f m^mmmtitmtmmam0¥mm0m ^ ASHBEL GREEN. "^ No. LIBRA.RY ' OF THE Theological Seminary f HINCETON, N. J. CasCf .^>rr ^y^r^ .Qj.y.l.S'!.? "• . Shelf, fz:^ ^^ Section . Boofc, /. Z. No-:. — ■ r \ •A \ ni ^^'ifv THE SERMONS O F T H E Right Reverend Father in God, Mafter HUGH LjriMER, BiHiop of WORCESTER. Many of which were preached before King EDWARD VI. the Privy Council, Parliament, and Nobility, O N T H E RELIGIOUS and CIVIL LIBERTIES O F ENGLISHMEN, &c. To which is prefixed, Bifliop L A T I M E R's Life. In TWO VOLUMES. ^ VOL, II. LONDON: printed for J.Scott, at the Black Siuan in Pater -nofier-ro'w. MDCCLVIII. ^ C E R T A I N"mTj^.E R SER By the Ren:iere?id Father m Chrijl Mafter HUGH LATIMER, Blfiop of Worcefter. Collected by Auguftine Bernher, an Helvetian, a Clergyman, and native of Switzerland. VOLUME the SECOND. SERMON XX: MATTHEW XXII. 2, 3. ^he kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain King, which married his fon, and fent forth his fervants to call them that were hidden to the wedding ; and they would not come. r H ^ H I S is a gofpel that containeth very much H matter ; and there is another like unto jBL^ this in the fourteenth of Luke, but they be both one in effect, for they teach both one thing. And therefore I will take them both in hand toge- ther, becaufe they tend to one purpofe. Matthew faith, *' The kingdom of Heaven is like unto a *' certain King, which married his fon." Luke faith, " A certain man ordained a great fupper." But there is no difference in the very fubftance of N 20. Vol. 11. B the 470 Mafter LAT'IMEBJs Sermon ontheFarahk the matter, for they pertain to one purpofe. Here is made mention of a feaft-maker; therefore we muft confider who was this feaft-maker : fecondly, who was his fon ; thirdly, we muft confider to whom he was married ; fourthly, who were they that called the guetls : fifthly, who were the guefts. And then we muft know liow the gueft-cajlers be- haved themfelves ; and then how the guefts be- haved themfelves towards them that called them. When all thefe circumftances be confidered, ,we fliall find much good matters covered and hid in this gofpel. Now that I may fo handle thefe matters, that it may turn to the edification of your fouls, and to .the difcharge of my office, I will moft inllantly de- fire you, to lift up your hearts unto God; and de- fire his divine Majcfcy, in the name ol his only. be- gotten Son our Saviour Jcfus Chrift, that he will give ,.unto us his holy Ghoft ; unto me, that I may fpeak the word of God, and teach you to underftand the fame : unto you, that you may hear it fruitfully, to the edification of your fouls, fo that you may be edified through it, and your lives reformed and amended, and that his honour and glory may in- . creafe daily amongft us. Wherefore I fhall defire you to fay with me, " Our Father, tsfc.'* Dearly beloved in the Lord, the gofpel that is read this day is a parable, a fimilitude, or compa- rifon. For our Saviour compared the kingdom of God unto a man that made a marriage for his fon. And here was a marriage. At a marriage you know there is commonly great feaftings. Now you muft know who was this feaft-mafter, and who was his fon, and to whom he was married ; and who were thofe that fliould be called, and who were the callers ; how they behaved themfelves ; and how the guefts of a King that married his Son. 47 s guefls behaved thenifelves towards them that called them. Now this marriage- maker, or feaft- maker, is al- mighty God. Luke the Evangeiift calleth him a man, faying, " A certain man ordained a great " fupper." He calleth him a man, not that he was incarnate, or hath taken our fiefh upon him ; no not fo, for you muil underftand that there be three perfons in the Deity, " God the Father, God " the Son, and God the holy Gholl.'* And thefe three perfons decked the Son with manhood : fo that neither the Father, neither the holy Ghoft took flelh upon them, but only the Son, he took flelh upon him, taking it of the Virgin Mary. But lyuke calleth God the Father a man, not becaafe he took flefh upon him, but only compared him unto a man-, and that he will affirm him to be a man. Who was he now that was married ? who was the Bridegroom ? Certainly, that was cur Saviour Jefus Chrill, the fecond Perfon in the Deity, the eternal Son of God. Who fliould be his Spoufe ? to whom was he married ? to his Church and Con- gregation : for he would have ::!! the v/orld to come unto him, and to be married u;,to him ; but we fee by daily experience, that the mofl part refufe this offer. But here is fliewed the ftate of the Church of God : for this marriage, and this feaft, was begun at the beginning of the world, and fliall endure to the end of the fame : yet for all that, the moft part come not : fo at the beginning of the world, ever the moft part refufed to come. And fo it appeareth at this time, how little a number cometh to this wedding and feaft: though we have many callers, yet there be but few of thofe that come. So ye hear that God is the feaft- maker, the Bridegroom is Chrift, 472 Moifter LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Parable Chriil, his Son, our Saviour ; the Bride, is the Con- gregarion. Now what manner of meat was prepared at this great feaft? For ye know it is commonly feen, that at a marriacre, the |ineft meat is prepared that can be gotten. What was the chiefeit difli at this great banquet ? Wliat was the feaft difh ? Marry it was the Bridegroom himfelf : for the Father, the feaft- maker, prepared none other manner of meat for the guefts, but the * body and blood of his natural Son, And this is the chiefeft difh at this banquet, which truly is a marvellous thing, that the Father offered his Son to be eaten. Verily, I think that no man hath heard the like. And truly there was never fuch kind of feafling 'as this is, where the Father will have his Son to be eaten, and his blood to be drank. We * MaQer Latimer, though a Proteflant, could not help now and ■then, as particulaily here, to talk as if he fcill believed (for he had for many Years believed) the doftrine of Tranfubftantiation. Indeed, our Church has only fpiritualized the popilli doiflrine of Tranfubftantiatlon, as appears from what the Prielt is appointed to fay to the Communicant when he delivers the Bread to him : " The " Body of our Loid Jefus Chiill, which was given for thee, pre- ** ferve thy Body and Soul unto everlafling Life. Take and eat *' this in remembrance that Chrift died for thee, and feed on him " in thy heart (mind, Ipiric, or ioul) by faith with thanks- " giving." And again, in htr twenty eighth Article, flic thus po- fitively dec' ares, that" to fuch as rightly, worthily, and with faith • " receive the fame," (that is, the facramcnt of the Lord's fupper) " the Bread which we" (that is, the Clergy of the Church of England) " break is a partaking of the Bopv of Christ.— Tlie " Body of Christ is given, taken and eaten in the Supper only " after an heavenly and fpiritual manner ; and the mean whereby " the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is •' Faith." The Article fays the fame concernir.g the Wine after benedifiion. Lallly, our Church thus teacheth her Catechumens in her anfwer to this qiieilion, " What is the inv.ard part or " thing (in the facramcnt) fignil^ed r" Anfwer, " The body and *■ biood of Chrift, \v\\\ch. tltq 've'-ilv and /«di'^^ taken and received *' bj the FAiTHFUL in the Lord's Supper." of a kingthai married his Son. 473 We read in hiftory, that a certain man had eaten his own fon, but it was done unawares ; he knew not that it was his fon, elfe no doubt he would not have eaten him. The ftory is this : There was a King named Aftyages, which heard by a prophecy, that one * Cyrus fhould have the rule and dominion over his realm after his departure ; which thing troubled the faid King very fore, and therefore he fought all the ways and means how to get the faid Cyrus out of the way, how to kill him, fo that he (hould not be King after him. Now he had a Nobleman in his houfe, named Harpagus, whom he appointed to deftroy the faid Cyrus ; but howfoever the matter went, Cyrus was preferved and kept alive, contrary to the King's mind. Which thing when Aftyages heard, what doth he ? Thus he did ; N° 20. Vol.11. C . Harpagus, * Cyrus was the fon of Cambyfes, by Mandane the daughter ©f Aftyages. This Aftyages, King of the Medes, being informed of the Soothfayers, that of his daughter Mandane (hculd be born a fon that fhould over-rula Afia, and drive him from his kingdom, mariied her to one Cambyfes, a mean man among the Perfians; purpofing by that means to difannal the prophecy : yet, fearing the worft, as foon as Cyrus was born of her, he gave him to Har- pagus to be flain. But he, fearing the future difpleafure of Man- dane, when fhe ftiould be Queen, did not Hay the child, but gave him to a Shepherd, by whom he was brought up, till at length he fulfilled the prophecy of the Soothfayers. Cyrus firft united the kingdom of the Medes and Perfians, overthrew the Lydians, of whom Crcefas was King ; took Babylon, and was the firft Em- peror of the Periian monarchy, which continued two hundred and feven years, till Alexander the great. This is that Cyrus, whofe name and power was foretold by Ifaiah, chap, xlv.i — 4. *' I have ** called thee by thy narne (Cyrus) ; I have furnamed.thee, tho' " thou haft not known me." Which the Lord did by his Pro- phet an hundred years before he was born. He was a man ad- mired for his perfonage, prowefs, wifdom and liberality, but efpe- cially for his memory. Solinus relates, that he could call every Soldier in his army by name, when he fpake unto them. At laft, itching after more viilories, he was flain by Tomyris, Queen of the Scythians; by whom h's head was cut off, and thrown into a veffel full of blood, with this bitter tannt, Satia qius fangitine fuem fitifii. ;^74 ^^ftff LAflMETCs Sermon en thePardk Harpagus, that Nobleman,who was put in truftto kilf Cyrus, had a fon in the Court, whom the King commanded to be taken, his head, hands and feet to be cut off, and his body to be prepared, roafted, or fodden, in the beft manner that could be devifed. After that, he biddeth Harpagus to come and eat with him, where there was jolly cheer, one difli coming after another : At length, the King faid to Harpagus, Sir, like you your fare ? Harpagus thanked the King, and praifed much his Majefty's banquet. Now they perceiving him to be merrily difpofed, commanded one of the fervants to bring the head, hands, and feet of Harpagus's fon : which when it was done, the King told him what manner of meat he had eaten, afking him how he liked it. Harpxagus made anfwer, (though^with an heavy heart) " ^od " regi placet, id mihi quoque placet ; Whatfoever pleaf- " eth the King, that alfo pleafeth me." And here we have an example of a flatterer, or diflfembler : For this Harpagus fpake againft his own heart and Gonfcience. Surely, I fear me, there be a great many flatterers in our time alfo, who will not be afhamed to fpeak againft their own hearts and Confciences, like as this Harpagus did, who had, no doubt, a heavy heart, and in his confcience the ad: of the King mifliked him, yet for all that, with his tongue he praifed the fame. So I fay, we read not in any ftory, that at any time any father had eaten his fon willingly and wittingly ; as this Harpagus, of whom I rehearfed this ftory, did it unawares. But the Almighty God, which prepared this feaft for all the world, for all thofe that will come unto it, he offereth his only Son to be eaten, and his blood to be drank -, belike he lov- ed his guefts well, becaufe he did feed them with fo coftly a difli. Again, of a King that married his Son, 475 Again, our Saviour, the Bridegroom, offereth fiimfeJf at his laft Supper which he had with his difciples, his body to be eaten, and his blood to be drank. And to the intent that it fhould be done to our great comfort ; and then again to take away all cruelty, irkfomeneis, and horriblenefs, he (heweth. unto us how we fhall eat him, in what manner and form ; namely, fpiritually, to our great comfort : fo that whofoever eateth the myftical bread, and drinketh the myftical wine worthily, according to the ordinance of Chrift, he receiveth furely the very- Body and Blood of Chrift fpiritually, as it fliall be moft comfortable unto his foul. He eateth with the mouth of his foul, and digefteth with the ftomach of his foul, the Body of Chrift. And to be ftiort, whofoever believeth in Chrift putteth his hope, truft and confidence in him, he eateth and drinketh him ; for the fpiritual eating, is the right eating to everlafting life ; not the corporal eating, as the Capernaumites * underftood it. For that fame cor- poral eating, on which they ^tt their minds, hath no bleffing at all ; it is a fpiritual meat that feedeth our fouls. But I pray you, how much is this fupper of Chrift regarded amongft us, where he himfelt ex- hibited unto us his body and blood ? How much, I fay, is it regarded ? how many receive it with the Curate or Minifter ? O Lord, how blind and dull are we to fuch things, which pertain to our falva- tion ? But I pray you wherefore was it ordained prin^ cipally ? Anfwer, It was ordained for our help, to help our memory withal, to put us in mind of the great goodnefs of God, in redeeming us from ever- iafting death, by the blood of our Saviour Chrift: yea, and to fignify unto us, that his body and blood, is our meat and drink for our fouls, to feed them to C 3 ' ever- * The inhabitants of Capernaum, the chief City of Galilee, near the Lake Gcnezareth, where Chrift cured the Centurion's ioft, and did many other ^mradee. 47^ Mafiev LA^JMEBJs Sermon on tU Tarabh everlafting life. If we were now fo perfed: as we ought to be, we fhouid not have need of it ; but to help our impcrfednefs it was ordained of Chrift : for we are lo lorgetlul when we are not pricked for- ward, that we have foon forgotten all his benefits. To the intent therefore that we may the better keep it in memory, and to remedy this our (loth- fulnefs, our Saviour hath ordained this his Supper for us, whereby we Ihould remember his great goodnefs, his bitter paffion and death, and fo flrengthen our faith : fo that he inftituted this Sup- per for our fake, to make us to keep frefh in me- mory his ineftimable benefits. But as I faid before, it is in a manner nothing regarded amongft us, we care not for k, we will not come unto it. How many be there, think you, that regard this Supper of our Lord, no more than a teftornef .f* Truly, I fear me, too many. Nay, I will prove that they regard it not fo much : if there were a Proclamation made in this Town, that whofbever would come unto the Church at fuch an hour, and there go to the Commu- nion with the Curate, fhouid have a teftorne ; when fuch a Proclamation were made, I think, truly, all the Town would come and celebrate the Communion to get a teftorne; but will not come to receive the body and blood of Chrift, the food and nourifhmenc of their fouls, to the augmentation and flrength of their faith } Do they not more regard now a teftorne than Chrift? But the caufe which letteth us froni celebrating of the Lord's Supper, is this ; we have no mind or purpofe to leave fin and wickednefs, which maketh us not to come to this Supper, becaufe we be not ready nor meet to receive it. But I re- quire you in God's behalf, leave your wickednefs, that ye may receive it worthily according to his in- ftitution. For this Supper is ordained, as I told you before, for your fakes, to your profits and benefits : for. f It fliould be Teftoon ; for its value fee the note page 1 1 2. fifa King that married his Son, 477 For if we were perfedt, we Ihould not need this out- ward Sacrament; but our Saviour, knowing our weaknefs and forgetfulnefs, ordained this Supper, to the augmentation of our faith, and to put us in remembrance of his benefits. But we will not come; there come no more at once, but fuch as give the holy loaves from houfe to houfe, which follow ra- ther the cuftom than any thing elfe. Our Saviour Chrift faith in the gofpel of St John, " I am the ?' living bread which came down from heaven." Therefore whofoever feedeth on our Saviour Chriflr, he fhall not perilh, death fhall not prevail againft him, his foul Ihall depart out of his body, yet death fhall not get the vidory over him : he fhall not be damned. He that cometh to the marriage, to that banquet, death fhall be unto him but an entrance, or a door to everlafting life. " The '* bread that I will give is my flefh, which I will f ' give for the life of the world." As many as will feed upon him, fhall attain to everlafting life, they (hall never die, they fhall prevail againfl death, death fhall not hurt them, becaufe he hath loft his ftrength. If we did confider this, no doubt we would be more defirous to come to the Commu- nion than we are -, we fhould not be fo cold, we fhould be content to leave our naughty living, and come to the Lord's table. Now ye have heard what fhall be the chiefeft difli at this marriage, namely, the Body and Blood of Chrift. But now there be other difhes, which be fequels or hangings-on, wherewith the chief diih is powdered : this is, remiftion of fins. As the holy Ghoft, which ruieth and governeth our hearts ; alfo the merits of Chrift, which are made ours • for when we feed upon this difh worthily, then we fhall have TemifTion of our fins*, we fhall receive the holy Ghoft. More- * The doiflrine which Mailer Latimer here preaches, is, that a worthy receiving of the facrainent of the Lord's Supper, is a means for. 47 5 Mapr LA^IMEBJs Sermon on the Parable Moreover, all the merits of Chrift are ours ; his fulfilling of the law is ours, and fo we be juftified before God, and finally attain to everlafting life. As many therefore as feed worthily of this di(h, Ihall have ail things with it, and in the end, ever- lafting life. St Paul faith, " He which fpared not *' his own Son, but gave him for us all, how Ihall he *' not with him, give us all things alfo ?'* Therefore they that be in Chrift, are partakers of all his merits and benefits, of everlafting life, and of all felicity. He that hath Chrift, hath all things that are Chrift's: He is our prefervation from damnation, he is our comfort, he is our help, he is our remedy. "When we feed upon him, then fhall we have remiflion of our fins : the fame remiflion of fins, is the great- eft and moft comfortable thing that can be in the world. O what a comfortable thing is this, when Chrift faith, " Thy fins are forgiven unto thee." And this is a ftanding fentence, it was not fpoken only to the fame man, but it is a general Proclamation unto us all : that is, to all and every one that be- lieveth in him, that they ftiall have forgivenefs of their fins. And this Proclamation is cried out daily by his Minilters and Preachers; which Proclamation is the word of grace, the word of comfort and con- fola.;on. For like as fin is the moftfeartui, and the jnoft horrible thing in heaven and earth, fo the moft comfortable thing is the remedy againft fin ; which remedy for the remiflion of fins, and the increafe of faith. And this is what our Church has appointed her Prii-fts to declare to her Com- municants in her Exliortauon to them to frequent the holy Supper., *' I purpofe, fays the Curate, through God's affillance, to admi- ** niller to all fuch as fliall be rehgioufly and devoutly difpofed, *• the moll comfortable facrament of the Body and Blood of «« Chrill; — whereby we alone obtain remilTion of our iins, and *« are made partakers of the kingdom of heaven, — for God hath «« given his Son our Saviour Jefus Chrift, not only to die for us, »' but alfo to be our spirii ual food and fullenance in that holy *' facrament." 4ffa K$/t£ that marritd bis Sotf. 47^ remedy is declared and offered unto us in this word of grace : and the power to diftribute this remedy againft fins, he hath given unto his Minifters, which be God's Treafurers, Diftributers of the Word of God : for now he fpeaketh by me, he calleth you to his wedding by me, being a poor man ; yet he hath fent yet me to call you. And though he be the Author of the Word, yet he will have men to be called through his Minifters to that word. Therefore Jet us give credit unto the Minifter when he fpeaketh God's word : yea, rather let us credit God when he fpeaketh by his Minifters, and ofFereth us remiflioa of our fins by his word. For there is no fin fo great in this world, but it is pardonable, as long as we be in this world, and call for mercy ; for here is the time of mercy, here we may come to forgivenefs of our fins. But if we once die in our fins and wickednefs, fo that we be damned, let us not look. for remiflion afterwards : for the ftate after this life is unchangeable : but as long as we be here, we may cry unto God for forgivenefs of our fins ; and thea no doubt we fhall obtain remiffion, if we call with a faithful heart upon him, for fo he hath promifed unto us in his mofl holy word. The holy Scripture makes mention of a fin agalnftr the *holy Ghoft, which fin cannot be forgiven, nei- ther in this world, nor in the world to come : And this makes many men unquiet in their hearts and confciences : for fome there be which ever be afraid left they have committed that fame fin againft the holy Ghoft, which is irremiffible. Therefore fome fay, I cannot tell whether I have finned againft the holy Ghoft or not : if I have committed that fin, I know I fhall be damned. But I tell you what you fhall do, defpair not of the mercy of God, for it is * Among thofe who are faid to commit tlie fm againft the holy Ghoft, we muft include all thofe who deny his divinity, co-equa- lity, and co-ete5n!fy wich God die Fatlier and God the Son. 4So Mafier L A7*IMER*s Sermm oH the ParaMe is immeafurable. I cannot deny but that there is i lin againft the holy Ghoft, which is irremiffible ; but we cannot judge of it beforehand, we cannot tell which man hath committed that fin or not, as long as he is alive : but when he is once gone, then I can judge whether he fmned againft the holy Ghoft or not. As now I can judge that Nero, Saul, and Judas, and fuch like, that died in their fins, and wickednefs did commit this fin againft the holy Ghoft : for they were wicked, and continued in their wickednefs ftill to the very end ; they made an end in their wickednefs : but we cannot judge whe- ther one of us fin this fin againft the holy Ghoft, or not : for though a man be wicked at this time, yet he may repent, and leave his wickednefs to morrow^ and fo not commit that fin againft the holy Ghoft. Our Saviour Chrift pronounced againft the Scribes and Pharifees that they had committed that fin againft the holy Ghoft : becaufe he knew their hearts, he knew they would ftill abide in their wick- ednefs to the very end of their lives. But we cannot pronounce this fentence againft any man, for we know not the hearts of men : he that finneth noWj peradventure ftiall be turned to morrow, and leave his fins, and fo be faved. Farther, the promifes of our Saviour Chrift are general, they pertain to all mankind •, he made a general Proclamation, faying : *' Whofoever believeth in me hath everlafting life." LikewifeStPaul faith, " The grace and mercies of *' God exceedeth far our fins." Therefore let us ever _ think and believe that the grace of God, his mercy and goodnefs, exceedeth our fins. Alfo confider what Chrift faith with his own mouth : " Come unto me, all ye that labour and arc " heavy laden, and I will eafe you" Mark, here he faith," Corneal! ye:" wherefore then fliould any man defpair, to fhut up himfelf from the promifes of Chrift, which be general, and pertain to the whole world : of a King that married his Sott, 48 1 world : For he faith, " Come all unto me.'* And then again he faith, " I will refrefh you :'* you fhall be eafed from the burden of your fins. Therefore^ as I faid before, he that is blafphemous, and obfti- nate, and wicked, and abideth in his wickednefa ftill to the very end, he finneth againft the holy Ghofl; as St Auguftine, and all other godly writers do affirm : that he that leaveth his wickednefs and fms, is content to amend his life, and then believing in Chrift, feeketh falvation and everlaftinor life by nim ; no doubt that man or woman, wholbever hfc or they be, fhall be faved : for they feed upoil Chrift, upon that meat that God the Father, this feaft-maker, hath prepared for all his guefts. You have heard now who is the maker of this feaft or banquet : and again you have heard what meat is prepared for the guefts j what a coftly difh the houfe-father hath ordained at the wedding of his fon. But now ye know, that where be great difties and delicate fare, there is commonly prepared cer- tain fauces, which ftiall give men a great luft and appetite to their meats, as muftard, vinegar, and fuch like fauces. So this feaft, this coftly difti, hath its fauces •, but v/hat be they ? Marry, the crofs, and afflidion, tribulation, perfecution, and all manner of miferies t for, like as fauces make lufty the ftomach to receive meat ; fo afflidtion ftirreth up in us a defire to Chrift. For when we be in quiet- tiefs we are not hungry, we care not for Chrift ; but when we be in tribulation, and caft in prifon^ then we have a defire to him, then we learn to call upon him; then we be hungry, and thirft after him; then we are defirous to feed upon him: as Jong as we be in health and profperity, we care not for him : we be flothful, we have no ftomach at all, and therefore thefe fauces are very necefiTary for us. We have a common faying among us, when we fee a fellow fturdy, lofty, and proud, this is a faucy N'^ XXI. Vol. II. D fellow; 482 Maftef L A^IMEK^s Sermon on the ParaMe fellow ; fignifying him to be a high-minded fellow, which taketh more upon him than he ought to do, or his eftate requireth -, which thing, no doubt, is naught and ill -, for every one ought to behave himlelf, according to his calling and eftate. But he that will be a chriftian man, that intendeth to come to heaven, muft be a faucy fellow ; he mult be well powdered with the fauce of afflidion, and tribulation ; not with proudnefs and ftoutnels, but with miferies and calamities : for fo it is written, " Whofoever will live godly in Chrift, he fhall " fufter perfecution and miferies :" he fhall have fauce enough to his meat. Again, our Saviour faith, *' He that will be my difciple, muft deny " himfelf, and take his crofs upon him, and follow " me." Is there any man that will feed upon me, that will eat my flefli and drink my blood ? '*' Let " him forfake himfelf." O this is a great matter, this is a biting things it is the very denying of my own will. As for example. I fee a fair womsa©, and con- ceive in my heart an evil appetite to commit letchery with her ; I defire to fulfil my wanton hift with her. Here is my appetite, my luft, my will : but what muft I do ? I muft deny my felf, and follow Chrift, What is that ? 1 muft not follow ray own defire, but the will and pleafure of Chrift. Now what faith he ? " Thou fhalt not be a whoremonger j thou fhalt ** not be a wedlock- breaker." Here I muft deny myfelf, and my will, and give place unto his will 5 abhor and hate my own will : yea, and farthermore, I muft earneftly call upon him., that he will give me grace to withftand my own luft and appetite, in all manner of things which may be againft his will ; as Vv'hen a man doth me wrong, taking my living trom me, or hurteth me in my good name ; my will is to avenge myfelf upon him, to do him a foul tura again.; but what faith God : " Unto me *' belongeth- of a King that married his Son. 483 ** belongeth vengeance ; I will recompence the '* fame.'* Now here I mult give over mine own will and pleafurC) and obey his will ; this I muft do, if I will feed upon him, if I will come to heaven : but this is a bitter thing, a four fauce, a Iharp fauce, this fauce maketh a ftomach: for when I am injured or wronged, or am in other tribulation, then I have a great defire for him, to feed upon him, to be delivered from trouble, and to attain to quietnefs and joy. There is a learned man which hath a faying that is mod true, he faith, " Pius crux quam tran- *' quillitas invitat ad Chrijium : The crofs and perfe- *' cution bringeth us fooner to Chrift, than pro- ** fperity and wealth.'* Therefore St Peter faith, ** Humble yourfelvcs under the mighty hand of " God.** Look what God layeth upon you, bear it willingly and humbly. But you will fay, I pray you tell me what is iTjy crofs. Anlwer, This that God layeth upon you, that fame is your crofs : not that which you of your own wilful n^fs lay upon yourfelves. As there was a certain fe6t which were called Flagellarii *, which fcourged themfelves with whips till the blood ran from their boelies •, this is a crofs, but it was not a crols of God. No, tio; he laid not that upon them, they did it of their Own head. Therefore look what God layeth upon me, that fame is my crofs, which I ought to take in good ^art J as when I fall into poverty, or into miferies, D 2 i * Ctherwife called Flagellantes. This (cSt firft appeared a£ Peroufa in i 260, having for its author a Herjnit najned Raineiu?. They carried a crofs in their hands, wore a cowl on their heads, and went naked to the wailt. Tv, ice a day, and once in-the night, they lafhed themfelvcs with knotted cords flack with points or pins, which gave occafion to their nsme. They ."ffinned, that their blood united in fuch a manner with Chrift's, that it had the feme virtue. They perfuaded the people, that tli? gofpel had ccafcd, and fufFered all fort of perjuries. 484 Maftef LA'TlMEK's Sermon on the? arable I ought to be content with all ; when my neigh- bour doth me wrong, taketh away my goods, rob- beth me of my good name and fame ; I Ihould be^r it wilhngly, confidering that it is God's crofs, and that nothing can be done againfl me without his permifiion. There falleth never a fparrow to the ground, without his permifiion : yea not a hair fall- eth from our head without his will. Seeing then that there is nothing done without his will, I ought to bear this crofs which he layeth upon me, without murmuring or grudging. But I pray you confider thefe words of St Peter well ; " Humble yourfelves under the mighty hand ^' of God." Here St Peter fignifieth unto us, that God is a mighty God, which can take away the crofs from us when it feemeth him good, yea, he can fend patience in the midft of all trouble and miferies. St Paul, that eleft inftrument of God, Ihewed a reafon wherefore God layeth affljdlions upon us, faying •, *' We are chaftened of the Lord, ** left we Ihould be condemned with the world.'* For you fee by daily experience that the moft part of wicked men are lucky in this world ; they bear the fway, all thjngs go after their minds ; for God lets them have their pleafure here. And therefore this is a common faying -, " The more wicked, the " more lucky :" but they that appertain to God, thpy Ihall inherit everlafting life r they muft go to pot, they muft fufFer here, according to fhe Scrip- ture ; " The judgment of God beginneth at the houfe of God:" Therefore it comes of the good- nefs of God, when we be put to tafte the fauce of tribulation : for he doth it to a good end, namely, that we ftiould not be condemned with this wicked world : for thefe fauces are very good for us, they make us more hungry and lufty to come to Chrift and feed upon him. And truly when it goes well witl> efa King that married his Son. 485 with us, we forget Chrift, our hearts and minds arc not upon him : therefore it is better to have afflidlion than to be in profperity. For there is a common faying, " Vexation giveth underftanding." David, that excellent King and Prophet, faith ; *' It is good *' for me, Lord, that thou hafl pulled down my " ftomach •, that thou haft humbled me." But I pray you, what fauce had David, how was he hum- bled ? Truly thus, his own Son * defiled his Daugh- ter. After that, Abfalom, another of his Sons killed his own Brother "f". And this was not enough, but his own Son rofe up againft him, and traiteroufly caft him out of his kingdom, and defiled his Wives in the fight of the people. Was not he vexed ? had he not faufes ? Yes, yes ; yet for all that he crieth not out againft God ; he murmured not, but faith, -*' Lord, it is good for me that thou haft humbled " me ; thou haft brought me low :" Therefore when we be in trouble, let us be of good comfort, knowing that God doth it for the beft. But for all that, the devil, that old ferpent, the enemy of man- kind, doth what he can day and night to bring us this fduce, to caft us into perfecution, or other mi- feries -, as it appeareth in the Gofpel of Matthew, where our Saviour cafteth him out of a man; feeing that he could do no more harm, he defired Chrift to give him leave to go into the fwine : and fo he caft them all into the lea. Where it appeareth, that the devil ftudieth and feeketh all manner of ways to hurt us, either in foul, or elfe in body : But for all that let us not defpair, but rather lift up our hearts unto God, defiring his help and comfort ; and no doubt when we do fo, he will help; he will either take * His name is Amnon. The flory of his Amour with Tamar is related at large in the thirteenth cnapter of the fecond book of Samuel, to which \vc fhall refer the Reader. t T}>at is, he killed Amnon becaufe he had forcibly lain with his own filler. See 2 Sam.xiii. 23, i^'c. 486 Majier L AflMEK's Sermon on the Parable take away the calamities, or elfe mitigate tliem, or at leaftwife fend patience in our hearts, that we may- bear it willingly. Now you know, at a great feaft, when there is made a delicate dinner, and the guefts farewell; at the end of the dinner they have certain tarts, cuftards, fweet and delicate things; fo when we come to this dinner, to this wedding, and feed upon Chrift, and take his fauces which he hath prepared for us ; at the end comes the fweet meat ; what is that ? The remiflion of fins, and everlafting Hfe ; fuch joy, that no tongue can exprefs, nor heart can think : which God hath prepared for all them that come to this dinner, and feed on his Son, and tiiflc of his fauces. . — And this is the end of this banquet. This banquet, or marriage- dinner, was made at the very beginning of the world: when God made this marriage in Paradife, and called the whole world unto it, faying, " The feed of the woman *' fhall vanquifh the head of the ferpent." Then was the firft calling. And this calling flood unto the faithful in as good ftead as it doth unto us, which have a moft manifeft calling. Afterwards, almighty God called again with thefe words, fpeaking to Abraham ; " I will be thy God, " and thy feed's after thee.'* Now what is it to be our God ? Forfooth, to be our defender, our com- forter, our deliverer, and helper. Who was Abraham's feed ? Even Chrift the Son of God, he was Abra- ham's feed : in him, and through him, all the world fhali be blefled ; all that believe in him, and all that come to this dinner, and feed upon him. After that, all the Prophets their only intent was to call the people to this wedding. Now after the time was expired which God had appointed, he faid ; " Come, all things are ready." But who are thefe callers .? The firft, was John Baptift, v/hich not only called v/ith his mouth, but €fa King that married bis Son, J^,S'9 but alfo fhewed with his finger, that meat which God had prepared for the whole world ; he faith, " Lo, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the fins « of the world." Alfo Chrift himfelf called, fay- ing, " Come unto me, all ye that travail and la- '* boiir, and I will refrefh you." Likewife the Apoflle cr.ed, and called all the whole world, as it is written, " Their found is gone throughout *' all the world." But, I pray you, what thanks had they for their calling, and for their labour ? Verily this, John Baptill was beheaded : Chrift was crucified : the Apoftles were killed ; this was their reward for their labours. So all the Preachers fhall look for none other reward : for no doubt they muft be fufferers, they muft taile of thefe fauces : their office is, " To rebuke the world of fm ;" which no doubt is a thanklefs occupation. " That " the high hills, that is, great Princes and Lords, *' may hear the judgment of the Lord :'* They muft fpare no body ; they muft rebuke high and low i when they do amifs, they muft ftrike them with the fword of God's word : which no doubt is a thanklefs occupation, yet it muft be done, for God will have it fo. There be many m.en, which be not fo cruel as to perfecute or kill the Preachers of God's word : but when they be called to feed upon Chrift, to come to this banquet, to have their v/icked living rebuked, then they begin to make their excufes ; as it appear- ed herein the Gofpel : V/here " the firft faid, I have " bought a farm, and I muft needs go and fee it, *' I pray thee have me excufed. Another faid, I ** have bought me five yoke of oxen, and I go to " prove them; I pray thee have me excufed. " The third faid, I have married a wife, and ** therefore I cannot come :'* And thefe were their fauces. You muft take heed that you miftake not this 488 Majlef LA'TlMEK*s Sermon on the P arable this text : For after the outward letter, it feemeth as though no hufbandman, no buyer or feller, nor nnar- ried man, fhould enter into the kingdom of God : therefore you mull take heed that ye underftand ic aright. For to be a hufoandman, to be a buyer or feller, to be a married man, is a good thing, and allowed of God : but the abufe of fuch things is reproved. Hufbandman, and married man, every one in his calling, may ufe and do the works of his caUingi the hufbandman may go to plough ; men may buy and fell alfo ; men may marry ; but they may not fet their hearts upon thefe things. The hufband- man may not fo apply to his hufbandry, as to fet afide the v/ord of God ; for when he doth fo, he finneth damnably : for he more regardeth his huf- bandry, than God and his word; he hath all lufl: and pleafure in his hufbandry, which pleafure is naught. As there be many hufoandmen which will not come to fervice, they make their excufes that they have other bufmefsj but this excufing is naught: for commonly they go about wicked matters, and yet they would excufe themfelves, to make them- felves faultlefs; or at leaftwife they will diminifh their faults, which thing itfelf is a great wickednefs : to do wickedly, and then to defend that wickednefs, to neglc6l and defpife God's word, and then to ex- cufe fuch doings, like as thefe men do here in this Gofpel. The hufbandman faith, " I have bought a *' farm, ha\^e me excufed : the other faith, I have " bought five yoke of oxen, I pray thee have me *' excufed :" Now when he cometh ro the married man, that fame fellow faith not, have me excufed, as the other faid, but he only faith, " I cannot come.'* Where it is to be noted, that the affections of carnal lufls and concupifcence are the flrongefl above all other: for there be fome men which fet all their hearts upon voluptuoufnefs, they regard nothing elfe ; neither God of a King that married his Son. 489 God nor his word ; And therefore this married man faith, " I cannot come :" becaufe his affedions are more ftrong and vehement than the other mens were : but what fhall be their reward which refufe to come ? The houfe- father faith, " I fay unto you, that none « of thofe men which are bidden Ihall tafte of my « Supper." With thefe words Chrift our Savi9ur teacheth us, that all thofe that love worldly things better than God and his word, (hall be fhut out from his fupper ; that is to fay, from everlafting joy and felicity : for it is a great matter to defpife God's word, or the Minifter of the fame •, for the office of preaching is the office of falvation; it hath war- rants in fcripture, it is grounded upon God's word. St Paul to the Romans maketh a gradation of Tuch-wife •, that is to fay, " Whofoever Ihall call « on the name of the Lord, Ihall be faved : but how " fhall they call upon him, in whom they believe *' not ? How Ihall they believe on him of whom " they have not heard ? How fliall they hear, with- " out a Preacher ? And how fhall they preach, ex- " cept they be fent ?" At the length he concludeth, faying, " Faith cometh by hearing." _ Where you may perceive how neceffary a thing it is to hear God's word, and how needful a thing it is to have Preachers, which may teach us the word of God ; for by hearing we muft come to faith j through faith we muft be juftified. And therefore Chrift faith himfelf, '' He that be- "lievethin me hath everlafting life." When we hear God's word by the Preacher, and believe the fame, then we (hall be faved: for St Paul faith, " The gof- " pel is the power of God unto falvation ; the gof- « pel preached is God's power to falvation ot all " believers:" This is a great commendation of this office of preaching, therefore we ought not to defpife it, or little regard it •, for it is God's inftrument, whereby he worketh faith in our hearts. Our Sa- N021. Vol. 11. E v^o^^ '4-go Majier LA^IMEK's Sermon en theParahlg viour faith to Nicodemus, *' Except a man be born " anew, he cannot fee the kingdom of God.'* But how Cometh this regeneration ? By hearing and be- lieving of the word of God : for (o faith St Peter; *' We are born anew, not of mortal feed, but of *' immortal, by the word of God." Likewife Paul faith in another place ; " It pleafed God to fave *' the believers through the foolifhnefs of preaching." But peradventure you will fay, What, fhall a Preacher teach foolifhnefs.'' No, not fo; the Preacher, when he is a right Preacher, he preacheth not fool- ifhnefs, but he preacheth the word of God ; but it is taken for foolifhnefs, the world efteemeth it for a trifle : but howfoever the world efteemeth it, St Paul faith that God will fave his through it. Here I might take occafion to inveigh againft thofe which little regard the office of preaching, which are wont to fay. What need we to have fuch preachings every day ? Have I not five Wits ? I know as well what is good or ill, as he doth that preacheth. But I tell thee, my friend, be not too hafty ; for when thou haft nothing to follow but thy five wits, thou fhalt go to the devil with them : David, that holy Prophet, faid not fo, he trufted not his five wits, but he faid, " Lord, thy word is a lantern *' unto my feet." Here we learn not to defpife the word of God, but highly to efteem it, and reverently to hear it : for the holy day is ordained and appointed to no other thing, but that we fhould on that day hear the word of God, and exercife ourfelves in all godlinefs : but there be fome which think that this day is ordained only for feafting, drinking or gaming f, or fuch foolifhnefs •, but they be moft deceived f It fliould appear from this, that gaming and card-playing oa p. Sunday was cuftomary in the reign of King Edward the Sixth; but it is a qucflion whether it was then fo general as it is at pre- lent. of a King that married his Son. 491 deceived : this day was appointed of God that we fhould hear his word, and learn his law, and fo ferve him. But I dare fay, the devil hath on no days fo much fervice as upon Sundays orHohdays; which Sundays are appointed for preaching, and to hear God's mofb holy word. Therefore God faith not only in his commandments that we fhall ab- ftain from working ; but he faith, " Thou fhalc " hallow it:" fo that holiday-keeping is nothing elfe but to abftain from bad works, and to do better works; that is, to come together,- and ce- lebrate the communion together, and to vifit the fick people-, thefe are holiday- works ; and for that end God commanded us to abftain from bodily works, that we might be more meet and apt to do thofe works which he appointed unto us, namie- ly, to feed our fouls with his word, to remember his benefits, and to give him thanks, and to call upon him. So that the holy-day may be called a marriage- day, wherein we are married unto God j which day is very needful to be kept. The foolifh common people think it to be a belly-chear day, and fo they make it a furfeiting day : there is no wickednefs, no rebellion, no letchery, but hath moft commonly its beginning upon the holiday. E 3 We fent. Gaming Is now a general vice among z\\ orders a^d decrees of people, both men and women, that it may with jullice be faid to be a national evil. Gaming, hazard, and jrhying at cards, are old heathen cuiloms , tranfplanttd into chriftianity by ibme very evil-minded men. St Cyfrian fays, and he flourilhed in the chrilHan church in the iecond and third centuries, that caids are an invention of the devil, tlie more familiaily to introduce idolatry among men. But fmce we are told by later authors, that the figures on cards, which in the times of heathenifm were the images pf idols or falfe gcds, were in the ages of the holy Wars and of Knight errantry, changed into the reprefentations of certain He- roes, named Charlemaine, Godfrey, Lancelot, and fuch like, that fo they m.ight aboliih the images of ancient idolatry, and yet pr?.