that thou art a wicked synner and a transgressour of the law of God Looke rather to bee damned and iudged for thy yll doynges than to receiue any benefite at his handes Wylt thou call him father whiche is so holye a god and thou art so wicked and miserable a synner This the deuill will saye and trouble our myndes to stoppe and let vs from our prayer and so to giue vs occasion not to praye vnto god In this temptatiō we must secke for some remedy and comfort for the deuil doth put vs in remēbraunce of our sinnes to that ende to keeye vs from prayer and inuocation of GOD. The remedye for this temptation is to call our Sauiour to remembraunce who hath taughte vs to say this prayer he knew his fathers pleasure he knew what he did Whan he commaunded vs to call GOD oure Father he knew we should fynde fatherly affections in god towardes vs. Call this I saye to remembraunce and than agayn remember that our Sauiour hath cleansed thorough his passion all our synnes and taken away all our wickednesse So that as many as beleue in hym shal be the children of God In suche wise lette vs striue and fyghte agaynst the temptacions of the deuill which would not haue vs to call vpon god because we be synners Catche thou holde of out sauior beleue in hym be assured in thy hearte that he with his sufferyng toke away all thy synnes Consider agayne that our Sauiour calleth vs to prayer and commaundeth vs to praye Our synnes lette vs and withdrawe vs from prayer but our sauiour maketh them nothyng whan wee beleeue in hym it is lyke as if we hadde no synnes For he chaungeth with vs he taketh our synnes and wickednesse frome vs and geueth vnto vs his holynesse rightuousnes iustice fulfyllyng of the lawe and so consequentely euerlastyng lyfe So that we 〈◊〉 lyke as if we hadde doone no synne at all for his ryghtuousnesse standeth vs in so good steade as though we of our owne selues had fulfylled the lawe to the vttermoste Therfore our synnes can not lette vs nor withdraw vs from prayer for they be gone they are no synnes they can not be hurtfull vnto vs. Christ dyeng for vs as al the scripture both of the new and old testament witnesseth Dolores nostros ipse portauit He hath taken away our sorowes Lyke as when I owe vnto a man an hundreth pounde the daye is expired he wille haue his moneye I haue it not and for lacke of it I am layde in pryson In suche dystresse cometh a good frende and sayth Syr bee of good cheere I will paye thy dettes and foorthwith payeth the wholle summe and setteth me at libertie Suche a frende is our Sauiour he hath payde our dettes and sette vs at libertie els we should haue ben damned worlde withoute end in euerlastyng prison and darknesse Therfore though oure synnes condemne vs yet whanne we alledge Christe and beleue in hym our sinnes shall not hurt vs. For saint Iohn saythe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peccauerit aduocatum habemus apud 〈◊〉 lesum Christum iustum Wee haue an aduocate with God the Father Iesus Christe the rightuous Marke that he sayth 〈◊〉 non aduocatos he speaketh singularly not plurally We haue one aduocate not many neyther sayntes nor any body els but onely hym and none other neyther by the waye of Mediation nor by the waye of redemption He onely is sufficiente for he onely is all the dooer lette hym haue all the wholle prayse Lette vs not withdrawe frome hym his 〈◊〉 and geue it to creatures for he onely satisfieth for the sinnes of the whole world So that all that beleue in Christe be cleane from all the fylthines of their synnes For saint Iohn Baptist saith Ecce agnus dei qui 〈◊〉 peccata mundi Beholde the lambe of God which taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde Doth that deuil call thee frō prayer Christ calleth the vnto it again For so it is written In hoc aparuit filius dei vt destruat opera diaboli To that ende the son of god appeared to destroy the workes of the deuill But marke here Scripture speaketh not of 〈◊〉 synners Christe suffred not for them his deathe remedieth not their synnes For they be the bondmen of the deuil and his slaues and therfore Christes benefytes pertayne not vn to them It is a wonderfull saying that 〈◊〉 Iohn hathe Beholde the lambe of GOD that taketh away the synnes of the worlde The 〈◊〉 upll sayth vnto me thou art a sinner No sayth Sainet Iohn the lambe of God hath taken away thy synnes Item Habentesigitur pontificem 〈◊〉 qui pe netrauit coelos lesum filium Dei accedamus cum fiducia ad thronum gratiae vt consequamur misericordiam We therfore hauing a great highe 〈◊〉 whiche hathe passed thorough the heauens euen Jesus the sonne of GOD let vs with boldenesse gee vnto the seate of his grace that we may obtayne mercye O it is a comfortable thing that we haue an accesse vnto God Esay saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eius