BISHOP LATIMER

BY THE
REV. J. C. RYL&, B.A.,
BEOTOB OP HELlOKanAM, SUFCOLE,

NEW-YORK :
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF
E-VANGELICAL KNO-VP-LEDGE.
NO. 11 BIBLE HOUSE, ASTOE PLACE,
1855,

JOHN A, GRAY,
PaiNTEK AND 8TEKE0TYTEB
95 and 97 Cliff street, N. T.

BISHOP LATIMEE.*

I HAVE no doubt the name of Bishop Latimer is
known to almost all my readers. There are, proba
bly, few who have forgotten that three hundred
years ago there was such a queen of England as
bloody Mary — and that men were burnt alive in
her reign because they woulcj not desert Grod's truth
— and that one of these men was Bishop Latimer.
But I want members of the Church to know these
things better. I want them to become thoroughly
familiar with the lives, the acts, and the opinions of
the leading English Eeformers. Their names ought
to be something better than hackneyed ornaments to
point a platform speech. Their principles ought no
longer to be vague, hazy shadows, "looming in the
distance," but something clear, distinct, and well de
fined before your mind's eyes. My desire is, that
you may understand that the best interests of this
country are bound up with Protestantism. My wish
* The foUowing Tract -was delivered as a Lecture before the
Church of England Young Men's Society in February, 1853.

4 BISHOP LATIMEK.
is, that you may write .on your heartsthat the well-
being of England depends not on commerce, or poli
tics, or steam, or armies, or navies, or gold, or corn,
but on the maintenance of the principles of the Eng
lish Eeformation.
The times you live in call loudly for the diffusion
of knowledge about English Church history. Opin
ions are boldly broached now-a-days of so startling
a nature, that they make a man rub his eyes, and
- say, " "Where am I ?" A state of feeling is growing
up among us about Eomanism and Protestantism,
which, to say the least, is most unhealthy. It has
increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished.
Nothing is so likely to check this state of feeling as
the production of a few plain facts. If you want to
convince a Scotchman, they say, you must give him
a long argument. If you want to convince an Eng
lishman, you must give him plain facts. Facts are
the principal commodity I have brought here to-_
night. If any on-e has come to hear private specu
lations, or oratorical display, I am afraid he will go
away disappointed ; but if any one likes plain facts,
I think I shall be ^able to supply him with a few.
Are any of you in doubt who is a true member of
the Church of England? Are you perplexed by
the rise and progress of what are foolishly called
" Church-views ?" Come with me to-night, and pay
a visit to one of the Fathers of the English Church.
Let us put into the witness-box one of the most honest
and out-spoken bishops of the days of the English

BISHOP LATIMEB. 5
Eeformation. Let us Examine the life and opinions
of good old Latimer.
Are any of ydu doubting what is the true cha
racter of the Church of Eome ? Are you bewildered
by some of those plausible gentlemen who tell you
there is no fundamental difference between the An
glican and Eomish Churches ? Are you puzzled by
that intense yearning after so-called Catholic princi
ples, which distinguishes some misguided Churchmen,
and which exhibits itself in Catholic teaching, Cath
olic ceremonies, Catholic books of devotion, and
Catholic architecture ? Come with me to-night, and
turn over a few .old pages in English history. Let
us see what England actually was when Eomish
teachers instructed the English people, and had things
all their own way. Let us see what the Church of
Eome does when she has complete power. Let us
see tow she treats the friends of an open Bible, of
private judgment, and of justification by faith. Let
us see how the Church of Eome dealt with Bishop
Latimer. And' now, without further preface, let me try to
tell you something about —
I. Latimer's times.
II. Latimer's life, and
III. Latimer's opinions.
I. The times of Bishop Latimer deserve attentive
consideration. It is impossible to form a just esti-

6 BISHOP LATIMEE.
mate of a man's conduct unless we know the cir
cumstances in which he is placed, and the difficulties
with which he has to contend. No one is thoroughly
aware of the extent of our obligations to the noble
band of English Eeformers, who is not acquainted
with the actual state of England when they began
their work, and the amazing disadvantages under
which their work was carried on.
Latimer was born in the reign of Henry VII.
He lived through the reigns of Henry YIII., and
Edward VI., and was put to death in the reign of
Queen Mary. He began life at a period when Po
pery bore undisputed sway in this country. He wit
nessed the beginning of the breach between Henry
VIII. and Eome, and the establishment of a transi
tion state of religion in England. He lived to see
the full development of Protestantism under Edward
VL, and the compilation of a Liturgy and Articles
very slightly differing from those Ve have at this
day. Of each of these three periods I must say a
few words.
The period of Latimer's life when Popery was
supreme in England, was a period of utter spiritual
darkness. The depth of superstition in which o-ur
worthy forefathers were sunk is enough to make
one's hair stand on end. No doubt there were
many Lollards, and followers of Wycliffe, scattered
over the land, who held the truth, and were the salt
of the nation. But the fierce persecution with
which these good men were generally assailed pre-

BISHOP LATIMER. 7
vented their making much progress. They barely
maintained their own ground. And as for the mass
of the population, gross darkness covered their
minds. Most of the priests and teachers of religion were
themselves profoundly ignorant of every thing they
ought to have known. They were generally or
dained without any adequate examination as to
learning or character. Many of them, though they
could read their breviaries, knew nothing whatever
of the Bible. Some, according to Strype, the histo
rian, were scarcely able to say the Lord's prayer,
and not a few were unable to repeat the ten com
mandments. The prayers of the Church were in the
Latin language, which hardly any body understood.
Preaching there was scarcely any, and what there
was, was grossly unscriptural and unedifying. Quar
terly sermons were prescribed to the clergy, but not
insisted on. Mass, according to Latimer, was not to
be omitted for a single Sunday ; but sermons might
be omitted for twenty Sundays together, and no body
found fault.
Huge nests of ordained men were dotted over the
face of England in the shape of Abbeys and Monas
teries. The inhabitants of these beautiful buildings
were seldom very holy and self-denying, and were
often men of most profligate and disreputable lives.
Their morals were just what might have been ex
pected from fullness of bread and abundance of idle
ness. They did next to nothing for the advancement

8 BISflOP LATIMEB.
of learning. They did nothing for the spread of
true religion. Two things only they cared for,
and those two were to fill their own pockets, and
to keep up their own power. For the one pur
pose they persuaded weak and dying people
to give money and land to the Church, under
the specious pretense that they T/-ould in this
way be delivered from purgatory, and their faith
proved by their good works. For the other purpose
they claimed to hold the keys of the kingdom of
Heaven. To them confession of sins must be made.
Without their absolution and extreme unction, no
' man could be saved. Without their masses, no soul
could be redeemed from purgatory. In short, they
were practically the mediators between Christ and
man, and to injure them was the highest offense and
sin. Old Fuller tells us for example, that in 1489,
a certain Italian got &,n immense sum of money in
England by " having power from the Pope to ab
solve people from u.nury, simony, theft, manslaugh
ter, fornication, and adultery, and all crimes whatso
ever, except smiting the clergy, and conspiring
against the Pope." (i., 532. Tegg's edition.) Such
were Eomish priests in Latimer's youth, when Pop
ery was last rampant in England. To say that they
were generally ignorant, covetous, sensual, and des
potic tyrants over the souls and bodies of men, is
not saying one jot more than the truth.
When priests in Latimer's youth were men of this
stamp, you will not be surprised to hear that ffie

BISHOP LATIMER. 9
people were utterly ignorant of true religion. It
would have been miraculous indeed, if it had been
otherwise, when they had neither sound preaching
to hear, nor Bibles to read. A New Testament
could not be bought for less than £2 16s. 3d,, and
the buyer was in danger of being considered a here
tic for purchasing it. The Christianity of the vast
majority -was naturally enough a mere name and
form. The Sabbath was a day of sport and pastime,
and not a day of solemn worship. Not one in an
hundred perhaps could have rightly answered the
question, "What shall I do to be saved?" or given
the slightest account of justification, regeneration,
sanctification, the oflSce of Christ, or the work of the
Spirit. A nian's only idea of the way to heaven
generally was, to do as the priest told him, and to
belong to the true Church. Thus the blind led the
blind, and all wallowed in the ditch together.
All the practical religion that the mass of the laity
possessed, consisted in prayers to the Virgin and
saints — pilgrimages to holy places — and adoration of
images and relics. The list of their superstitious
practices would make an appalling catalogue. They
hastened to the church for holy- water before a thun
der-storm. They resorted to St. Eooke in times of
pestilence. They prayed to St. Pernal in an ague.
Young women, desiring to be married, sought the
help of St. Nicholas. Wives, weary of their hus
bands, betook themselves to St. Uncumber. One
hundred thousand pilgrims visited the tomb of St.
1*

