The Second to Seventh Sermon to His Majesty

To the Reader.

E Ven as intimes past, all mē, which were honestly bente to the promoting of virtue and learning, found means, that the works of worthy oratours, of famous and renowned Philosophers, should be by y ^e , benefit of publishing, redeemed from the tyranny of oblivion, to the great and high profette of countries, of common wealths, of empyres, and of assemblies of men: likewise ought we to fetch our presydente from those men, and suffer no worthy mōument to perish, whereby any good may grow, either to the more godly admynystracyon of politik • and ciuyl affairs, or elles to the better establyshing of Christian judgment. Numa Pōpilius (who was inagured & created king of the Romans next after Romulus) was far more careful & busier in grounding of Idolatrus religion (as upon rites, ceremonies, sacrifices and superstitions) then we are in promoting of Christian religyon to the advancement of the glory due to the omnipotent majesty of God him self, who hath revealed and uttered his word unto us by his Prophets, and last of all by his only begotten son Jesus Christ whereby he hath confyrmed our conscience in a more perfect certainty of the truth, thē ever they were before. This Numa instituted an Archbyshop for the perseruyng of the Commentaries, contaynyng the solēpnities of their religion with many other appendixes, united to the office of the high bishop. What do we? We have suppressed. We have wrestled w ^t fire, and sword not only to deface the writings of such learned mē as have paynefully trauailled to publysh God's word: but also we have sturred every stone, & sought all devilish devises, to detain y ^t same word of god itself frō his people. May not we (& not vnwortheli) be accōpted far under y ^e Ethenickes who wrought only by natural mocyon & antipacyons, without breathinge and inspiring of the holy ghost, if we would not (I mean not be equal with them) but be far more zealous in promotyng good learning and religiō thē ever thei were. They, when thei had such noble and worthy clerks (as Socrates. Plato, and Aristotle) w ^t all diligence; caused y ^e fruits of those most rare and profound wits, to be preserved for their posterity, that the eyes of all generations might enjoy the fruicion and use of them, thinking that such wonderful virtues, should not be buried in y ^e same grave that their bodies were. After so manifold and dangerous shyp wracks of religiō, as in our times we may well remember, whereas the ambitious and blind prelates (some of wily willfulness, some of gross ignorance) ruleth the stern and evermore blemished the true knowledge of God's word, and did their endeavor to obscure the same with their polytyke and decente ceremosies & trampery of superstitions. How oft hath religion been tost on the stormy sourgis and dangerous rocks of the Romish seas? Howe oft hath it been in such a desperate state, that the true mynysters have been inforsed (as you would say) to way up ancker (the tackling of the shyp being broken (and destytute of all other help and succoures to give over the rulynge of the shyppe to God him self, who is only able to save, whē all y ^e world by mannes reasō judgeth it past cure. Such (O Lord) is thy mercy and ineffable power: what cristē hert that favoreth y ^e glory of God, did not even lamente and bewail the state of religiō, and thought verily the utter ruin of Christ's church to be at hand seeing the late martyrdom of those that suffered? Yet didest thou lord stir up thousands out of their ashes, and what was done of a popish polycye to suppress and keep under thy truth, that of all other, did most set forth the same. Thou hast delivered Danyel out of the den of the lions, and he hath set fourth thy word abroad, But now coūtremen, whō God hath blessed by deliuerynge you from the tirranny of the lions and her whelps, (which went thorough the whole realm sucekyng the innocent blood) how vnthanckfull are you unto God so greatly neglectynge so specyall a benefyt, falling into such a lousenes of lauicioouse living as the like hath never been heard of hereto fore. Evē as ye are grown to a perfeccyō in knowledge so are ye come to a perfeccyō in all mychiefe. The Heathen, which had no other guide but the law of nature, graven in the tables of their heart, were never so poisoned with the contagion of most horyble heresies, as some of us Christians which are not ashamed to brag and boast of the spirit. But it is a phanaticke spirit, a brainsicke spitite a seditious & a malignante spirit. Christ breath his spirit vpō you y ^t ye may rede y ^e scripture wtih all humbleness and reverence, to fetch from thence comfort for youre wounded consciences, not to make that lively fountain of life to serve for the fedynge of your idle brains, to dyspute more subtellye thereby, or else by mysunderstandynge of the same to conceive pernicious and annabaptistical opinions, Remember y ^t the servant which knoweth his masters will and doeth it not shall be beaten with many strypes. God is a good God, a merciful God, a father which beareth much with our crooked nature and vnchristyan behavior, and very slote to revenge his blasphemy this maitenaunce of so many unscripturlye opinions, these brablynges and scismatyke cōtencions wherein a great pack of us delight and repose our glory, all though as fōdly, as eroniously, to y ^e great slander of the godly learned, and also to the hynderaunce of the good success & free passage of the word of God. But as truly as god is God if we reap̄t not shortly, his plages and vengaunce are not far of, his indignacyon and wrath shall be poured from heaven upon our ungodliness. He is long a coming but when he coms be will pay whom and (as Lacta • cius saith recompense his long sufferance with greuouser punishments. The world and the devil hath so bewitched us, y ^t we in our deeds (I fear we to many of us) deny God to be God whatsoever we pittle pattle w ^t our tōges. God's word must not be talcked of only, for that is not enough) it must be expressed. Then must we as welliue the word as talk the word, or else, if good life do not ensue and follow upon our reading to the example of other, we wyghte as well spend that time in redyng of profane histories, of cantorburye tales, or a fit of Robyn Hode Let us join good life with our reading, and yet all will be to little. Remember that the world and all that is in it, is mere vanity, and shall have an ende. Thou I say, y ^t thus abusest the gift of God's holy word, and the gratyousnes of the Kings majesty, which hath lycensed the to rede the same, for the comfort of thine own soul, for the instruction of thi famyly, the educacyon of thy childrē, and edifying of thy neighbor. Thou that art so gorgiously appareled, and feadeth thy corruptible carcass so dayntely, thou that purchasest so fast, to the utter vndoynge of the poor, consoider whereof thou camest, & whereunto thou shall return. Wher is thē all thy pomp? where is all thy ruffe of thy gloriousnes become? What will thou say for thyself in that horrible day of judgment, where thou shalt stand naked before God, where the tables of thine own conscience shall be opened and laid before thine eyes to accuse the? Thou which reysest the rentes so gredely as though thou shouldest never have enough. Thy judgment is, throw miserable manmon, so captyuate & blind. that y ^u canst not tell when y ^u hast enough, or what is enough? Truly, alitle is to much for him y ^t knoweth not how to use much well. Therefore learn first the use of monie and riches, & some other honester means to attain them, that this thine insaciable covetousness and unlawful desyryng of other men's goods, may be reduced to some reasonable measure, & that it do not exceed the lymyttes or compass of honesti, and the bōdes of brotherly love: lest God (before whom thou shalt appere one day, to render a straight accōptes, for the deeds done in thy flesh) burden and charge the with thy unmerciful hand lyng of thy Tennant (but yet notwythstandyng thy brother (whom, with new Incomes, fynes, inhauncyng of rentes, and such like unreasonable exactyons, thou pilles polles, & miserably oppresses. Whē that terrible day shall once come, a little of God's mercy will be worth a mass or a whole hepe of thy monei. Ther thi wicked Mammon, whom thou serueste like a slave, can purchase the no mercy. There thy money so gleaned and gathered of the & thine (to the impouerishment of many to make the only rich) cannot prevail the, nor yet redeem thy cause before that just & severe judge, which thē, & there will render to y ^e , the self same measure y ^t y ^u measureste to other men. What did we speak of preuaylynge, or redeming of thy cause wtth money? Nay thē thy monei, & the roust of thy gold shall be a witness against y ^e & shall eat thy flesh as the fire. Howe frantycke and foolish might all wise men, well judge and deme him too be (which against the day of his araignement when he should stand vpō the trial of death and life) would busy him self, his folks, and his friends to prepare and get many witnesses against him to cast him away by their evidence & witness and to provide such men as should be the only cause of his death. Even. So franctycke, so folysh art thou, which doth toil, travail, and turmoyle so earnestly and busylye about the gettynge of goods and riches, before thou haste well learned & taken forth of the lesson, of well using the same. Howbeit, truly I doubt much of the well using of that, which was never well nor truly gotten. Learn therefore first, to know what is enough. For the wise man saith, it is better to have a little with the fear of the Lord, then great and insaciable riches. Sophonye saith their gold shall not be able to deliver thē in the day of the Lord's wrath. Let your conversation be without covetousness, & be content w ^t that ye have already, Godlines is a gret riches, if a man be content with such as God sends. For we brought nothing into this world, neither shall we carry any thing out. When we have food and raymente, let us therewith be content. Behold thy Scholemaster Paul teaches the hear a good lesson. Here thou mayst learn well enough, to know what is enough. But lest thou shouldest fear at any time, the want or lack of this enough. Here father the rest of thy lessō. For god verily saith. The Lord is mine helpper, I will not fear what man doeth to me. If the revenues and yearly Rentes of thy patrymonye and lands, be not enough, nor sufffcient for thi finddyng, and will not suffice thy charges, then moderate thine expenses, borrow of thy two next neighbors, that is to say of thy back and thi belly. Learn to eat with in thy teather. Pul down thy sail. Saye down proud hert. Mayntayn no greater port, then thou art able to bear out and support of thine own provision, Put thy hand no further then thy sleue will reach. Lut thy cloth after thi measure. Kepe thi house after the spending. Thou must not pil and polle thy Tenante, that thou mayest have (as thei sai) Vnde, & that thy never enough to ruffull it out in a riotus ruffe, and a prodigal, disolute, and licenciouse living. We read in the scripture give to every man his duty, tribute, to whom tribute belongeth, custom, to whom Custom, is due fear to whom fear belongeth honor to whom honor partayneth. But we find not there, nor elles where, fynes to whom fines, incomes to whom incomes. Paulle was not acquainted with none of those terms. Belike they were not used and come up in his time, or else he would have made menciō of them. Yeat not with standing, we deny not but these reasonably required & vpō honest couenātes & cōtractes, are y ^e more tolleraable, & so used, so may be permitted. But the couenaūtes & y ^e cōtractes we remit to the godly wisdom of the hie magistrates, who (we pray god) may take such order and direction in this, and all other, y ^t the cōmō people may be releaued & eased of many importable charges and iniures, which many of them, contrary to all equity and right, sustain. But woe worth this covetousness, not without skyll called the root of all evil. If covetousness were not, we think many things amiss should shortelye be redressed. She is a mighty Matrō a Lady of great power. She hath retained moo servants thē any Lady hath in England, But mark howe well in fine she hath rewarded her servants: and learn to be wise by another mans harm. Acham by the commandment of God, was stoned to death, because he toke of the excommunicate goods. Saul moved with covetousness dissobeied gods word, reseruinge the Kyng, Agag and a parsell of the fatteste of the cattle, & lost his kingdom thereby. Gehize was strycken with leaprosy and all his posterity, because he toke money and raymente of Naaman. The rich and unmerciful gloton, which fared well and deyntely every day, was buried in hell, and there he taketh now such fare as the devil him self doth Woo be to you, that join house to house, and feelde to feeld: shall ye alone inhabyte the pearth? Let these terrible examples suffyce at this present, to teach, and admonysh, the inhaunser of Rentes, the vnresonable exactour and gredye requirer of fienes and incomes, the covetous lease monger, the douourer of towns and contries as. M. Latimer termeth them rightly. If these scriptures (which they may rede in these godly sermons do not pearse their stony hearts (we fear) more will not serve The Lord be merciful to them. But now the wicked Judge, which corrupteth justice for Brybes here he may learn also the lesson that Moses taught long before this time, ye magistrates & Judges in the common wealth of Israel be no accepters of persons neither be desyreous of gifts, for they make wise men blind, and change the mind of the ryghtuouse. In judgment be merciful to the faitheles, as a father, & be instead of an husband unto their mother. The ungodly taketh gifts out of the bosom, to wrast the ways of judgment, Let him that rules be deligēt saith Paul. What meaneth he by this term, diligent? He requires no such diligence, as the most part of our lucratiue lawyers do use, in dyfferryng and prolōging of matters, and accyons from. Terme to Terme and in the tractynge, of time in the same. Whear perchaūce the title or the right of the matter might have come to light, and been tried longe before if the Lawyers & the Judges would have used such diligence as Paul would have them to do, But what care y ^e lawyers for Paul? Paul was but a mad man of law to controlle thē for their diligence. Paul, yea & Peter to, could better skil of mending of an old net, of clouting of an old tent, thē to teach lawiers what diligence they should use in the expediciō of matters. Whi? but be not lawiers diligent say ye? Yea truly are thei about their own profit there are no more diligēter mē nor busier persons in all England They trudg in y ^e term time to & fro. Thei apply the world hard. They forslow no time. They follow Assizes and Sessiōs, Letes. Lawdaies and Hūdredes. They should serve the king but they serve them selves. And how thei use (nay rather abuse) their office in the same, some good man will tell them thereof. We lack a few moo Latymers, a few moo such Preachers. Such plain Pasquyls, we pray God provide for us, y ^t will keep nothing back. Of the which sort and number, we may most worthily reckon this faithful minister of • od, and constant Preacher of his word Master Hugh Latimer, which by his perseueraunce, & steadfastness in the truth, hath stablished this waueryng world. He hath been tost for the truths saked, and tried w ^t the storms of persecutyon, as gold in the furnace. He is one, whom, as well for his learned, sound, and chatholyke judgment, in the knoledge of God's word, as for his integrety and example of Christian cōuersacyon, all we & (specially ministers and prelates) ought to set before our eyes, as a principal patron to imytate & follow, desyrynge God, who hath stirred up in him the bold spirit of Helias, may daily more and more augment the same in him, & may also provide many such preaching prelates, which both so well could, & so willingly would frākely utter the truth to the extollinge of virtue, to the reward of well doers, the suppressyng of vice, the abolyshmente of all papestrie. It is our parte therefore to pray diligently for his continual health and that he may live long among us in a flourishing old age, and not (as some in grate & inhumayne persons) to malign & deprave him for y ^t he so frākly & liberally taxed, perstringed, & openlie rebuked before the Kings Mayestie y ^e peculiar faults of certain of his auditors, but it is our part, rather thankefully to accept in good parte take his godly aduertisemēt unless we be minded to prefer our mucky money & false felicity before y ^e ioyse of heavē, or else believe (as y ^t Epecures do) that after this life there is neither hell nor heavē. Receive thankfully (gētlereader) these sermonnes faith fully colected w ^t out all sinistre suspicion of any thing in the same added or adēpt