sanati sumus The paine of our punnishment was laide vppen hym and with his stripes are we healed Further in the newe testament we reade Huie omnes Prophetaetestimonium perhibent remissionem peccatorum accipere per nomen eius om nes qui credunt in eum Unto the same beare all Prophetes witnesse that all they do receaue forgeuenesse of synnes by his name which beleue on him Now you see how ye be remedied from your synnes you heare howe you shall wythstande the deuyll when he wyll wythdrawe you from prayer Lette vs therfore not giue ouer prayer but stick vnto it lette vs rather beleue Christe our Sauiour then the deuill whiche was a lyar at the beginning You knowe now howe you may preuent hym how you may put hym of and auoid his temptations There is one other addicion afore we come to the peticions whiche dothe muche confirme oure faith and increase the same Qui es in coelis which art in heauen These wordes put a diuersitye betwene the heauenly father and oure temporall fathers There be some temporall fathers which would fayne helpe their children but they can not they bee not able to helpe them Agayne there bee some fathers whiche are ryche and myght helpe their children but they be so vnnaturall they wyll not helpe them But oure heauenlye Father in that we call hym Father we learne that he wyl helpe that he beareth a fatherlye loue towardes vs. 〈◊〉 heauen here we learne that he is able to helpe vs to geue vs al good thynges necessarye to soule and bodye and is mightye to defende vs from all yll and peryll So it appeareth that he is a Father whiche will help and that he beyng celelestiall whyche is able to helpe vs. Therfore we maye haue a boldenesse and confidence that he maye helpe vs and that he wyll helpe vs where and whensoeuer we call
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
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
to the left And wherfore shall he do this that he may liue long he and his children Hitherto goeth the text That I may declare this the better to the edifying of your souls the glory of God I shal desyre you to pray c. Et postquā c. Before I enter into thys place right honorable audiēce to furnish it accordingly whiche by the grace of god I shal do at lesure I wold repete that place I was in last furnish it with an history or two which I left out in my last sermō I was in a matter cōcerning the 〈◊〉 of the Iewes a 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 kind of people like our English men now a dayes that in the minoritye of a king take vpon them to break lawes to go by wals For when God had promised them a king when it came to the poynt they refused him These men walked by 〈◊〉 and the saying is many by walkes many balkes many balkes much stumbling and wher much stumbling is there is sometime a fal how be it ther wer some good wal 〈◊〉 among them that walked in the kynges highe waye ordinarily vprightly plain Dunstable waye and for thys purpose I would shew you an history whiche is wrytten in the third of the kinges King Dauid being in hys chyldhode an old man in hys second childhode for al olde men are twise children as the Prouerbe is Senex bis puer 〈◊〉 old man twise a child it hap pened wyth him as it doth oftentimes when wicked men of a 〈◊〉 childhode take occasyon of euyll This king Dauid being weak of nature and impotent in so much that whē he was couered with clothes he could take no heate was counsailed of hys seruauntes to take a fair young maid to nourishe him and to kepe him warme in hys body I suppose she was his wyfe How be it he had no bodilye companye with her and wel she myghte be hys wife For though the scripture do the say Non cognouit eam He knewe her not he had no carnall copulation with her yet it sayth not Non duxit eam vxorem He maryed her not Aud I cannot thinke that kyng Dauid would haue her to warme hys bosome in bed except she had bene hys wyfe hauing a dispensation of God to haue as manye wyues as he would For god had dispensed with them to haue many wiues Well what happened to kinge Dauid in his childhode by the childe of the deuil Ye shal hear Kinge Dauid had a proud sonne whose name was Adonias a man full of ambition desyrous of honoure alwayes climynge clymyng Now whiles the time was of hys fathers childhod he woulde depose hys father not 〈◊〉 of his fathers mynde saying Ego regnabo I wil raign I wil be kynge he was a stout stomacked childe a bywalker of an ambitious mynde he woulde not consent to hys fathers frendes but gat hym a charret and menne to run before it and dyuers other adherentes to help him forward worldly wise men suche as had ben before of his fathers counsaile great men in the worlde and some no dout of it came of good wyll thinking no harme for they would not thinke that he did it without his fathers will hauing such