who caused that filthy dark antichristiā doctryne to vanish out of syght and in steade therof that most glorious lyghte of the Gospell to shyne agayne the whych sorowfully was wished for of all faythful Eng lish harts restoring withall the preachers of the same Gospel the which before wer expulsed as 〈◊〉 by the tyranny of the popish prelates The whiche benefites as they be vnmeasurable so ought they continually with thanckful hartes of all them that beare the name of christians to be considered But as I sayd before the most part of men doo not pas for these thynges The light of the Gospell is not confortable vnto them because they feele not the darknes that is in them they be not troubled with their owne wickednes sinne lyeth lurking and slepyng within thē and they haue fully as it were soide themselues to worldlye busynes to clyme vp to get honors and dignities and the pelfe of worldly 〈◊〉 and these thynges are the cause why they doo not 〈◊〉 vnto the Lorde their God But wo be vnto suche slepers in their owne sinnes and forgetters of Gods benefites A day will come when they shall wish them selus neuer to haue ben borne Thus you see that the neglecting of pray er is the occasyon of that horrible vnthankfulnes forgetfulnes of gods benefytes What is to be sayde vnto them that contrarye to theyr owne hartes and consciences lye in sinne and wickednes and wyll not amende theyr lyues although they heare their synnes accused condemned and Gods vengeaunce pronounced vppon them They bee so drouned with the desyres of theyr owne hartes that they doo not pas for the wayes of the Lorde Of suche kinde of men the world is full whyche haue shameles forheades beyng not abashed of theyr vylenes The cause of their miseries as Dauid declareth Is quia deum non in 〈◊〉 because they haue not called vppon God But what kynde of prayer doo those men say trow you whiche call themselues spirituall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lot of the Lorde It is as manifest as the none daye that the most parte of them neyther pray nor know what trewe prayer is For if they did vse to pray as the trew christians doo they coulde not chose but be compelled to amende theyr lynes theyr consciences would be abashed to come before the Lorde without a harty purpose to amende theyr conuersation Doth not the saying of Ose the Prophet take holde vpon the most parte of you that be of the popish clergie and haue ben mossemongers Where as he saythe as theues wayte for a man so the companye of prcests murther in the way by consent for they worke mischief Did not you conspire together at the entry of 〈◊〉 Marye to murther the people of God in casting from you most trayterously the precyous Gospell of Jesus Christe in submittyng your selues to that fylthye beast of Rome and in receauyng the stinckyng I dolatrous masse by the whiche you haue destreyed an inaumerable sorte of people Are you sorye for these your doinges Doo you humble your selues before the maiestye of the terrible God with harty and faythful praier acknowledging your wickednes and intending to eschew the same No suche thynges can be perceaued in you For where as before in the tyme of antichryst boldly and openlye you did deceaue the people of theyr saluation in Chryste now in the lyght of the gospel secretly you whisper in to the eares of the simple and visswade them from receyuing of the truth so that most iustly you may be compared vnto those spyes of whom we reade Nume xiii the whyche with theyr false reportes did hynder the people of I sraell from entryng into the lande of promyse For they beyng sente by Moyses to searche the land and to bryng good tydings vnto the people by the which they myght haue ben incouraged manfully to haue assayed their enemyes and take possession of the land they contraye to Moyses expectation lyke faytheles men came and discomforted the people caused them to mistrust Gods promises And doo not ye the lyke where as god hathe appoynted you to searche the lande of promise in hys holy worde and to bryng tidinges of the same vnto his people by faythfull and dilygent teachers and incourage them to embrace and to lay holde vpon the kyngdome of Christ you lyke false messengers eyther by your false reportes and wicked doctryne doo hinder the people from entring into the promised land or els lyke domme dogges that are not able to barke you lye in your kennels fedpng your bellyes and making good cheare with the laboures and sweate of the poore people not passyng wheather they swymme or synke or what become of them Worthely therfore the Prophet Dauid numbreth you amongst them that say in theyr hartes there is no God And this appeareth vnto all others because ye doo not call vppon God For if you did accastom to cal youre selues to an accompte before the maiestie of God in your faythfull prayers the remembraunce of your horrible murther of Gods people of your idlenes carelesnes bellychere ignoraunce of Gods will and