judgment of this world. In this world they were accounted most holy above
all men, and so most worthy to be first; but before God they shall be
last, when their hypocrisy and wickedness shall be opened. And thus much I
thought to say of murmurers.
Now I will not apply all the parts of this parable; for, as I said before,
it is enough for us if we know the chief point and scope of the parable,
which is, that there shall be an equality in all the things that appertain
to Christ: insomuch, that the ruler of this realm hath no better a God, no
better sacraments, and no better a gospel, than the poorest in the world;
yea, the poorest man hath as good right to Christ and his benefits, as the
greatest man in this world.
This is comfortable to every one, and especially to such as are in misery,
poverty, or other calamities; which, if it were well considered, would not
make us so desirous to come aloft, and to get riches, honour, and
dignities in this world, as we now are, nor yet so malicious one against
another as we are. For then we should ever make this reckoning with
ourselves, each man in his vocation; the servant would think thus with
himself, I am a poor servant, and must live after the pleasure of my
master, I may not have my free will; but what then? I am sure that I have
as good a God as my master hath; and I am sure that my service and
business pleases God as much, when I do it with a good faith, as the
preachers and curates, in preaching or saying of service. For we must
understand that God esteems not the diversity of the works, but he hath
respect unto the faith; for a poor man who does his duty in faith, is as
acceptable unto God, and hath as good right to the death and merits of
Christ, as the greatest man in the world.
So go through all states of men, whosoever applieth to his business with
faith, considering that God willeth him so to do, surely the same is most
beloved of God. If this were well considered and printed in our hearts,
all ambition and desire of promotion, all covetousness and other vices,
would depart out of our hearts. For it is the greatest comfort that may be
unto poor people, especially such as are nothing regarded in this world—if
they consider that God loves them as well as the richest in the world—it
must needs be a great comfort unto them.
But there are some that say, that this sentence, “The first shall be
last,” is the very substance of the parable. And here you shall
understand, that our Saviour Christ took occasion to put forth this
parable, when there came a young man demanding of him, “What shall I do to
come to everlasting life?” Our Saviour, after he had taught him the
commandments of God, bade him, “Go, and sell all that he had, and give to
the poor; and come and follow him.” He hearing this, went away heavily,
for his heart was cold. And then our Saviour spake very terribly against
rich men, saying, “It is more easy for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven:”—a camel,
or as some think, a great cable of a ship, which is more likely than the
beast that is called a camel. The disciples hearing this, said, “Who then
can be saved?” He made them answer, saying, “God is almighty, and that
which is impossible to men, is possible with God;” signifying, that he
condemns not all rich men, but only those who set their heart upon riches,
who care not how they get them, and when they have them, who abuse them to
the satisfying of their own carnal appetites and fleshly delights and
pleasures, and use them not to the honour of God.
And again, such riches as are justly, rightly, and godly gotten, those are
the good creatures of God, when rightly used to the glory of God, and
comfort of their neighbours; not hoarding nor heaping them up, to make
treasures of them. For riches are not evil of themselves; but they are
made evil, when our hearts is set upon them, and we put hope in them; for
that is an abominable thing before the face of God. Now after these words
spoken by our Saviour Christ, Peter came forth, saying, “Lo, we have
forsaken all that we had, what shall be our reward?” Peter had forsaken
all that he had, which was but little in substance, but yet it was a great
matter to him, for he had no more than that little: like the widow who
cast into the treasury two mites, yet our Saviour praised the gift above
all that gave before her. Here thou learnest, that when thou hast but
little, yet give of the same little; for it is as acceptable unto God, as
though it were a greater thing.