- fer\'e the playing or gaming with them. 492 Mafter LA^lMEK^s Sermon on theParahle We read a flory in the fifteenth chapter of the book of Numbers, that there was a fellow which gathered flicks upon the fabbath-day, he was a defpifer of God's ordinances and laws : like as they that now- adays go about their bufinefs, when they fhould hear the word of God, and come to the Common Prayer i -, which fellows truly had need of fauce, to be J Common Prayer, is a phrafe ufed by Latimer (in the year I 552) which had then but juft come into ufe. Archbifhop Cran- mer, and other Reformers, had for fome time before the year (1548) in which they fucceeded, laboured at the entire reforma- tion of the whole fervice of the Church. At length they obtain- ed a comrniffion from the Court to enable them to fet about this great work. In order to this, fays Bifliop Burnet, the Commiffio- ueis brought together all the different offices then ufed in England, out of which they compiled one common office. For before, in the fouthern parts of England, thofe offices compiled after the ufe of Sarum were univerfally received. In the north of England, and particularly in the province of York, they had other offices after the ufe of York. In South Wales they had them after the ufe of Hereford : in North Wales after the ufe of Bangor ; and in the Bifhoprick of Lincoln, another kind of office proper to that fee. In moil fees there were great variations, for as any Prelate came to be canonized, or held in high elleem by the people, fome Colicfts or particular forms of prayer he had ufed were praftif- ed in his, or perhaps as his fame fpread, in the neighbouring diocefes. — This enlarged the offices out of meafure, and cccafi- oned a great variety of them ; namely, Miflals, Breviaries, Ri- tuals, PontiEcals, Portoifes, Pies, Graduals, Antiphonals, Pfalte- ries, Hours, and a great many more. Befides which, every reli- gious Order had their pecuHar rites and fendces. So now it was refolved to examine and correct all thefe, and out of them to com- pile one general office, to be ufed in all the Churches and Cha- pels throughout the kingdom, which was called, " The Order for *♦ Morning and Evening Prayerdaily throughout the Year." This Order Vv'as ellablilhcd by an A61 of Parliament made in the year 1548, the preamble to which fays, " That there had been feveral " forms of fervice, and that of late there had been great diffe- *' rence in the. adminillration of the facraments, and other parts of <♦ divine worfliip ; — but, i hat there might be an uniform way all " over the kingdom, the King, by the advice of the Lord Protestor «' and his Council, had appointed Thomas Cranmer, Arch bifliop of *' Canterbury, Robert Pfolgate, Archbifhop of York, Edmund " Bonner, Biihop of London, Cuthbert Tunftall, Eifhop of Dur- " ham. cfa King that married his Son. 453 be made more luftier to come and feed upon Chriflr, than they be. Now Mofes and the people confulted with the Lord, what they fhould do, how they fhould punifli that fellow which liad fo tranfgreffed the fabbath-day: he fhall die, faith God; which thing is an example for us to take heed, that we tranfgrefs not the law of the fabbath-day : for though God punifh us not by and by, as this man was punifhed ; ye he is the very felf-fame God that he was before, and will punifli one day, either here, or elfe in the other world, where the punilh- ment Ihall be everlafting. Likewife in the itvtn" teenth chapter of the Prophet Jeremiah, God threat- neth his fearful wrath and anger unto thofe which do ** ham, Nicholas Heath, Bifliop of Worcefter, William Rugg, Bi- " (hop of Norwich, Robert Parfew, Bifhop of £t Afaph, Joha " Salcot, Bifhop of Salifbury, Richard Sampfon, Bilhop of Co- *' ventry and Litchfield, Robert Aldrichc, Bifhop of Carlifle, Paul " Bufh, Bifhop of Briflol, Robert Farrar, Bifliop of St Davids, ** Thomas Goodrich, Bifhop of Ely, Henry Holbech, Bifhop of *' Lincoln, George Day, Bifhop of Chichefter, John Skip, Bifhop " of Hereford, Thomas Thirlby, Bifhop of Weflminfter, and Ni- *' cholas Ridley, Bifhop of Rochefler; with Doftor Richard Cox, " Dean of Chrift- Church, Doftor May, Dean of St Pauls, Doftor «* Taylor, Dean of Lincoln, Dodor Heins, Dean of Exeter, Doc- *' tor Robertfbn, and Dodcr Redmain, Mafler of Trinity College " in Cambridge ; to draw an Order of divine Worfhip, having *' refpeft to the pure religion of Chrifl taught in the fciptures, and •* to the practice of the primitive Church ; which they, by tne " aid of the holy Ghofl, had with one uniform agreement con- «' eluded on. Wherefore be it enafted, that from the feafl: of Whit- ** funday next, all divine OfHces fhall be performed according to " it ; and that fuch of the Clergy as fhall refufe to do it, (hall up- *' on the lirft conviftion be imprifoned fix months, and forfeit a " year's prof.t of their benefice ; for the fecond offence, forfeit all *' their church preferments and fufter a year's imprifonment ; and *• for the third offence, to be imprifoned during life. And all v/ho <* fhould writs or put out things in print againfl it, for the firft of- *' fence fhall forfeit ten pounds ; for the fecond, t\venty pounds, «• and to forfeit all their goods ; and for the third, to be imprifoned ** during life." From the general ufe of this Liturgy, it obtained the name of The Common Prayer ; as alfo becaufe it took place of, abolifhcd and fuperfeded, the ufe of all the different and various Offices, before ufed in the feveral diocefes of the kingdom. '4P4 Mafler LA^IMER.*s Sermon on theParahk do profane his fabbath-day. Again, he promifeth his favour and all profperity to them that will keep the holy days •, faying, " Princes and Kings fhall *' go through the gates," that is to fay. Thou fhalt be in profperity, in wealth, and great eftimation amongft thy neighbours. Again, " If ye will not keep my fabbath-day, *' I will kindle a fire in your gates j" that is to fay, I will deftroy you, I will bring you to nought, and burn your Cities with fire. Thefe words pertain as well unto us at this time, as they pertained to them at their time : for God hateth the difallowing of the fabbath as well now as then ; for he is and remaineth Itill the old God : he will have us to keep his fabbath, as well now as then ; for upon the fabbath-day God's feed-plough goeth : that is to fay, the miniftry of his word is executed; for the miniftring of God's word is God's plough. Now upon the * fundays God fendeth his Hufbandmen to come and till •, he fendeth his callers, to come and call to the wedding, to bid the guefts ; that is, all the world to come to that Supper. Therefore for the reverence of God confider thefe things, confider who calleth, namely God j confi- der again who be the guefts ; all ye. Therefore I call you in God's name, come to his Supper, hallow the fabbath day ; that is, do your holiday- work, come to this Supper j for this day was ap- pointed of God to the end that his word fhould be taughc * Sunday, that is, the day on which the Saxons, our heathea anceftors, ufed to worfhip the Sun. Which luminary they held ia great elleem, making a reprcfentation thereof, which flood ufually in their Temples under a nich, or an alcove, placed on a p.deUaJ properly adorned. Before it they uibd to worlhip, bring oiFcrings^ and feaft. Auftin, and his fucceflbrs, when they firft cllabliilied Chriftianity in this Ifland, retained the names of the days the Sa.- ^ons then had in ufe, and wliich they left to facceeding time tp alter and abolifli ; but that has not yet happened, nor is it ever likely to happen, unkTs the people fiiould all become Quakers. of a King that married his Son, 40^ taught and heard : prefer not your own bufinels therefore before the hearing of the word of God. Remember the ftory of that man which gathered flicks upon the holy day, and was put to death by the confent of God : where God fhewed himfelf not a cruel God, but he would give a warning to the whole world by that man, that all the world fhould keep holy the fabbath-day. The almighty ever-living God give us grace to live fo in this miferable world, that we may at the end come to the great fabbath-day, where there fhall be everlafting joy and gladnefs. Amen. SERMON SERMON XXIV. By the Revere-nd Father in Chriji Ma/ler HUGH LATIMER BiJJjop of Worcejkr, MATTHEW V. 1,2,3. When Jefus faw the people he went up into a mountain, and when he was fet down, bis difciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth, and taught them^ faying, Blejfed are the poor in fpirity for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. EARLY beloved in our Saviour Chrift, I have to tell you at this prefent time of a certain pilgrimage, which may be called the chriftian man's pilgrimage, but ye fhall not think that I Ipeak of the Popifli pilgrimage, which we were wont to ufe in times paft, in running hither and thitherto Mr John Shorn*, or to our| Lady of Walfmgham. No, noi I will not fpeak of fuch fooleries, * This Saint, as Lord Herbert informs us, was alfo ftiled Saint John of OlTulfton, who was faid to Ihut up the devil in a boot. Stow, p. 575. f For in thofe days, whoever had not made a vifit and an offering to our Lady of Walfingham, was looked upon as impious and irreligious. In the Church of the Monaltery at Walfingham in Norfolk, diftant from London about one hundred and eighteen miles, was erefted a ftately and beautiful Image of the Virgin Mary, which for the Miracles done by it was famed all over England. The Town lies within five miles of the fea-coaft of Norfolk. Mafter L A^ J MER's Sermon, tzc. 49; fooleries, but I will fpeak of fuch a pilgrimage, which our Saviour Chrift himfcif taught us, being here prefent with us, with his own mouth. There- fore whofoever will come to the eternal felicity, mud go that pilgrimage, elfe we Ihall never attain thereunto. ** When he faw the ^Y ^'^^ ^^^'^ " people." It appeareth by the end P^'^nmage. of the fourth of Matthew, that our Saviour had walked throughout all Galilee, and had done many miracles, fo that the fame of him went through all the country: And there gathered a great number of people together to hear him : he feeing the people how hungry they were, conveyed himfelf unto a higher place, and his difciples came unto him, and he taught them j but not only the difciples, but alfo the whole people. For Luke faith, " He *« preached, the people hearing it ; and the people " marvelled, becaufe of his do6trine :" How could they marvel, if they had not heard it. So it ap- peareth that Chrift made his Sermon not only to his difciples, but alfo to the whole people : yet efpe- cially he taught his difciples, to the end that they rnight afterwards teach others ; for he taught them fuch doftrine as he would have taught to all the "whole world, therefore he fo diligently taught them; for though he made many Sermons, yet thefe two Sermons, the one in Matthew, and the other in John, ought to be regarded moil: above all others, for they contain the fum of a Chriftian man's life. Now our Saviour feeing them fo hungry, what doth he ? The Evangeliil faith, " He opened his ^« mouth, and taught them :" Our Saviour did not only fend out his Apoftles to preach and teach the people, but he alfo opened his own mouth, and taught the people his own felf. Which ad of our Saviour, is to the reproach of our Lordly Prelates i who in a manner difdain to preach themfelves, in their own perfons ; but think it to be enough to h^ve tv;o per- - N* 2.1. Vol. II. F taming 498 Mafter LA•: *' nefs.'* on the BEA^I'TUnES, 503: ** nefs." There be many which be in great miCi-rits, (hue out of their houfes, or in ficknefs, or other trouble : they Ihall comfort themfelves with this blefling, which our Saviour promifeth unto them ; namely, they fhall be fure that they fhall have comfort and relief of their miferies, for he will noc fufFer them to be farther tempted than they fliall be able to bear, and then in the end they fliall have everlafting comfort. It is a notable anfwer that Abraham maketh to the rich man, when he lay in hell fire : " My fon, faith he, " Thou hafb received thy good days in " thy life-time, now thou flialt be punillied : But *' Lazarus hath had miferies and calamines : and *' therefore he fhall be comforted now." So we muft learn to be content, to go from weeping to laughing, from forrow to eternal felicity -, but v;e mud firft fuffer here, we may not go from one felicity to the other ; therefore, St Jerome faith, that " he is a delicate Soldier that will not fufFer " fometimes miferies and calamities |." Therefore let us be content with it, let us bear them with a faithful heart, elfe we fliall not attain to this comfort •, for the miferies that the ungodly have, " They work their own deftru(51:ion, and ever- " lafting perdition." For they cannot bear them as they ought to do; they murmur and cry out againft God : but the godly, when he is in mifery he taketh great profit by it, tor mifery drives him to leave fin and wickednefs, and to repent that which he hath done againft God. Here you may perceive now that they that will have comfort mufl go on pilgrimage, they muft take mifery, and fo at the end they ftiall have everlafting comfort. The third mil^ or day's journey, is thisi *' Bleffed be the meek, '^|^'''|^'i^^>''' *' for they Ihall inherit the land." ^-V^-^^a- This . X See note, p. 154. 504 Majler L ATI MEK*s Sermois This meeknefs is fuch a thing, that whofoever hath her can be quiet in all things : he that hath her will not avtnge himfelf. But ye muft know there be two manners of vengeance. There is a private veii- geance, and there is a pubhc vengeance : the pub- lic vengeance is allowed of God ; the private is for^ bidden. For God faith to every private man, •' Let me have the vengeance; and Iwill reward it.** "When any man doth me wrong, I may not avengp me, nor yet defire in my heart to be avenged upon him ; I being a private man, not a Magiftrate. But there is a public vengeance, that is, th<; Magiltrates ; they muft fee that wrong-doers be punilhed, and rewarded according to their mif- behaviours. But 1 may not avenge myfelf. For I am blefled when my goods is taken from me wrong- fully, and I take it well. For Chrift faith, " They ♦' fhall inherit the land :" he that for God's fake leaveth his land, or his goods, he fhall inherit the Jand : fo he fhall with leaving the land, inherit the land : but what lliall I do when my goods are taken from me ? Anfwer, go to God's promifes, which are, " He fliall receive it again an hundred fold.'* The public vengeance is committed unto Magif- trates. God cemmandeth them to puniih the tranf- greffors : and again the law-breaker, or mifdoer, ought to obey, and to fuffer the puniftmient which the Magiftrates fliall lay upon him: for fo it, is written, " Thou fhalt take away the ill from among ^' the people." So ye hear how that we may not avenge ourfelves wiien any man doth us wrong. Yet, for all that, this taketh not away the liberty of the ufe of law : for a Chriftian man may go to law, and feek remedy : yet we muft take heed that we go not to avenge ourfelves upon our neighbour, with an evil heart : nor yet ihould we go with a co- vetous heart, to get ought of our neighbour : elfeit is iawful to ufe the law, v/hen it is done with a charitable m the BEAri T -11 T ne fi.'t;! days " they fliail obtain mercy." I will p-iigj-jj^^ge. ** not tarry long herein, you know which be the works of mercy. " I was hungry, " faith Chrift, I was naked, ^i,'' Matthew xxv. G 2 There 5o8 Mafier LAI' I MEK's Sermon There is a ghoftly mercy, which is to admonifh them that be in errors, to bring them to the right way. Alfo to forgive them that do me wrong, this is a mercy, and a needful mercy •, and there- fore they that will be cruel- hearted, To that they will not forgive unto their neighbours their faults, let them not look for mercy at God's hands. For we mufl be merciful, loving, and comfortable to- wards our neighbour, if we would obtain mercy at God's hands. But this feemeth now as though malefactors ought not to be put to death, becaufe God requireth mercy. Sir, you mufl underftand, that God requireth private mercy; fo that private men one (hall forgive unto the other : but it is another matter with Magiftrates ; the King, and all other Magiftrates, are God's Officers, they muft do according as God requireth them to do -, he faith, *' Thou fhalt take away, thou fhalt root out the " ill, (them that be malefaftors) from amongft the " people : and fhew not mercy unto them." Here were a place to intreat of miniftring of juftice, if the audience were in office : how Juftices of peace and other Magiftrates ought not to be bolfterers, and bearers with wickednefs, but punifti the male- . fadcrs according to their deferts : " Wo be unto " you that juftify the wicked." To juftify the wicked, is not to punilh them. " He that juf- " tiBeth the wicked, and he that conciemneth the " juft , they are both wicked and abomina- " ble before the Lord." So that Magiftrates ought to punifti fin, and wickednefs •, but private men, ought to ft^.ew mercy one to another; that is, he ought to forgive when any man hath done hirp harm, and fo he ft:iall have mercy at God's hands. " BlelTed be the clean of heart : The fixth day's re may not do fo, we muft pray with great earneftnefs ai-nd ferventnefs. At the laft, v/hen he hath fet out the properties of prayers, then he faith " for all faints." Here ye may confider, that when v/e know not fcriprure, hov/ blind we be, and have been in times paft. p"or we th.ought only thofe to be faints and holy, that be gone put of this v/orld^ but it is not fo : ail they that believe in cur Saviour Chrift, that call upon .his name, and lock to be faved by him, thofe fame be God's faints. Yea, all faithful Chriftians that believe in him faithtuUy, are faints and holy. Now when he had cone, and ^tt out all his mind, at laft he ccmeth and defireth them to pray for him : But for what? Not to get a fat Benefice or for the twenty firji Sunday after Trimty. 539 or a Bifhoprick. No, no ; St Paul was not a hunter for Benefices -, he faith, " pray that I may have utter- *« ance and boldnefs to fpeak." And this was re- quifite to his office : for though a Preacher be well learned, but yet lacketh that boldnefs, and is faintr hearted ; truly he (hall do but little good for all his learning, when he feareth men more than God, he is nothing to be regarded. -''"■.-■ : Therefore this is the thing that St Paul fo much defireth, to have boldnefs to fpeak : For when a Preacher's mouth is flopped, fo that he dare not re- buke fin and wickednefs, no doubt he is not meet for his office. Now, like as St Paul requireth the Ephefians to pray for him, that he might have ut- terance, for it was moft neceffary for his office : fo let every one pray unto God, and defire others to pray for him, that he may do the works of his vocation. As for example, when he is a married man, let him pray unto God that he may love his wife, cherilh her, honour and bear with her infirmi- ties. So likewife, let all the faithful fervants call upon God, that they may do the duties of their vocation. So likewife let Magiftrates be fervent in prayer, for no doubt they have need ; for they have a great charge committed unto them of God : there- fore they have the more need of the help of God : yea, let every good fubjecl pray unto God for the Magiftrates, that they may do their duties according unto God's will and commandment. And no doubt this is a good prayer, when one faithful man prayeth for the other, fuch prayer fhall not be in vain, God will hear it, and grant fuch faithful prayers. There be many men in the world which think that prayer is will-work ; fo that they may do it, or omit it: but it is not fo, they be much deceived. For it is neceffary for me when I am in tribulation to call upon God, and I ought to do it under the pain of damnation, as well as I am bound to keep L 2 J^ny 540 Majier LA^IMJBK's Sermon on the Epijlle any of his commandments. By the virtue of this commandment, " Thou fhak not fteal,'* I may not take away another man's goods: So by this com- mandment, *' Thou Ihalt not commit adultery,'* 1 may iiot defile another man's wife. Alio by the virtue of this commandment, " Call upon me in *' the time of trouble j'* I ought and am bound, under the pain of damnation, to refort unto God, to call upon him, to feek aid and help by him, and at his hands. For this is as well God's command- ment as the other is : Therefore I defire you moft earneftly, fet not light by prayer; remember that it is the commandment of God. And again, it is the only fray, " The only help to come from God,'^ and defire his help in Chrift's name. For by prayer, Peter being in prifon was delivered. Likewife Mofes by the efficacy of his prayer, went through the Red fea, he and all his people. So was Hezekiah the King delivered from his ficknefs by his prayer. Alfo Elias the Prophet flopped the rain a long time, and then by prayers he brought rain again : If I fhould go through all the ftories which Ihew us the efficacy of prayers, I fhould never have done, for no doubt faithful prayer faileth never, it hath ever remedied all matters. For it brought to pafs, that when God would deftroy the Ifraelites, he could not, becaufe of Mofes's prayer, Mofes let God of his purpofe. And no doubt God loveth to be letted, for God loveth not to punifli or de- ftroy the people •, and therefore by a Prophet God complaineth that there was not found a good man, " Which might fet himfelf like as a ftrong wall " before the people :" That is to fay, which was fo earneft in prayer, that God could not punifh the people. Now ye have heard how that prayer is a com- mandmenr, we muft in every dilirets pray unto God, for the twenty firji Sunday after trinity. 541 faying, " O Lord God, thou art merciful, thou *' knoweft my weaknefs, which thou haft promifed *' to help : Therefore, for thy fon's fake, for thy " mercies fake, for thy goodnefs fake, for thy *' truth's fake, help and deliver me out of my dif- " trefs, and forgive me my fins.'* Surely, who- foever prayeth thus earneftly, he fliall be heard: but, " We muft pray at all times," without inter- miflion, when we go to bed,^ when we rife in the morning, when we go about our bufinefs, when we are on horfeback, ever pray : for a Ihort prayer is able to bring a great thing to pafs, as it appear- eth in the Publican, which faid only, " Lord, be ^* merciful to me a fmner." Therefore Chrift faith, " Watch and pray, left ye enter into temp- " tation i" that is, left ye be overcome with it. Now remember what I have faid unto you, confi- der what an enemy we have, what power he hath, what great experience and praftice. Again, how weak he is when Chrift is with us : Remember the armour ; namely, truth, juftice, love to the hear- ing of God's word, faith and falvation ; ever con- fider whether our doings be to the let of our falva- tion or not. Remember the fword, though ye have it net in fo high a degree as we have it, which may ftrike Kings and Emperors, when they tranf- grefs the word of God, as it appeareth in Elias, which ftruck King Ahab therewith. Alfo John Baptift ftruck that fturdy King Herod ; if they had been faint-hearted, they fliould not have done fo. But efpecialiy I would have you to remem- ber prayer, when ye be in any anguifli and trou- ble, and cannot tell hov/ to relieve yourfelves, run to God. Now they that fliall and will regard this armour of God, taught us by the Apoftle St Paul, the devil no doubt fliall not prevail againft them. There- fore 542 Mafiet LA'TlME'BCs Sermon^ &c. fore, if we would put on this armour, we fliould come to fuch a pradice of it, that the devil fhould be afraid to come to us ; yea, and when he attempteth to come to us, he fhall foon be caft off and avoided. The Almighty God, which ruleth heaven and earth with his infinite power, give us fuch flrength, that we may be able to vanquilh the devil, and all his might. Amen. SERMON SERMON XXVI. By the Reverefid Father in Chrijl Majler HUGH LATIMER Bijhop of Worcejler. Preached on the twenty third Sunday after Trinity, 1552. PHILIPPIANS ill. 17, 18, Brethren, be followers together of me, and look on them which walk even fo as ye have us for an ex- ample-. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the crofs of Chrifl, r 8 iHIS is the Epiftle which is read this day B in the Church, and containeth many good * things. And this day two years, I in- treated of the gofpel of this day, at Stamford*. And fuch matters as I had in hand, were gathered of a dihgent perfon and put in print : the Gofpel was this, *' Give unto Cxfar that thing that per- " taineth unto Csefar; and unto God that thing *' that pertaineth unto God/' I will rehearfe in few words that which I faid at the fame time. The * Stamford is a large and populous market town in Lincoln- iliire, famous for being an Univerfity, which was afterwards re- moved to Cambridge, for its vicinity to the Metropolis, where it is now one of the moil flourilliinf; and celebrated feats of learn- ing in the whole world. ;544 Majier LATlMEK's Sermon on theEpiJlk The f Pharifees and % Scribes a{ked Chrift our Sa- viour, whether they fhould give tribute to * C^efar or not : for it irked them that they fhould pay tribute, they thought it to be a great fervitude: but they allied Chrift this queftion of a mifchiev- ous mind, intending to take him in his words ; but he difappointed them prettily, afking whofe image the money bore ? They anfwered. The Em- peror's : Then our Saviour faid, " Give therefore " unto the Emperor that that pertaineth unto him, " and unto God that which pertaineth unto God.'* They fpake nothing of God, but only of the tri- bute, but our Saviour in his anfwer telleth them, and all the world their duties : yet he doth it with dark and covered words. They confefled that the image was the Emperor's, and they confequently fubjedl unto him ; then our Saviour commanded them to pay according unto the order, as the Emperor had agreed with them, and as it was their duty to do. Our Saviour referred them to their laws, fig- nifying that they ought to obey the laws in their commonwealth; and fo ought we to do. For our Saviour in his anfwer teacheth not only them, but us alfo; for like as it was with the Jews, fo it is with us here in England. Our + See Vol. I. pag. 230. % A powerful fedi among the Jews, who managed the affairs of the Synagogues, expounded the Levitical Law, and made it intelligible to the people. Upon which account they were called JDoftors of the Law, and Lawyers in St Luke's Gofpel. • The Sirname of the Julians in Rome, from whence the fuc- ceeding Emperors, down from Julius Caefar, who was the firft, were every one called Ca:far. This Julius begin his reign in the year of the world three thoufand nine hundred, before the nati- vity of Chrift forty eight years. This was a general n^me of the i^oman Emperors, as King is with us. Therefore when our Sa- viour faid, " Render to Csefer," iffc. it was as much as to fay, " Give to the King, or the Emperor, that tribute which is his « due." fet the Pi^eniy third Sunday after trinity, 545. Our fovereign Lord the King, when he lacketh any thing for the defence of his Realm, it is pre- fented in the Parliament •, there is required fuch things as b6 neceflary for the King's affairs. Now look whatfoever is granted unto his Majefty by th^ Parliament, the whole realm is bound in confcience to pay it, every man as it is required of him : and that is our due unto the King; namely, to give, and do' our duties in all things towards our fovereign Lord the King, as far forth as it is not againft God, we muft obey him ; and do his requefts. But now ye will fay, this is a great bondage, and a heavy yoke and fervitude. Confider therefore who fpeaketh thefe words, who is he that commanded us to be obedient ? Verily our Saviour himfelf. Now he faith, " My yoke is light," how chanceth it then that he will lay upon me fuch a heavy bur- den : For it is a great burden for me to forego my goods ; as when there is a fubfidy, fo that the King requireth one fhilling of a pound. Now I am worth forty pounds, and fo I pay forty fhillings ; to which money the King hath as good right, as to any inheritance which his Majefty hath. And this I fpeak to this end, for I fear this realm is full of Thieves; for he is a Thief that withdravv- eth any thing from any man, whofoever he be. Now I put the cafe it is allowed by the Parliament, by common authority, that the King fhall have one fhilling of every pound, and there be certain men appointed in every Shire which be valuers -, when I now either corrupt the valuer, or fwear againft my confcience, that 1 am not worth an hundred pounds when I am worth two hundred. Flere I am a Thief before God, and fhall be hanged in hell. Now, how many Thieves think you are here in England, which will not be valued above ten pounds when they are worth an hundred pounds, but this is a piti- N° 23. Vol. II. M ful 546 Majler L AI'IME K's Sermon on the Epiftle ful thing, and God will punifh them one day j for God's matters are not to be trifled withal. Now ye will fay, this is a heavy yoke, and into- lerable to bear. Sirs, I will tell you what ye' fhall do: Confider every one with himlelf what God hath done for us ; from how great and intolerable a bur- den he hath delivered us ♦, when we confider that, this burden which the King layeth upon us, will feem light enough unto us: forChrifl: hath delivered us from the burden of our fins : when we confider that, firft, who he is that commandeth it unto us ; lecondly, what he hath done for us, that bids us to obey ; no doubt we fliall be well content withal. But there be a great many of us which confider not that, but rather deceive the King, or forfwear themfelves, or elfe rebel againfl; the King-, which things, no doubt, difpleafe God mofl highly and grievoufiy. Another thing is, that fhould rnove us to bear this burden willingly, which is, his pro- mife. For whofoever will be content to pay his duty truly and uprightly, as he ought to do, that man fliall have never the lefs in fulfilling the command- ments of God. For fo faith God ^ *' If thou (halt " hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord, *' thou flialt be blelled in the town, and bleflTed in " the fields, i^c^ So that if we do according as he willeth us to do, if we give unto the King that which pertaineth unto the King, no doubt we fliall be bleflTed, we fliall have never the lefs, for God's blefling will light upon us. But there are a great many amongfl: us, which do not believe the pro- mifes of God; and io they make God a liar: for *' He that believtth not God, maketh God a liar." Now if this will not move us to our duties, namely, that Chrifl; hath delivered us from the great burden of our fins, let us be moved at leafl:wife with his promifes ; namely, that we fliall increafe our good, in doino; our duties unto the King. This 'jer )he twenty third Sunday 'after trinity. 547 This little I thought good to fay, and fo to put you in remembrance of fuch things as I faid at that time, for if this were well confidered, we fhould be willing to do our duties, and to pleafe God withal : for God loveth a chearful obeyer, one that with a good-will is ready to do fuch things as be appointed him. ■ Now let us turn to the Epiftle : '* Brethren, be " followers together of me, and look on them that " walk, even fo as ye have us for an example.'* Thefe are marvellous words of St Paul, which feern outwardly to be arrogantly fpoken : if any man fhould fay fo at this time, we fnould think him to be a very arrogant fellow. But ye muft fee that ye rightly underftand Saint Paul, for he fpake thefe words not of an arrogant mind : firft, ye muft confider with whom he had to do, namely, with falfe Apoftles, which did corrupt God's moft holy word, the Gofpel, which he had preached be- fore. And fo thefe falfe Prophets did much harm, for a great number of people credited them, and followed their dodrine : which things grieved St Paul very fore, therefore he admonilhed them, as who fhould fay. Ye have Preachers amongft you, I would not have you to follow them •, follow, rather, me, and them that walk like as I do. This wasi not arrogantly fpoken, but rather lovingly to keep them from error. He faith the fame to the Corin- thians, in the eleventh chapter, faying, " Be ye fol- " lowers of me •," but there he addeth, " As I *< am the follower of Chrift :" fo put the fame words hither, fet them together, and then all is well. For I tell you, it is a dangerous thing to follow men, and we are not bound to follow them, farther than they follow Chrift : we ought not to live after any faint, not after St Paul, nor Peter, nor after Mary the Mother of Chrift, to follow them, I fay, univerfally we are not bound fo to do, for they did many things; M z amifs. 548 Majfcr LA^IMjBBJs Sermon on the-Epifile amifs. Therefore let us follow them as they follow Chrift ; for our Saviour giveth us a general rule and warping, faying, "Whatfoever they teach you, ^' do it i but after their own works do ye not j** and he addeth, " Sitting in Mofes's chair," that is to fay, when they teach the truth : fo that we ought to follow them that teach the truth, but when, they do naught we fhould not follow them : there- fore he faith in another place; *' Except your righ-; *' teoufnefs .be more than the Scribes and Phari- "' fees, ye fhall not enter into the Kingdom of *' heaven." This he fpeaketh of Clergymen, giving us warn- ing not to do as they did •, we muft have fuch a righteoufnefs as may fland before God, we are not appointed to follow Saints ; as when I hear this Saint hath prayed fo many pfalms, fo many hours in a day, I am not bound. in confcience to follow hjm, to be his ape, and to do as he did, my vocation being contrary unto it. There is a place in the fecond Book of Maccabees, the twelfth chapter, where we read how Judas Mac- cabeus, that hearty Captain, fendcth certain money to Jerufalem f, tp make a facrifice for the dead, Now Judas did this •, but it foUoweth not, that we are bound in confcience to do the like, as the Pa- pifls which by and by conclude upon it : Judas did this, and he was a godly man, therefore v/e fhould do it too, we Ihould follow his example, ^nd facrifice for the dead. It is no good argu- ment, to conclude upon that thing which he did i^evoutly, having not God's word j becaufe he did i Called alfo '^alcm ; and before the Ilraelites had it Jebui ; the Poets called it Solyma; the chief Citv of the holy Land, in- deed of the whole World once. Jt \^a£ c^l^o.V^d by Titus the Empeior ; and was afterwards rebuilt b}- the Ljuperor JEl'ms Adii" anus, and from him called ^}ia. The Ti;.'-ks, who are now in poirclfion of it, call it Chut/., or Gotz. -^for the twenty third Sunday ^fter trinity. ^a^ did it, therefore it was well done. For we are not bound to follow them in their doings. For if Mary the Mother of Chrift, fhould have done fomewhat differing from God's word, we fliould not follow her, who indeed was not faultlefs, as St Augufline plainly afBrmeth in the third Treatifc upon John, where flie moved Chrift to do a miracle v;hen their wine was lacking at the marriage ; when our Saviour anfwered her, " Woman, what have \ to do with " thee ?" As who fliould lay, To do miracles is my Father's work, and he knoweth the time when it is befl to be done ; what have you to do with it ? Where St Chryfoftom and Augufline plainly affirm, that Mary was fomewhat arrogant: fo likewife it appeareth in the Evangelifl Matthew, where fhe, interrupting his Sermon, defired to fpeak with him, and the fellow told him when he was teaching the people, faying, " Thy mother is here, and would " fpeak with thee i he anfwered and faid. Who " is my mother, or filler, qr brother.?" And llretched out his hand, faying, " Whofoever doth *' the will of my Father which is in heaven, he is " my mother, fifter, and brother." So likewife, when he was but twelve years of age, his mother and father feeking him, he faid, " Know ye not " that I muft go about my Father's bufmefs .?" Now in all thefe places, as the writers fay, " She hath " fhewed her frail nature:" Shall we go now and follow her ? No, no, we may not do fo. The Apoflle teacheth how we fhall follow them, and in what things : '' It is good always to be fervent, " and to follow in good things:" then it is not a good argument, fuch a man doth it, therefore it is a good thing. No, not lb; we muft follow lb, and fo do all things, as it may ftand with our vocation, whereunto God hath called us : for when we leave pur vocation whereunto God hath appointed us, we do liaught and damnably : as for example, Qur 550 Majier LAT'JMEK's Sermon on tbe Eptjlle . Our Saviour fafted forty days and forty nights without any manner of fuftenance, therefore we fhould do fo too : no, becaufe we are not able to do fo too, for we fhould kill ourfelves, Likewife Mofes, that holy Prophet of God, killed an Egyp- tian, which was a wicked and naughty man ; there- fore I fhall go and kill a wirked man too : no, I may not do fo, for it is againft my calling ; I am no Magiftrate, therefore I may not do it. As for Mofes, he had a fpecial infpiration of God. Phi- neas, that godly man, killed Zimri and Cozbi, even in the a6t of fornication, which deed of Phineas was pleafing to God. Now ye may make this argument, Phineas did fo, and it pleafed God, therefore we may do fo too : when we fee any man difhonour God, we may go and kill him by and by. This is not a good argu- ment, for as I faid before, we niuft take heed to our calling, to our office. This Phineas had a fpe- cial licence to do fo ; we may not follow his ex- ample. Abraham was a good and holy man, he was ready to kill his fpn, and burn him with fire; which things pleafed God wondrous well : afterward, there were many which would follow the example of Abraham, and burn their children ; but they did exceeding ill, and God was angry with them for fo doing: there- fore we muft follow their example only fo far forth as may ftand with our vocation. Farther, Jofeph and Mary were married folk, but they exercifed not the ad of generation ; if we fhould now follow the example of Mary and Jofeph, and inhibit unto married folks the a6l of generation, this were naught, and againft the order of God : for Mary and Jofeph had a fpecial calling, and gift of God to abftain : but if we, having no fuch calling, or fych gifts as they had, fhould follow their ex- ample. for the tijoenty third Suniiay after trinity. 551 ^mplc, we flioLild go :o the devil at length, fordoing according unto their calling. So it appeareth partly that we are not bound to follow the converfations or doings of the Saints. For Jacob, David, Solomon, and other good and holy men, have had many wives ; there- fore, we may have many too .? Not fo ; they had a fpecial licence and prerogative, which we have not. Therefore take this for a fure rule, we are not to follow the Saints in their vocation, but we muft follow God in our vocation : for like as they followed God in their vocation and calling, fo we muft follow God in our vocation : but when we will go about to follow God in their calling, and for- fake our own calling, then no doubt we fhall do naught. This I have faid, to the end that ye might underftand the words of St Paul, where he faith, " Be ye followers of me :" therefore I fhewed you how far forth we ought to follow the example of the Saints. " For many walk, of whom I have told you often, " and now tell you weeping, that they are the ene- " mies of the crofs of Chrift." St Paul fpeaketh of the falfe Prophets ; he faith, '' They walk :'* by this word walk, is fignified our converfation and living. For when we will fignify any man to live wickedly, we may exprefs it with thefe words ; he walketh wickedly. Now if there were many in St Paul's time, which did walk wickedly, think ye the matter is any thing amended now at our time? I think, not at all : For we read in the twentieth chap- ter of the Revelation, that Satan Ihall be let lofe in the laft days ; that is to ij^Yy God will fuffer him to exercife his crafts, his blafphemous wicked m,iad,; which he beareth againft God : and truly when a man confiders the ftate of the whole world in every country, it appears no lefs but that the devil is lofe:. for, what rebellions, what cruelties, what covetouf- nefs, what hatred and malice is amongft men ? In-. fomuch 552 Majier L A^IMER's Sermon oh the Epiftk fomuch that a man would think the whole world to be full of devils. Therefore if there were many in St Paul's time, it muft needs follow that there be more now: for now is the defedion.artd fwerving from the truth. " Of which I have told you often, and now tell '* you weeping." St Paul was a good man, a hearty and an carneft man in God's caufe ; he was a weeper, he vvent the pilgrimage whereof I told you' the lalt Sunday : it was a grief to him to fee the dif- honour of God amongfl; them which he had in^ ftru(5led in the word of God ; he was forry to fee' the people blind and feduced with falfe doftrine : but fuch things grieve not us ; though God be dif- honoured, we care not for it: but when we have loft our goods, and fuflain certain damages, then we can weep from the bottom of our hearts, and be mofl; forrowful : but when we hear that God is difhonoured, that Jetchery is committed, or other horrible fins done ; that grieveth us not, then we weep not : and fo it appeareth moft manifeftly that we have not the heart of St Paul, we are not fo minded. Now peradventure fome body might fay, that St Paul had flandered thefe men in writing fo fharply againft them, and in calling them " the enemies of " the crofs of Chrift •," but it is not fo, he flander- eth them not. In the Epiftle to Timothy he named fome by their names, Philetus, Hymensus*. You muft confider, that St Paul did well in reproving them openly, for a man may fometimes tell of another ■ * Thefe two men were for fome time fellow labourers with St Paul in the Propagation of the Chrifi: an faith, but at length they fell into a damnable error, and denied the refurredftion of thd dead. We mav perceive by their names, whicli St Paul bellowed on them when th-y became Chritlisns, the great refped he had for them; the firft he ailed, 7l:e Behaved; the latter, The Height of Joy. Of thefe very men he bids Timothy, and all the Chrillians of his time, to beware. fm the twenty third Sunday after frbiity. 553 another man's faults, for not every telling is Qan- clerin-^. When a man telleth another man's faults with a good mind, and to a good purpofe, this telling is well : but that is naught, and very flander- ino- when I rehearfe before other men the faults of m.y neighbour, with a malicious ftomach : I hate him, and therefore I make him to be known, I paint him out in his colours, and fometimes I fay more by him than I am able to prove; this is flandering: but when a man teileth another man's faults with a good mind, to his reformation, that is not flandering. As we read a ftory of St Bernard f, whether it be true or not, it is no matter -, take it for an example, and learn thereby what is flander, and what is not. St Bernard was a goodly upright young man, and well favoured, he came at a time with his company to an inn, where he tarried all night. And becaufe he was a fair man, the woman in the houfe caft her eyes upon him, defiring in her heart to have car- nal company with himj and therefore after fupper fhe appointed a chamber for him alone, to the end that fhe might come unto him afterward ; and {o fhe did : for when every body was at reft, fhe came unto his bed, intending to lie with him. St Bernard perceiving that, cried out with a loud voice, *' Thieves, Thieves!" His fellows hearing him cry out, came to him, aflt Mark was only Amanuenfis to St Jijgifier L A'tlMEK's Sermon, Sec. 571 an Officer, fome think that he was a Reader of the fcripture, as there were at that time ; or perchance he v/as fuch an Officer as we call Churchwardens; which is a great office in the great Cities: Church- wardens can bring much matter to pafs ; luch a great Officer he was. For though the Jews had a Law, that they fhould make no lacrifices no where But at Jerufalem, where the Temple was, and all the ceremonies, yet for all that they had in every Town their Churches or Synagogues, like as we have Churches here in England, commonly every Town hath a Church. And this word Church fometimes figniiies the congregation, the people that is gathered together : fometimes it fignifies the place where the people come together; that is to fay, " The thing *' containing, for the thing that is contained." Now our Saviour coming to Capernaum "f, where that great man dwelt, which was fuch a Town as Briftoi, or t Coventry is, Jairus cometh unto him P 2 in St Peter. Several of the ancient heretics received only the Gofpel of Sc Mark; others, among the Catholics, rejefted the twelve laft verfes. The Gofpel of St Mark is properly an Abridgment of that of St Matthew. f Brlftol is, the fccond City for trade and numl?er of people in this kingdom; being inferior to none but London. It is faid to have three thoufand trading veflels belonging to its Port. It has a vail: foreign and inland trade. It is likewife famous for its falubrious waters. They have coals at feven, eight, or nine fhiliings a clialdron. It was made a Bilhop's See by King Henry the Eighth. This City is faid to contain nine thoufand houfes, ."nd about feventy thouland inhabitants. It is the Metropolis of Somerfetihire, J Coventry' is a City of large extent, rich and populous.' It drives a great trade in tammies and ribbons. It is a place of great antiquity, and Sifter City to Litchlield ; both together giv- ing title to a Bifliop's See. This City received its firli charter from Leofric Earl of Mercia. Jt is the Metropolis of Warwick- fliire. Now Mailer Latimer concluded, th-it Capernaum was like one of thefe Cities, in our Saviour's time. But that City, with many others, have been long fince obliterated ; apd fcarce any re;r*embrance cow itmains thereof, fave in the facred pages. 572 Majier LAtJMEK^s Sermon on the Gofpel in all hade, and falleth down before him, " and *' maketh great fuit unto him, that he would come *' unto his houfe and heal his daughter, who was fick." No doubt he had heard what manner of man our Sa- viour was, and wherefore he was come into this world ; namely, to fave fmners both in foul and body ; and he had heard alfo the general proclama- tion, written in the eleventh chapter of Matthew, where our Saviour faith, "Come unco me, all ye that *' labour and are heavy laden, and I will eafe you." This proclamation that Jairus had heard, he be- lieved. And therefore he Cometh to Chrift : He did not as a great many of us do, which when we be in trouble, or ficknefs, or lofe any thing, we run hither and thither to witches, and forcerers, whom we call wife- men •, when there is no man fo foolilh and blind as they be ; for the devil leadeth them accord- ing unto his will and pleafure, and yet we run after them, leeking aid and comfort at their hands. But this good man did not fo, he knew that God had forbidden him to run to witches. But what doth he? Forfooth he cometh to Chrift our Saviour, with a good, ftrong, and unfeigned faidi. For, as I told you, he had heard befcre of Chrift and of his pro- clamation, which moved him now in his diftrefs to come unto him. And no doubt he had a good fubftantial faith, as it appeared by his behaviour : yet he had not To good a taith as the Centurion had, who lent a niefTage unto him., faying, " Lord, ** fay but one word, and my fervant iliali be whole.** This was a wondcrKil great faith; infomuch that Chrift faith, " 1 have not found fuch a faith in all " IfraeL" But though this Jairus had not fo good a faith as the Centurion had, yet he had fuch a one as leadeth him to Chrift. He cometh to Chrift, he believeth that Chrift is able to help him, and according unto his belief it happenech unto him. For his daughter v/as healed, as ye ftiaJi hear after. ward i for the twenty fourth Sunday after 'trinity. 