sene the greater it was not only y e beginninge of a sorow These doctours we haue greate cause to thanke God for thē but yet I wold not haue thē alwayes to be allowed They haue handled many pointes of our fayth very godly we may haue a greate staie in thē in manye thinges we mighte not wel lacke thē but yet I woulde not haue