greate men to set him forthe for euery man can not haue accesse at all times to the king to know his pleasure well algates he would be king He makes a great feast and thether he called Ioab the ringleader of his fathers armie a worldly wise man a by walker that would not walke the kinges hye way and one 〈◊〉 the high priest For it is maruayle if any michief be in hand if a Priest be not at some ende of it they toke him as king and cried Viuat Rex Adonias God saue king 〈◊〉 Dauid suffred al thys and let him alone for he was in his childhod a bedred man But see how God or dered the matter Nathan the Prophet and Sadoc a Priest and 〈◊〉 and Crethytes and 〈◊〉 the Kinges garde they were not called to the feast These were good men and would not walke by wayes therfore it was folly to breake the matter to them they were not called to counsell Therfore Nathan whē he hard of this he commeth to Bethsabe Salomons mother and sayth Heare ye not how Adonias the sone of Ageth raigneth king Dauid not knowing And he bad her put the king in mind of his oth that he sware that her sonne Salomon should be king after him this was wise counsayle according to the prouerbe Qui vadit plane vadit sane He that walketh in the hye plainway walketh safely Upon this she wente and brake the matter to Dauid and desired him to shew who should raygne after him in Hierusalem adding that if Adonias were king she and her son after his death should be destroyed saying Nos erimus peccatores We shal be sinners we shal be taken for traytors for thoughe we ment no harme but walked vprightly yet because we went not the by way with hym he beyng in authoritie wyll destroy vs. And by and by commeth in Nathā and taketh her tale by the ende and sheweth hym how Adonias was saluted kyng and that he had bid to dinner the kynges seruantes all sauyng hym and Sadoc and Banaiah and all his brethren the Kyngs sonnes saue Salomon Kinge Dauid remembryng hymselfe swore as sure as God lyueth Salomon my sonne shal raygne after me and by and by commaunded Nathan and Sadoc and hys garde the Cerites and Phelites to take Salomon hys sonne and set hym vppon his mule and anoynte hym Kyng And so they did crying Viuat Salomon Rex Thus was Salomon throned by the aduise and will of his father and though he were a childe yet was his will to be obeyed and fulfylled and they ought to haue knowen his pleasure Whylse this was a doing there was suche a ioye and out-cry of the people for theyr new kyng and blowing of trom pettes that Ioab and the other company beyng in theyr io lytie and kepyng good cheare Hearde it and sodaynly asked what is this ado And when they perceyued that Salomon by the aduise of his father was annoynted kyng by and by there was all whisht all theyr good chere was don and all that were with Adonias went away and let hym raygne alone if he would and why He walked a by way and God would not prosper it God will not worke with priuate authoritie nor with any thing done inordinatly When Adonias saw this that he was left alone he toke sanctuary and held by the horns of the aultar and sware that he would not departe thence till Salomon would sweare that he should not lease hys lyfe Here is to be noted the notable sentence and greate mercy of kyng Salomon Let him saith he order him selfe lyke a quyet man and there shall not one hear fall from hys head Sed si inuentum fuerit malum in 〈◊〉
But if there shall be any euyll found in hym if he hathe gone about any mischyef he shall dye for it Upon this he was brought into Salomon and as the boke sayth he did homage vnto him and Salomon sayde to him Vade in domum tuam Get thee into thy house by lyke he meant to warde and there to see his wearing as if he should say shew thy selfe without gall of ambicion to be a quyet subiect and I wil pardō thee for this time But I wil see the wearing of the. Here we may see the wonderfull great mercy of Salomon for this notoryous treason that Adonias had committed it was a playne matter for he suffred him selfe to be called kyng it hung not of vehement suspition or coniecture nor sequell or consequent yet notwithstanding Salomon for that present forgaue him saying I wil not forget it vtterly but I will kepe it in suspece I will take no aduauntage of thee at this time This Adonias and Absolon were brethren and came both of a straung mother and Absolō likewise was a traytour and made an insurrection against his father Beware therfore these mothers and let kings take hede howe they mary in what houses in what 〈◊〉 For straunge bringing vp bringeth straunge maners No we geueth Dauid an exhortation to Salomon and teacheth hym the dutie of a king and geueth him a lesson as it foloweth at large in the boke and he that list to reade it may se it there at full But what doth Adonias all this whyle He must yet clime again