word secret 〈◊〉 and suche other lyke stuffe woulde cause you to water your 〈◊〉 and compell you to showe some token of repentaunce vnto the people of God but nothyng is seen in you but desperatnes wherfore the spirit of the Lorde is departed from you And this is more euidente in your manifold and mamfest periuryes committed by you in king Hen ryes tyme in king Edwards time in Quene Maryes tyme. And what may be sayd of you at thys time but that you be false 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bearing two faces vnder one hood beyng readye lyke weather cockes to turne at all seasons as the wynde doth cary you can you looke for anye thyng at gods hands but to be punished with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was whose companions you be that all the world may take ensample by you to beware of these horrible crimes with the which you are so 〈◊〉 that no water in the sea is able to make you clean 〈◊〉 kynde of water woulde helpe youre disease if the Lorde of his mercy would geue you grace to call vnto hym for it that is the same water of lyfe the which the Lorde 〈◊〉 to the faythfull and penitente sinners amongst the number of whom as yet ye be not sofar as man can 〈◊〉 And therfore it standeth you in hande to locke aboute you in tyme before the halter be cast about youre neckes as it hapned to 〈◊〉 whose foote steppes you folow in your behauiours in thys worlde that it is to be feared you shal rest together in one place in the worlde to come But of the vyle behauiour of these miserable men it greueth me to speake any further not doub ting but that the magestrates whom god hath charged with his people will euen with speede consider these thynges accordingly and not suffer those waueryng and 〈◊〉 weathercokes to haue
so long he continued kneeling that he was not able for to rise without helpe amongst other thinges these were thre principal matters he prayed for The first that as god had appoynted him to be a precher and professor of his word so also he would 〈◊〉 him grace to stand vnto his doctrine vntil his death Thother thing the which most instantly with great vi olēce of gods sprite he desired was that god of his mercy wold restore the gospell of his sonne Christ vnto thys realm of England once again and these wordes once agayn once agayn he did so inculcate and beat into the cares of the Lord god as though he had sene god before him spake vnto him face to face The thirde principall matter wherewith in his prayers he was 〈◊〉 was to praye for the preseruation of the quenes maiesty that now is whome in his prayer accustomablye he was wont to name and euen with teares desired god to make her a comfort to this comfortles realm of England These wer the matters he prayed for so earnestly But were these things desired in vayne Did god despise the prayers of this his faythfull souldier No assuredly for the lord did most graciously graunt all these his requests First concerning profession euen in the most extremity the Lord 〈◊〉 assisted him For whē he stode at the stake without Bocardo gare at Oxford the tormen 〈◊〉 about to set the fire vpon him and that most reuerēd father D. Rid ley he lifted vp his eyes towardes heuen with a most amiable and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying these words Fidelis est Deus qui non 〈◊〉 nos tentari supra id quod possumus God is faythful which doth not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength and so afterwarde by and by shed his bloud in the cause of christ the which bloud ranne out of his hart in suche aboundaunce that all those that wer presente beyng godly dyd maruell to see the most part of the bloud in his body so to be gathered to his hart and with suche violence to gushe out his body being opened by the force of the fyre By the which thinge God most gratiously graunted his request the which was to shede his harts bloud in the defence of the Gospell How mercifully the Lorde heard his second request in restoring his gospel once again to this realm these present dais can beare recorde But alasse what shal England say for her defēce how shal she auoyd the terrible plages of God for the horrible and deuelish vnthanckfulnes for that treasure The Lorde be mercifull vnto vs. Now concernyng his third request it was also most effectuously graunted to the grent prayse of God the furtheraunce of his Gospel and to the vnspeakenble comfort of this realme For when matters were euen desperate and the enemies mightely florished and triumphed Gods worde banished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sodenly the Lorde called to remembran̄ce his mercy and made an end of all these miseries and appoynted her for whom that same gray headed father Latimer so earnestly prayed in hys 〈◊〉 as the true naturall ruler owner of this imperial 〈◊〉 to shew her 〈◊〉 and by the brightnes of Gods worde to confounde the darke 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 kingdome of Antichrist