So Peter, in forsaking his old boat and net, was approved as much before
God, as if he had forsaken all the riches in the world; therefore he shall
have a great reward for his old boat; for Christ saith, that he shall be
one of them that shall sit and judge the twelve tribes of Israel; and to
signify them to be more than others, he giveth them the name of judges;
meaning, that they shall condemn the world: like as God speaketh of the
queen of Sheba, that in the last day she shall arise and condemn the Jews
who would not hear Christ, and she came so great a journey to hear the
wisdom of Solomon. Then he answered and said, “Whosoever leaveth father,
or mother, or brethren, for my sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and
shall inherit everlasting life.” Now what is this, to leave father and
mother? When my father or mother would hinder me in any goodness, or would
persuade me from the honouring of God and faith in Christ, then I must
forsake and rather lose the favour and good-will of my father and mother,
than forsake God and his holy word.
And now Christ saith, “The first shall be last, and the last shall be
first,” alluding to St. Peter’s saying, which sounded as though Peter
looked for a reward for his deeds; and that is it, which is the let of
altogether,(5) if a man come to the Gospel and hears the same, and
afterwards looks for a reward, such a man shall be “the last.” If these
sayings were well considered by us, surely we should not have such a
number of vain gospellers as we now have, who seek nothing but their own
advantage under the name and colour of the Gospel. Moreover, he teaches us
to be meek and lowly, and not to think much of ourselves; for those that
are greatly esteemed in their own eyes, are the least before God: “For he
that humbleth himself shall be exalted;” according to the scripture, which
saith, “God resisteth the proud, and advanceth the humble and meek.” And
this is what he saith, “The first shall be the last,” teaching us to be
careful and not to stand in our own conceit, but ever to mistrust
ourselves; as St. Paul teacheth, saying, “Whosoever standeth let him take
heed he fall not; and therefore we may not put trust in ourselves, but
rather in God.”
Further, in this saying of our Saviour is comprehended a great comfort;
for those that are accounted by the world to be the vilest slaves and most
abject, may by this saying have a hope to be made the first and the
principal; for although they are ever so low, yet they may rise again, and
become the highest. And so this is to us a comfortable sentence, which
strengthens our faith, and keeps us from desperation and falling from God.
And at the end he saith, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” These
words of our Saviour are very hard to understand, and therefore it is not
good to be too curious in them, as some vain fellows, who seeking carnal
liberty, pervert, toss and turn the word of God, after their own mind and
purpose. Such, I say, when they read these words, make their reckoning
thus; saying, “What need I to mortify my body with abstaining from all sin
and wickedness? I perceive God hath chosen some, and some are rejected.
Now if I be in the number of the chosen, I cannot be damned; but if I be
accounted among the condemned number, then I cannot be saved: for God’s
judgments are immutable.” Such foolish and wicked reasons some have; which
bring them either to desperation, or else to carnal liberty. Therefore, it
is as needful to beware of such reasons, or expositions of the scripture,
as it is to beware of the devil himself.
But if thou art desirous to know whether thou art chosen to everlasting
life, thou mayest not begin with God: for God is too high, thou canst not
comprehend him; the judgments of God are unknown to man; therefore thou
mayest not begin there: but begin with Christ, and learn to know Christ,
and wherefore he came; namely, that he came to save sinners, and made
himself subject to the law, and a fulfiller of the same, to deliver us
from the wrath and danger thereof, and therefore was crucified for our
sins, and rose again to show and teach us the way to heaven, and by his
resurrection to teach us to arise from sin: so also his resurrection
teaches and admonishes us of the general resurrection. He sitteth at the
right hand of God and maketh intercession for us, and gives us the Holy
Ghost, that comforts and strengthens our faith, and daily assures us of
our salvation.
Consider, I say, Christ and his coming; and then begin to try thyself
whether thou art in the book of life or not. If thou findest thyself in
Christ, then thou art sure of everlasting life. If thou be without him,
then thou art in an evil case. For it is written, “No man cometh unto the
Father but through me.” Therefore if thou knowest Christ, then thou mayest
know further of thy election. But when we are about this matter, and are
troubled within ourselves, whether we are elected or no; we must ever have
this maxim, or principal rule before our eyes; namely, that God beareth a
good-will towards us; God loveth us; God beareth a fatherly heart towards
us.