573 ward: And fo upon him is fulfilled the fcripture. " I have believed, and therefore have I fpoken." For look what man foever hath a good faith, he will not hold his peace, he will fpealc, he will call for help at his hands. For if this Jairus had not had a good faith, he would not have humbled himfelf fo much, to fall down before fuch a * poor man as our Saviour was. Some would have had refped to their honours ; they would have thought it fcorn to fall down before fuch a poor man as our Saviour was, or elfe they would have been afraid of the people that were pre- fent, to honour him fo highly, and to confefs him to be a helper. And no doubt, that Jairus was in great danger of his life •, for Chrift was not beloved amongft the Jews ; therefore it was a great matter for this Jairus to honour Chrift: fo openly before all the multitude. And no doubt if he had not had fo good, ftrong, and earneft faith, he would not have done as he did, but he had a good ftrong faith j therefore he was not afraid of any thing in the world. Now ye fliall learn of this Jairus, firft by his ex- ample to go to Chrift, in all diftreflcs to feek help by him : And alfo ye fliall mark and obferve his great and fatherly love, that he hath towards his daughter: for he maketh great fuit to Chrift for her, which fignifieth that he had a great and earneft Jove towards her. This fame fatherly aftedion and love of the parents tov;ards their children is the good gift of God ; and God hath planted the fame in their hearts; and this efpecially for two refpecls. Firft, for the childrens fake : for it is an irkfome thing to bring up children J and not only that, but alio it is a * How poor ? True, Chrifl had not vvorMly wenlth. He was, as Man, the Son of a Carpenter, but as God, he was the Sen of the Almighty. He was from eternity: " He made all thingi, *• and without him was not any thing n^zi^ that was mads." 5 74 ^^ft^f L A'flME R *s Sermon on the Gofpel a chargeable thing to keep them, and to wait upon them, and preferve them from all peril : If God had not planted fuch love in the parents hearts, indeed it were impofllble to do fo much for them ; but God hath planted fuch love in their hearts, which love tak- eth away the irkfomenefs of all labour and pain. For what is a child when it is left alone ? what can it do? how is it able to live ? Another caufe is, wherefore God hath planted fuch love in the parents hearts to- wards their children, that we might learn by it, what aflfeftions he beareth towards us. For though the love of parents towards their children is very great, yet the love of God towards us is greater; yea, his love towards us furpaffeth far all fatherly love which they have towards their children. And though Chrift only be the very natural Son of God, yet with his death and paflion he hath merited that we be the chofen children of God. For God for our fake be- llowed his only natural Son, unto the death, to the end that we fliould be made through him his chofen children. Now therefore all that believe in Chrift, and truft through his paffion to be faved, all they .are the children of God, and God loveth them more than any natural father loveth his child. For the love of God towards us is more earneft, and more vehement, than is the fatherly love towards his natural child : vyhich thing fliould comfort us in all our didrefs, in what peril or danger foever we be, vv^e fliould be- lieve that God is our father. And therefore we fhould come unto him in the name of Chrift his natural Son our Saviour : therefore we need not de- fpair in any manner of thing •, but rather whatfoever v/e have in hand, let us run to him, which beareth fuch a fatherly affedion towards us, a great deal more than our natural fathers, and mothers can do. As for our carnal parents, fomctimcs they be un- natural, fo that they will not help their children in their diftrefsj fometimes, again they would fain help. for the twenty fourth Sunday after 7'rinity, 575 help, but they are not able to help them j but our heavenly father, he is loving and kind towards us, fo that he will help : befides, he is mighty, yea, he is almighty •, he can and may help : fo there lacketh neither good-will in him, nor power. There- fore let us not defpair, but rather come unto him in all tribulation, and no doubt we fhall be eafed by him. For certain it is, that the almighty God hath greater affedtion towards us, than our natural fathers and mothers can have. And this appeareth by that he hath given his natural Son (the higheft treafure that ever he had in heaven or in earth) for us, even unto the death, in his bitter paflion. Farther, in the Prophets every where, he fetteth out his great love which he hath towards us, faying, " Can a woman forget her own child which flie hath *' born into the world? Yea, and though Ihe do *' forget the fame, yet will not I forget thee." It is a rare thing when the devil fo much prevaileth in parents, that a mother fliould negledl or forget her own child ; yet, faith God, though it were fo that fhe could forget her child, yet will not I forget thee, when thou believeft: in my Son Chrift. For the devil cannot prevail againft me, though he pre- vail againft women, fo that fometimes they forget their own children, or kill them ; yet lliall he not prevail againft me, for I am mightier than he is. Farther, his love which he beareth towards us, is expreffed in the feventh of St Matthew, where Chrift faith ; " Is there any man amongft you " which if his fon alk bread, will he offer him a " ftone? or if he afk a fifh, will he offer him a " ferpent ? If ye then being evil, cah give your *' children good gifts, how much more fhall your *' Father which is in heaven, give you good things, ** if you afk them of him ?'* As who fhould fay, though you be evil, yet when your children would have any thing that might hurt them, yet you being 570 M.ipr LARIMER'S Sermon on the Gofpel being fathers and mothers do give them good things, which fhall not hurt them. Now faith he, feeing ye, whofe nature is ii], cor- rupt, and poifoned with wickednefs, (for there is no Saint in heaven, neither St Peter * or Paul -f, but ■when they were here, their nature was corrupt and given -f- He was the fon of Jona, of the Province of Galilee, of the Town of Bethfaida, brother of St Andrew the Apoftle, and the Prince of the Apollles. The particular time of his birth cannot be recovered ; but probably he was at leaii ten years older than his Mafter. In his youth he was brought up to Fifhing; which trade he followed for above a year after he firft faw our Savi- our : but then , at his Lord's command , left all and followed him ; and from that time became his conftant and infeparable difciple. He received from Chrift greater honour than any other of the Apoflles : for after his refurredHon he appeared to Saint Poter, and gave him (and not only to him, but to all his fuc- ceiTors) that great and ineftimable privilege, The power of for- giving Sins. He wrote two Epiilles, which are received as ca- nonical. As to his perfon , he was /lender, and of a middle- fize j his complexion very pale, and his hair curled and thick, but fhoit ; his eyes black, but fpccked with red ; which, it is faid, proceeded from frequent weeping. He was crucified at Rome, on the top of Mount Vatican, near the Tiber, in the yearof Chrift f'xty nine, and in the fourth year of Nero's reign. He defned lie might not be crucified the ordinary way, but with his her.d down- wards and feet upwards ; affirming, he was unworthy to fufFer in the fame pofture in which his Lord had fufiered before him. * Our Apoffle is rather by his fucceHbrs complimented with the title of an Apollle than otl^erwife ; for lie himfelf fays, that he had never feen Jefus Chriit in the flclh ; and therefore he was not fent in the fame fenfe with other A}.>4)ii.!es, who had the honour of feeing and communicating witli Chiilt. However, he faw feius Chriil fpiritually in his journey to Damaftus ; and from that time he became properly what he really was. The great Apoftle of the Gentiles. He was certainly conuniflioned to preach the gofpel to every nation under heaven, as well as to the chofen people of Ifrael. St Paul was defcendcd of the tribe of Benjamin, born in the City of Tarfus, the Metropolis of Cilicia. He came up to Jcrufalem, and there became a difciple of Gamaliel, a famous Pharifee. As to his perfon, Nicephoruj thus defcribes it ; he was litde, and low of Ilature, and fomevvhat (looping; his com.plexion fair, his countenance grave, his head fmall ; his eyes carrying a kind of beauty -and fweetnefs in them, his eye- brows a little hanging for the twenty fourth Sunday after Trinity. 577 given to wickednefs, (and fo they might be called ill,) can give good gifts unto your children, how^ much more will God, which is the fountain of all goodnefs, give you good things when ye defirethem of him ? ilere ye may now learn, that the love of God towards mankind, paiTcth all natural love : and that he is ready to give unto every one that Cometh to him for help, yea, the very holy Ghofl he will give us, when we will defire it. Now to the matter: This Jairus is a good and lov- ing father towards his child, he cometh and defireth help of Chrift, that his daughter may be healed. A covetous man would have pafled on, he would not have taken fo much pains as to come to Chrift and defire his help.. Therefore by this Jairus we may learn to have a good faith towards God, and a right natural love towards our children. But it is a com- fortable thing to confider this fatherly afFedion of God towards us. If we would well confider the fame, it would ftir up a childly love in our hearts towards him, fo that we would be content to be ordered by him, and ruled according to his pleafure ; like as a good and godly child is content to be ruled by his N° XXV. Vol. II, Q^ father hancjng over ; his nofe long, but gracefully bending ; his beard thick, and, like the hair of his head, mixed with grey hairs. — He has written fourteen EpiltleSj all which the Church has owned to be genuine and cononical, excepting the Epiftle to the Hebrews, concerning which there has been formerly fome doubt, and feme perfons have fuppofed that it wns written in Hebrew. The hiftory of his travels and preaching, down to hjs imprifonment at Rome, js related by St Luke in the Afts of the ApolUes. He was a con- ftant and ftreniious Preacher of the do»r.rincs of the Incarnation, Refurrreftion, Afcenfion, and fecord coming of Chriit to Judg- ment J for which, and his fieady adherence to the icterefts of Chiii"- tianity, it is fuppofed he was beheaded at Roirie in the fixty fourth year of the common cojr.putatio-n. His head, fa}s Dr Cave, was ilruck off with a fword ; from whicli inftrumcnt of his execution, the cuftom no doubt firft arofe of dcpiifting him with a fword in Jiis right hand. He was buried in the Via Oflienfis, about two miles from. Rome, over whofe grave Conf^antinc the Great, at the in fiance of Pope Sylvell^r, buUt a ftately church. 578 Mafler L A^IMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel father and mother, and will in no wife do againft them-, fo we fhould be obedient unto God, like as the child is unto his parents. But ye v/ill fay, I pray you tell us what is the will of God ? Anfwer, The general will of God is exprelTed in the ten commandments : There we ihall find what we fhould do, and what we fiiould leave undone. But there is a fpecial will of God, which is every man's calling ; for it is the will and pleafure of God, that every one fliould do according unto his calling, whereunto God hath appointed him: as the Magiftrates, their calling is to fee that all things are well, that juftice be executed,, that the wicked be punifhed, and that the good be rewarded. Alfo, that good and godly laws be maintained and executed ; and moft efpecially that the word of God "be taught, that the people be not ignorant in that : and this is the will of God. And when the Magif- trates do fo, and when they endeavour themfelves that God*s honour and glory be fet abroad, and that wickednefs be abolifhed, then they do according to their calling. So likev»fife the calling of the fub- je<5ts is to be obedient unto the Magiftrates, not to rebel againft them •, for if they do, tliey (Irive againfb God himfelf, and fhall be puniflied of him. Alfo ithe married man ought to do his duty toward his wife, that is the will of God •, to love his wife, to provide for her, ^c. Likewife the woman ought !to do her duty towards her hufband, in obeying him in all things that are not againlt God. For fhe may •not obey her hulliand in wicked things, which be againft God, but elfe there is no exception, but that fhe muft : for it is faid unto her by God, " In for- *' row fh;dt thou bring forth thy children, and thy " luft fliall pertain unro thy huft^and, and he fliall '^' have the rule of thee.'* Now when the woman doth foj then Ilie doth accoruing to her calling. Farther, fcr the twenty fourth Sunday after Trinity. 57^ Farther, mafters ought to do their duties towards their fervants and houfhold, to inftrudl them in God's word, to let them have their meat and drink. Likewife, fervants ought to obey their mafters with all humblenefs, to ferve them uprightly and dili- gently, according as God willeth them to do. Now* this is the fpecial will of God, namely, that every one fhall do according unto his calling, as God will- eth him to do. Now to fulfil this will of God, we Ihould be moved by the great love and fatherly af- fe<5lions which God beareth towards us ; this love Ihould move us to obey him, like as a good child obeyeth his father and mother. Now Cometh another matter -, for as our Saviour was going to the' houfc where this young man lay fick, there cometh a good faithful woman preffing through the people, for our Saviour was tolled and turmoiled in the multitude: for ye miuft underftand that this Jairus was a great rich man, a man of great eftimation, therefore the people hearing that his daughter was fick, or dead, came unto him to go with the dead * corfe. Here I muft take occafion to fpeak fomev.'hat : there be many now-adays very hafty to bury their friends, yea fomietimes before they be well dead. I heard fay once, that a young woman was lick, and fell in a fwoon, her friends which were with her, prefently made ready to bury her : and when they went with the corfe, and were coming into the church-yard, the corfe ftirred, and the Vicar com- manded them that bare her to fet her down, and fo finally the woman recovered. I tell this, to the 0^2 end * An old obfolcte law term for a dend body. Thus Corfe- prefert, was an ofieiing of the bell beaft belonging to a deceafed perfon, made to the parifh Prieft ; and fo called, becaufe the beafl was prefented with the body at the funeral. 580 Mafier LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Cofpel end to giveyou warning, not to be too hafty with fick folks. I have read in St Augufline, that there was once a man which lay feven days fpeechlefs, neither Teeing, nor hearing, nor yet receiving any fuftenance, ex- cept fome liquor, which they put into his throat with a q-^-iil. Now after feven days this man fpake again ; and the firft word he fpake was this. What is it a clock ? he thought he had lain but a very little while. Now if his friends had been fo hafty with him, he would have been buried before the time. Therefore I admonifli you, not to be too hafty with dead corfts, as long as they be warm, for when a man is dead indeed, he will loon be cold. When our Saviour was going amongft this great multitude to Jairus's houfe, there cometh a woman through the people, defirous :o touch his garment. The Evangelift Mark fetteth out this ftory more plainly than Matthew doth •, for he faith, " There *' was a certain woman which had been difeafed of *' an iiTue twelve years, and had fuffered many " things of many Phyficians, and had fpent all that " fhe had, and felt no amendment at all, but ra- " ther was worfe and worfe. When flie had heard *' of Jcfus, flie came in the prefs of the people be- " hind him, and touched his garment: for fhe faid, " If I only may touch the hem of his cloachs I fhall '* be made whole. This woman was fick of a fore " and grievous difeafe, and had been fick of it " twelve years, fiie had fuffered much forrow by «« it." And no doubt whofoever hath to do v;ith a Phyfirian, he muft be a fufFerer : it is a charge- able and painful thing to be phyficked : a man muft receive many bitter medicines and potions. Therefore Mark faith, " She fuffered much ; they '* had put her to great pain, and ftie had beftowed '« all her fubftance upon them, and was never the *' better, but rather the worfe." Belike fhe had been for the twenty fourth Sunday after trinity. 581 been ^ woman of great riches and good fubftance, or elfe fhe could not have been able to pay Phyfi- cians fo long. This place of fcripture reproveth not Fhyficians, as though phyfic were a fuperfluous thing and not necelTary, becaufe this woman was not healed ; as if ye would reafon after this manner : What, fhall I take phyfic ? no, that I will not, fori read in fcripture, that a woman fpent all her goods upon Phyficians, and yet was never the better. But this text maketh no more againfl phyfic, than that text doth againft labour, where Peter faith, " We " have laboured the whole night, and have gotten " nothing." Now a rafh fellow will fay. What, hath St Peter laboured all night and caught nothing? then 1 will not labour at all, for 1 (ball get nothing with my labour: but this is foolifli reafoning. For though this woman fpent all upon Phyficians, and yet was not healed ; and though Peter laboured all night, and catched nothing, yet for all that we are allowed to ufe phyfic , and commanded to labour. For fo faith the fcripture ; " Honour the *' Phyfician for need's fake." Alfo, " from God is " all cure, and the highefl hath created all medi- *' cine." If we knev/ the virtues of every herb, we might be our own Phyficians, but we know them not ; therefore God hath ordained, that fome fhould give themfelves to the knowledge of fuch things, and then teach others. We read in the book of Kings, when Hezekiah the King was fick, God fent Ifaiah the Prophet unto him, faying, " Put thy houfe in order, for thou " Ihak die." But here note by the v/ay, that God required this King to fet his houfe in order, and to make his Teftament : So fhould we by this ex- ample, when we perceive by ficknefs that God will call us out of this life, we fhould fet all things in fuch order, that there be no llrife after our depar- ture ; 5^2 Mafter L ATIMEK*s Sermon m the Cofpel ture-, but that every one may know wiiat he fliall have. For that which was faid to Hezekiah is faid to every one of us ; for God loveth not ftrifes nor con- tentions ; he is a God of unity and concord : there- jfore to avoid all contentions, we ought to fet our affairs in good order. Now although God fent Ifaiah thither, to tell him that he fliould die, yet it was not fuch a ftridt fentence, that it Ihould be done out of hand, by and by : but rather God would move him by this meflage that Ifaiah brought, tb make fuit for a longer liie. Like as he fent Jonah to * Nineveh, with a ftrift commandment, whereby God would move them to make fuit, and moveth him, that io they might leave their fms and wicked life. Now Hezekiah hearing fuch a meff'ge of the Prophet, what did he ? Marry he lell to prayer, rehearfing how beneficial God had been unro him ; faying, " I befeech thee now, O Lord, remember *' how I have walked before thee in truth, and with *' a perfe6t heart, and have done that which is good *' iri thy fight ; and Hezekiah wept very fore :" fo God fent the Prophet unto him again, promifing him that he fhould live yet fifteen years more. Now, did he nothing elfe after he had this promife of God .? Yes, he ufed phyfic, he took a lump of figsj and laid it upon the fore, like as we in time of fick- nefs, lay plaifters upon it. So ye fee by the example of Hezekiah, that it is lawful to ufe phyfic. But now in our days, phyfic is a remedy prepared only for rich folks, and not for poor, for the poor man is not able to pay the Phyfician. God indeed hath made phyfic for both rich and poor; but the Phyficians in our time, feek only their own profits, how to get money, not how they might do good unto their poor neighbour. Whereby it ap- peareth * Sec before. Vol. I. p. zC'-. for the twenty fourth Sunday after 'Trinity. 583 pearcth, that they be for the mod part without cha^ rity ; and fo, confequently, not the children of God: and no doubt but the heavy judgment ot God hang- eth over thtir heads: tor they are commonly vpry wealthy, and ready to purchafe lands; but to help their neighbour, that they cannot do ; but God will find them out one day, I doubt not. "We muft beware when we ufe phyfic, that we truft not too much to Phyficians, and forget God in the mean feafon. Like as King Afa didj who had a difea1^ in his feet, and is much reproved bcr caufe he fought not the Lord : he trulled not ia God, but rather in Phyficians: for the fcripture faith, " In his licknefs he fought not the Lord, but « Phyficians.'* Iknew once a great rich man and a covetous fe^^ low, he had purchafed about an hundred pounds^ this fame man carne once to London, where as ftout as he was he fell fick ; and in his ficknefs, when -he was exhorted to bear ,it well, and fubmit himfelf unto God, he cried out with horrible fwear- ings,Shall I die? (hal'l I die? Phyficians, Phyfi.cians, call Phyficians. As well as he loved his gold, v/hich was his god, yet he could find in his heart to fpend upon Phyficians; but in the end he died like a beaft, without any repentance. This man now abufed tlie Phyficians. We may ufe Phyficians, but we muft not truft in phyfic, as Afa the King did, and that wicked man of whom I told you : we may ufe God*s provifions and remedies which he hath left ws, but yet lor all that we may not truft in them. Nov/ to the purpofe ; " This woman had fpent '' all her gokl" and was never the better :" Well, what the Phyficians could not do, Chrift- our Saviour did for her, and on this wife : There was a great m.ultitude of people about Chrift, they prefiTed upon him : Now the woman cometh amongft the prefs pf the people to him, defiring to touch only the hein 584 Mafier LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel hem of his garment, for fhe believed that Chrift was fuch a healthful man, that fhe lliould be found as foon as llie might touch him •, which came fo to pafs as fhe believed. For as foon as fhe had touch- ed him, her iflue v/as flopped, and her ficknefs gone quite and clean. She was a fhamefaced wo- man-, (he was not fo bold as to fpeak to our Saviour, but fhe cometh behind his back, and ftealeth, as it were, her health. But what doth our Saviour ? he would not fuffer her to be hid, but faith 10 his difciples, " Who hath *' touched my clothes ?" His difciples made anfwer, faying, " Thou feed the people thruft thee, and " afkeft thou, who touched me ?" And he looked round about to fee her that had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembUng, knowing what was done within her, came and fell down be- fore him, and told him all the truth. No doubt this woman was afhamed to confefs her filthy fick- nefs before all the whole multitude: But what then? Chrift would have it fo. " I perceive, faith Chrift, " that virtue is gone out of me :" he faith not, my cloke, or my veflament hath done a work : but he faith " I know virtue is gone out of me.'* Therefore we may not be fo foolifh to think that our Saviour's hem made the woman whole; but rather her good faith and truft which fhe had in our Saviour. We muft not do as the foolilh blind Papifls do, which impute great holinefs unto the veftrnent of our Saviour. For we fee that this woman was made whole, by Chrifl, and through him, by his divine power. And fo is verified this fcripture, which faith, " That which is impofTible unto man, is pofhble unto ^' God." Phyficians had defpaired of that woman, it furpafTed their cunning to help her; but our Sa- viour declared his divine power, and healed her out of hand, fhe doing nothing but touching the hem of for the twenty third Sunday after trinity.' 585 of his veftment. So can God help, when men cannot. An example we have in fcripture, when the people of Ifrael going out of t Egypt came unto the Red fea, they had great hills on both fides. Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, followed with all his hoft at their backs, the -f Red fea was before them, fo that there was no way, after man's reafon, but to perifh : what doth God ? forfooth he divided by his infinite power the Red fea, and delivered them out of all danger. So it appeareth that God is able to defend his people that believe in him, extraordinarily. Likewife in the wildernefs they had no corn, nor any thing to eat, there was no ordinary way to Hve : what doth God ? he taketh an extraordinary way ; he fendeth manna from heaven. And thus we fee that God is able to help us fupernaturally -, but yet we muft take heed and not tempt God, we muft ufe all fuch means as he hath appointed to fullain this life, elfe we fhould tempt God, which is for- bidden. So likewife we read, that when David was in the wildernefs, and Saul had compafTcd him round about, fo that he, after man's judgment, N^25. Vol. II. R could :|: A kingdom famous for the invention of arts, as Geometry, Phyfic, Aftronomy, Hufbandry, Architedure, Mythology, Magic, and other myfterious fciences ; infomuch that feveral learned men of Greece, as Pythagoras, Plato, and many others, travelled thi- ther for knowledge. How opulent it hath formerly been, the vaft pyramids, and other famous monuments yet remaining fhew. The people were m.uch given to idolatry, and worfliipped the fun and moon, beafts, fowls, onions, garlick and monfters. The country is fo hot that it feldom rains there, but the river Nile once a year overflows the country, and makes it fo fruitful, that it hath been formerly ftiled the granary of the world. Egypt is bounded on the eaft with the Red fea, on the v/eft with the Cyrene, on the north with the Mediterranean, and on the fouth with Ethiopia. ■f The Red fea was a great jeftuary of the Mediterranean fea. Su- Walter Ralegh fays, it ebbed and flowed every tide ; where- fore it has been imagined, thatMofes worked the miracle of divid- ing it about the time of high v/ater. 586 Mdfter LA^IMEK's Sermon on the G:>fpd could not efcape ; what dcth God ? he fendeth th® Philiftines into the land of Saul ; which when Saul heard of, he went back and left David. So by this means God delivered David from his enemy Saul. By thefe examples we may learn to put our hope and trull in God, in all manner of troubles, like as this woman dici hers: fhe believed in our Saviour, and therefore fhe was healed. All England, yea all the world, may take this woman for a School- miftrefs, to learn by her to truft in Chrift, and to feek help at his hands. Again, by this woman you may learn, that God fometimes brings fome low, and humbles them to that end to promote them, and to bring them aloft : as in this woman, flie was fick for twelve years, and vexed with a grievous ficknefs; but at length flie v/as healed, and not only that, but alfo exalted, for Chrift called her his daughter ; which was the greateft promotion that could be. So likewife jofeoh was in great mifery, fold into Egypt, and aftcrv/ard cafb into prifon, where he lay a great while ; he was greatly humbled : but what was the end of it ? Forlboth he was made a Ruler over ail Egypt : this v;as a great promotion. So likewife David wr.s humbled, he was made an Outlaw, and durft not fliew himfelf-, but in the end, he was made King over all Jury f, being at the firft but a Shepherd, and afterward an Outlaw, but in the end he v/as made King. So this woman, though fhe was low, and loth to confefs her filthy difcafe, yet flie was -{■' Or'Jev\ry. At firfl it was only that part of the land of Ca- r.aan which the two tiibcs of Benjamin and Judah inhabited. But in the fonfe Maftcr Latimer takes it, wc are to unierllard theuhok country of Paldiine at large, called by the Jews, The Land of Frowise^ and by Chrilllans, The Holy Land; all that part of Syria inhabited by the Jews of the twelve tijbes, at firft under oixe king, and after, by the revolt of the ten tribes, under two. Hence JtruiHlem became the royal City of the Kings of Judah, and Sx- r.iariu of the Kings of ifrael. foY ths tiscBnty fourth Sun day after 'Trinity, c^'tly •was well promoted, after fne had confefied it; flie was made his daughter, which was a great promo- tion. But mark thatChrift faith not unto her, My hem hath healed thee ; but he faith, " Thy faith, hath " holpen thee." Peradventure if we had this hem, we diould make a great matter of it ; which thino- were but foolery : Let us ufe prayer, which hath a promife, for God promifeth, that when we pray unto him, wt fhall be heard ; when we pray with a faith- iul heart, as this woman did, who believed that Chrift would help her: and for this faith fake, Ihe was fo highly commended of Chrift, and all the people were edified by her example. But efpecially Jairus, that great man, whofe daughter lay fick ; he had caufe to ftrcngthen his. faith by the example of this woman, which woman believed in the word of God, and therefore fhe came untoChriil. So let us do, let us flay ourfelves upon God^s word. Chrift faith, " Come ye all to me:" Let us follow this word, and let us come unto him, for this faith that hath God's word is a true faith; but that faith which hath not God's word, is a lying faith, and a falfe faith. As the Turks and Jews, they have a faith, but their faith is not grounded in God's word, and therefore it is a lying faith, be- caufe it hath not the word of God. Therefore, like as the dodrine is nothing without the word of God, fo the word of God bringeth no commodities except faith be there, except it be believed, it is to no purpofe. But this woman believed the word of God, fhe believed that Chrift was come to heal the lick, both in their fouls and bodies ; therefore ac- cording unto her belief it happened unto her: and no doubt ilie is a Saint in heaven ; for we read not that Hie fell afterward from Chrift. So we learn by this woman to have a good faith jn Chrifl, we muft not run hither and thither tofeek R z that 588 Majier LATlMEK's Sermon on the Gofpe. that hem. No, v/e muft believe in him in all our diftreffes, come unto him, feek help and comfort by him. Now our Saviour, after he had healed this woman, he goeth to this great man's houfe, which had called him to make found his daughter j when he cometh near unto the houfe, there cometh one of Jairus's fervants, faying, " Thy daughter is dead, fhe is *' gone ; trouble the Mailer no longer, for all help *' is paft." Lo, this had been enough to bring Jairus out of his faith, hearing that his daughter was dead already; it was a great temptation unto him. But here ye may learn, that when ye go by the way, and ye have occafion to do a good deed, do it •, fol- low the example of Chrift, for he was going to Jairus's houfe, and in the way he did this good deed, in healing this dlfeafed woman j giving unto us an example, that we ihould not omit any occafion, but whenfoever we have fit time to do good, we Ihoyld do it. And here we learn another thing in our Saviour, namely, that there is no refped; of perfons with him, he regardeth not the outv/ard Ihew of men, whether they be poor or rich. But, as St Peter faith, " In all nations he that feareth " God, and worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted of *'• him." For Chrift retufeth no man, neither rich nor poor. But we fee they that be poor, are com- jTionly ill handled in this world, no man regardeth them, every man defpifeth them. Again, we read every where that the rich and great men, are ill fpoken of in fcripture : " The •' mighty-i'men fliall mightily fuffer pains in hell :" yet this fcripture diiiilloweth or reproveth not great men and mighty Rulers ; but it fpeaketh againft thofe which abufe their power wherewith God hath endued them, opprefs other poor men, do them^ wrong and injuries. For com.monly it is feen, that they that be rich are lofty and llout, and abufe their riches for the twenty fourth Sunday after trinity. 58 ^ riches and their power ; for no doubt riches may be uled to good purpofes. But our Saviour, he hath no refpeft to perlbns, whether they be poor or rich; for here we fee how he helpeth firft the poor woman, and now is going to help the rich man too, to raife up his daughter, which was dead and ready to b% buried. Farther, we learn here by this Jairus to be con- ftant and ftedf^ft in our fuith, not to be moved with every wind : for there were many things which might have moved this Jairus to mjflruft our Saviour, and to run from him : Firft, his fer- vant, that came and told him, *' Thy daughter is " gone ;" which was a great difcomfort : for as long as fne was yet alive, he had a good hope, but when he heard that flie was gone, it difcouraged him very fore. Secondly, the preparation which was made for her to be buried ; for all the people were come now to go with the corfe, which was a great difcomfort unto him alfo. Thirdly, the words pf our Saviour m.oft and above all things difcom- forted him, when our Saviour faid, " She is not " dead, but fleepeth." By thefe words Jairus might have conceived an ill opinion in him, faying, What? he thinketh that fhe fleepeth •, no, if it were fo, I could raife her up myfelf. On this wife Jairus was tempted. Now when they came near unto the houfe, there was a great number of people which laughed our Saviour to fcorn when he faid that fhe flept. Where we may learn to be content, though we be • defpifed and not fet by in this world ; feeing that our Saviour himfelf was of fuch wife defpifed. I doubt not but I have been laughed to fcorn when I preached that the way to get riches is to give away to the poor this that we have. They have called me old doting fool ; but what then, we mud be content to be defpifed with Chrift here in this world, that we may be glorified with him in the v/crld to come. Here 590 Mafier L A'tlMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel Here is mention made of minftrels; no doubt they have their good ufe to make folk merry, and to drive away fanfies : at that time they ufed min- ftrels at their burials, as we here ufe bells. Now our Saviour feeing the people that were come to go with the corfe, and the minftrels there ready, he comforted Jairus, who no doubt was in great an- guifh, and faid unto him, " Fear not, but only *' believe ; continue only in thy faith towards me, ** and all things fhall be well." Nov/ like as he faith to Jairus, fo he faith to us, in what peril or tribulation foever we be, we fhould not faint, we fhould not fear, but believe ; he will regard our faith, as much as he regarded the faith of Jairus. And we fnall attain to fuch an end as he did. For we muft confider, that the Almighty God, doth fometimes put ofF the fulfilling of his pro- mifes, and helpeth not by and by ; but wherefore doth he fo .'' even for his own glory's fake ; for if we fhould have by and by that thing which we dcrfire, then peradventure we fliould attribute it to our own felves and not unto God : therefore it cometh not by and by, that we m.ay afterwards, when we have it, be the more thankful for his help. Therefore let us continue in prayer, and in faith, and no doubt he will help v/hcn it is the very time. " Tarry, faith " David, for the Lordj he will corne, and not tarry; " and when he cometh, he will fet all things in good *^ order." • Now he Hiith to the people, " Why weep ye ?'* You m.uft underfland that Chrifl condemneth not all manner of weeping, but only that which is wich- out hope i of which St Paul fpeakcth, " As they "that have no hope," But charitable weeping is allowed, yea commanded j for St Paul faith, "Weep " with them that weep, be forrowful with theiu *' that be forrowful." Yet do it mcafurably, as it bccometh Chriftians. la for the twenty fourth Sunday after Infinity, jpi In the time of popery, before the gofpel came amongft us, we went to burials with weeping and wailing, as though there were no God : but fince the gofpel came unto us, I have heard fay, that in fome places they go with the corfes grinning and flearing,as though they went to a bear-baiting-, which thing no doubt is n.iu2;ht : for like as too much weeping is naught, fo to be " without affe6lion,'* is naught too ; we fhould keep a meafure in all things. We read in the holy fcripture, that the holy Patriarch Abraham mourned for his wife Sarah. So likewife did Jofeph for his father Jacob j there- fore to weep charitably and meafurably is not ill, but good, and allowed in God's word. So likewife in the new Teftament, when that holy man St Stephen was ftoned to death, the text faith, that the church " made great lamentation and weeping over him.** Here I might have occafion to fpeak againft thofe women which fo foon forget their hufbands that be departed ; which thing I cannot very well allow, for it is a token of an imperfed love. It was a law among the Romans, that no woman fhould marry again before twelve months were expired ; which no doubt was an honeft law, but to avoid whoredom, let the Chriftian woman ufe her liberty. Now when our Saviour was come to the houfe, he fufFered no man to go in with him but Peter, * James and * There were two among the Apoflles of this name, the one called James the Great, as fome think, becaufe of his age, beiup- much older than the other, or for fome peculiar Honours and fa- vours which our bleiled Lord conferred on hiin. The other was named James the Lefs, who was alfo furnamed the full. After ChrJfl's afcenfion into heaven he was chofen Bilhop of [erufalem. Which of thffe was with Chrift when he wrought this miracle, no hiflory has determined : though it is likely it was the former. — James the Great fufFered martyrdom under Herod Agrippa, being beheaded at Jerufalem ; and he was the £rll; of the apoftolic order that gained the crown of maityrdom. St James the Lefs was thrown down from a pinnacle or wing of the I'emple, but not be- ing killed with the fall, had hia brains beaten out with a Fuller's club, in the ninety ninth year of his age. 592 Mafier LATlMEK^s Sermon on the Gofpel and John f, and the father and mother of the child ; all the other he thruft out : then he took the maid by the hand, faying, " Maid, I fay unto *' thee, arife :" and her fpirit came again, and flie rofe ftraightway. What Ihall we learn here ? we fliall learn here that cur Saviour did overcome death, that he is the Lord over death, that he hath the vic- tory over him. Secondly, we learn here that our Saviour is very God, becaufe he commandeth death. For I tell you death is fuch an arrogant and llubborn fellow, that he will obey no body but only God. Now he obeyed our Saviour, whereby it appeareth, that he is Lord over death. He faith, " Maid) *' I fay unto thee, arife i" and by and by flie was made whole: for fhe eat, to fignify that fhe was made right whole. Here our Saviour fhewed himfelf to be very God, and fo the Lord over death ; fulfilling the * This John was the Evangeliil. Before his coming to Chriil, he ieems for fomc time to have been the difciple that was with An- drew, when tliey left the Baptill to follow our Saviour. He was called by our Lord at the fame time with his brother, both to the difciplefhip and apoilolate. He was by much the youngell of all thedifciplcs, as the ancients generally affirm, and his great age feems to evince, he living near feventy years after our Saviour's fufFering. He v/as peculiarly dear to his Lord and Mafter, being " the " difciple whoin Jefus loved;" as may be obferved in feveral in- jlances mentioned in the holy gofpel. He followed our Lord thro' feveral pafTages of his trial, and at Lift waited upon him (and for any thing we know, was the only Apoillethat did fo) at his exe- cution, where he appointed him Guardian to his own Mother, the bleffed Virgin j whereupon he took her to his own houfe. He was condemned at Rome, by the Emperor Domitian, to be caft into a caldron of boiling oil, but was by providence miraculoufly brought fafe out of it. The cruel Emperor, not fatisfied with this, banifli- ed him into the ifle of Patmos, where he remained feveral years, inftrufting the inhabitants in the faith of Chrill ; and there, as it is faid, he wrote his Apocalypfe. Befides vvhich, he wrote three Epiilles. He fuftered martyrdom about the beginning of the reign of Trajan; though others fay, diat he did not die j and rank him with Enoch and Elias, who were trandated to heaven. for the twenty fourth Sunday after trinity. 593 the faying of St Paul, " O death, I will be thy ." death." This is now a comfortable thing, that we know that Chrift hath overcome death, and not for himfelf only, but for us : fo that when we be- lieve in Chrift, death Ihall not hurt us, for he hath loft his ftrength and power; infomuch that it is no more a death, but rather a fleep, to all them that be faithful and fear God: from which fleep they ftiall rife to everlafting life. Alfo the wicked truly fhall rife, but they fhall rife to their damnation ; lo thac it were better for them never to rife. There be two kinds of people which will not fleep, the firft be the children, which weep and grieve when they ftiould go to bed, becaufe they know not the value of fleep, they know not that fleep refreflieth a man*s body, and maketh him to forget all the labours which he hath had before, this the children knov/ not, therefore they go with an ill-will to bed. The other be drunkards, which be given to great drinking, they care not though, they be all night at it, and commonly fleep doth them harm, for it maketh them have heavy foreheads. So likewife there be two kinds of men that fear death, which death in very deed ought not to be feared : for he is the beft Phyfician that ever was, he delivereth at a clap from all miferies ; therefore he ought not to be feared. But as I told you, two kinds of men there be that fear him ; the children, that is to fay, they that are childifli to god-ward, that are ignorant in fcripture, that know not what great treafure we ftiall receive at God's hands after this life; but they are all wholly bent upon this world : and thefe are the children that will not go to bed; that is to fay, that fear death, that are loth to go out of this world. The other be drunkards, that be cufl;omary flnners, that will not amend their lives; that are drunken, or drown- N'* 25. Vol. II. S ed 594 ^^fi^^ L AI'IMEK's Sermon en the Gofpel cd in fins and wicked nefs, that are never weary of finning. As it is written, *' The finner when ** he Cometh into the midft of his fin, then he " careth no more for it, he defpifeth it, he is not *' forty for it :" what remedy now ? forfooth this, they that be in cafe as children be, that is to fay, they that be ignorant •, let them get knowledge, let them endeavour themfelves to underiland God's holy word, wherein is fet out his will, what he would have us to do. Now when they have heard God's word, and believed the fame, no doubt all the fear of death will be vanquifhed, and gone quite away. For they fhall find in God's word, that death hath loft his llrength, that he cannot hurt any more. Likewife they that be drunkards, that is to fay, that be cuftomary finners, let them repent here where the time of grace is ; let them amend their lives, be forty for what they have done, and take heed henceforward, and believe iii Chrift, to be faved by and through his paffion. For I tell you drunkards, you cuftomary finners, as long as you live in your wickednefs, and have a delighc therein, fo long you are not in the favour of God, but ftink before his face ; tor v/e muft wreftle with fin, and hate it •, when ye do fo, then ye ought not to be afraid of death, for the death of Chrift our Sa- viour hath killed our death, fo thai:. he cannot hurt us. Notwithftanding, death hath bitter potions ; but what then ? as foon as he harh done his office, we are at liberty, and have efcapfd all peril. I will aflv here a great clerkly qucicioa, Where was the foul now alter it went out of this young maid ? it was not in heaven, nor in hell •, " There " is no redemption in hell." Where was it then .^ in Purgatory. So the Papifts have reafoned, jt was not in hell, nor in heaven, therefore it was in Purgatory : which no doubt is a vain, fooliih ar- gun^ent, for the tvoent^ fourth Sunday after trinity. 595 gument. Now I will make a clerkly anfwer unto my queflion, and fuch an anfwer, that if the Bifhop of Rome would have gone no further, we fhould have been well enough, there would not have been fuch errors and fooleries in Religion as there hath been. Now my anfwer is this, I cannot tell ; but where it pleafed God it Ihould be, there it was. Is not this a good anfwer to fuch a clerkly quef- tion ? I think it is, other anfwer no body gets of me : becaufe the fcripture tells me not where it was. Now ye have heard that our Saviour is the Lord over death, and fo confequently very God, becaufe he raifed up this young woman which was dead. But it may be ye will fay, it is no great matter that he raifed up a maiden which was dead ; for we read of Elijah the Prophet, that he raifed up a young man from death. Anfwer, truth it is, he raifed him up, but not by his own power, nor in his own name, but by the power of God; he did it not by himfelf : but Chrift our Saviour, he raifed up Lazarus, and this young maid, by his own di- vine power, fliewing himfelf to be very God, and the fon of the Father eternal : therefore he faith, *' I am the refurredion, and the life :" This was his dodrine. Now to prove that do6lrine to be true, he did miracles by his own divine power, fhew- ing himfelf to be very God : fo did not the Pro- phets, they were God's fervants, and God's minif- ters ; but they were not gods themfelves, neither did they any thing in their own name. Now to make an end ; let us remember what we have heard, let us take heed that we be* not cuftomary finners, but rather let us drive with fin; for I tell you, there be but few of thofe which fpend all their time in pleafures of the fiefh, thai fpeed well in the end ; therefore let us S 2 take 596 MafierLAl'IMEK's Sermon, kz. take heed. The murderer upon the crofs fped well •, but vv^hat then, let us not prefume to tarry fn wickednefs ftill, to the laft point of our life: leave wickednefs, and drive with your fleflily affec- tions, then ye fhall attain in the end to that feli- city, which God hath prepared for all them that love liim : to whom, with the Son and the holy Ghdft; bb all honour and glory. Amen. SERMON SERMON XXVIIL By the Reverend Father in Chrijl Mafler HUGH LATIMER Bijhop of Worcepr, Preached on the firil Sunday m Advent 1552. ROMANS. XIII. 8, 9. X)we nothing to any man hut this^ that ye lovi one another: for he that loveth another fulfileth the law. For this commandment^ T!hou Jhdlt not com- mit adultery : 'Thou floalt not kill: Thou Jhalt not fteal : Thou Jhalt not bear falfe witnefs: Thou Jhalt not lujl, and Jo forth : If there be any other com- mandment, it is all comprehended in this faying^ namely. Thou Jhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf. S for the firft part of this Epiftle, we have elfewhere fpoken of it before. For the Apoltle St Paul intreated of love, and I told you plainly how that love is a thing which tvery one of us in duty ov/eth one to another; and we are never freely quit of this debtj we can never ^ifcharge ourftives of it j for as long as we live we are in that debt. I will not tarry now to intreat bf it : for I told you fince I came into this country, tertain fpecial properties of this love. Therefore I will only defire you to confider, that this love Is the livery of Chrift, they that have this livery 5'9S Majler LAl^IMEK's Sermon on theEpiJlle be his iervants. Again, they that have it not, ht the fervants of the devil ; To Chrift faith, " By this •' they fhall know ye be my difciples, if ye Jove '* one another :" they that will bear it with hatred and malice to their neighbours be the devil's fervants. And whatfoever fuch men do, who hate their neigh- bours, pleafeth not God, God abhorreth it, they and all their doings (link before him. For if we would go about to facrifice and offer unto God a great part of our fubftance, if we lack love, it is all to no purpofe, he abhorreth all our doings : theriefore our Saviour giveth us warning that we Jhall know that our doings pleafe not God when we are out of charity with our neighbour, and have grieved, or injured him : thefe be his words : " Therefore if thou offered thy gift at the altar, *' and there remembrefl that thy brother hath ought *' againfb thee, leave thy offering before the altar, *' and go thy way firft and be reconciled to thy *' brother, and then come and offer thy gift." For certain it is, that when we be without love and charity, we pleafe not God at all, neither in facrifices ot any manner of things: therefore I defire you, call to remembrance what I faid at the fame time v/hen 1 treated of love; for I tell you God will not be mocked, it is not enough to pretend a love and tharity with our m.outh, and to fpeak fair, and jn our hearts to hate our neighbour ; this is naught : we fliould not only fpeak well of our neighbour, but alfo we fhould love him irldeed ; we fhould help him in his need, fliduld forgive him with all our hearts, when he hath done any thing againO: us; for if he needeth help, and I help him not, being ab!e, then my love is not perfeft; for the right love fheweth itfelf, by the outward works. Like as St James faith, " Shev/ me thy faith by thy ** works.'