THE SERMON THAT THE Reverend father in Christ, Hugh Latimer, bishop of worcester, made to the clergy, in the convocation, before the parliament began, the 9 day of June, the. 28. year of the reign of our sovereign lord king Henry the viii. now translated out of latin into english, to the intent, that things well said to a few, may be understand of many, and do good to all them that desire to be better.   

both worthy to be hard in you 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 
Luc. 19  moche more prudent and politic, than the children of light in their generation. Neither I will be afraid, trusting that he will aid and guide me, to use this sentence, as a 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 helped 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 some what nygher the matter, thus the lord beginneth.  
¶ There was a certain rich man, that had a steward, which was accused unto him, that he had dissypated and wasted his goodis. This  
For Luke saith, the Lord spoke these words to his disciples. wherefore let it be out of all doubt, that he spoke them to us, which even as we will be counted the successors & vicars of Christis disciples, so we be, if we be good dispensers, & do our duty. He said these things, partly to us, which spoke 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 th'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 richesse. For it is he, that giveth 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 not only giveth unto us, in most ample wise his benediction. Neither his treasure can be spent, how moche so ever he lash out, how moche so ever 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 & his sacraments. These be his goods, most precious, the dispensation and administration whereof, he would bishops and curates should have. Which thing S. Paul affirmeth, saying, Let men esteem  
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 wool let pass to speak of many other) was there not some, that despising the money of the lord, as copre, and not currant, either coined new themselves, or else uttered abroad newly coined of other, some time either adulterating the word of god, or else mynglinge it (as taverners do, which brew and utter the evil and good both in a 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 Christis 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 of 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 furnaces, that hath burned away so many of our pens, paid her husbands ransom, and so of duty claimed him to be set at liberty: While they thus preached 
Dead images.  to the people, that dead images (which at the first, as I think, were set up only, to represent things absent) not only aught to be covered with gold, but also ought of all faithful & christian people, yea in this scarceness and penury of all things, to be clad with silk garmentis, & those also laden with precious gems & jewels, And that beside all this, they are to be lighted with wax candles, both within the church and without the church, yea at noon days, as who should say, here no cost can be to great, where as in the mean time, we see Christis faithful and lively images, bought with no less price, than with his most precious blood, alas alas, to be an hungered, a thirst, acold, and to lie in darkness wrapped in all wretchedness, yea to lie there, until death take away their miseries: While they preached, these wilworks, 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, & in the pulpit, that wilworkes were more principal, more excellent, & (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 preceptis, 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, uncercertayne, doubtful, and therefore rashly & arrogantly with such boldness affirmed in the audience of people, Thother by all men's opinions is manifestly false. I let pass to speak of moche other such like countrefayte 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 falls dissipatours 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 
More happy, if they preached never.  seldom. And yet it is a wonder to see these, in their generation, to be much more prudent and politic, than the faithful ministers at in their generation, while they go about more prudently to stablish men's dreams, than these do, to hold up Goddis commandments.  
¶ Thus it cometh to pass, that works lucrative, wilworks, men's fancies reign, and christian works, necessary works, fruitefulle works, be trodden under the foot. Thus the evil, is moche better set out by evil men, than is 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 wast 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 here 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 here 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 cruestly 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, ye do nothing but cumber them that preach truly, as much as lieth in you, that it were much better, such not to preach at all, than so perniciously to preach. Oh, what I here 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 cruclle deaths. To be short, I would, that christian people should here my doctrine, and at their commodity, read it also, as many as would: your care is not, that all men may here 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 slouthefulnesse. 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 here of your demeanour. I wished to here 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 moche 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, ye in mattiers of most importance. For thus I taught openly, 
Lnc. 10.  He that should here you, should hear me: He that should despise you, should despise me.  
¶ I gave you also keys, not earthly 
Matt. 16.  keys, but heavenly. I left my gods, 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 ye find in your hearts, thus to abuse my goodness, my benignity, my gentleness? Have ye thus deceived me? No no, ye have not deceived me, but yourselves. My gifts and benefits toward you, shall be to your greater damnation. Because ye have contemned the lenity and clemency of the master of the house, ye have right well deserved, to abide the rigour & severity of the Judge. Come forth than, let us see 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 brothern, you see, to 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 thretninges' one day take place in us.  
¶ But lest the length of my sermon offend you to sore, I will leave the rest of the Parabole, and take me to the handling of the end of it, that is, I will declare you, how the children of this world be more witty crafty and subtile, than 
Luc. 10.  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 here 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 soul health, and  
was in deed 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 yet was true in Christis time, and now in our time is most true. Who is so blind, but he seeth this clearly, except perchance there be any, that can not 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 moche more policy, than do the children of light. Which thing is as sorrowful to be said, as it seemeth absurd to be herd. When ye here the children of the world, you understand the world, as a father. For the world is father of many children, not by first creation & work, but by imitation and love. He is not only a father, but also the son of an other 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 
Prince of the world 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, 
joan. 8.  Ye are of your father the devil: where as undoubtedly he spoke to children of this world. Now seeing the devil is both author and ruler of the darkness, in the which the chiiderne of this world walk, or to say better, wander, they mortally hate both the light, & 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 brothern, gather you, the disposition and study of the children, by the disposition and study of the fathers. You know, this is a proverb much used, An evil crow, an evil egg. Than, the children of this world, that are known to have so evil a father, the world, so evil a grandfather, the devil, can not chose but be evil. Surely the first heed of their ancestor, was that deceitful serpent the devil, a monster monstrous above all monsters. I can not wholly express him, I wot not what to call him, but a certain thing, all together made of the hatred of god, of mistrust in god, of lyenges, deceits, perjuries, discords, manslaughters, & 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 descrive particularly, the devils 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 moche unlike his father.  