But you will say, “How shall I know that? Or how shall I believe that?” We
may know God’s will towards us through Christ: God hath opened himself
unto us by his Son Christ; for so saith John the Evangelist, “The Son
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed.” (John i.)
Therefore we may perceive his good-will and love towards us; he hath sent
his Son into this world, who suffered a most painful death for us. Shall I
now think that God hates me? Or shall I doubt of his love towards me? Here
you see how you shall avoid the scrupulous and most dangerous question of
the predestination of God. For if thou wilt inquire his counsels, and
enter into his consistory, thy wit will deceive thee; for thou shalt not
be able to search the counsels of God. But if thou begin with Christ, and
consider his coming into the world, and dost believe that God hath sent
him for thy sake, to suffer for thee, and deliver thee from sin, death,
the devil, and hell; then when thou art so armed with the knowledge of
Christ, then, I say, this simple question cannot hurt thee; for thou art
in the book of life, which is Christ himself.
Also we learn by this sentence, “Many are called,” that the preaching of
the gospel is universal; that it pertains to all mankind; that it is
written, “Through the whole earth their sound is heard.” Now seeing that
the gospel is universal, it appears that he would have all mankind saved,
and that the fault is not in him if we are damned. For it is written thus,
“God would have all men to be saved:” his salvation is sufficient to save
all mankind, but we are so wicked of ourselves that we refuse the same,
for we will not take it when it is offered unto us; and therefore he
saith, “Few are chosen;” that is, few have pleasure and delight in it; for
the most part are weary of it, they cannot abide it. And there are some
that hear it, but they will not abide any danger for it, they love their
riches and possessions more than the word of God. And therefore few are
elected, there are but a few that stick heartily unto it, and can find in
their hearts to forgo this world for God’s sake and his holy word.
There are some now-a-days that will not be reprehended by the gospel; they
think themselves better than it. Some again are so stubborn, that they
will rather forswear themselves, than confess their sins and wickedness.
Such men are the cause of their own damnation; for God would have them
saved, but they refuse it; like as did Judas the traitor, whom Christ
would have had to be saved, but he refused his salvation; he refused to
follow the doctrine of his master Christ. And so, whosoever heareth the
word of God, and follows it, the same is elect by him. And again,
whosoever refuses to hear the word of God, and to follow the same, is
damned. So that our election is sure if we follow the word of God.
Here is now taught you how to try out your election, namely, in Christ,
for Christ is the accounting book and register of God; even in the same
book, that is, Christ, are written all the names of the elect. Therefore
we cannot find our election in ourselves, neither yet in the high counsel
of God; for “Secret things belong to the most High.” (Deut. xxix.) Where
then shall I find my election? In the counting book of God, which is
Christ; for thus it is written, “God hath so entirely loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, to that end, that all that believe in
him should not perish, but have life everlasting.” Whereby appears most
plainly that Christ is the book of life, and that all that believe in him
are in the same book, and so are chosen to everlasting life; for only
those are ordained which believe.
Therefore when thou hast faith in Christ, then thou art in the book of
life, and so art thou sure of thine election. And again, if thou art
without Christ, and have no faith in him, neither art sorry for thy
wickedness, nor have a mind and purpose to leave and forsake sin, but
rather exercise and use the same, then thou art not in the book of life as
long as thou art in such a case; and therefore shalt thou go into
everlasting fire, namely, if thou die in thy wickedness and sin, without
repentance.