* So I fay unto- you, fliew your love by ')'out' works. Now to the other matters. This for the firji Sunday in Advent. rg^ This alfo we know, the fealbn how that it is time that we fliould now " awake out of fleep, ' *' for now is our falvation nearer than when we " beHeved. The night is paffed, the day is come ^' nigh ; kt us therefore caft away the deeds of *' darknefs, and let us put on the armour of Hght; '* let us walk honeftly, as in the day-hght ; not in *' eating and drinking, neither in chambering and ^' wantonnefs, neither in ftrjfe arjd envying ; but ^' put ye on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and make not " provifion for the flefh, to fulfil the lufts of it.'^ Here St Paul requireth a great thing of us, namely, fhar we fljould awake from fleep. He ar- gueth in the circumftances of the tinrje. j^ut that -fleep of which he fpeaketh is fpecially a fpiritual fleep, the fleep of the foul, yet we may learn by this text, that fo much fluggiflinefs of the body is naught and wicked, to fpend that good time which God hath given us to do good in, to fpend it I fay in fleeping : for we ought to keep a meafure,' as well in fleeping as in eating and drinking, and we pleafe God as vyell in fleeping our natural fleep, as in eating and drinking : but we mull fee that we keep a meafure, that we give ourfelves not top much to fluggiflinefs. For like as we may not abufe meat and drink, fo we may not abufe i]eep- ing, to turn our natural fleep into fluggiflinefs. But St Paul fpeaketh here efpecially of the fleep of the foul ; that is, of fln and wickednefs, which is called in fcripture fleep or darknefs, from which fleep St Paul would have us to rife. For our falva- tion is come near. Hov/ chanceth it that St Paul faith, that our falvation is come nearer? Do v/e not believe now as the Prophets and Patriarchs did, and how is our falvation come nearer? you mufl: under- ftand that there be two times from the beginning, the firfl: time was from the beginning of the world till Chrifl-'s coming, the other time is fince he j6oo Mafler LAT'JMEK's Sermon on the Epiftk Jie came : for when he came he wrought the work of our falvation, and taught us the way to heaven, fufFered that pain for us which we fhould have fuffered in hell, world without end, and rofe again from the dead, declaring his refurreftion unto his difciples ; and fo afcended into heaven, where he fitteth at the right hand of God, where he with his interceffion applieth unto us which believe in him, his paffion and all his merits : fo that all that believe in him fhali be quit from their fins. For his paffion is profitable only unto them that believe : notwith- ftanding that his death might be fuScient for all the whole world, yet for all that no man fhall enjoy that fame benefit, but only they that believe in him, that put their hope, trufl, and confidence in him. Now therefore St Paul faith, " Our falvation is f" come nearer," becaufeChrift is come already, and maketh interceffion for us. All they that were be- fore his coming, as the Patriarchs and Prophets, and all other faithful, they believed that he fiiould come, but fo do not we : we believe that he is ,come already, and hath fulfilled all things. Th? Jews which are in our time, believe that he fhall come ; but they tarry in vain, their faith is a de- ceitful faith, becaufe it is againft God's word ; for Chrift is not to be looked for to come again and •fuffer. No not fo, but he will come again to judge both the quick and the dead. Our Saviour Chrift was revealed long before he came to fuffer. Firft in Paradife, when God fpake of the woman's feed, and faid : " The feed of the woman fhall break the " ferpent's head." And this was a gofpel, a glad tiding : for the ferpent had deceived Adam and Eve, and brought them from their felicity, to which they were created : fo that Adam and Eye could not help thcmfelves, nor amend the matter. Now then cometh God with his gofpel, and proiAifeth that there fhall be one born of a woman, which for the firfl Sunday in Advent. 60 1 which fhall gnafh the ferpent's head •, and this was a o-ofpel. And no doubt as many as did beheve thefe words, and put their hope in the feed of the woman, and hoped to be delivered from their fins through that feed :' As many I fay as beheved fo, were faved ; as Seth, Enoch, and other good and godly men, which were at that time^ but there was no great number of thofe, for the mod part ever was the worft. Farther, this gofpel was revealed unto Abraham, when God promifed, faying, '' In thy " feed all nations fhall be bleffed :" So that it ap- peared, that without Chrift, we are under the curfe of God. And again, by Chrift we have the benediftion of God. Likewife this gofpel was opened unto David, and all the holy Prophets : They fpake of this gofpel, and taught the people to look for their Savi- our j for their layings and prophefies were fomewhat dark and obfcure. Now when he came and dwelt amongft us, and fliewed us the way to heaven, with his own mouth, he taught us this gofpel, and fuf- fered his painful palTion for us : this was a more clear Revelation than the Prophets had. Therefore Chrift our Saviour faith to his difciples; " Happy " are the eyes which fee thofe things which ye *' fee : For I tell you, that many Prophets and Kings " have defired to fee thofe things which ye fee, " and have not feen them, and to hear thofe things " which ye hear, and have not heard them." Bun wherefore were they called bleffed that they faw him ? for if the bleffednefs ftand in the outward feeing, then Adam and Eve, and all the Prophets were not bleffed, but curfed: if the bleflldnefs ftands in the bodily fight, then the brute beafts were bleffed which faw him ; the afs whereupon he rode was bleffed, yea his very enemies, Annas and Caiaphas, and Pilate, and others that confented to his death, were bleffed. But it is not fo, ye mAift N° XXVI Vol. 1L T under^ 6o2 Mafier LJ^IMER's Sermon on the Epifile iinderftand, that our Saviour in that manner of fpeaking putteth only a difference between the times.. For at that time v/hen he was here on earth, he was more clearly revealed than before, when he was only promifed to come. When he did mira- cles, call out devils, healed the fick, it was a more clear Revelation, than when God faid, " The *' feed of the woman fhall break the head of the *' ferpent." When John Baptift pointed and Ihewed him with his finger, it could better be underftood than the prophefies which were fpoken of him. Therefore this bleffednefs whereof Chrift fpeak- eth, and St Paul, when he faith that " our falvation " is come nearer,'* muft be underftood of the di- verfity of time : for Chrift was clearer revealed in the end of the world than before. But as touch- ing the bleffednefs we have by Chrift, it was alike at all times, for it ftood Adam in good ftead to be- lieve the firft promife which God made unto him, and he was as well faved by it, in believing that Chrift fhould come, as we be, which believe that he is come, and hath fuifered for us. So likewife t!\e Prophets were faved in believing that he fliould come and fufier, and deliver mankind by his pain- ful death. But now fince he is come indeed, and hath over- come the devil, and redeemed us from our fins, and fuffc^rcd the pains, not for his own fike, but tor our fakes ; for he himfclf had no fin at ail, he fuffered to deliver us from everlafting damnation; he took our fins, and gave us his righteoufnefs. Now fincethat all thefe things are done and iulfilled, therefore faith Paul, " Our falvation is come nearer " now, than when we believed :" taking occafion of the time, to move us to rife from our fleep : as who fays, Chrift is come now, he hath fulfilled all things, of which things the Prophets have fpoken befoi'c, therefore arife irom your fins. I'he fame rleep for the fir ft Sunday in Advent, 60^ deep of which Sc Paul fpeaketh here, is the fieep of fin, a fpiritual fleep, not a natural fleep of the body : as for the natural fleep, it is lawful for us to fleep and to take our red, when we do it mea- furably, not too much fetting afidc our bufinefs, whereunto God hath called us, and do nothing but play the fluggards : when we do fo, then we do naught, and fin againft God. Therefore we muft awake from the finful fleep, we muft fet afide all flothfulnefs, with all other vices and fins. But I pray you what is fin ? I think there be many which can commit fin, and do wickedly, but I think there be but few of thofe which know what is fin. Therefore I tell you what fin is : all that is done againft the laws of God, contrary to his will and pleafure, that is fin and wicked nefs. Now there be two manner of lav/s. There be gene- ral laws, pertaining to every man and woman, and there be fpecial laws : the general laws are compre- hended in the ten commandments, which ten com- mandments are comprehended in the law of love, " Thou fiialt love God with all thy heart, £^r. " And thy neigbour as thyfelf i" thefe be general laws. Now there be alfo fpecial laws, which teach us how every man and woman fhall live in their call- ing, whereunto God hath called them. Thefe laws teach how Magiftrates fhall do their duty, exe- cute juftice, punifli the wicked, defend the good, fee that the commonwealth be well ordered, and governed, that the people live godly, every man in his calling. So likewife married tolk have their fpecial caUing and laws. There is appointed in fcripture how the man ftiall nourifh his wife, rule her with all lenity and friendlinefs ; the woman likewife fhall obey her huft)and, be loving and kind towards him. So matters ought to do ac- cording unto their calling, that is, to rule their T 2 houfe 6b4 Mafter L ATlMEK's Sermon on the Eplfik houfe well and godly, to fee that fervants be well occupied, and to let them have their meat, drink, and wages. So fervants have their laws, that is, to obey their mailers ; to do diligently all bufmefs whatfoever their mailers command them, fo far as it is not againft God. For when a mafter will command unto his fervants to do fuch things which are againflGod, then the fervant ought not to obey, or do thofe things. Now whofoever tranfgrelTeth thefe laws, either the general or the fpecial laws, he finneth i and that which is done contrary to thefe laws, is fin. If ye will know now whether ye have finned or not, fee and confider thefe laws, and then go into thy heart and confider thy living, how thou haft fpent all thy days : if thou doll fo, no doubt thou Ihalt find innumerable fins done againft thefe laws. For the law of God is a glafs, wherein a man may fee his fpots and filthinefs : therefore, when we fee them, let us abhor them and leave them j let us be forry for that which is pafl^ed, and let us take a good purpofe to leave all our fins from hencefor- ward. And this is it that St Paul faith, let us arife from the fleep of fin and wickednefs, for our falvation is Come nearer, our Saviour is clearly opened unto us, he hath fuffered for us already, and fulfilled the law to the utmoft ; and fo by his fufilling taken away the curfe of the law. But there be two manner of fins, there is a deadly fin and a venial fin •, that is, fins that be pardonable, and fins that be not pardonable. Now how fhall we know v/hich be venial fins, or which be not J for it is good to know them, and fo to keep us from them ; when ye will know which be deadly fins or not, you mufl firft underftand, that there be two manner of men ; when I fay men, I underftand alfo women, that is, all mankind, and fo doth fcripture underftand women by this word men 5 for the firfi Sunday in Ad'uejjt. 605 men •, for elfe we Ihoiild not find in fcripture thac we fhould baptize women, for the fcripture faith, *' Baptize them." He fpeaketh in the mafculine gender only. Alfo " except a man be born again *' through Spirit and water :" Here is made no mention of women, yet they be underflood in it : For the falvation and everlafting life pertaineth as well unto faithful women as it doth unto faithful men ; for he fuitered as well for the women, as he did for men. God would have them both be faved, the men and the women. So ye fee that this word men fignifieth or containeth both kinds, the men and the women, at fome times, though not always: but I fay there be two m.anner of men, fome there be that be not juftified, nor regenerated, nor yet in the ftate of falvation ; that is to fay, not God's fer- vants, they lack the renovation or regeneration-^ they be not yet come to Chrift. Now thefe perfons that be not yet come to Chrifl:, or if they were come to Chrift, be fallen again from him, and fo loft their juftification, (as there be many of us, which when we fall willingly into fin againft confcience, we lofe the favour of God, ouf falvation, and finally the holy Ghoft;) all they now' that be out of the favour of God, and are not forry for it, fin grieveth them not, they purpofe to go torward in it-, all thofe that intend not to leave their fins, are out of the favour of God, and fo all their works, whatfoever they do, be deadly fins; for as long as they be in purpofe to fin, they fin deadly in all their doings. Therefore v/hen we will fpeak of the diverfity of fins, we muft fpeak of thofe that be faithful, that be regenerated and made new, and clean from their * fins through Chrift. Now this I fay ; I have venial fins f, and deadly fins: * See Notes, Vol.1, p. 452. •\ Thofe fins that may be forgiven ; fuch ns' are pardonable. There is no doctrine in the fyltem of Chiiitianity fo comfortable as 6q6 Mafler LAflMEk's Sermon en theEpiftle fins : which be venial fins ? Every fin that is com* mitted againft God not wittingly, nor willingly Con- fenting unto it; thofe be venial fins: As for example, I fee a fair woman, I am moved in my heart to fin with her, to commit the ad: of letchery with her, fuch thoughts rife out of my heart, but I confent not unto them. I withftand thefe ill motions, I follow the example of that godly young man, Jofeph ; I confider in what a ftate I am, namely, a temple of God ; and that I fliould lofe the holy Gholl; on fuch wife I withftand my ill lufts and appetites, yet this motion in my heart is fin, this ill luft Vv'hich rifeth up ; but it is a venial fin, it is not a mortal fin, becaufe I confent not unto it, I ■withftand it; and fuch venial fins the juft man com- mitteth daily. For the fcripture faith, " The righ- *' teous man falleth feven times;" that is, often- times : for his works are not fo perfeft as they ought to as this of the remlffion of fins ; and the Church, in all ages, has thought it of fo great importance to mankind, and efpeci- ally to their eternal lalvation , as to make it one of the moil eficntial, abfolute and neccflary articles of the Creed, to be taught the Catechumen, in order to his Initiation into, and Confirma- tion in the Flock of Chrift. In the Apoftles Creed, which was compiled by dieir immediate fucceflbrs, long before the conclu- fion of the fecond century, the Catechumen fays, " I believe *' the fcrgivcnefs of fins." Jn the Nicene Creed, made in the year of Chrifi: three hundred twenty five, at an affembly of three hundred fixty five Biihops, under Pope Sylveller, at the com- mand of Conftantine the Great, the Catechumen fays, " I aC- *• knowledge one Baptifm for the remiffion of fins." But how this article of the forgi\ enefs of fins came to be omitted in the Atlianafian Creed, is no other way to be accounted for, than as the author of that Creed compiled it with a dcfign only of afferting the ncceflary dodrines of the Godhead, co equality, co- eternity and confubllantiality of the three Perions of the triune Deity. Yet I cannot help thinking it was an overfight, or an omiliicn, which ought long ago to have been fupplied; and this might eafilv have been done, fince it is confefled that the com- pilement of Creeds is of human invention; and that doctrinej liave been added to th^m, as hav been thoi^ght proper and ne- ccffiry. for the fir ft Sunday in Advent. 60 j to be. For I pray you, who is he that loveth his neighbour ^o perfedly and vehemently as he ought to do ? Now this imperfe(Stion is fin, but it is a venial fin, therefore he that feeleth his imperfe6tions, feel- cth the evil motions in his heart, but followeth them not, confenteth not unto wickednefs to do them : thefe be venial fins, which fliall not be imputed unto us to our damnation. So all the ill thoughts that rife up in our hearts are venial, as long as we con- fent not unto them, to fulfil them with the deed. ■ I put the cafe, Jofeph had not refifted the temp- tations of his matter's v/ife ; but had followed her, and fulfilled the aft of letchery with her, and weighed the matter after a worldly fafliion, think- ing I have my miftrefs's favour already and fo by that means I fhall have my mafter's favour too, no body knowing of it. Now if he had done fo, this a6l had been a deadly fin, for any ad that is done againft the law ot God willingly and wit- tingly is a deadly fin. And that man or woman that committeth fuch an aft, lofeth the holy Ghoft and the remifilon of fins ; and fo becometh the child of the devil, being before the child of God. For a regenerate man or woman, that believeth, ought to have dominion over fin ; but as foon as fin hath rule over him, he is gone : for fhe lead- €th him to deleftation of it, and from deleftation to confenting, and fo from confenting to the aft itfeif. Now he that is led io with fin, he is in the flate of damnation, and finneth damnably. And fo ye may perceive which be they that fin deadly, and what is the deadly fin, namely, that he finneth deadly, that wittingly falleth into (in •, therefore it is a perilous thing to be in fuch an eftate, to be in the ftate of damnation and everlafting perdition : let us follow therefore this good warning which St Paul giveth 6o8 Mafler LA^JMEK's Sermon on the Eft file giveth us here, let us rife from the fleep of fin, let us take a hearty purpofe to leave all wickednefs. But may we do fo ? May we rife from fm ? Yes that we may : for God hath provided a remedy for us : what is that ? Forfooth penance, we muft have the ftaff of penance, and rife up withal : and this penance is fuch a fiUve that it healeth all fores, if 4 man have done all the world's fm, yet when he taketh this fbafF of penance in his hand, that is to fay, when he is forry for it, and intendeth to leave them, no doubt he may recover j and God is that fame Phyfician who ufeth but one manner of falve to all manner of fores. We read in the gofpel of Luke, that whei\ Pilate had done a notable murder, and had mingled the blood of certain Jews with their own facrifices, now fame came and told Chrift what Pilate had done: Our Saviour maketh them anfwer, faying, *' I tell you, except ye repent, ye (hall all likewife *' fo perifli." As who fliould fay, whatfoever Pilate hath done, fee that ye do penance, and amend your naughty livings, or elfe ye lliall be deftroyed. This was a good % quip that he gave unto the Jews ; who were ready to fpeak of other mens faults, but of their own they made no mention ; as it is our nature, to be more readier to reprove other men's faults than our own : but our Saviour he commanded them to look at home, to fee to . thcmfelvesj and this penance is the chiefell: thing in all the fcripture. John Baptift when he began to preach, his fer- mon was " Do penance;" fo likewife Chrift: faith, " Do penance, and believe the gofpel." But where- in ftandeth the right penance, and what is penance? Anfv/er, Penance is a turning from fin unto God, a waking up from this deep of which St Paul fpeak- eth here. But wherein confifteth this penance ? + A gibe, jecfj or fiout. fot the firfi Sunday in Ahent. 6og The right penance confifteth in three points : the firft is contrition, that is, I muft acknowledge my- felf that I have tranrgreffed God's mod holy laws and commandments. I muft confefs myfelf to be faulty and guilty, I muft be forry for it, abhor myfelf and my wickednefs. When I am now in that cafe -, when I Ihall fee nothing but hell and everlafting damnation before me, as long as I look upon myfelf and upon the law of God. For the Jaw of God when it is preached bringeth us to knowledge of our fins : for it is like as a glafs which fheweth us the fpots in our faces, that is, the fins in our hearts. But we may not tarry here only in the law and ourfelves ; for if we do, we fhall come to defperation. Therefore the firft point is to acknowledge our fins, and to be forry for the fame •, but, as I faid before, we muft not tarry here ; for Judas was come fo far, he had this point, he was, no doubt, a forrowful man as any in the world. But it was to no purpofe; he was loft for all his forrowfulnefs : therefore we muft have another pdirir; what is that ? Marry, faith and belief: we muft believe in Chrift, we muft know that our Saviour is come into this world to fave finners ; therefore he is called Jesus, becaufe *' he fliall fave his people from their fins." As the Angel of God himfelf wirnefiTeth. And this faith muft not be only a general faith, but it muft be a fpecial faith ; for the devil himfelf hath a general faith, he believeth that Chrift is come into this world, and hath made a reconciliation between God and man; he knoweth that there Ihall be remifllon of our fins, but he believeth not that he fiiall have part of it; that his wickednefs fhall be forgiven unto him, this he believeth not ; he hath a general faith ; but I fay that every one gf us muft have a fpecial faith : I muft believe for myfelf, that his blood was fhed for me. I muft believe that whea N° 26. Vol. II. U Chrift 6io Majler L A^IMEK*s Semion on the EpiJlU Chrift faith, " Come unto me, all ye that labour *' and are heavy laden, and I will eafe you j" here I muft believe that Chrifl: calleth me unto him, that I fhould come and receive everlafting life at his hands. With fueh a fpecial faith I do apply his paflion unto me. In that prayer that our Saviour made when he was going to his death •, " I pray " not for them alone, faith he, but for them alfo '* which (hall believe in me through their preach- *' ing, that they all may be one, as thou Father *^ art in me, and I in thee ; and that they alfo may " be one in us :'* So that Chrift prayetb for us as well as for his Apoftles, if we believe in him, and fo Chrift's prayer and our behef bringeth the falve unto our fouls. Therefore I ought to believe, and fo through faith apply Chrift's merits unto me : for God re- quireth a fpecial faith of every one of us, as well as he did of David, when the Prophet Nathan came unto him and faid, " The Lord hath taken away *' thy wickednefs i'* which words of the Prophet Nathan he believed, and fo according unto his be- lief it happened unto him. For David had not fuch a contrition or penance as Judas had : for Juda^ indeed had a contrition, he was forry for his fins, but without faith. David was forry for his fins, but he joined faith unto it ; he believed ftedfaftly with- out at all doubting that God would be merciful unto him : " The Lord hath taken away thy fins •," and God required of him that he fhould believe thofe words. "^ . Naw like as he required of David to believe his words, fo alfo he requireth of us too, that we Ihould believe in him •, for like as David was reme- died through his faith in God, fo fiiall we be re- medied alfo, if we believe as he did. For God will be as glad (3f us when we repent and leave OUi for the fir ft Sunday in Advent. 6 1 1 •otir fins, as he was of David ; and will alfo that we Ihould be partakers ofthe merits of Chrift. So ye have heard now thefe two points which pertain to right repentance : the firft is contrition, when we acknowledge our fins, be forry for them, and that they grieve us very fore. The fecond point is faith ; when we believe that God will be merciful unto us, and through his fon forgive our wickednefs, and not impute the fame, to our eternal deflirudion. But yet there is another point left behind, which is, that I muft ,have an earnefl: purpofe to leave fin, and to avofd all wickednefs as far forth as I am able to do. I muft wreftle with fin. I mull not fufFer the devil to have the vidory over me : though he be very fubtil and crafty, yet I muft withftand him ; I muft difallow his inftigations, and fuggef- tioBS, I muft not fuffer fin to bearVule over me: for no doubt if we will fight and ftrive, we may have the viflory over this ferpent, for Chrift our Saviour hath promifed unto us his help and comfort: therefore St James faith, " Withftand the devil, and *' he ftiall fly from you.'* For at his firft coming he is very weak •, fo that we are able, if we will take heed and fight, to overcome him j but if we fufFer him to enter, once to poflTefs our hearts, then he is very ftrong, fo that he with our great labour can fcarce be brought out again. For he entereth firft by ill thoughts, and as foon as he hath caft us into ill thoughts, if w^ withftand not by and by, then followeth delegation; if we fuffer that, then confenting •, and fo from confenting to the very aft : and afterwards from one mifchief to another •, there- fore it is a common faying, *' Refift the beginnings:*^ for when we fuffer him once to enter, no doubt it is a perilous thing, we are then in jeopardy of everkft- ing death. So ye have heard now wherein ftandeth right pe- nance, firft we muft know and acknowledge our U 2 fins, 6i2 Mafier LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Epijile fins, be Torry for them, and lament them in our hearts. Then the fecond point is faith, we muft: believe that Chrift will be merciful unto us, and for- give us our fins, and not impute them unto us. Thirdly, we muft have an earneft purpofe to leave all fin an'^ wickednefs and no more to commit the fame. And then ever be perfuaded in thy heart, that they that have a good-will, and an earnelL mind to leave fm, that God will ftrengthen them and help them. But and if we by and by, at the lirft clap, give place unto the devil, and follow his mifchievous fuggeftions, then we may be fure, that we highly difpleafe God our heavenly Father, if we forfike him fo foon. Therefore St Paul faith, *' Let not fin bear rule in your mortal bodies :'*" be not led with fin, but fight againft it. "When we do fo, it is impolTible but we fhall have help at jGod's hand. As touching confefficn ; I tell you that they jthat can be content with the general Abfolution which, every Minifter of God's word giveth in his Sermons,, when he pronounceth that all that be forry for their fins, and believe in Chrift, feek help and remedy by him, and afterward intend to amend their lives, and avoid fin and wickednefs ; all thofe that be fo minded ftiall have remiflion of their fins: Now, I fay, they that be content with this general Abfolution, it is well : but they that are not fatisfied with it, they may go to fome godly learned iVlinifter who is able to inftruft and comfort them with the word of God, and to minifter the fame unto them to the contenting and quieting of their con- fciences. As for fitisfaftion, or abfolution of our fins, there is none but Chrift; we cannot make amends for our fins but only by believing in him who fuffered for us. For he hath made the amends for all our fins by his painful paHion and blood-fhedding. .^nd for the fir ft Sunday in Advent. 612, And herein ftandeth our abfolution or remiflion of fins } namely, when we believe in him, and look to be faved through his death, none other fatisfadtion are we able to make. But I tell you, if there be any man or woman that hath ftolen or purloined away any thing from his neighbour, that man or woman is bound to make reftitution and amends. And this reftitution is fo neceflary, that we Ihall not look for forgivenefs of our fins at Chrift*s hand, except this reftitution be made firft : for otherwife the fatisfadlion of Chrift will not ferve us: for God will have us to reftore, or make amends unto our neighbour, whom we have hurt, deceived, or in any manner of ways taken from him wrong- fully his goods, whatfoever it be. By this now that I have faid, ye may perceive what manner of fleeping is this of which St Paul fpeaketh here, namely, the fleep of fin. When we live and fpend our time in wickednefs, then we fleep that deadly fleep which bringeth eternal dam- nation with it. And again, ye have heard how you fhall rife up from that fleep, how ye fliall fight ^nd wreflJe with fin, not to fuffisr it to be the ruler over you. Let us therefore begin even now, while God giveth us fo good and convenient a time j let us tarry no longer j let us awake from this deadly fleep of fin, which bringeth eternal death, and everlaft- ing pains and forrows : let us therefore rife to a godly life, and continue in the fame until the end. Thefe things St Paul fpeaketh generally to all men, and againft all manner of fins j but now he Cometh to fpecialities. And firft he flieweth what we fiiall not do, then afterward he telleth us what we fiiall do : " Not in earing and drinking, nei- " ther in chambering and wantonnefs, neither in ^' ftrire and envying." I marvel that the Englifli is fo tranflated, in eating and drinking : the Latin example 6t\ Majief LAI'lMEK's Sermon on theEpifile example hath " Non commejfaiiombus •" that is to fay, " Not in too much eating and drinking :" for no doubt God alloweth eating and drinking, fo that it be done meafurably and thankfully. In the beginning of the world, before God punidi- ed the world with the flood, when he deftroyed all mankind and beads, fave only Noah that good Father j in the beginning, I fay, mankind eat no- thing but herbs, and roots, and fallets, and fuch gear as thef could get: but after the flood, God gave unto mankind liberty to eat all manner of clean beafts, all that had life, be it fifli or flefli. And this was done for this caufe, that the earth was not fo fruitful, nor brought not forth fuch wholefome herbs aft^r the flood, as flie did before it : there- fore God allowed unto man all manner of meat, be it fifh or flefh ; yet it muft be done meafurably. But feeing I have occafion to fpeak of eating, I will treat fomewhat of it, and tell you what liberties we have by God*s word. Truly we be allowed by God's word to eat all manner of meat, be it fifh or flefli, that is whole- fome for to eat. But ye muft: underfl:and that there be certain hedges, over which we ought not to leap ; but rather keep ourfelves within thofe fame hedges. Now the firfl: hedge is this, " Ye fhall " not eat the flefli with the blood ;" that is to fay, we fliall not eat raw flefli : for if we fliould be al- lowed to eat raw flefli, it fliould engender in us a certain cruelnefs, fo that at length one fliould eat another ; and fo all the writers expound this place : fo that God forbiddeth here that mankind, or man's flefli may not be eaten. We read in the book of Kings, and fo likewife in Jofephus *, that certain women had eaten their own * A Jewlfh hiftorlan of g;reat credit and reputation, and much read and admired by all kinds of C'hrifiians, Buc the hirtory, which for thefirfi Sunday in Advent, 615 own children, at the time when Jerufalem was be- fieged : which thing no doubt difpleafed God, and they did naughtily in fo doing. For mankind may not be eaten : therefore the firft hedge is, that we muft abflain from raw flefh, and fo likewife from man's flefh -, one may not eat another. Neither yet may we fhed blood of private authority ; one man may not kill another, but the Magiftrate he hath the fword committed unto him from God ; he may fhed blood when he feeth caufe why ; he may take away the wicked from among the people, and punifh him according unto his doing or deferving. Now ye will fay, I perceive when I eat not raw flefl:i, or man's flefh, then I may eat all manner of fiefii, or filh, howfoever I can get it. But I tell thee, my friend, not fo; you may not eat your neigh- bour's fheep, or fteal his fifh out of his pool and eat them, ye may not do fo, for there is a hedge made for that : God faith, " Thou fnalt not fteal :" Here am I hedged in, fo that I may not eat my neighbour's meat, but it mufl be my own meat, I mufl: have gotten it uprightly, or elfe by buying,, or elfe by inheritance, or elfe that it be given unto me: I may not fleal it from my neighbour i if I leap over this hedge, then I fin damnably. Now then ye will fay, fo it be mine own, then I may eat of this as much as I will. No, not fo i there is another hedge, I may not commit gluttony with mine own meat ; for fo it is written, " Take " heed of gluttony and drunkennefs.'* Here is a hedge, we may not eat too much, for if we do^ wc which pafT^s under his name, is fuppofed by many learned men to have been interpolated in feveral places. Interpolation, among the antients, was as common an iniquity as plagiary among the moderns. And though later Herefiarchs and Enthafiafts could not interpolate the facred writings, yet they put upon divers paf- fages contained therein fuch forced and arbitrary fenfes and mean- ings, they make them fpeak what they pleafe, impofe upon their followers, and pick their pockets. 6i6 Mafier LA'flMEK^s Sermon on theEpijik we difpleafe God highly. So ye fee that we may not eat of our own meat as much as we would, but rather we muft keep a meafure ; for it is a great fin to abufe or wafte the gifts of God, or play the glut- ton with them. When one man confumeth as much as would ferve three or four, that is an abominable thing be- fore God • for God giveth us his creatures, not to abufe them, but to ufe them to our necefiity and need : let every one therefore have a meafure, and let no man abufe the gifts of God. One man fome- times eateth more than another; we are not alt alike : but for all that we ought to keep us within this hedge, that is, to take no more than fufficeth our nature; for they that abufe the gifts of God, no doubt they greatly difpleafe God by fo doing. For it is an ill-favoured thing when a man eateth or drinketh too much at any time. Sometimes in- deed it happeneth that a man drinketh too muchj but every good and godly man will take heed to him- felf when he once hath taken too much, he will be- ware afterward. We read in fcripture of Noah, that good man^ which was the firft that planted vineyards afrer the flood : he was once drunken, before he knew the ftrength and the nature of wine, and fo lay in his tent uncovered : now one of his fons, whofe name was Cham, feeing his father lying naked, went and told his brethren of it, and fo made a mocking (lock of his father. Therefore Noah when he arofe and had digefted his wine, and knowing what his fon had done unto him, curfed him : but we read not that Noah was drunken afterward at any time. There- fore if ye have been drunken at any time, take heed henceforward, and leave off, abufe not the good crea- tures of God. Now then ye will fay, if I take them meafurably then I may eat all manner of meat at all times, and every for the firfi Sunday in Advent. 6 1 7 every where. No not fo \ there is another hedge behind; ye mufl have a refped to your own con-, fcience, and to your neighbour's. For 1 may eat no manner of meat againft my confcience, neither may I eat my meat in prefence of my neighbour, whereby he might be offended ; for I ought to have refped unto him, as St Paul plainly Ihewech, fay- ing, " I know and am affured by the Lord Jefus, " that there is nothing unclean of itfelf, but unto " him that judgeth it to be common, to him it is *' common : if thy brother be grieved with thy *' meat, walkeft now thou not charitably; deftroy " not him with thy meat, for whom Chrift died :" As for example. When I fhould come into the north country, where they be not taught, and there I fliould call for any eggs on a Friday or for flelh, then I fliould do naughtily : for I fhould deftroy him for whom Chrift did fuffer. Therefore I muft be- ware that I offend no man's confcience, but rather travail with him firft, and fhew him the truth : when thy neighbour is taught, and knoweth the truth, and will not believe it, but will abide by his old Mump- Jimus^ then I may eat, not regarding him : for he is an obftinate fellow, he will not believe God's word. And though he be offended with me, yet it is but a pharifaical offence, like as the Pharifees were offended with Chrift our Saviour : the fault was not in Chrift, but in themfelves. .So, I fay, I muft have a refped; to my neighbour's confcience, and then to my own confcience. But yet there is another hedge behind ; that is, civil laws, the King's ftatutes and ordinances, which are God's laws : forafmuch as we ought to obey them as well as God's laws and commandments. St Paul faith, " Let every foul fubmit himfelf *' unto the authority of the higher powers ; for *' there is no power but it is of God : the powers J' that be, are ordained of God. "Whofoever, N° 26. Vol. IL X there- 6i8 Mafler L At IMEK^s Sermon on the jEpipe " therefore refifteth the power, refifteth the or- " dinance of God t But they that refift, fhall re- ** ceive to themfelves damnation." Now therefore ; we dwell in a realm, where it hath pleafed the King's Majefly to make an aft, that all his fub* jefts fliall abftain from flefh upon + Fridays and Saturdays, and other days which are exprelTed in that ad : unto which law we ought to obey, and that for confcience fake, except we have a privilege, or be excepted by the fame law. And although the fcripture commandeth me not to abftain from flefh upon Fridays and Saturdays ; yet for all that, feeing there is a civil law and ordinance made by the King's Majefty, and his moft honourableCouncil, we ought to obey all their ordinances, except they be againft God. Thefe be the hedges wherein we muft keep our- felves. Therefore I defire you in God's behalf, con- fider what I have faid unto you, how ye fliall order jrourfelves, how ye fhall not eat raw flefh. That is, ye fliall not be cruel towards your neighbour. Alfo you Ihall not fteal your meat from your, neighbour, but let it be your own meat, and then ye fliall take of it meafurably : alfo ye fhall not offend ■f- Thefe are Saxon names, and were dedicated to the memory and worfhip of two of their deities. But why they fhould be ufed fince Chriftianity, to retain the commemoration and fpecies of idolatry, ' is anaccountable ; for though Pope Gregory the Great ordered Auftin the Monk to conform as much as poflible to the heathen cuftoms, in order the eafier and readier to bring the vulgar into the Chriftian pale ; yet undoubtedly he and the Fa- thers of that time afterwards intended that their fucceliors flioulj abolifh all remains of Paganifm. For how abfurd is if for a Chriftian to fay Friday, that is, the day dedicated to that abo- minable obfcene deity called Fricco, to whom, we are told, the women of that age prayed for conception, pregnancy, and a happy delivery ? Or Saturday, which is a day dedicated to Sa- turn ; who is the patron of drunkards, revellers ? ifrV. His feafts Lifted feven days, beginning on the ftventeenth of Pecember, and continuing tJie fix following days. for thefirji Sunday in Ahsnt. 6i 9 offend your neighbour's confcience: alfo ye fhall keep you within the laws of the realm. Now to the matter again. St Paul faith ye fhall take heed of too much eating and drinking. And I have fhewed you, how you fhall keep you within the hedges which are appointed in God*s laws. Let us therefore take heed now:, and let us rife up from the fleep of fin : whatfoever we have done before, let us rife up now, while we have time, every man go into his own heart, and there when he findeth any thing amifs, let him rife up from that fleep, and tarry not in it; if thou remain lying, thou fhalt repent it everlaflingly. " Neither in chambering '* and wantonncfs." Beware of St Paul's nois and nons. For when he faith nofi, we cannot make it yea : if we do con- trary to his fayings, we lliall repent it. Beware therefore of chambering. What is this ? Marry he underftandeth by this word chambering, all man- ner of wantonnefs. I will not tarry long in re- hearfing them, let every man and woman go into his own confcience, and let them confider, that God requireth honefly in all things. St Paul ufeth this word chambering ; for when folk will be wanton, they get themfelves into corners ; but for all that, God feeth them, he will find them out one day, they cannot hide tliemfelves from his face, 1 will fpeak no farther of it, for with honefty no man can fpeak of fuch vile vices ; and St Paul commandeth us that we fhall not fpeak any vile words : therefore by this word chambering, underftand the circumflances of whoredom and letchery, and filthy living, which St Paul forbiddeth here, and would have that no body fhould give occafion unto the other of fuch filthinefs. *' Neither of ftrife, nor envying." tnvy is a foul and abominable vice, which vice doth jnore harm unto him that envieth another, than ynto hjni which is envied. X 2 Kin^ 620 Majier LA'TlMEK's Sermon on the Epflle ^Cing Saul he had this fpirit of envy, therefore he had never reft day nor night, he could not abide when any man fpake well ot David ; and this fpirit of envying is more diredly againft charity than any other fin is. For St Paul faith, " Charity envieth " not :" therefore take it fo, that he that envieth another is no child of God : all his works, whatfo- ever he doth, are the devil's fervice, he pleafeth ■God with nothing as long as he is an envious perfon. Who would be fo mad now, as to be in fuch an eftate, that he fhould fuffer the devil to bear fo much rule over him ? No wife nor godly man will be in this eftate. For it is an ill eftate to be out of the favour of God, to be without remifTion of fin. Therefore whofoever is an envious man, let him rife up from that fleep, left he be taken fud- denly, and fo be damned everlaftingly. Now ye have heard what we ftiall not do •, we fhall not too much eat and drink, and fo abufe the gifts of God, we fhall not have pleafure in chambering, that is, in wantonnefs ; neither fhall we be envious perfons, for if we be out of charity, we are alfo out of the favour of God. Now followeth what we fhould do -, " But put •" ye on the Lord Jefus Chrift :" Every man and woman ought to put on Chrift ; and all they that have that apparel on their backs, they are well, nothing can hurt them, neither heat nor cold, nor wind nor rain. Here I might have occafion to fpeak againft the excefs of apparel, which is now ufed every where, which thing is difallowed in fcripture. There be fome that will be conformable unto others, they will do as others, but they confider not with themfelves, whether others do well or not. There be laws made and certain ftatutes, how every one in his eftate fliall be apparelled, but God knoweth the ftatutes are not put in execution. St Paul commandeth us to put on for the fir fi Sunday in Advent. 621 on Chrlft, to leave the gorgeous apparel ; he tliat is decked with Chrift is well ; and firft we be decked with Chrift in our baptifm, where we promife to forfake the devil and all his works. Now when we keep this promife, and leave wick- ednefs, and do that which Chrift our Saviour re- quireth of us, then v/e be decked with him, then we have the wedding garment, and though we be very poor, and have but a ruflet coat, yet we are well, when we are decked with him. There be a great many which go very gay in vplvet and fattin ; but for all that, 1 fear they have not Chrift upon them, for all their gorgeous ap- parel. I fay not this to condemn rich men or others riches •, for no doubt poor and rich may have Chrift upon them, if they will follow him and live as he commanded them to live. For if we have Chrift upon us, we will not make provifioii for the flefh, we will not fet our hearts upon thefe worldly trifles, to get riches to cherifti this body withal. As we read of the rich man in the gofpel, who thought he had enough for many years, he had pulled down his old barns, and had let up new, which were greater and larger than the other ; and when all things were ready after his mind and plea- fure, then he faid to himfelf j " Soul, thou ha(t " much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ** cafe, eat, drink, and be merry." But >yhat faith God unto him ? *' Thou fool, this night they ** will fetch away thy foul again from thee, then •* whofe fhall thefe things be which thou haft pro- <* vided ?" So it is with him that gathereth riches to himfelf, and is not rich towards God. I v/ill not fay otherwife but a man may make provifion for his houfe, and ought to make the fame : but to make fuch provifion to kt afide God's word and ferving of him, that is naught-, to fet thy il«:art upon thy riches, as though there were no heaven nor 622 Mafler LAI'IMEK's Sermon on theEpiftk nor hell, how can we be To foolifh to fet fo much by this world, knowing that it fhall endure but a little while ? For we know by fcripture, and all learned men affirm the fame, that the world was made to endure fix thoufand years. Now of thefe fix thou- fand, be pafied already five thoufand fix hundred and odd, and yet this time which is left fhall be fhortned for the eleds fake, as Chrift himfelf wit- nefleth *. Therefore let us remember that the time is very fhort, let us ftudy to amend our lives, let us noc be fo careful for this world, for the end of it no doubt is at hand ; and though the general day come not by and by, yet our end will not be far ofi^, death will come one day and ftrip us out of our coat, he will take his pleafure of us. It is a mar- vellous thing to fee, there be fome which have lived in this world forty or fifty years, and yet they lack time, v/hen death cometh they be not ready. But I will require you for God's fake, rife up from your fleep of fin and wickednefs, and make your- felves ready, fet all things in order, fo that ye may be ready whenfoever death fhall come and fetch you ; for die we muft, there is no remedy ; we muft leave this world one day: for we are not created of God to the end that we fhould abide here always. Therefore let us repent betimes our wicked life, for God wills not the death of a finner, but rather that ' * Mailer Latimer thought the world was, in his time, fo wick- ed and corrupt, that therefore the end of it was near at hand ; and even that the Lord would, for the elefts fake, ihorten the time that was then to come. Agreeable to this, our Church ha'h diredleJ the l^riell in the Burial-Office to fay, " We give thcp " hearty (hnnks, for that it hath pTeafed thee to deliver this our " Brother out of this finful world ; befeeching thee, that it may •• pleafc thee of thy gracious goodnefs, (hortly to accomplifli the ♦' number of thine eleft, and to haftcn thy kingdom," Is'c, that '\if to put an end to the world, for the fake of the ele6t. for the firfi Sundcf^ in M-vent. 62^ that he fhall turn from his wickednefs and live. " As truly as I live, faith God, I will not the death *' of a finner, but rather that he Ihall turn from •' his wickednefs and hve." Thefe are moft com- fortable words, for now we may be fure, that when we will leave our fins and wickednefs, and turn unto him with all our hearts earneftly, then he will turn himfeJf unto us, and will fhew himfeif a lov- ing father. And to the intent that we fhould be- lieve this, he fweareth an oath ; we ought to be- lieve God without an oath, yet he fweareth to make us more fure. What will he have us to do ? Surely, to rife from this fleep of fm, to leave wick- ednefs, to forfake all hatred, and malice, that we have had towards our neighbours, to turn from envying, from ftealing, and make reftitution : from flothfulnefs, to diligence and painfulnefs, from glut- tony and drunkennefs, to fobernefs and abftinence, from chambering and filthy living, to an honeft and pure life. And fo finally from all kinds of vices, to virtue and godlinefs. And whatfoever hath been in times pafl, to be forry for it, afk God's mercy, believe in Chrift, and rife up from fleep -, do no more wickedly, but live as God would have thee to live. Now I will bring in here a notable fentence, and a comfortable faying; and then I will make an end. ** The righteoufnefs of the righteous fliall not fave ** him, whenfoever he turneth away unfaithfully.'