Now you have heard what is meant by this first card, and how you ought to
play with it, I purpose again to deal unto you another card, almost of
the same suit; for they be of so nigh affinity, that one cannot be well
played without the other. The first card declared, that you should not
kill, which might be done divers ways; as being angry with your
neighbour, in mind, in countenance, in word, or deed: it declared also,
how you should subdue the passions of ire, and so clear evermore
yourselves from them. And whereas this first card doth kill in you these
stubborn Turks of ire; this second card will not only they should be
mortified in you, but that you yourselves shall cause them to be likewise
mortified in your neighbour, if that your said neighbour hath been
through your occasion moved unto ire, either in countenance, word, or
deed. Now let us hear therefore the tenor of this card: "When thou
makest thine oblation at mine altar, and there dost remember that thy
neighbour hath any thing against thee, lay down there thy oblation, and
go first and reconcile thy neighbour, and then come and offer thy
oblation."
This card was spoken by Christ, as testifieth St. Matthew in his fifth
chapter, against all such as do presume to come unto the church to make
oblation unto God either by prayer, or any other deed of charity, not
having their neighbours reconciled. Reconciling is as much to say as to
restore thy neighbour unto charity, which by thy words or deeds is moved
against thee: then, if so be it that thou hast spoken to or by thy
neighbour, whereby he is moved to ire or wrath, thou must lay down thy
oblation. Oblations be prayers, alms-deeds, or any work of charity:
these be all called oblations to God. Lay down therefore thine oblation;
begin to do none of these foresaid works before thou goest unto thy
neighbour, and confess thy fault unto him; declaring thy mind, that if
thou hast offended him, thou art glad and willing to make him amends, as
far forth as thy words and substance will extend, requiring him not to
take it at the worst: thou art sorry in thy mind, that thou shouldest be
occasion of his offending.
"What manner of card is this?" will some say: "Why, what have I to do
with my neighbour's or brother's malice?" As Cain said, "Have I the
keeping of my brother? or shall I answer for him and for his faults? This
were no reason--As for myself, I thank God I owe no man malice nor
displeasure: if others owe me any, at their own peril be it. Let every
man answer for himself!" Nay, sir, not so, as you may understand by this
card; for it saith, "If thy neighbour hath anything, any malice against
thee, through thine occasion, lay even down (saith Christ) thine
oblation: pray not to me; do no good deeds for me; but go first unto thy
neighbour, and bring him again unto my flock, which hath forsaken the
same through thy naughty words, mocks, scorns, or disdainous countenance,
and so forth; and then come and offer thine oblation; then do thy
devotion; then do thy alms-deeds; then pray, if thou wilt have me hear
thee."
"O good Lord! this is a hard reckoning, that I must go and seek him out
that is offended with me, before I pray or do any good deed. I cannot go
unto him. Peradventure he is a hundred miles from me, beyond the seas;
or else I cannot tell where: if he were here nigh, I would with all my
heart go unto him." This is a lawful excuse before God on this fashion,
that thou wouldest in thy heart be glad to reconcile thy neighbour, if he
were present; and that thou thinkest in thy heart, whensoever thou shalt
meet with him, to go unto him, and require him charitably to forgive
thee; and so never intend to come from him, until the time that you both
depart one from the other true brethren in Christ.
Yet, peradventure, there be some in the world that be so devilish, and so
hard-hearted, that they will not apply in any condition unto charity. For
all that, do what lieth in thee, by all charitable means, to bring him to
unity. If he will in no wise apply thereunto, thou mayest be sorrowful
in thy heart, that by thine occasion that man or woman continueth in such
a damnable state. This notwithstanding, if thou do the best that lieth
in thee to reconcile him, according to some doctors' mind, thou art
discharged towards God. Nevertheless St. Augustine doubteth in this
case, whether thy oblations, prayers, or good deeds, shall avail thee
before God, or no, until thy neighbour come again to good state, whom
thou hast brought out of the way. Doth this noble doctor doubt therein?
What aileth us to be so bold, and count it but a small fault, or none, to
bring our neighbour out of patience for every trifle that standeth not
with our mind? You may see what a grievous thing this is, to bring
another man out of patience, that peradventure you cannot bring in again
with all the goods that you have: for surely, after the opinion of great
wise men, friendship once broken will be never well made whole again.
Wherefore you shall hear what Christ saith unto such persons. Saith
Christ, "I came down into this world, and so took on me bitter passion
for man's sake, by the merits whereof I intended to make unity and peace
in mankind, to make man brother unto me, and so to expel the dominion of
Satan, the devil, which worketh nothing else but dissension: and yet now
there be a great number of you, that have professed my name, and say you
be christian men, which do rebel against my purpose and mind. I go about
to make my fold: you go about to break the same, and kill my flock." "How
darest thou," saith Christ, "presume to come unto my altar, unto my
church, or into my presence, to make oblation unto me, that takest on
thee to spoil my lambs? I go about like a good shepherd to gather them
together; and thou dost the contrary, evermore ready to divide and lose
them. Who made thee so bold to meddle with my silly beasts, which I
bought so dearly with my precious blood? I warn thee out of my sight,
come not in my presence: I refuse thee and all thy works, except thou go
and bring home again my lambs which thou hast lost. Wherefore, if thou
thyself intend to be one of mine, lay even down by and by thine oblation,
and come no further toward mine altar; but go and seek them without any
questions, as it becometh a true and faithful servant."