But there are none so wicked but he may have a remedy. What is that? Enter
into thine own heart, and search the secrets of the same. Consider thine
own life, and how thou hast spent thy days. And if thou find in thyself
all manner of uncleanness and abominable sins, and so seest thy damnation
before thine eyes, what shalt thou then do? Confess the same unto the Lord
thy God. Be sorry that thou hast offended so loving a Father, and ask
mercy of him in the name of Christ, and believe steadfastly that he will
be merciful unto thee in respect of his only Son, who suffered death for
thee; and then have a good purpose to leave all sin and wickedness, and to
withstand and resist the affections of thine own flesh, which ever fight
against the Spirit; and to live uprightly and godly, after the will and
commandment of thy heavenly Father. If thou go thus to work, surely thou
shalt be heard. Thy sins shall be forgiven thee; God will show himself
true in his promise, for to that end he sent his only Son into this world,
that he might save sinners. Consider therefore, I say, wherefore Christ
came into this world; consider also the great hatred and wrath that God
beareth against sin; and again consider his great love, showed unto thee,
in that he sent his only Son to suffer most cruel death, rather than that
thou shouldst be damned everlastingly.
Consider therefore this great love of God the Father, amend thy life, fly
all occasions of sin and wickedness, and be loath to displease him. And in
doing this thou mayest be assured that though thou hadst done all the sins
of the world, they shall neither hurt nor condemn thee; for the mercy of
God is greater than all the sins of the world. But we sometimes are in
such a case that we think we have no faith at all, or if we have any, it
is very feeble and weak. And therefore these are two things; to have faith
and to have the feeling of faith. For some men would fain have the feeling
of faith, but they cannot attain unto it; and yet they may not despair,
but go forward in calling upon God, and it will come at length: God will
open their hearts, and let them feel his goodness.
And thus may you see who are in the book of life, and who are not. For all
those that are obstinate sinners, are without Christ, and so not elect to
everlasting life, if they remain in their wickedness. There are none of us
all but we may be saved by Christ, and therefore let us stick hard unto
it, and be content to forego all the pleasures and riches of this world
for his sake, who for our sake forsook all the heavenly pleasures, and
came down into this miserable and wretched world, and here suffered all
manner of afflictions for our sake. And therefore it is right that we
should do somewhat for his sake, to show ourselves thankful unto him; and
so we may assuredly be found among the first, and not among the last; that
is to say, among the elect and chosen of God, that are written in the
counting book of God, who are those that believe in Christ Jesus; to whom,
with God the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world
without end.—Amen.
THE PARABLE OF THE TARES,
BY BISHOP LATIMER, PREACHED ON THE 7TH OF FEBRUARY, 1553.
MATTHEW XIII.—_The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which
sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came
and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way, &c._
This is a parable or similitude wherein our Saviour compared the kingdom
of God, that is, the preaching of his word, wherein consisteth the
salvation of mankind, unto a husbandman who sowed good seed in his field.
But before we come unto the matter, you shall first learn to understand
what this word parable, which is a Greek word, and used in the Latin and
English tongue, means; that is to say, “A parable is a comparison of two
things that are unlike outwardly;” while in effect they signify but one
thing, for they appertain to one end; as in this place, Christ compared
the word of God unto seed: which two things are unlike, but yet they teach
one thing; for like as the seed is sown in the earth, so is the word of
God sown in our hearts: and thus much of this word parable.
The sum of this gospel is, first he speaks of a husbandman that sowed good
seed; after that he mentions an enemy that sowed evil seed. And these two
manner of seeds, that is, the husbandman’s seed that was good, and the
enemy’s seed which was naught, came up both together: so that the enemy
was as busy as the other in sowing his evil seed. And while he was busy in
sowing it, it was unknown. And at the first springing up, it all seemed to
be good seed, but at length the servant of the husbandman perceived the
evil seed sown amongst the good; therefore he came and told his master,
showing him all the matter, and required leave to gather the evil seed
from amongst the other. The husbandman himself said, “Our enemy hath done
this. But for all that, let it alone until the harvest, and then will I
separate the good from the evil.” This is the sum of this gospel.
First, note that he saith, “When everybody was asleep, then he came and
sowed his seed.” Who are these sleepers? The bishops and prelates, the
slothful and careless curates and ministers; they with their negligence
give the devil leave to sow his seed, for they sow not their seed. That
is, they preach not the word of God, they instruct not the people with
wholesome doctrine, and so they give place to the devil to sow his seed.