10 BISHOP LATIMEE.
Thomas k Becket, at Canterbury, in one year, in
order to help their souls towards heaven. In one
year, at Canterbury Cathedral, there was offered at
Christ's altar, £3 2s. 6d. ; on the Virgin Mary's,
£68 5s. 6d. ; and, on Thomas k Bedket's, £832 12s.
3d. The images worshipped were often gross cheats
as well as idols. At Bexley, in Kent, there was a
famous crucifix on which the figure of our Lord
would move its head, hands, and feet, roll its eyes,
move its lips, and bend its brow. It would hang its
lips when silver was offered to it, and shake its head
merrily when the offering was gold. And all this
was thought miraculous. At length, it was dis
covered that the image was full of springs and -wires,
and that the movements were caused by priests or
their agents secreted near it. The relics worshipped
were as monstrous and absurd as the images. At
Hales, in Gloucestershire, there was shown in a crys
tal vial, what was called the blood of Christ, but it
was at length discovered to be the blood of a duck.
At Eeadfng, there was shown an angel -with one
wing, who brought over the spear that pierced our
Lord's side. At Bury, in Suffolk, the coals that
roasted St. Lawrence, the parings of St. Edmund's
toe-nails, and St. Thomas ^Becket's penknife and
boots, were all religiously adored. As to wood of
the true Cross, enough was found in the churches,
when relics were finally cast out, to have made two
or three crosses. As to the bones of saints, there
were whole heaps which had been venerated for

BISHOP LATIMEB. 11
years which proved, at length, to be bones of pigs.
These are dreadful things to tell, but they ought to
be known. All these things the Church of Eome
knew, connived at, sanctioned, defended, taught, and
enforced on her members. This was the state of re
ligion in England three hundred and fifty years ago,
when the English reformers were raised up. . This
was English Christianity in the childhood and youth
of Hugh Latimer.
The second period of Latimer's life, during which
England was in a state of transition between Eoman
ism and Protestantism, presents many curious fea
tures. We see on the one hand, a reformation of religion
begun by a king from motives which, to say the least,
were not spiritual. It would be absurd to suppose
that a sensual tyrant like Henry VIII. came^to a
breach with the Pope for any other reason than that
the Pope crossed his will. We see his pretended
scruples about his marriage with Catherine of Arra
gon, bringing him into communication with Cran
mer and Latimer. We see him, at one time, so far
guided by the advice of these good men that, like
Herod, he does many things that are right, and cal.
culated to advance the cause of the Gospel. He
makes Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and
shows him favor to the very end of his days. He
allows the Bible to be printed in English and placed
in churches. He commands images to be broken,
and puts down many gross superstitions. He boldly

12 BISHOP LATIMEE.
denies the doctrine of the Pope's supremacy. He
dissolves the monasteries, and puts to open shame the
wickedness of their inmates. All this we see and
are thankful. We see him, at another ti'me, defend
ing Popish dogmas, and burning men who, like the
martyr Lambert, denied them. We see him putting
forth the famous Six Articles which reasserted
transubstantiation, private masses, clerical ceUbacy,
vows of chastity, auricular confession, and the denial
of the cup to the laity. Worst of all, we see in him,
the marks of a proud, self-willed, sensual man all his
life long, and an utter want of evidence that his
heart was ever right in the sight of God. The use
of a man who was guilty of such inconsistencies, to
do God's work, is among the deep things of God's
providence, We can not understand it. We must
waits Turning, on the other hand, fi-om Henry VIU. to
the first English Eeformers, we see in them strong
indications of what Fuller calls "a twilight reli
gion." We see them putting forth books in Henry
Vlllth's reign, which, though an immense improve
ment and advance upon Eomish teaching, still con
tain some things which are not scriptural. Such
were "the necessary erudition," and the "institution
of a Christian man." We see them, however, gra
dually growing in spiritual knowledge, perhaps
unawares to themselves, and specially as to the
error of transubstantiation. We see them con
tinually checked and kept back, partly by the arbi-

BISHOP LATIMER. 18
tary conduct of the king, partly by the immense
difficulty of working side by side with a Popish
party in the Church, and partly by the great ignor
ance of the parochial clergy. Nevertheless, on com
paring the end of Henry Vlllth's reign with the
beginning, we see plain proof that much ground
was gained. We learn to admire the overruling
powerof God, who can use a Henry VIII. just as he
did a Nebuchadnezzar or Sennacherib, for the accom
plishment of His own purposes. And last, but not
least, we learn to admire the patient perseverance
of the Eeformers. Though they had but a little
strength, they used it. Though they had but a
small door open, they entered in by it. Though
they had but one talent, they laid it out heartily for
God, and did not bury it in the ground. Though
they had but a little light, they lived fully up to it.
If they could not do what they would, they did
what they could, and were blessed in their deed.
Such was the second period- of Latimer's life.
Never let it be forgotten that, at this time, the
foundations of the Church of England were exca
vated, and vast heaps of rubbish removed out of
the way of the builders who were to follow. Viewed
in this hght, it wiU always be an interesting period
to the student of Church history.
The last period of Latimer's life, which comprises
the reign of Edward VL, is in many respects
very dffferent from the two periods to which I have
already adverted. The cause of English Protestantism

14 BISHOP LATIMER.
made immense progress during Edward's short but
remarkable tenure of. power. It was truly said of
him by Hooker, that "He 'died young but lived
long, if life be action." Eeleased from the bondage
of a tyrannical king's interference, Cranmer and his
friends went forward in the work of religious reform-,
ation with rapid strides. Bonner and G8,rdiner
were no longer allowed to keep them back. Eefus-
ing to take part in the good work, these two Popish
prelates were deposed and put to silence. Faithful
men, like Eidley and Hooper, wete placed on the
Episcopal bench. An immense clearance or Popish
ceremonies was affected. A Liturgy was compiled,
which differed very slightly from our present Prayer
Book. The Forty-two Articles of religion were
drawn up, which form the basis of our own Thirty-
nine. The first book of homilies was put forth, in
order to supply the want of preachers. . An accuracy
and clearness of doctrinal statement was arrived at
which had hitherto been unknown. Learned for
eigners, like Bucer and Peter Martyr, were invited
to visit England, and appointed Eegius Professors
of Divinity at Oxford and Cambridge. How much
further the Eeformers might have carried the work
of reformation, if they had had time, it is useless
now to speculate. Judging by the changes they
effected in a very few years, they would probably
have made our Church as nearly perfect as a visible
Church can be, if they had not been stopped by
Edward's premature death.

BISHOP LATIMER. 16
There was, however, one thing which the Eeform
ers of Edward Vlth's reign could not accomplish.
They could not change the hearts of the parophial
clergy. Thousands of clergymen' continued to hold
office in the Church of England who had no sym
pathy with the proceedings of Cranmer and his
party. There was no getting rid of these worthies,
for they were ready to promise any thing, sign any
thing, and swear any thing, in order to keep their
livings. But while they yielded compliance to
Cranmer's injunctions and commands, they were
graceless, ignorant, and semi-Papists at heart. The
questions which Bishop Hooper found it necessary
to put to the dean, prebendaries, and clergy of the
diocese of Gloucester on his first visitation, furnish
us with a sad illustration of the state of English
clergymen in Edward Vlth's time. They are as
follows : " How many commandments are there ?
Where are they written ? Can you say them by
heart ? What are the articles of the Christian faith?
Can you repeat them? Can yoii confirm them by
Scripture? Can you recite the Lord's prayer?
How do you know it to be the Lord's prayer ?
Where is it written? These questions are sad
enough, but what will you think of the result of the
inquiry? Out of 311 clergymen in the diocese of
Gloucester, it turned out that 168 could not repeat
the ten commandments, and out of these 81 could
not state in what part of the Scripture they were to
be found. Forty of the 311 could not tell where

16 BISHOP LATIMEE.
the Lord's prayer was written, and 31 did not know
who was its Author. (Hooper's works. Vol. ii.,
151.) Facts such as these are painful and astound
ing ; but it is most important that you should know
them. They explain at once the ease with which
bloody Mary restored Popery when she came to
the throne. Parochial clergymen like those just
described were not likely to offer any resistance to
her wishes. Facts such as these throw great light
on the position of Cranmer, and the Eeformers of
Edward Vlth's days. We probably have little
idea of the immense difficulties, both within and
without, which beset them. Above all, facts such as
these give you some idea of the condition of religion
in England even in the brightest portion of Latimer's
times. If things like these were to be seen when
Latimer was_an old man, what must have been seen
when he was young? If ignorance like this pre
vailed under Edward VL, how thick must the dark
ness have been under Henry VIIL!
I must dwell no longer on the subject of Latimer's
times. I fear that I shall have wearied you already
with a dry and tedious detail of facts. But I firmly
believe that a knowledge of these facts is absolutely
essential to a right understanding of the English Ee
formation, and I, therefore, hope they will not prove
useless. On calm consideration, I trust you will agree with
me, that it is the height of absurdity to say, as some
do now-a-days, that this country has been a loser by

BISHOP LATIMER. 17
getting rid of Popery. It is really astonishing to
hear the nonsense talked " about merry England in
the olden times," the "mediaeval piety," the "ages of
faith," and the " devout habits of our Catholic fore
fathers." Walter Scott's beautiful writings and Pugin's
beautiful architectural designs, have lent a false
glare to Eomanism in England, and induced many
to doubt whether our Eeformation really was a gain.
I do trust that Young London will not be so young
as to listen to such delusive theories. Doubt not
for a moment, that the state of English society,
which Scott has sometimes made so beautiful by his
pen, and Pugin by his pencil, is a farjmore beautiful
thing in poems and pictures than it ever w;as in hon
est reality. Depend upon it, that " distance lends
enchantment to the view." Eest satisfied, that
Netley, and Glastonbury, and Tintern, and Bury,
and Fountains, and Melrose, and Bolton Abbeys,
are probably more useful now in ruins than ever
they were in Henry Vllth's days. Never for
get what we have gained by the Eeformation ; we
have gained light, knowledge, morality, and reli
gious liberty. Never forget the fruits which grew
on the tree of Popery when last it flourished in Eng
land. These fruits were ignorance, superstition, im
morality, and priestly Ijyranny. God was angered.
Souls were lost, and the devil was pleased.
Again, I trust you will feel -frith me to-night, that
it is most unfair to suppose that the acts and writ-