* ** Again, " the wickednefs of the wicked fliall not " hurt him, whenfoever he turneth from his un- ** godlinefs:" And the righteoufnefs of the righteous fhall not fave him whenfoever he finneth : " If •' I fay unto the righteous that he fliall furely live; *' and fo he trufl:eth to his own righteoufnefs, and ** doth fin, then Ihall his righteoufnefs be no more ** thought upon, but in the wickednefs that he •* hath done he fliall die." Again, 624 Mafler LA^IMEK^s Sermon, &c. Again, *' If I fay unto the wicked. Thou fhalt *' furely die, and fo he turn from his fins, and doth " the thing that is lawful and right : then he " Ihall furely live:" that is to fay, all his fins which he hath done before fhall not hurt him. Here ye hear what promifes God hath made us, when we will rife from the fleep of our fins, and leave the affedions of the flefh, and do fuch things as he hath appointed unto us in his laws-, if we do fo, then we fhall furely live and not die : that is to fay, we fhall attain after this corporal life to everlafting life; which grant us God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl. Amen. SERMON SERMON XXIX. By the Reader end Father in Chrijl Majler HUGH LATIMER Bijhop of Worcefter. Preached upon Saint Andrew*s day, 1552* MATTHEW IV. 18, 19, 20. As Jefus walked by the fea of Galilee he faw two bre- thren^ Simon which was called Peter^ and Andrew his brother^ cajling a net into the fea^ for they were jijhers : and he [aid unto them^ Follow me, and I will make you fijhers of men -, and they Jlraightway left their nets and followed him. THIS is the gofpel which is read in the church this day. And it fheweth unto us how our Saviour called four perfons to his company: namely, Peter, * Andrew, James, and John, which were all fifhers by their occupation. N° XXVII. Vol. II. Y This * He was the fon of Jcnas, or John, and brother of Simon Peter the Apoftle. He was born in Bethiaida, a City of Galilee on the Lake of Genefareth, by profeffion a Fifherman ; was one of the difciples of St John the Baptift, by whom being fent to Chrift, he followed our Saviour, takina; along with him his brother Simon,. Johni. 35, &c. From his^fifliing he was called by Chrift, with his brother Simon; who at the firft call, cafting away their nets, fol- lowed him. Chrift told them, " that he would make them fifhers " of men," Matt. iv. 19, &c. After our Lord's afcenfion, and the defcent of the holy Ghoil upon the Apoftles, it is generally afiirmed 626 Mafter L A^JMER's Sermon on the GofpeJ This was their general vocation : but now Chriffe our Saviour called them to a more fpecial vocation. They were fifhers ftill, but they filhed no more for fifh affirmed by the primitive fathers, that the Apofiles agreed among, themfelvc-s, (by lot fay fome') what parts of rhe world they (hould feverally take to preach the gofpel. In this divifion, St Andrew had Scythia, and the neighbouring countries primarily allotcd him for his province. He firlt travelled through Cappadock, Galatia, and Bithynia, and intruded the people m the faith of Chrift, pafling all along the Euxine fea. And after having preached the gofpel at feveral places, and wrought miracles with good fuccefs, though not without meeting with great difficulties and difcourage- ments, and barbarous uHige, he purpofed at laft to return to Je- rufalem, when after fome time, he betook himfelf to his former province, preaching fuccefsfully at Seballopolis, fjtuate upon the eaftern ihore of the Euxine, and after that at Cherfonefus, a great and populous City within the Bofphorus ; thence failing acrofs t«i Sinope, to encourage and confirm the churches which he had late- ly planted in thofe part- ; he there ordained Phj^alogus, formerly one of St Paul's difciples, Bilhop of that place. Haice he came to Byzanriuni (fmce called Conftantinople] where he inflruded the inhabitants in the knowledge of the chrillian religion, fsundeA a church for divine worfhip, and ordained Stachys, firll BiQiop of that place. Being banifhed out of that City, he fled to Argyropo- lis, where he preached the gofpel for two years together with good fuccefs. After this he travelled over Thrace, Macedonia, Thef- faly, &c. in all which places for many years he preached and pro- pagated ChrilHanity, and confirme-! the dotlrine that he taught with great figns and miracles. At laft, he came to Patras, a City of Achaia ; where by jfEgeas the Proconful he was firft committed to prifon for refufmg to facrifice to the heathen gods, then (courg- cd on has naked body by feven Liftors fucxefiiveiy, and laft of all crucified ; but by the Proconfurs command not iaftened to the . crofs, (which was made of two pieces of timber, croffing each other in the middle, in the form of the letter X, hence ufualljr known bv the name of St Andrew's crofs) with rails, but cords ; whereon he hung two days, teaching and inftru^^ting the people alF the time. Aad when great importunities in the mean time were ufed to the ProconfuJ to fpare his life, he earneftjy begged of our Lord, that he might at this time depart, and feal the truth of his religion with bis blcod. God heard his prayer, and he expired en the laft day of November, though in v/hat year is not certain, but it is probable, according to Moreri, it \\as in the year of Chrift 69. He was reckoned the titular Saint of Scotland, upon tccafion of a great victory obtained by Hungus King of the Pifts at for Saint Andrew* s day. 62 j fifh in the water, but they fifhed now for men with the net that was prepared to the fame purpofe, namely, with the gofpel *: for thegofpel is the net wherewith the Apoftles fifhed after they came to Chrift, but efpecially after his departing out of this world : then they went and fifhed throughout the whole world. And of thefe fifhers was fpoken a great while ago by the Prophet, for fo it is written, " Behold, " faith the Lord, I will fend out many fifhers to " take them, and after that I will fend hunters to " hunt them out from all mountains and hills, and " out of the caves of ftone." By thefe words God fignifieth by his Prophets, how thofe fifhers, that is, the Apoftles, fhould preach the gofpel, and take the people therewith, all they that fhould believe, and fo bring them to God. It is commonly ken that fifhers and hunters be very painful people both, they fpare no labour to catch their game-, becaufe they be fo defirous and fo greedy over their game, that they care not for pains. Y 2 There- at Hadington, in the year of Chrift 790, oter Athelftan, King of England ; St Andrew appearing to Hungus the night before the baicle, in a vifion, and promifing him viftory, and his crofs, in the fornn of an X, appearing the next day in the air, at the be- ginning of the battle. The Scottilh hiftoiian who records this vi- fion, is of opinion, that almighty God permits fuch occurrences to happen, as did in like manner happen to Conftantine the Great before the battle of Pontemolle, to animate and encourage his faithfiil fervants, and thereby caufe them to become vidors over their enemies. * This word fignifies, G/aJ Tidings, and is in the ecclefiaftical fenfe underll;ood to mean, the joyful news of the redemption of mankind fiom the power cf fm and the •devil, and to the glori- ous liberty of the fons of God. Archbifhop Tillotlbn, in a more reftrained fenfe, fays. That the gofpel is a republication of the law of nature, enforcing obedience thereto from more noble mo- tives than had before been revealed to mankind. And tlie cele- brated Mr Locke fays. That the gofpel is a declaration of the Mefiiahfhip of Jefus of Nazareth, who came to reftore mankind to the fa\our of God, which they had bv their iins and follies ioft. 62^ Mafter LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel Therefore our Saviour chofe fiiliers,becaufeof thofe properties, that they fhould be painiul and fpare nq labour, and then that they fhould be greedy to catch men, and take them with the net o\ God's word, and to turn the people from v/ickednefs to God. Ye fee by daily experience, what pains fifhers and hunters take ; how the fifher watcheth day and night at his net, and is ever ready to take all fuch fiflies as he can get, and come in his way. So like- wife the hunter runneth hither and thither after his game, leapeth over hedges, and creepeth tri rough rough bulhes ; and alkthis labour he efteemech but nothing, becaufe he is defirous to obtain his prey, and catch his venifon. So all our Prelates, Biihops, Curates, andParfons, and Vicars fhould be painful and greedy in cafting of their nets ; that is to fay, in preaching of God's word, in fhewing unto the people the way to ever- lafling life, and in exhorting them to leave their fins and wickednefs. This ought to be done of them, for thereunto they be called of Godj and fuch a charge they have. But the mofl part of them fet now-adays this fi filing afide, they put away this net, they take other bufinefs in hand : they will rather be Surveyers, or \ Clerks of the kit- chin, than to caft out this net : they have the living of fifhers, but they fifh not, they are otherwife oc- cupied ; but it fhould not be fo. God will plague and mofl heinoufly punifh them for fo doing. They fhall be called to make account one day, when they fhall not be able to make anfwer for their mifbeha- viours, for not cafting out this net of God's word, for fuffering the people to go to the devil, and they •j- Mafter Latimer ^ jves us to underftand, that in his time fcveral Clergymen were domeftic fervants to the King in fome of the low- eft ftations ; but who they were, we have not been able at this diftance of time to learn ; but it certainly was a great fcandal tq religion . f)r Saint Andrew* s da^, 620 they call them not again, they admonifli them not, their perilhing grieveth them not, but the time will come when they fhall repent from the bottom of their hearts, but then it will be too late : then they fhall receive their well-deferved punifhment for their negligence and flothfulnefs, for taking their living of the people, and not teaching them. The Evangelifts fpeak diverfly ot the calling of thefe four men, Peter, Andrew^ James, and John. Matthew faith, that ** Jefus called them, and they ^' immediately left their nets, and followed him." Luke faith, that ourSa v lour " ftood by the lakeGene- ^* zareth, and there he faw two fliips Handing by the " lake fide, and he entered into one of thefe fhips, " which was Peter's, and defired him that he would " thruft it a litde from the land : and fo he taught " the people ; and after thar, when he had made " an end of fpeaking, he kid to Simon Peter, " Call out thy net in the deep. And Simon Peter ^* anfwered, We have laboured all night and have " taken nothing. Never-helefs at thy command- " ment 1 will loofe forth the net : and when they *' had caft it out, they inclofed a great multitude " of fifhes. Kow Peter feeing fuch a multitude of " fiihes, was beyond himfelf, and fell down at ** Jefus's knees, faying •, Lord, go from me, for I ^* am a finful man; foj:he was affonifhed, and all that " were with him, at the draught of the fifhes " which they had taken. And there were alfo James »' and John the fons of Zebedee. And Jefus faid '' unto Peter; Fear not, from henceforth thou flialt *' catch men : and they brought the fhips to land, *' and torfook all, and followed him." So you hear how * Luke defcribeth this fioiy, in what manner of ways Chrift called them, and though he % He was a PhyHdan of Antioch in Syria. Eelng converted to ^e Lhriilian fi.i.h, he became one of the four Evangeiilb, wrote the 6^o Mafter LATlMETCs Sermon on theGofpel he make no mention of Andrew, yet it was like that he was amongft them too, with Peter, John, and James. The Evangelift John in the nrft chap- ter defcribeth this matter another manner of way, but it pertaineth all to one end, and to one effed : for it was moft Hke, that they were called firft to come in acquaintance with Chrift, and afterwards to be his difciples, and lb in the end to be his Apof- tles, which fhould teach and inftrudl the whole world. John the Evangelift faith, that " Andrew was a " difciple of John Baptift : and when he had feen *' his mafter point to Chrift with his finger, faying, *' Lo the Lamb of God, that taketh away the fins •' of the world.'' (They ufed in the law to offer lambs for the pacifying of God) now John called Chrift the right Lamb which ftiould take away in- deed all the fins of the world. Now when An- drew heard whereunto Chrift was come, he for- fook his mafter John, and came to Chrift, and fell in acquaintance with him, afked him where he dwelt, and finding his brother Simon Peter, he told him of Chrift, and brought him to him. ; he brought him not to John, but to Chrift : and fo ftiould we do too, we ftiould bring to Chrift as many as we could, with good exhortations and admonitions. Now Chrift feeing Peter, faid unto him, " Thou *' art Simon the fon of Jonas, thou fhalt be called " Cephas, which is by interpretation, a ftone i'* fignifying that Peter fhould be a ftedfaft fellow, not wavering hither and thither. So ye fee how diverfly the Evangelifts fpeak of the calling of thefe the gofpel bearing his name, and alfo the ^^s of the Jpoflles, which is a very ufeful hiftory, and the moft authentick account we have of the.Iife and tranfaftions of St Paul, clie Apoftle of the Gentiles. He preached the goipel in Greece, and there fufFered martyidom, according to Nicephorus ; the Grecians hanging him on a green olive tree bearing fruit, for want of dry timber. for Saint Andrew* s 3ay. 6^ i thefe four Apoftles, Peter, Andrew, James, and John : therefore it is like they were called more than one time ; they were called firft to come to acquaintance with him, then afterward to be his difciples, and fo at the laft to be his Apoftles, and Teachers of the whole world. For we read in the gofpel of St Luke, that our Saviour, when he would choofe * Apoftles which ftiould teach others, he continued a whole night in prayer, defiring God to give him worthy men which he might fend. Where we have a good admonition, how careful they fliould be that ought to choofe men and fct them in holy offices + ; how they fhould call upon God, that they may have worthy men. For it ap- peareth by our Saviour, that he was very loth to have unworthy men ; infomuch that he ceafed not all night to cry unto God, that he might have worthy men, which he might fend ; fuch men as might be able to tell the truth, and when they had done, to ftand in it. For * The word is derived from the Greek, and fignifies perfuns fent to execute any meflage or commiflion. In the ecclefiafticai fenfe, and fince the aera of Chriftianity, it is applied only to thofe- twelve peribns whom Chiift fent to preach his gofpel. •f- Whether the prefent ordaincrs of Priefts and Deacons do foU low the example of their Mafter may be queflioned ; but our Church has thus directed her votaries to pray at the feafons ap- pointed for ordination ; 'viz. " Almighty God our heavenly Fa- " ther, who haft purchafed to thyfclf an univerfal Church, by the ** precious blood of thy dear Son, mercifully look upon the fame ; *• and at this time fo guide and govern the minds of thy feivants, *' the Biftops and Paftors of thy flock, that they may lay hands ** fuddenly on no man, but faithfully and wifely make choice of " fit perfons to ferve in the facred miniftry of thy Church." And again, " Give thy grace, we humbly befeech thee, to all thofc- " who are to be called to any office and adminiftration in thy ** Church, and fo replenlfh them with the truth of thy doitrin^, •• and endue them with innocency of life, that they may faithfully ** ferve before thee, to the glory of thy great name, and the bene- *' fit of thy holy Church." Thefe petitions are offered by all the- ' rnvmbers of Uie Charch of England four times a year. 632 Mafter LATJMEK*s Sermon on theGofpel For when a Preacher preacheth the truth, but af* terward is fearful, and dares not ftand unto it, and is afraid of men, this Preacher fhall do but little good ; or when he preacheth the truth, and is a wicked liver, after he hath done, this man (hall do but little good ; he fhall not edify, but rather deftroy, when his words are good, and his living contrary unto the fame *. Therefore I would wifli of God, that all they that fhould choofe holy officers, would give them- felves mofl eameflly to prayer ; defiring of God, that they may choofe fuch men as may do good in the commonwealth, amongft the flock of God : And I would wifh, that there fhould be none other officers but fuch as be called thereunto lawfully; forno man ought to feek for promotions, to bear rule, to be an officer ; but we fhould tarry our vocation till God call us, we fhould have a calling of God. But it is to be lamented how inordinately all things be done. For I fear me that there hath been but very few offices in England but they have been either bought or fold : tor I have heard fay many times, that fome paid great fums of money for their of- fices. No man can perfuade me, that thefe men intend to do good in the commonwealth, which buy their offices : for they intend to get their money again which they have laid out, and afterward to fcrape more for purchafing. But fuch ambitious men that offer themfelves, they fhould be refufed, they fliould not be fufFered to live in a common- wealth ; for they be ambitious and covetous. We read that Jethro Mofes's father-in-law gave Mofes CQunfel to choofe men to offices, and that fame council * The above and fuch like remarks occurring fo frequently in Bifhop Latimer's Sermons, might make one imagine that good man had within himfelf fome(.vhat of a conrcioufnei's, or fecret in- timation from the holy Spirit, that \iz fhould have the hoaour t* lay down his life for the gofpel of Chrift. for Saint Andrew^ s day\ 63 3 counfel Jethro gave was God's counlel ; God fpake by the mouth of Jethro f . Now what faith Jethro, or God by Jethro, what manner of men would he chufe to offices, to ferve the commonwealth? " Thou fhalt feek out, faith " Jethro, amongfl all the people, men of a6ti- " vity, and fuch as fear God ; true men, hating " covetoufnefs, and make them heads over the peo- *' pie, 6^(r." Jethro, would not have him to take thofe which offer themfelves, or which buy their offices with money and fair fpeaking : No, no ; he would none of that gear, he would not have fuch fellows. But I pray you, how many officers are fought for now-adays ? I think but very few, the moft part offer themfelves before they be called ; but it fhould not be fo : Juftices of peace, Sheriffs, and other officers, they fhould be fought out, they fliould be called thereunto ; they fhould Rot come before they be fent for. Now when they be fought out, what manner of men fliould they be ? " Men of wifdom and aftivi- " ty i" that is to fay, men of knowledge and un- derftanding, which be able to execute that office, *' and fuch as fear God :" for no doubt he muft have the fear of God in his heart that fhall be an officer ; namely, an Officer and Minifter of the word of God, or elfe he lliall never well execute his office i he fhall foon be corrupted with gifts or re- wards. Farther, he mufl be *' a true man i" fuch a one whom a man may trufl by his words : he muft be his word's mafler ; he may not be a diffemWer, liar, or falfe dealer. And laft of all, he mufb be a hater of covetoufnefs, a man of activity and know- N-27. Vol. II. Z ledge; f According to our autlior, Jethro was an infpired perfcn, and had frequent revelations of the divine will. He was Mofes's fa- ther-in-law, the Prieft and Prince of Midian, a worfhipper of the true God, and one who was in fadl a prcfelyte of the gate. The Midianites defcended from Midian, Abraham's fon bj; Keturah, 634 i»''^j^^'^ LA^JMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel ledge •, a man that feareth God, a true man, and a man which hateth covetoufnefs : he mull not only not be covetous, but he mull alfo be a hater of cove- toufnefs. Now if he muft hate covetoufnefs, then he muft needs be far off from that foul vice of covetouf- nefs, and immoderate defire to have goods. This is the duty of every Officer ; fo fhould he be dif- pofed before he be admitted thereunto ; but whether they be fo or not, let others judge : it is feen by daily experience what they be, a great part of them. I fear me, that if Jethro fhould fee them, their do- ings would not pleafe him, he would fay, Thefe are not fuch men as I have appointed ; but it is no matter, though Jethro fee them not, God feeth them, who will reward them according to their de- ferts. And fo likewife they that be of the fpirituality, the Clergymen , they muft not run themfelves, they muft tarry till they be called ; they muft not flatter for benefices, and therefore the King and his moft honourable Council muft take heed, and not fet up thofe which call themfelves : for no doubt they that call themfelves intend not to do good, nor to profit the people, but they only feek to feed themfelves, and to fill their coffers. And fo like- wife all * Patrons that have benefices to give, they Ihould take heed and beware of fuch fellows, which feek J This right of patronage in the Laity, makes a certain au- thor with julTice thus complain : *• We have reafon, fays he, to *• believe, that when the Church gave this ri^ht of prefentation to *' Lay-Patrons, (for that the Biihop had originally the right of «' judging of the qualifications of Priefts, and fixing them in their " refpeftive cures, without being accountable to a ^are impedit, <« for the refufal of the peoples choice, might be made evident, *« were it pertinent to the bufinefs in hand) when the Church, i *' fay, parted with this right, (he had no fufpicion of the degene- *' racy of after-ages ; but imagined that the integrity, and confci- «' ence, if not the munificence of the firft Patrons, might have been •* tranfmitted for Saint Andrew's day. 635 feek for benefices, and come before they be called. For fuch fellows intend not to feed the people with the wholefome dodtrlne of the word of God ; but rather they feek to be fed of the people, to have their eafe, for that they look for : If thqy were minded to do good unto the people of God, they would tarry till God did call them -, and then, when they be called, do their duties ; but to run without the calling of God, is a manifeft token that they have another refped: ; and that they are worldly- minded : and therefore God ccmplaineth by the Prophet, faying, *' There were many that ran be- *' fore I fent tiiem, which were not fent by me." Therefore I will defire Patrons to take heed upon what manner of men they bellow their be- nefices, for it is a great charge, a great burden before God to be a Patron. For every Patron when he doch not diligently endeavour himfelf to place a good and godly man in the benefice which is in his hands, but is flothful, and careth not what manner of man he taketh ; or elfe is co- vetous, and will have it himfelf, and hire a Sir John Lack- Latin, which fhall fay fervice, fo that the .people Ihall be nothing edified. No doubt that Patron fhall make anfwer before God, for not doing Z 2 of ** tranfmitted to the heirs, or purchafers of their right. The piety «' of thofe times would have made it look uncharitable, to have •' been apprehenfive of reflgnation bonds ; of forced compofitions ; ** and contrafts for farms, or women. But fome have now learn- «' ed to make bold with God almighty, beyond the imagination'as *« well as the example of their predeceflbrs ; and to be guilty of " thofe facrilegious frauds, which, by the late provifion of our laws *• againft fome of them, feem not to have been fo much as thought *' on, in thofe primitive and religious days. — To create fervile de- ** pendencies, and raife our private grandeur upon the endowments «* of eligion, is a perfedl contradiction to the end and defign of «' them. This makes the Church contemptible by the ftrength of •• her own revenues ; and caufes the monuments of our forefathers •♦ piety to be inftrumental in undermining, and expcfmgthat faith, •• they thereby intended to fecure aod advance," 636 Mafler L A^IMEBJs Sermon on the Gofpel of his duty. And look how many foever perifh in that Parifb for lack of teaching, the Patron is guilty of them •, and he mud make anfwer for them be- fore God. Therefore it appeareth moft manifeftly, that Patrons may not follow fiiendfhips, or other affedions : but they mull fee that God's honour be promoted, and that they place there fuch men as may be able to teach and inftruft the people. Now to the matter. Thefe men, Peter, Andrew, James and John, they were called from catching of fiihes, to the catching of men : they had a calling, they ran not before they were called ; but we do not fo, we order the matter as though God faw us not, and no doubt there be fome that think in their hearts. What, fhall I tarry till God call me ? Then peradventure I fhall never be called, and fo I fliall never get any thing. But thefe be unfaithful men •, they confider not that God feeth us every where : in what corner foever we be, God feeth us, and can fetch us if it pleafe him, that we fhould be Officers, or Curates, or fuch like things. Therefore thou runner, tarry till thou art called, run not before thy time. John Baptift, that holy man, he would not take upon him to come before he was bidden : Where was he ? verily in the wil- dernefs, he made no fuit, I warrant you, for any office, he tarried till God called, him: For Luke faith, '^ The word of the Lord came unto John, *' being in the v/ildernefs." It is no marvel that God fetched him out of the wildernefs *, for there is no corner in the whole world where any man can hide himfelf from his prefence: therefore when he will have a man, he can call him, though he be hid in corners j for the Prophet faith, " God " dwelleth * Of this wildernefs Dr Hammond fays, that it did not fignify a place wholly void of inhabitants, but a place that was more mountainous, lefs fruitful, Icfs peopled, and where the habitations were more difperfed, than in other parts of the country. for Saint Andrew^ s day, 637 *« dwelleth aloft, but yet he feeth thofe things which " be here in the lowed parts of the earth : he dwell- <' eth in heaven, but for all that, he overfeeth the *' whole earth, and all that therein is." For though we be call down in a deep pit, or dungeon, as Jeremiah the Prophet faith, yet for all that he can fee us, he will not forget us, for he looketh down upon thofe things that be below. Therefore let no man think in his heart, I muft put myfelf forward, I muft feek to bring myfelf aloft : No, no ; confider rather, that God feeth thee, and that he can bring thee aloft when it pleaf- eth him, when it is to the furtherance of his glory, and the falvation of thy foul. John Baptift made no fuit for that office, namely, to be a Preacher, and to baptize the people ; yet for all that God fought him out, God called him thereunto ; God would have him in his office of preaching. So ■ likewife Jofeph, when he was in Egypt, fold of his own brethren, where he ferved a great man, a great officer he was, -f- Potifer was his name : now when he had been a while with him, his miftrefs perceiv- ing his beauty, caft her love upon him, and fo would have him to be naught with her : but Jofeph being a man that feared God, would not follow her, but rather withftood her beaftly lulls, ran his ways, and lefrhis cloke behind him ; and fo afterward, thro' falfe accufations, he was cafl: into prifon. Think ye now that God faw him not .'' Yes, yes, he faw him ; though he was in the dark prifon, yet he faw him. For when it feemed him good, he brought him out of the prifon again, and made him Lord and Ruler over all Egypt -, though he lay in a dun- geon, though he could make no fuit for his office, yet_ \ Read Potiphar. He was a great officer in Egypt, being Pha- raoh's Captain of the Guard! . His wife's gallantry towards Jofeph is a fingular inftance of the incoutinency of great Ladies, too much Fra(5tife4 fmce in aji ages. S^S Mafter LAl'IMER*s Sermon on theGofpel yet God, when it pleafed him, could call him there- unto. Therefore let us learn here, by the example of this good Jofeph -, let us learn, I fay, that when we be meet, and that God will have us to bear offices, he will call us thereunto by lawful means, by his Magiftrates, he will not forget us, for he feeth us in every corner, he can pick us out when it is his will and pleafure. Mofes, that great friend of God, what was his oc- cupation ? Verily he was a Shepherd, he kept his father-in-law's fheep ; and though he was in a great wildernefs, where there was no body about him, yet it pleafed God to call him, and to make him Captain over his people Ifrael. And this Mofes was very loth to go to take fuch a charge upon him ; yet at length he went, becaufe it was the calling of God. Therefore let us follow this example of Mofes, let us not take in hand any office, except we be called thereunto by God, except we have a lawful calling. Our Saviour commandeth his difciples, and alfo us, that we fhould " pray unto God, that he will fend la- " bourers into his harveft -," that is to fay, that he will fend Preachers. Whereby it appeareth, that our Sa- viour would that no perfon fhould take upon him that office, except he be fent of God, except God call him thereunto. King Saul, though he was a wicked man in his -end, yet he was made a great King of God : For what was his father ? No very great man I tell you ; and Saul his fon went to feek his father's afles, and fo by chance, becaufe he could not find the afles, he came to the Prophet Samuel, who by and by, before he departed from him, anointed him to be King over Ifrael: God commanded him fo to do. Now this Saul the fon of Kifh, did not feek for it, it came never in his heart to think that he fhould be King ; infomuch that he hideth himfelf when Samuel would proclaim him King, before the whole congre- gation: for Saint Andrew's day. 6j^ eation • yet for all that, he could not fo hide hlmfelf, but God fpieth him out, and fo finally brought him to Here ye fee moft manifeftly that when God will have a thing to be done, he can find fuch means, whereby it muft needs be done, yea, contrary to our expeftation. Wherefore fhould now any of us go about to thruft ourfelves into offices, without the caUing of God. And no doubt they that do fo, fhew themfelves to have no faith in God at all, they truft not God, they think they fhall bring all matters to pafs by their own power and wits : but it is feen that fuch fellows ever fpeed ill, that will take in hand to exalt themfelves, without any lawful calling. David, that godly man and holy Prophet of God, what was he .? Marry, a keeper of fheep : he thought not that he fhould be King, till he was called there- unto of God. But, I pray you, what was Jonas the Prophet .? Was he not in the bottom of the great fea, in the belly of a great and horrible whale? What happened unto him ? Did not God fee him ? Yes, he faw him -, he had not forgotten him, he called him out again, and fo fendeth him to the Ninevites, to preach unto them, and to teach them penance, to leave their finful lives. Now God would have him to that office, therefore he called him -, and was able to do it, though he lay even in the horrible fifh's belly. Now therefore let us well confider this, that if God will have a man to bear an office, he can and is able to fetch him, wherefoever he be: and that man that is called of God to any office no doubt God will work with him, he will profper all his doings, he will defend him from all his enemies, he will not let him periffi. But and if any man take in hand an office whereunto he is not called ; no doubt that man (hall have no good luck, God will not profper him, And not only that, but he will extremely puniOi 640 Mafter LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Gof^et punifli that man that will take in hand his of- fice whereunto he is not called of God ; who feek- eth promotions, or goeth about to promote himfelf : as we have an example in the book of Numbers, that when Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, would not be content with their vocation, whereunto they were called of God, but would climb higher and promote themfelves, what happened ? The ground clave a- funder, and fwallowed them up, with wife and chil- dren, and all that they had •, this was their end, this reward they had for their ambition. Whereby it ap- peareth thatGod wills that every man fhall keep him- felf in his vocation, till he be tarther called of God. "We read farther in the books of the Kings, that when David would bring in the ark of God into his City, as they were going with it, there was oneUzza by name, he fearing left the ark fhould fall, becaufe the oxen ftumbled, went and held it with his hand ; which was againft his vocation, for he was not ap- pointed thereunto, for it was the office of the Levites only to keep the ark, no body elfe fhould come near unto it. Now what happened ? God ftruck him by and by to death, becaufe he took upon him an office, unto which he was not called. Yet, after man's rea- fon, this Uzza had done a good work in keeping the ark from falling; but what then ? God wills that his order fliall be kept, which he hath appointed in his word. Farther, we read in the Bible of a King who was called Uzziah, who would take upon him the office of a Prieft, to offer incenle unto the Lord, whereunto he was not called of God, but would do it of his own voluntary will, and would promote him- felf to the office or the high Prieft, being not called of God thereunto. But what followed ? How fped he ? What reward had he for fo doing .'' Whilft he was yet about it, the Lord fmote him by and by with leprofy, and for Saint Andrew^ s day. 641 and fo this great King was a leper all the days of his life. Thefe now are examples which fhould make us afraid, if we had any fear of God in our hearts, to promote ourfelves. And we fhould learn here to beware of that peftilent poifon of ambition, which poifon (ambition I fay) hath been the caufe of the perifhing of many a man : for this ambition is the moft perilous thing that can be in the world. For one ambitious man is able to fubvert and difturb a whole commonwealth : As it moft plainly ap- peared by the * Rhodians ; which Rhodians in our tim.e were very mighty, and of great eftimation through all the world. Now what was their deftruftion ? Truly ambition,' through ambition this mighty Ifland of Rhodes, was loft, and came into the hands of the Turks. For the Chronicle fheweth, that before their deftruc- tion, when all things were yet well, the Grand Mafter of the Rhodians died. Now there was one called Andrew their Admiral, aPortugueze, he defired to be Grand Mafter ; he was an ambitious man, he went about to promote himfelf, before he was called of God: but for all that, he miffed his purpofe, fo that he was not chofen : for there was one chofen who was called then Phillip de Villers. But what doth this Andrew ? becaufe he could not bring his purpofe to pafs, he fendeth letters to the great Turk, fi»nifying, that if he would come, he would help him to get the ifland ; which afterwards he did : but yet it coft him his life, for his treafon was efpied, and fo he received a reward according unto his doings. N° 27. Vol. II. A a So * The inhabitants of the Ifland of Rhodes. It is in compafs about an hundred miles, where the fun Ihines at leaft once every day in the year. Here was a ColofTus, or ftatu.' of the fun, feventy cubits hjffh, one of the feven woniJers of the world. This ftatue was fixed at the entrance of their harbour, having one leg on one fliore and the other on tlie oppofite Ibore, fo that all lliips entering the port of Rhodes failed bccween its legs. 642 Mapr L A^IMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel So ye may perceive by this example which was done in our time, how ungracious a thing this am- bition is ; for no doubt where there is ambition, there is divifion ; where there is divifion, there fol- loweth defolation-, and fo linaily deftrudion. Even according unto our Saviour's faying ; " Every king- " dom divided againft itfelf, fhall be brought to . *' nought; and every city or houfe divided againft '* itfelf, fnail not fland, &c" Well, Andrew, Peter, James and John, were not ambitious, they tarried their calling-, fo I would willi that all men would follow their example, and , tarry their vocation, and not thrull themfelves in, till they be called of God.- For no doubt vocation hath no fellow ; for he that cometh by the calling of God to an office, he may be fure that his adver- faries fhall not prevail againft him, as long as he doth the office of his calling. An example we have in our Saviour, he was fent from God into this world, to teach us the way to heaven. Now in what peril and danger was he, as long as he was here.'' when he began to preach at Nazareth amongft liis kinsfolks, he difpleafed them fo, that they went ajid took him, and were minded to caft him head- long from the rock whereupon their City was builded •, but when it came to the point, he went away from amongft them, becaufe his hour was not come: he had not yer fulfilled or executed that office whereunto God had fent him. So likewife we read by the Evangelift John, that the Jews many a time took up ftones to ftone him, but they could net. And how many times fent ,they their men to take him, yet for all that they could not prevail againft him. And thefe things are not written for Chrift's fake, but for our fakes, that we fliould learn thereby, that if we do diligently our office whereunto God hath called us, then no doubt our enemies fliall as little prevail againft us, as they for Saint Andrew^ s day. <^43 they prevailed againft Chrift •, for God will be as careful for us as he was for Chrift. And this appeareth moft ipanifeftly in the Apoftle Paul : I pray you in what danger and peril was he ? How mighty and ftrong enemies had he, which took m ha?d to rid him out of the way? Yet for all that God delivered him : wherefore ? becaule Paul was called, and ordained of God to that office : and therefore God delivered him out of all troubles, be- caufe he did according unto his calling. Peter, when Herod that Tyrant had killed James with the fword, and caft him into prifon, fo that he thought he lliould die by and by, yet God de- livered him wonderfully : And no doubt this is not written for Peter's fake, but alfo to our comfort, io that we Ihall be fure, that when we follow our vo- cation, being lawfully called unto it, God will aid and affift ps in all our troubles, whatfoever fhall hap- pen unto us, he will be prefent and help us. There- fore take this for a certain rule, that no man in fol- lowing of his t vocation, and doing his duty, fhall Ihorte'n his life, for it is not the following of pur vocation that Ihall fliorten our life. We read in the gofpel, that when Chrift faid unto his difciples, " Let us go up into Jury again j" his difciples made anfwer unto him, faying, " Mafter, ** the Jews fought lately toftone thee, and wilt thou " go thither again ? Jefus anfwered, Are there not *' twelve hours in the day ? If a man walk in the " day, he ftumbleth not: but if a man walk in *' the night he ftumbleth, becaufe there is no light *' in him." With thefe words our Saviour figni- fies, that he who walketh in the day, that is to fay, he that walketh truly and uprightly in his vocation whereunto God hath called him, that man Ihall A a 2 not f This is meant of fuch vocations as are legal; and indeed tliofo which are not legal, cannot properly be callc4 vocations. 644 Mafter LA^IMEK*s Sermon on the Gofpel not flumble, he (hall not fhorten his life, till the twelfth hour come ; that is to fay, till it pleafe God to take him out of this world, he fhall be fure that he fliall not fhorten his life in doing that thing which God hath appointed him to do. I pray God give unto us fuch hearts, that we may be content to live in our calling, and not to gape farther. And firft, we mufl walk in the general vocation ; and after that, when God calleth us, leave the general calling, and follow the fpecial : if we walk fo, we fhall be fure that our enemy fhall not prevail againfb us : and though we die, yet our death fhall be nothing elfe, but an entrance into everlafling life. Again, we fhall be fure, that if we will follow our vocations, we fhall lack nothing, we fhall have all things neceffary to our bodily fuflenance. And this appeareth by many examples : When our Sa- viour fent out thofe % feventy men before him to preach the gofpel, having no money in their purfes, nor any thing whereupon to live ; when they came home again, he afked them, whether they had lacked any thing ? they faid, No. For they did as Chrift had commanded them, therefore they lacked no- thing : and fo it followeth, that they that will fol- low their vocations fhali lack nothing. o* Jacob, X On Chrift's fending out thefe feventy difclples, to afliftthe_ twelve x^pcftles in preaching his gofpel, the church of Rome hath eftablifhed the College of Cardinals, who have now the privilege of the eleflion of his Holincfs the Pope. Thefe Cardinals are all made by the Pope, and great intercfi and fu't is made to him for the obt-..ininent of the Cardinahte. This College can affemble themfdve:-., raid if they lind that the Pope is running into meafui-es either dcltriictive of the catholic faith, or injurious to the true inte^ reft, emolumer.t and grandeur, of holy Mother tj;e Church ; they can remonftrate to him the evils they apprehend, ani advife him to retraft his proceedings, "^rhey enjoy many other privileges tOG tedious here to relate. for Saint Andrew's day. 64 j Jacob, that holy Patriarch, had a vocation to go unto * Mefopotamia, for his father and mother commanded him to do fo, becaufe they feared left Efau his brother fhould have killed him. Now when he went thither, he confefled that he had no- thing but a ftaff upon his back j but follov/ing his calling, God brought him again with great droves of all manner of cattle. Thefe thmgs are written for our fakes, to make us willing to follow our vocation, and to do as we are appointed of God to do. Farther, when the people of Ifrael were in the wildernefs, they had a vocation, for God com- manded Mofes to bring them out of Egypt : now he brought them into the v/ildernefs, where there was no corn, nor any thing to live upon. What doth God ? he fends them bread from heaven, rather than they fhould lack -, and water out of the rock. And this is written for our inftruflion. Therefore God faith, " Man fhall not live by bread " only, but by every word which proceedeth out of *' the mouth of God." For whenfoever a man ap- plieth that vocation which God hath appointed for him, no doubt he fhall not be difappointed of liv- ing, he fhall have enough. Therefore our Saviour Chrifl faith, " Seek firft the kingdom of God, and ** his righteoufnefs, and all other things fhall be *' miniflred unto ycu." That is to fay, let us live ^odly as he hath appointed unto us : as for other things, * A country of Afia, and part of AfTyria, feared between the rivers Tieris on the eaft, and Euphrates on the weft, having on the fouth Es'dviou, on the north Armenia the greater. By the Hebrews it was called Aram, Kaharaim, and Padan Aram ; by the old Greeks Stieucia, by the Latins Mediamna, and Terrae Interamnze. It is now called Dierbec, and by the Arabs Al Gezira, that is, the Jfland. It is wholly under the dominion of the Turks. This is thought by judicicus divines to be the country wliere Parauife was feated, the birthplace of Abraham, and v. hither Jacob fled from his brother Efau ; as alio the place from w hence the wife ir.iiR brought prefents to Chrift, by the guidance of a liar. 6^.6 Mafter LATlMEK's Sermon on theCofpel things, *' Caft thy care upon the Lord, and he will " make it :" he will finifli all things, for he is able to make a good end of all matters : therefore faith the Prophet, " Fear the Lord, all ye his faints : they *' that fear the Lord, fliall not come to any po- *' verty.'