Q Vecunque scripta sutit: ad nostram doctrinam. &c. All things that are written in God's boke, in the holy Bible, they were written before our time, but yet to continue from age to age as long as the world doeth stand.

In this Boke is contained doctrine for all estates, even for kings. A king herein may learn how to guide him self, I told you in my last sermon much of the duty of a king. And there is one place behind yet, and it followeth in the text.

Postquam autem sederit in solio regni sui. &c. And when the Kynge is set in the seat of his kingdom, he shall write him out a boke & take a copy of y ^• pryestes or Levites. He shall have the boke with him, and why? to read in it all the days of his life, to learn to fear God, and learn his Laws, and other things, as it followeth in the text with the appurtenaunces and hāgynges on, that he turn not from God, neither to the right hand, nor to the left. And wherefor shall he do this? that he may live longe, he and his children. Hitherto goeth the text. That I may declare this the better to the edifiynge of youre souls and the glory of God, I shall desire you to pray. &c. Et posquam sederit &c. Before I enter into this place (right honorable audyence) to furnyshe it accordyngly, which by the grace of god I shall do at leisure, I would repeat the place I was in last, & furnyshe it with an history or two which I left out in my last sermō. I was in a matter concerning the sturdines of the Jews, a froward and styfnecked kind of people, much like our English men now a days, that in the minoritye of a Kynge, take upon them to break laws & to go by ways. For whē god had promised thē a king, whē it came to the point they refused him. These men walked by walckes, and the sayynge is, many bywalkes, many balckes, many balckes much stumblynge, and where much stumblynge is, there is sometime a fall, how be it there were some good walkers among thē, that walked in the kings high way ordinarilye, vpryghtlye, plain Dunstable way, and for this purpose, I would show you an history which is wryten in the third of the kings.

Kynge David being in his chyldhode, an old man, in his second chyldhode, for all old men are twice children, as the Proverb is. Senex his pure. An old man, twice a child, it happened with him, as it doth oftentimes, when wicked men, of a Kynges chyldhode take occasion of evil.

Thys Kynge David being weak of nature and impotente, in so much that when he was covered with clothes, he could take no heat, was counseled of his servants to take a fair young maid to nouryshe him, and to keep him warm in his body, I suppose she was his wife. Howe be it he had no bodilye company with her, and well she might be his wife. For though the scripture doeth say: Non cognouit • am. He knew her not, he had no carnal copulation with her yet it saith not: Non duxit eam vxorem. He married her not. And I can not think that king David would have her to warm his bosom in bed, except she had been his wife, having a dispensatyon of God to have as many wives as he would.

For God had dispensed with them to have many wives. Well: what happened to king David in his chyldhode, by the child of the devil? Ye shall hear. Kynge David had a proud son, whose name was Adonias, a man full of ambition, desyrouse of honor, always clymbyng, climbinge. Now, whylse the time was of his fathers childhode, he would depose his father, not knoweyng of his fathers mind, saiing. Ego regnabo. I will reign, I will be king, he was a stout stomacked child, a biwalker, of an ambitious mind, he would not consent to his fathers friends, but gate him a chariot, and mē to run before it, and diverse other adherents to help him forthward, wordly wise men, such as had been before of his fathers counsel, great men in the world, & some no doubt of it, came of good will thinking no harm, for they would not think, that he did it without his fathers will, having such great men to set him forth, for every man cā not have access at all times to the king, to know his pleasure, well: algates he would be Kyng, he makes a great feast, and thither he called Joab the ryngleader of his fathers army, a worldly wise man, a bywalker, that would not walk the Kynges hye way, and one Abiathar the high priest. For it is marvel if any michyefe be inhand, if a priest be not at some ende of it, they toke him as Kynge, and cried, Viuat rex Adonias. God save king Adonias, David suffered all this, & let him alone, for he was in his chyldhode a bedred man.

But se howe God ordered the matter, Nathan the Prophet and Sadoc a priest, and Banayah, & Crethytes, and Phelethytes the Kynges gard, they were not called to the feast.

These were good, men, and would not walk bywayes, therefore it was folly to break the matter to them, they were not called to counsel.