18 BISHOP LATIMEE.
ings of the English Eeformers under Henry VIIL
are any real criterion of their matured opinions. It
is as unfair, as it would be to measure the character
of a grown-up man by his sayings and doings when
he was a child. Eemember that the Eeformers under
Henry VIII. were in a state of spiritual childhood.
They saw many points in religion through a' glass
darkly. It was not till the reign of Edward VI. that
they put away childish things. Beware, therefore,
lest any man ever deceive you by artfully-chosen
quotations drawn from works published in the be
ginning of the English Eeformation. Judge the Ee
formers, if you will, by their writings in the reign
of Edward VI.,4)ut not by their writings in the reign
of Henry VIIL
Lastly, I trust you will agree with me to-night,
that it is most unreasonable to decry the early Eng
lish Eeformers, as men who did not go far enough.
Such charges are easily made, but those who make
them seldom consider the enormous obstacles the
Eeformers had to surmount, and the enormous evils
they had to remove. It is nonsense to suppose they
had nothing more to do than to pare the moss off an
old building, and whitewash it afresh. They had
to take down an old decayed house, and rebuild
it from the very ground. It is nonsense to talk as
if they had a smooth sea, a fair wind, and a clear
course. On the contrary, they had to pilot the ship
of true religion through a narrow and difficult strait,
against current, wind, and tide. Put all their dif6-

BISHOP LATIMEE. 19
culties together — ^the arbitrary, profligate character
of Henry VIIL, and the tender years of Edward VI.
— the general ignorance of the population — the bit
ter enmity of dispossessed monks and friars — the
open opposition of many of the bishops, and the se
cret indifference of a vast proportion of the clergy
— put all these things together, and weigh them well,
and then I think you will not lightly regard the work
that the early Eeformers did. For my own part, so
far from wondering that they did so little, I wonder
rather that they did so much. I marvel at their
firmness. I am surprised at their success. I see
immense results produced by comparatively weak
instruments, and I can only account for it by saying,
that " Godwas with them of a truth."
II. The second part of this evening's lecture, to
which I shall next invite your attention, is the story
of Bishop Latimer's life.
Hugh Latimer was born about the year 1485, at
T]jurcaston, near Mount Sorrel, in the .county of
Leicester. He has left such a graphic account of his
father and family in one of his sermons preached be
fore Edward VL, that I must in justice give it to
you in his own words. He says: " My father was a
yeoman, and had no lands of his own. He had
only a farm of three or four pounds a year at the
uttermost, and hereupon he tilled so much as kept
half a dozen men. He had walk for one hundred
sheep, and my mother milked thirty kine. He was

20 BISHOP LATIMER.
able, and did bring the king a harness with himself
and his horse, when he came tq the place where he
should receive the king's wages. I can remember
that I buckled his harness, when he went to Black-
heath-field. He kept me to school, or else I had not
been able to have preached before the king's majesty
now. He married my sisters with five pounds apiece,
and brought them up in godliness and the fear of God.
He kept hospitality for his poor neighbors, and some
alms he gave to the poor." (Works, i., 101. Parker's
Soe. edition.) Such is the good Bishop's homely ac
count of his o-svn family. It is only fair to observe,
that Latimer is one among the thousand examples
on record that England, with all its faults, is a coun
try where a man may begin very low, and yet live
to rise very high.
Latimer was sent to Cambridge at the age of
fourteen, and in 1509 was elected a fellow of Clare
Hall. We know very little of his early history, except
the remarkable fact, which he himself has told us,
that up to the age of thirty, he was a most vio
lent and bigoted Papist. Just as St. Paul was not
ashamed to tell men, that at one time he was a blas
phemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, so the old
Protestant Bishop used often to tell how he, too, had
once been the slave of Eome. He says, in one of
his sermons: "I was as obstinate a Papist as any was
in England, insomuch that when I should be made
bachelor of divinity, my whole oration went against
Philip Melancthon and his opinions." (Works, i..

BISHOP LATIMEE. 21
3B^' He says, in another sermon : " All the Papists
think themselves to be saved by the law, and I my
self was of that dangerous, perilous, and damnable
opinion till I was thirty years of age. So long had
I walked in darkness and the shadow of death." (i.,
137.) He says, in a letter- to Sir Edward Baynton: "I
have thought in times past, that if I had been a friar,
and in a cowl, I could not have been damned
nor afraid of death ; and by reason of the same, I
have been minded many times to have been a friar,
namely, when I was sore sick, or diseased. Now I
abhor my superstitious foolishness." (i., p. 332.)
Latimer's testimony about himself is confirmed by
others. It is recorded, that he used to think so ill of
the Eeformers, that he declared the last times, the
Day of Judgment, and the end of the world must be
approaching. "Impiety," he said, "was gaining
ground apace, and what lengths might not men be
expected to run, when they began to question even
the infallibility of the Pope?" Becon mentions, that
when Stafford, the divinity lecturer, delivered lec
tures on the Bible, Latimer was sure to be present, in
order to frighten and drive away the scholars. In
fact, his zeal for Popery was so notorious, that he was
elected to the of&ce%f cross-bearer in the religioiis
processions of the University, and discharged the
duty with becoming solemnity for seven years. Such
was the clay of which God formed a precious vessel
meet for his work. Such were the first beginnings
of one of the best and most useful of the English
Eeformers.

22 BISHOP LATIMER.
The instrument which God used in order to bring
this furious Papist to a knowledge of Christ's 'truth
was a student named Bilney. Bilney was a con
temporary of Latimer's at Cambridge, who had for
some time embraced the doctrines of the Eeforma
tion. He perceived that Latimer was a sincere and
honest man, and kindly thought it possible that his
zeal for Popery might arise from lack of knowledge.
He therefore went boldly to him after his public on
slaught ..on Melancthon, and humbly asked to be
allowed to make a private confession of his 6-wn
faith. The success of this courageous step was com
plete. Old Latimer tells us : "I learned more by his
confession than before in many years. Prom that
time forward I began to smell the word of God, and
forsook the school-doctors and such fooleries." (i.,
335.) Bilney's conduct on this occasion seems to
have been most praiseworthy. It ought to encour
age every one to try to do good to his neighbor. It
is a shining proof of the truth of the proverb : " A
word spoken in season, how good is it."
Hugh Latimer was not a man to do any thing by
halves. As soon as he ceased to be a zealous Papist,
he began at once to be a zealous Protestant, and gave
himself up body, soul, and mind, to the work of
doing good. He visited, in Bilney's company, the
sick and prisoners. He commenced preaching in
the University pulpits, in a style hitherto unknown
in Cambridge, and soon became famous as one of the
most striking and powerful preachers of the day.

BISHOP LATIMER. 23
He stirred up hundreds of his hearers to search the
Scriptures, and inquire after the way of salvation.
Becon, afterwards chaplain to Cranmer, and Brad
ford, afterwards chaplain to Eidley, both traced their
conveision to his sermons. Becon has left us a re
markable description of the effects of his preaching.
He says: "None, except the stiff-necked and uncir-
oumcised in heart, went away from it without being
affected with high detestation of sin, and moved unto
all godliness and virtue." (ii., 224. Parker's Society
Edition.) The consequences of this faithful discharge of
ministerial duty were just what all experience might
lead us to expect. There arose against Latimer a
storm of persecution. Swarms of friars and doc
tors who had admired him when he carried the cross
as a Papist, rose up against him in a body, when he
preached the cross like St. Paul. The Bishop of Ely
forbad his preaching any more in the University pul
pits ; and had he not obtained permission from Dr.
Barnes, to preach in the Church of the Augustine
Friars, which was exempt from Episcopal jurisdic
tion, he might have been silenced altogether. But
the malice of his enemies did not stop here. Com
plaints were laid against him before Cardinal Wolsey,
and he had more than once to appear before him,
and Tonstall, Bishop of London, on charges of her
esy. Indeed, when the circumstances of the times
are considered, it is wonderful that Latimer did not

24 BISHOP LATIMER.
at this period of his life share Bilney's fate, and suf
fer death at the stake.
But the Lord, in whose hand our times are, had
more work for Latimer to do, and raised up for him
unexpected friends in higher quarters. His decided
opinions in favor of Henry VIHth's divorce from
Catherine of Arragon, brought him into communica
tion with Dr. Butts, the king's physician, and ulti
mately secured to him the favor and patronage of
the king himself ' In the year 1530, he was made
one of the royal chaplains, and preached before the
king several times. In the year 1531, the royal favor
procured for him an appointment to the living of
West-Kington, near Chippenham, in Wiltshire : and,
in spite of his friend Dr. Butts' remonstrances, he at
once left court, and went to reside upon his cure.
At West-Kington, Latimer was just the same man
that he had been latterly at Cambridge, and found
the devil just as busy an adversary in Wiltshire, as
he had found him in the University. In pastoral
labors he was abundant. In preaching he was in
stant in season and out of season, both within his
parish and without. This he had full authority to
do, by virtue of a general license from the University
of Cambridge. But the. more he did, the more angry
the idle Popish clergy round West-Kington became,
and the more they labored to stop his proceed
ings. So true is it that human nature is the
same in all ages. There is generally a dog-in-the-
manger spirit about a graceless minister. He neither