A true and faithful servant, whensoever his master commandeth him to do
any thing, he maketh no stops nor questions, but goeth forth with a good
mind: and it is not unlike he, continuing in such a good mind and will,
shall well overcome all dangers and stops, whatsoever betide him in his
journey, and bring to pass effectually his master's will and pleasure? On
the contrary, a slothful servant, when his master commandeth him to do
any thing, by and by he will ask questions, "Where?" "When?" "Which
way?" and so forth; and so be putteth every thing in doubt, that although
both his errand and way be never so plain, yet by his untoward and
slothful behaviour his master's commandment is either undone quite, or
else so done that it shall stand to no good purpose. Go now forth with
the good servant, and ask no such questions, and put no doubts. Be not
ashamed to do thy Master's and Lord's will and commandment. Go, as I
said, unto thy neighbour that is offended by thee, and reconcile him (as
is afore said) whom thou hast lost by thy unkind words, by thy scorns,
mocks, and other disdainous words and behaviours; and be not nice to ask
of him the cause why he is displeased with thee: require of him
charitably to remit; and cease not till you both depart, one from the
other, true brethren in Christ.
Do not, like the slothful servant, thy master's message with cautels and
doubts: come not to thy neighbour whom thou hast offended, and give him a
pennyworth of ale, or a banquet, and so make him a fair countenance,
thinking that by thy drink or dinner he will shew thee like countenance.
I grant you may both laugh and make good cheer, and yet there may remain
a bag of rusty malice, twenty years old, in thy neighbour's bosom. When
he departeth from thee with a good countenance, thou thinkest all is well
then. But now, I tell thee, it is worse than it was, for by such cloaked
charity, where thou dost offend before Christ but once, thou hast
offended twice herein: for now thou goest about to give Christ a mock, if
be would take it of thee. Thou thinkest to blind thy master Christ's
commandment. Beware, do not so, for at length he will overmatch thee,
and take thee tardy whatsoever thou be; and so, as I said, it should be
better for thee not to do his message on this fashion, for it will stand
thee in no purpose. "What?" some will say, "I am sure he loveth me well
enough: he speaketh fair to my face." Yet for all that thou mayest be
deceived. It proveth not true love in a man, to speak fair. If he love
thee with his mind and heart, he loveth thee with his eyes, with his
tongue, with his feet, with his hands and his body; for all these parts
of a man's body be obedient to the will and mind. He loveth thee with
his eves, that looketh cheerfully on thee, when thou meetest with him,
and is glad to see thee prosper and do well. He loveth thee with his
tongue, that speaketh well by thee behind thy back, or giveth thee good
counsel. He loveth thee with his feet, that is willing to go to help
thee out of trouble and business. He loveth thee with his hands, that
will help thee in time of necessity, by giving some alms-deeds, or with
any other occupation of the hand. He loveth thee with his body, that
will labour with his body, or put his body in danger to do good for thee,
or to deliver thee from adversity: and so forth, with the other members
of his body. And if thy neighbour will do according to these sayings,
then thou mayest think that he loveth thee well; and thou, in like wise,
oughtest to declare and open thy love unto thy neighbour in like fashion,
or else you be bound one to reconcile the other, till this perfect love
be engendered amongst you.
It may fortune thou wilt say, "I am content to do the best for my
neighbour that I can, saving myself harmless." I promise thee, Christ
will not hear this excuse; for he himself suffered harm for our sakes,
and for our salvation was put to extreme death. I wis, if it had pleased
him, he might have saved us and never felt pain; but in suffering pains
and death he did give us example, and teach us how we should do one for
another, as he did for us all; for, as he saith himself, "he that will be
mine, let him deny himself, and follow me, in bearing my cross and
suffering my pains." Wherefore we must needs suffer pain with Christ to
do our neighbour good, as well with the body and all his members, as with
heart and mind.
Now I trust you wot what your card meaneth: let us see how that we can
play with the same. Whensoever it shall happen you to go and make your
oblation unto God, ask of yourselves this question, "Who art thou?" The
answer, as you know, is, "I am a christian man." Then you must again ask
unto yourself, What Christ requireth of a christian man? By and by cast
down your trump, your heart, and look first of one card, then of another.
The first card telleth thee, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not be
angry, thou shalt not be out of patience. This done, thou shalt look if
there be any more cards to take up; and if thou look well, thou shalt see
another card of the same suit, wherein thou shalt know that thou art
bound to reconcile thy neighbour. Then cast thy trump upon them both,
and gather them all three together, and do according to the virtue of thy
cards; and surely thou shalt not lose. Thou shalt first kill the great
Turks, and discomfort and thrust them down. Thou shalt again fetch home
Christ's sheep that thou hast lost; whereby thou mayest go both patiently
and with a quiet mind unto the church, and make thy oblation unto God;
and then, without doubt, he will hear thee.