the gall of ambition was not out of his hart He will now mary Abisaak the yong Queene that warmed king Dauides bosome as I told you commeth me to Bethsabe desiering her to be a meane to Salomon her sonne that he might obtayne his purpose And bryngeth me out a couple of lyes at a clappe and committeth me two vnlawfull actes For fyrst he would haue ben king without his fathers consente and now he will marye his fathers wyfe and the. ii lies are these Fyrst sayd 〈◊〉 to Bethsabe thou knowest that the kyngdom belongeth to me for I am the elder The kingdom was mine he lyed falsely it was none of his Then sayd he all the eyes of Israell were cast vpon me that is to say all Israll consented to it and there he lyed falslye For Nathan Sadoc and other wyse men neuer agreed to it Here was a great enterprise of Adonias he will be climbing still Well Bethsabe went at his request to her sonne Salomon and asked aboune and be graunted her what soeuer she did aske Notwithstanding he brake his promis afterward that right-well for all promisses are not to be kept specially if they be againste the worde of God Or not standyng with a commune profyt and therfore as sone as Salomon hard that Adonias woulde haue 〈◊〉 the yonge Queene 〈◊〉 nay then let him be king to sayde he I perceyue now that he is a naughty man a proud harted fellow the gall of ambition is not yet out of his hart and so cōmaunded him to be put to death Thus was Adonias put to execution where as if he had kept his house and not brokē his iniunction he mighte haue liued still Abiathar what became of him The king because he had serued his father be fore him would not put him to death but made him as it were a quondam Because thou hast ben with my father sayd he and diddest cary the ark before him I will not kill thee But I wil promise thee thou shalt neuer minister any more Vade in agrum tuum Bet thee to thy land and liue there A great matter of pitie compassion so God graūt vs all suche mercy And here was the ende of Elies stocke according to the promise and threatning of God As for the Phelethites we doo not read that they were punished Mary Semey transgressed his Iniunction for he kept not his house but went out of Hierusalē to seke two seruaūts of his that had run from him and when it came to Salomons eare it cost him his lyfe I haue ript the matter now to the pill and haue tolde you of playne walkers and of by walkers and how a kyng in his childhod is a kinge as well as in any other age We reade in scripture of such as were but xii or viii yeares olde and yet the word of the ho ly Ghost called them kings saying Cepit regnare He began to raygne or he began to be king Here is of bywalkers This history woulde be remembred the prouerbe is Faelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is he that can beware by an other mans ieoperdy For if we offend not as other doo it is not oure owne desertes If we fall not it is Gods preseruation We are all offenders For ether we may do or haue don or shall doo except God preserue vs as euill as the worst of them I praye God we may all amend and repent But we will all amend now I trust We muste nedes a mende our lyues euery man The holy Communion is at hand and we may not receyue it vnworthely Well to returne to my historye Kyng Dauid I say was a king in his second childhod And so yong kinges thoughe they bee Children yet are they kings notwithstanding and though it be written in scripture Ve tibi O terra 〈◊〉 puer est Rex Wo to thee O Lande where the king is a childe it foloweth in an other place Beata terra vbi rex nobilis Blessed is the land where there is a noble kyng Where kinges be no banketers no players and where they spend not their time in hauking and hunting And when had the kynges maiestie a Councell that toke more payne bothe night and day for the setting forth of gods word and profit of the commune wealth And yet there be some wicked people that will say Tush this gear will not tary it is but my Lord Protectours and my lord of Canterburies doing The king is a child he knoweth not of it Iesu mercy how lyke ar we English men to the Iewes euer stubburn stifnecked and walking in bye wayes Yea I thinke no Iewe woulde at at any tyme saye this geare will not tary I neuer heard nor red at any time that they sayd These lawes were made in such a kinges dayes whē he was but a child Let vs alter them O Lorde what pytie is this that we should be worse then the Iewes Blessed be the lande saith the worde of God where the king is noble What people are they that say the kyng is but a childe haue not we a noble kynge Was there euer kynge so noble so Godly brought vp with so noble counsellours so excellent well learned Scholemaisters I wil tell you this and I speake it euen as I thinke His 〈◊〉 hathe more Godly wit