BISHOP LATIMER. 25
does good himself, nor likes any one else to do it
for him. This was the case with, the Pharisees.
They " took away the key of kno-wledge : they en
tered not in themselves, and them that were entering
in they, hindered." And as it was in the days of the
Pharisees, so it was in the days pf Latimer.
On one occasion the mayor and magistrates of
Bristol, who were very friendly to him, had appoint
ed him to preach before them on Easter-day. Pub
lic notice had been given, and every body was look
ing forward to the sermon with pleasure, for Latimer
was very popular in Bristol. Suddenly there came
out an order from the Bishop, forbidding any one to
preach in Bristol -without his license. The clergy
of the place waited on Latimer, and informed him
. of the Bishop's order, and then, knowing well that
he had no such license, told him "that they, were
extremely sorry they were d.eprived of the pleasure
of hearing an excellent discourse frpm him." Their
compliments and crocodile regrets were unfortu
nately ill-timed. Latimer had, heard the whole history
of the affair. And he knew, well that these smooth-
^yngued gentlemen were the. very persons who had
written to the. Bishop in order tp prevent his preach
ing. For four years, while vicar of West-Kington, the
good man was subjected to a constant succession of
petty worrying attacks and attempts to stop him
from doing good. He was cited to London, and
brought before Archbishpp Warham, and detained
2

26 BISHOP LATIMEE.
many months from home. He was convened before
convocation, and excommunicated and imprisoned
for a time. But the protecting care of God seems
to have been always round him. His enemies
appear to have been marvellously restrained from
carrying their malice to extremities. At length in
1535, the king put a sudden stop to their persecution
by making him Bishop of Worcester. That such a
man should make such an appointment is certainly
very wonderful. Some have attributed it to the
influence of Lord Cromwell; some to that of the
Queen Anne Boleyn ; some to that of Dr. Butts ;
some to that of Cranmer, who -vvas always Latimer's
fast friend. Such speculations are, ,to say the best,
useless. "The king's heart is in the hand of the
Lord : as the rivers of the south he turneth it whith
ersoever he will." When God intends to give a
good man a high of&ce, he can always raise up a
Darius to convey it to him.
The history of Latimer's episcopate is short and
simple, for it only lasted four years. He was the
same man in a bishop's palace, that he had been in
a country parsonage, or a Cambridge pulpit. Pro
motion did not spoil him. The mitre did not prove
an extinguisher to his zeal for the Gospel. He was
always faithful — always simple-minded — always
about his Father'/6 business — always laboring to do
good to souls. Foxe, the historian, speaks highly
of "his pains, study, readiness, and continual care
fulness in teaching, preaching, exhorting, visiting,

BISHOP LATIMER. 27
correcting, and reforming, either as his ability could
serve, or the times would bear." But he adds: " The
days then were so dangerous and variable that he
could not in all things do what he would. Yet
what he might do, that he performed to the utmost
of his strength, so that, although he could not
utterly extinguish all the sparkling relics of old
superstition, yet he so wrought that though they
could not be taken away, yet they should be used
with as little hurt, and as much profit as might be."
In 1536, we find Bishop Latimer appointed by
Archbishop Cranmer to preach before the convoca
tion of the clergy. No doubt this appointment was
made ad-visedly. Cranmer knew well that Latimer
was just the man for the occasion. The sermons he
preached are still extant, and fully justify the Arch
bishop's choice. Two more faithful and conscience-
stirring discourses were probably never delivered to
a body of ordained men. They will repay an atten
tive perusal. " Good brethren and fathers," he says
in one place, "seeing we are here assembled for the
love of God, let us do something whereby we may
be known to be the children of light. Let us do
somewhat, lest we, which hitherto have been judged
children of the world, prove even still to be so.
All men call us prelates ; then seeing we be in
council, let us so order ourselves that we be prelates
in honor and dignity, that we may be prelates in
holiness, benevolence, diligence, and sincerity."
"Lift up your heads, brethren, and look about

28 BISHOP LATIMER.
with your eyes, and spy what things are to be
reformed in the Church of- England. Is it so hard,
so great a matter, for you to see many abuses in the
clergy, and many in the laity ?" He then mentions
several glaring abuses by name— the state of the
Court of Arches and the Bishop's Consistories — the
number of superstitious ceremonies and holidays—
the worship of images and "visiting of relics and
saints — the lying miracles and the sale- of masses—
and calls upon them to consider and amend them.
He winds up all by a solemn warning of the conse
quence of bishops neglecting notorious abuses.
" God will come," he says, " God will come ; he will
not tarry long away. He will come upon- such a
day as we nothing look for him^ and at such an
hour as we know not. He will come and cut us in
pieces. He will reward us as he doth the hypocrites.
He will set us where wailing shall be,- my brethren —
where gnashing of teeth _shall be, my brethren.
These be the delicate dishes prepared for the world's
well-belo-ved children. These be the wafers and
junkets provided for worldly prelates, wafling and
gnashing of teeth." " Ye see, brethren, what sorrow
and punishment is provided for you if ye be world
lings. If you will not then be vexed, be not the
children of the world. If ye will not be the child
ren of the world, be not stricken with the love of
worldly things; lean not upon them. If ye will
not die eternally, live not worldly. Come, go to;
leave the love of your profit; study for- the glory

BISHOP LATIMEE. 29
and profit of Christ; seek in your consultations
such things as pertain to Christ, and bring forth at
last somewhat that may please Christ. Feed ye ten
derly with all diligence the flock of Christ. Prea.ch
truly the word of God. Love the light, walk in
the light, and so be ye the children of light while
ye are in this world, that ye may shine in the world
to come bright as the stars with the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost." (Works, vol. i., p*50) Such
was a sermon before convocation by Latimer.
In 1537, we find Bishop Latimer placed on the
Commission of Divines, for the publication of a book
to set forth the truth of religion, the result of which
commission was "the institution of a Christian
man." The same year we find him putting forth
some injunctions to the prior of Worcester Convent,
a monastic house not yet dissolved, and which,
among other things, he commands the prior to have
a whole Bible in English chained in the church.
He orders every member of the convent to get him
self an English New Testament ; he directs a lecture
of Scripture to be read in the convent every day,
and Scripture to be read at dinner and supper.
Shortly afterwards, he published injunctions to the
.clergy of his diocese, in whieh he commands every
one of them to provide himself with a whole Bible,
or at any rate with a New Testament, and every
day to read over and study one chapter, at the least.
He also forbids them to set aside preaching for any
manner of observance, ceremonies, or processions.

so BISHOP LATIMEE.
and enjoins them to instruct the children in their
respective parishes. All these little facts are
deeply instructive. They show us -what an Augsean
^table an English diocese was in Henry VIHth's
day, and what enormous difliculties a reforming
bishop had to overcome.
In 1538, we find Latimer pleading with Lord
Crom-vy-ell, tia^it Great Malvern Abbey might not be
entirely suppressed. He suggests that it should be
kept up, " not for monkery," which he says, " God
forbid," but "to maintain teaching, preaching, study,
and prayer" ; and he asks whether it would not be
good policy to have two or tl^ree of the old monastic
houses in every county set apart for such purposes.
This was a very wise design, and shows great fore
sight of the country's wants. Had it been carried
into effect, Durham, St. Bees, Lampeter, and King's
College would have been unnecessary. The rapa
city of Henry Vlllth's courtiers, who had an amazing
appetite for the property of the suppressed abbeys,
made the suggestion useless.
In 1539, Bishop Latimer's episcopate was brought
to an end by the enactment of the Six Articles al
ready referred to, in which some of the leading tenets
of Eomanism were authoritatively maintained. He
strenuously withstood the passing of this Act, in op
position to the King and the Parliament, and the re
sult was that he was compelled to resign his bishopric.
It is related, that on the day when this happened,
when he came back from the House of Lords to his

BISHOP LATIMEE. 31
lodgings, he threw off his robes, and leaping up, de
clared to those who stood about him, that he found
himself lighter than he had been for some time.
The next eight years of Latimer's life appear to
have passed away in forced silence, and in retirement.
We read little of any thing that he did. We do not
exactly know where. he spent his time, and whether
he returned to his old li-ving at West-Kington or not.
The probability is, that he was regarded as a dan
gerous and suspected man, and had much difficulty
in preserving his life. The only certain fact we
know is, that he was at length committed to prison
as a heretic, and spent the last year of Henry VIHth's
reign in confinement in the Tower.
When Edward VI. came to the throne in 1547,
Latimer was at once released from prison, and treat
ed with every mark of respect. His old bishopric of
Worcester was offered to him, and the House of
Commons presented an address to the Protector
Somerset, earnestly requesting that he might be re
appointed. Old age and increasing infirmities made
Latimer decline the proffered dignity, and he spent
the next six years of his life without any office, but
certainly not as an idle man. His chief residence
during these six years was -with his old friend and
ally, Archbishop Cranmer, under the hospitable roof
of Lambeth Palace. While here, he took an active
part in all the measures adopted for carrying forward
the Protestant Eeformation. He assisted Cranmer
in composing the first book of Homilies, and was