* Alas, what a pitiful thing is it, that we will not believe thefe fatherly promifes which God hath made unto us in his word? What a great fin is it to miftruft God's promifes ? For to miftruft his promifes, is as much as to make him a liar, when we will not believe him. Every man hath his vocation ; as thefe men here were fifliers, fo every man hath his faculty wherein he was brought up : but and if there come a fpe- cial vocation, then we mufl leave that vocation which we had before, and apply that whereunto we be called fpecially, as thefe Apoftles did: they were fifliers, but 2s, foon as they were called to another vocation, they left their fifliing. But ever remember, that when we have a vocation, we re- gard moft above all the fpecial points in the fame, and fee that we do them rather than the accidents. As for example, unto great men God alloweth hunting and hawking at fome times ; but it is not thtir chiefefl duty whereunto God hath called them: for he v/ould not that they fliould give themfelves only to hawking and hunting, and to do nothing elfe. No not lb ; but rather they ought to confider the chiefefl: point, than the accidents; hawking and hunting is but an acceflary thing, but the chiefefl: thing to which God hath ordained them, is to ex- ecute juftice, to fee that the honour and glory of God is fet abroad : this is the chiefefl point in their calling, and not hawking and hunting, which is but an accident. So likewife a ferving man may ufe Ihooting, or other paftimes ; but if a ferving man would do nothing elfe but fhoot, fetting afide his niafler^s bufinefs, this man n6 doubt fliould not da welU for Saint Anhe'ufs day, 647 well i for a ferving man's duty is to wait upon his mafter ; and though he may llioot fometimes, yet his fpecial and chiefeft duty, is to ferve his mafter in his bufinefs and affairs. Our Saviour as he went once abroad, met a fellow unto whom he faid, " Follow me :" the fellow made anfwer, faying, " Let me firft bury my father :'* Our Saviour faid unto him again, " Let the dead " bury their dead, and come thou and follow me." Where our Saviour teacheth us, that when we have a fpecial vocation, we fhall forfake the general: for to bury father and mother, is a godly deed, for God commandeth us to honour father and mother •, yet when we have fuch a fpecial calling as this man had, we muft leave all other vocations : for our Saviour would rather have the dead to bury the dead, than that this man fliould forfake or fet afide his vocation. But our fpirituality, what do they ? Forfooth fome be occupied in worldly bufmefs, fome be Clerks of the Kitchen, Surveyers, or Re- ceivers, which no doubt is wicked, and they muft make a heavy account for it. For their fpecial calling is to fifti, to preach the word of God, and to bring their people from ignorance unto the know- ledge of God's wol-d i this they ought to do. Abra- ham, the Patriarch, had a vocation, when God called him out of his country •, this was a vocation. So likewife, when God commanded him to offer his fon, he was ready and willing to do it : becaufe God had commanded him, he made no excufes, but weni and followed his vocation moft diligently and ear- neftly. But this I would have you to note well, that they that have but general vocations, may not follow thofe v/hich have fpecial vocations. As if we would follow the example of Abraham, we may not. Abraham had a fpecial vocation of God to offer his fon, there- fore they that afterward followed the example of Abraham, 648 Mafier L A'tlMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel Abraham, and burned their children, they did naughtily, for they had no commandment of Go4 to do fo. Phineas, that godly man, feeing one of the great men of Ifrael do wickedly with a naughty woman, went thither and killed them both, whiift they were yet doing the ad: of letchery. Now io fo doing he pleafed God, and is highly commended of God for it : fhall we now follow the example of Phineas ? fhall we kill a rpan by and by when he doth wickedly ? No, not fo ; we have no fuch com- mandment of God as Phineas had j for he had a fpecial calling, a fccret inlpiration of God to do fuch a thing ; we, which have no fuch calling, may not follov/ him, for we ought to kill no body j the Magiftrates lliali redrefs all matters. So to preach God's word is a good thing, and God will have that there Jhall be feme Vv'hich do it : but for all that a man may not take upon him to preach God's word except he be called unto it : for if he do it, he doth not well, though he have learn- ing and wifdom to be a Preacher ; yet for all that, he ought not to come himfelf without any lawful calling •, for it was no doubt a good thing to keep the ark from falling, yet for all that Uzza was ftricken to death becaufe he took in hand to meddle with it without any commiffion. We have a general vocation, which is this, " In •' the fweat of thy face thou flialt eat thy bread, " till thou be turned again into the ground, out of ** which thou waft taken." This text doth charge us all to labour, rich and poor, no man excepted; but he muft labour that labour which God hath appointed him to do : for God loveth no flothful- Vii'i'i^ he will have us to labour, to do our bufinefs : and upon the holy- day he will have us to ceafe from our bodily labour, but for all that he will not have us to be idle, but to hear his word, to vifit fick folks and prifoners ; thcfe are holy-days wor]^ which for Saint Andrew^ s day, 64^ which -God requireth of us ; therefore we may not be hindred from thofe works by bodily labour, we muft fet afide all bodily labour, and feed our fouls upon + Sundays in hearing of God's moft holy word, and in receiving his holy facraments. So, I fay, labour is commanded unto us, unto every one, no man excepted. All Adam's children are bound to labour ; for that which was faid unto Adam, is like- wife faid unto us : and our Saviour himfelf teach- eth us to labour, when he faith to Peter, " Lead " thy boat into the deep, and fpread out thy net *' to catch." Here Chrift commanded Peter to do his duty, to follow his occupation. Now he that commanded Peter, faying, " Caft ** out thy net," he commandeth us alfo, every one in his eftate, to do the bufinefs of his calling ; he will have the Farmer to follow his trade to till the ground, to fow, ^c. yet it is God that giveth the increafe of labour. For we may not think, that we by our labour alone may get wealth ; no not fo, we muft labour indeed, but we muft pray God to fend the increafe; for unlefs he blefs cur labour, no doubt we fhall labour all in vain. The ordinary way, whereby God fendeth us our food is labour, yet for all that we muft not fet our hearts upon our labour, nor truft therein, but only depend upon God. N° XXVIII. Vol. II. B b It % That is, the day on which our heathen anceflors the Saxons worlhipped the Sun, or the reprefentation of that lamiiiary, Thofe who contend for calling this day the Lord's day, are certainly much in the right, fince the Saviour of the world rofe on this day from the dead. As to our anceftors the Saxons, we fliall not fay any thing in excufe of their many idolatries, only obferve, that tho' fome worlhipped or venerated the Sun, others the Moon, others the god Woden, others the god Tuifco, and others thofe deities called Fricco and Saturn, yet on account of this various worfliip we do not find they ever perfecuted one another. Which ought to teach us Chriftians not to perfecute, or bear ill will and hatred to fuch as differ from u» in religious opinions, 650 Mafter LA^IMEK^s Sermon on the Gofpel It is written, " The hand that will not labour, " faith the Tcripture, fhall come to poverty." That is to fay, that man or that woman that will not labour, nor will do the work belonging unto his vocation, fhiall not profper in this world : but a diligent hand, a man that will labour, almighty God will fend him increafe, he fhall have enough. So that cer- tain it is, that we muft labour : for St Paul faith, •' He that laboureth not, let him not eat." I could wifti that this commandment of St Paul were kept here in England, that thofe idle lubbers that will not labour, might not eat : for no doubt, if they were ferved fo, it would make them to apply their bo- dies to a better ufe than they do. St Paul, in the 2 f ThefT. iii. faith, " We have ** heard fay, that there are fome which walk amongft *' you inordinately, working not at all, but being •' bufy- bodies. Them that are fuch, we command •* and exhort, by our Lord Jefus Chrift, that they *' work with quietnefs, and eat their own bread.'* In thefe words we may note two things; firft, that every one of us ought to labour, and to do the office of his calling. Secondly, we may note here, that a Preacher may fpeak by hear-fay, as St Paul doth here. I fpake unto you fince I came into this country by hear-fay : for I heard fay, that there were fome homely Thieves, fome * Pickers irv this worfhipful houfe ; which no doubt is a miferablc thin< '&> f ThefTallals a country of Greece, a part of ancient Macedo- nia. It is now called Janna. There are twenty four hills in it. Its chief City is Theflhlonica ; to the inhabitants whereof St Paul wrote two Epiftlcs. Of this country was Theflalus the Phyfician; of whom it was laid, that he was ufed to prefcribe three days fail- ing for every difeafe, and offered to teach any one to praftife phy-' fic in a month's time. * An obfolete word, fignifying here Pillagers of ftate ; though, the word is grown out of ufe, I' fear the thing meant is not. Our honeflAuthor was now preaching before the Dutchefs of Suffolk, and lie mifl'ed no opportunity of reproving the vices of the great. for Saint Andrew^ s day. 651 thing, that in fuch a houfe things Ihould be fo pur- loined away : therefore I exhorted you at the fame time to beware of it, and to make reftitution. Now fince there were fome of you which were of- fended with me, becaufe I fpake by hear- fay : they fay that I flandered the houfe in fpeaking fo. But I tell you, that I flandered no body at that time, I ipake but only to the amendment of the guilty ; and therefore the guiltlefs mull give leave unto the Preacher to reprove fin and wickednefs. For the Preacher when he reproveth fin, he flandereth not the guiltlefs, but he feeketh only the amendment of the guilty. Therefore God faith by the Prophet, " Shew unto the people their fins ;" fo that when fuch a thing is fpoken, they that be guiltlefs (hould be content when fin and wickednefs is reproved. There is a common faying, that when a horfe is rubbed on the gall, he will kick : When a man cafbeth a fiione among dogs, he that is hit will cry : So it is with fuch fellows too -, belike they be guilty, becaufe they cannot fuflfer to be gainfaid. I remem- ber in what manner the Prophec Ifaiah reproved the fins of the people, faying, " Thy filver is turned " into drofs." So no doubt the fall of the money hath been here in England the undoing of many men. " And thy wine is mingled with water." Here the Prophet fpeaketh generally : and he go- eth forth, faying, " Thy Princes are wicked, and " companions of Thieves, they love rewards altoge- " ther : as for the fatherlefs, they help them not to ** right : neither will they let the widov/'s caufe " come before them.*' Thefe be fore words, fpoken generally againft all the Princes, where I doubt not but there were fome good amongft them \ yet for all that the Prophet Qandereth them not, for he fpeaketh not againft the good, but againft the wicked, he meaneth not the guiltlefs. For fuch a manner gf fpeaking is ufed in the fcripture, to fpeak by B b 2 the 6.52 Mafler LAI'IMEBJs Sermon on the Gofpel the univerfal, meaning a great number, but yet not all, only thofe that be guilty •, therefore fuch man- ner of fpeaking is no flander. Therefore I faid at the fame time, as St Paul faith to the Theffalonians, " I hear fay, that there " be fome amongft you that will not labour :" So I faid, I hear fay, that there be fome amongft you, which are given to picking and ftealing •, and fo I fhewed you the danger of it, and I told you how you fhould make reftitution fecretly, without any open lliame: for it is no fhame to forfake fm, and to come to fuch godlinefs. For no doubt reftitution muft be made either in effeft, or affed : that is to fay, when thou art able, then thou muft make it in effefl, when thou art not able, then thou muft be forry for it in thy heart, and afk God forgive- nefs. This I told you at the fame time, where I flandered no body : therefore I would wifh that ye would expound my words from henceforth better tiaan ye have hitherto done. ' Now to the m.atter again : If a man fhould aflc this queftion, faying. We are all bound to work for our living, but I pray you by whom cometh the gain of our works ? who giveth the increafe of it ? There be fome kind of people which think, that they bring all things to pafs by their own la- bour ', they think they get their livings with their own handy work. Some again there be, which think that the increafe of their labour cometh by the devil, that he increafeth and bleffeth their la- bours. But think ye that any body will fay fo, that his increafe cometh by the devil ? No I warrant you, they will not fay fo with their mouth; yet, for all that, their converfation and living, fheweth it to be fo indeed. For all they that live by ufury, they have their gains by the devil. So likewife all they that fell bad wares, or fell by filfe weight, or ufe any man- ner for Smnt Andreijd*s day, 655 ner of falfhood, they be in the devil's fervlce, they have his livery ; therefore they feek all their gains at his hands, through falfe and deceitful dealing ; and fo it appeareth that the devil is the increafe of their gains j and no doubt the devil taketh upon him to be lord over all things in earth, as it plainly appeareth in the gofpel of St Matthew, where he took in hand to tempt Chrift our Saviour, and brought him upon a high mountain, where he fhewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world, faying, " All thefe things will I give thee, if thou *' wilt fall down and worfhip me." By thefe words it appeareth, that the devil beareth himfelf in hand to be lord and ruler over the whole world ; but in very deed, he hath not fo much as a goofe feather by right. And yet for all that, he hath many children here upon earth, which hang upon him, and feek their increafe by him, through falfhood and deceit. Therefore fuch worldlings have a common fay- ing amongfl them, they fay, if a man will be rich, he mufl fet his foul behind the door ^ that is to fay, he muft ufe falfhood and deceit. And there- fore, I fear me, there be many thoufand in the world which follow this faying, and fet their, fouls behind the doors. The Merchant commonly in every City doth teach his prentice to fell falfe wares: fo that a man may fay to all Cities, as Ifaiah faith to Jerufalem, " Thy filver is turned *' into drofs ;" thy ware is falfe ; thou haft a de- *' light in falfliQod and deceit ; thou getteft thy goods " by lawful and unlav/ful means.'* But the in- creafe that the godly man hath, cometh of God; as the fcripture faith, " The bleffing of God mak- " eth rich." Now there be fom.e that will fay, if the bleffing or the increafe come not of my labour, then I will not labour at all ^ I will tarry till God fetideth me \ >3^ 6^4 Mafi^v L A^I ME R*s Sermon on the Go/pel my food, for he is able to feed me without my labour and travel. No, we muft labour, for fo are we commanded to do ; but we muft look for the increafe at God*s hands : like as Peter did, he laboured the whole night, yet he took nothing at ajl, till Chrift came. And yet this is not a cer- tain rule, he that laboureth much, fhall have much. For though a man labour much, yet for all that, he fhall have no more than God hath appointed him to have ; for even as it plcafeth God, fo he Ihall have. " For the earth is the Lord's, and ** all that is therein •," and when we have much, then we are accountable for much. For no doubt we muft make a reckoning for that which we re- ceive at God's hands. Now to make an end: I define you let us con- flder our general vocation, that is to fay, let us labour every one in that eftate wherein God hath fet him ; and as for the increafe, let us look for it at God*s hands, and let us be content with that which God will fend us ; for he knoweth what is bcft for us : if we have '* Meat, and drink, and " clothes," let us be content withal, for we can- not tell how foon death will come, and make an end o^ all together. For happy fhall he be, whom the Lord when he cometh, fhall find well occupied m his vocation. And if we have fpecial vocations, let us fet a fide the general, and apply the fpecial points of our vocation, rather than the accidents -, and let us labour in our calling, and yet not think to get any thing by it, but rather truft in God, and feek the in- creafe at his hands: let us look for his benedic- tion, then it fhall go well with us -, but above all things bev/are of talfiiood, for with falihocd we ferve the devil. But as I told you before, I fear the devil hath a great number of fervants in England. \ ;■ Almighty for Saint Andrew's day, 655 Almighty God therefore give us grace fo to live here in this world, and to apply our bufinefs in fuch wife, that he may be glorified amongft us : fo that we may finally come to that felicity which he hath prepared for us. Amefh SERMON SERMON XXX. By the Revere?id Father in Chriji Mafler HUGH LATIMER Bifiop of Worcefter. Preached upon the fecond Sunday in Advent. LUKE XXI. 25—28. And there flj all hefigns in the fun and in the moon^ and in the JlarSy and in the earth : the people Jhall be at their wits end through defpair -, the fea and the waters Jhall roar, and mens hearts Jloall fail them for fear, and for looking after thofe things which Jhall come on the earth. For the powers of heaven Jhall move : and then Jhall they fee the fon of man come in a cloud, with power and great glory. When thefe things begin to come to pafs, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth near. THE gofpel is read this day in the church, and it fhall be for our leflbn. It is taken out of the twenty firft chapter of Luke, and it maketh mention of the glorious coming of our Saviour Chrift, how and in what manner of form he fhall come : for, as the fcripture witnelTeth, " we Ihall all come before the judgment- feat of *' Chrift," and there receive every one according unto his deferts : after his works he Ihall be rewarded of Chrift, which fliall be at that time their Judge ; and ][iafter LAI"! MEK's Sermon, &c. 65y and there fhall be figns and tokens before his glo- rious and fearful coming. For then he fhall come to judgment. His firft coming into this world, was to fuffer his painful pafilon, and to deliver mankind out of the bondage and dominion of the devil. But when he cometh again, he will come after another manner than he did the firft time : for he will come, with great power and might, with the hofc of heaven, with all the Angels of God, and fo fit as the Audit and Judge of all men. And this is moft certain that he will come, but v/e can- not telt when, or at what tim.e his coming fhall be. For the day of his coming is hidden from us, to the end that we fliould be ready at all times. Therefore I defire you, for God's fake, make you ready ; put not off your preparation. For feeing that we be certain that peril and danger fliall come upon UF, all they that be wife and godly will pre- pare themfelves, left they be taken fuddenly un- awares, or unready. And therefore I fay, this day is hidden from us, to the intent that we fhould be ever ready. For if we fhould know the day or the hour, at what time he would come, no doubt v/e Ihould be carelefs, we fliould take our pleafure as long as we might, till fuch time as we fliould depart. And therefore, left we fliould be made care- lefs, this day is hidden from us : fr.r the very An- gels of God themfelves knov/ not the hour or mo- ment of this great and fearful day. Neither did Cbrifl himfelf knov/ it as he was man, but as he is God he knoweth all things \ nothing can be hid from him, as he faiLh hinifelf ; " The lather fhew- *' eth me all things." Therefore his knowJedge is infinite, elfe he v/ere not very God. But as concerning his maniiood, he knew not that time, for he was a very natural man, fin excepted: therefore like as he was content to fuffer heat and cold, and to be weary and hungry; like as he was content to fufi-er fuch things, lb he was content, as concerning his manhood, to bei^no- N2S. Vol. II. Cc rant 658 Mafter LA'TlMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel rant of that day. He had perfect knowledge to do his father's commifTion, to inftru6l us, and to teach us in the way to heaven, but it was not his com- mifTion to tell us the hour of this day. Therefore he knew not this day, to tell us of it any thing, as concerning when it fliould be. For as far forth as ignorance is a painful thing unto man, fo far forth he was content to be ignorant, like as he did fuffer other things. I will rather fpend the time in exhorting you to make ready againft that day, and to prepare your- felves, than curioudy to recite or expound the figns thereof, which fhall be before this fearful day. " And there fhall be figns in the fun and in the " moon, ^c^ There be fome learned men which expound thefe tokens of the deftruftionof Jerufalem, but that is not the matter ; if they have gone be- fore the deftrudion of Jerufalem, then they have gone before the end of the world, and fo admonifh us to make us ready, and to leave fin, left we be taken with it. As touching the Jews, our Saviour Chrift wept over them, and threatned them what fliould come upon them, becaufe they defpifed him, and would not receive God's holy word, and leave their fins ; like as we do, which take cur own pleafure, care little for him or his word, we cannot fuffer when our faults are told us, we repine and grudge at it, like as the Jews did. Tlierefore our Saviour, knowing what fhould come upon tlicm, v.'ept over the City, prophefying that it fhould fo be deftroyed, that one ftone fhould not be left upon another; and ~fo it came to pafs according unto his word. For Titus, the fon of Vefpafian, who was Emperor at that time, deftroyed the City of Jerufalem utterly, about forty years after the death of our Saviour Chrift. But wherefore were they defbroyed ? becaufc they would not believe the fayings of our Saviour Chrill : for the firji Sunday in Advent, 659 Chrift : they would take their pleafures, they would follow their forefathers, (as our Papifts are wont to fay.) When they cannot defend themfelves with fcripture, then they will defend themfelves with the ignorance of their forefathers ; much like unto the Jews, which could not away with the dccStrme of our Saviour, becaufe of its difagreeing from the cufloms, and traditions of their forefathers. But what happened ? their deftrudion fell upon them before they perceived it, and deftroyed the moft part of them full miferably, God knoweth; and not only that, but as the ftory doth lliew, they that were left, and not brought to deftrudion, were fo vilely handled, and fo defpifed amongft all men, that thirty were fold for a penny ; and fo by thac means they were fcattered throughout all the world ; and in every country where they came, they were made flaves and tributaries, and fhall be fo till the end of the world. For the fcripture faith, " Je- *' rufalem Ihall be trodden under feet, till the « times of the * Gentiles be fulfilled." Where by this prophefy it is plainly fignified, that the Jews fhall never come together again, to mhabit Jerufalem and Jewry, and to bear rule there as they have done: for by 'thefe words, " it Ihall be trod- " den under feet," is fignified as much as, _ it ftiall be inhabited y, and be under the dominion of the Gentiles. Now which are Gentiles ? Anfwer, All the people in the whole world are Gentiles, be they whomfoever they will, except the Jews, all other are Gentiles : we Englifhmeii are Gentiles, fo are likewife the Frenchmen, Dutchmen, and other nations, are all Gentiles. Now the Prophet faith, that Jerufalem (hall not be inhabited, " till the times of the Gen- C c 2 " tiles * Properly, the inhabitants of all the nations of the earth, ex- cept the Hebrews, who were of old eftccmed to be the only chofen people of God. 66o Mafler LAl'IMEK's Sermon on theGofpel '' tiles be fuUilledi'* that is to fay, till all they are come into the world, which are appointed of God to come ; that is to fay, they fliall never come together again, till the end of the world. Wherefore ? be- caufe they were fo ftiff- necked that they would not be ruled by God's moft holy word, but defpifed it, and lived according unto their own fanfies and va- nities : like as we do now-adays the moll part of us. Therefore we may reckon that it fhall go with us one day as it went with them, which are now made out-cafts of the whole world ; every man defpifeth them, and regardeth them for nothing, for they have no dominion, no King, no Ruler, no Cities, nor policy. And though Jerufalem be builded again, yet the Jews fhall have it no more, they fhail never have dominion over it ; but the Gentiles fliall have it, it fliall be in their hands. And this is the meaning of this prophecy againll the Jews, and this God hath performed hitherto; for the Jews have many times attempted to build it again, yet for all that they were not able to bring it to pafs ; for God's word will not, nor cannot be falfified, for the wrath of God hangeth upon their heads, becaufe of their wickednefs, wherewith they have provoked God. Farther you muft underftand, that not only the Jews were at Jerufalem, but they were fcattered throughout all the world, in every country were fome •, and therefore they were not all dellroyed when Jerufalem was deftroyed-, but for all that they were curfed in the fight of God, fo that they fhould not inhabit any more that City. We read in hiilory, that in the days of the Em- peror -]' Adrian, the Jews gathered themfelves toge- ther •)- He was the faccclTor of Trajan. He came into Britain in perfon, and built a wall to L'cuvc the Remans from their enemies v and havino- kc tliij.irs in order, returned to Home, and on his coin intitlcii for the firjl Sunday in Adyent, 6$i ther out of all Cities, a wonderful number of men, all the Jews which could be gotten, to the intent that they might get Jerufalem again ; which Jerufa- lem was at that time in the Emperor's hands, and therefore they made great preparations to have it again : but what doth the Emperor, he gathered to- gether a great and ftrong hoft, and made war againft them, and in the end fcattered them : fo that they were without any hope afterward to recover that City again : after which things, the Emperor made a proclamation, that not one Jew fliould come into the City, neither to buy or to fell ; yea, and farther- more, to the intent that they fhould be without any hope of recovery, he changed the name of the City, and called it EHa. bo that by this hillory it moft manifeftly appeareth, that the word of God cannot be faifified by any man's power or cunnino-: for though they had a ftrong and mighty hoft, yet for all that, God, who is the ruler of all thino-s, confounded them, fo that they could bring nothino- to pafs after their minds, as they v/ould have it, but rather were banifhed farther from the City : for thev were in worfe cafe after this fighting, than they had been before ; for they had accefs unto the City be- fore, which liberty afterward they loft. After this, in % Julian the Emperor's time, which Emperor was an Apoftate, for he had been a Chrif- tian, intitled himfelf The Restorer of Britain. The rampart or wall juft mentioned was eighty miles in length, and ran quite crois the country from eaft to weft. He reigned twenty years, and died of a dropCy, being fixty two years old, in the year of Chiifr one hundred thirty nine. He was a lover of learning and leanied men, and delighted much in poetry. X This Julian was Emperor of Rome. He was educated and brought up in the Chrillian faith from his youth ; but afterward he fell from the faith, and denied Jefus Chrill: his Saviour and Re- deemer. From his enmity to Chrillianity and its profelTors, he was lliledorfirnamed The Apostate. Heisfaid by Gregory Nazi- anzen, who has wrote an invedive Oration upon him, wherein he lets 662 Mafler LAl'IMEK's Sermon on theGofpd tian, and after he came to be Emperor, he forfook the Chriftian faith, and all goodnefs and godlinefs ; and not only that, but he did all that he could to vanquifh and pull down Chrift's true religion, and therefore he went about to fet up the Jews again, and gave them liberty to gather themfelves together, and to return again to Jerufalem : and not only gave them this liberty, but alio he holp them with all manner of things, that they might bring to pafs their purpofe : and fo upon that the Jews gathered themfelves together with an infinite num.ber of peo- ple, and went to Jerufalem, and fo began to make prepiiration for the building of the Temple, and fo finally laid the foundation. The hillory faith that this hoft of the Jews was a wonderful rich hoft, tor their mattocs and fpades, and the other inftruments which they occupied about the building of the Temple, were all made of fine filver. So thefe Jews had the Emperor's favour, his aid and help ; they were rich, and able to fet up their kingdom again, and fo to falfiiy the word of God, after man's reafon : for they lacked no worldly things. But what think you did God ? when he faw that no man would withitand them, to verify the word, he fendeth a wind, a ftrong hurling wind, which blev/ away all their provifions which were made by them ior the building of the Temple, all the fand and f-ts him forth in his proper colours, to be a fcnxre perfccrtor of the Chriilians, and an iiivrt.'ratc enemy of that great and funda- incn;al article of the Chriliian religion, the rclurrc(::tion of the fame body; to ridicule which, he would put the Chriilians to death, bum their bodies, and fcatter their afhes before the wind, to ren- der, as he vainly thought, the inipoiribility of the doftrine. In his v/ais againft the Perfians, receiving a deadly wound, he threw an handful of his Llood into the air, and cried " VicijU CaaLce, Ga- '• lilean, thou haft vr.nijuini'd me ;" for fo he termed Chvift — Se-ting afide his great enmity to Chriiiianity, he was in ether re- fpect?, fay the HiJlorinns of that time, one of the bravert, wifcll, bL-ll, and moil Icarr.cd of the Roman Emperors. for the fir Jl Sunday in Advent. 663 and mortar, and fuch like things, which men ufe in fuch buildings, and after that there came fuch an earthquake, that they were almoll out of their wits. And this was not enough, but there came alfo fire, and burned up all their works, and fo finally they were fcattered again one from another. So by thefe hiftories it manifeftly appeareth, that no man's power is able to ftand againft God, or difappoint him of his purpofes : for Chrift our Savi- our hath told them, that they fhould never come to their rule again. And fo his words are verified unto this day, and fliall be ftill to the v/orld's end : for he faith, " Heaven and earth fhall perifh, but " my word fliall endure for ever.'* A man would think, that there is nothing fo durable as heaven and earth is, yet for all that, they fhall rather perifli, than that the word of God fhould be falfined. And this appeared in the Jews, which though they had the aid and help of this great Emperor, and the mighty power of this world, yet for all that they brought nothing to pafs at all, for God was able to confound them ; and fo no doubt he v/ill confound all his enemies at his good pleafure : for he is as able to verify his word now, as he was then. I would have you to confider well the caufes where- fore they were call away from God, and were made a mocking- ftock unto the whole world. Wherefore I fay.? Truly for iheir wicked and finful lives. See- ing then that they were caft out of their land, it fhall be meet for us to take heed, for without doubt this is written for our inftrudion, to give us warning, as the Epiftle which is read this day exhorteth us. Now God hath fulfilled his Word as touching the deRrudion of Jerufalem, he hath made true his word of wrath, think ye not that he will fulfil his v/ord of mercy too ? Yes, no doubt, ye may be fure of it, that he which promifcth that if vve believe in Chrift, we fliall be faved, he will as well execute and 664 Mafier LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Qofpet and bring to pafs that word, as he hath brought to pafs the word of his wrath and indignation over the Jews. The Temple which was at Jerufalem, was called the Temple of God, the people were God*s people, but when they would not come unto him, and live according as he would have them to live, he cafb them away, and utterly deflroyed their dominions and kingdoms, and made them flaves and bondmen for ever. And no doubt this is written for our inftrudVion and warning, that if we follow them in their wick- ednefs, defpife God's word, regard it as nothing, but live rather according to our own fanfies and appetites, than after his word, no doubt we fhall receive like revvaid with them. And though God tarry long, yet it fhail be to our greater deftruftion \ for his long forbearance, and long tarrying for our amendment, fhall increafe, augment, and make greater our punifhment and damnation. But if we will leave fm and wickednefs, and ftudy to live ac- cording unto his will and commandments, no doubt he will fulfil his promifes which he hath made unto us of everlafting lile ; for we have his vvarrant in Icripture, therefore we ought not to doubt of it: for thus he faith, " So entirely hath God loved *' the world, that he hath fent his only begotten " fon, to the end that all that believe in him Ihould *' not periih, but have everlafting life." This is now a very comfortable thing, and a great promife, which God maketh unto the whole world. And no doubt he is as able to fulfil that promife of grace, as he was able to fulfil his wrathful word againfl the Jews. So likewife he laith, *' As truly *' as I live, faith the Lord God, I will not the death *' of a fmner, but rather that he fliail turn and live.'* It is not his pleafure that we be damned, therefore he fwcarcth an oath : we ought to believe him without an oath, yet to futisfy our minds, and to the intent that for the fecond Sunday in Advent. 665 that we fliould believe him, and be the better af- fured of his good will towards us, he fweareth an oath. Now therefore, if we will follow him and leave our wicked living, convert and turn ourfelves unto him, be heartily forry for that which is pad, and intend to amend our life now forward ; if we do fo, no doubt we fhall live with him everlaftingly, world without end. Therefore let every one of us enter into his own heart, and where he findeth that he hath been a wicked man, an ireful man, a covetous and flothful man, let him repent and be forry for it. And make a good purpofe to leave that fin wherein he hath lived before. Let us not do as the Jews did which were fliff-necked, they would not leave their fins, they had a pleafure in fin, they would follow their own traditions, refufing the word of God : therefore their deftrudlion came worthily upon them. And therefore, I fay, let us not follow them, left we receive fuch a reward as they had, left ever- lafting deftrudtion come upon us, and fo we be caft out of the favour of God, and finally loft world without end. " And there fhall be figns in the fun, and in " the moon, and in the ftars, and in the earth.'* There are fome which think that there fliall be great eclipfes, againft the courfe of nature ; and ye know that there hath been ftrange things feen in the ele- ment divers tiipes : fometimes men have feen a ring about the fun •, fometimes there hath been feen three fijns at once, and fuch like things hath been feen in times paft ; which no doubt fignifieth that this fear- ful day is not far ofi\, in which Chrift will come with his heavenly hoft, to judge and reward every one of us, according unto his deferts. " And the people fiiall be at their wits end through " defpair :" Men fhall be wondrous fearful, they ftiall pine away for fear j and no doubt they fhall be good N-' 28. Vol. II. D d men. 666 Mapr LATlMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel men, which fhall be thus troubled, with fuch fear of this day, for you know the worldHngs they care not for that day; yea, they will fcarce believe thac there fhall be fuch a day, that there fhall be ano- ther world, or at leafhwife they would not wifh that there fhould be another world ; therefore they Ihall be godJy men which fhall be fo ufed to be tokens unto the world. And no doubt there hath been here in England many already, which have been lb vexed and turmoiled with fuch fear. That fame Mafter Bilney which was burnt here in England for God's word fake, was induced and perfuaded by his friends to bear a faggot, at that time when the * Cardinal was aloft and bore the fwing. Now * Mafter Latimer means here Thomas Wolfey. He was the fon of a Butcher at Jprwich, where he was born in the year 1471. He was fent fo early to Oxford, that he commenced Batchelor of Arts at fourteen years of age, and was from thence called The Boy Batchelor. Soon after he was eleAed Fellow of Magdalen College, and when Mafter of Arts had the care of the School ad- joining to that College committed to him. Being charged with the education of the Marquifs of Dorfet's three Ions, his Lordlhip prefented Wolfey to the Redory of Lymington in Somerfetlhire, on the tenth of Odober, in the year 1 500 He had not long re- lided at his living, before Sir A my as Powlet, a Juftice of Peace, put him in the ftocks for being drunk, as is faid, and raifmg dif- turbances at a Fair in the neighbourhood. By the recommenda- tion of Sir John Nafant he was made one of the King's Chaplains. In the year i 506, he was inftituted to the kedlory of Bedgrave in the diocefe of Norwich ; having then, befides the Reflory of Ly- mington, the Vicaridge of Lyde in Kent. Whilft he was King's Chaplain, he infinuaced himielf into the favour of Fox Biftiop of Winchefter, and of Sir Thomas Lovel ; who recommended him to the King as a fit perlbn to be employed in negotiating the marriage between Henry the Seventh and Margaret Dutchefs of Savoy. He was difpatched to the Emperor her father, and return- ed with fuch fpeed, that the King feeing him fuppofed he had not been gone. Having reported hi^s embafiy, he was made Dean of Lincoln, and a Prebendary in that church, in the year i 508 Jn thefe circumftances Wolfey was when he was introduced at Court by Biftiop Fox after Henry the Seventh's death. Lord Herbert remarks of iiim, that he was never contented with eftates or ho- Qoars. for the fecond Sunday in Advent. 667 Now when that fame Bilney came to Cambridge again, a whole year after he was in fuch anguifh and agony, that nothing did him good, neither eating nor drinking, nor any other communication of God*s word, for he thought that all the whole fcriptures D d 2 were nours. He neglefted no opportunity of ingratiating himfelf into the favour of the young King. Folydore Virgil fays, Wolfey danced, fung, laughed and pla^»ed with the young Courtiers who were moll in favour, and lie carried his coni;Iaifance fo far as to lend the King his houie for his moil fecret pleafures. By thefe arts, and his great knowledge in flate- affairs, in the year 15 13 he became Prime IVliniiler, and the King committed to him the di- redion of the iupplies and provisions to be made for the army; and by degrees he v/as intrulled with the care and condudl of the King's principal affairs. This foon rendered Wolfey haughty, proud, in- folent and ungrateful. In the following year he was made Bifliop of Lincoln ; the King demanded for him the vacant fee of the Pope, who had ingroffed the collations of all the fees, by antici- pated refer vatjons. Soon after the Pope gave Wolfey the Biilioprick of Tournay ; and to fecure him in his interefts, he fent him a fword and a hat, confecrated on Chrillmas day, which the Popes were wont CO prefent to Princes or Generals who had obtained fome fig- nal vidtory over the enemies of the church. Jn the year 1518, the Pope gave him the Bifhoprick of Bath and Wells ; and in .1523 he procured for himfelf the Biflioprick of Durham, one of 5:he richell in the kingdom, in lieu of Bath and Wells, which he was willing to reiign. He v/as alfo at this time the Pope's l,egate, and though Campejus at firfl was joined with him in the Legate- {hip, yet he managed matters fo well with the Pope, that he pro- cured himfelf to be conllituted fole Legate, and got Campejus recalled. He obtained this power, as Folydore Virgil fays, by de- faming to the Pope all the Clergy of England. By virtue of which commiffion he vvas impowered tofummon the Archhifhop of Can- terbury, and all other Biiliops within the King's dominions, to af- femble at his Convocation. He might fuperintend and corredl what he thought irregular within their jurifdi6lions ; appoint all officers in the fpiritual courts, and prefent to all ccclefiaftical bene- fices ; conftitute IVlailers of Faculties, and Matters of Ceremonies, to advance his dii^nity ; and exercile a vifitatorial power over Mo- naflerics and Colleges, and all the Clergy, exempt and not exempt. The Cardinal intended to vifit all the Monalleries \<\ England, that difcovering their corruptions he might the better jullifv che defign he had to fupprefs moft of them, and convert them into Bifhopricks, Cathedrals, and Collegiate Churches and Colleges ; but was divert- ed from his def.gn. However, Wolfey led the v.'ay to the total fuppreiiion 6^8 Mafier LAJ'lMER's Sermon on the Gofpel were againft him, and founded to his condemnation. So that I many a time communed with him, for I was familiarly acquainted with him, but all things whatfoever any man could alledge to his comfort, feemed unto him to make againft him : yet for all that, afterv/ards he came again, God indued him with fuch ftrengiih and perfedlnefs of faith, that he not only confefled his faith, the gofpel of our Savi- our Jefus Chrift, but alfo fuffered his body to be burnt for that fame gofpel's fake, which we now preach in England. Martin fuppreffion of them that afterwards followed. He had been made Aichbifhopof York on the death of Cardinal Bambridge, which happened in the year 1514. From his rife in the year 15 13 to the year 1530 the Cardinal amafled great riches, and it was in this year that Henry began to pluck his feathers. The King took from him the revenues of the See of Winchefter and Abbey of St Alban's. He was ordered to leave the Court, and retire to York : but whilfl: he was preparing to enjoy in his Archbifhopi ick the fmall remains of his authority, which he imagined would be ftill left him, he was arretted by the Earl of Northumberland for High Treafon. Whereupon he fet forward by eafy journies for Lon- don, extreamly concerned to think he was going to appear as a Criminal in ihat City, where he had before commanded with al- mofl a fovereign authority. In his way, he ftaid a fortnight at the Earl of Shrewsbury's at Sheffield-Park, where he was taken ill one day at dirner. Cavendifh, fpeaking of the efFefts of his diitem- per, fays, it was apparent he had poifoned himfelf. With much ado, being hardly able to fit his horfe, he got to Leicefter- Abbey, where, upon their coming out to receive him, he faid, " Father ** Abbot, I am come to lay my bones among you," Here he ended his days, on the twenty eighth of November, 1750. He is faid to have behaved mighty well during the time he was in the North after his difgrace, and to have become very popular. As no Man did ever rile with fewer virtues, fo few that ever fell from fo high a place had lefTer crimes objedled againft them. He is faid to have left two natural fons behind him, whereof one, call- ed Winter, was loaded with church preferments. He had projeft- ed great things, and even be?un fome of them : for befides his two Colleges, the Cardinal had founded in the Univerfity of Ox- ford LecStures for Divinity, Civil Law, Medicine, Philofophy, Ma- thematics, Greek and Rhetoric. But King Henry feized all the Cardinal's cfFcds, refounded his Colleges, and thus robbed the Cardinal of all the honour which in juftice belonged to him. for the fecond Sunday in Advent. 669 Martin Luther * that wonderful inftrument of Cod, through whom God hath opened the light of his holy word unto the world, which was a long time hid in the corners, and negleded ; he writeth of himfelf, that he hath been fometimes in fuch an agony of the fpirit, that he felt nothing but trem- bling and fearfulnefs. And I myfelf know two or three at this prefent hour which be in this cafe. But as concerning the ungodly, they fay, all things are well with them, they care for no more but for this world. Like as in the flood time, they were carelefs at all, they thought all things were very fure, till at fuch time when the flood fell upon their heads. And fo it is at this time with the un- godly * He firft appeared in favour of the Reformation of Religion, in the year 15 17. He was an Auguftine Friar and Profeflbr of Divinity in the new Univerfity of Wirtemberg. He began with publishing fome fatyrical remarks on tlie papal cuftom of granting Indulgencies. This drew on him many enemies ; but he with great courage continued to undeceive the public, and to demon- ftrate, that this pretended power of the Pope had no foundation in the holy fcriptures. Pope Leo the Tenth was fo offended at ho- neft Luther's writings, that his Holinefs by an exprefs Bull forbad the reading of his works. But Wolfey after this obtained of the Pope, a Brief tolerating fuch only to read them, as did it with a pure intent to confute them. Hereupon King Henry the Eighth wrote a book concerning the Seven Sacraments, in anfwer to Lu- ther, which fo greatly pleafed Leo, that he conferred on Henry the glorious title of Defender of the Faith, which the Kings of England have taken ever fince. The doftrines of Luther foon ob- tained among feveral of the German Princes, who protefting a- gainft the errors of the church of Rome, and at the fame time un- dertaking to defend him and his principles, the zealots for the Re- formation obtained the name of Protestants. Luther taught, rhat Indulgencies are nnfcriptural ; the Invocation of Saints unne- cefTary ; the Worfhip of Images idolatrous and idle ; the do£b-ine of Free-will ridiculous. He utterly denied the Supremacy ynd In- fallibility of the Pope ; and demonftrated the abfurdity of Fxcom- munication. In moft other points he agreed with the Roman ca- tholics. Lutheranifm is entirely embraced throughout Denmark and Norway ; and prevails greatly in Swedeland and Germany; efpeciallyin the Eledorates of Saxony, Brandenburg and Hanover. 6yo Majler LA^JMER's Sermon on the Go/pel godly too, they care not for this day of judgment, it grieveth them not, till it fall upon their heads. It is faid in fcripture that God " leadeth into hell, *' and bringeth up again :" and fo it is with fuch fearful men ; for God doth caft them into hell, he hideth himfelf from them, but at length he bring- eth them out again, and eftablilheth them with a conftant faith, fo that they may be fure of their falvation and everlaf^ing life. I knew once a woman, that was feventeen years in fuch an extafy and fear, but at length Ihe recovered again, and God indued her with a ftrong and ftedfafl faith in the end. Therefore no doubt thefe be warnings wherewith the almighty God warneth us to make ready againft that horrible and fearful day, which day no doubt is not far off. For the world was ordained of God to endure, as fcripture and all learned men agree, fix thoufand years : Now of this number are gone five thoufand five hundred fifty two, fo that there is left only four hundred forty eight ; and this is but a little time, and yet this time fliall be fhortened as Scripture plainly witnefleth, for the ele6ts fake. So that perad venture it may come in my days, as old as I am ; or in our childrens days. Therefore let us btgin to itrive and fight betimes with fin, let us not fet all our hearts and minds upon this world, for no doubt this day whenfoever it fhall come, will be wondrous fearful unto all mankind, ^nd efpecially unto the wicked. There will be great alterations at that day, there will be hurly burly, like as ye fee in a man when he dieth ; what deformity appeareth, how he ftretcheth out all his members, what a winding is there, fo that all his body Cometh out of frame ? fo will it be at this fearful and horrible day, there will be fuch altera- tions of the earth, and the element, they will lofe their former nature, and be endued with another nature. ** An4 for the fecond Sunday in Advent. 6yi "• And then Ihall they fee the Ion of man come " in a cloud with power and great glory.'