weapon is better then his so forth to kil him I geue him his deathes stroke in my vengeance and anger This call I voluntary murder in scripture what it is in the law I cannot tell It is a great sin and therfore I cal it volū tary I remēber what a great clearke writeth of this Omne peccatum adeo est voluntariū vt nisi fit voluntariū nō sit pec catū Euery sin saith he is so voluntary that if it be not voluntary it can not be called synne Synne is no actuall sin if it be not voluntarye I woulde we would all knowe oure faultes and repente that that is done is done it cannot bee called backe 〈◊〉 God is mercifull the kynge is mercyfull here we may repente thys is the place of repentaunce when we are gone hence it is to late then to repente And let 〈◊〉 be content with suche order as the magistrates shall take But sure it is a perilous thyng to beare with any such matter I tolde you what I hearde say I woulde haue no mans honesty empayred by my tellyng I heard 〈◊〉 sence of another murder that a Spanyarde should kyll an Englyshman and ronne him thorough with his sworde they say he was a tall man But I here it not that the Spanyarde was hanged for hys laboure If I hadde I woulde haue tolde you it to They fell out as the tale goeth aboute a whoore O Lord what whoredome is vsed now a dayes As I here by the relation of honest men which tel it not after a worldly sort as though they reioyced at it but heauily with heauye hearts how God is dishonoured by whoredome in this city of London Yea the bancke when it stoode was neuer so common If it be true that is tolde it is meruail that it doth not sinke and that the earth gapeth not and swalloweth it vp It is wō becfull that the city of London doth suffer such whoredome vnpunished God hath suffred long of his great lenitie mercye and benignitie but he will punish sharply at the length if we do not repent There is some place in London as they say Immunitie impunitie what shold I cal it a priuileged place for whoredome The Lord Mayre hath nothyng to doe there the 〈◊〉 they can not medle with it And the quest they do not enquire 〈◊〉 and there men do bryng their whores yea other mens wyues and there is no reformaciō of it There is suche dieyng houses also they sya as hath not bene wonte to be where yong Gentlemen dyse away theyr thrifte and where dysyng is there are other folyes also For the loue of God let remedy be had let vs wrastle and stryue against synne Menne of England in tymes past when they would exercyse themselues for we must nedes haue some re creacion our bodies can not endure without some exercyse they were wonte to go abroad in the fieldes a shootyng but now it is turned into glossing gulling and whoring 〈◊〉 the house The art of shooting hath 〈◊〉 in times past much estemed in this realm it is a gift of god that he hath geuē vs to excel al other nations wtal it hath bene gods instrument wherby he hath geuē vs many victories against our enemies But now we haue takē 〈◊〉 whroing in townes in stead of shooting in 〈◊〉 fieldes A wonderous thing that so excellent a gift of god shoulde be so litle 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 Lordes euen as ye loue the honoure 〈◊〉 glorye of God and entende to remoue his 〈◊〉 let 〈◊〉 be sent fourth som proclama tion some 〈◊〉 proclamation to the Iustices of peace for they do not their duety Iustices now be no iustices there be many good actes made for this matter alredy Charge them 〈◊〉 their allegiance that this singuler benefit of god may be practised and that it be not turned into bolling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the tounes for they be negligent in executyng these lawes of 〈◊〉 In my tyme my poore father was as 〈◊〉 to teache me to shoote as to learn me any other 〈◊〉 and so I thynke other men did theyr children He taught me how to draw how to lay my bodye in my bowe and not to draw with strength of armes as other nacions do but with strength of the bodye I had my bowes bought me according to my age and strength as I encreased in them so my bowes were made bygger bigger for men shall neuer shote wel except they be brought vp in it It is a goodly art a wholsome kind of exercise much commended in phisike Marcilius Phicinus in his booke de 〈◊〉 it is a great while since I red him now but I remember he commendeth this kynde of exercise and saith that it wresteleth agaynste many kindes of diseases In the reuerence of god let it be cō tinued Let a proclamation go forth charging the iustices of peace that they see such acts and statutes kept as wer made for this purpose I wil to my matter I intend this day to intreat of a pece of scripture writen in the beginning of the vcap of Luke I am occasioned to take this place by a boke 〈◊〉 to the Kynges Maiestie that deade is by Maister Pole It is a texte that he doeth greatelye abuse for the