The almighty god which ruleth heauen and earth with his infinite power geue vs suche strength to vanquish the deuil and all hys might Amen The fourth Sermon of Maister Doctor Latymer Philip. 3. 〈◊〉 be folowers together of me and looke on thē which walke euen so as ye 〈◊〉 vs for an ensample for many walk of whō I haue told you often and now tell you weping that they are the enemies of the 〈◊〉 of Christ. This is the Epistle which is red this day in the churche conteineth many good things And this day two yere I entreated of the gospell of this day at Stamford And such maters as I had in hand wer gathered of a diligent person and put in prynte The Gospel was this Geue vnto Cesar that thing that pertaineth vnto Cesar and vnto god that thing that pertaineth vnto god I will reherse in fewe words that which I sayd at the same time The Pharisees and Scribes asked Christ our sauior whether they should geue tribute vnto Cesar or not for it irked them that they should pay tribute they thoughte it to bee a great seruitude but they asked Christ this question of a mis cheuous mynde intendyng to take him in his words but he disapointed thē pretily asking whose ymage the money bare they aunswered the Emperors then our sauior saith 〈◊〉 therfore vnto the emperour that that pertayneth vnto hym and vnto god that which pertaineth vnto god They spake nothing of god but onely of the tribute but our Sauiour in his answer telleth them and all the world their dueties yet he doth it with darke and couered wordes they confessed that the ymage was the emperors and so consequently subiects vnto him then our sauiour commaunded them to pay according vnto the order as themperor had agreed with thē that was their duety to do Our sauiour he referred them to their lawes signifieng that they ought to obey the lawes in 〈◊〉 common wealth and so ought we to do too for our sauior in his answer teacheth not only them but vs also for like as it was with the Iewes so is it with vs here in England Our soueraigne lord the king when he lacketh anye thing to the defence of his 〈◊〉 it is presented in the parliament there is required such things as be necessary for the kings affairs Now looke whatsoeuer is graunted vnto his maiesty by the parliament the whole realme is bound in conscience to pay it euery man as it is required of him and that is our due vn to the king namely to 〈◊〉 do our duties in all thinges towardes our soueraign lord the king as far forth as it is not against god we must obey him do his requests But now ye wil say this is a great bondage and a heauy yoke and ser uitude Consider therfore who speaketh these words who is he that commaunded vs to be obedient Mary our sauior him selfe Now he saith Meum iugum leue est my yoke is light how chaunced it then that he wil lay vpon me such a heauye 〈◊〉 it is a great burthen for me to forgo my goods as when there is a subsidie so that the king required 1. 〈◊〉 of euery pounde Now I am worth 40. pound and so I pay 40. shillings to which money that king hath as good right as to any 〈◊〉 whiche his 〈◊〉 hath And this I speake to this end for I feare this realm be ful of theues for he is a thefe that withdraweth any thing 〈◊〉 any man whosoeuer he be Now I put the case it is allowed by the parliamēt by common authority that the king shall haue i. shilling of euery pound there be certaine men appointed in euery shire which be valuers when I now either corrupt the valuer or sweare against my 〈◊〉 that I am not worth an C. li. when I am worth two hundred Here I am a thefe before god and shal be hāged for it in hel Now how many theues thinke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there in Englād which wil not be valued aboue x. li. whē they be worth a C. 〈◊〉 but this is a pitiful thing god wil punish them one day for gods matters are not to bee tristed withall Now ye will say this is a heauy yoke and intollera ble to beare 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 tell ye what ye shall 〈◊〉 Consider 〈◊〉 one with 〈◊〉 what Christ hath done for vs. 〈◊〉 what great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath deliuered vs 〈◊〉 ye cōsider that this burthē which the king 〈◊〉 vpō vs wyl be light enough vnto vs for Christ hath deliuered 〈◊〉 from the burthen of our sinnes when we consider that first who is he that commandeth it vnto vs secondarily what he hath done for vs that biddeth vs to obey no doute we shal be well content withall But there be a great manye of vs whiche cōsider not that but rather deceiue the king or forswere themselues or els rebell against the king which thinges no doute displease god most highly and 〈◊〉 An other thing is that should moue vs to beare this burthen willingly which is his promise For who soeuer will be contente to pay his duety truly and vyrightly as he oughte to doe that man shall haue neuertheles in fulfilling the commaundement of god for so saith god if thou shalt herken diligentlye vnto the voice of the Lord thou shalt be blessed in the 〈◊〉 and blessed in the fields c. So that yf we do according as he 〈◊〉 vs to do if we giue vnto the king that which pertaineth vnto the king No dout we shal be blessed we shall haue 〈◊〉 for gods blessing will light vpon vs. But there be a great many amongest vs which do not beleue those thynges to be true they beleue not the promises of god so they make god a lyar for Qui non credit deo facit deum mendacem He that beleueth not god maketh god a lyar Now yf thys will not moue vs to doo our duties namely that Christ hath deliuered vs from the great burthen of our sinnes lette vs be moued at least wayes with his promises namely that we shall increase our goods in doyng oure dueties vnto the kynge This litle I thought good to say and so to put you in remembraunce of such things as I haue sayd at that tyme for yf this were well considered we would be wyllinge to doo our duties and so please god withal for god loueth a cherefull obeyer one that with a good will is redy to do such thinges as he appointeth him Now let vs turne to the Epistle Brethren be folowers together of me and loke on them that walke euen so as ye haue vs for an ensample These are maruelous wordes of S. Paule which seme out wardlie to be arrogantly spoken yf any man should say so at thys time we would thinke him to be a very arrogant felow but ye muste see that ye righte vnderstande