* Cer- tain it is, that he fliall come to judge, but we can- not tell the time when he will come : therefore fee- ing that he will come, let us make ready, left he find us unprepared. And take this for a-rule, that as he findeth us, fo he Ihall judge us. St Paul to the Theflalonians, when he fpeaketh of the refur- redion of the good, faith, " That at the fame day *' the trumpet fhall blow, and all fliall rife which •* died fince the world began ; then they that fhall *' be found alive upon the earth fliall be changed *' fuddenly, and fhall be rapt up into the air, and " fo meet Chrift our Saviour." AH thofe, I fay, that be content to ftrive and fight with fin, that will not be ruled by fin. Thefe ihall in fuch wife be taken up in the air and meet with Chrift, and fo fhall come down with him again. Bui! as for the other fort, which be wicked, and have a delight in wickednefs, and will not leave it, but rather go for- ward in all mifchief; they fh-U be left upon the earth with the devils, until they be judged : and after that they have received their fentence, they fhall go to heil with the devil, and all his angels, and there be punifhed for their fins in hell- fire, world without end ; for it is written, " Their worm " dieth not." " The fun fhall be darkened, and the moon fhall ** not give her light-," ye fhall not take thefe words fo, as though the fun and moon fiiould be obfcured or darkened, their light being taken from them. But it is to be underftood, that through the brightnefs of his glory they fhall be obfcured and darkened. The fun no doubt will fhine, but her light fhall not be feen, becaufe of the brightnefs of his glory ; like as when ye fet a burning candle in the fun, the can- dle burneth indeed, but her light is not feen, be- caufe of the brightnefs of the fun. So it will be at that 672 Mapr L A^IMEK's Sermon on the Gofpet that time with the fun, for though flie be the bright- eft and deareft creature above all others, yet for all that, Chrift with his glory and majefty will obfcure her; for his light that he fhall bring with him, Ihall be fo bright, that the other (hall not be feen. And this his coming fhall be wonderful comfortable and joyful unto them which are prepared or chofen to everlafting life : unto them, I fay, that be con- tent to leave their fins and wicked nefs in this world, and live conformably to God and his holy word j which are not proud or ftout, nor covetous, or whoremongers ; or if they have been fo, they will leave it, and do no more fo, and are lorry for it from the bottom of their hearts. Alfo all they thkt forfake all manner of falfhood, of flothfulnefs, and all manner of vices ; as glut- tony, letchery, fwearing, and all that are content to wreftle with fin -, they, I fay, fhall rejoice at that time and be merry beyond all meafure. And this is the thing wherefore all godly and faithful people pray in this petition, " Thy kingdom come :" they defire of God the almighty, that his kingdom, that is to fay, the laft day may come, that they may be once delivered from their fins, and live with him everlaftingly world without end. As for the other part, this fhall be a heavy and fearful coming unto them, that intend not to leave their fins and wickednefs, but rather will take their pleafure here in this world ; it fliall be a heinous fentence unto them, when he Ihall fay unto them, " Go, ye curfed, into everlafting fire, which is pre- *' pared for the devil and all his angels ;" get you hence from me, for ye might have been faved, but ye would not*, ye defpifed my words and command- ments, ye regarded more your own pleafure, than that which I had commanded you. Hence there- fore, get you hence to the devil and all his angels, after for the fecond Sunday in Advent. 6yi after whofe will and commandments ye have lived, his reward therefore ye fliall have. Of fuch manner Chrift our Saviour will talk with the ungodly, and in the end fend them to everlaft- ing damnation. And this fhall be an heavy burden for them : and though they can cloke and hide their fins in this world, yet for all that God will open their wickednefs and filthy living at that day, when all the v/orld fhall know it, and when they fhall not be able to hide themfelves or their fins. This day will be like unto a Parliament : ye know when things be amifs in a realm, or out of order, all they that be good-hearted, that love godlinefs, they wiih for a Parliament : thefe would fain have that all the Rulers of the realm fhould come toge- ther, and bring all things in good order again. For ye know that Parliaments are kept only for this purpofe, that things which be amifs may be amended : and fo it will be at this lafl: day, at this general Parliament, where God himfelf with all his heavenly power will be prefent, and overfee all things, and hear all caufes, fo that nothing fhall efcape him : for then all thofe things v/hich the devil hath brought out of order, they fhall be amended -, and the devil fhall not be able afterward to corrupt them any far- ther-, but all things fhall be well for ever. Let us therefore ever have in frefh remembrance this day, that it will be an heavy day unto them that be wick- ed : and again, a joyful pleailmt day unto them that have no delight in wickednefs. Therefore Chrift faith , " When ye fee thefe " things, then hold up your head •," that is to fay, be merry and rejoice, tor ye know when we be merrily difpofed, we hold up our heads, and laugh. So Chrift biddeth us to hold up our heads, that is to fay, to be merry, " for our redemption is come *' near." So Chrift comforteth us, and maketh us N<>XXIX. Vol. II. Ec to '674 M^fler LAfJMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel to hold up our heads for our redemption is come nearer than it was before. What ? hath he not redeemed us before by his death and paffion? How chanceth it then, that our redemption is come neaver ? Truly Chrifl: rede 'Tied us before indeed by his death and pafTion : yet it appeareth not unto us who it is that fhall be faved or damned, for we fee the good and the bad bear both the name of Chriftians : good and bad, faith- ful and unfaithful, are baptized in the name of Chrifl : fo likewife they go to the communion ; fo that there is no great difference here in this world, between the eled; and the reprobate : for the very unfaithful give alms, and do fuch outward adts which feem unto us to be good, And to be done with a good heart, when it is notliing lefs. So that I fay, we cannot tell, as long as we be here in this world, which be eled and which not ; but at the laft day,, then it fhall appear who is he that fhall be faved ; and again, who fliall be damned. And therefore Chrifl faith, our redemption drav/eth near, that is to lliy, it ill ill appear unto the whole world that we are the children of God. Therefore his coming will be a glad and joyful coming unto the faithful, for they fhall be the chil- dren of God, they fliall be delivered and rid out of all miferies and calamities. But the unfaithful fhall fall to defperation at that day : they that take their pleafures here, they that remember not this day, they fhall be condemned with the irrevocable and unchangeable judgment of God. And they fhall not need any man of law, to go about to defend or difcern their caufes. No, no ; the men of law fliall not be troubled at that day in defending other mens caufes, but rather they themfeives fhall be called to make an account for their doings, and there they fhall be judged, fo that they fliall not be able to fpeak any thing againfl it, for their own hearts and confciences fbr the feconi Sunday in ASromt, €y^ confciences fliall and will condemn theni. And though this great and general day come not in our time, yet let us confider that we iliall die, and that we have but a fliort time to live here in this world. And as we die Co fhall we rife again. If we die in the flate of damnation, we Ihall rife in that fame ftate again j if we die in the (late of falvation, we fhall rife again in that fame eftate, and come to everlafting felicity, both foul and body. For if we die now in the ftate of falvation, then at the laft general day of judgment we fhall hear this joyful fentence, proceeding out of the mouth of our Saviour Chrift, when he fliall fay, " Come, ye bleffcd of " my father, poflefs that kingdom which is prepared *' for you from the beginning of the world." And though we have much mifery here in this world, though it goes hard with us, though we muft bite on the bridle, yet for all that, we muft be content, for we fliall be fure of our deliverance, we fhall be fure that our falvation is not far off". And no doubt they that will wreftle with fm, and ftrive and fight with it, they fliall have the afliftance of God, he will help them, he will not forfake them, he will ftrengthen them, fo that they fliall be able to live uprightly, and though they will not be able to fulfil the law of God to the uttermoft, yet for all that, God will take their doings in good part, for Chrift his Son's fake, in whofe name all faithful people do their good works, and fo for his fake they be ac- ceptable unto God, and in the end they fliall be de- livered out of all their miferies and troubles, and come to the blifs of everlafting joy and felicity. I pray God, that we may be of the number of thofe, which fliall hear this joyful and nioft com- fortable voice of Chrift our Saviour when he will fay, " Come, ye blefled of my father, poflefs ye the *'• kingdom which was prepared for you before the *' foundations of the world were laid." There be a E e 2 gi'cat 676 Mapf LATlMEK's Sermon on the Gofpel great number amongft the Chriftian people, which in the Lord*s prayer, when they pray, " Thy king- ** dom come," pray that this day may come j but yet, for all that, they are drowned in the world, they fay the words with their lips, but they cannot tell what is the meaning of it •, they fpeak it only with their tongue: which faying indeed is to no purpofe. But that man or woman that faith thefe words, " Thy kingdom come," with a faithful heart, no doubt he defireth in very deed that God will come to judgment, and amend all things in this world, and to pull down Satan that old ferpent under our feet. But there be great numbers of us which are not ready. Some have lived in this world fifty years, fome fixty, but yet for all that they be nothing pre- pared towards his coming; they always think he will not come yet : but I- tell you, that though his general coming be not yet, yet for all that he will come one day, and take us out of this world : and, no doubt, as he findeth us, fo we fhall have; if he find us ready, and in the ftate of falvation, no doubt we fliall be faved for ever, world without end. Again, if he find us in the ftate of damnation, we fhall be damned world without end, there is no remedy, after we be once paft this world : no pe- nance will help then, nor nothing that man is able to do for us. Therefore it is meet for every one of us to take heed betimes : let us not tarry too long with our amendment, left peradventure we fhall come too ftiort, for no doubt we fhall be rewarded according to our deferts. But there be fome (and hath been a great number of us) which have rrufted in MaiTes and Pilgrimages, jn fctting up Candles, andfuch like foolifhnefs i but I tell you, all this gear will not help, it is to no pur- pofe : for if all the Maftes which were faid in all Chriftendom fince the Mafs began, if all thefe MaiTes, J for the Jecond Sunday in Adveti t, Cyy I fay, were beftowed upon one man to bring him out of tiie ftate damnation, it were all to no purpofe, and to no effeft. Therefore let us not put our hope and truft in fuch fooleries, for if we do, no doubt we fhall deceive ourfelves. Again, there be fome people which defer and delay their amendment of hfe, till fuch time as they fhall die, then they take in hand to leave fin, when they are not able to commit any more; they will take their pleafures as long as they are able, they think it time enough to repent at the lafl hour, when they lliall depart, and forfake this world. Such people do very naughtily, and no doubt they are in a dangerous ftate : for they are not fure • whether they fhall have at that fame laft time grace or not, to repent and be forry for their fins. Per- adventure their hearts fliall be fo hardned in fin and wickednefs, that they fliall not be able to repent, or be forry for their faults. Therefore the beft and fureft way is to repent betimes, while we have time, and to be forry for our wickednefs, and to take an earneft mind and purpofe to leave fin : if we do fo, then no doubt we fliall be taken up with Chrift, and dwell with him in heaven everlaftingly, in great ho- nour and glory, where we fhall have fuch " joy,which " no tongue can exprefs, no eye hath feen, nor ear " hath heard the ineftimable felicities and treafures " which God hath laid up for his faithful." And like as our pleafure and joy fhall be inefti- mable if we repent betimes, and leave our fins : fo likewife the pains of them that will not leave fin, but ever go forward in the fame, fhall be inefti- mable and intolerable, and yet they fliall bear them. Therefore let every man take heed how he fpend- eth his time, how he taketh his pleafure in this world, for like as the general great day fliall be un- certain, fo alfo our particular day, when we fhall iiepart this world, fliall be uncertain 5 peradven- ture 6yS Mafler L AflMEK*s Sermon on the Gofpel ture fome of us lliall die to morrow or the next day, therefore it fhall be meet and neceffary for us to make ready, Jeft we be taken fuddenly una- vares. " And then fhall they fee the fon of man in a '^* cloud with power and great glory." St Paul to the Theflalonians fetteth out the coming of Chrift and our refurrecStion, but he fpeaketh in the fame place only of the rifmg of the good and faithful that fball be faved. But the holy fcripture in other places witnefles, that the wicked fhall rife too, and ihall receive their fentence of Chrift, and fo go to hell, where they Ihall be punifhed world without end. Now St Paul's words be thefe ; *' This fay we *' unto you in the word of the Lord : that we which " fhall live and fhall remain at the coming of the *' Lord, fhall not prevent them which fleep. For ** the Lord himfelf fliall defcend with a fhout, and " the voice of the Archangel and Trump of God, *' and the dead in Chrift fhall arife firft : then we " which fhall live, even we which ftiall remain, *' fhall be caught up with them alfo in the clouds *' to meet the Lord in the air ; and fo ftiall we *' ever be with the Lord;" wherefore comfort your- felves one another with thefe words. By thefe words of St Paul, it appeareth, that they which died in the beginning of the world fhall as foon be faved by Chrift, as they which fhall be alive here at the time of his coming. I would have you to note well the manner of fpeaking which St Paul ufeth: he fpeaketh like as if the laft day fhould have been come in . his time. Now if St Paul thought that this day fhould have been come in his time, how much more fhall we think that it fliall be in our time ? For no doubt he will come, and it is not long thereunto ; as it appeareth by all fcriptures which make mention of this day.: it will come for the fecond Sunday in Advent, 679 come, but it fhall come fuddenly, unawares, as a Thief in the night. For a Thief when he intendeth a robbery, to rob a man's houfe, to break up his chefts, and take away his goods, he giveth him not warning, he letteth not the good man of the houfe know at what time he intendeth to come, but ra^ ther he intendeth to fpy fuch a time, that no man fhall beware of him. So no doubt this laft day will come one day fuddenly upon our heads, before we be av/are of it ; like as the fire fell down from hea- ven upon the Sodomites unlooked for •, they thought that all things were well, therefore they took their pleafures, till fuch time the fire fell down from hea- ven and burned them up all, with all their fubftance and goods. So likewife as it happened unto the firft world, which would not amend their lives, but followed their carnal lufls and appetites, God fent the flood upon their heads, and fo dcftroyed them all toge- ther. Therefore let us take heed lell this great day- do fall upon us, like as the flood and fire fell upon the world, and upon the Sodomites. St Jerome, that holy man, writeth in a place, that he ever thought he heard this Trumpet of God and the Archangel blow. I could wifh that we would follow the example ot Jerome in that point, that we would be fo fearful left this day come upon us un- awares *. "And * The good Billiop here jufUy laments the backwardnefs of moft people to prepare their.ielves for the coming of Clirift, or for a future ftrte Jt is ah-noR irnpofni)le, as the cafe now ftands, for the generality to prepare themfelvcs as they ought to do for their latter end ; fince it may be obferved, that cuilom and prac- tice have introduced into fociety certain uiages diametrically op- pofite to the purity of the goi'pel : for from the cradle to the cof- fin, life is one continual round of Youth, FoWy, Eufinefs, Plea- fure, Luxury, Difeafe, Debauchery and Infirmity ; all which, in their own natures, ellrange the mind from Repentance, andfiom a due and canieft fcarch after heaven, and its enjoyments. 68o Mafter LA'TlMEK's Sermon on theGofpel " And he Ihewed them a fimilitude. Behold the *' fig-tree and all the trees, when they fhoot forth " their buds, ye fee and know of your ownfelves " that fummer is then near at hand. So when ye *' fee the tokens which fhall go before this fearful *' day, it is time to make ready." But here a man might alk a queftion, faying, I pray you wherein ftandeth this preparation ? How fhall I make me ready ? About this matter hath been great ftrife, for there hath been an infinite number, and there be fome yet at this time, which think, that this readinefs ftandeth in Mafles, in fctting up Candles, in going on Pilgrimage, and fuch like things •, they thought to be made ready towards that day, and fo to be made worthy to ftand before the fon of man, that is, before our Saviour Chrift. But 1 tell you, this was not the right way to make ready, Chrill our Saviour he flieweth us how we fhall make ready curfelves, fiying, " Take heed to yourfelves leit " at any time your hearts be overcome with fur- " feiting, and drunkennefs, and cares of this world, *« and fo this day come upon you unawares: for " as a fnare fhall it come upon all them that dwell '^ upon the face of the whole world. Watch ye " therefore continually and pray, that ye may e- " fcape all thofe things that lliall come : and that •' you may ftand before the fon of man.'* Here Chrift fheweth wherein this preparation ftandeth; namely, in keeping ourfelves from fuperfluous eat- ing and drinking, and in watching and praying. For how Cometh it to pafs that the whole world is fo de- ceitful and falfe? Becaufe every man would fain tare well, every one lovethtohave good meat and drink, and to go gaily. And when they have not where- with to get fuch things, then they fall to picking and ftealing, and fo deceive their neighbours. But our Saviour giveth us warning that we fhall eat and drink meafurably, and foberly, every one according to his eftate and degree. Farther, we ought not to for the fecond Sunday in Advent. 6%i to be careful for this life, we fhould labour and do our bufinefs diligently, every one in that eftate in -which God hath fee him, and let us truft in God, who no doubt will fend us increafe of our labour. Therefore Chrift addeth, faying: '' Watch and " pray :" as who Ihouid fay, be ever in readinefs, left ye be taken unawares : but thofe fluggards which fpend their time vainly in eating and drink- ing, and deeping, they pleafe not God, for he com- mandeth us to watch, to be mindful, to take heed to ourfelves, left the devil, or the world, or our own flefti, get the vidory over us. We are allowed to take our natural fleep, for it is as necelTary for us as our meat and drink, and we pleafe God as well in that as we pleafe him when we take our food. But we muft take heed, that we do it according as he hath appointed us -, for like as he hath not or- dained meat and drink to the end that we ftiould play the glutton therewith, lb hkewife deep is not ordained, that we fhould give ourfelves to lluggifti- nefs, or over- much fleeping •, for no doubt when we do fo, we fhall difpleafe God moft highly. For Chrift faith not in vain, " Watch and pray." He would have us to be watchers, to have at all times in remembrance his coming, and to give ourfelves to prayer, to the end that we may be able to ftand before him at this great and fearful day. Meaning, that we fhould not truft in ourfelves but call upon God, faying. Lord God almighty, thou haft pro- mifed to come and judge the quick and dead -, we befeech thee give us thy grace and holy Ghoft, that we may live fo according unto thy holy com- mandments, that when thou comeft, thou haft not caufe to beftow thy fearful anger, but rather thy loving kindnefs and mercy upon us. So likewife when we go to bed, we fhould de- fire God that we deep not in the deep of dn and N*^ 29. Vol. II. F f wick- 682 Mafter LAi'IMEK's Sermon on the Gofpet "wickednefs, but rather that we may leave them, and follow his will and pleafure ; that we be not let with the defires of this wicked world. Such an earnefb mind we n:iould have towards him, fo watch- ful we fliould be. For I tell you it is not a trifling matter, it is not a money matter : for our eternal falvation, and our damnation hangeth upon it. Our nature is to do all things that are pofTible for us to get filver and gold ; how much more then fhould we endeavour ourfelves to make ready towards this day, when it lliall not be a money matter, but a foul matter, for at that day it will appear moft manifeftly who they are that fliall enjoy everlafting life, and who fhall be thruft into hell. Now as long as we be in this world, we have all one Baptifm, we go all to the Lord's Supper, we bear all the name of Chriftians, but then it will appear who are the right Chriftians ; and again who are the hypo- crites or diffemblers. Well, I pray God grant us fuch hearts, that we may look diligently about us, and make ready againft his fearful and joyful coming, fearful to them that delight in fm and wickednefs and will not leave them, and joyful unto them that repent, forfake their fins, and believe in him ; who no doubt will come in great honour and glory, and will make all his faithful like unto him, and will fay unto them that be chofen to everlafting life, " Come, ye blefled '* of my father, poflefs that kingdom which is pre- *' pared for you from the beginning of the world." Again, to the wicked which will not live accord- ing unto his will and pleafure, but follow their own appetites, he will fay, " Go, ye curfed, into ever- «' lafting fire." O what a horrible thing will this be to depart from him which is the fountain of all good- nefs and mercy, without whom is no confolation, comfort nor reft, but eternal forrow and everlafting death ? for God's fake I require you let us confider this. for the fecond Sunday in Advettt. 6%^, this, that we may be amongft thofe which fhall hear, " Come to me j" that we may be amongft thera which fhall enjoy eternal life ; and no doubt we Ihall be amongft them, if we will be content to leave fm and wickednefs, and ftrive with it, and let it not have the rule and government over us. When we have done any man wrong, or taken away his goods from him wrongfully, if we be content to reftore it again •, for no doubt reftitution muft be made, as I have told you many a time before. " Reftitution of a *' man's goods, or his name, muft needs be made:" for in that point agree all the writers new and 014, they fay that reftitution muft be made either in effedt or affe6t. For this is a fure probation, that thofe men or women are not right lorry for their fins and wick- ednefs, that are not content to make reftitution when they have taken away things unlawfully againft confcience from their neighbour. Therefore he that is content to leave his fins and to make reftitution of fuch things which he hath taken away wrongfully from his neighbour, fheweth himfelf to be a very penitent man : fo likewife they that live in fobernefs, abufe not the gifts of God» but ufe them with thanksgiving : alfo he that liveth chaftely keepeth himfelf from filthinefs, and when he feeleth that he hath not the gift of chaftity, marryeth in the fear of God, according unto his ordinance, maketh ready for that day. And as concerning young folk, all the writers agree that with a mean diligence young folk may live chafte, when they be well governed and ruled, and kept from idlenefs; then it is no great matter for them to live chafte as long as they be in grov/- ing, but fuch young perfons muft beware above all things of foul filthy talk, for it is as St Paul faith, " Foul and filthy talking deftroy good manners, and ''' good bringing up:" and alfo young tolks muft be- v/are of overmuch eating and drinking-, for St Jerome V i % faith, 684 Mafler LAl'IMEK^s Sermon^ &c. faith : he that is a great drinker of wine, I will never believe that he is a chafte man : therefore let young "unmarried folk beware of drinking, and then again of idlenefs, for when the devil findeth them idle, he entereth with them, and they are foon overcome. Therefore let them be ever well occupied till they come to age, and then let them be married in the Lord ; for the fcripture mofb highly praifeth mar- riage. St Paul faith, ** Marriage is honourable *' amongft all men." Farther, let us take heed of fwearing : For we may not fwear at all, and we may fwear by nothing but by God -, by whom we may not fwear, except it be a great and urgent caufe, and except we be called thereunto by a Magiftrate ; and when I am fo called then I mull fwear by no body elfe, fave only by God. Therefore they that are fo ufed to fwearing do very naught, and no doubt God's vengeance hangeth over their heads. For certain it is, that he which is a great fwearer is alfo a great liar. But as I faid before, they that will leave fiich wickednefs, and will live conform- ably to God's word, and then believe in Chrift our Saviour, truft and believe to be cleanfed from their fms through his death and paflion, no doubt he fhall hear this joyful fentence of Chrift our Saviour. " Come to me, ye blefled of my Father, poflefs the '* kingdom which is prepared for you from the be- '' ginning of the world." We efteemitto be a great thing to have a kingdom in this world, to be a Ruler, to be aloft and bear the fwing •, how much more then fhould we regard this kingdom, which Chrift our Saviour oiftreth unto us, wiiich kingdom \vill be an everlafting kingdom, where there fhall be no end of joy and felicity ; therefore all they that will be content to follow our Saviour's fteps, to fuffer with him here in this world, and bear the crols after him, they fliall reign with him in ever- lafting glory and honour •, which grant us God th? Father, Son, and holy Ghoft. /k-isn. SERMO>i SERMON XXXI. By the Reverend Father in Chrijl Majler HUGH L ATIM E R Btfiop of Worcepr. Preached upon the third Sunday in Advent. 1552. MATTHEW XI. 2, 3,4,5. When John being in prifon heard the works ofChrift, he fent two of his difciples^ and f aid unto him^ Art thou he thatjhall come, or do we look for another? Jefus anfwered andfaid unto him. Go andfhew John again what ye have heard and feen, how that the blind receive their ftght, and the lame walk, the lepers are ckanfed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raifed up, and the poor have the gofpel preached to them» THIS is read in the church this day, and it fhall ferve us this day for our leflbn. It beginneth, ^' When John being in " prifon heard the works of Chrift ;" and here is to be had in confideration of whom he had heard thefe wonderful works which our Saviour did, for he could not hear it without a teller, fome body told him of it. TheEvangelift Saint Luke in the feventh chap- ter, doth (hew, how and by whom John Baptift heard fuch things which our Saviour Chrilt did ; namely, by hia own difciples. For when our Saviour had raifed ' ^ ' up 6^6 Mafier LA^IMER's Sermon on theGofpl up the widow's fon, which was dead at * Nairn, the difciples of John came by and by unto John their Mafter, and told him all things; namely, how Chrift raifed up that fame young man which had been dead already. And this is a thing to be marvelled at, that John had fo much hberty, that his difciples could come to him, and fpeak with him ; f Herod the King being a cruel man, a heathen King, a Mif- creant, a man of unbelief: No doubt it is a great matter that his difciples could have liberty to fpeak with him ; for a man would think that no man ihould have been permitted to come near to him. For * A City of Galilee, five miles from Mount Tabor in the tribe of Iflachar, a place made famous by the miracle our Saviour wrought there J but is now neither City nor Town. f There were three Herods. Firft, Herod the Great of Afea- lon, King of Judea, inwhofe time the Sceptre was departed from Jndah, he being an alien, and Chrift was born. It was he who ilew the Innocents; of whom therefore Auguftus jeftingly faid, ** It was better to be Herod's fwine, or hog, than his fon ;" for Hs religion, (being a Jew in that) kept him from killing the one, hnt his jealoufy (as a Tyrant) would not fpare the children, where- of his own fon was one. This is that Herod fpoken of in the fccond chapter of St Matthew, whom God raifed up to fulfil the orophecy of the Prophet Jeremiah, "In Rama was there a voice *' heard, lamentation and weeping and great mourning, Rachel *' weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, becaufe *• they arc not." He endeavoured to deilroy the Saviour of the world, but God, who knoweth all things, fent his Angel to Jofeph fo warn him to take Mary his mother, and the young child inta Egypt, th.itfo he might efcape the intended flaughter. Herod pre- tended himfelf to be the Mefiiah— the pcrfon who was to reltore the kingdom to Ifrael, and redeem the Jews from the Roman bon- dage; and from him fprang the fed called The Herodians. — Kecond, Herod Antipas, the fon of Herod the Great, he behead- ed lohn the Baptil^, for fpeaking the truth, and teaching that Je- Ju5 was the Mefliah. And thirdly, Herod Agrippa ; he flew James. The firil was that Herod which was eaten up of worms. This awful ilory is related by the holy Gholl in the twelfth chapter of the j^c^s^ ver. zo- — 23, and is moll proper to be ferioufiy read by all the Sceptics, Freethinkers, Bolingbrokills, and Infidels of this age, that they may learn to repent of their fins anJ follies, and thereby avoid fuch amazing punillimcnts. The Herod Maftc; Laiimer means here, is he who beheaded John. for the third Sunday in Advent* 687 For I know that in Chriftian realms t, fome being caft into prifon for truth's fake, for God's word fake, have not been fuffered that their friends fhould have come near unto them. And here it appeareth moft manifeftly that Chriftian Princes have fometimes more cruelly and extremely ufed God's Preachers than the Gentiles ufed their Preachers, fent unto them from God to teach them ; they were more ftraitly holden and more extremely handled than John was : fo we read likewife of St Paul, which was caft into •prifon at * Rome by that wicked and cruel Tyrant ^ the t Matter Latimer, among many others who fuffered on account of the Reformation, then called the new ChriiVuniity, includes his own fufferings, which were very great and many. He that has a mind to read the various tortures, punifhments, and impnlonments of fuch who were caft into prifon for the fake of truth_ and of God's word, may read Foxs Marfyrolo^y, which will give him ample fatisfaaiori in thofe particulars. * The chief City in Italy. It was built by Romulus, the foun- der of the Roman commonwealth, who gave it the name of Rome. It is fituated on feven high hills. It was once the feat of the Roman empire, miftrefs of the world ; particularly before, and at the time of Conllantine : and hence it came to pals, that Conftan- tine being the firft Chriftian Emperor, he inftalled Sylvefter, then Bifhop of Rome, Father or Pope of all the Chnftians throughout the world. To this City and occurrence do we, and all the na- tions of Chriftendom, owe our converfion to the C hriftian faith.— The account whereof ecclefiaftical Hiftorians give us in the following manner • i In the four firft centuries, the Dacians, Getes, Beflites, Scythians, fince called Tartars, by the labours of St Andrew and St Philip, Anoftles ; theMorines, Armenians, by Saint Bartholomew the Apoftle/and the Huns and Indians, by St Thomas the Apoftle and their lucceffors ; the Ethiopians, by Frumentius fon of a Tynaa Merchant,confecrated Bifhop by St Athanafius; andfomefew others. In the fifth century, the Scots were converted by Palladms, the the French by St Remigius and Vedaftus ; in Africa, four thou- fand nine hundred feventy nine Martyrs, and others. In the fixth century, the EngliOi were converted by Auftin the Monk, who was fent by Pope Gregor>^ In this age alfo were converted th? northern Pic^s, the Goths, Bavarians, Burgundians, iSc. In t.*e feventh century, the Flemings were converted by Eligius; the Weftphalians, by the two Edvvajdies ; the Franconians, by Kilh- anus \ multitudes of the Spaniards by Andonius j and th'e Frjfians by 68S Mafter LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Cofpet the Emperor Nero*, which Emperor, though he was a cruel Tyrant, a wicked man, and a venomous perfecutor of God's church, and his holy word, yet by Wildebrod. In the eighth century, the Haffites, Thuringl- ans, Erphrodians and Catians, were converted by Boniface the Engliih Monk ; the Lombards, by Sebaldus ; the Jews in the City of Beretto, by the bleeding of a crucifix, which they {tabbed, the blood whereof cured difeafes. In the ninth century, the Danes and Swedes were converted by Anfgratius ; the Bulgarians, by Joannicius ; the Rugians, by the Monks of Corbeia ; the Mora- vians, by Withgungus ; and the Ruffians, by a Prieft fent by the Emperor Bafilius. In the tenth century, the Polonians were con- verted by Egidius Tufculanus, fent by Pope John the Thirteenth ; the Sclavonians by Adelbert, and the Hungarians by another Adelbert. In the eleventh century, the Vindicians and Pruffians were converted. In the twelfth century, the Pomeranians and Norwegians were converted by Nicholas a Monk, who was after- wards Pope Nicholas the Third. In the thirteenth century, the Livonians were converted by Medardes ; the Lithuanians by the Knights of St Mary; and the Emperor CafTanes, with innumera- \i\c Tartarians. In the fourteenth century, Azatines, Emperor of the Turks, was converted ; the Ifles of Canaries, the revolted Lithuanians, the Carians, the Bofnians, the Lipuencians, the Pa- trinians, and the Sclavonian nations, by the means of Pope Cle- ment the Sixth, and Lewis King of Hungary. In the fifteenth century, the Samogefians, the people of the kingdom of Beten- nine, Guinea, Angola and Congo were converted. In the fixteenth century, great multitudes were converted in America, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Poland, India, China, is^c. And in the feven- teenth century, in China, Greece, and Eaft and Weft India, ma- ny people were converted to the Chriftian faith. — Rome is wafh- ed by the Tyber. St John Lateran is the chief church here ; but St Peter's in the Vatican, where the Pope's palace is, far excels it in beauty and wealth. Our Cathedral church of St Paul in Lon- don, is built after the model of St Peter's, but it is nothing near fo rich, noble and magnificent. * He was fo cruel and inhuman, that every Tyrant after him was called Nero. He murdered his mother Agrippina, bywhofe means he got the empire, his brethren and kindred, and his wife Odlavia, his mafter Seneca, and the Poet Lucan, and every one befides againft whom he had the leaft fpleen. Nay, his cruelty went fo far, that he fet the City of Rome on fire, either becaufe he did not like the ftrufture of it, or becaufe he would have the burning of Troy reprefented to him, (for in the mean time he was playing the deftrudion of Troy on a harp) or that he might exceed for the third Sunday in Advent. 6^^ yet for all that, Paul had liberty to fpeak with every one that would come unto him, and commune with him. So that there came unto him who would, and they might fpeak with him what they would : For St Luke hath, in the laft chapter of the Ads thefe words ; " Paul dwelt two years full in the *' lodging, and received all that came in unto him, " preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching " thofe things which concern the Lord Jefus with all " confidence, no man forbidding him." Here by thefe words we may perceive, that Paul had liberty to fay his mind, and to commune with his friends, he was not fo ftraitly kept. But we fee and have had experience, that Preachers which profefs the fame words, which Paul taught, are more ftraitly handled in Chriftian realms, than in times pad they were, when the Rulers and Princes were not Chrif- tians. Chriftian Princes be more earneft to extinguifh God's word and his true religion, than the heathen were which knew not, or would not know God. But here you may afk, what manner of works were thefe which our Saviour had done in the pre- fence of John's difciples, which by and by after- N^ 29. Vol. II. G g ward exceed his uncle Caligula in all devilifh attempts ; or becaufe he was delighted with the fight of the flames. When this heinous crime was afcribed unto him, he laid it upon the Chriftians j where- upon enfued a molt bloody perfecution, which began in the fixty third year of Chrift. So barbarous was his cruelty, that he tor- tured and killed the Chriilians upon ftages for pleafure in the day- time, and in the night he burned their bodies, inftead of torches, being wrapt up in pitched clothes. At laft, hearing that his ene- mies were ready to furprife him, he would gladly have had fome- body kill him ; but neither would his own friends nor any other do him that kindnefs ; whereupon he cried out, Nee afmcum ha- beo, nee inimuurn: after which he fled into a cave, where he was found dead. Afterward, his body being buried under the gate Flaminia, the devils did much haunt that place, till the time of Pafchal the Firft, when they were fain to dig up his bones and throw them into the Tyber ; which done, the devils troubled tliem no more. He reigned thirteen years and eight months, and died on the lame day whereon before he had killed his wife. 690 Mdfter LAtlMEK's Sermon on theGofpe I ward went and told their Mafter of it, what fpecial things our Saviour had wrought ? Anfwer, *Luke the Evangelift fheweth a great and marvellous ad:, which Chrift our Saviour had done immediately as John's difciples came unto him. The ftory is this, *' When Chrift went into a city which is called *' Nairn, and many of his difciples following him, " and much people : when he was come to the gate *' of the city, behold there was a dead man carried ** cut, which was the only fon of his mother, and " fhe was a widow, and much people of the city " went with her :" And here you may note by the way, that thefe Citizens had their burying-place without the City, which no doubt is a laudable thing: and I do marvel that London, being fo rich a City, hath not a burying-place without ; for no doubt it is an unwholefome thing to bury within the City, efpecially at fuch a time when there be great ficknelTes, and many die together. I think verily that many a man taketh his death in Paul's Church-yard f : and this I fpeak of experience, for I myfelt when I have been there in fome mornings to hear the fermons, have felt fuch an * He was by profcffion a Phyfician, and a very learned and faithful Hlllorian. He wrote one of the four Gofpcls, which con- tains a great number of miracles, ilfc. wrought by our Lord, not to be found in either of the other Evangeliils. He alfo wrote the Jcls of ihe Jpofiles, which Hiftory mart be allowed to be an in- valuable treafure. Several churches have been dedicated to his memory. -f- In our author's time, and much earlier, St Paul's Church-yard was a common burying place for all forts of Citizens and others ; infomuch that Mr Stow tells us, in the year 1 ^40;, " the bones of «' the dead couched up in a charncl, under the Chapel, weie con- *' veyed from thence to Finlhury field, (by report of him who •• paid for the carriage) amounting to more than one thoufand •' cart-loads, and there laid on a moorifh ground, in fhort fpace *' after raifed by foilage of the City upon them, to bear three «' mills." Froni wl;ence the place v.as called Mount-mill. The practice of burying within populous Cities and Towns, is not at :\\\ comnicndabic. for the third Sunday in Advent. 6g i an ill-favoured unwholefome favour, that I was the worfe for it a great while after. And I think no lefs, but it is the occafion of much ficknefs and dif- eafes : therefore the Citizens of Nairn had a good and laudable cuftom, to bury their corfes without the City, which example we may follow. Now when our Saviour faw this corfe, and the widow, which was a miferable forrowful woman, for (he had loft her firft hufband, and afterward her fon, in whom fhe had all her hope and comfort in this world, him (lie had loft now, therefore fhe was forrowful, and not without caufe. But what doth our Saviour ? verily he comforted her, faying, " Weep " not." Here may all widows, which are deftitute of comfort in this world, here, I fay, they may learn to truft in Chrift, and to feek aid and help by him. For no doubt, like as he hath comforted this mife- rable widow, fo he v/ill comfort and help them all that call upon him in their need and neceffity. For his hand is not abbreviated, or his power diminilhed 5 he is as ftrong, as rich, and as mighty as ever he was ; therefore let widows learn here to feek aid and help by him. Now, when he had comforted her with his words, he came nigh and touched the cofHn, and they that bare the coffin ftood ftill. And he faid, " Youny: ** man, I lay unto thee, arife.'* And he that was dead fat up, and began to fpeak. Now upon this there went fuch a rumour throughout all the coun- tries, that every man marvelled at it. And John's difciples went to their Mafter and told him of it, what wonderful things he did. Note here, that when we hear that our Saviour is a doer of fuch won- derful fupernatural works, it fliail be a wondrous great comfort unto us. For by this his deed, it appeared manifeftly, that he is a Mafter over death, and hath power to command him : lb that death is under his dominion. For to raife a man up, G g 2 whom 692 Majier LA^IMEK's Sermon on the Gofpl whom death hath devoured already, is as much as to command death. But I tell you. Death is fuch an arrogant fellow, and proud, yea and of fo great might and flrength, that he will give no man place, nor fubmit himfelf to any man, fave only unto God, unto whom he muft obey, and humble him- felf before his divine Majefty. And therefore it appeareth here that our Saviour is very God, be- caule Death, that ftout fellow, muft obey him ; he is not able to withftand or difobey his command- ments-, which is a moft comfortable thing unto us that believe in fuch a Saviour, which hath power over death. And therefore if he hath power over death, then we fhall be fure that death neither fhall nor can hurt us which believe in him : for when we believe faithfully in him, he is able to defend us from death, hell, and the devil, fo that they Ihall not be able with all their might or power, to hurt us, or do us any mifchief ; but we fliall have life everlafting. For he laith, " He that believeth *' in me, though be die, yet fhall he live." That is to fay, though he depart out of this natural bodi- ly life, yet for all that, he fhall live everlaftingly with me, world without end. This is now an exceeding comfort to all Chriftian people, for they may be affured that\\j^en they believe in Chnit ; and Chrift taketh their parts,, there fhall be nothing neither in heaven nor in earth, that fhall be able to hurt them, or let them of their fal- vation : and fo we learn by this wonderful miracle which our Saviour did before all the multitude, that he proved himfelf to be very God, and one that hath power over death. But peradventure you will fay,. No. It followeth not, he raifed up the dead, there- fore he is very God. For we read in the old Tefta- ment, that -f Elias and Elilha, the holy Prophets of God^ •f The word fignines. My pcngth, or, *' The Lord my God." A great Prophet who lived in Ahab's time : he was at lalt carried to lieaveii in a /lery chariot. for the third Sunday in Advent. 6g^ God, did fuch works too, they raifed up the dead as well as he, and yet for all that they were not gods, but finful men as we be : though they had luch a fpecial gift of God, yet they were not gods, nor yet took upon them to be gods. To this queftion or objedtion, I will anfwer after- ward, if I forget it not. In the mean feafon, I will move another queftion, which is this ; What fhould move John's difciples to come and tell him the miracles which Chrift our Saviour did ? Think ye they came with a good will to fet out Chrift, and to magnify his doings, or came they with an ill will, or envious heart, which they bore towards Chrift ? Anfwer. They cam.e with an ill will and envious heart againft Chrift, as it appears moft ma- nifeftly, by the circumftances being well confidered. For ye muft underftand, that John had very mucfi ado to bring his difciples to Chrift : they thought thac Chrift and his doings, and that his converfation were nothing, in comparifon of John. For John's ftridt life which he led m the wildernefs, made fuch a ftiew and outward gliftering, that our Saviour was very little regarded in comparifon of him. For our Sa- viour led not fo hard and ftricl a life as John did ; he eat and drank, and would come to mens tables when he was bidden ; he would keep company with every body, rich, and poor, whofoever received him, and would believe in him : but John was ever in the wildernefs, out of the company of all men. Therefore the difciples of John much more regarded John their Mafter, than Chrift their Saviour. And therefore they ever lay upon John, exhorting him, that he would take upon him to be Chrift, and the Saviour of the world. And when they had heard of any miracles that Chrift had done, they by and by came unto their Mafter, and told him of it difdainfully, as who would fay. Thus and thus we have heard that Chrift hath ^94 Mapr L A'TlMEK's Sermon on tie GoJ^et hath done, wherefore fheweft not thou thyfelf too ? "Wherefore worked not thou miracles as Chrift doth ? Every man fpeaketh of him, do thou fomewhat too^ that the people may know thee to be a great man, as well as Chrift. We read in the gofpel of St Matthew t, that John's difciples came once to Chrift, and quarreled with him; faying, " Wherefore faft we and the " Pharifees fo many times, but thy difciples faft not " at all ?'