supremacye He rackes it and violentes it to serue for the maintenance of the bishop of Rome And as he did enforce thother place that I entreated of laste so dyd he inforce thys also to serue his mater The story is this Our Sauiour Christ was come now to the bancke of the water of Genezareth The people were come to him flocked about him to here him preache And Iesus toke a boote that was standing at the poole it was Simons bote and went into it And sitting in the boote he preached to them that were on the bancke And when he had preached and taught them he spake to Symon and bad him launche out further into the depe and 〈◊〉 hys 〈◊〉 to catche fyshe And Symon made aunswere and sayde Master we haue laboured al night but we 〈◊〉 nothing how be it at thy commaundement because thou 〈◊〉 vs we wyll go to it agayne And so they did and caught a great draught a miraculous draught so much that the net brake they called to theyr felowes that were by for they had two 〈◊〉 to come to helpe them and they came and fylled bothe their 〈◊〉 so full that they were nighe drounynge Thys is the story That I 〈◊〉 declare this texte so that it maye be to the honor of god and 〈◊〉 of your soules and myne 〈◊〉 I shall desyre you to helpe me with your prayer in the whych c. Factum est autem saith the 〈◊〉 Cum turba irruerct in 〈◊〉 Sainct Luke 〈◊〉 the storie and it came to passe when the people preased vpō 〈◊〉 so that he was in perill to be cast into the pond they
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
is goddes Thus ye may perceiue it was our sauioure Christe that spake these wordes and they were spoken vnto the Phari seis that tempted him But they be a doctrine vnto vs that are 〈◊〉 disciples For whose wordes should we delite to heare and learne but the wordes and doctrine of our sa uiour christ And that I may at this time so declare them as may be for gods glory your edifying and my discharge I pray you all to helpe me with your prayers In the whiche prayer c. For the vniuersall churche of christ thorow the whole world c. For the preseruation of our Soueraigne Lord king Edward the. vi sole supreame head vnder God and christ of the churches of England and of Ireland c. Secondly for the kings most honorable 〈◊〉 Thirdly I commend vnto you the soules departed this lyfe in the 〈◊〉 of Christ that ye remember to geue 〈◊〉 prayse and thankes to almightye God for his greate goodnes and mercy shewed vnto them in that great nede conflict against the deuil and sinne To geue them at the houre of death fayth in his sonnes death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might conquere and ouercome and get the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thankes I saye for this adding prayers and supplycations for your selues that it may please God to geue you the like fayth and grace to trust only vnto the death of his deare sō as he gaue vnto them For as they be gone so must we the deuill wil be as ready 〈◊〉 tempt vs as he was then and our sinnes wil light as heuy vpō vs as theirs did vpon thē And we are as weake and vnable to resist as were they Praye therfore that we may haue grace to die in the same sayth of Christe as they did and at the latter daye be raysed with 〈◊〉 Isaac and Jacob and be partakers with Christ in the kingdome of heauen for this and grace 〈◊〉 vs saye the Lords prayer Tunc abeuntes Tunc It hangeth ou a text before Christe told them a similitude that the kingdō of heauē is lyke to a king that made a bridale to his senne he maryed his sonne and sent his seruaunts out to bid hys gestes Well they would not come although he had made great preparing and muche cost for them ambicion couetousnes and crueltie woulde not let them come Then he sent his warriours and destroyed them and again sente other seruauntes to bidde gestes to his bridall hande ouer head come who would They did his bidding the 〈◊〉 was full of gestes The king now would vew his 〈◊〉 fynding there one not cladde in mariyng garmentes he asked him frend howe camest thou here not hauing a mariage garment And commaunded to bind him hand fote cast him into vtter darknes there was wayling grinding of teth For many 〈◊〉 called and few be chosen Now Christ expoundeth this The kingdome of heauen is preaching of the Gospell This mariage is the ioyning of Christe hys churche which was begonne by Christ heare in earth and shall continue to the ende of the world The bidders of hys gestes are preachers but here are so many lettes and hinderances couetis is a let ambicion is a let crueltie is the gretest let For they bet his seruaunts brake theyr heades yea 〈◊〉 them which 〈◊〉 them to this bridall With this the king was angry and sent his men of warre to destroy those vnthankefull people Was he not angrye with couetousnes and with ambition Yes he is angrye with couetous men with