Therefore Nathan when he hard of this, he cometh to Bethsabe Solomon's mother and saith. Hear ye not howe Adonias the son of Ageth, raygneth king, David not knowing? And he bad her put the king in mind of his oth that he sware that her son Salomō should be king after him, this was wise counsel according to the Proverb. Qui vadit plane, vadit sane.

He that walketh in the hye plain vaye, walketh safelye. Upō this the went and brake the matter to David, and desyered him to show woe should reign after him in Jerusalem, addynge that if Adonias were king, she and her son after his death should be destroyed, saying: Nos erimus peccatores. We shall be sy ••• ers, we shall be takē for traitors, for though we meant no harm but walked vpryghtly yet because we went not the by way with him he being in authority will destroy us, And by and by cometh in Nathā, and taketh her tale by the ende, & showeth him howe Adonias was saluted king, & that he had bid to dynner the Kynges servants, all saving him and Sadoc, and Banaiah and all his brethren the kings sons save Solomon. Kynge David remembering him self, swore, as sure as God liveth, Salomō my son shall reign after me, and by and by commanded Nathan and Sadoc and his garde the Cerithes & Phelites, to take Salomō his son and set, him upon his mule, and an ••• it him Kynge▪ and so they did criynge, Vi • at Salomō Rex. Thus was Salomō throned, by the aduyse and will of his father, and though he were a child, yet was his will to be obeyed & fulfilled, and they ought to have know̄ his pleasure. Whylse this was a doing there was such a Ioye and outecrye of the people, for their new Kynge, and blowynge of trompettes, y ^e Joab & the other company being in their iolytye, and keeping good cheare. heard it, and sodaynlye asked what is this ado? And when thei perceived, y ^t Salomō, by y ^e aduyse of his father was annointed King, by and by there was all whysht. all their good chere was done, and all y ^t were with Adonias went away, & let him reign alone. if he would, and why? He walked a bywaye and God would not prosper it.

God will not work with private authority, nor with any thing done inordinatlye. When Adonias saw this that he was left alone, he toke sanctuarye, and held by the horns of the altar, and sware that he would not depart thence, till Solomon would swear that he should not lease his life. Here is to be noted the notable sentence, and great mercy of Kynge Solomon.

Let him (saith he) order him self like a quyete man, and there shall not one hear fall frō his head.

But if there shall be any evil found in him, if he hath gone about any myschyefe, he shall die for it. Upon this he was brought in to Solomon, and as the boke saith, he did homage unto him, and Solomon said to him. Vade in domum tuam.

Get the into thy house, bylyke he meant to ward, & there to se his wearynge, as if he should say, show thyself without gal of ambition, to be a quiet subject, and I will pardon the for this time. But I will se the wearynge of the.

Here we may se the wonderful great mercy of Solomon for this notoryous treason, y ^t Adonias had committed, it was a plain matter, for he suffered him self to be called king, it hūg not of vehement suspitiō or conjecture nor sequel or cōsequēt yet notwithstanding Solomon for that present, forgave him, saying. I will not forget it utterly, but I will keep it in suspense, I will take no advantage of the at this time. Thys Adonias & Absalom were brethren, and came both of a strange mother, and Absalom like wise was a traytoure and made an insurrection against his father. Beware therefore these mothers, and let kings take hede howe they marry, in what housses, in what faith. For strange bringing up bringeth strange manners. Now giveth David an exhortation to Salomō, and teacheth him the duty of a Kynge, and giveth him a lesson, as it followeth at large in the boke, and he that lyste to read it, may se it there at full. But what doeth Adonias all this while? He must yet clymbe again, y ^t gal of ambition was not out of his hert. He will now mary Abisaas the yōge queen that warmed king David's bosom, as I told you, & cometh me to Bethsabe, desyering her to be a mean to Solomon her son that he might obtain his purpose. And bringeth me out a couple of lies at a clappe, and cōmytteth me two unlawful acts. For first he would have been Kynge without his fathers consent, and now he will mary his fathers wife, and the .ii. lies are these. Fyrste, said he to Bethsabe, thou knowest that the Kyngdome belongeth to me, for I am the elder. The kyngedom was mine, he lied falsely it was none of his. Then said he all the eyes of Israel were caste vpō me, that is to say, all Israel consented to it, and there he lied falslye. For Nathā, Sadoc, and other wise men, never agreede to it. Here was a great enterprise of Adonias, he will be climbing still. Well Bethsabe went at his request to her son Solomon, and asked a boune, and he granted her what so ever she did ask. Notwythstanding he brake his promise afterward and that rightwell, for all promysses are not to kept, specially if they be against the word of God. Or not standing with a commune profit, and therefore, as sone as Solomon heard that Adonias would have married the young queen Abisaak: nay then let him be king to, said he. I perceive now that he is a naughty man, a proud herted fellow, the gal of ambition is not yet out of his heart, and so commanded him to be put to death. Thus was Adonias put to execution, whereas if he had kept his house & not broken his injunction, he might have lived still. Abiathar, what became of him? The king (because he had served his father before him) would not put him to death, but made him as it were a quondam. Because thou hast been with my father said he, & diddest carry the arck before him I will not kill the.

But I will promise the, thou shalt never mynyster any moore. Vade in agrum tuum. Get the to thy lande, and live theare. A great matter of pittye & compassyō, so God grant us all, such mercy. And here was the ende of Eli’s stock, according to the promise and threatenyng of God. As for the Phelethites we do not read that thei were punished. Mary Semey traunsgressed his Iniunction for he kept not his house, but went out of Hyerusalem to seek two servants of his, that had run from him, and when it came to Solomon's ear, it cost him his life. I have rypt the matter now to the pyll, and have told you of plain walkers, and of bywalkers, & howe a king in his chyldehode is a king, as well, as in any other age. We read in scripture of such as were but .xii. or .viii. years old, and yet the word of the holy Goost called them kings, saying: Cepitr • guare. He began to reign, or he began to be king. Here is of bywalkers. Thys history would be remembered, the Proverb is: Felir quē faciunt aliena pericula cautū.

Happye is he that can beware by another man's ieoperdy. For if we offend not as other do, it is not our own deserts. If we fall not, it is God's preservation. We are all offenders. For auther we may do, or have done, or shall do (except God preserve us) as evil as the worst of them. I pray God we may all amende and repent. But we will all amende now I trust. We must neades amende our lives every man. The holy communiō is at hand, and we may not receive it vnworthelye.

Well, to return to my history. Kynge David (I say) was a king in his second chyldhode And so, young kings though they be children, yet are they kings notwythstandyng, and though it be written in scripture: Ve tibi O terra vbi pure est Rex. Woe to the, O Land, where the king is a child: it followeth in another place. Beata terra vbi rex nobilis. Blessed is the Lande, where there is a noble Kynge. Where Kynges be no banketers, no players, and they spend not the time in haukynge, and huntynge.

And when had the Kynges mayestye a Council that toke more pain both night & day for the setting forth of God's word, and profit of the commune wealth? And yet there be some wicked people that will say.

Tushe, this gear will not tarry, it is but my Lord Protertours, and my Lord of Canterburyes doing. The Kynge is a child, he knoweth not of it.

Jesus mercy, howe like are we English men to the Jews, ever stubborn, styfnecked, and walking of bye ways. Yea I think no Jew would at any time say. Thys gear will not tarry. I never heard nor read at any time that thei said.

These laws were made in such a kings days, when he was but a child. Let us alter them. O Lord what pittye is this, that we should be worse then the Jews?

Blessed be the lande saith the word of God, where the Kynge is noble. What people are they that say, the Kynge is but a child? Have not we a noble Kynge? Was there ever Kynge so noble? So Godlye? brought up with so noble counsaylours? so excellent, and well learned Scolemaysters? I will tell you this, and I speak it even as I think. Hys majesty hath more Godlye wit and understanding, more learning and knowledge at this age, then xx. of his progenitors, that I could name, had at any time of their life.

I told you in my last sermō of minysters of the kings people, and had occasion to show you, howe few noble men were good preachers, and I left out an history then which I will now tell you.

There was a bishop of Winchester in Kynge Henry the .vi. days, which king was but a child, and yet were there many good Acts made in his chyldehode, and I do not read that they were broken.

Thys bishop was a great man borne, and did bear such a stroke, that he was able to shoulder the Lord Protectour. Well, it chanced that the Lord Protectour and he fell out, and the bishop would bear nothing at all with him, but played me the Satrapa, so that the Regente of France was fain to be sent for frō beyond the Seas, to set them at one, and to go between them.

For the bishop was as able and ready to buccle with the Lord Protectoure, as he was with him.

Was not this a good prelate? he should have been at home a preaching in his Dioces in a waniant. Thys Protector was so noble and Godly a mā, that he was called of every mā the good Duke Humfrey. He kept such a housse, as never was kept since in England, without any enhaunsyng of rentes I warrant you, or any such matter. And the bishop for standing so styflye by the matter, & bearing up the order of our mother y ^e holy church, was made Cardinal at Calais, & thither the bishop of Rome sent him a cardinals hatte. He should have had a tiburne tippet, a halpeny halter, and allsuche proud prelates. These Romish hattes never brought good into England.

Upon this the bishop goeth me to the queen Katherin the kings wife, aproud woman & a stout, & persuaded hir, that if the duke were in such authority still, & lived, the people would honor him, more thē they did the king. And the king should not be set by, & so between thē, I cā not tell how it came to pas, but at .s. Edmundesbury in a parliament the good Duke Humfrey was smothered.