and to restore the tem ple of God agayne the whiche thyng not this faithfull prophet only but al the rest whom God made worthy to be his wytnesses did most earnestly requyre and desyre in their faythfull prayers The selfe same God graunt vnto euery faythfull Christiar his spirit that they may be diligēt and watchfull in prayers for her by whom God hath bestowed such vnspeakcable giftes vpon vs that the same God will assyste her with hys grace and holy spirite to procede faythfullye in the building of his house and in plucking downe of all kyndes of synne and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idolatrpe al the monuments of the same to the glory of hys name and her cuerlasting and endles comfort To the whych faythful prayers that all they whiche feare God may be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue 〈◊〉 forth these sermons made by this holy man of God and dedicated them to your grace partly because they were preached 〈◊〉 your 〈◊〉 house at Grimsthorp by this reuerend father and faythfull 〈◊〉 of god whom you did norish and whose doctrine you did most 〈◊〉 embrace to the prayse of god vnspeakable 〈◊〉 of al godly harts the 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 great admiration maruell at the 〈◊〉 gifts of god 〈◊〉 vpō youe grace in geuing vnto you such a 〈◊〉 spirit by whose power vertue you were able to ouercome the world to forsake your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and goodes your worldly 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 highe estate and estimation with the whiche you 〈◊〉 adorned and to become an 〈◊〉 for Christe his gospels sake to 〈◊〉 rather to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the people of god then to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the worlde with a wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 greater 〈◊〉 then the treasures of Englande where 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 are farre otherwyse 〈◊〉 for they haue theyr pleasures amongst the portes of 〈◊〉 they eate and 〈◊〉 and make 〈◊〉 not passing what become of 〈◊〉 or his 〈◊〉 they bee 〈◊〉 dronken with the swete delicates of thys miserable 〈◊〉 that they wyl not tast of that buter morsels which the lord hath appoynted and prepared for his chosen children and especyall frendes Of the whiche he did make you most gratiouslye to taste geuyg vnto youre grace his spirit that you were able in all the tormoyles and greuaunces the whiche you did receaue not only at the handes of those whiche were your professed enemyes but also at the handes of them whych pretended 〈◊〉 and good will but secretly wrought sorow and myschyef to be quyet and 〈◊〉 and in the end broughte youre grace home againe into your natiue countrey no doubt to no other end but that you shoulde be a comfort vnto the comfortles and an instrumente by the whiche hys holy name should be praysed and his gospell propagated and spredde abrode to the glory of hys holy name and your eternall comfort in Christ Iesus vnto whose mercifull hands I commit your grace with all youres eternally Amen From Southam the second of October Certaine sermons made by the right reueren de father in God maister doctor Latymer before the right vertuous and honorable lady Katherine duchesse of Suffolke in the ycre of our Lord. 1552. OVR FATHER vvhich art in heauen I haue entred of late in the wase of preachyng and spoken many thynges of prayer and rather of praier than of any other thing For I thinke there is nothing more necessarie to be spoken of nor more abused than praier was by the craft and suttletie of the deuill for many thynges were taken for prayer whan they were nothyng lesse Therefore at this same 〈◊〉 also I haue thoughte it good to entreate of prayer to thintent that it might bee knowen what a precious thyng ryghte prayer is I tolde
prophet saith Nunquā vidi iustū 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eius querēs panē I neuer saw the rightuous 〈◊〉 forsaken nor his 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 his bread It is infidelity infidelity that 〈◊〉 al together Well to my texte Labores 〈◊〉 tuarum quia manducabis beatus 〈◊〉 bene tibi 〈◊〉 Because thou eatest thy labors of thy handes that that God sendes the of thy labour Euery man must labour yea though he be a king yet he must labour for I knowe noman hath a greater labour then a king What is his labour To study gods booke to see that there be no vnpreaching prelates in his realme nor 〈◊〉 iudges to se to all estates to prouide for the poore to see vitailes good chepe Is not this a labor trowe ye thus if thou doest labor exercisyng that workes of thy vocation thou eatest the meate that god sendes the thē it foloweth Beatuses Thou art a blessed man in Gods fauour Et bene tibi erit And it shal go well with the in this world both in body and souls for God 〈◊〉 for both How shalt thou prouide for thy soule go here sermons How for the body Labour