For when the devil cometh, and findeth the heart of man not weaponed nor
garnished with the word of God, he forthwith possesses the same, and so
getteth victory through the slothfulness of the spirituality, which they
shall one day grievously repent. For the whole scripture, that is to say,
both the Old and New Testament, is full of threatenings against such
negligent and slothful pastors; and they shall make a heavy and grievous
account one day, when no excuse shall serve, but extreme punishment shall
follow, for a reward of their slothfulness.
This gospel gives occasion to speak of many things: for our Saviour
himself expounded this parable unto his disciples after the people were
gone from him, and he was come into the house. For the disciples were not
so bold as to ask him of the meaning of this parable in the presence of
the people; whereby we may learn good manners, to use in everything a good
and convenient time. Also we may here learn to search and inquire
earnestly, and with great diligence, for the true understanding of God’s
word. And when you hear a sermon and are in doubt of something, inquire
about it, and be desirous to learn; for it is written, “Whosoever hath,
unto him shall be given; and he shall have abundance.” (Matt. xiii.) What
means this saying?—When we hear the word of God, and have tasted somewhat
thereof, and are afterwards desirous to go forward more and more, then
shall we have further knowledge; for God will give us his grace to come to
further understanding. And so the saying of our Saviour shall be fulfilled
in us.
Now when our Saviour heard the request of his disciples, he performs their
desire, and begins to expound unto them the parable, saying, “I am he that
soweth good seed: the adversary, the devil, is he who soweth evil seed.”
Here our Saviour, good people, makes known that he goeth about to do us
good; but the devil doth quite the contrary, and he seeks to spoil and
destroy us with his filthy and naughty seeds of false doctrine. The field
here is the whole world. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers
are the angels of God, who are his servants: for as every lord or master
has his servants to wait upon him, and to do his commandments, so the
angels of God wait upon Him to do his commandments. The angels at the time
of the harvest shall gather first all such as have been evil and have
given occasion of wickedness, and go forward in the same without
repentance or amendment of their lives. All such, I say, shall be gathered
together and cast into the furnace of fire, “where shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.” For in the end of this wicked world, all such as have
lived in the delights and pleasures of the same, and have not fought with
the lusts and pleasures of their flesh, but are proud and stubborn, or
bear hatred and malice unto their neighbours, or are covetous persons;
also all naughty servants that do not their duties, and all those that use
falsehood in buying and selling, and care not for their neighbours, but
sell unto them false wares, or otherwise deceive them; all these are
called “the offenders of this world,” and all such shall be cast into the
furnace where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
In like manner, all idle persons that will not work for their living, but
go about loitering and are chargeable unto others; and also drunken
persons that abuse the benefits of God in dishonouring themselves, so that
they lose the use of reason, and their natural wits wherewith God has
endued them, and make themselves like swine and beasts; also those who
break wedlock, and despise matrimony, which is instituted of God himself.
Hereunto add all swearers, all usurers, all liars, and deceivers; all
these are called the seed of the devil; and so they are the devil’s
creatures through their own wickedness.
But yet it is true that wicked men have their souls and bodies of God, for
he is their Creator and Maker: but they themselves, in forsaking God and
his laws, and following the devil and his instructions, make themselves
members of the devil, and become his seed; therefore in the last day they
shall be cast out into everlasting fire, when the trumpet shall blow, and
the angels shall come and gather all those that offend from among the
elect of God.
The form of judgment shall be in this manner: Christ our Saviour at the
day of judgment, being appointed of God, shall come down with great
triumph and honour, accompanied with all his angels and saints that
departed in faith out of this world before time: they shall come with him
then, and all the elect shall be gathered to him, and there they shall see
the judgment; but they themselves shall not be judged, but shall be like
as judges with him. After the elect are separated from the wicked, he
shall give a most horrible and dreadful sentence unto the wicked,
commanding his angels to cast them into everlasting fire, where they shall
have such torments as no tongue can express.