82 BISHOP LATIMEE.
also one of the divines appointed to reform the Ec
clesiastical Law, a work which was never completed.
All this time he generally preached twice every Sun
day. In the fprmer part of Edward Vlth's reign,
he preached constantly before the king. In the lat
ter part, he went to and fro in the midland counties
of England, preaching wherever his services seemed
to be most wanted, and especially in Lincolnshire.
This was perhaps the most useful period of his life.
No one of th-e Eeformers probably sowed the seeds
of sound Protestant doctrine so widely and effectual
ly among the middle classes as Latimer. The late
Mr. Southey bears testimony to this. He says :
" Latimer, more than any other man, promoted the
Eeformation by his preaching."
The untimely death of Edward VI., and the acces
sion of Queen Mary to the English throne in 1553,
put an end to Latimer's active exertions on behalf
of the Gospel. Henceforward he was called to glorify
Christ by suffering, and not by doing. One of the
first acts of Mary's government was the apprehension
of the leading English Eeformers, "§;nd Latimer was
among the first for whom a warrant was issued. The
queen's messenger found him doing his Master's
work, as a preacher in Warwickshire, but quite pre
pared for prison. He had received notice of what
was coming six hours before the messenger arrived,
from a good man named Careless, and might easily
have escaped. But he refused to avail himself of the
opportunity. He said : "I go as willingly to London

BISHOP LATIMER. 83
at this present, being called by my prince to render
a reckoning of my doctrine, as ever I went to any
place in the world. And I do not doubt but that
God, as he hath made me worthy to preach his word
to two excellent princes, so he will enable me to wit
ness the same unto the third." In this spirit he rode
cheerfully up to London, and said, as he passed
through Smithfield, where heretics were generally
burned, " Smithfield has long groaned for Sie."
Latimer was at once committed to the Tower, in
company with Cranmer, Eidley, and Bradford, and
for want of room, all the four were confined in one
chamber. There these four martyrs, to use old Lati
mer's words, "did together read over the New Testa
ment with great deliberation and painful study," and
unanimously agreed, that transubstantiation was not
to be found in it. From the Tower, the three bishops
were removed to Oxford, in 1554, and there in 1555,
Latimer and Ridley were burnt alive at the stake as
obstinate heretics.
Latimer's conduct in prison was answerable to his
previous life. For two long years he never lost his
spirits, and his faith and patience never failed him.
Much of his time was spent in reading the Bible. He
says himself: " I read the New Testament over seven
times while I was in prison." Much of his time was
spent in prayer : Augustine Bernher, his faithful ser
vant, tells us that he often continued kneeling so long
that he was not able to get up from his knees with
out help. Three things he used especially to men-
2*

84 - BISHOP LATIMEE.
tion in his prayers at this time. One was, that as
God had appointed him to be a preacher and profes
sor of his word, so he would give -him grace to stand
to His doctrine till his death. Another was, that
God would of His mercy restore the Gospel of Christ
to the realm once again : he often repeated these two
words, "once again." The third was, that God
would preserve the princess Elizabeth, and make her
a comfort to England. It is a striking fact, that all
these three prayers were fully granted.
Latimer's conduct at his various trials and exami
nation before his Popish persecutors was in some re
spects Aviser and better than that of the other mar
tyrs. He knew well enough that his death was de
termined on, and he was quite right. GardineE,.the
Popish Bishop of Winchester, had said openly, that
" he would have the axe laid at the root of the tree :
the bishops and most powerful preachers ought cer
tainly to die." , Bonner, the Popish Bishop of Lon
don had said : " God do so to Bonner, and more also,
if one of the heretics escape me." Acting on this im
pression, Latimer told Eidley before the trial, that he
should say little. " They talk" of a free disputation,"
said he, " but their argument will be as it was with
their forefathers : ' We have a law, and by our law
he ought to die.' " Acting on this impression, he did
little at his various trials but make a simple profes
sion of his faith. He refused to be led away into
lengthy discussions about the opinions of the Fathers,
like Cranmer and Eidley. He told his judges plain-

BISHOP LATIMEE. 35
ly, that " the Fathers might be deceived in some
points," and that he only "believed them when they
said true, and had. Scripture with them !" A wiser
and truer remark about th^ Fathers was probably,
never made.
The death of old Latimer is so beautifully described
by Foxe, that I can not do better than give you the
account as nearly as possible in his words. I cer
tainly shall -not try to spoil it by any additions of
my own, though want of time will oblige me to
abridge it considerably.
The place appointed for the executi«n (says
Foxe) was on the north side of Oxford, in the ditch
over against Balliol College. For fear of any tumult
that might arise to prevent their burning. Lord
Williams and the householder of the city, were
ooftimanded by the Queen's letter to be assistant,
sufficiently armed, and when all things were in readi
ness, the prisoners were brought forth together on
the 16th of October, 1555. ,^
Eidley came first, in a furred black gown, such
as he was wont to wear as a bishop. After him
came Latimer in a poor Bristol frieze frock, all
worn, with his buttoned cap and a hankerchief over
his head, and a long new shroud hanging over his
hose, down to his feet.
Eidley looking back, saw Latimer coming after,
to whom he said, "Oh! are ye there?" "Yea!" said
Master Latimer, " as fast as I can follow." At length
they came to the stake one after the other. Eidley

86 BISHOP- LATIMEE.
first entered the place, and earnestly holding up
both his hands, looked towards heaven. Shortly
after, seeing Latimer, he ran to him, embraced and
'kissed him, saying: "Be of good cheer, brother, for
God will eith^ assuage the fury of the flames, or
else strengthen us to abide it."
With that he went to the stake, kneeled down by
it, kissed it and prayed; and behind him Latimer
kneeled, earnestly calling upon God. After they
arose, one talked -with another a little while, but
what they said, Foxe could not learn of any man.
Then were they compelled to listen to a sermon
preached by a renegade priest, named Smith, upon
the text, " Though I give my body to be burned,
and have not charity, I am nothing?" They at
tempted to answer the false statements of this mis
erable discourse, but were not allowed. Eidley
said: "Well! then I commit our cause to Almighty
God, who shall impartially judge all." Latimer
added his own verse : " Well ! there is nothing hid,
but it shall be made manifest," and said: "He coul^
answer-Smith well enough, if he might be suffered."
They were commanded after this to make ready
immediately, and obeyed with all meekness. Eidley
gave his clothes and such things as he had about
him to those who stood by, and happy was he that
could get any rag of him. Latimer gave nothing,
but quietly suffered his keeper to pull off his hose
and his other apparel, which was very simple. And
,now being stripped to his shroud, he seemed as

BISHOP LATIMEE. 87
comely a person to them who stood by, as one could
desire to see. And though in his clothes he ap
peared a withered, crooked old man, he now stood
quite upright.
Then the smith took a chain of iron and fastened
it about botlt Eidley's and Latimer's middles to one
•«take. As he was knocking in a staple, Eidley took
the chain in his hands, and said to the smith : " Good
fellow, knock it in hard, for flesh will have its
course." A bag of gunpo-wder was tied about the
neck of each. Fagots were piled round them, and
the horrible preparations were completed.
Then they brought a fagot kindled with fire, and
laid ft down at Eidley's feet. To whom Latimer
then spake in this manner, "Be of good comfort,
Brother Ridley, and play the man ; we shall this day
light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I
trust never shall be put out."
And so the fire being kindled, when Eidley saw
the fire flaming up towards him, he cried with a
loud voice, "Lord, into thy hands I commend my
spirit; Lord, receive my spirit;'! and repeated the
latter part often. Latimer, crying as vehemently on
the other side of the stake, "Father of heaven,
receive my soul," received the flame as if embrac
ing it. After he had stroked his face -With his
hands, and as it were bathed them a little in the
fire, he soon died, as it appeared with very littie
pain. And thus much, says Foxe, concerning the
end of this old blessed servant of God, Bishop

38 BISHOP LATIMEE.
Latimer, for whose " laborious services, fruitful life,
and constant death, the whole realm has cause to
give great thanks to Almighty God."
And now it is high time for me to turn from the
subject of Latimer's life. I have given you a brief
sketch of his history, from his birth to his death.
You will easily believe that for want of time I have
left many things untold.
I might dwell on the good man's preaching. Few,
probably, have ever addressed an English congrega
tion with more effect than he did. No doubt his
sermons now extant would not suit modern taste.
They contain many quaint, odd, and coarse things.
They are very familiar, rambling, and discursive,
and often full of gossiping stories. But, after all,
we are poor judges in these days of what a sermon
ought to b"©. A modern sermon is too often a dull,
tame, pointless, religious essay, full of measured
round sentences, Johnsonian English, bald plati
tudes, timid statements, and elaborately concocted
milk and water. It is a leaden sword, without either
point or edge, a heavy weapon, and little likely to
do much execution. But if a combination of sound
'Gospel doctrine, plain Saxon language, boldness,
liveliness, directness, and simplicity, can make a
preacher, few, I suspect, have ever equalled old
Latimer. I might tell you of the many proofs he gave of
courage and faithfulness as a minister. He did not
shrink from attacking any body's sins, even if they