But now to return to my text, and to make further rehearsal of the same, the matter beginneth thus. Et pasquā sederit rex And when the king is set in the seat of his Kyngedome, what shall he do? shall he dance, and dally? banket? hauke and hunt? No forsothe syr. For as God set an order in the Kynges stable as I told you in my last Sermon, so will he apoynte what pastyme a Kynge shall have. What must he do then? He must be a student. He must write God's aboke him self. Not thinking because he is a king, be hath lycence to do what he will, as these worldly flatterers are wont to say. Yea, trouble not yourself syr, ye may hauke & hunt, and take youre pleasure. As for the guydinge of your kingdom and people, let us alone with it.

These flattering clawbackes are original rotes of all myschyefe, and yet a Kynge may take his pastyme in haukinge or huntynge or such like pleasures. But he must use them for recreation when he is weary of weighty affairs, that he may return to thē the moore lustye. and this is called pastime with good company. He must write out a boke him self. He speaketh of writing because printynge was not used at y ^e time.

And shall the Kynge write it out him self? He meaneth he shall se it written, and rather then he should be without it, write it him self.

Jesus mercy, is God so chary with a king to have him well brought up & instructed? Yea forsooth. For if the king be well ordered, the realm is well ordered. Where shall he have a copy of this boke? of the Levites. And why? Bicause it shall be a true copy, not falsifyed.

Moses left the boke in an old cheste, & the Levites had it in keeping. And because there should be no error, no addition, nor taking away from it, he byddeth him fetch the copy of the Levites. And was not here a great miracle of God. how this boke was preserved? It had layne hyd many years and the Jews knew not of it.

Therefore at length when they had found it and knew it: they lamented for their ignorance, that had so long been without it, and rente their clothes, repentyng their unfaithfulness, and the holy bible God's boke, that we have among us, it hath been preserved hitherto by wonderful miracle of God (though the kepers of it were never so malitiouse) first ever scythe the byshope of Rome was first in authorytye, they have gone about to destroy it, but God worketh wonderfully, he hath preserved it mauger their beardes, and yet are we unthankfull that we cannot consider it. I will tell you, what a bishop of this realm said once to me, he sent for me & meruayled that I would not consent to such tradytyones, as were then set out.

And I answered him, that I would be ruled by God's boke, and rather then I would dissent one jot frō it, I would be torn with wild horses. And I chanced in our communication, to name the Lord's supper. Tushe saith the Bishop. What do ye call the Lord's supper? What new term is that? There stood by him a dubber, one Doctor Dubber he dubbed him by and by, and said that this term was seldom red in the doctors. And I made answer, y ^t I would rather follow Paul in using his terms, then them, though, they had all the doctors on their side. Whye said the bishop, cannot we without scriptures order y ^e people? how did they before the scripture was first written and copied out? But God knoweth, full ill yet would they have ordered them. For seeing that having it, they have deceived us. in what case should we have been now without it? But thanks be to God, y ^t by so wonderful a miracle hath preserved y ^e boke still. It followeth in the text. Habebit secum &c. He shall have it w ^t him in his progress, he must have a man to carrye it, that when he is haukynge and huntynge or in any pastyme, he may always comune with them of it. He shall read in it not once a year, for a time, or for his recreation when he is weary of haukyng or hunting but Cunctis diebus vite sue. All the days of his life. Where are those worldlings now? These bledder puffed up wylye men? Woe worth them that ever they were about any King. But how shall he read this boke? as the Homilies are read. Some call them homlyes, and in deed so they may be well called, for they are homely handled. For though the Priests read them never so well, yet if the Paryshe like them not, there is such talkynge and bablynge in the Church, that nothing can be heard, and if the paryshe be good, and the pryest naught he will so hacke it, & choppe it, that it were as good for them to be without it, for any word that shall be understand. And yet (the more pytye) this is suffered of your graces bishops in their diocesses unpunished. But I will be a suitor to youre grace, that ye will give youre bishops charge year they go home, upon their allegiaunce to loke better to their flock, & to se your majesties iniunctiōs better kept, and send youre visitours in their tales.

And if they be found negligent or fauty in their deuties out with them. I require it in God's behalf, make thē quondams all the pack of them. But peradventure ye will say Where shall we have any to put in their rowmys?

In deed I were a presumptuous fellow to move your grace to put them out, if there were not other to put in their places. But youre mayestye hath diverse of your chaplayns, well learned men, and of good knowledge, & yet ye have some that be bad enough, hāgers on of the court, I mean not those. But if your mayesties chaplayns, and my Lord Protectours be no • able to furnyshe their places, there is in this realm, thanks be to GOD, a great sight of lay men well learned in the scriptures, and of virtuous & Godly conversation, better learned then a great sight of us, of the clergy.

I can name a number of them that are able and would he glad (I dare say) to minister the function, if they be called to it. I move it of conscience to your grace, let them be called to it orderly, let them have institution, and give them the names of the cleargye. I mean not the name only, but let them, do the function of a bishop, and live of the same. Not as it is in many places, that one should have the name, and cyghte other the profit.

For what an enormitye is this in a chrystian realm to serve in a ciuilitye, having the profit of a Prouostshyp and a Deanry, and a Personage?

But I will tell you what is like to come of it. It will bring the clergy shortly into a very slauerye. I may not forget here my Scala celi, that I spoke of in my last sermon. I will repeat it now again, desyering your grace in God's behalf that ye will remember it.

The Bishop of Rome had a Scala celi, but his was a mas matter. This Scala celi, is the true ladder that bringeth a man to heaven, the top of the ladder or first greese, is this.

Who so ever calleth upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. The seconde step. Howe shall they call upon him, in whom they have no believe? The third stayer is this. How shall they believe in him of whō they never heard? The fourth step. Howe shall they hear without a preacher? Now the nether ende of the ladder is. Howe shall they preach, except they be sent? This is the foot of the ladder, so that we may goo backward now, & use the school argument. A primo ad vltimum. Take away preaching, take away salvation.

But I fear one thing, and it is: lest for a salfety of a little money, you will put in chauntrye Pryestes, to save their pentions.

But I will tell you, Christ boughte Souls with his blood, and will ye sel them for gold or silver?

I would not that ye should do with chauntrye pryestes, as ye did with the Abbottes, when Abbeys were put down. For when their enormities were first red in the parliament house, they were so great and abhominable, that there was nothing but down with them. But within a while after, the same Abbottes were made bishops as there be some of them yet a live to save and redeem their pentiōs. O Lord, think ye, that God is a fole, & seeth it not, and if he se it, will he not punish it. And so now for salfety of money, I would not y ^t ye should put in chauntrey priests, I speak not now against such chauntrey priests as are able to preach, but those that are not able, I will not have them put in. For if ye do this, ye shall answer for it.

It is in the text, that a king ought to fear god, he shall have the dread of God before his eyes, work not by wordlye polycye, for worldly policy feareth not God.

Take hede of these claubackes, these venemouse people that will come to you, that will follow like Gnatoes and Parasites, if you follow them, you are out of youre boke. If it be not according to God's words that they counsel you, do it not for any worldle policye, for then ye fear not God.

It followeth in the text. Vt no • eleuetur coz eius. That he be not proud above his brethreen. A king must not be proud, for God might have made him a shepherd, when he made him a king, & done him no wrong.

There be many examples of proud kings in scripture.

As Pharaoh that would not hear the message of God. Herod also, y ^t put John Baptist to death, and would not hear him, he told him, that it was not lawful for him to marry his brothers wife.

Jeroboam also was a proud king. An other king there was that worshipped strange God's and Idols, of those men whō he had over come before in battle, and when a Prophet told him of it. What said he. Who made you one of my council? These were proud kings, their examples are not to be followed.

But wherefore shall a king fear God, and turn neither to the right hand, nor to the left? Wherefore shall he do all this? vt longo tēpore reg • et ipse, et filii tius. That he may reign long, he and his children. Remembre this I beseech your grace. And whē these flatterers, and flybbergybbes another day shall come & clawe you by the back and say.

Syr trouble not yourself. What should you study? Why should you do this or that? Your grace may answer them thus. and say. What Syrra, I perceive you are weary of us, and our posteritye. Doeth not God sai in such a place. That a king should write out a boke of gods law, and read it? learn to fear God. And why? That he and his, might reign long I perceive now thou art a traitor.

Tell him this tale once, and I warrant you he will come no more to you, neither he, nor any other after such a sort.

And this shall your grace drive these flatterers and claubackes away. And I am afraid I have troubled you to longe. Therefore I will furnyshe the text now with an history or two, and then I will leave you to God. Ye have heard howe a king ought to pass the time. He must read the boke of God, & it is not enough for him to read, but he must be acquainted with all scripture, he must study, and he must pray, and how shall he do both these.

He may learn at Solomon, GOD spake unto Solomon, when he was made a king, and bade him ask of him what he would, and he should have it. Make thy petition said God, and thou shalt obtain.

Now mark Solomon's prayer: Domine, o Domine deus, said he: O Lord GOD, it is thou that hast caused me to reign, & haste set me in my fathers seat, for thou GOD only doest make kings. Thus should Kynges praise God, and thank god as Solomon did.