in thy vocation then shall it be well with the both here and in the worlde to come through the faith and merites of oure Sausour Iesus Christe To whome with the father and the holy ghosse be prayse for euer and euer world without end Amen The seuenth Sermon of Maister Hugh Latymer which he preached before king 〈◊〉 the. 19. day of Aprill QVaecunque scripta sunt ad nostrā doctrlnam 〈◊〉 sunt 〈◊〉 thinges that bee written they bee written to be our doctrine By occasion of this text 〈◊〉 be norable audience I haue walked this 〈◊〉 in the broad field of scripture and vsed my liberty and intreated of such maters as I thought 〈◊〉 for this auditory I haue had adoe with many estates euen with the highest of all I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the duety kinges of the duety of magistrates iudges of the duety of prelates and alowing that that is good and disallowyng the contrary I haue taught that we are al sinners I thinke there is none of vs al neither preacher nor hearer but we may be amended and redresse our Iyues we may all say yea all the packe of vs Peccauimus cum patribus nostris We haue offended and synned with our forefathers In multis offendimus 〈◊〉 There is none of vs all but we haue in sondrye thinges greuouslye offended almightys God I here 〈◊〉 of many sautes and rebu ked manye kindes of sinnes I intende to daye by goddes grace to shewe you the remedye of sinne We bee in the place of repentance now is the time to call for mercy whiles we be in this world we be all sinners euen the best of vs all Therfore it is good to here the remedy of sin This daye is commonly called good friday although euery day oughte to be with vs good friday Yet this day we ar accustomed spe cially to haue a commemoratiō and remembrance of the passion of our sauior 〈◊〉 Christ. This day we haue in memory his bitter passion and death which is the remedy of our syn Therfore I entend to entreat of a piece of a story of his passion I am not able to entreate of all That I may do that that better and that it may be to the honor of god the edificatiō of your soules and myne both I shall desire you to pray c. In this prayer I will 〈◊〉 yon to remembre the soules departed with laudes and praise to almightie God that he would vouchsafe to assist them at the houre of their 〈◊〉 In so doyng you shal be put in remebrance to pray for your selues that it may please god to assist and comfort you in the agonies and paynes of deathe The place that I wyll intreate of is the. xxvi Chapter of Sainet Mathew How be it as I intreate of it I will borow parte of Sainet Marke and Sainct Luke for they haue som what that sainet Mathew hath not and especially Luke The 〈◊〉 is Tunc cum venisset Iesus in villam quae 〈◊〉 Gethsemani than when Iesus came some haue in 〈◊〉 some in agrum some in praedium But it is all one When Christ came into a grange into a piece of lande into a 〈◊〉 it makes no matter calle it what ye will At what tyme he had come into an honest mans house and there eaten his pascal lambe and instituted and celebrated the Lordes supper and set forth the blessed communion then when this was done he toke his waye to the place where he knew Iudas would come It was a solitarie place and thyther he went with his eleuen apostles For Iudas that twelfth was aboute his busynesse he was occupied about his marchandise and was prouidyng among the by shops and prtestes to come with an imbushement of Iewes to take oure sauior Iesu Christ. And when he was com into this 〈◊〉 or graunge this village or serme place whiche was called 〈◊〉 there was a garden saith Luke into the which he goeth leaues viii of his disciples without howbe it he appointed them what they should 〈◊〉 He saith Sedete hic donec vadā illuc orē Sit you here whiles I go yonder pray He told them that he went to pray to monish thē what they shuld do to fall to prayer as he did He left them there toke no more with him but. iii. Peter Iames Iohn to teach vs that a solitarie place is mete for prayer Then whē he was com into this garden caepit expauescere he began to trē ble in somuch he said Tristis est 〈◊〉 mea vsque ad 〈◊〉 My soule is beauie and pensiue euen vnto 〈◊〉 This is a notable place one of the most especial chefest of all that be in the story of the passion of Christ. Here is our remedie Here we must haue in consideration all his dooynges and sayenges for our learnyng for our edification for our comforte and co 〈◊〉 Fyrst of all he set his thre disciples that he toke with him in an order and 〈◊〉 them what they should doo 〈◊〉 Sedete hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sit here and pray that ye enter not into temptation but of that I will 〈◊〉 afterward Now 〈◊〉 he was in the 〈◊〉 Coepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He began to be heauy pensiue 〈◊〉 hearted I lyke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 playing with this worde 〈◊〉 it was a perfect heauynesse it was suche a one as was 〈◊〉 seene the the greater it was not onely the beginning of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These doctours we haue great cause to thank God for them but yet I would not haue them alwais to be allowed They haue handled many pointes of our faith very godly and we may haue a great stay in thē in many thinges we myght not wel lacke them but yet I would not haue men