morrice daunce then to bee admitted to preache I praye God amende suche worldelye felowes for 〈◊〉 they bee not meete to be preachers 〈◊〉 I wyll make an ende as concernyng offences peraduenture ye wyll saye howe chaunceth it that God suffereth suche 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 Aunswere 〈◊〉 sunt iuditia altissimi The 〈◊〉 of the most highest are inscrutable god can vse them to 〈◊〉 purpo ses therfore he sayth 〈◊〉 est vt scandala veniant thē ye wyll say why should we then be damned for offences when offences are nedefull Answer When we do yl we shal receiue our reward for our ylnes for it is no thanks to vs whē god can vse them to good purposes we ought to be punished when we do naught Therfore the best is to beware and take heede of offences all other vngodlines and liue vprightlye in the feare of god So that we may inherite the lyfe 〈◊〉 which he hath prepared for vs from the beginnyng of the world whiche graunte vs god the father god the Sonne and God the holy ghost one god and three per sons now and euer worlde without ende Amen FINIS 27 SERMONS PREAched by the ryght Reuerende father in God and constant Matir of Iesus Christe Maister Hugh Latimer as well such as in tymes past haue bene printed as certayne other commyng to our handes of late whych were yet neuer set forth in print Faithfully perused allowed accordyng to the order appoynted in the Quenes Maiesties Iniunctions 1. Hys sermon Ad clerum 2. Hys fourth sermon vpon the plough 3. Hys .7 sermons before kyng Edward 4. Hys sermon at Stamforde 5. Hys last sermon before kyng Edward 6. Hys .7 sermons vpon the Lordes prayer 7. Hys other 9. sermons vpon certayne Gospels and Epistles ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cum gratia priuilegio Regiae Maie statis per septenium Anno. 1562. The Sermon that the Reuerende Father in Christ Hugh Latimer Bishop of worcester made to the Clergye in the 〈◊〉 before the Parliament began the. 9. day of Iune the. 18. yeare of the raygne of our 〈◊〉 Lord King 〈◊〉 the. viii Now translated out of latin into English to 〈◊〉 that thinges wel sayd to a 〈◊〉 maye be vnderstand of many and do good to al them that 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the truth Filii huius seculi c. Luc. 16. 〈◊〉 ye be come together 〈◊〉 day as far as I perceiue to heare of great 〈◊〉 waightye matters Ye be come together to intreate of thinges that 〈◊〉 appertayne to the common wealth This beyng thus ye looke I am assured to heare of me which am commaun ded to make as a preface this exhortacion albeit I am vnlearned and vnworthy such thynges as shal be muche meete for thys your assemble I therfore not onely very desirous to 〈◊〉 the commaundement of our primate but also right greatlye coueting to serus 〈◊〉 all your expectacion lo briefely and as 〈◊〉 as I can wyl speake of matters both woorthy to be heard in your Congregation and also of such as best shall become myne office in this place That I maye doo thys the more 〈◊〉 I haue taken that notable sentence in which our Lord was not afrayd to pronounce The children of this world to be muche more prudent and politicke than the chyldren of lyght in theyr generacion Neyther I wyl be afrayde trustinge that he wil ayde and guyde 〈◊〉 to vse thys sentence as a ground and foundation of al such thinges as hereafter I shall speake of Now I suppose that you see ryght wel beyng men of such learning for what purpose the Lord sayde thys and that ye 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 to be holpē with any part of my labour in thys haue no neede to be holpē with any part of my labour in this thing But yet if ye wyl pardon me I wyll wade somewhat deeper in this matter and as nigh as I can fetch it from the fyrst original beginning For vndoutedly ye may much maruayl at this saying if ye wel ponder both what is sayde and who sayth it Define me 〈◊〉 these three thynges what prudence is what the world what lyght and who be the Chyldren of the world who of the lyght see what they signifye in scripture I maruail if by by ye al agree that the children of the world should be wiser then the Children of the lyght To com somwhat nighec the matter thus the Lord 〈◊〉 ¶ There was a certayne ryche man that had a Stewarde whych was accused vnto hym that he had 〈◊〉 and wasted his goodes This ryche man called his Steward to hym and sayde What is this that I heare of thee Come make me an accompt of thy steward shyp Thou mayest no longer beare thys office Brethren because these woordes are so spoken in parable 〈◊〉 are so wrapped in wrynkels that yet they 〈◊〉 to haue a face and 〈◊〉 of a thing done in dede and lyke an hystory I thinke it much profitable to tary somwhat in them And though we may perchaunce synde in our hartes to beleue al that is there spoken to be true yet I doubt whether we may abyde 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 