But yet Christ will not accept our oblation (although we be in patience,
and have reconciled our neighbour), if that our oblation be made of
another man's substance; but it must be our own. See therefore that thou
hast gotten thy goods according to the laws of God and of thy prince. For
if thou gettest thy goods by polling and extortion, or by any other
unlawful ways, then, if thou offer a thousand pound of it, it will stand
thee in no good effect; for it is not thine. In this point a great
number of executors do offend; for when they be made rich by other men's
goods, then they will take upon them to build churches, to give ornaments
to God and his altar, to gild saints, and to do many good works
therewith; but it shall be all in their own name, and for their own
glory. Wherefore, saith Christ, they have in this world their reward;
and so their oblations be not their own, nor be they acceptable before
God.
Another way God will refuse thy voluntary oblation, as thus: if so be it
that thou hast gotten never so truly thy goods, according both to the
laws of God and man, and hast with the same goods not relieved thy poor
neighbour, when thou hast seen him hungry, thirsty, and naked, he will
not take thy oblation when thou shalt offer the same, because he will say
unto thee, "When I was hungry, thou gavest me no meat; when I was
thirsty, thou gavest me no drink; and when I was naked, thou didst not
clothe me. Wherefore I will not take thy oblation, because it is none of
thine. I left it thee to relieve thy poor neighbours, and thou hast not
therein done according unto this my commandment, _Misericordiam volo, et
non sacrificium_; I had rather have mercy done, than sacrifice or
oblation. Wherefore until thou dost the one more than the other, I will
not accept thine oblation."
Evermore bestow the greatest part of thy goods in works of mercy, and the
less part in voluntary works. Voluntary works be called all manner of
offering in the church, except your four offering-days, and your tithes:
setting up candles, gilding and painting, building of churches, giving of
ornaments, going on pilgrimages, making of highways, and such other, be
called voluntary works; which works be of themselves marvellous good, and
convenient to be done. Necessary works, and works of mercy, are called
the commandments, the four offering-days, your tithes, and such other
that belong to the commandments; and works of mercy consist in relieving
and visiting thy poor neighbours. Now then, if men be so foolish of
themselves, that they will bestow the most part of their goods in
voluntary works, which they be not bound to keep, but willingly and by
their devotion; and leave the necessary works undone, which they are
bound to do; they and all their voluntary works are like to go unto
everlasting damnation. And I promise you, if you build a hundred
churches, give as much as you can make to gilding of saints, and
honouring of the church; and if thou go as many pilgrimages as thy body
can well suffer, and offer as great candles as oaks; if thou leave the
works of mercy and the commandments undone, these works shall nothing
avail thee. No doubt the voluntary works be good and ought to be done;
but yet they must be so done, that by their occasion the necessary works
and the works of mercy be not decayed and forgotten. If you will build a
glorious church unto God, see first yourself to be in charity with your
neighbours, and suffer not them to be offended by your works. Then, when
ye come into your parish-church; you bring with you the holy temple of
God; as St. Paul saith, "You yourselves be the very holy temples of God:"
and Christ saith by his prophet, "In you will I rest, and intend to make
my mansion and abiding-place." Again, if you list to gild and paint
Christ in your churches, and honour him in vestments, see that before
your eyes the poor people die not for lack of meat, drink, and clothing.
Then do you deck the very true temple of God, and honour him in rich
vestures that will never be worn, and so forth use yourselves according
unto the commandments: and then, finally, set up your candles, and they
will report what a glorious light remaineth in your hearts; for it is not
fitting to see a dead man light candles. Then, I say, go your
pilgrimages, build your material churches, do all your voluntary works;
and they will then represent you unto God, and testify with you, that you
have provided him a glorious place in your hearts. But beware, I say
again, that you do not run so far in your voluntary works, that ye do
quite forget your necessary works of mercy, which you are bound to keep:
you must have ever a good respect unto the best and worthiest works
toward God to be done first and with more efficacy, and the other to be
done secondarily. Thus if you do, with the other that I have spoken of
before, ye may come according to the tenor of your cards, and offer your
oblations and prayers to our Lord Jesus Christ, who will both hear and
accept them to your everlasting joy and glory: to the which he bring us,
and all those whom he suffered death for. Amen.
A SERMON MADE BY M. HUGH LATIMER, AT THE TIME OF THE INSURRECTION IN THE
NORTH, WHICH WAS IN THE TWENTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF KING HENRY
THE EIGHTH, ANN. DOM. 1535. UPON THE EPISTLE READ IN THE CHURCH THE
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY SUNDAY, TAKEN OUT OF THE SIXTH CHAPTER
OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS.
_Put on all the armour of God, that ye may stand_, &c. [Ephes. vi.
10, et seq.]
Saint Paul, the holy apostle, writeth this epistle unto the Ephesians,
that is, to the people of the city of Ephesus. He writeth generally, to
them all; and in the former chapters he teacheth them severally how they
should behave themselves, in every estate, one to another; how they
should obey their rulers; how wives should behave themselves towards
their husbands; children towards their parents; and servants towards
their masters; and husbands, parents and masters should behave them, and
love their wives, children, and servants; and generally each to love
other.