BISHOP LATIMEE. 39
were the sins of a king. When Henry VIIL
checked the diffusion of the Bible, Latimer wrote
him a plain-spoken letter, long before he was a
bishop, remonstrating with him on his conduct.
He feared God, and nothing else did ^ he fear.
"Latimer, Latimer," he exclaimed, at the beginning
of one of his sermons, "thou art going to speak
before the high and mighty King Henry VIIL, who
is able, if he think fit, to take thy life away. Be
careful what thou sayest. But, Latimer, Latimer,
remember also thou art about to speak before the
King of Stings and Lord of lords. Take heed that
thou dost not displease Him."
, I might speak of his unworldliness. He gave up
a rich bishopric, |,and retired into private life, for
conscience' sake, without a murmur. He refused
that same bishopric again, because he felt too old to
fulfill its duties, when he might have had it by say
ing " Yes." I might speak of his genuine kindliness
of heart. He was always the friend of the poor and
distressed. Much of his time, while he staid at
Lambeth, was occupied in examining into the cases
of people who applied tO him for help. I might
speak of his diligence. To the very end of his life,
he used to rise at two o'clock in the morning, and
begin reading and study. All this, and much more,
I might tell you, but time would fq,il if I entered
into more particulars.
I trust, however, I have given you facts enough
to supply you with some faint idea of what the man

40 BISHOP LATIMEE.
was. I trust you are ready to agree with me, that
he was one of the best bishops this country has ever
had, and that it would have been well for the Church
of England, if more of her bishops had been like Bish
op Latimer, and fewer like Archbishop Laud.
Do not forget, as you think over the history of his
life, that he is a glorious instance of the miracles
which the grace of God can work. The Spirit can
take a fierce Papist, you see, and make him a faithful
Protestant. Where the hand of the Lord is, nothing
is impossible. Never think that any friend, relation,
or companion is too much opposed to the Gospel to
become a true Christian. Away with the idea 1
There are no hopeless cases under the Gospel. Ee
member Latimer, and never despair.
Do not forget, as you think over Latimer's last
days, that he is a glorious proof that Jesus can sus
tain his people even in the fire, and will be a present
help to those who trust him in their time of need.
Think not for a moment that any thing is too hard
to be borne, if God be with you. Do not give up
religion because you see fiery trials in your way, be
cause your place is unfavorable, and circumstances
are against you. Eemember old Latimer at the
stake, and never be cast down.
III. The third and last thing which I proposed
to do to-night, was to give you a brief account of
some of Latimer's opinions.
I ask your especial attention to this portion of the

BISHOP LATIMEE. 41
evening's lecture. The circumstances of the times
you live in, invest the subject with more than ordi
nary importance.
You live in days when very strange statements
are made in some quarters as to the true doctrines of
the Church of England. You live in days , when
semi-Popish views about the rule of faith^ — about
justification: — about regeneration — about the sacra
ments — about preaching, are urged upon the atten
tion of Young England, and when the advocates and
teachers (?f these views are coolly arrogating to them
selves the credit of being the only sound Church
men. It is to no purpose that those who repudiate these
semi-Popish views, challenge their advocates tp prove
them by Scripture. The ready answer is at once
given, that, whether these views are scriptural or
not, there can be no doubt they are " church views."
It is to no purpose that we deny these views are to
be found in the Articles, Liturgy, and Homilies of
the Church of England, when honestly and consist
ently interpreted. We are quietly told that we
know nothing about the matter. We are stupid.
We are dense. We are blind. We are ignorant.
We do not understand plain English, They are the
true men. Their views are the true " Church views,"
and if we disagree with them, we must be quite
wrong. In short, we are left to infer that, if we are
honest and consistent, we ought to leave our dear
old Church, and give it up to them-. You know well

42 BISHOP LATIMEE.
I am describing things which are going on in every
part of the land.
Now, as matters have come to this pass, let us see
whether we can not throw a little light on the sub
ject by looking back three hundred years. Let us
inquire what were the views of the men who laid the
foundations of the Church of England, and are no
toriously the fathers of the Articles, HomUies, and
Liturgy. Let us put old Latimer into the -witness-
box to-night, and see what his opinions were upon
the points in dispute. An honored member of the
Church of England at the period when the doctrines
of the Church were first brought into shape and
form — a near and dear friend and adviser of Arch
bishop Cranmer — an assistant in the composition of
the first book of Homilies — a bishop whose ortho
doxy and soundness were never called in question
for a moment by his cotemporaries — ^if any man
knows what a true Churchman ought to hold. Bishop
Latimer must surety be that man ; if his -views are
not true " Church" views, I know not whose are.
Bear with me, then, for a few minutes, while I
give you some extracts from Latimer's, works. Bear
with me while I try to confirm your minds on the
important question of the present day, who is, and
who is not, a true Churchman?
First of all. What did Bishop Latimer think about
SCRIPTUEE ? This is a point with which the very
existence of true religion is bound up. Some Church
men tell us now-a-days, notwithstanding the Sixth

BISHOP LATIMEE. 43
Article, that the Bible alone is not the rule of faith,
and is not able to make a man wise unto salvation.
No ! it must be the Bible and the fathers, or the
Bible and Catholic tradition, or the Bible and the
Church — or the Bible explained by the Prayer Book,
' or the Bible explained by an Episcopally ordained
man, -but not the Bible alone. Now let us hear
Bishop Latimer.
He says, in a sermon before Edward VI. : " I will
tell you what a bishop of this realm once said to me.
He sent for me, and 'marvelled that I would not con
sent to such traditionjS as were set out. And I an
swered him, that I would be ruled by God's book,
and rather than depart one jot from it, I would be
torn by wild horses. I chancad in our communica
tion to name the Lord's Supper. Tush ! saith the
Bishop, what do you call the Lord's Supper ? What
new term is this? There stood by him one Dr.
Dubber. He dubbed him by and by, and said that
this term was seldom read in the doctors. And I
made answer, that I would rather follow Paul in
using his terms than them, though they had all the
doctors on their side." (Works, i., 121.)
He says again, in his Conference with Ridley: " A
layman 'fearing God is much more fit to understand
holy Scripture than any arrogant or proud priest,
yea, than the bishop himself, be he ever so great and
glistering in his pontificals. But what is to be said
of the Fathers ? How are they to be esteemed ? St.
Augustine answereth, giving thiscrule, that we should

44 BISHOP LATIMEE.
not therefore think it true because they say so, do
they never so much exceed in holiness and learning;
but if they be able to prove their saying by canonical
Scripture, or by good probable reasons, meaning
that to be a probable reason, I think, which doth or
derly foUo-w upon a right collection and gathering
out of the holy Scriptures;
" Let the Papists go with their long faith. Be you
contented- with the -short faith of the saints, which is
revealed to us in the word of God written. Adieu
to all Popish fantasies. Amen ! For one man having
the Scripture, and gogd reason for him, is more to
be esteemed himself alone, than a thousand such as
they, either gathered together or succeeding one an
other. The Fathers have both herbs and weeds, and
Papists commonly gather the weeds and leave the
herbs." (Eidley's Works, p. 114. Parker's Edition.)
I make no comment on these passages, they speak
fof themselves.
In the next place, what did Bishop Latimer think
about justification hy faith ? This is the- doctrine which
Luther truly called the criterion of a standing or
falling church. This is the doctrine which, in spite
of the Eleventh Article of our Church, many are
now trying to obscure, by mingling up with it
baptism, the Lord's Supper, our own works, and I
know not what besides. Now let us hear Bishop
Latimer. He says, in a sermon preached at Grimsthorpe:
" Christ reputeth all those for just, holy, and accepta-

BISHOP LATIMER. 45
ble before God, which believe in him, which put
their trust, hope, and confidence in him. By his
passion which he suffered, he merited, that as many
as believe in him shall be as well justified by him, as
though they had never done any sin, and as though
they had fulfilled the law to the uttermost. For- we
without him are under the curse of the law. The
law condemneth us. The law is not able to help us.
And yet the imperfection is not in the law, but in us.
The law itself is holy and good, but we are not able
to keep it, and so the law condemneth us. But
Christ with his death hath delivered us from the curse
of the law. He hath set us at liberty, and promis
ed that when we believe in him we shall not perish,
the law shall not condemn us. Therefore, let us
study to believe in Christ. Let us put all our hope, '
trust, and confidence only in him. Let us patch him
with nothing ; for, as I told you before, our merits
are not able to deserve everlasting life. It is too
; precious a thing to be merited by man. It is his
doing only. God hath given him to us to be our de-
¦ liverer, and to give us everlasting life." (ii., 125.)
He says ; again, in another sermon: "Learn to
abhor this most detestable and dangerous.,.poison of
the Papists, which go about to thrust Christ out of
his office. Learn, I say, to leave all Papistry, and to
stick only to the word of God, which teacheth that
Christ is not only a judge, but a justifier, a giver of
, salvation^ and a taker away of sin. He purchased
our salvation through his painful death, and we re-