woordes of Christ do pertain vnto vs and 〈◊〉 vs of our duty whych doo and lyue after suche sort as though Christ when he spake any thing had as the tyme serued hym serued his turne and not regarded the tyme that came after hym neyther prouided for vs or anye matters of ours as some of the Philosophers thought which said that God walked vp and downe in heauen and thinketh neuer a 〈◊〉 of our affaires But my good 〈◊〉 erre not you so stycke not you to such your imaginacions For if ye in wardly beheld these woordes if ye diligētly role them in your myndes and after explicate and open them ye shall see our 〈◊〉 muche touched in these misteries Ye shall 〈◊〉 that god by this example shaketh vs by the noses and pulteth vs by the eares Ye shall perceyue very playne that God setteth before our eies in this similitude what we ought most to flee and what we ought sonest to folow For Luke sayth the Lorde spake these wordes to his disciples Wherefore let it be out of al doubt that he spake them to vs which euen as we wyll be compted the successours and 〈◊〉 of Christes disciples so we be if we be good dispensers and do our duitie He said these thinges partly to vs whych spake them partly of hym selfe For he is that riche man which not onelye bad but hath and shal haue euermore I saye not one but manye Stewardes euen to th end of the world He is man seing that he is god man He is rich not onely in mercy but in all kinde of ryches For it is he that giueth vs al thinges abundantly It is he of whose hand we receyued both our lyues other thinges necessary for the conseruation of the same What man hath any thing
If you liue idle loiter you do not your duty you folow not your vocation let your plow therfore be goyng and not cease that the ground may bryng 〈◊〉 fruit But now me thinketh I heare one say vnto me 〈◊〉 ye what you say Is it a 〈◊〉 Is it a labour howe then hath it haypenened that we haue had so many hundred yeares so many vnpreaching prelates lordyng loyterers and ydle ministers Ye would haue me here to make aunswer and to shewe the 〈◊〉 therof Nay thys land is not for me to ploughe it is to stony to thorny to hard for me to plough They haue so 〈◊〉 thynges that make for them so manye thynges to lay for them selues that it is not for my weake teame to plow them They haue to lay for thē selues long customes 〈◊〉 and authoritye placing in Parliament and manye thynges more And I feare me this land is not yet rype to be plowed For as the saying is It lacketh wetheryng This geare lacketh wethering at least waye it is not for me to plough For what shal I looke for amonge thornes but prickyng scratchyng What among stones but stumblyng What I had almost sayd among Serpentes but stinging But this much I dare saye that since lordyng and loyteryng hath come vp preachyng hath come down contrary to the Apostles times For they preached and lorded not And nowe they Lorde and preach not For they that be Lords wil yl go to plow It is no meete office for them It is not seeming for 〈◊〉 estate Thus cam vp lording 〈◊〉 Thus crept in vnpreachīg prelats so haue they long continued For how many 〈◊〉 prelates haue we now at this day And no maruel For if that plow men that now be were made Lordes they would cleane giue 〈◊〉 ploughyng they would leaue of theyr labour fal to lor ding outright let that plowe stand And then both 〈◊〉 not walkyng nothing should be in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hunger For euer since the Prelates wer made Lordes Nobles the plough standeth there is no worke done the people sterue They hauke they hunt they carde they dice they pastime in there prelacyes with galaunte gentlemen with their daunsing minions and with their 〈◊〉 cōpanions so that ploughing is set a syde And by the lording and loytring preaching and ploughing is cleane gon And thus if the ploughmen of the country were as negligent in theyr office as prelates be we should not long lyue for lacks of sustenaunce And as it is necessary for to haue this ploughyng for the 〈◊〉 of the body so must we haue also the other for the satisfaction of the soule or elles wee can not lyue long gostly For as the body wasteth and consumeth away for lack of bodily meate so doth the soule yyne away for default of gostly meate But there be two kindes of in closing to let or hynder both theso kindes of ploughyng The one is an inclosing to let or hynder the bodily ploughyng and the other to let or hinder the holy day ploughing that church ploughing The bodily plough ing is taken in and enclosed thorow singular cōmodity For what man wil let go or diminish his priuate commodity for a commune welth and who wyl susteine any damage for the respect of a publique commodity The other plough also no man is diligent to set forwarde nor no man wyll herken to it But to hynder and let it al mens eares ar open yea and a great many of this kind of ploughmen which are very busy and would seme to be very good workmen I feare me some be rather mocke gospellers thē faithful ploughmen I knowe many my selfe that professe the gospel and liue nothing there after I know them and haue bene conuersant with some of them I know them and I speake it with an heauy heart ther is as litle charity and good liuing in them as in any other according to that which Christ sayd in the Gospel to the great numbre of people that folowed hym as though they had had an earnest zcale to his doctrine wher as in dede they had it 〈◊〉 Non quia vidist is signa sed quia comedistis de panibus Ye folow me saieth he not because ye haue 〈◊〉 the signes miracles that I haue don but because ye haue eate the bread and 〈◊〉 your bodyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me so that I thinke many one now a dayes professeth the Gospel for the liuinge sake not for the lone they beare to Gods word But they that will be true ploughmen must worke fayth fully for Gods sake for the edifiyng of theyr 〈◊〉 And as diligent lye as the husband man plougheth for the sustentacion of the body so diligently must the prelates ministers la bour for the feding of the soule both the ploughes must stil be doing as most necessary for man And wherefore are magistrates ordeined but that the trāquility of the commune weale maye be confirmed limiting both ploughes But now for the fault of vnpreaching Prelates me thinke I could gesse what might be sayd for excusing of them They are so troubled with 〈◊〉 liuing they be so placed in palacies couched in courtes ruffelyng in theyr rentes dauncing in their dominions burdened with ambassages pampering of their paunches like a Monke that maketh his Jubilie mounching in their maungers and moiling in theyr gay manours and man syons and so troubled with loyteryng in theyr Lordshippes that they can not attend it They are otherwise occupied som in the kings matters some are Ambassadours some of the priuye councel some to furnish the courte some are Lordes of the Parliament some are Presidentes and some Comptrollers of myntes Wel wel Is this their duety Is this their office Is this their calling should we haue ministers of the church to be comptrollers of the myntes Is this a meete office for a priest that hath cure of soules Is this his charg I would here aske one question I would fayne know who cōptrolleth the deuil at home at his parish whyle he comptrolleth the mynt If the Apostles myght not leaue the office of preaching to be deacons shall one leaue it for minting I can not tel you but the saying is that synce Priestes haue bene mynters mony hath bene wurse then it was before And they saye that the euilnesse of mony hath made al things dearer And in this behalfe I must speake to England Heare my coūtry England as Paule sayd in his first epistle to the Cor. vi Chapter For Paule was no sitting Byshop but a walking a preaching Byshop But whē he went from them he lefte there behind 〈◊〉 the plough going styl for he wrot vnto them rebuked them for going to law and pleading them causes before 〈◊〉 then Iudges Is there sayth he vtterly among you no wise man to be an arbitratour in matters of iudgement What not one of all that can 〈◊〉 betwene brother and brother
geue geue a heauy word to a couetous hart to a rebellious harte they would not hear Reddite or date pay or geue but take catch kepe fast We are al bound to liue in obedyence vnto oure king vnder his iust and rightwise lawes and commaundementes Christe came in dede to deliuer vs from burthens and bondage but that was not from ciuill and polityke lawes and obedience He came to deliuer vs from the greatest bondage that can be from sinne and damnation The heauiest burthen that can be is synne and in comparison of it al other burthens are but light and easy matters to beare Therfore Christe came to deliuer vs from that and gaue his body to be torn vpon the crosse for that Neither could any work or lawe or sacrifice redeme vs from that but Christ onlye I neuer preached in Lincolne shire afore nor came here a fore saue once when I went to take orders at Lincoln which was a good while a go therfore I can not say much of Lyncolne shire for I know it not but I dare saye if Lincoln shire be as other places that I know this text condemneth a great many of Lincolne shyre and driueth them down to hel for breakinge of this commaundement Geue to Ceasar that whiche is due to Ceaser and to God that whiche is due to god The office of a magistrate is grounded vpon Goddes word and is plainly described of S. Paule wrytinge vnto the Romaines where he sheweth that all soules that is to say all men ought to obey the magistrates for they are or dained of God and to resist them is to resist agaynst God For he is Gods minister ordained to punishe the wycked and to maintaine the good Wherfore we ought to pay to him tribute custome Taxes and other thinges that he requireth vpon vs as Christ sayeth here Reddite geue to Cesar How much we shuld geue he defineth not but leaueth it to Ceasars offycers to determine and to his counsell to appoynt Christ was not the Emperoures treasurer therfore he medled not wyth that poynt but left it the treasurer to define and determine He went about another vocation to preache vnto the people their duetye and to obey theyr Princes Kinges Emperoures and magistrates and to bid them geue that the kynge requireth of them not to appoynt a kyng what he shal require of them It is meete for euery man to kepe hys owne vocation and diligentlye walke in it and with faithfulnesse to study to be occupyed in that God hathe called him vnto and not to be busye in that God hathe not called hym vnto Therefore sayeth Christe geue to Ceasar but he appoynteth not howe muche for that shoulde his treasurer knowe and shoulde warne him of it when he hath enough that the people be not oppressed wyth vnnecessarye burthens nor that the kynges treasures be to seke when they shoulde be occupyed The kynge muste haue his treasures afore hande what chaunce so euer come soddenly It is no reason when the kynge should occupy his treasure in maintenaunce of a cō mon wealthe in defence of a countrye in maintaininge of his warres that then his monye should be in thy purse to seke and vngathered Nay he must haue it in a redinesse at hand that it be not to seke And he must haue as muche as is necessary