* They thought in their own opinions, that John's life was a great deal more to be efteemed, than Chrift's, becaufe John's life was a great deal more painful in the outward fhew of the world; Therefore it grieved them, that Chrift fhould be more efteemed than John. So that we may perceive by John's difciples, that they had a good zeal, " but " not according to knowledge :" For it is a good thing for a fervant to love his Mafter; but John's difciples did naught, in that they envied Chrift, and went about to ftir up their Mafter to take upon him to be Chrift. Now X Called alfo Levi, He was, though a Roman Officer, an He- brew of the Hebrews, and probably a Galilean, born at Naza- reth. He was the fen of Alpheus, and M.iry, filler or kinfwo- nian of the blefied Virgin. His trade, or way of life, was thr.t of a Publican, or Tax-gatherer to the Romans; an office of bad report among the Jews : but among the Romans it was accounted a place of power and credit, and reputed honourable; not ore i- narily conferred on any but Roman Knights. He was called by Chrift to follow him, as he was fitting at his Cui^.om- office. After his elefiion to the Apoilolate, he continued with the reft till our Lord's Afcenfion; and then, for the f.rft eight years at Icaft, preach- ed up and down Judea. After which, being to betake himfelf to the converfion of the Gentile world, he was intrtatcd by the con- vert Jews to commit to writing the Hiftory of our Saviour's Life and Aftions, and leave it among them, as a ftanding record of What he had preached to them ; which he did accordingly, and fo compofed his Gofpel. Litde certainty can be had what travels he underwent for the advancement of the Chriftian faith. Ethiopia is generally thought to be the province of his apoftolic miniftry, where nioft probably he fuffered mart)Tdom at Naddaber, a Ci'fj- in that part of the world. for the tbird Sunday In Advent. 6g^ Now John, intending to correct and amend their falfe opinion, which they had in Chrift and him : for they regarded him too much, and Chrift, who was mod to be regarded, him they efteemed for nothino-, in comparifon of John ; therefore John, that virtuous and faithful man, feeing the ignorance of his difciples, plays a wife part ; for hearing them talk of the wonderful works which Chrift our Savi- our did, he fendeth them to Chrift with this quef- tion, " Art thou he that fliall come, or fhall we ^' look for another ?" If we look only upon the outward fliew oi thefc words, a man might think, that John himfelf was doubtful whether Chrift were the Saviour of the world or not, becaufe he fendeth his difciples to afk fuch a queftion of him. But ye muft underftand, that it was not done for John's fake, to afk fuch a queftion, but rather for his difciples fake. For John thought that this fhould be the way to bring them to a good knowledge, namely, to fend them to Chrift. For as for John himfelf, he doubted not, he knew that Chrift was the Saviour of the world ; he knew it, I fay, whilft he was yet in his mother's womb. For we read in St Luke, that after the angel came unto * Mary and brought her fuch tidings, ihe * The blefTed Virgin was the daughter of Joachim, a Galilean of Nazareth, and of Anne his wife, a Bethlehemite, both of the tribe of Judah ; the time of her birth was in the year of the world 3956. Anne, the mother of the blefied Virgin, was barren till fhe had been married twenty years, which among the Jews was counted a fname and reproach ; infomuch as Joachin>, coming to Jerufalem to offer facritice, was rep^fed by Iffachar the High Prieft for his wife's fteriUty. Yet after he had been twentv years married, God heard his prayers, and by an angel it was revealed unto him, that he fiioald have a child by his wife Anne; which cameiio pafs, flie being in time delivered of a female child, which was the bleffed Virgin Mary : who was afterwards efpoufed to Jo- fcph a Carpenter- After which the angel Gabriel appeared to her, fliewed her how Cnc fhould conceive by the holy Ghoft, and bear a fon which ihould be called Jesus. Our Saviour Jefus Chriil 6^6 Mafter LATlMEK^s Sermon on theGofpel flie arofe, and went through the mountains, and came to Jerufalem to f Elizabeth her cofm, and as Ihe faluted her, the Evangelifl faith, the Infant, which was John, leapt in his mother's belly. So that John, being yet in his mother's belly, knew Chrift, which fhould be born out of the Virgin Mary. After that we read in the third chapter of St Matthew, when John fhould baptize Chrift, he faith unto Chrift, *' I have more need to be baptized " of thee, than thou of me." So that it manifeftly appeareth that John doubted not of Chrift, but knew moft certainly that he was the eternal Son of God, and the Redeemer which was promifed unto the fathers to come into the world, for it was told him from above, that upon whomfoever he fhould fee the holy Ghoft coming down from heaven vifibly, that fame was he ; which afterward happened. For John, after he had baptized him, faw the holy Ghoft come down in the form of a dove : farther, John pointed him out with his finger, faying, " See the Lamb of " God, which taketh away the fins of the world." So, I fay, it is moft evident, that John himfelf doubted not, for he knew it affuredly that Chrift was the Saviour, but he did it only to remedy the doubts Chrift was afterwards, according to the angel's predidion, born at Bethlehem. The blefled Virgin bred up her Ion, attended him during; his miniftry on earth, was prefent at his Crucifixion, and it is probable alfo was arnong the number of difciples who faw Chriil afcend into heaven : but how fhe lived after her fon's Af- penfion, there is no certain account. The primitive Church did with great fliew of reafon and veneration teach and believe, that this pious and good woman, the mother of the Saviour of the world and the Son of God, was not interred as other mortals are, but was cai'ried by angels into heaven. ■\ The wife of Zacharias, the mother of John the Baptift. — Elizabeth was for a long time barren, but proving with child, when both Zacharias and fhe were ftricken in age ; and her hufband being acquainted with the wonder or miracle, he would not give it credit ; and thereupon the Angel of the Lord ftruck Zacharias dumb, wiio remained fo till the birth of John. for the third Sunday in Advent. 6gy doubts of his difciples. Now when John's difciples came to Chrift, they did their meflage, faying, *' Art thou he that fhall come, or fhall we look for " another?'* What doth Chrift ? he made not an- fwer with words, but with deeds ; he made not much ado in fetting out himfelf with great words, but he fliewed himfelf to be Chrift indeed. For he did fuch miracles Which no man elfe could do but only he which was both very God and man. I would wifh of God that we would do fo too : that when we be afkcd a queftion, whether we be Chriftians, or we have the gofpel, the true word of God, or not, I would wifh, I fay, that we could fhew our faith by our works and godly converfation, like as he ftiewed himfelf to be Chrift, by his a6ls and deeds ; but I tell you, we be far otherwife, our a6ls and deeds difagree far from our profeffion. For we are wicked, we care not for God's laws, nor his words • we profefs with our mouth that we be the haters of fin ; but our converfation fheweth that we love fin, that we follow the fame, that we have a delight in it. So it appeareth, that our words and deeds agree not, we have God's holy word in our mouth, but we follow the will and pleafure of the devil in our outward converfation and living. But Chrift did not fo, for he fhewed himfelf by his outward works and converfation that he was very Chrift the Saviour of the world. So we fliould do too ; we fhould live fo uprightly, fo god- ly, that every one might know us by our outward converfation to be very Chriftians. We lliould hate and abhor fin, that no man juftly might or could difallow our doings. But what manner of works doth Chrift, whereby he fheweth himfelf to be the very MefTias and Sa- viour of the world ? Anfwer, He healeth all manner of difeafed folks, the blind, the lame, the lepers, and all others which would come unto him, and N« XXX. Vol. II. Hh defire 698 Mafter LA^JMEK^s Sermon on the- Go/pel defire help at his hands. And finally, he preached the gofpel, thofe joyful tidings unto the poor, unto them Chrift preached the gofpel. But I pray you, how chanced it, that he faith, *' The poor receive *' the gofpel ?" Anfwer, Becaufe the moft part of the rich men in this world, defpife and contemn the gofpel, they efteem it for nothing : why ^ wherefore defpife they the gofpel ? Becaufe they put their hope, truft, and confidence in their riches. For the moft part of rich men in this world, (I will not fay all) do either put their hope in their riches, or elfe they come naughtily by their riches, or elfe they keep them ill : they heap them up together, or elfe they fpend them ill. So that it is a very rare thing to find a godly rich man -, for commonly they are given to gather and to make heaps, and fo forget the poor in the mean feafon, whom they ought to receive-, or elfe when they fpend them, they fpend them naughtily, not as God hath appointed them s namely, to help their poor and needy neighbour, but rather to ufe them to excefs, wantonnefs and plcafure : therefore Chrift faith, " The poor re- *' ceive the gofpel i" for they are moft meet there- unto, they are all comfortlefs in this world, and fo moft meet to receive the gofpel. The * Prophets long before had prophefied of thefe works, which Chrift when he Ihould come fhould do: for fo it is written j *' God cometh his ** own felf, and will deliver you, then fliall the ^* eyes of the blind be lighted, and the ears of the *' deaf opened •, then Hiall the lame man leap as an ^» hart, and the dumb man's tongue fhall give " thanks. In tlic wildernefs alfo there fhall be " well- * A Prcphet is one that foretels future events ; a perfon inrpired of God to rcvejl his laws, commands and inyfteries, and to give warning of his approaching judgments. Among the^ancient hea- thens, ic wab taken for the Chief I'rieft, or more properly, tl\e J^nell who fpoke firft in a Temple, or an interpreter of Oracles. for the third Sunday hi Advent. C§'^ '* well-fprings." This text of the Prophet witnefs- eth, that Chrift is the very God, for he hath dont' fuch works and miracles of which the Prophet fpeak- cth. Now in the lame Prophet it is further written^ how that Chrift lliould preach the gofpel unto the poor comfortlefs people; for fo he faith, " The *« fpirit of the Lord is upon me, for (he Lord God *« hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the: " poor, that I might bind up the wounded hearts^ «' that Lmight preach deliverance urtto the captive, " and open the prifon to them that are boundj " that I might declare the acceptable year of the " Lord.'* Here the Prophet prophe0ed, that when Chrift fhould come, he fhould be a worker of fuch a6ls, and a Preacher which fhould preach the gofpel untcJ the poor: and therefore now, when the difciples of John came unto him, demanding of him, whether he were Chrift or not, he anfwered by his works. Like as he faith in another place in the gofpel to the Pharifees : " The works which I do, bear wit- '* nefs of me." As if he fhould fay, I prove my- felf what I am by my works. Again he faith, " If " I do not the works of my Father, believe me net.'* So that moft manifeftly he proveth himfclf to be tha^ Prophet, which was fpoken of before by the Pro- phets and other holy men of God^ John the Evan- gelift, in his gofpel faith, " And many other figns " truly did Jefus, in the prefence of his difciples^ *' which are hot written in this book : Thefe are " written, that ye might believe that Jefus is Chrift " the fon of the living God, and that in believing, " ye might have life through his name.'* This is a very notable faying, and moft comfortable to all troubled confciences. Jefus hath done many things wliich are not written, but thefe are written, that we fiiould believe him to be Chrift : that thatjefus^ H h 2 Mary's 7O0 Majler L AI'lMEK's Sermon 6n the Gofpel Mary*s fon, that was born at Bethlehem-}-, and nou-« rifhed at Nazareth, is the very Saviour of mankind -, and that in believing in him, we fliall have life ever- lafting. So that there was never any which believed in Chrift, which was loft, but all believers were faved : therefore it is not to be doubted, but that if we will believe, we fhall be faved too. We read in a book which is intitled, " The Lives of the Fa- " thers," in that book, I fay, we read, that there was once a great holy man, (as he feemed to all the world) worthy to be taken up into heaven : now that man had many difciples, and on a time he fell into a great agony of confcience, infomuch that he could not tell in the world what to do. Now his difciples ftanding about him, and feeing him in this cafe, they faid unto him : How chanceth it that ye are fo troubled. Father ? for certainly, there is no body fo good a liver, or more holy than you have been, therefore you need not fear, for no doubt you fhall come to heaven. The old father made them anfwer again, faying-. Though I have lived uprightly, yet for all that it will not help me, I lack fomething yet ; and fo he did indeed, for certainly if he had followed the counfel of his difciples, and put his truft in godly converfation, no doubt he fhould have gone to the devil For though we are commanded to do good works, and we ought to do them, yet for all that we muft beware how we do them : when we do them to the end to be faved by them, then we do them not as we ought to do : then we thruft Chrift out of his frat and Majefty. For indeed the king^ dom of God is merited, but not by us. Chrift hath merited the kingdom of heaven for us, through his moft painful death and paftion. There f Bethlehem, or the houfe of bread ; a Town of Judea in the tribe of Judah, the City of David ; but rendered more famous by being the birth place of our blelled Saviour. f fir the third Sunday in Advent, 701 'jThere hath been many perfe<5l men among the heathen, which lived very well and uprightly, as concerning their outward converfation ; but for all that they went to the devil in the end, becaufe they knew not Chrift. For fo faith the fcripture, " Who- ** foever believeth not in the fon, he is judged al- " ready." Therefore let us learn to know Chrift, and to believe in him, for knowledge mud go before belief; we mud firft hear the word of God and know it ; and afterward we muft believe the fame, and then we muft wreftle and ftrive with fin and wickednefs, as much as is poflible for us, and io live godly, and do all manner of good works which God hath commanded us in his holy laws, and thea we Ihall be rewarded in everlafting life, but noC with everlafting life \ for that everlafting life is a gift of God, a free gift, given freely unto men through Chrift. Now when the difciples of John were come to Chrift, and had done their errand, afking him whe- ther he were Chrift or not, our Saviour faid unto them : " Go and Ihew John again what ye have " heard and feen." And here we may learn by the way what a patient man our Savioyr Chrift was, who could fo well bear with the grofsnefs of John's difciples : for they had heard many times before of John, their Mafter, that Chrift was the Saviour of the world, yet they could not believe itj and fa with their unbelief they came to Chrift, who re** fufed them not, nor yet reviled theni, but intreated them moft lovingly and gently, beareth with their wickednefs, leaving us an example to do fo too. For we may learn by this example, not to be too hafty, but to bear with our neighbours, though they be not by and by as we would have them to be, yet we fhould not revile them, or banifh them out of our company, as obftinate fellows ; but ra- ther 702 Mafter LA^lMER*s Sermon on iheGofpet ther bear with their weaknefs, like as Chrift beareth with the difciples of John. Now to my queftion which I moved before, how could the works which our Saviour did in raifmg up the dead, how could they prove him to be the Sa- viour of the world, which was promifed of God by his holy Prophets, when other holy men did the fame works as well as he ? And this muft be anfwered to, we may have no doubt in that matter. For when we doubt whether he be the very Saviour or not,then we caft down the foundation of our faith, and bring ourfelves to the pit of hell. Therefore this fhall be my anfwer : Elifha and Elias raifed up dead bodies, to prove by fuch miracles, that they were the right Minifters of the living God, and that their doftrine was the doftrine and the very word of God • to that end did they their miracles, but they never faid we be Chrifts, or we be the Sons of God, yea, and very Gods. No, no ; they never took upon them fuch things : but our Saviour, when he did the fame works, he took upoxi him to be Chrift, to be the Saviour of the world, to be the natural Son of God ; and to the confirmation of fuch his fayings, he did fuch works : therefore he faith, " 1 am the bread of life." Alfo, " I am the refur- " redion and the life." Yea, *' I am the way, the " truth, and the life." Yea, and when he talked with the woman at the well, Ihe faid unto him, "When the *Me{rias cometh he fhall tell us all «' things." Then he faid unto her, " I am he that " fpeaketh * An Hebrew word, fignifying sent : and the ineaning of ..it is this, fent to free the Jews from the Roman bondage, and to re • (lore the kingdom to Ifrael. This was the vain expedition of the Jews at the time of our Lord's miniftry. He was feht, and did rfially appear, but it was not for the above purpofes ; but for far more noble, z'iz. the deliverance of all the nations of the earth from the power of Satan to the glorious freedom of righteoufncfs, vt'hereby they all become the fons of God, for the third Sunday in Advent. -703 ^' fpcaketh unto thee : I am the fame Meflias which "was to come, and promifed of God; 1 am he." Farther, he faith, *' Come tx> me, all ye that *' labour and are laden, and I will eafe you.'* So it appeareth, that Chrift is the very Saviour of the world, becaufe he did the deeds of our Saviour : and then again, he took upon him to be he indeed, and openly confefTed it. Farther, the time fliewed it that Chrift fhould come ; for fo it was prophefied of the good holy Father and Patriarch Jacob, when he blelTed his fons -, faying, " The fcepter (hall not depart from " Judah, and a Law-giver from between his feet, " until Shilo come : and unto him fhall the gather- " ings of the people be." Now at that time, when our Saviour was come, the fcepter was taken from Judah : for all Jewry was under the dominion of the Romans, therefore Shilo muft needs come. So it appeareth, that by reafon of the time, Chrift muft needs come at the fame feafon. So iikewife f Daniel in his Vifion fhewed, jthat after fixty two weeks Chrift ftiould be flain, and they fhall have no pleafure in him. So ye fee that by reafon of the time, he muft needs be the right Saviour of all mankind. Again, Chrift raifed up the dead, and healed the fick in his own name, by his own authority : fo did not the Prophets, or the Apoftles, for they did it not their own ftrength but by the help of God. So St Peter raifed up Dorcas, that godly woman, but not by his own power : But Chrift our Saviour he did all things, " as he that had authority: Young man, 1 fay unto *' thee arife." So his works which he did by his own divine f A great Prophet under the old Teftament difpenfation. His vifions and prophefies liave employed the pens of many learned and ingenious men. He fbrstold the Coming of Chrift, his Death, ^eiunection, (r't'. 704 Majtey L Al'IMEK^s Sertnon on the Gofpel divine power, proved him to be very God, and the fame Saviour which was promifed unto the world. Now when our Saviour had told the difciples of John, his works and miracles which he did, he adds a pretty claufe, and giveth them a good privy nip, faying, " And bleffed is he who is not offended *' by me.'* Here he touches them, he rubs them on the gall : he did not mean John, for John was not offended, but he meant themfelves, for they ■were offended becaufe of his familiar and mean converfation. But you will fay, how can a man be hurt by him, from whom cometh no hurt at all ? I will tell you, John's difciples were hurt of Chrifl, and yet the fault was not in Chrift, but in them : Chrift lived a common life, he was a good familiar man, he eat and drank as others did j he camiC to mens tables when he was called •, infomuch that fome called him a glolfer : therefore the difciples of John, feeing his fimple life, were offended with him. But I pray you, fhould Chrifl have forfaken his. manner of living and followed the life of John, be- caufe fome were offended with him ? No, not fo. It was *' They took an offence themfelves, he gave *' them none." He did according unto his call- ing, as he was appointed of his father. Here I have occafion to fpeak of offences, fcandal IS a flander, but it hath another fignification with us, it is taken for an offence or hurt : ye may define it thus. An offence is when I fay or do any thing great or little, or fpeak any word whereby my neighbour is made the worfe. But this offence is after two manner of ways, firfl when I do well, and another man is offended with my well-doings, that is, " He taketh offence," I give him none; Again, when I do wickedly, and with my ill example hurt mjy neighbour, then offence is given. There were many in our Saviour's time which were offended with him, becaufe he preached the word of God, an.d for the third Sunday in Ad^ctnt. ^o^ and rebuked fins, but Chrift faith, " Let them " alone," care not for them, let them be offended as long as they v/ill, v/e may not leave the preach* ing of the truth for offences fake, becaufe my neigh- bour cannot away with it. No, not fo ; let us fay the truth, having a calling, as indeed every maa hath a calling, and mofl efpecially Preachers. We read in the gofpel of John, when our Saviour faid unto his difciples and the other people, " Except *' ye eat the flelh of the fon of man, ye Ihall have " no life in you." By thefe fayings of Chrift, many were offended with him, infomuch that the greateil number went from him, and forfook him j they could not abide him. N3w, was Chrift to be blamed for that, be- caufe he faid fo ? No, no ; for he faid nothing but the truth. So like wife the Preacher, when he faith the truth, is not to be blamicd though fome be of- fended with him. When * Mofes came into Egypt, what inconve- niencies happened becaufe of his coming ? infomuch that almoft the whole land periftied : was he faulty? No i for he did nothing but that which God com- manded him •, but the Egyptians, they were obfti- nate, they would not obey the voice of God ; there- fore Mofes hurt them not, but they hurt themfelves with their infidelity and obftinate hearts. So ye fee, that we may not leave the truth unfpoken, or ani honeft deed undone, becaufe fome will be offended with it. As for example, here is a Prieft which perceiveth by himfelf that he hath not the gift of chaftity, and therefore would fain marry, but he is afraid that fome of his Parifliioners would be offended with his N° 30. Vol. II. I i mar- * The fon of Amram and Jochebed, bred up in the Court of Pharaoh King of Egypt, the moll ancient cf all writers, whether facred or profane; by whom God delivered the children ot ilVael Out of Egypt, and gave them the old Lsw, 7o6 Majier LAl'IMEK's Sermon cfi the Gofpd marriage: Now, lliall he leave ?iis marriage becauffi fome will be offended with him ? No, that he fliall not, let the Prieft inftru6l his PariH-iioners, and tell them out of the word of God, that it is as lawful for him to marry, as for another man. After that he hath taught them, if they will not believe him, but refufe his doArine, let him marry, and not care for their offences. I told you before, that there be two manner of offences, the firft is, when I offend my neighbour by my wickednefs, by my outrageouf- nefs and inordinate living: the fecond, "When he is offended with me, when I do a good deed. But for all that, we ought not to leave an honeft a6t, be- caufe of another man's offence. But I tell you, it is a perilous thing, and a heinous fin to do fuch a thing, whereby my neighbour fhall be made the worfe, by my wicked example. As we have an example of Jeroboam, which offended all Ifrael : for he went and let up two golden Calves, by which aft he gave occaiion to the whole people to commit idolatry againft God •, and this v/as a heinous and horrible fm ', for of it came wonderful milchief afterward. So likewife we read of a ,great man in fcripture, which is called Zimri, which gave an ill example in committing letchery openly with a Whore, whom Phineas that godly man killed, for his a6t of letchery v;3s a ftumbling- block unto all the people of Ifrael. So ye fee that 1 muft not do a wicked a6t whereby my neighbour is made the worfe. Therefore I pray you for God's fake beware of fuch offences : for it is written in the gofpel of Matthc-w, " Wo '* be unto that man or woman by whom offences " do come." Therefore I fiy, let us beware, let us keep ourfelves v/ithin the hedges of God's holy word, fo that all our doings may be agreeable unto the fame; and then, if when we agree with the word of God, the world will needs be offended with us, let us not care for that, they hurt not us, but them- for the third Sunday in Advent. 707 themfelves. Let us therefore take good heed to ourfelves, left we do any thing whereby our neigh- bour may be offended. For our Saviour faith, " Whofoever doth offend one of thefe little ones, " which believe in me, it v/ere better for him that " a mill-ftone were hanged about his neck, and he " caft into the lea." Therefore let parents take heed hov/ they fpeak in the pretence of their children, and mailers ought to take heed how they give examples unto theix fervants. For there be fome mafters and f parents, that will fpeak fo badly before their children and fervants, that it is not meet to be named : and not only that, but they will alfo fwear in the prefence of their children, yea they will teach them to fwear. But note our Saviour, how earneftly he commanded us to beware of fwearing : therefore parents ought to take heed, and efpecially fuch as be rulers over houfes, or be officers: if they do fwear, all the houfhold will fwear too, for it is commonly feen that the fervant followeth the behaviours of his mafter, when they be ill ; but the fervants are not fo hafty to follov/ their mafters in goodnefs. And this fwearing is fo come into ufe, that we can fay nothing at all, but we muft fwear thereunto, by God or by my Faith, or fuch like gear ; but there be fome, which when they be reprehended becaula of fwearing, they will fay, rnen will not believe me except I fwear, which is a token that they have been great liars. For every true man is to be be- lieved without fwearing : and therefore take this for a certain rule, that when a man is not afliamed, or hath no confcience to break this law of God^ that is, to fwear, he will not be afliamed, to have I i 2 no + This evil, the good Pifhop complains of, is now a generr.I Qjie mafters and parents daily and continually talk obfcenely and iWcar beiorc their fervants and chi'dren, to U:ch a degree as j: ihameful in a Chriftian ccuntry. ^oS Mdpr LAI'IMEK^s Sermon on the Gofpel no confcience to lie, and do againfl that command- ment •, for fwearing is as well forbidden as lying, and lying as fwearing : theretor-j he that maketh no confcience in the one, will make Icfs confcience in the other. I myfelf have had fometimes in ufe to fay in my carneft matters, yea, by St Mary t, and fuch like things, which indeed is naught. For we are commanded not to fwear at all. Wo therefore be unto them that fwear, that offend their neighbours or their children by fwearing, or other wickednefs. For it were better that a mill- ilone were hanged about our neck than to offend any body : that is to fay, he were better to be killed bodily, to fuffer extreme punifhment bodily : for they that offend, they be the killers of their neigh- bours. But we are faulty the moll part of us two manner of ways : firff, we will be offended when there is no offence given : and again we be bold to do that thing whereby o'jr neighbour may juftly be offended. But he that is a charitable man, will not be lightly offended, for certainly it is a great fault to be rafhly offended, and to judge our neighbour's doings to be naught and wicked, before we know the truth of the matter, for we cannot fee the hearts of men. Therefore as long as a thing is not openly wicked, let us not be offended. Again, if the thing be neceffary and good, let us not fear offences, yet we muft take heed that we walk charitably. We have a liberty in the Gofpel, yet we muft take heed that we ufe the fame liberty aright, according unto the rule of charity, for St Paul faith, " All things " are allowed unto me, but all things are not ex- *' pedient." I muft bear with him that is weak in faith, 1 Mafter Latimer here complains of the Roman Catholic cuf- tom of fwearino- by the Saints. This wicked cuftom was borrow- ed from the heathen ufage of fwearing by the gods : every one among the Pagans fwearing by the god he worfliipped.. for the third Sunday in Advent. yog faith. As for example, we may eat Befli upon * Fri- days by God's word, if there were not a law made by the King and his moft honourable Council ; if there were no law, I fay, then 1 might eat flelh upon a Friday -, yet for all that we mull ufe our liberty fo that the ufe of it may edify our neighbour, or intermit it wheh it may do harm. So like as my liberty muft be fubjecfl to charity, (o my charity mull be agreeable to the fincerity of faith, for we may by no means leave the truth, leave God's word, which we muft moft ftedfaftly keep. We have a law that faith, " Abftain from all *' Ihew of evil." So that it is not a fmall matter to be a Chriftian. We read a ftory that one Attalus and Baldwin were caft into prifon for God's reli- gion's fake ; in which prifon there were fome which would not eat flefh, nor drink wine. Now the fame Attalus was taught of God, that he fhould admonifh thofe prifoners of their rigoroufnefs, which Attalus did, and fo at length brought them to leave their fooliftinefs. But we cannot do fo here in Eng- land, for our indifference is taken away by a law ; if there were no fuch law, then we might eat flelh both upon Fridays and upon Holidays. And this law is but a matter of policy, not of religion or holinefs j and we ought to Hve according to the laws of the realm, made by the King's Majefty, for in all manner of things, we ought to keep our- felves within the compafs of laws, both in eating and drinking, in apparel and paftimes. Finally, our whole converfation Ihould be agreeable unto the * Every Friday in the year, except Chriftmas day, is appoint- ed by the Church of England as a day of Falling and Abfti- ncnce; as alfo the forty days of Lent; the Ember days at the four leafons, being the Wed nefd ay, Friday and Saturday afbr the iirll Sunday in Lent ; the feaft of Pentecoft, the fourteenth of Sep- tember, and the thirteenth of December; the three Rogation days, being the Monday, Tuefday and VVednefday before Holy Thurf- dav, or the Afccnfion of our Lord. 7IO Mafier LAl'IMEK^s Sermon on the Gofpel the ]aws. For the fcripture faith, that we fhould be obedient to all manner of ordinances, made by the lawful Magiftrate ; therefore we muft fpend our life, and take our paftime fo that it may ftand with the order of the realm. O that we would have in confideration thefe offences, to take heed of giving offence. And again, to beware of rafh judgment againtt our brother, for it is a fign of fmall charity. But the world is fo full of offences, and fo ready to be offended, that I think that if our Saviour ■were here upon earth again as he hath been bodily, and fliould talk with a woman at the well as he did once, I think that there would fome be found amongil us, which would be offended with him, they would think that he had been naught with her : but I pray you beware of rafh offences and ralh judgments. If my neighbour doth fomewhat whereby I am offended, let me go unto him and fpeak with him ; but to judge him by and by with- out knowledge, is naught. And farther, we muft follow this rule, " No man fhall feek his own pro- " fit, but his neighbour's." I muft fo ufe my li- berty that my neighbour be not hurt by it, but rather edified. So did St Paul when he circumcifed Timothy, and at another time, when he perceived that the people were ftout in defending the cere- monies of the law, he would not circumcife Titus. Now when the difciples of John were gone, then he beginneth to fpeak to the people of John Baptifl, for our Saviour had a refpeft to John, and to his eftimation, left the people fhould think that John were in doubt of him, whether he were Chrift or not. " What went ye out into the '^ wildernefs to fee, a reed fhaken of the wind ?** There was once an old man which counfelled a young man, that he ftiould be like a reed, he fhould be ruled as the world goeth, for a reed never breaketh, but bpweth which way foever the wind fdf the third Sunday in Advetit. 711 wind bloweth, and the oak, fonietimes breaketh becaufe it will not bend. But Chrift fpeaketh thefe words to the great commendation of John, becaufe of his ftedfaftnefs : there be many reeds now-adays in the world, many men will go with the world. But religion ought not to be fubjeft to Dolicy, but rather policy unto religion. I tear me there will be found a great number of us reeds, when there fball come a perfecution, that we muft fuffer for God's word fake : I fear me there will be a great many that will change, and will not be conftant as John was. When a man is in the wrong or erroneous way, then he well may and fliould change, but " perfift «■« ye," faith St Paul ; we muft endure and (land fledfaft in that which is good and right: in God's word we fhould ftand faft, but not in Popery f. So that firft we muft fee that we be right, and after- ward muft ftand. This is a great praile wherewith cur Saviour praifed John ; for it is no fmall matter to be praifed of him, which knoweth the leaft thoughts of men. " Or what went ye out to fee : A man cloathed " in foft raiment? behold, they that wear foft " raiment, arc in Kings houfes." Here in thefe words, cur Saviour condemned not fine gear, as filk, fattin, or velvet : for there is nothing fo coft- Jy but it may be worn, but not of every body ; Kino-s and great men are allowed to wear fuch fine^o-ear, but John he was a Clergyman, it be- hovecTnot him to wear fuch gear. Peradventure if he had been a flatterer, as feme be now-adays, then he might have gotten fuch gear ; but John, knowing his office, knew well enough that it be- hoved f All thofe dodrires invented to fupport the dignity of the Pope ; fuch as his Infallibility, the power he has over the whole; Chriftian world, and his right tb forgive all manner of offences, and to difpcnce with all kinds of duty. 7 1 2 Mafler L A'TtMEK^s Sermon on the Gofpcl hoved not him to wear fuch fine gear : but how ouf Clergymen wear them, and with what confcience I cannot tell ; bnt I can tell it behoveth not them to wear now fuch dehcate things. St Peter doth difallow gorgeoufnefs in women : how much more then in men ? for a man would think that women Ihould have more liberty in fuch trifles, but holy fcripture difalloweth it, and not only in women, but alio in men. For he nameth women, becaufe they are more given to that vanity than men be. For fcripture uleth many times by this word wo- men, to underrtand men too. And by the word men it underilandeth women too. For elfe we fhould not find in all fcripture that women fliould be baptized. Here were a goodly place to fpeak againft our Clergymen which go lb gallant now-adays. I hear fay that feme of them wear velvet ihoes and flip- pers i fuch fellows are more meet to dance the morrice-dance than to be admitted to preach. I pray God amend fuch worldly fellows, for elfe they be not meet to be Preachers. Now I will make an end concerning offences ; peradventure ye will fay, how chanceth it that God fuff^ereth fuch ofi'ences in the world? An- fwer, " The judgments of the moft higheft are " infcrutible." God can ufe them to good pur- pofes J therefore he faith, " It is neceffary that *' there be offences.'* Then ye will fay. Why fiiould we then be damned for offences, when offen- ces are needful ^ Anfwer, When we do ill, we fhall receive our reward for our illnefs, for it is no thanks to us, when God can ufe them to good purpofes J we ought to be punillicd when we do naught. Therefore the beft way is to beware and take heed of offences, and all other ungodlinefs, and live uprightly in the fear of God. So that W6 for the third Sunday in Advent. yt^ we may inherit the life everJafting, which he hath prepared for us from the beginning of the world ; which grant us God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Ghoft, one God and three Perfons, now and ever, world without end. /imen. N« 30. Vol. II, Kk SERMON H&^ SERMON XXXir. By the Reverend Father in Chriji Mafter HUGH LATIMER Bijhop of Worcefier. Preached the twenty eighth of 0(5lober 1552. JOHN XV. 12. Wts is my commandment^ that ye love one another^ as I have loved you. SEEING the time is To far fpent, we will take no more in hand at this time, but this one fcntence ; it ihall be enough for us to confider this well, and to bear it away with us : " This I ** command unto you, that you love one another.'* Our Saviour himfelf fpake thefe words at his laft fupper before he was taken : it was his laft Sermon that he made unto his difciples before his departure; it is a very long Sermon. For our Saviour doth like as one that knoweth he fhall die Hiortly, therefore is defirous to fpend that little time that he hath with his friends in exhorting, and inftrucling them how they fhali lead their lives. Now among other things that he commanded us, this was one; '* This *' I command unto you, that ye love one another." My trandation hath //<^r mando vobis^ the plural number; the Englifli gceth as though it fingularly were but one, " This is my commandment." I examined the Greek, where it is in the plural num- ber. MaJlerLA^IMEK's Sermon, &c., 715 ber, and very well; for there be many things that pertain to a Chriftian man, and yet all thofe things are contained in this one, that is love : he lappeth up all things in love. Our whole duty is contained in thefe words, " Love together." Therefore St Paul faith, " He " that loveth another, fulfilleth the whole law •** fo it appeared that all things are contained in this word Love. This love is a precious thing : Our Saviour faith, " By this (hall all men know that ye are my ^' difciples, if ye fliall love one another." So that he maketh love his cognizance, his badge, his livery. Like as every Lord moll commonly giveth a certain livery to his fervants, whereby they may be known that they pertain unto him; and fo we fay yonder is this Lord's fervants, be- caufe they wear his livery. So our Saviour, who is the Lord above aU Lords, would have his fervants to be known by their liveries and badge, which badge is love alone, Whofoever now is indued with love and charity, is his fervant : him we may call Chrift's fervant : for love is the token wherfeby you know that fuch a fervant pertaineth to Chrilt ; fo that charity may be called the very livery of Chrift. He that hath charity is Chrift's fervant : He that hath not charity, is the fervant of the devil. For like as Chrift's livery is love and cha- rity, fo the devil's livery is hatred, malice,, a^d dif- cord. But I think the devil hath a great many more Ser- vants than Chrift hath •, for there be a great many more in his livery than in Chrift's livery •, there be but very few which be indued with Chrift's livery, with love and charity, gentlenefs and meeknefs of fpirit-, but there area great number of thofe that bear hatred and malice in their hearts, that be proud, ftout and lofty •, therefore the number of the devil's Kk2 kx- 7 1 6 Mafter LA^IMEK'sSermon on the Gofpel fervants are greater than the number of Chrift's iervants. Now St Paul fheweth how needful a thing this love is. I fpeak not of carnal love, which is a very beaftly love, wherewith the whoremonger lov- cth his whore : but this charitable love is fo necef- fary, that when a man hath her, without all other things it will fuffice him. Agiiin, if a man have all other things and lacketh that love, it will not help him, it is all vain and loft. St Paul ufed it fo: *' Though I ipeak with the tongues of men and An- " gels, and yet had no love, 1 were even as found- " ing brafs, or as a tinkling cimbal. And though *' I could prophefy and underttand all fecrets and all " knowledge i yea, if I had all faith, fo that I *' could move mountains out of their places, and *' yet had no love, I were nothing. And though ** I beftowed all my goods to feed the poor, and *' though I gave my body even that I burned, and *' yet had no love, it profiteth me nothing." Thefc are goodly gifts, yet St Paul calleth them nothing when a man hath them without charity ; which is a great commendation, and flieweth the great necef- fity of love, infomuch that all other virtues be in vain when this love is abfent. And there have been fome which thought that St Paul fpake againft the dignity of faith •, but you muft underftand that Sc Paul fpeaketh here not of the juftifying faith, where- with we receive everlafting life, but he underftand- cth by this word faith, the gilt to do miracles, to remove hills ', of fuch a faith he fpeaketh. This 1 fay to the confirmation of this propofition, faith only juftiheth: this propofition is moft true and certain. And St Paul fpeaketh not here of this lively juftifying faith; for this right faith is not without love, for love cometh and floweth out of faith, love is a child of faith ; for no man can love except he believe, . for StStmon aniju^e^s day, 717 believe, fo that they have two feveral offices, they themfelves being infeparable. St Paul hath a faying in the thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians, which after the outward letter feemed much to the difpraife of this faith, and to the praife of love -, thefe be his words, " Now abideth " faith, hope, and love, even thefe three ; but the " chiefeft of thefe is love." There be fome learned men, which expound this majority of which St Paul fpeaketh here for diuturnity. For when we come to God, then we believe no more, but rather fee with our eyes face to face how he is ; yet for all that love remaineth ftill : fo that love may be called the chiefeft, becaufe fhe endureth for ever. And though fhe be the chiefeft, yet we mufi: not at-^ tribute unto her, the office which pertaineth unto faith only. Like as I cannot fay, the Mayor of Stamford muft make me a pair of Ihoes, becaufe he is a greater man than the fiioemaker is; for the Mayor, though he be the greater man, yet it is not his office to make fhoes; fo though love be greater, yet it is not her office to fave. Thus much I thought good to fay againft thofe which fight againft the truth. Now when we will know who be in his livery or not, we muft learn it of St Paul who moft evidently defcribeth charity, which is the very livery, faying, ** Love is patient, fhe fuffereth long." Now who- foever fumeth and is angry, he is out of his livery : therefore let us remember that we do not caft away the livery of Chrift, our Mafter. When we be in ficknefs or any manner of adverfities, our duty is to be patient, to fuff^er it willingly, and to call upon him for aid, help, and comfort -, for without him w^e are not able to abide any tribulation. Therefore we muft call upon God, he hath promifed to help : therefore let me not think him to be falfe or untrue in his promifes, for we cannot diffionour God more than in not believino- or truftino; in him. 5o let us beware above all things of this diihonour- ins: 7 1 8 Majier L A 1*1 ME R *s Sermon on the GoffeJ ing of God j we mull be patient, trufting and moft certainly believing that he will deliver us when it feemeth him good ; who knoweth the time better than we ourfelves. " Charity is gentle, friendly, and loving ; fhe " envieth not." They that envy their neighbour's profit when it gocth well with him, fuch fellows are out of their liveries, and fo out of the fervice of God ; for to be envious is to be the fervant of the devil. " Love doth not frowardly, fhe is not a pro- ** voker j'* as there be fome men which will pro- voke their neighbour fo far that it is very hard for them to be in charity with them -, but we muft wreflle with our affedlion, we muft ftrive and fee that fhe keep this livery of Chrift our Mafter ; for •* the devil goeth about as a roaring lion feek- '* ing to take us at a vantage," to bring us out of our liveries, and to take from us the knot of love and charity. ** Love fwelleth nor, is not puffed up ;'* but there be many fwellers now-adays, they be fo high, fo lofty, infomuch that they defpife and contemn all others : all fuch perfons are under the governance of the devil. God ruleth not them with his good Spirit, the evil fpirit hath occupied their hearts and poffefTed them. ** She doth not difhoneflly ; " fhe feeketh not *' her own •, fhe doth all things to the good of *' her neighbours.'* A charitable man will not promote himfelf to the damage of his neighbour. They that feek only their own advantage, for- getting their neighbours, they be not of God, they have not his livery. Farther, " charity is not *' provoked to anger ; fhe thinketh not evil." We ought not to think evil of our neighbour, as long as we fee not open wickednefs by him : for it is written, ** you fhall not judge j" we fhould not for St Simon and Jude*s day, ji§ not take upon us to eondemn our neighbour. And furely thele condemners of other mens works be not in the livery of Chrift. Chrift hateth them. " She rejoiceth not in iniquity •,'* ihe loveth equi- ty and godlinefs. And again, fhe is forry to hear of fallhood, of ftealing, or fuch like, which wick- ednefs is now at this time moft commonly ufed 5 yet there was never fuch fallhood among chriftian men as there is now, at this time -, truly I think, and they that have experience report it fo, that among the very * Infidels and Turks, there is more fidelity and uprightnefs than among Chriftian men. For no man fetteth any thing by his promife, yea and writings will not ferve with fome, they be fo fhame- lefs that they dare deny their own hand-writing : bur, I pray you, are thofe falfe fellows in the livery of Chrift ? Have they his cognizance ? No, no ; they have the badge of the devil, with whom they fliall be damned world without end, except they amend and leave their wickednefs- " She fuffereth all things ; (he belleveth all ** things." It is a great matter that (hould make us to be grieved with our neighbour •, we ftiould be fo patient when oCir neighbour doth naught, we fliould admonilh hrm of his folly, earncftly defiring him to leave his wickednefs, /hewing the danger that followeth -, namely, everlafting damnation. In fuch wife we fhould ftudy to amend our neighbour, and not to hate him or do him a foul turn again, but rather charitably ftudy to amend him : whofoever now doth fo, he hath the livery and cognizance of Chrift, * Unbelievers, thofe uho are ftrangers to the Chriftian fauh. As to the antiquity of the word Infidel, it o\ves its origin to faith and revelation; thofe who receive the do