Now cometh he forth and comforteth them, and teacheth them to be bold,
and to play the men, and fight manfully. For they must fight with
valiant warriors, as appeareth afterward in the text. And against they
come to fight he comforteth them, saying, "My brethren." He calleth them
brethren; for though he taught them before to be subject to kings and
rulers, and to be obedient to their superiors, yet he teacheth them that
in Christ we be all brethren, according to the saying in this same
chapter, "God is no accepter of persons." "My brethren," saith he, "be
ye comforted, be ye strong;" not trusting to yourselves; no, but be bold,
and comforted "by our Lord, and by the power of his virtue:" not by your
own virtue, for it is not of power to resist such assaults as he speaketh
of hereafter. "Put on, or apparel you with, the armour of God." Armour
is an apparel to clothe a man, and maketh him seemly and comely; setteth
forth his body, and maketh him strong and bold in battle. And therefore
Saint Paul exhorteth generally his brethren to be armed; and as the
assaults be strong, and not small, so he giveth strong armour, and not
small: "Put on," saith he, "the armour of God." He speaketh generally of
armour, but afterwards he speaketh particularly of the parts of armour,
where he saith, be armed complete, whole; be armed on every part with the
armour of God; not borrowed, nor patched, but all godly. And as armour
setteth forth a man's body, so this godly armour maketh us seemly in the
sight of God, and acceptable in his wars.
Be ye therefore "armed at all points with the armour of God, that ye may
stand strongly against the assaults of the devil." "That ye may stand,"
saith he. Ye must stand in this battle, and not sit, nor lie along; for
he that lieth is trodden under foot of his enemy. We may not sit, that
is, not rest in sin, or lie along in sluggishness of sin; but continually
fight against our enemy, and under our great Captain and Sovereign Lord
Jesus Christ, and in his quarrel, armed with the armour of God, that we
may be strong. We cannot be strong unless we be armed of God. We have
no power of ourselves to stand against the assaults of the devil. There
St. Paul teacheth what our battle is, and wherefore we must be thus
armed.
For, saith he, "we have not wrestling or strife against flesh and blood:"
which may be understood, against certain sins, which come of the flesh
only; but let us take it as it standeth, "against flesh and blood," that
is, against any corporal man, which is but a weak thing in comparison,
and with one stroke destroyed or slain: but we have to do with strong,
mighty princes and potentates; that mighty prince, that great conqueror
of this world, the devil, yea a conqueror: for though our Saviour Jesus
Christ conquered him and all his, by suffering his blessed passion, yet
is he a great conqueror in this world, and reigneth over a great
multitude of his own, and maketh continual conflicts and assaults against
the rest, to subdue them also under his power; which, if they be armed
after St. Paul's teaching, shall stand strongly against his assaults.
"Our battle," saith St. Paul, "is against princes, potestates," that is,
against devils: for, after the common opinion, there fell from heaven of
every order of angels, as of potentates. He saith also, "against worldly
rulers of these darknesses:" for, as doctors do write, the spirits that
fell with Lucifer have their being in _aere caliginoso_, the air, in
darkness, and the rulers of this world, by God's sufferance, to hurt, vex
and assault them that live upon the earth. For their nature is, as they
be damned, to desire to draw all mankind unto like damnation; such is
their malice. And though they hang in the air, or fall in a garden or
other pleasant place, yet have they continually their pain upon their
backs. Against these we wrestle, and "against spiritual wickedness in
_coelestibus_," that is, in the air; or we fight against spiritual
wickedness in heavenly things.
Think you not that this our enemy, this prince with all his potentates,
hath great and sore assaults to lay against our armour? Yea, he is a
crafty warrior, and also of great power in this world; he hath great
ordnance and artillery; he hath great pieces of ordnance, as mighty kings
and emperors, to shoot against God's people, to persecute or kill them;
Nero, the great tyrant, who slew Paul, and divers other. Yea, what great
pieces hath he had of bishops of Rome, which have destroyed whole cities
and countries, and have slain and burnt many! What great guns were
those!
Yea, he hath also less ordnance evil enough, (they may be called
_serpentines_;) some bishops in divers countries, and here in England,
which he hath shot at some good christian men, that they have been blown
to ashes. So can this great captain, the devil, shoot his ordnance. He
hath yet less ordnance, for he hath of all sorts to shoot at good
christian men; he hath hand-guns and bows, which do much hurt, but not so
much as the great ordnance. These be accusers, promoters, and
slanderers; they be evil ordnance, shrewd hand-guns, and bows; they put a
man to great displeasure; oftentimes death cometh upon that shot. For
these things, saith the text, "take the armour of God." Against the
great captains, the devils, and against their artillery, their ministers,
there can nothing defend us but the armour of God.
"Take therefore this armour," saith the text, "that ye may resist in the
evil day, and in all things stand perfectly, or be perfectly strong."
This evil day is not so called here, because any day or time is evil; for
God made every day good, and all days be good: but St. Paul calleth it
the "evil day," because of the misfortune that chanceth or cometh in that
day. As we have a common saying, "I have had an evil day, and an evil
night," because of the heaviness or evil that hath happened; so saith
Paul, "that ye may resist in the evil day:" that is, when your great
adversary hath compassed you round about with his potestates and rulers,
and with his artillery, so that you be almost overcome, then, if you have
the armour of God, you shall be strong, and need not to fear his
assaults.