But what was his petycion? Lord, said he: Da mihi cor docile • He asked a docyble heart, a wise heart, and wisdom to go in and to go out, that is to begin all mine affairs well, and to bring them to good effect and purpose, that I may learn to guide and govern my people. When he had made his petyciō it pleased God well that Solomon asked wisdom, & neither riches nor longe life, & therefore GOD made him this answer. Because thou hast chosen wisdom above all things, I will give the it, & thou shalt be the wisest king that ever was before the, and so he was, & the wisest in all kīdes of knowledge, that ever was sith. And though he did not ask riches, yet God gave him both riches and honor, more then ever any of his auncetours had.

So youre grace must learn howe to do, of Solomon. Ye must make your petition, now study, now pray. They must be yoked to gether, and this is called pastyme with good company. Now when God had given Solomon wisdom, he sent him by and by occasion to occupy his wit. For God gave never a gift, but he sent occasion at one time or another to show it to God's glory. As if he sent riches, he sendeth pore mē to be helped with it. But now must men occupy their goods other ways. They will not loke on the poor, they must help their children, & purchase them more land thē ever their grandfathers had before thē. But I shall tell you what Christ said. He that loveth his child better thē me, is not worthy to be my dysciple. I cā not se how ye shall stand before God at the later day, when this sentence shall be laid against you.

But to return to my purpose, there were two pore women came before Solomon to complain. They were two harlots, and dwelled together in one house, & it chanced with in .ii. days they chylded both. The one of these womē by chance in the night, had killed her child, and rose pryuely & went to the other woman, and toke her live child away, and left her dead child in his place.

Upon that they came both before Solomon to have the matter judged, whose the child was. And the one said: it is my child. Nay saith the other, it is mine. So there was yea, and nay, between them, and they held up the matter with skoldynge after a womanly fashyō. At the length Salomō repeated their tale as a good judge ought to do, and said to the one woman.

Thou sayst the child is thine, yea said she. And thou sayest, it is thine to the other. Well, fetch me a swerd said he. For there was no way now to try, which was the true mother, but by natural inclinacyon.

And so he said to one of his servants. Fetche me a sword and deuyde the child between them. When the mother of the child that accused the other. heard him say so. Nay for God's sake said she, let her have the whole child, and kill it not. Nay quod the other, neither thine, nor mine, but let it be divided.

Then said Solomon. Geue this woman the child, this is the mother of the child. What come of this? Audiuit omnis Israel. When all Israel heard of this judgment, they feared the king. It is wisdom and Godly knowledge that causeth a king to be feared. One word note here for God's sake, and I will trouble you no longer.

Woulde Solomon being so noble a king hear .ii. poor womē? They were poor, for as the scripture saith. They were to geather alone in a house, they had not so much as one servant between them both.

Woulde king Solomon I say hear them in his own person? Yea forsothe. And yet I hear of many matters before my Lord Protectoure, and my Lord Chaunceloure that cannot be heard. I must desire my Lord protectours grace to hear me in this matter, that youre grace would hear poor men's suits yourself. Putte thē to none other to hear, let them not be delayed. The saying is now that money is heard everywhere if he be rich he shall soon have an ende of his matter. Other are fain to go home with wepīg tears for ani healp they can optaine at ani Judges hand. Hear menes suetes yourself I require you in gods be half & put it not to the hearing of these veluette cotes. these vpskippes. Now a mā can skarse know them from an auncyent Knyght of the country.

I cannot go to my boke fo • poor folks come unto me, desirynge me that I will speak y ^t their matters may be heard. I trouble my Lord of Canterburye, & being at his house now and then I walk in the garden looking in my boke, as I can do but little good at it. But some thing I must needs do to satisfy this place.

I am no sooner in the garden and have red a while, but by & by cometh there someone or other knocking at the gate.

Anone cometh my man and saith. Syr, there is one at the gate would speak with you When I come there, then is it someone or other y ^t desireth me that I will speak that his matter might be heard, and that he hath layne this longe at great costs and charges, and cannot once have his matter come to the hearing, but among all other, one specially moved me at this time to speak. Thys it is syr. A gentylwoman came to me and told me, that a great man keepeth certain lands of hyrs frō her, and will be her tenant in the spite of her tethe. And that in a whole twelve month she could not get but one day for the hearing of her matter, and the same day when the matter should be heard, the great man brought on his side a great sight of Lawyers for his counsel, the gentilwoman had but one man of law: and the great man shakes him so that he cannot tell what to do, so that when the matter came to the point, the Judge was a mean to the Gentyl woman, that she would let the great man have a quietness in her lande. I beseech youre grace that ye will loke to these matters. Hear them yourself. Uyeue your Judges? And hear poor men's causes. And you proud Judges herken what God saith in his holy boke: Audit illos, ita paruum vt magnum. Hear them saith he, the small as well as the great, the pore as well as the rich. Regarde no person, fear no man. Why? Quia domini iudicium est. The judgment is God's.

Marcke this saytnge thou proud Judge? The devil will bring this sentence at the day of Dome. Hel will be full of these Judges if they repent not and amende.

They are worse then the wicked Judge that Christ speaketh of, that neither feared God, nor the world. There was a certain widow that was a suitor to a Judge, and she met him in every corner of the streate, criynge. I pray you hear me, I beseech you hear me, I ask nothing but right

When the Judge saw her so importunate, though I fear neither God, saith he, nor the world, yet because of her importunatnes I will grant her request.

But our Judges are worse then this Judge was. For they will neither hear men for God's sake, nor fear of y ^e world, nor importunatenes, nor any thing else. Yea some of them will command them to ward, if they be importunate. I heard say, that when a suitor came to one of them, he said: What fellow is it that giveth these folk counsayll to be so importunate? he would be punished and committed toward. Mary syr, punish me then, it is even I that gave them counsayll, I would gladly be punished in such a a cause. And if ye amend not, I will cause thē to cry out upon you still: evē as long as I live. I will do it in deed, but I have troubled you long. As I began with this sentence. Quecunque scripta sunt, &c. So will I end now with this text. Beati qui audiūt verbū dei, et custodiunt illud : Blessed are they that hear the word of god and keepeth it. There was another suit, & I had almost forgotten it. There is a poor womā y ^t lieth in the Flete, and cannot come by any means that she can make, to her answer, and would fain be baylled, offering to put in sureties worth a thousand pound and yet she cannot be heard. He think this is a reasonable cause, it is great pity y ^t such things should so be. I beseech God, that he will grant that all that is amiss may be amended y ^t we may hear his word, & keep it, that we may come to the eternal bliss, to the which blysse I beseech GOD to bring both you & me. Amen.

The third Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latimer, which he preached before the Kynge within his graces Palayce at Westminster the .xxij. day of Marche.

Q Vecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Al things that are wryten, are written to be our doctrine. All things that be written in God's holy Boke, the Bible, were written to be our doctrine longe before our time, to serve from time to time, and so forth to the worlds ende.

Ye shall have in Remembraunce, moste benynge and gracyouse Audience, that a preacher hath .ii. offices, and the one to be used orderly after another.

The first is Exhortari per sanā doctrinam. To teach true doctrine He shall have also occasion oftentimes to use another, & that is. Contradicentes conuincere. To reprehende to conuynce, to confute gaynesayers and spurners against the truth.

Whye? you will say, will any body again say true doctrine, and sound doctrine? Well, let a preacher be sure, that his doctrine be true, & it is not to be thought, that any body will gain say it. If. S. Paul had not forsene that there should be gain sayers, he had not neadde to have appointed the confutation of gain saying.

Was there ever yet preachers, but there were gayn sayars? that spurned? that winste? that whympered against him? that blasphemed, that gaynesayed it?

When Moses came to Egypt with sound doctrine, he had Pharaoh to gain say him. Jeremiah was the minister of the true word of God, he had gain sayers the priests, and the false Prophets borne up by Ahab,

Eli had all Bals priests supported by Jezebel to speak against him.

John Baptist and our Sauioure Jesus Christ, had the Pharseis, the Scribes, and the priests gayn sayers to them. The Apostles, had gayn sayers also, for it was said to saint Paul at Rome:

Notum est nobis quod vbique sect huic contradicitur : We know that every man doth gain say this learning. After the Apostles time the truth was gain said w ^t tyrants, as Nero, Maxentius, Domicianus, and such like, and also by the doctrine of wicked heretics.

In the popish mass time, there was no gayn saying, all things seemed to be in peace, in a concord, in a quiet agrement. So longe as we had in adoration, in admiration, the popish mass, we were then without gaynsayinge. What was that? Thesame y ^t Christ speaketh of. Cū fortis armatus custodierit atriū &c. When Satan the devil hath the guydynge of the house, he keepeth all in peace that is in his possessyon: whan Satan ruleth, and beareth dominion in open Religion, as he did with us whē we preached pardō matters, purgatory matters, & pylgremage maters, all was quiet. He is ware enough, he is wily, and circūspect for stiryng up and sedition. When he keepeth his terrytory all ys in peace.

If there were any man that preached in England in times past, in the popes times, (as peradventure there was .ii or .iii) straight ways he was takē & napped in y ^e head with the title of an heretic. When he hath the religyon in possessyon, he sturreth up no sedycyon, I warrant yow.

How many discentyons have we heard of in Turkye? But a few I warrant you. He busyeth him self there with no discention. For he hath there dominion in the open Relygion, & neadeth not to trouble him self any further.