¶ Then this devil being such one, as can never be unlike himself, To of envy, his well-beloved leminan, he begat the world, and after left it with discord at nours. Which world, after that it came to man's state, had of many concubines, many sons. He was so fecunde a father, and had gotten so many children of lady pride, dame gluttony, master avarice, lady lechery, and of dame subtility: that no we 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? How be it, they that be secular and lay men, are not by and by children of the world, ne 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 moche so ever we arrogate these holy titles unto us, & think them only attributed to us, vos estis 
Matth. 5.  lux mundi, peculium Christi. etc. Ye are the light of the world, the chosen people of Christ, a kingly priesthood, 
1. Per. 2.  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 cesseth not, to bring to pass, that as they be called worldly, so they at worldly in deed, driven headlong by worldly desires, in so much, that they may right well seem to have take 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, wherewith 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 never the less 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: in so much that in all worldly points, they far pass and surmount those, that they call seculars, lay men, men of the world. The child so diligently followeth the steps of his father, never destitute of the aid of his grandfather. These be our holy holy men, that say they are deed to the world, when no men be more lively in worldly things, than some of them be. But let them be in profession & name, most farthest from the world, most alienate from it, yea so far, that they may seem to have no occupy, no kindred, no affinity, nothing to do with it: yet in their life & deeds, they show themself no bastards, but right begotten children of the world: as the which, the world long sithence, had by his dear wife, dan Hypocrisy, and sins hath brought them up and multiplied them to more than a good meinie, increased them, to much▪ ●o moche, all be it they swear by all he saints and she saints to, th●t they know not their father, 〈◊〉 mother, neither the world, nor hypocrisy, as in deed they can semble & 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 mids 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 recognize their parents in words and outward pretence, but abrenounce and cast them of, as though they hated them as dogs and serpents. How be it 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, for as much as they ever say one, and think an other. They show themself to be as sober, as temperate, as Curius the Roman was, and live every day, as though all their life were a shroving tyme. They be like their parents, I say, in as moche as they in following them seem and make men believe, they hate them. Thus grandfather devil, father world, & mother hypocrisy have brought them up. Thus good obedient sons, have borne away their parent's commandments, neither these be solitary, how religious, how mocking, how munking, I would say, so ever 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 prelate's, that are brethren german unto these, and as a great sort, so even as right borne, and worlds children by as good title as they.  
¶ But because I can not speak of all, when I say prelate's, I understand bishops, abbots, priors, archdeacon's, deans, and other, of such sort, that are now called to this convocation, as I see, to entreat hereof 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.  
amongs the which I know, there 
men 〈◊〉 divers opnions agree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they be toither.  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, judgements 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 than 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 to 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 an other way. How be it, 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 show what ye have done: the fruit that shall come of your consultation, shall show, 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 assemble? What one thing, that the people of England hath been the better of an hear? 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  
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 supremetie of the king. Take away these two noble acts, and there is nothing else left, that ye went about, that I know, savying that, I now remember, that somewhat ye attempted against Erasmus, all be it as yet, nothing is come to light.  
¶ Ye have oft sit 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 Christis people made more holier? I appeal to your own conscience. How chanced this? how came this thus? because there were no children of light, no children of god amongs you, which setting the world at nought, would study to illustrate the glory of god, and thereby show 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. Than 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 those were moche more stronger, in gendering the evil, than these in producing good. The children of light have 
children of sights policy  policy, but it is like the policy of the serpent, and is joined with dowysshe simplicity. They ingendre 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 foxely craft, lyonlyke cruelty, power to do hurt, more than either aspis or basiliscus, engendering and doing all things, fraudulently, deceitfully, guilefully. Which as Nembrothes and such sturdy and stout hunters, being full of simulation & dissimulation, before the lord, deceive the children of light, & cumber them easily. Hunter's 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, for as much 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 in especial in the order of prelate's, 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 son and the light out of the world. But these be easily known, both by the diversity of minds, and also their armours. For where as the children of light at thus minded, that they seek their adversaries health wealth and profit, with loss of their own commodities, and oft times with jeopardy of their life, The children of the world, contrary wise, have such stomachs, that they will sooner see them deed, that doth them good, than sustain any loss of temporal things. The armure of the children 
armour of the children of light.  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 armure of 
armour o● worlds children.  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, reason. And if any man resist them, even with these weapons they procure to slay him. Thus they bought Christis 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. etc.  