ambitious men But most of all with cruel tie This is an angre aboue commune anger when men be not only 〈◊〉 but also adde crueltie to persecute the preachers that commeth to call vs to this mariage This toucheth God so nigh that he sayeth Qui vos audit me audit This crueltie the king would not leaue vnpunished but sent forth his men of warre They are called his mē of warre his men his men for warres come at his commaun dement Titus and 〈◊〉 sent of God to punish those couetous Jewes ambicious Jewes cruell Jewes that wolde not credit Christ nor beleue the preaching of saluation Now in warre what 〈◊〉 so euer get the victorye that is Gods parte that is Gods host Nabuchodonosor was an euill man a wicked man yet was he sent of God to punish the stubburne and couetous Jewes for their ambicion and crueltie and forsaking gods most holy word And he is called in scripture Gods seruaunt It is no good argumente He hath the victory Ergo he is a good man But this is a good argument He hathe the victory Ergo God was on his side and by him punished the contrary parte The preachers called good and bad They can doo no more but call God is he that must bringe in God must open the hartes as it is in the Actes of the Apostles When Paule preached to the women there was a silke woman Cuius cor deus aperu it whose hart God opened None could open it but God Paule could but only preache God must work God must doo the thing in wardly But good and bad came Therfore the preaching is likned to a Fishers net that taketh good fish and bad and draweth all to the shoare In the whole multitude that professe the Gospel al be not good all cannot away with the mortifying of theyr flesh they wil with good will beare the name of Christians of gospellers but to do the dedes they grudge they repine they cā not 〈◊〉 with it A monge the Apostles all were not honest naye one was a deuil So among so great number of gospellers some are carde gospellers som are dise gospellers som pot gospellers all are not good al seke not amendment of life Then commeth the king to see his gestes And findeth one not hauing the mariage garment and sayth to him Frēde how camest thou hither and hast not the mariage garmēt Fayth is the mariage garmente not a fayned fayth without good liuing but faythe that worketh by loue He was blamed because he professed one thing and was in dede another Why did he not blame the preachers There was no faulte in them they did theyr deuties they had no further commaundemente but to call them to the mariage The garment he should haue prouided hym selfe Therefore he quarrelleth not with the preachers what both this felowe here Why suffered ye him to enter c. for theyr commission extended no further but only to call him Many are greued that there is so 〈◊〉 fruite of theyr preaching And when as they are 〈◊〉 why doo you not preache hauing so great giftes geuen you of God I would preache say they but I see so litle fruite so litle amendmēt of lyfe that it maketh me wery I noughty aunswere a very noughtye answere Thou arte troubled with that God gaue thee no charge of and leauest vndone that thou arte charged with God commaundeth thee to preache
Oh he is a great man I 〈◊〉 not displease him c. 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 art thou a Iudge wilt be afrayd to geue right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hym not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great a man but vpryghtly do true iustice Likewyse some pastures go 〈◊〉 their cure they are 〈◊〉 of the plage they dare not com nye any sicke body but hyer other and they go away them selues Out vpon 〈◊〉 The Woulfe commeth vpon thy flocke to deuour 〈◊〉 and when they haue most nede of thee thou run nest away from them The souldiour also that shoulde go on 〈◊〉 he wyl draw backe asmuche as he can 〈◊〉 I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh suche and suche went and neuer came home agayne Suche men went the last yeare into Northfolke and were slayne there Thus they are 〈◊〉 to go They wyll labour to tarye at home If the Kyng commaunde thee to go 〈◊〉 bound to go and 〈◊〉 the King thou 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 serue God he wyl not shorten thy daies to thine hurt Well sayth some if they had not gon they had lyued vnto this 〈◊〉 How knowest thou that who made thee so pryuy of gods councel folow thou thy vocation and serue the kyng when 〈◊〉 calleth thee In seruyng hym thou shalt serue God And 〈◊〉 thy tyme come 〈◊〉 shalt not die It 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 escaped in such a cytie what then Yet God preserued hym so that he could not perish Lake therfore an example of 〈◊〉 and euery man follow hys vocation not fearing men but 〈◊〉 God An other seede that Christe was sowynge in the Sermon was thys Qui confessus me fuerit