CERTAYN GODLY Sermons made vppon the lords Prayer preached by the right reuerende Father and constant martyr of Christ Master Hughe Latymer before the ryght honorable and vertuous Lady Katherine Duches of Suffolke in the yeare of our Lorde 1553. Whereunto are annexed certaine other sermons preached by the sayde reuerende Father in Lincolneshire which were gathered and collected by Augustine Bernher a seruaunt of his though not so perfectly as they were vttered yet faythfully truly to the singuler commoditie profyt of the christē reader faythfully perused alowed according to thorder appointed in the Queens Maiesties Iniunctions ¶ Repent repent for the kingdom of God is at hande Math. 3. ¶ Imprinted at Lōdon by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cumgratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per septennium An. 1562. ¶ To the right honorable the Lady Katherine Duches of Suffolke Augustine Bernher wisheth the grace of God 〈◊〉 the increase of all heauenly vertues to her graces eternall comfort in Iesus Christ. THat princely prophet Dauid describing the peruerse nature and wicked properties of the vngodlie and reprobates amongst other crimes wherof he 〈◊〉 accuse them he laith also to theyr charge that they haue not called vpon God By the whiche wordes he doth manifestly teache that they whiche doo not geue themselues to 〈◊〉 and saythfull prayer and 〈◊〉 ge of the name of God are in the number of those whiche doo saye in theyr hartes there is no God For as the Godly by theyr earnest and continuall praying and praysing of the name of God doo declare their reuerend feare they beare towardes his diuine maiestye and theyr vnfayned loue the whiche is grafted in their harts by the gratious and diuine spirit towardes their heauenly and most louing father by the whiche they ar incoraged willingly and chearfully to walke in the waye of Godlynes and to frame their lyues to the will and pleasure of him whom they feare and loue So on the contrarye syde the vngodly in that they doo not call vppon their God neither prayse him most euidently declare that they stand not in awe of him nor loue him but rather despise him as one that is neither able to hurte or pleasure them By thys now that I haue sayed it doth manifestly appeare that as saythfull and trew prayer is the occasion of all goodnes and godlynes so thomitting neglecting of the same is the rote cause of all sinne mischief And that wil be more euident vnto them that doo consider with thē selues these two principall partes wherin trew prayer doth consist The fyrst part of true praier is called in that hebrew tōg Thephilah the which sig 〈◊〉 Iudicij vel cōdēnationis deprecatīonē a harty ernest request suplica tiō made vnto god theternal iudge for the remission pardon of synnes the which request procedeth frō the harte that is anguished by the ougsome sight of his wickednes reueled by the brightnes of the law of God The other part of prayer is called in that same tōg Thehillah Laus a prayse of gods mercies the which doth folow the former request For whē the hart so an guished hath poured out his grief is by the spirit of God certifyed that hys synnes be forgeuen his prayer hearde for Christes sake by and by it bursteth out into a ioyful praysing of the name of the Lord who so graciously hath shewed hymselfe in geuing comfort vnto hys sorowfull conscience In these two partes of prayer the Children of God doo exercise them selues that is in lamenting of their synnes and in reioysing in the forgeuenesse of the same the whiche consisteth in the deathe of Christe Wheruppon the third parte foloweth the which is to craue at their fathers hands suche thynges as be nedefull for them in this worlde Nowe he that beholdeth diligently the state of the worlde shall 〈◊〉 perceaue that the most part of men are geuē vp to theyr owne harts iust because they be 〈◊〉 of that most comfortable spirit of prayer Who doth not see that the principall occasion of this horrible 〈◊〉 the whiche of all states of men is showed towardes the 〈◊〉 God hapneth by the reasō that men do not passe for theyr sinnes do light ly regard them so do not craue 〈◊〉 of them at Gods handes ney ther be 〈◊〉 If men did exercise themselues in faythfull prayer did vse to examine themselues by the rule of the law of God in the which glasse they may sone 〈◊〉 theyr owne fylthines they would no doute with great diligence consider the great and 〈◊〉 benefites of the Lord theyr god shewed vnto them euen in these our dayes Fyrst how gratiously he gaue vs the light of the Gospell in kyng Edwards time