The Jews like ronnagates where so ever they dwell (for they be dispersed and be trybutaryes in all contryes where they inhabyte) loke wheather ye here of any heresies among them? But when fortis superuenerit, whē one stronger then the Deuyll, cometh in place, which is our Sauyour Jesus Christ, and reueleth his word, then the Deuyll roareth, then he bestyrreth him, then he raiseth diuersytye of opinions to slander God's word. And if ever concord should have been in Religyon. when should it have been but when Christ was here? Ye find fault with preachers, and say, they cause sedition. We are noted to be rassh, and vndiscret in our preaching. Yet as discrete as Christ was there was diversity, yea, what he was himself. For when he asked what men called him. Hys Apostles answered him. Some say, you are Johan Baptist. some say, you are Helias, and some say, you are one of the prophets, and these were they that spake best of him. For some said, he was a Samaritan, that he had a Deuyll within him, a gloser, a drincker, a pot-companion.

There was never Prophet to be compared to him, and yet was there never more dyssentiō then whē he was, and preached him self.

If it were contradicted thē, will ye think it shall not be contradicted now, when charitye is so cold and iniquity so strong? Thus these backebyters, and sclaunderers must be convinced.

Saynte Paul said: There shall be intractabiles, that will whympe and whyne, there shall be also Vaniloqui, vain speakers. For the which Sayncte Paul appointeth the preacher to stop their mouths and it is a preachers office to be a mouthe stopper.

Thys day I must somewhat do in the seconde office, I must be again sayer, and I must stop their mouths, conuynce, refell, and confute that they speak sclaūderousely of me.

There be some gain sayers gain sayers, for there be some sclaunderouse people, vaynespeakers, and intractabiles which I must needs speak against.

But first I will make a short rehearsal to put you in memory of that, that I spake in my last Sermon. And that done, I will confute one that sclaūdereth me. For one there is y ^t I must needs aunswre unto, for he sclaundreth me for my preaching before the kings majesty. There be some to blame, that when a preacher is wearye, yet they will have him speak all at once.

Ye must tarry till he here more. Ye must not be offended till ye here the rest. Here all and then judge all. What ye are very hasty, very quick with your preachers? But before I enter further into this matter I shall desier you to pray. &c.

Fyrst of all as touching my first sermon, I will run it over cursorie. ryppynge a little the matter. I brought in an history of the Bible, excytynge my audience to beware of by walkynges, to walk ordinatlye, plainly, the kings high way, and a gre to that, which standeth with the order of a Realm. I shown you how we were under the blessing of God, for our king is Nobilis, I shown you we have a noble Kynge. True in heritoure to the crown with out doubt. I shown furthermore of his godly educacion. He hath such school Maiesters as cannot be gotten in all the Realm again. Wherefore we may be suer that God blessed this realm, all though he cursed the realm, whose ruler is a child, under whō the officres be clymbynge, and gleyynge, flurynge, scratchyng, and scrapynge, and volupteously set on banketyng and for the maynetenaunce of their volupteousnes, go by walks. And although he be young he hath as good, and as sage acounsayle, as ever was in England, which we may well know by their godly procedinges, and setting fourth of the word of God: Therefore let us not be worse? then the styffe necked Jews. In king Josiah time, (who being young did alter, change and correct wonderfully the religion) it was never heard in Jewry that the people repyned or said, The Kyng is a child. This gear will not last long. It is but one or two men's doings. It will not but for a time. The king knoweth it not. Woe worth that ever such men were borne. Take hede lest for our rebellion God take his blessing a way from us. I entered into the place of the kings pastyme. I told you howe he must pass his time in reading the boke of God (for that is the kings pastime by gods appoyntemente) in the which boke he shall learn to fear god,

Oh howe careful God is to set in an order all things that belong to a king in his chamber, in his stable in his treasure house.

These peuishe people in this Realm have nothing but the king, the king in their mouths, when it maketh for their purpose. As there was a doctor that preached, the kings majesty hath his holy water, he crepeth to the cross, & thē thei have nothing but the Kynge the king in their mouths. These be my good people that must have their mouths stopte, but if a man tell them of the kings proceadynges, now they have their shyftes, and their puto •• saying, we may not go before a law, we may break no order. These be the wicked preachers, there mouths must be stopte, these be the gaynesayers. Another thing there is y ^t I told you of Ne eleuetur cor regis. etc. The king must not be proud over his brethren. He must order his people with brotherly love and charity. Here I brought in ex • mples of proud Kynges. It is a great pride in kings and maiestrates when they will not hear, nor be comfortable to the • ound doctrine of God. It is another kind of pride in kings whē they think them selves so high, so lofty, that they disdain & think it not for their honor to hear poor men's causes thē selves. They have claubackes y ^t say unto thē. What sir? What need you to trouble yourself? take you youre pleasure, hunt, Hauke, dance, and dallye, let us a lone: we will govern and order the commune weal matters well enough. We worth them, they have been the rote of all myschiefe and destruction in this Realm. A king ought not only for to read and study, but also to pray. Let him borowe example at Solomon, who pleased God hyghlye with his petition, desyringe no wordly things, but wisdom, which God did not only grant him, but because he asked wisdom, he gave him many mo things. As riches, honor and such like. Oh, how it pleased God that he asked wisdom • And after he had givē him this wisdom he sent him also occasion to use the same by a couple of strumpets. Here I told an example of a meek king, who, so continued, until he came into the company of strange women He herd them not by means, or by any other, but in his own person, and I think verily the natural mother had never had her own child if he had not herd the cause him self, They were • eritrices. Hoores although some excuseth the matter, & say they were but typplers, such as keep alehouses. But it is but folly to excuse thē, seeing the Jews were such, & not unlike, but thei had their stews & the mayntenaūce of whoredom as they had of other vices. One thing I must here desier you to reform my lords. You have put down the Stues. But I pray you what is the matter a mended? what a uayleth that? ye have but changed the place, & not taken the whoredom away. God should be honored everywhere For the scripture saith. Domini es terra et plenitudo eius. The earth and the land is the Lord's. What place should be then within a Christiā realm left, for to dishonor God. I must needs show you such news as I here. For though I se it not myself, not withstanding it cometh faster to me then I would wish. I do as s. Paul doth to the Corinthians Auditur in uos stuprum. There is such a whoredom among you as is not among the gentiles. So likewise. Auditu, I here say hate there is such whoredom in England as never was seen the like. He charged all the Corinthians for one man's offense saying. They were all gilty for one man's sin, if they would not correct and redress it, but wynke at it. Lo, here may you se how that one man's sin polluted all Corinth. A little leaven as S. Paulle saith, corrupteth a great deal of dowe. Thys is, Communicare alienis pecatis, to be partaker of other men's sines I advertise you in God's nanie loke to it. I here sai, there is now more whoredom in London, thē ever there was on the bank. These be the news I have to tell you. I fear they be true. Ye ought to here of it, and redress it, I here of it, & as Paul saith, Aliqua ex par • e credo.

There is more open whoredom more stuede whoredom then ever was before. For God's sake let it be looked upon. It is youre office to se unto it. Now to my confutation. Ther is a certain man that shortly after my first sermon, being asked if he had been at the sermon that day, answered, yea: I pray you said he how lyked you him? mary said he even as I lyked him always, a seditious fellow. Oh lord he pinched me their in deed Nay he had rather a full bitte at me. Yet I comfort myself with that, that Christ him self was noted to be a sturrer up of the people against the Emperor, and was contented to be called sediclouse. It be commech me to take it in good worth, I am not better then he was. In the kings days that dead is, a meanye of us were called together before him to say our minds in certain matters. In the end one kneleth me down, and accuseth me of sediciō, that I had preached sediciouse doctrine. A heavy salutacion, and a hard point of such a man's doing, as if I should name him, ye would not think it. The king turned to me and said. What say you to that syr? Thē I kneled down, and turned me first to mine accuser, and required him.

Syr what form of preaching would you appoint me to preach before a king? Wold you have me for to preach nothing as concerning a Kynge, in the Kynges sermō? Have you any commission to a point me what I shall preach? Besydes this, I asked him divers other questions, and he would make no answer to none of them all. He had nothing to say. Then I turned me to the Kyng, and submitted myself to his Grace and said I never thought myself worthy, nor I never sued to be a preacher before youre Grace, but I was called to it, & would be will lyng (if you mislyke me) to give place to my betters. For I grūt there be a great many more worthy of the room thē I am. And if it be your graces pleasure so to allow thē for preachers, I could be content to bere their books after them. But if your Grace allow me for a preacher I would desire your grace to give me leave to discharge my cōciēce. Geue me leave to frame my doctrine according to mine audience. I had byne a very dolt to have preached so, at the borders of your realm, as I preach before your grace. And I thanke almighty God, which hath all ways byne remedy, that my sayings were well accepted of the king, for like a gracious Lord he turned into a nother communicacyon. It is even as the scripture saith. Cor Regis in manu domini, the Lord dyrected thē kings heart. Certain of my friends came to me with tears in their eyes, and told me they looked I should have been in the tower the same night. Thus have I ever more been burdened with the word of sedition. I have offended God greuouslye, transgressyng his law, and but for his remedy and his mercy, I would not loke to be saved. As for sedition, for ought that I know, me thynkes, I should not need Christ, if I might so say. But if I be clear in any thing, I am clear in this. So far as I know mine own heart, there is no man further from sedition then I, which I have declared in all my doings, and yet it hath been ever laid to me. An othher time, when I gave over mine office, I should have received a certain duty that they call a Pentecostall it came to the sum of fyftye and five pound, I sent my commissarye to gather it, but he could not be suffered. For it was said a sedition should rise upon it. Thus they burdened me ever with sedition. So this gentilman cometh up now with sedition. And wott ye what? I chanced in my last Sermon to speak a merry word of the new shilling (to refresh my auditory) howe I was like to put away my new shillynge for an old grote, I was herein noted to speak sediciously. Yet I comfort myself in one thing, that I am not alone, and that I have a fellow. For it is, Consolatio miserorom. It is the comfort of the wretched to have company. Whē I was in trouble, it was objected an said unto me that I was singular, that no man thought as I thought, that • loved a syngularyte in all thā I did, and that I took away. contrary to the king, and the whole parliamente, and that I was trauayled with them, that had better wyttes then I, that I was contrary to thē all. Mary syr this was a sore thunder bolte. I thought it an irksome thing to be a lone, and to have no fellow. I thought it was possyble it might not be true that they told me. In the .vii. of John the Priests sent out certain of the Jews to bring Christ unto them vyolentlye. Whē they came into the temple and hard him preach, they were so moved with his preaching, that they returned home again, and said to them that sent them. Nunquam sic locutus est homo vt hic homo. There was never man spake like this man. Then answered the Pharyses: Num et vos seducti estis? What ye braynsycke fools, Ye hoddy pecks. Ye doddye poulles, ye huddes, do ye believe him? are you seduced also? Nunquis ex Principibus credidit in eum.