hominibus confitebor et ego illum coram patre meo He that confesseth me before men I shall also confesse hym hefore my Father We must confesse hym wyth mouthe It was of a Byshope not longe agoo asked as touchyng thys Lawes sayth he muste be obeyed and ciuyll ordynaunce I wyll follow outwardlye but my hearte in religyon is fre to thinke as I wyll So sayde Fryer Forest halfe a papyst yea worse then a whole Papist Well an other 〈◊〉 was he that sinneth agaynst the holy ghoste it shal not be 〈◊〉 him neither in this world nor in the world to come What is thys same synne agaynst the holy 〈◊〉 an horrible synne that neuer shal be forgeuen neither in thys world nor in the world to come What is thys synne final 〈◊〉 and some say impugning of the truth One came to me 〈◊〉 that dispayred because of synne agaynst the holye ghost 〈◊〉 was sore troubled in his conscience that he should bedamned and that it was not possible for him to be saued because 〈◊〉 had sinned against the holye 〈◊〉 I sayde to hym what man quod I comfort your selfe in these words of the Apostle Christus est propiciatio pro peccatis nostris And agayn Ideo me misit pater in mundum vt qui credit in me non 〈◊〉 sed habeat vitam eternam My father hathe for this purpose sent me into the world that he which beleueth in me maye not pearish but may haue the lyfe euerlasting Also Quaqumque hora ingemuerit peccator saluus erit In what hour soeuer the sinner shal mourn for his sinne he shal be saued I had scriptures inoughe for me as me thoughte but saye what I could say he could say more against him selfe then I could say at that tyme to doo him good with all Where some say that the sinne againste the holy ghost is originall sinne I allcdged against that the saying of S. Paule Sicut per vnius delictum c. And siquis egerit penitenciam If a man had don all the sinnes in the worlde and haue true repentaunce with fayth and hope in Gods mercy he shall be forgeuen But 〈◊〉 I said he could still obiect against me and aduoyde my reasons I was fayne to take an other daye and did so Let me go to my boke quod I and go you to your prayers for ye are not all together without fayth I got me to my study I red many doetours but none could content me no expositour could please me nor satisfye my minde in the matter And it is with me as it is with a schol ler of Cambridge who being demaunded of his Tutoure how he vnderstode his lesson and what it mente I knowe quod he what it meaneth but I can not tell it I can not expresse it So I vnderstode it well inoughe but I can not well declare it 〈◊〉 I will boungle at it as well as I can Nowe to tell you by the waye what sinne it was that he had committed he had fallen frō the truth knowen And afterward fell to mocking and scorning of it And this sinne it was that he thought to be vnforgeueable I sayde vnto him that it was a behement manner of spcakyng in scripture yet quod I this is not spoken vniuersallye nor it is not 〈◊〉 that God doothe neuer 〈◊〉 it but it is commonly called irremissible vnforgeueable because that God doth seldom forgeue it but yet there is no sin so great but God may forgeue it doth forgeue it to the repentant hart though in words it sound that it shall neuer be forgeuen As priuilegium paucorum non destruit regulam vniuersalem The priuelege of a few persons dothe not destroye an vniuersall rule or saying of scripture For the scripture sayth Omnes moriemur We shall dye euery one of vs yet som shall be rapt and taken a liue as S. Paule saith For this priuiledge of a few doth not hurte a generalty An irremissible sinne an vnercusable sin yet to him that will truly repent it is forgeueable In Christe it may be remitted if there be no more but one man forgeuen ye maye be that same one man that shall be forgeuen Vb abundauit delictum ibi abundabit et gratia Where iniquitie hathe habounded there shal grace habounde Thus by litle and litle this man came to a setled conscience agayne and toke comfort in Christes mer 〈◊〉 Therfore dispaire not though it be sayd it shall neucr be forgeuen Wher Lain said my wickednes is so greate that God cānot forgeue it Nay thou lyest sayeth Austē to Cain Maior est dei misericordia quam iniquitas 〈◊〉 The mercye of God is greater then thine iniquitie Therefore dispaire not but this one thynge I saye beware of this sin that ye fall not into it for I haue knowē no mo but this one man this one man that hath fallen frō the truth and hath afterward repented and come to grace again I haue knowen manye sēce god hath opened mine eies to see a litle I haue knowē many I say that knew more then I and some whom I haue honored that haue afterwards fallen from the truth but neuer one of them this man except that haue retourned to grace and to the truth againe But yet though God doth very seldom forgeue this sin although it be