for him For so much is due to a king as is necessary and so much may he require by the law of God and take of his commons is as necessarye And that muste not thou nor I that are subiectes appoynt but the kynge hym self must appoynt it his counsel must appoynt it we must geue it we must pay it for it is due to the king vpon peril of thy soule thou must pay it And as he that taketh my tippet or my cloke doth me wrong and is a thefe so he that doth not pay to the king that is his due without fraude or guil doth the king wrong and is in peril of his soul for so doing Wel marke it wel now and se whether thys texte be a nipping text for couetous mē or no Geue to Ceaser that is due to Ceasar When the parliament the high courte of this realme is gathered together there it is determyned that euery man shal 〈◊〉 a rv part of his goods to the Kyng Then commissiōs come forth he that in sighte of men in his cattell corne shepe and other goods is worth an C. marke or an C. pound will set him selfe at x. pounde he wil be worth no more to the king but after x. pounde Tell me now whether this be theft or no His cattel corne shepe in euery mannes eyes shal be worth ii C. pound besides other thinges as mony and plate and he wil mary his daughter and giue with her iiii or v. C. markes and yet at the valua tion he wil be a xx pound man doth he giue to Cesar that which is due to Cesar Doth he not rather rob the kinge of his bound duety and 〈◊〉 that he ought to the king yes it is very thefte and thou mightest with as good conscience take my cloke or my tippet from me as so vniustly take or withhold frō the king that which the parliamēt hath geuē vnto the king it is thy bounde duety to pay him truly that which is granuted for it is due debt and vpon peril of thy soule thou art boud to obey it 〈◊〉 I will say more If the king should require of the an vniuste request yet arte thou bound to pay it and not resist nor rebell against the kinge The king in dede is in pearil of his soule for askinge of an vniust request and God will in his due time recken wyth him for it but thou must obey thy king and not take vpon thee to iudge him God is the kynges iudge and doutlesse wil greuously punish him if he do any thing vnrighteously Therfore pray thou for thy king and pay him his duety and disobey him not And know this that when so euer there is anye iniust exaction laid vppon thee it is a plage and punishmente for thy sinne as all other plages are as are hunger dearth pestilence and such other We meruel we are plaged as we be and I thinke berely this vniust vnfaithful dealing with our princes is one great cause of our plage loke therfore euerye man vpon his 〈◊〉 Ye shal not be iudged by worldly policy at the latter daye but by Gods word Sermo quem locutus sum vobis ipse iudicabit vos in nouissimo die The woord that I haue spoken to you that shal iudge you at the latter day Loke wel no we euery man vpon his conscience and see whether he haue done this commaundemente of God geue to your kinge that which is due to him and he that findeth him selfe gilty let him amend in time to come This is harde geare and sore gear thou
hym that strengthneth me he sayde not thorough myne owne self but thorough GOD whyche helpeth me And here appeareth the ryght humiliation and lowlynes whyche oure sausour teacheth vs in thys petition For he woulde haue vs to know our owne impossibilitye and vnablenesse to doe any thyng And than agayn he would haue vs to call for ayde and helpe to God therefore he teacheth vs to say A du eniat regnum tuum Thy kyngdome come So that thoughe we bee not able thorough oure owne selues to do any thyng yet whan we call vpon hym he wyll helpe For Christ knewe his fathers wyll and louing affections towardes vs he knewe that he woulde helpe vs. For he was a perfecte scholemaister els he would not haue commaū ded vs to praye Fiat voluntas tua Thy wyll bee done Here we must vnderstand that the wyll of god is to bee consydered after two sortes First as it is omnipotent vnsercheable and that can not be knowen vnto vs. Nowe we do not praye that hys wyll so consydered be done For his wyll so considered is and euer shal be fulfylled though we would say nay to it For nothyng either in heauen or in earth is able to withstand his wille Wherfore it were but folye for vs to praye to haue it fulfilled otherwise then to shew thereby that we 〈◊〉 oure consent to hys wyll whyche is to vs vnsearcheable But there is an other consyderation of Gods wyll and in that consideration we and all faithfull christians desire that it maye bee done And so consydered it is called a reueled a manifested and declared will and it is opened vnto vs in the Bible in the newe and olde testament There GOD hathe reueled a certayne wille therefore we praye that it maye bee doone and fulfylled of vs. This wyll was opened by Moses and the holye prophetes and afterwarde by our Sauiour himselfe and his apostles which he lefte behynde hym to that ende that they should instructe the worlde and teache them his wyll which Apostles haue done accordyng to theyr maisters commaundement For they not onelye spake it but also wrote it to that ende that it shold remayn to the worldes ende And truelye we are muche bounde to god that he hathe set out this his wyll in our naturall mother tongue In Eng lishe I say So that you may not onely beare it but also rede it your selues which thyng is a great comforte to euery christian hearte For nowe you can no more bee dcceiued as you haue bene in tymes paste whan we did beare you in hande that poperye was the worde of God which falshode we could not haue broughte