St. Paul hath spoken of this armour of God generally, and now declareth
the parts and pieces of armour; and teacheth them how to apparel every
part of the body with this armour. He beginneth yet again, saying, "Be
strong, having your reins, or your loins girded about." Some men of war
use to have about their loins an apron or girdle of mail, gird fast for
the safeguard of the nether part of their body. So St. Paul would we
should gird our loins, which betokeneth lechery or other sinfulness, with
a girdle, which is to be taken for a restraint or continence from such
vices. In "truth," or "truly gird:" it may not be feigned, or falsely
girt, but in verity and truth. There be many bachelors, as yet men
unmarried, which seem to be girt with the girdle of continence, and yet
it is not in truth, it is but feignedly. And some religious persons make
a profession of continence or chastity, and yet not in truth, their
hearts be not truly chaste. Such feigned girding of the loins cannot
make a man strong to resist the assaults of the great captain or enemy in
the evil day. Yet some get them girdles with great knots, as though they
would be surely girt, and as though they would break the devil's head
with their knotted girdles. Nay, he will not be so overcome: it is no
knot of an hempton girdle that he feareth; that is no piece of harness of
the armour of God, which may resist the assault in the evil day; it is
but feigned gear; it must be in the heart, &c.
"And be ye apparelled or clothed," saith Paul, "with the habergeon or
coat-armour of justice, that is, righteousness." Let your body be
clothed in the armour of righteousness: ye may do no wrong to any man,
but live in righteousness; not clothed with any false quarrel or privy
grudge. Ye must live rightly in God's law, following his commandments
and doctrine, clothed righteously in his armour, and not in any feigned
armour, as in a friar's coat or cowl. For the assaults of the devil be
crafty to make us put our trust in such armour, he will feign himself to
fly; but then we be most in jeopardy: for he can give us an after-clap
when we least ween; that is, suddenly return unawares to us, and then he
giveth us an after-clap that overthroweth us: this armour deceiveth us.
In like manner these men in the North country, they make pretence as
though they were armed in God's armour, gird in truth, and clothed in
righteousness. I hear say they wear the cross and the wounds before and
behind, and they pretend much truth to the king's grace and to the
commonwealth, when they intend nothing less; and deceive the poor
ignorant people, and bring them to fight against both the king, the
church, and the commonwealth.
They arm them with the sign of the cross and of the wounds, and go clean
contrary to him that bare the cross, and suffered those wounds. They
rise with the king, and fight against the king in his ministers and
officers; they rise with the church, and fight against the church, which
is the congregation of faithful men; they rise for the commonwealth, and
fight against it, and go about to make the commons each to kill other,
and to destroy the commonwealth. Lo, what false pretence can the devil
send amongst us? It is one of his most crafty and subtle assaults, to
send his warriors forth under the badge of God, as though they were armed
in righteousness and justice.
But if we will resist strongly indeed, we must he clothed or armed with
the habergeon of very justice or righteousness; in true obedience to our
prince, and faithful love to our neighbours; and take no false quarrels
in hand, nor any feigned armour; but in justice, "having your feet shod
for [the] preparation of the gospel of peace."
Lo, what manner of battle this warrior St. Paul teacheth us, "to be shod
on our feet," that we may go readily and prepare way for the gospel; yea,
the gospel of peace, not of rebellion, not of insurrection: no, it
teacheth obedience, humility, and quietness; it maketh peace in the
conscience, and teacheth true faith in Jesus Christ, and to walk in God's
laws armed with God's armour, as Paul teacheth here. Yea, if bishops in
England had been "shod for the preparation of this gospel," and had
endeavoured themselves to teach and set [it] forth, as our most noble
prince hath devised; and if certain gentlemen, being justices, had
executed his grace's commandment, in setting forth this gospel of peace,
this disturbance among the people had not happened.
But ye say, it is new learning. Now I tell you it is the old learning.
Yea, ye say, it is old heresy new scoured. Nay, I tell you it is old
truth, long rusted with your canker, and now new made bright and scoured.
What a rusty truth is this, _Quodcumque ligaveris_, "Whatsoever thou
bindest," &c. This is a truth spoken to the apostles, and all true
preachers their successors, that with the law of God they should bind and
condemn all that sinned; and whosoever did repent, they should declare
him loosed and forgiven, by believing in the blood of Christ. But how
hath this truth over-rusted with the pope's rust? For he, by this text,
"Whatsoever thou bindeth," hath taken upon him to make what laws him
listed, clean contrary unto God's word, which willeth that every man
should obey the prince's law: and by this text, "Whatsoever thou
loosest," he hath made all people believe that, for money, he might
forgive what and whom he lusted; so that if any man had robbed his
master, or taken anything wrongfully, the pope would loose him, by this
pardon or that pardon, given to these friars or those friars, put in this
box or that box. And, as it were, by these means a dividend of the spoil
was made, so that it was not restored, nor the person rightly discharged;
and yet most part of the spoil came to the hands of him and his
ministers. What is this but a new learning; a new canker to rust and
corrupt the old truth? Ye call your learning old: it may indeed be
called old, for it cometh of that serpent which did pervert God's
commandment and beguiled Eve; so it is an old custom to pervert God's
word, and to rust it, and corrupt it.
We be a great many that profess to be true ministers of the gospel; but
at the trial I think it will come to pass as it did with Gideon, a duke,
which God raised up to deliver the children of Israel from the
Midianites, in whose hands they were fallen, because they had broken
God's commandment, and displeased God: yet at the length he had
compassion on them, and raised up Gideon to deliver them. When they
heard that they had a captain, or a duke, that should deliver them, they
assembled a great number, about thirty thousand: but when it came to pass
that they should fight, they departed all save five hundred. So, I fear
me, that at the trial we shall be found but a few ministers of the true
gospel of peace, and armed in the true armour of God.