for the space of seuen yeares After the whiche tyme by the reason of oure vnthankefulnes he most 〈◊〉 plaged vs and toke the same away agayne and caused by the deuils hangmen the papists I meane darknes blind nes and most pestiferous doctrine to be brought into the churche by reason wherof a greate number that had before no lust to the truth euen by Gods iust iudgement were thē deceaued by lyes and so peryshed eternallye And yet notwithstanding the faythful Lord in al these tormoylings preserued hys seruauntes geuing vnto a number of them suche a princely spirit that they were able to deride laugh to scorne the threatnings of the tyrauntes to despyse the terriblenes of prisons and torments and in the ende moste ioyfullye to ouercome and conquer deathe to the praise of God and theyr owne endles comforte Unto other some the 〈◊〉 same most gratious God gaue suche a 〈◊〉 spirite that they were able by hys grace to forsake the pleasures and commodityes of this worlde and being armed with patience wer content to trauell into far and vnknowē countreyes with theyr familyes and housholdes hauing small worldlye prouision or none at all but trustyng to hys prouidence who neuer forsaketh them that truste in hym Besydes this ' the same God preserued a greate number euen in the middest of their enemyes not onlye from bodely daungers but also from being infected with that poysoned and blasphemous doctrine that then in allopē 〈◊〉 with shameles brags and ostentation was set abrode I will not speake now of that wonderfull work of God who caused his word to be preached and his sacramēts ministred euen in the midste of the enemyes in spyte of the deuill and all hys ministers These thinges the Lorde wroughte most gratiously for hys people But whē the time came that the measure of wickednes of the wicked was full the selfe same God euen of his owne mercy and by his owne power confounded his enemyes by the meanes of our most gratious La dy the Queenes maiestie for whose prosperous estate and preseruation the God of mercye graunte vnto all faythfull Christians grace most instantly to praye her most ioyfull comming to the imperiall croune of this Realm
be in the world O what a cōfortable thing is this whan Christ 〈◊〉 Remittuntur 〈◊〉 peccata Thy sinnes ar forgeuen vnto the. And this is a standing sentence it was not spoken onely to that same man but it is a generall proclamation vnto al vs all and euery one that 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 shall haue forgeuenesse of their sins And this proclamatiō is 〈◊〉 out daily by his ministers 〈◊〉 preachers 〈◊〉 proclamation is the word of grace 〈◊〉 worde of 〈◊〉 consolation For like as synne is the most 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est thyng in heauen and in earth So the moste 〈◊〉 thyng is the remedy agaynst synne which remedy is declared offred vnto vs in this word of 〈◊〉 the power to distribute this remedy against sinnes he hath geuē vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which be gods treasorers distributers of 〈◊〉 word of god for now he speaketh by me he calleth you to this wedding by 〈◊〉 being but a poore man yet he hath sent me to call you And though he be the author of the word yet he will haue men to be called through his ministers to that word Therfore let vs geue 〈◊〉 vnto the minister whan he speaketh gods worde yea rather let vs credite God whan he speaketh by his ministers and offreth vs 〈◊〉 of our sinnes by his woorde For there is no sinne so great in this world but it is pardonable as long as we be in 〈◊〉 worlde call for mercie for here is the tyme of mercie here we may com to forgeuenes of our sinnes but if we ones die in sinne 〈◊〉 so that we be 〈◊〉 let vs not looke for remission 〈◊〉 for the state after this life is vnchangeable but as long as we bc here we may 〈◊〉 for mercy Therefore let vs not dispaire let vs amend our 〈◊〉 and crte vnto god for forgeuenes of our sinnes and than no doubt we shall obtain remission if we call with a faithfull heat vpon him for so he hath promised 〈◊〉 vs in his most holy worde The holy scripture maketh mention of a sinne agaynst the holy ghost which sin can not be forgeuē neither in this world nor in the world to com And this maketh many 〈◊〉 vnquiet in their heartes consciences for some there be which euer be afraide least they haue cōmitted that same sinne agaynst the holy gost which is irremissible Therfore som say I cannot tel whether I haue sinned against the holy ghoste or not if 〈◊〉 haue cōmitted that sinne I know I shal be damned But I tel you what ye shal do despaire not of the mercy of god for it is immeasurable I can not denye but there is a sin against the holy ghost which is 〈◊〉 but we can not iudge of it 〈◊〉 hand we can not tell which man hath 〈◊〉 that sinne or not as long as he is 〈◊〉 but whan he is oues gone thā I can iudge whether he sinned against the holy ghost or not As now I can iudge that Nero Saul and Iubas and such like