to passe yf the woorde of God the Bible had bene abroad in the common tongue For then you might haue perceiued your selues our falshode and blyndnes This I speake to that 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 you to thankfulnes towardes hym whiche so louingly prouideth all thynges necessarye to oure saluation Nowe to the matter almightye God I saye sette oute 〈◊〉 will by Moses and his Prophetes and thys will is 〈◊〉 in certayne lawes whiche lawes god commaundeth that we should kepe euer before our eyes and looke vpon them as in a glasse and so learne to order oure lyues accordyng vnto the 〈◊〉 And in case that a man swarue from the same and so 〈◊〉 into the daunger of damnation God reueled further hys wyll 〈◊〉 to remedy the matter namely by repentance and saythe So that whosoeuer from the bottom of hys heart 〈◊〉 sorie for his synnes studieth to leaue them lyue vprightly and then beleueth in our 〈◊〉 confessyng that he came into thys worlde to make amendes for our sinnes this man or woman shall not perish but haue forgeuenes of synnes and so obtayn euerlastyng lyfe And this wyl God reueleth specially in the new 〈◊〉 where our 〈◊〉 sayeth Qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam Whosoeuer beleeueth in hath euerlastyng lyfe where we learne that our Sauiour is ordeyned of god to bryng vs to heauen 〈◊〉 we shoulde haue bene all 〈◊〉 worlde without ende So that in this praier when we saye Thy vvill be done We desyre of God that he wyll helpe and strenghthen vs so that we maye keepe his holye lawes and commaundementes And then agayne we desyre of him that he will indue vs wyth the gyfte of faythe so that we maye beleue that all those thynges whiche we doe contrary to his lawes be pardoned and forgiuen vnto vs thorough his sonne for hys passions sake And further we desyre him that he wyl fortify 〈◊〉 vs so that we may with stande the deuyls will and our owne which fyghte agaynste goddes wyll So that we maye be able to beare all tribulations and afflictions willyngly and 〈◊〉 for his sake This is the symple meanyng of this petition when we saye Thy vvill be done I will goe a little further and shewe you some what more of it yet I entende not to tary long for I am not very wel at ease this mornyng therfore I wyl make it short I haue sayde no we many times and I say it yet agayne Quod petimus ardenter 〈◊〉 tanquam cupientes habere whatsoeuer we desyre of god let vs desire it from the botome of our hearts but I feare me there be many which saye thys 〈◊〉 and yet cannot tel what they saye or at the least their hearts ar contrary disposed vnto it Such people I exhort on gods behalf to consider their dueties to consider that god wil not be 〈◊〉 withal he wil not be derided We laughe god to scorne when we say one thing with our mouthe thynke an other thing with our herts Take this for an ensāple Our rebels which rose about 〈◊〉 yere ago in Northfolke 〈◊〉 they considered not this 〈◊〉 thei said it with their lippes onely but not with their heartes Almighty god hath reueled his will as concerning magistrates how he wil haue them to be honoured and obeyed They 〈◊〉 vtterly bent against it he 〈◊〉 this wil in many places of the 〈◊〉 but specially by s. Peter wher he saith Subd re estore nimis humanae creaturae that is thus muche to say in effect Bee ye subiect to all the common lawes made by men of authority by the kinges 〈◊〉 and his most honorable councel or by a common parliament be subiecte vnto them obey them 〈◊〉 god And here is but one 〈◊〉 that is againste god When lawes are made against God and his woorde then I ought more to obey god then man Then I maye refuse to obey with a good conscience yet for all that I may not rise vp against the magistrates nor make any 〈◊〉 For if I do so I synne damnablye I muste be content to suffer whatsoeuer god shall laye vppon me yet I maye not obey their 〈◊〉 lawes to do them Onely in suche a case men maye refuse to obey els in all the other matters we oughte
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
many lord deputies lord presidentes lieue tenāts vnder him It is a great while a goo syth I red the history It chāced he had vnder him in one of his dominions a briber a gifttaker a gratifier of rich men he folow ed gifts as fast as he that folowed the pudding a hādmaker in his office to make his sonne a great man as thold laying is Happy is the child whose father goth to the deuil The cry of the pore widow came to them perors eare and caused him to flay the iudge quick and laid his skin in his chair of iudgement that al iudges that shuld geue iudgemēt afterward shuld sit in the same skin Surely it was a goodly sygne a goodly monument the sign of the iudges skin I pray God we maye once se the signe of the 〈◊〉 in England Ye wil say peraduēture that this is cruelly vn charitably spoken no no I doo it charitablye for a loue I bear to my country God sayeth Ego visitabo I will visyte God hath ii visitatiōs The first is when he reueleth hys word by prechers where the fyrst is accepted the second cōmeth not The second visitation is vengance He went a visitation when he broughte the iudges skin ouer hys eares If his word be despised he cōmeth with his secōd vi sitation with vengance Noe preached gods word an 〈◊〉 yeres was laught to skorn called an old doting fole because they would not accept this first visitation God visited the secōd time he poured down shours of rain til al the world was drowned 〈◊〉 was a visitor of Sodome Gomorre but because they regarded not his preaching God visyted them the second time and brent them al vp with brimston sauing Loth. Moses came first a