It followeth, "And in all things take the shield or buckler of faith."
The buckler is a thing wherewith a man most chiefly defendeth himself:
and that must be perfect faith in Jesus Christ, in our Captain, and in
his word. It must also be a true faith, it is else no part of the armour
of God: it may not be feigned, but a buckler, which may stop or quench
the violence of the flaming darts of the most wicked.
"Take also the helmet or head-piece of health," or true health in Jesus
Christ; for there is no health in any other name: not the health of a
grey friar's coat, or the health of this pardon or that pardon; that were
a false helmet, and should not defend the violence of the wicked.
"And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Lo, St. Paul
teacheth you battle; to take in your left hand the shield of faith, to
defend and bear off the darts of the devil, and in the other hand a sword
to strike with against the enemy: for a good man of war may not stand
against, and defend only, but also strike against his enemy. So St. Paul
giveth us here a sword, "The word of God." For this sword is it that
beateth this great captain, our enemy. Christ himself gave us ensample
to fight with this sword; for he answered the devil with the scripture,
and said, "It is written." With this sword he drave away the devil: and
so let us break his head with this sword, the true word of God, and not
with any word of the bishop of Rome's making; not with his old learning,
nor his new learning, but with the pure word of God.
The time passeth: I will therefore make an end. Let us fight manfully,
and not cease; for no man is crowned or rewarded but in the end. We must
therefore fight continually, and with this sword; and thus armed, and we
shall receive the reward of victory. And thus the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with all your spirits. Amen.
THE SERMON THAT THE REVEREND FATHER IN CHRIST, M. HUGH LATIMER, BISHOP OF
WORCESTER, MADE TO THE CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY, BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT
BEGAN, THE 9 DAY OF JUNE, THE 28 YEAR OF THE REIGN OF OUR LATE KING HENRY
THE 8. TRANSLATED OUT OF LATIN INTO ENGLISH, TO THE INTENT THAT THINGS
WELL SAID TO A FEW MAY BE UNDERSTOOD OF MANY, AND DO GOOD TO ALL THEM
THAT DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH.
_Filii hujus seculi_, &c.--Luc. xvi.
Brethren, ye be come together this day, as far as I perceive, to hear of
great and weighty matters. Ye be come together to entreat of things that
most appertain to the commonwealth. This being thus, ye look, I am
assured, to hear of me, which am commanded to make as a preface this
exhortation, (albeit I am unlearned and far unworthy,) such things as
shall be much meet for this your assembly. I therefore, not only very
desirous to obey the commandment of our Primate, but also right greatly
coveting to serve and satisfy all your expectation; lo, briefly, and as
plainly as I can, will speak of matters both worthy to be heard in your
congregation, and also of such as best shall become mine office in this
place. That I may do this the more commodiously, I have taken that
notable sentence in which our Lord was not afraid to pronounce "the
children of this world to be much more prudent and politic than the
children of light in their generation." Neither will I be afraid,
trusting that he will aid and guide me to use this sentence, as a good
ground and foundation of all such things, as hereafter I shall speak of.
Now, I suppose that you see right well, being men of such learning, for
what purpose the Lord said this, and that ye have no need to be holpen
with any part of my labour in this thing. But yet, if ye will pardon me,
I will wade somewhat deeper in this matter, and as nigh as I can, fetch
it from the first original beginning. For undoubtedly, ye may much
marvel at this saying, if ye well ponder both what is said, and who saith
it. Define me first these three things: what prudence is; what the
world; what light; and who be the children of the world; who of the
light: see what they signify in scripture. I marvel if by and by ye all
agree, that the children of the world should be wiser than the children
of the light. To come somewhat nigher the matter, thus the Lord
beginneth:
There was a certain rich man that had a steward, which was accused
unto him that he had dissipated and wasted his goods. This rich man
called his steward to him and said, What is this that I hear of thee?
Come, make me an account of thy stewardship; thou mayest no longer
bear this office.
Brethren, because these words are so spoken in a parable, and are so
wrapped in wrinkles, that yet they seem to have a face and a similitude
of a thing done indeed, and like an history, I think it much profitable
to tarry somewhat in them. And though we may perchance find in our
hearts to believe all that is there spoken to be true; yet I doubt
whether we may abide it, that these words of Christ do pertain unto us,
and admonish us of our duty, which do and live after such sort, as though
Christ, when he spake any thing, had, as the time served him, served his
turn, and not regarded the time that came after him, neither provided for
us, or any matters of ours; as some of the philosophers thought, which
said, that God walked up and down in heaven, and thinketh never a deal of
our affairs. But, my good brethren, err not you so; stick not you to
such your imaginations. For if ye inwardly behold these words, if ye
diligently roll them in your minds, and after explicate and open them, ye
shall see our time much touched in these mysteries. Ye shall perceive
that God by this example shaketh us by the noses and pulleth us by the
ears. Ye shall perceive very plain, that God setteth before our eyes in
this similitude what we ought most to flee, and what we ought soonest to
follow. For Luke saith, "The Lord spake these words to his disciples."