that died in 〈◊〉 and wickednes didde committe this syn against the holy ghost for they were wicked continued in their wickednes still to the 〈◊〉 ende they made an end in their 〈◊〉 but we can not iudge whether one of vs sin this sinne against the holy ghost or not for though a man be wicked at this time yet he may 〈◊〉 leue his wickednes to morow and so not commit that syn against the holy ghost Our 〈◊〉 Christ pronounced against the scribes and phariseis that they had committed that synne againste the holye ghost because he knew their heartes he knew that thei wold still abide in their wickednesse to the very end of their liues But we can not pronounce this sentence againste any man for we know not the heartes of men he that synned nowe peraduenture shall be turned to morowe and leaue his synnes and so be saued Further the promyses of Christ 〈◊〉 sauiour are generall they pertayne to all mankynd he made a generall proclamation sayenge Qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam Who so euer beleueth in me hathe euerlastyng lyfe Lykewise sainct Paule saythe Gratia 〈◊〉 supta peccatum The grace and 〈◊〉 of God excedeth far our synnes Therfore let vs euer thynke and beleue that the grace of God his mercye and goodnesse excedeth our sinnes Ite consider what Christ saith with his owne mouth Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis c. Come to me all ye that labor are laden I will ease you Mark here he sayth Come all ye wherfore than should any body despaire or 〈◊〉 out him self from these promises of Christ which be generall and pertaine to the hole world For he saith Come all vnto me And then againe he saith Refocillabo vos I will 〈◊〉 youyou shall be 〈◊〉 from the burthens of your sinnes Therfore as I sayde before he that is blasphemous and obstinate wicked and abydeth in his wickednesse 〈◊〉 to the very end he synneth against the holy ghost as S. Augustine and all other godly writers doo affirme but he that leaueth his wickednesse and synnes is content to amende his lyfe and than beleuyng in Christ seketh saluation and euerlastyng life by hym no doubt that man or 〈◊〉 who soeuer they be shal be saued for they feede vpon Christ vpon that meate that God the Father this feast maker hath prepared for all his gestes You haue heard now who is the maker of this feast or ban ket and agayn you haue hearde what meate is prepared for the gestes what a costly dy she the housefather hath ordeyned at the wedding of his 〈◊〉 But nowe ye know that where there be great dyshes and delicate fare there be cōmonly prepared certain sauses whiche shall geue men a great 〈◊〉 and appetite to their 〈◊〉 as mustard viniger and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sauses So this feast this costely dishe hath his sauses what be they Mary the crosse affliction tribulation persecution all maner of 〈◊〉 for like as sauses make 〈◊〉 the stomacke to receiue meate so affliction styrreth vp in vs a desire to Christe For whan we be in 〈◊〉 we are not hun gry we care not for Christe but whan we be in tribulation and cast in prison thā we haue a desyre to him thā we learn to call vpon him than we hunger and thurst after hym than we are desyrous to fede vpon him as long as we be in health and prosperity we care not for him we be slouthful we haue no stomacke at all and therfore these sauses are verye necessary for vs we haue a common saying amongest vs whā we see a felow sturdy lofty and proude men say this is a sausye felowe signifying him to be a highmynded felowe which taketh 〈◊〉 vpon him then he aught to doe or his estate 〈◊〉 which thing no doute is naughte and yll for euery one ought to be haue himselfe
and vnderstanding more learning and knowledge at this age then xx of his progenitors that I could name had at any tyme of their lyfe I tolde you in my last sermon of ministers of the kings people and had occasion to shew you how few noble men were good preachers and I left oute an history then which I will now tell you There was a Bishop of Wynchester in king Henry the vi dayes whiche king was but a chylde and yet were there many good Actes made in hys childehod and I do not read that they were broken This Byshop was a greate man borne did beare suche a stroke that he was able to shoulder the Lorde Protectour Well it chaunced that the lord Protectour and he fell oute and the Byshop would beare nothing at all with him but played me the Satrapa so that the Regent of Fraunce was fayne to be sent for from beyond the seas to set them at one and to go betwene them For the Bishop was as able and readye to buccle with the Lorde Protectoure as he was with hym Was not this a good prelate he should haue ben at home a preaching in hys Dioces in a waniant This Protector was so noble and Godly a man that he was called of euery man the good Duke Humfrey He kept such a house as ne uer was kept since in England without any enhaunsyng of rentes I warrant you or any suche matter And the bishop