visitation into Egypte with Gods word and because they would not heare hym God visited them agayne and drowned them in the redde Sea GOD likewyse with his firste visitation visited the Israelites by his prophets but because they wold not heare his Prophetes he visited them the second tyme and disper sed them in Assiria and Babilon Iohn Baptist likewise and our Sauiour Christ visited them afterward declaring to them Goddes will and because they despysed these vysitours he destroyed Hierusalem by Titus and Uespasianus Germany was visited xx yeares with Goddes word but they did not earnestly embrace it and in lyfe folowe it but made a mingle mangle and a hotchpotch of it I can not tell what partely popery partely true religion mingled together They say in my countrey when they call theyr hogges to the swyne trough Come to thy mingle mangle come pyr come pyr euen so they made mingle mangle of it They could clatter and prate of the Gospell but when al commeth to all they ioyned popery so with it that they marde all together they scratched and scraped al the liuinges of the churche and vnder a coloure of religyon turned it to theyr owne proper gaine and lucre God seyng that they would not come vnto his worde now he visiteth them in the seconde time of his visitacion with his wrath For the taking awaye of Goddes worde is a manifest token of his wrath We haue now a fyrst visitation in England let vs beware of the second We haue the minisiracion of his worde we are yet well but the house is not cleane swept yet God hath sent vs a noble king in this his visitaciō let vs not prouoke him against vs let vs beware let vs not displease him let vs not be vnthankfull and vnkind let vs beware of bywalkyng contemnyng of Gods word let vs pray diligētly for our king let vs receyue with all obedience and prayer the word of God A word or two more and I commit you to God I will monish you of a thing I heare say ye walke in ordinately ye talke vnsemely otherwaies then it becommeth Christian subiectes Ye take vpon you to Iudge the iudgements of Iudges I will not make the king a Pope for the Pope will haue all thinges that he doth taken for an Article of our sayth I will not say but that the Kynge and his councell may erre the Parliamente houses bothe the highe and lowe may erre I pray dayly that they may not erre It becommeth vs what soeuer they decree to stande vnto it and receyue it obediently as far forth as it is not manifest wicked and directly against the worde of God It pertaineth vnto vs to think the best though we can not reder a cause for that doing of euery thing For Charitas omnia credit omnia sperat Charitie doth beleue and trust all things We ought to expoūd to the best all things although we can not yelde a reason Therfore I exhorte you good people pronounce in good parte all the factes and dedes of the magistrates and iudges Charitie iudgeth the best of all menne and specially of magistrates S. Paule sayth Nolite iudicare ante tempus donec Dominus aduenerit Iudge not before the time of the Lords comming Prauum cor hominis Mans hart is vnserchable it is a ragged pece of worke no man know eth his owne hart and therfore Dauid prayeth and sayeth Ab occultis meis munda me Deliuer me from my vnknowen faultes I am a further offēder then I can see A man shal be blinded in loue of himself cannot see so muche in 〈◊〉 selfe as in other men let vs not therfore iudge iudges We are comptable to God and so be they Let them alone they haue their countes to make If we haue charitie in vs we shall do this For Charitas operatur Charitie worketh What worketh it mary Omnia credere omnia sperare To accept all thiugs in good part Nolite iudicare ante tempus Iudge not before the Lordes comming In this we learne to know Antichrist whiche doothe eleuate him selfe in the churche and iudgeth at his pleasure before the time Hys canonizations and iudging of men before the Lords iudgment be a manifest token of Antichrist How can he know Sainctes He knoweth not his owne hart and he can not knowe them by myracles For some miracle workers shall go to the deuill I will tell you what I remembred yesternight in my bed A meruaylous tale to perceyue howe inscrutable a mans hart is I was once at Oxford for I had occasyon to come that way when I was in my office they tolde me it was a gainer way and a fayrer way and by that occasion I lay there a night Being there I harde of an ex ecution that was done vppon one that suffered for 〈◊〉 It was as ye knowe a daungerous worlde for it myghte sone cost a man his lyfe for aworde speaking I cannot tell what the matter was but the iudge set it so out that the man was condemned The. xii men came in and said giltye and vpon that he was iudged to be hanged drawen quartred When
the roote down withal couetousnes So thys place of Paule brought me to thys text of Luke See and beware of couetousnes Therfore you Preachers out with your swordes and strike at the roote speake agaynst couetousnes and crye out vpon it Stand not tyckyng and toying at the braunches nor at the boughes for then there wil new boughes and braū ches spryng agayne of them but strike at the roote and feare not these Giauntes of Englande these great men and men of power these men that are oppressours of the poore Feare thē not but strike at the roote of all euyll whych is myscheuous couetousnes For couetousnes is the cause of rebellion I haue forgotten my logyke but yet I can iumble at a Silogisme and make an argumēt of it to proue it by Couetousnes is the roote of al euyl Rebellion is an euil Ergo Couetousnes is the roots of rebellion And so it was in dede