Wherefore let it be out of all doubt that he spake them to us, which even
as we will be counted the successors and vicars of Christ's disciples, so
we be, if we be good dispensers and do our duty. He said these things
partly to us, which spake them partly of himself. For he is that rich
man, which not only had, but hath, and shall have evermore, I say not
one, but many stewards, even to the end of the world.
He is man, seeing that he is God and man. He is rich, not only in mercy
but in all kind of riches; for it is he that giveth to us all things
abundantly. It is he of whose hand we received both our lives, and other
things necessary for the conservation of the same. What man hath any
thing, I pray you, but he hath received it of his plentifulness? To be
short, it is he that "openeth his hand, and filleth all beasts with his
blessing," and giveth unto us in most ample wise his benediction. Neither
his treasure can be spent, how much soever he lash out; how much soever
we take of him, his treasure tarrieth still, ever taken, never spent.
He is also the good man of the house: the church is his household which
ought with all diligence to be fed with his word and his sacraments.
These be his goods most precious, the dispensation and administration
whereof he would bishops and curates should have. Which thing St. Paul
affirmeth, saying, "Let men esteem us as the ministers of Christ, and
dispensers of God's mysteries." But, I pray you, what is to be looked
for in a dispenser? This surely, "That he be found faithful," and that
he truly dispense, and lay out the goods of the Lord; that he give meat
in time; give it, I say, and not sell it; meat, I say, and not poison.
For the one doth intoxicate and slay the eater, the other feedeth and
nourisheth him. Finally, let him not slack and defer the doing of his
office, but let him do his duty when time is, and need requireth it. This
is also to be looked for, that he be one whom God hath called and put in
office, and not one that cometh uncalled, unsent for; not one that of
himself presumeth to take honour upon him. And surely, if all this that
I say be required in a good minister, it is much lighter to require them
all in every one, than to find one any where that hath them all. Who is
a true and faithful steward? He is true, he is faithful, that cometh no
new money, but taketh it ready coined of the good man of the house; and
neither changeth it, nor clippeth it, after it is taken to him to spend,
but spendeth even the self-same that he had of his Lord, and spendeth it
as his Lord's commandment is; neither to his own vantage uttering it, nor
as the lewd servant did, hiding it in the ground. Brethren, if a
faithful steward ought to do as I have said, I pray you, ponder and
examine this well, whether our bishops and abbots, prelates and curates,
have been hitherto faithful stewards or no? Ponder, whether yet many of
them be as they should be or no? Go ye to, tell me now as your
conscience leadeth you (I will let pass to speak of many other), was
there not some, that despising the money of the Lord, as copper and not
current, either coined new themselves, or else uttered abroad newly
coined of other; sometime either adulterating the word of God or else
mingling it (as taverners do, which brew and utter the evil and good both
in one pot), sometime in the stead of God's word blowing out the dreams
of men? while they thus preached to the people the redemption that cometh
by Christ's death to serve only them that died before his coming, that
were in the time of the old testament; and that now since redemption and
forgiveness of sins purchased by money, and devised by men is of
efficacy, and not redemption purchased by Christ (they have a wonderful
pretty example to persuade this thing, of a certain married woman, which,
when her husband was in purgatory, in that fiery furnace that hath burned
away so many of our pence, paid her husband's ransom, and so of duty
claimed him to be set at liberty): while they thus preached to the
people, that dead images (which at the first, as I think, were set up,
only to represent things absent) not only ought to be covered with gold,
but also ought of all faithful and christian people (yea, in this
scarceness and penury of all things), to be clad with silk garments, and
those also laden with precious gems and jewels; and that beside all this,
they are to be lighted with wax candles, both within the church and
without the church, yea, and at noon days; as who should say, here no
cost can be too great; whereas in the mean time we see Christ's faithful
and lively images, bought with no less price than with his most precious
blood (alas, alas!) to be an hungred, a-thirst, a-cold, and to lie in
darkness, wrapped in all wretchedness, yea, to lie there till death take
away their miseries: while they preached these will-works, that come but
of our own devotion, although they be not so necessary as the works of
mercy, and the precepts of God, yet they said, and in the pulpit, that
will-works were more principal, more excellent, and (plainly to utter
what they mean) more acceptable to God than works of mercy; as though now
man's inventions and fancies could please God better than God's precepts,
or strange things better than his own: while they thus preached that more
fruit, more devotion cometh of the beholding of an image, though it be
but a Pater-noster while, than is gotten by reading and contemplation in
scripture, though ye read and contemplate therein seven years' space:
finally, while they preached thus, souls tormented in purgatory to have
most need of our help, and that they can have no aid, but of us in this
world: of the which two, if the one be not false, yet at the least it is
ambiguous, uncertain, doubtful, and therefore rashly and arrogantly with
such boldness affirmed in the audience of the people; the other, by all
men's opinions, is manifestly false: I let pass to speak of much other
such like counterfeit doctrine, which hath been blasted and blown out by
some for the space of three hours together. Be these the Christian and
divine mysteries, and not rather the dreams of men? Be these the
faithful dispensers of God's mysteries, and not rather false dissipators
of them? whom God never put in office, but rather the devil set them over
a miserable family, over an house miserably ordered and entreated. Happy
were the people if such preached seldom.