Did ye se any great man, or any great offycer take his part? do ye se any body follow him, but beggerlye fyshers, and such as have nothing to take to? Numquis ex Pharisees? Do ye se any holy man? any perfect man? any learned man take his parte? Curba que ignorat legem execrabilis est. Thys lay people is accursed, it is they that know not the law, that takes his parte, and none elles.

Lo here the Pharisees had nothing to choke the people, with all, but ignorance. They did as our bishops of England, who upbraided the people always with ignorance, where they were the cause of it them selves· There were saith saint John. Multi ex principibus qui crediderunt in eū. Manye of the chyefe men believed in him, and that was contrary to the Pharisyes saying, Oh then by like they belied him, he was not alone.

So thought I, there bemore of mine opinion then I, I thought I was not alone. I have now gotten one fellow more, a companyon of sedytyon, and wot ye who is my fellow? Isaiah the Prophet, I spake but of a little preaty shyllynge. But he speaketh to Jerusalem after another sort, and was so bold to meddle with their coin Thou proud, thou covetous, thou hautye cytye of Jerusalem. Argentum tuum uersum est inscoriam. Thy silver is turned into, what? into testyons? Scoriam, in to dross. Ah sediciouse wrecthe, what had he to do with the mynte? Why should not he have left that matter to some master of policy to reprove? Thy silver is dross, it is not fine, it is counterfeit, thy silver is turned, thou haddest good silver What pertained that to Isaiah? Mary he espied a piece of divinity in that polici, he threateneth thē goods vengeance for it. He went to the rote of the matter, which was covetousness. He espied two points in it, that eythere it came of covetousness, which became him to reprove, or else that it tended to the hurt of the pore people, for the noughtynes of the silver was the occasion of dearth of all things in the Realm. He imputeth it to them as a great crime. He may be called a master of sedition in deed. Was not this a sedyciouse harlot to tell them this to their beardes? to their face?

This sedicyouse mā goeth also forth, saying: Vinum tuum mixtum est aqua. Thy wyne is mingled with water. Here he medeleth with vinteners, be like there were bruers in those days, as there be now.

It had been good for our missal pryestes to have dwelled in that cōtry, for they might have been sure to have had their wyne well mingled with water. I remember how Scrupulouse I was in my tym of blindness and ignorauncye, when I should say mass, I have put in water twice or thryse for faylyng, in so much when I have been at my Memēto, I have had a grudge in my consyence, fearing that I had not put in Watter enough.

And that which is here spoken of wine, he meaneth it of all arts in the cyty, of all kinds of faculties, for they have all their meddles and mynglynges. That he speaketh of one thing, he menneth generally of all. I must tell you more news yet.

I here say, there is a certain connynge come up in myxynge of wares.

Howe say, you were it no wonder to here that clothe makers should be come poticaries.

Yea and as I hear say, in such a place, where as they have professed the Gospel, and the word of God most earnestly of a longe time. Se howe busy the Deuyll is to slander the word of god? Thus the pore gospel goeth to wrack. If his clothe be .xviii. ye ardes long, he will set him on a rack, and streatch him out with ropes, and rack him till the senewes shryncke again, whiles he hath brought him to .xxvii. yardes. Whē thei have brought him to that perfection, they have a pretye seat to thycke him again. He makes me a powther for it, an plays the poticary, thei cal it floke pouther they do so in corporate it to the cloth, that it is wonder full to consider, truly a goodly inuencion.

Oh that so goodly wyttes should be so ill applied, they may well deceive the people but they cannot deceive God. They, were wont to mak beds of flocks and it was a good bed to. Now they have turned their flocks into pouther to play the false thieves with it. O wicked devil what can he invent to blaspheme God's word? These mixturs come of covetousness. Thei are plain theft. Woo worth that these flocks should so slander the word of God.

As he said to the Jews, thy wyne is mingled with water, so might he have said to us of this Lande. Thy clothe is myngeled with flockepouder. He goeth yet on. Thys sedicyouse man reproveth this honorable cytye, and said: Principes tui infidels. Thou lande of Hyerusalem, thy magystrates, thy Judges are vnfaythefull, they keep no touche, they will talk of many gaye things, they will pretend this and that, but they keep no promise. Thei be worse then vnfaythefull, he was not afraid to call the officers unfaithful. Et socij furum. Felowes of thieves, for thieves and thieves fellows, be all of one sort. They were wont to say. Ask my fellow if I be a thyefe. He calleth Prynces thieves. What? Prynces thieves? What a sedycyouse harlot was this? was he worthy to live in a commune wealth that would call Princes on this wise, fellows of thieves? Had they a standing at shooters hill, or Stangat hoole to take a purse? Why? did they stand by the high way side? Dyd they rob? or break open any man's house or door? No, no. That a is gross kind of theuynge. They were princes, they had apryncelye kind of theueynge. Omnes diligunt munera.

They all love bribes. Brybery is a pryncely kind of theuyng. They will be waged by the rich, either to give sentence against the poor, or to put of the poor man's causes. This is the noble theft of princes, and of magistrates. Thei are bribetakers Now a days they call them gentle rewards, let them leave their colourynge, and cal them by their Chrstian name. Brybes. Omnes diligunt munera. All all the princes, all the Judges, all the Priests, all rulers are brybers. What? were all the magistrates in Jerusalem, all brybe takers? none good? No doubt there were some good, This word omnes, signifieth the most parte, and so there be some good I doubt not of it in England. But yet we be far worse then those styfnecked Jews. For we read of none of thē y ^e winsed, nor kicked against Esaies preaching, or said y ^t he was a seditiouse fellow. It behooveth the magistrates to be in credit & therefore it might seme y ^t Isaiah was to blame to speak openli against the Magystrates. It is very sure that they that be good will bear, and not spourne at the preachers, they that be faultye they must amende, and neither spourne, nor wynse, nor whyne. He that fyndeth him self toeched or galled, he declareth him self not to be upright.

Woe worth these gifts, they subuerte justice everywhere. Sequuntur retributiones. They follow bribes. Some what was given to them before, and they must needs give somewhat again, for giffe gaffe was a good fellow, this gyffe gaffe led them clean frō justice. Thei follow gifts.

A good fellow on a time bad another of his friends to a breakefaste, and said: If you will come you shall be welcome, but I tell you afore hand, you shall have but slender fare, one dysh and that is all, what is that said he? A puddynge, and nothing else. Mary said he, you cannot please me better, of all meats that is for mine own toth, you may draw me round a boute the town with a pudding. These brybynge magystrates, and judges follow giftesfaster, then the fellow would follow the puddynge,

I am content to bear the title of sediciō with Isaiah. Thākes be to God, I am mot alone I am in no syngularitye. Thys same man that laid sedycyon thus to my charge, was asked another time, whether he were at the sermon at Paul's cross he answered that he was there, and being asked what news there. Mary quod he wonderful news, we were there clean absolved, my Mule and all had full absolution, ye may se by this, that he was such a one that rode on a mule and that he was a gentylman.

In deed his Mule was wiser then he, for I dare say, the Mule never sclaundered the Preacher. Oh what an unhappy chance had this Mule to carry such an Ass upon his back. I was there at the sermon myself. In the end of his sermon he gave a general absolucion, and as far as I remember these, or such other like were his words, but at the lease I am sure, this was his meaning, As many as do knowledge yourselves to be sinners, and confess the same and stands not in defense of it, and hartelye abhorreth it, and will believe in the death of christ, and be conformable thereunto, Ego absoluo uos, quod he. Now saeyth this gentylmā, his mule was absolved. The preacher absolved but such as were sorry, and did repent. Be like then she did repent her stumblynge, his Mule was wiser then he a great deal. I speak not of wordly wisdom, for therein he is to wise, yea, he is so wise, that wise men marvel, howe he came truly by tenth parte of that he hath. But in wisdom which consisteth In rebus dei, In rebus salutis, in godelye matters, and appartaynynge to our scluaciō, in this wisdom he is as blind as a beatle. They be. Tanquam equus et Multus, in quibus non est intellectus. Lyke Horses and Mules, that have no understanding. If it were true that the Mule repented her of her stumbling I think she was better absolved then he. I pray God stop his mouth, or else to open it to speak better, and more to his glory: An other man quickened with a word I spake (as he sayeed opprobriouslye against the nobilitye that their chyldrē did not set fourth God's word, but were vnpreachynge prelates) was offended with me.