Couetousnes was the cause of rebellion this last Sommer and both parties had couetousnes as well the Gentlemen as the Commous Both parties had Couetousnes for both parties had an inordinate desyre to haue that they had not and that is 〈◊〉 an inordinate desyre to haue that one hath not The Commons would haue hadde from the Gentlemen suche thynges as they desyred The Gentlemen would none of it and so was there couetousnes on both sides The Commons thought they had a ryght to the thynges that they inordinatly sought to haue But what then they must not come to it that waye Nowe on the other side the Gentlemen had a desire to keepe that they had and so they rebelled to agaynste the kynges commaundement and agaynst suche good order as he and hys counsel woulde haue set in the realme And thus both parties had couetousnes and both parties dyd rebell I hearde saye that there was godlye ordinaunces deuised for the redresse of it But the Giauntes would none of it in no sauce I remember myne owne selfe a certayne Giaunt a great man who sat in commission about such matters And when the tounsemen should bryng in what had beene inclosed he frouned and chafed and so nere looked and threatened the poore men tha they durst not aske theyr ryght I red of late in an Act of Parliment and thys Act made mencion of an act that was made in kyng Henries dayes the 〈◊〉 I trow it was yea and such an other busynes there was in kyng 〈◊〉 tyme the seconde also In this parliment that I speake of the Gentlemen and the Cōmons were at variaunce as they were now of late And there the Gentlemen that wer Landlordes would nedes haue away muche landes from theyr tenauntes and would needes haue an Act of parliment that it myght be lawfull for them to enclose and make seuerall from theyr tenauntes and from the Commons suche porcions of theyr landes as they thought good muche a dooe there was about thys Act. At last it was concluded and graūted that they myght so do Prouided alway that they shoulde leaue sufficient to the tenaunt Wel it was wel that they wer bounde to leaue sufficient for theym But who shoulde bee the Judge to lymite what was sufficient for theym Or who shall nowe iudge what is sufficient Wel I for my part can not tell what is sufficient But me thought it was well that the tennaunts and poore commous should haue sufficient For if they had sufficient thought I they had cause to be quiet And thē 〈◊〉 I to make thys argument within my selfe If at that time it were put in theyr will and power that they myght enclose leauing to the tennaunt that were sufficient for hym yf they had it then in theyr power thought I that they myght thys doo they woulde leaue no more then sufficient If they lest to the tenauntes and poore commons no more in those dayes but sufficient then if they had anye more taken from them since that time then had they now not sufficient They in Christ are equal with you 〈◊〉 of the realm must nedes be The poorest plowman is in Christ equall with the greatest Prince that is Let them therefore haue sufficient to maintaine them and to fynde them theyr necessaries A plow 〈◊〉 must haue sheepe yea they must haue sheepe to dunge theyr grounde for bearinge of corne for if they haue no shepe to healpe to fat the grounde they shall haue but bare corne thyn They must haue swyne for theyr foode to make theyr veneryes or bacon of theyr bacon is theyr venison for they shall now haue hangum tuum if they get any other veneson so that bacon is theyr necessary meate to 〈◊〉 on whych they may not lack They must haue other catels as 〈◊〉 to draw their ploughe and for cariage of thinges to the markets and kine for their mylke and chese whych they must lyue vpon pay theyr 〈◊〉 These cattell must haue pasture whych pasture if they lacke the rest must nedes fayle them And pasture 〈◊〉 can not haue if the 〈◊〉 be taken in inclosed from thē So as I sayde ther 〈◊〉 in both pactes rebellion Therfore for Gods loue restore theyr sufficient vnto them and searche no more what is the cause of rebelliō But se and 〈◊〉 of couetousnesse for couetousnes is the cause of rebellion Wel now if couetousnes be the cause of rebellion then preaching against couetousnesse is not the cause of rebellion Some say that the preaching now a daies is the cause of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebellion for since thys 〈◊〉 preachinge hath come in there hath bene much sedicion and therefore it must nedes be that that preaching is the cause of rebellion heare in Englande 〈◊〉 our preaching is the cause of rebellion much like as Christ was cause of the destrucion of Jerusalem For saith Christ Si non uenisse locutu fuissem eis 〈◊〉 non haberent c. If I had not com sayth Christ and spoken to them they shoulde haue no synne So we preachers haue come spoken to you we haue drawē ourswerdes of Gods word and stryken at the rootes of al 〈◊〉 to haue them cut downe and if ye wyll not amende what can we do more And preaching is cause of sedicion beare in England much like as Ely was the cause of trouble in Israel for hee was a preacher there and tolde the people of all degres theyr faultes and so they wynched and kycked at hym and accused hym to Achab the King that he was a sedicious fellow and a troublous preacher and made much 〈◊〉 in the Realme So the King sente for hym and he was brought to Achab the King who sayd vnto hym Art thou he that troubleth al 〈◊〉 and Ely answered and sayd naye thou thy Fathers house are they that trouble al Israell Ely had preached Gods word he had playnly told the people of theyr euill doinges he had shewed them Gods threateninges In gods behalfe I speake