And yet it is a wonder to see these, in their generation, to be much more
prudent and politic than the faithful ministers are in their generation;
while they go about more prudently to stablish men's dreams, than these
do to hold up God's commandments.
Thus it cometh to pass that works lucrative, will-works, men's fancies
reign; but christian works, necessary works, fruitful works, be trodden
under the foot. Thus the evil is much better set out by evil men, than
the good by good men; because the evil be more wise than be the good in
their generation. These be the false stewards, whom all good and
faithful men every day accuse unto the rich master of the household, not
without great heaviness, that they waste his goods; whom he also one day
will call to him, and say to them as he did to his steward, when he said,
"What is this that I hear of thee?" Here God partly wondereth at our
ingratitude and perfidy, partly chideth us for them; and being both full
of wonder and ready to chide, asketh us, "What is this that I hear of
you?" As though he should say unto us, "All good men in all places
complain of you, accuse your avarice, your exactions, your tyranny. They
have required in you a long season, and yet require, diligence and
sincerity. I commanded you, that with all industry and labour ye should
feed my sheep: ye earnestly feed yourselves from day to day, wallowing in
delights and idleness. I commanded you to teach my commandments, and not
your fancies; and that ye should seek my glory and my vantage: you teach
your own traditions, and seek your own glory and profit. You preach very
seldom; and when ye do preach, do nothing but cumber them that preach
truly, as much as lieth in you: that it were much better such were not to
preach at all, than so perniciously to preach. Oh, what hear I of you?
You, that ought to be my preachers, what other thing do you, than apply
all your study hither, to bring all my preachers to envy, shame,
contempt? Yea, more than this, ye pull them into perils, into prisons,
and, as much as in you lieth, to cruel deaths. To be short, I would that
christian people should hear my doctrine, and at their convenient leisure
read it also, as many as would: your care is not that all men may hear
it, but all your care is, that no lay man do read it: surely, being
afraid lest they by the reading should understand it, and understanding,
learn to rebuke our slothfulness. This is your generation, this is your
dispensation, this is your wisdom. In this generation, in this
dispensation, you be most politic, most witty. These be the things that
I hear of your demeanour. I wished to hear better report of you. Have
ye thus deceived me? or have ye rather deceived yourselves? Where I had
but one house, that is to say, the church, and this so dearly beloved of
me, that for the love of her I put myself forth to be slain, and to shed
my blood; this church at my departure I committed unto your charge, to be
fed, to be nourished, and to be made much of. My pleasure was ye should
occupy my place; my desire was ye should have borne like love to this
church, like fatherly affection, as I did: I made you my vicars, yea, in
matters of most importance.
"For thus I taught openly: 'He that should hear you, should hear me; he
that should despise you, should despise me.' I gave you also keys, not
earthly keys, but heavenly. I left my goods that I have evermore most
highly esteemed, that is, my word and sacraments, to be dispensed of you.
These benefits I gave you, and do you give me these thanks? Can you find
in your hearts thus to abuse my goodness, my benignity, my gentleness?
Have you thus deceived me? No, no, ye have not deceived me, but
yourselves. My gifts and benefits towards you shall be to your greater
damnation. Because you have contemned the lenity and clemency of the
master of the house, ye have right well deserved to abide the rigour and
severity of the judge. Come forth then, let us see an account of your
stewardship. An horrible and fearful sentence: Ye may have no longer my
goods in your hands. A voice to weep at, and to make men tremble!"
You see, brethren, you see, what evil the evil stewards must come to.
Your labour is paid for, if ye can so take heed, that no such sentence be
spoken to you; nay, we must all take heed lest these threatenings one day
take place in us. But lest the length of my sermon offend you too sore,
I will leave the rest of the parable and take me to the handling of the
end of it; that is, I will declare unto you how the children of this
world be more witty, crafty, and subtle, than are the children of the
light in their generation. Which sentence would God it lay in my poor
tongue to explicate with such light of words, that I might seem rather to
have painted it before your eyes, than to have spoken it; and that you
might rather seem to see the thing, than to hear it! But I confess
plainly this thing to be far above my power. Therefore this being only
left to me, I wish for that I have not, and am sorry that that is not in
me which I would so gladly have, that is, power so to handle the thing
that I have in hand, that all that I say may turn to the glory of God,
your souls' health, and the edifying of Christ's body. Wherefore I pray
you all to pray with me unto God, and that in your petition you desire,
that these two things he vouchsafe to grant us, first, a mouth for me to
speak rightly; next, ears for you, that in hearing me ye may take profit
at my hand: and that this may come to effect, you shall desire him, unto
whom our master Christ bad we should pray, saying even the same prayer
that he himself did institute. Wherein ye shall pray for our most
gracious sovereign lord the king, chief and supreme head of the church of
England under Christ, and for the most excellent, gracious, and virtuous
lady queen Jane, his most lawful wife, and for all his, whether they be
of the clergy or laity, whether they be of the nobility, or else other
his grace's subjects, not forgetting those that being departed out of
this transitory life, and now sleep in the sleep of peace, and rest from
their labours in quietness and peaceable sleep, faithfully, lovingly, and
patiently looking for that that they clearly shall see when God shall be
so pleased. For all these, and for grace necessary, ye shall say unto
God God's prayer, _Pater-noster_.