46 BISHOP LATIMER.
ceive the same through believing in him, as St. Paul
teacheth us, saying, freely ye are justified through
faith. In these words of St. Paul, all merits and
estimation of works are excluded and clean taken
away. For if it were for our works' sake, then it
were not freely, but St. Paul saiixh. freely. Whether
will you now believe St.. Paul or the Papists?"
(ii.,147.) • He says again, in another sermon : ", Christ only,
and no man else, merited remission, justification, and
eternal felicity,, for as many sfe will believe the same.
They that will not beheve it, shall not have it ; for it
is no more, but believe and have." (i., 421.)
Once more, I say these passages require no com
ment of mine. They speak for themselves.
In the next place, what did Bishop Latimer think
about regeneration f This, as you are all aware, is the
subject of one of the great controversies of the day.
Multitudes of Churchmen, in spite of the Seventeenth
Article, and the Homily for Whit-Sunday, maintain
that all baptized persons are necessarily regenerate,
and receive grace, and the Holy Ghost, at the mo
ment they are baptized. In a word, they tell us that
every man, woman, and child who has received bap
tism has also received regeneration, and that every
congregation, in the Church of England should be
addressed as an assembly of regenerated persons.
Now let us hear Bishop Latimer.
He says, in a sermon preached in Lincolnshire:
" There be two manner of men. Some there be that

BISHOP LATIMER. 47
be not justified, not regenerate, not yet in the state
of salvation, that is to say, not God's servants. They
lack the renovation, or regeneration. They be not
yet come to Christ." (ii., 7.) He says, in a sermon
preached before Edward VI. : " Christ saith, Ex
cept a man be born from above, he can not see the
kingdom of God. He must .have a regeneration.
And what is this regeneration ? It is not to he christ
ened in water, as those firebrands expound it, and
nothing else. How is it to be expounded, then ? St.
Peter showeth that one place of Scripture declareth
another. It is the circumstance and collection of
places that maketh Scripture plain. We be born
again, says Peter, and how ? Not by a mortal seed,
but an immortal. What is the immortal seed ? By
the word of the living God ; by the word of God
preached and opened. Thus cometh in our new
birth." (i., 202.) He says in another Lincolnshire
sermon : " JPreaching is God's instrument, whereby he
worketh faith in our hearts.N Our Saviour saith to
Nicodemus, Except a man be born anew, he can not
see the kingdom of God. But how cometh this re
generation ? By hearing and believing the word of
God' for so saith St. Peter." (i., 471.)
Once more, I say, these passages require no com
ment of mine. They speak for themselves.
In the next place, what did Bishop Latimer think
about the Lord's Supper ? This, I need hardly say,
is a subject about which very unprotestant doctrine
is often taught in the present day. Some around us.

48 BISHOP LATIMEB.
in the face of the Twenty-eighth Article, speak of thig
sacrament in such a manner, that it is hard to see the
difference between their doctrine and Popish tran
substantiation, or the sacrifice of the inass. Now let
us hear Bishop Latimer. ^
He says, in his disputation at Oxford : "In the
sacrament there is none other presence of Christ re
quired than a spiritual presence. And this presence
is sufficient for a Christian man, as the presence by
which we abide in Christ and Christ in us, to the ob
taining of eternal life, if we persevere in the true Gps
pel. And this same presence may be called a real
presence, because to the faithful believer thereris the
real and spiritual body of Christ." (ii., 252.) He says,
in the same disputation: " Christ spake never a word
of sacrificing, or saying of mass ; nor promised the
hearers any reward but among the idolaters with the
devil and his angels, except they repent speedily.
Therefore sacrificing priests should now cease for
ever ; for now all men ought to offer their own bodies
a quick sacrifice, holy and acceptable before God.
The supper of the Lord was instituted to provoke
us to thanksgiving, and to stir us up by preaching
of the Gospel to remember his death till he cometh
again." (ii., 256.) He says, in his last examination :
" There is a change in the bread and wine, and such
a cha,nge as no power but the omnipotency of God
can make,in that that which before was bread should
now have the dignity to exhibit Christ's body. And
yet eth bread is still bread, and the wine still wine.

BISHOP LATIMEE. 49
For the change is not in the nature but the dignity."
(ii., 286.) He says, in one of his Lincolnshire sermons :
"Whosoever eateth the mystical bread, and drinketh
the mystical wine worthily, according to the ordi
nance of Christ, he receiveth surely the very body
and blood of Christ spiritually, as it shall be most
comfortable to his soul. He eateth .with the mouth
of his soul, and digesteth with the stomach of his
soul,i the body of Christ. And, to be short, whoso
ever believeth in Christ, putteth his hope, trust, and
confidence in him, he eatoith and drinketh him. For
the spiritual eating is the right eating to eternal life,
not the corporeal eating." (i., 459.)
Once more I say, I tnake no comment on these
passages. They speak for themselves.
It would be easy to multiply quotations of this
kind to an endless length, 'if time permitted. There
is hardly a cpntro verted subject in the present day on
which I could not give you some plain, scriptural,
sensible, sound opinion of Bishop Latimer.
Would you like to know what he thoiight about
preaching ? Did he think little of it, as some do in
this day, and regard it as a means of grace very sub
ordinate to sacraments and services? No! indeed
he did not. He calls it " the office of salvation, and
the office of regeneration." He says : " Take away
preaching, and take away salvation." He says : " This
office of preaching is the only ordinary way that God
hath appointed to save us all. Let us maintain this,
for I know none other." He declares that, " Preach-
3

50 BISHOP LATIMER.
ing is the thing the devil wrestled most against. It
hath been all his study to decay this office. He
worketh against it as much as he can. He hath made
unpreaching prelates, and stirred them up by heaps
to persecute'this office in the title of hersey." (i., 203,
155, 306, 349, 202.)
Would you like to hear what he thought about a
gorgeous ceremonial and candles in churches? He
says plainly, that these things come from the devil.
"Where the devil is resident, and hath his plough
going, there away with book and up with candles ;
away with Bible and up with beads ; away -with the
light of the Gospel and up with the hght of candles,
yea, even at noon-day ._ Where the devil is resident
that he may prevail, up with all superstition and
idolatry, censing, painting of images, candles, palms,
ashes, holy water, and new services of man's invent-
ing." (i., 71.)
Would you like to know what he thought about
unity ? Did he think, as some do now, that it is the
one thing needful, and that we should give up every
thing in order to attain it ? No ! indeed. He says :
"Unity must be according to God's holy word, or
else it were better war than peace. We ought never
to regard unity so much that we should forsake God's
word for her sake." (i., 487.)
Would you like to know what he thpught about
the foreign reformers ? Did he lightly esteem them,
as some do now-a-days, because they did not retain
Episcopacy? No! indeed he did not. He says: "I

BISHOP LATIMER. 61
heard say, Melancthon, that great clerk, should come
hither. I would wish him and such as he is to have
2001. a-year. The king would never want it. There
is yet among us two great learned men, Peter Mar
tyr and Bernard Ochin, which have a hundred marks
a-piece. I would the king would bestow a thousand
pounds on that sort." (i., 141.)
Would you like to* know what he thought about
councils and convocations ? Did he regard them as the
grand panacea for all ecclesiastical e-vils, like those
around us, whose cry is, "Give us synodical action
or we die?" He says to Eidley: " Touching councils
and convocations, I refer you to your own experience
to think of our own country's parliaments and convo
cations. The more part in my time did bring forth
the Six Articles. Afterward the more part did re
peal the same. The same Articles are now again re
stored. Oh I what uncertainty is this." And he says,
in another place: "More credence is to be given to
one man having the Hoi j' Word of God for him, than
to ten thousand without the Word. If it agree with
God's word it is to be received. If it agree not, it is
not to be received, though a council had determined
it." (Eidley, 180; Latim. i., 288.)
Would you like to know what he ihought of
thorough-going Protestant preaching ? Did he think,
as some do now, that if a sermon contains a good
deal of truth, a little false doctrine may be excused
and allowed? No! indeed he did not. He says:
" Many preach God's way, and shall preach a very

62 BISHOP latAee.
good and godly sermon, but at the last they will have
a blanched almond, one little piece of Popery patch
ed in to powder their matter with, for their own lucre
and glory. They make a mingling of the way of
God and- man's way, a mingle-mangle, as men serve
pigs in my country." (i., 290.)
I will not detain you any longer with these ex
tracts. I will only ask you to. remember well whose
words I have been quoting, and when they were
spoken. These words were not spoken last year. They did
not fall from the lips of the rectors of St. George's,
Bloomsbury; or St. Mary, Whitechapel; or St.
George's, Southwark. They were not spoken by the
ministers of Park Chapel, Chelsea ; or of Portman
Chapel ; or the Lock ; or St. John's, Bedford Row, or
by some platform orator at Exeter Hall. No ! the
words I have quoted, are three hundred years old.
They are the words of one of the best bishops the
Church of England ever had. They are the words
of the man who helped to compose our first book of
Homilies. "They are the words of the firiend and ad
viser of Archbishop Cranmer. They are the words
of one whom king and parliament delighted to
honor. Why was the speaker of these words not cast out
of the Church? Why was he not reprimanded?
Why was he not reviled as a man of low, unchurch-
manlike, opinions? Why was he not proceeded
against and persecuted for his views? How is it

BISHOP LATIMEE. 53
that he -was persecuted only by Papists, but always
honored by Protestants — persecuted by Bonner,
Gardiner, and bloody Mary ; but honored by Cran
mer, Eidley, and Edward VI. ?
I will give you a plain answer to these questions.
I answer them by saying that, three hundred years
ago, no man in his senses doubted that Latimer's
opinions were the real opinions of the Church of
England. I go on further to affirm, that the truest
and best members of the Church of England, at the
present day, are those whose views are most in har
mony with those of good Bishop Latimer. And I
say that, to tell men who love the Church of Eng
land with deep affection, that they are not sound
Churchmen, merely because they agree with Latimer
and not with Laud, is to bring against them a most
unfair anH unwarrantable charge.
And now let me conclude this lecture with three
practical remarks.
For one thing, let me advise the members of the
Church of England Young Men's Society, to take care
that their Society never departs from its decla/red princi--
pies. Sound principles are the roots of a Society's
success. Without these, your means and appliances
for doing good will prove comparatively useless.
Your libraries, and reading-rooms, and lectures, will
fail to confer on you lasting benefits. Without
sound principles, they may look well in your annual
reports ; but, like a tree rotten at the root, they will
bring no fruit to perfection.