for standing so stifly by the matter and bearyng vp the order of our mother the holy churche was made Cardinall at Calice and thyther the byshop of Rome sent him a cardinals hat He should haue had a tiburne tippet a halpeny halter and all suche proud prelates These Romishe hattes neuer brought good into England Uppon this the bishop goeth me to the queene Katherin the kinges wyfe a proud woman and a stout and perswaded her that if the duke were in suche authoritie styll and lyued the people would honor him more thē they did the king And the king should not be set by and so betwene them I can not tell how it came to pas but at Sente Edmundsbury in a parliamēt the good Duke Humfrey was smothered But now to returne to my text and to make further re hearsall of the same the matter beginneth thus Et post quā sederit Rex And when the king is set in the seat of his kingdom what shall he do shall he daunce and dally banket hauke and hunte No forsoth syr For as God set an order in the kinges stable as I tolde you in my laste Sermon so will he appoint what pastime a king shal haue What must he doo then He must be a student He muste write Gods booke him selfe Not thinking because he is a kyng he hath licence to doo what he will as these worldly flatterers are wont to say Yea trouble not your self sir ye may hauke and hunt take youre pleasure As for the guiding of your kingdom and people let vs alone with it These flattering clawbacks ar original rotes of all mischief and yet a Kinge may take his pastime in hauking or hunting or suche lyke pleasures But he must vse them for recreation when he is wery of waightye affayres that he may returne to them the more lustye and this is called pastime with good company He must write out a boke hym selfe He speaketh of wryting because printing was not vsed at that time And shall the king write it out him selfe He meaneth he shall see it written rather then he shoulde be without it wryte it him self Iesus mercy is God so cha ry with a king to haue him well brought vp instructed yea forsoth For if the king be well ordered the realme is well ordered Where shall he haue a copie of this boke of the Leuites And why Because it shall be a true copie not falsifyed Moyses left the boke in an olde chest and the 〈◊〉 had it in kepyng And because there should be no errour no addition nor taking away from it he biddeth him fetche the copy of the Leuites And was not here a greate miracle of God how this boke was preserued It had lain hid many yeares and the Iewes knew not of it Therfore at length when they had found it and knew it they lamented for theyr ignoraunce that had so long bene withoute it and rent their clothes repenting theyr vnfaythfulnesse And the holy bible Gods boke that we haue among vs it hath ben preserued hytherto by wonderfull miracle of god though the kepers of it were neuer so malitious Firste euer syth the bishop of Rome was firste in authoritie they haue gone aboute to destroye it but God worketh wonder fully he hath preserued it mauger theyr beartes and yet ar we vnthankfull that we can not consider it I wil tell you what a bishop of this realme sayde once to me he sent for me and meruayled that I would not consent to such traditions as were then set out And I aunswered him that I woulde be ruled by Gods boke and rather then I woulde dissent one iote frō it I would be torne with wild horsses And I chaunced in our cōmunication to name the Lordes supper 〈◊〉 saith the bishop What do ye call the Lordes supper What new terme is that There stode by him a dubber one doctour Dubber he dubbed him by and by and sayd that this terme was seldome red in the doctours And I made answer that I would rather folow Paule in vsyng his termes then them though they had all the doctours on theyr syde Why sayd the bishop cā not we with out scriptures order the people howe did they before the scripture was fist wryttē and copied out But God knoweth full ill yet would they haue ordered them For seyng that hauing it they haue deceyued vs in what case should we haue ben now without it But thankes be to God that by so wonderfull a myracle hath preserued the boke still It foloweth in the text Habebit secum c. He shall haue it with him in his progresse he must haue a man to carye it that when he is haukyng and hunting or in any pastime maye alwaies commune with them of it He shall reade in it not once a yeare for a time or for his recreation whē he is weary of haukyng or hunting but cunctis diebus vita suae All the daies of his life Where ar those worldlyngs now These bledder puffed vp wyly men Wo worth them that euer they were about any king But how shal he read this boke as the Homilies are read Some call them homlies and in dede so they may be well called for they are homely handled For though the priest reade them neuer so well yet if the parish like them not there is suche talking and babling in the churche that nothing can be heard Aud yf the parysh be