¶ These worldings pull down the lively faith, and full confidence that men have in Christ, and set up an other faith, an other 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 worldings, if they spy profit, gains, 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, all be it they be intolerable, lest in disallowing the abuse, they lose part of their profit. The children of the light, coutrarye 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 wilworks feigned by men, and put them in their place. The abuses of all thing they earnestly rebuke. But yet these things be so done on both parties, and so they both do gender, that children of the world show themself 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 themself, much wiser than  
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 feyners 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 deed men's tributes and gifts.  
¶ If there be some in England, 
Purgatory the swetinge of worldlings.  that would this sweting of the world to be with no less policy kept still, than it was borne and brought forth in Rome, who than can accuse Christ of dying? 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 wots not what it is, but somewhat it is, I wot, that some men be so loath 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 restaure him his old name. They would not set an hear 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 of all men's heeds, have found purgatory. I can not tell, what is found. This, to pray for deed folks, this  
vocation, 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, & look about with your eyes, spy what things are to be reform 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 
The arches.  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 
bishops consistories  all things be well done there, what do men in bishops consistoryes? Shall you ofter see the punishments assigned by the laws executed, or else money redemptions used in their stead?  
¶ How think you by the Ceremonies, 
Ceremon●●●.  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 fore fathers complained of the number of ceremonies, of the superstition, and estimation of them?  
¶ Do ye see nothing in our holy 
Holydaye  days? of the which very few were made at the first, and they to set forth goodness virtue and honesty. But sithence, in some places, there is neither mean nor measure in making new holy days: as who should say, this one thing is serving of god, to make this law, that no man may work. But what 
The bare is holy, if we be holy.  doth the people on these holidays? Do they give themself to godliness, or else ungodliness? See ye nothing brethren? If you see not, yet god seeth. God seeth all the hole holy days, to be spent miserably, in drunkenness, in glozing, in strife, in envy, in dancing, dicing, ideines and glortony. 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, all be it ye say, ye serve god. No, the devil hath more service done unto him on one holy day, 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 holy days, 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 can not labour upon the holy days, except they will be cited and brought before our officials? were it not the office of good prelate's, to consult upon these matters, and to seek some remedy for them? Ye shall see my brethren, ye shall see one's, what will come of this our winking.  
¶ What think ye of these images 
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 
Relics of saints.  mere images, & sometime to visit the relics of saints. And yet as in those, there may be moche ungodliness committed, so there may here some superstition be hid, if that sometime we chance to visit pigs bones, in stead of saints relics, as in time past it hath chanced) I had almost said) in England.  
Than this is to great a blindness, a darkness to 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 not withstanding are such, that neither god nor man commandeth them to be done. No rather, men con manded them either not to be done at all, or ess more slowlyer and seldomer to be done: for as much as our ancestors made this constytution,  
¶ 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 passed 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 superstytious 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, restreyn also pilgrimage. seeing that for the most part, it is seen, that few go on pilgrimage, but vowemakers, and such as by promise bind themself 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 counseled by a learned priest so to do? When should she go far of, to these famous images? For this the common people of England think to be going on pilgrimage, to go to some deed 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 lie purpose to do any thing, what should ye sooner do, than take utterly away, these deceitful and juggling images: or else if ye know any other mean, to put away abuses, to show it, if ye intend to remove abuses. Me think it should be grateful and pleasant to you, to mark the earnest mind of your forefathers, & 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, all be it they be neither commanded us, nor yet given us by counsel: as though we had leaver, 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 hard, I think, ye have hard, of saint Blesis heart, which is at Maluerne, and of saint Algars 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 is suffered, to take the false miracles for the true, and to lie still a stepe in all kind of superstition. God have mercy upon us.  
¶ last of all, how think you of 
matrimony.  matrimony? Is all well here? What of baptism? Shall we evermore in ministering of it, speak latin, and not english rather, that the people may know what is said and done?  
¶ What think ye of these mass priests, & of the masses themself? 
The abuses reprohended, the reverence of the Mass is not diminished, but rather set forth.  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 venalitie 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 holy, 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 worldings. And while we live here, let us all make bon cheer. For after this life, there is small pleasure, little mirth for us to hoop for, if now there be nothing to be changed in our fashions. Let us say, not as S. Peter did, Our end 
1. Petr. 4.  approacheth nigh, this is an heavy hearing: but let us say, as the evil servant said, It will belong ere 
Matt. 24. Luc. 12.  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 strike our fellows. when we walter in pleasures and idleness, than 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 shallbe my brothern, where gnasting 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 worlds well be loved children.  
These be the wafers and tonkettes, provided for worldly prelate's, 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, & 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 brothern, what sorrow, what punishment is provided for you, if ye be worldings. If ye will not thus be vexed, be not ye the children of the world. If ye will not be the children of the world, be not stricken with the love of wordly things, leave not upon them. If ye will not die eternally, live not worldly. Come, go to my brothers, go to, I say again, and ones again, 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 son, with the father, the son, & the holy ghost, to whom be all honour and glory.  
Amen.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Berthelet, printer to the kings grace. The year from the birth of Christ. 1537. the 23. of November.  
Cum privilegio.