54 BISHOP LATIMEE.
Take up your stand boldly on the principle of the
English Reformers. Never shrink from avowing
yourselves to be a thoroughly^Protestant and Evan
gelical body. Do not be shy of those two words.
Such avowal may lose' you the support of a few pre
tended friends, who -will drop off like leaves in au
tumn when they see your decision. It -will, how
ever, strengthen you in the long run, and make you
an evergreen tree. Pardon the freedom'of this hint.
I give it because you live in evil days, and because
I am anxious you should hoist the right colors, and
be an unmistakable Society.
In the next place, let me earnestly exhort you, as
individuals, never to he ashamed of holding what are
called Evangelical views within the Church of England.
Listen not to those supercilious gentlemen, on the
one side, yj\o would have you believe that if you are
not High-Churchmen, like themselves, you are no
Churchmen at all. Listen not to those exceedingly
kind friends, on the other side, who try to persuade
you that the Established Church is a regular Popish
concern, and ought to be left at once. Both these
are ancient tricks. Against both those tricks be on
your guard.
Do not be bullied out of the Church of England
by the High-Churchmen's assertion that you are only
a tolerated party, and have no business by his side.
No doubt you live in a communion where great free
dom of opinion is allowed. But to tell men of Evan
gelical views, that they are merely tolerated, is a down-

BISHOP LATIMEE. 55
right insult to the memory of the Eeformers. Let
us make answer to people who tell us so, that, if
they have forgotten Latimer and three hundred years
ago, we have not. Let us say that we are not going
to desert the Church of Latimer, in order, to please
men who wish to lord it over God's heritage, and
have things all their own way. Sure I am that, if
might should ever prevail over right, and the friends
ofLatimer should be thrust out of the Church by force
and the House of Commons should be mad enough
to sanction it — ^sure am I, that the men thrust out
- would be better Churchmen than the men left be
hind. And do not be wheedled out of the Church by
the arguments of men outside, who would probably
be glad to be in it, if they only saw the way. When
the fox, in an old fable, could not reach the
grapes; he said they were sour. When the fox, in
another fable, lost his tail in a trap, he tried to per
suade his friends that foxes did much better -without
tails, and advised them to get rid of their own. Do
not forget the "moral of that fable. Eest assured, that
with all its faults and defects, the Church of England
has very high privileges to offer to its members.
Think well about these privileges. Do not be al
ways poring over the defects. Resolve that you will
not lightly cast these privileges away.
Above all, never, never forget that Evangelical
Tiews are not only theoretically sound and agreeable
to the mind of the Reformers, but that they are also

56 BISHOP LATIMER.
of vital ^portance to the very existence of the
Church of England. Never has our beloved Church
stood so low in this country as when evangelical
views have been at zero, and almost forgotten.
Never has she stood so high as when the views of
Latimer and the Eeformers have been honestly
preached and carried out. So far from being
ashamed of Evangelical opinions, you may be satis
fied that the maintenance of them is rapidly becom
ing a matter of life or death to your own commun
ion. Take away Latimer's views, and I firmly be
lieve the whole Establishment would collapse before ¦
the pressure from without, and come to the ground.
Last of all, let me entreat you all, as Englishmen,
to heware of countenancing any retrograde movement
in this country towards the Church of Rome, and to re
sist such movement hy every means in your power, from
lohatever quarter it may come.
I am sure that this warning is one which the
times loudly call for. The Church of Eome has
risen up amongst us with renewed strength in the
last few years. She does not disguise*her hope that
England, the lost planet, will soon resume her orbit
in the so-called Catholic system, and once more re
volve in blind obedience round the centre of the
Vatican. She has succeeded in blinding the eyes pf
ignorant persons to her real character. She has suc
ceeded in securing the unexpected aid of misguided
men within our own Establishment. A hundred
little symptoms around us tell us how real the dan-

BISHOP LATIMER. 57
ger is. Laud and the nonjurors are cried up, Lati
mer and the Eeformers are cried down. Historical
works are industriously circulated, in which bloody
Mary is praised, and Protestant Elizabeth blamed.
A morbid tenderness towards Eomanists, and a viru
lent bitterness towards Dissenters, have sprung up
side by side. An unhealthy attention is paid to
what is called mediaeval taste. Thousands of tracts
are sown broad-cast over the land in which the three
leading phrases to be seen are generally those three
ominous words, 'Spriest," catholic," and " church."
The use of the rosary, prayers for the dead, and the
Hail Mary, is deliberately recommended to the mem
bers of the English Church. Little by little, 1 fear,
the edge bf English feeling about Popery is becoming
blunt and dull. Surely I have good reason to tell
you to beware of the Church of Eome.
Eemember thp darkness in which Eome kept
England when she last had the supreme power,
Eemember the gross ignorance and degrading
superstitions which prevailed in Bishop Latimer's
youth. Think not for a moment that these are
ancient things, and that Eome is changed. The
holy-coat of Treves, the winking picture at Eimini,
the mental thraldom in which unhappy Italy is
kept, the notorious practices which go on in the
Holy City to this day, are all witnesses that Eome,
when she has power, is not changed at all. Ee
member this, and beware.
Eemember the horrible persecutions which Eome

58 BISHOP -LATIMEE.
carried on against true religion when she last had
uncontrolled sway in this country. Eemember the
atrocities which disgraced the days of bloody Mary,
and the burning of Bishop Latimer. Think not for
a moment that Eome is altered. The persecution of
Bible readers in Madeira, and the imprisonment of
the Madiai, are unmistakable proofs that, after
three hundred years, the old persecuting spirit of
Eome still remains as strong as ever. Remember
this also, and beware.
Shall we, in the face of such facts as these, return
to the bondage in which our forefathers were kept ?
Shall we give up our Bibles, or be content to sue
for sacerdotal license to read them ? Shall we sub
mit ourselves humbly to Italian priests ? Shall we
go back to the adoration of pigs' bones, ducks' blood,
and saints' toe-nails ? God forbid — 1 say for one —
God forbid ! Let the dog return to his vomit. Let
thie sow that was washed, return to her wallowing
in the mire. Let the idiotic prisoner go back to his
chains. But God forbid that Israel should return
to Egypt ! God forbid that England should go back
into the arms of Rome ! God forbid that old Lati
mer's candle should ever be put out !
Work every one, if you would prevent such a
miserable consummation. Work hard for the exten
sion of pure, scriptural, and evangehcal religion at
home and abroad. Labor to spread it among the
Jews, among the Roman Catholics, among the
heathen. Labor not least to preserve and maintain

BISHOP LATIMEB. 59
it by every constitutional means in your own
Church. Cherish every one, if you would prevent the
increase of Romanism — cherish and cultivate a
brotherly feeling towards all orthodox Protestants,
by whatever name they may be called. Away with
the old rubbishy opinion, that the Church of Eng
land occupies a middle position, a via media, between
dissent and Rome. Cast it away, for it is false.
You might as well talk of the Isle of Wight being
midway between England and France. Between us
and Rome there is a gulf, and a broad and deep
gulf too. Between us and orthodox Protestant dis
sent, there is but a thin partition wall. Between
us and Rome the differences are about essential
doctrines, and things absolutely necessary to sal
vation. Between us and Dissent the division is
about things indifferent, things in which a man may
err and yet be saved. Rome is a downright open
enemy, attacking the very foundation of our religion.
Dissent is an ally, and friendly power, not wearing
our uniform, nor yet, as we think, so well equipped
as we are, but still an ally, and fighting on the same
side. Oh! do not let this hint be thrown away.
Cherish, I do beseech, you, a kind, brotherly feeling
towards all who love the same Saviour, believe the
same doctrines, and honor the same Bible as your
selves. Pray every one, if you would prevent the increase
of Romanism — pray night and day, that God may

60 BISHOP LATIMER.
preserve this country from Popery, and not deal with
it according to its sins. It is a striking fact, that
almost the last prayer of good king Edward VI. , on
his death-bed, was a prayer to this effect : " O my
Lord God ! defend this re.alm from Papistry, and
maintain thy true religion." There was. a prayer in
the Litany of our Prayer Book, in 1549, which I
think never ought to have been cast omt of it.
-"From all sedition, and privy conspiracy— FROM
THE TTRAJinsrT OF THE BiSHOP OP EOME, AND ALL
HIS DETESTABLE ENORMITIES — from all falsc doctrinc
and heresy — from hardness of heart, and contempt
of thy word and commandments. Good Lord, deliver
us !" To that prayer may you ever be able to say
heartily. Amen, and amen I

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