I did not mean so, but that some noble men's children had set forth God's word, how be it the poor menes sons have done it always for the most parte. Johannes Alasco was here a great learned man and as they say a noble man in his contrye, and is gone his way again, if it be for lack of intertaynemente, the more pytye. I would wish such men as he to be in the realm, for the reame should prosper in receiving of them. Qui uos recipit, me recipit. Who receiveth you receiveth me (said Christ) and it should be for the kings honor to receive thē and keep them. I heard say Mayster Melanchthon, that great clarke, should come hither. I would wish him, and such as he is to have CC. pound a yere. The king should never want it in his coffers at the years ende. There is yet among us .ii. great learned men Petrus Martyr, and Bernardyne, which have a. C. marks a piece. I would the Kynge would bestow a thousand pound on that sort. Now I will to my place again. In the later ende of my sermō I exhorted judges to hear the small as well as the great. Iuste quod iustum est iudicate. You must not only do tustyce, but do it justly. You must observe all circumstances, You must give justice, and minister just judgment in time.

For the delaynge of matters of the poor folk, is as sinful before the face of god as wrong judgment. I rehearsed here a parable of a wicked Judge, which for importunities sake heard the poor woman's cause, &. cetera. Here is a comfortable place, for all you that cry out and are oppressed. For you have not a wicked judge, but a merciful judge to call unto I am not so full of foolish pytye, but I can consider well enough, that some of you cōplain without a cause. They weep, they wayle, they mourn I am sure some not with out a cause. I did not here reprove all judges, and find faute with all. I think we have some as painful magistrates, as ever was in England, but I will not swear they be all so, and they that be not of the best, must be content to be taught, & not disdain to be reprehended,

David saith: Erudimini qui iudicatis terram. I refer it to your conscience.

Vos qui iudicatis terram. Ye that be judges on the earth, whether ye have heard poor mennes causes with expedience or no, If ye have not, thē erudimini, be content to be touched, to be told. You widows you orphans you poor people, here is a comfortable place for you. Thoughe these Judges of the world will not hear you there is one will be content with your importunytye, he will remedy you, if you come after a right sort unto him.

Ye say. The Judge doth blame you for youre importunitye, it is yrckesome unto him. He entered into this parable to teache you to be importune in your petityon. Non defatigari. Not to be weary. Here he teacheth you, how to come to god in adversity, and by what means, which is by prayer. I do not speak of the meryte of Christ, For he saith: Ego sum via, I am the way, Qui credit in me, habet vitam eternam. Who so believeth in me hath everlasting life. But when we are come to Christ, what is our way to remedy aduersytie? in an guyshe? in tribulacions: in our necessytes? in our injuries? The way is prayer.

We are taught by the commandment of GOD. Inuoca me in die tribulationis et ego eripiāte. Thou widow, thou orphane, thou fatherless child, I speak to the that haste no friends to help the, call upon me in the day of thy tribulacion, cal upon me, Ego eripiam te.

I will pluck the away, I will deliver the, I will take the away, I will releue the, thou shalt have thy hearts desire. Here is the promise, here is the comfort. Glorificabis me. Thanke me, accept me for the author of it, and thank not this creature or that for it. Here is the Judge of all Judges, come unto him, and he will hear you. For he saith: Quicquid petieritis patrem in nomine meo &c.

What so ever ye ask my father in my name, shall be given you thorough my merits. You miserable people that are wronged in the world, ask of my father in your dystresses, but put me a fore, look you come not with brags of your own merits but come in my name, and bi my meryte.

He hath not the propertye of this stout judge, he will bear your importunatenes, he will not be angry at youre cryinge and calling. The prophet saith: Sperauerunt in te Patres nostri, et exaudinisti illos. Thou GOD thou God, our fathers did cry upon the, and thou heardest them. Art thou not our GOD as well as theyres? Ther is nothing more pleasant to God, then for to put him in remembrance of his goodness shown unto our forefathers. It is a pleasant thing to tell God of the benefits that he hath done before our time.

Go to Moses, who had the guydynge of God's people, se howe he used prayer, as an instrumente to be delivered out of aduersytye, when he had great roughe mountains on every side of him, and before him the red sea, Pharaoh's host behind him, peril of death round about him. What did he? dispayred he? no, Whyther went he? He repaired to God with this prayer, & said nothing. Yet with a great ardēcy of spirit he perced gods ears Now help or never good Lord, now help, but in thi hand quod he. Though he never moved his lips, yet the scripture saith: he cried out and the lord heard him, and said: quid clamas ad me ? Why crieste thou out so loud? The people heard him say nothing, and yet GOD said. Whi criest thou out? Straight ways he stroke the water with his rod, and divided it, and it stood up like two walls on either side, between the which gods people passed, and the persecutors were drowned. Joshua was in angwyshe, and like distress at Jericho, that true captain, that faithful Judge no folower of retributions, no brybetaker, he was no money man, who made his petition to almyghty God to show him the cause of his wrath toward him when his army was plagued after the taking of Ierycho. So he obtained his prayer, and learned, that for one man's fault all the rest were punished. For Achan's couetuousnes many a thousand were in agonye, and fear of death, who hid his money, as he thought from God. But God saw it well enough, and brought it to light.

Thys Acan was abywalker· Well, it came to pass, when Joshua knew it, straight ways he purged the army, and took away. Malum de Israel, that is wickedness frō the people. For Joshua called him before the people, and said, Da gloriam deo, Gyue praise to God, tell trothe man, and forth with he told it. And then he and all his house suffered death.

A goodly ensample for all magystrates to follow. Here was the execution of a true Judge he was no gift taker, he was no wynker, he was no bywalker. Also when the Assyriās with and innumerable power of men in Iosaphates time overflowed the lande of Israel. Jehoshaphat that good king goeth me straight to god, and made his prayer Non est in nostra fortitudine, (said he) huic populo resistor, it is not in our strength, O Lord, to resyst this people, and after his prayer god delivered him, and at the same time .x.M. were destroyed. So ye miserable people, you must go to God in anguyshes, and make your prayer to him.

Arm yourselves with prayer in your aduersytyes. Manye begin to pray, and sodaynelye caste away prayer, the Deuyll putteth such phantasyes in their heads, as though GOD could not intend them, or had somewhat else to do.

But you must be importune and not werye, nor caste away prayer. Nay you must caste away sin. GOD will hear your prayer, albeit, you be sinners, I send you a judge y ^t will be glad to hear you. You that are oppressed, I speak to you▪ Christ in this parable doth painte the good will of god toward you, o miserable people, he that is not received, let him not dyspayre, nor think y ^t god had forsakē him, For god tarrieth till he seith a time, & better cā do all things for us, thē we our selves cā wish.

There was a wicked Judge, &c. What meaneth it that God boroweth this parable rather of a wicked Judge, then of a good? Belike good judges were rare at that time, and trow ye the devil hath been a sleep ever sense? No, no. He is as busy as ever he was. The commune manner of a wicked Judge is, neither to fear God nor man. He consydereth what a man he is, & therefore he careth not for man because of his pride.

He looketh hye over the poor, he will be had in admiration in adoration. He seemeth to be in a protection. Well, shall he scape? Ho, ho, est Deus in celo. There is a GOD in heaven, he accepteth no persons, he will punysh them.

There was a pore woman came to this judge, and said: Vindica me de aduersario. Se that mine adversary do me no wrong. He would not hear her but drove her of. She had no money to wage either him either them that were about him. Dyd this woman well to be avenged of her adversary? may Chrystyan people seek vengeance? The Lord saith: Mihi vindictam et ego retribuam : When ye reueng ye take mine office upon you. Thys is to be understand of private vengeance. It is lawful for gods flock to use means to put away wrongs, to resort to judges, to require to have sentence givē of right. Saynte Paul sent to Lisyas the trybune to have this ordynary, remedy, and Chyrste also said. Si male locutus sum, et ceter. If I have spoken evil rebuke me? christ here answered for himself. Note here my Lord's and masters what case poor widows and orphans be in.

I will tell you my Lord's Judges, if ye consider this matter well, ye should be more afraid of the pore widow, then of a noble man with all the friends and power that he can make. But now a days the Judges be. a fraied to hear a poor man against the rich, in so much, they will either pronounce against him, or so drive of the poor man's suit, that he shall not be able to go thorough with it. The greatest man in a realm cā not so hurt a Judge as the poor wyddow, such a shrewede turn she can do him. And with what armure I pray you?

She can bring the Judges skynne over his ears, and never lay hands upon him. And howe is that? Lachrime miserorum descendunt ad maxillas. The tears of the poor fall down upon their cheeks, Et ascendunt ad celū, and go up to heaven, and cry for vengeance before god, the judge of wyddowes, the father of widows & orphans. Pore people be opressed even by laws. Veijs qui condunt leges iniquas. Woe worth to thē that make evil laws. If woe be to thē y ^t make laws against y ^e poor, what shall be to thē y ^t hynder & mar good laws? Quid facietis in die vltionis. What will ye do in the day of vengeance, when God will visyt you? he saith, he will hear the tears of poor women whē he goeth on visitaciō. For their sakes he will hurt the Judge, be he never so high. Deus transfert regna. He will for wyddowes sakes change Realms, bring them into temptation. pluck y ^e Judges skins over their heads.

Cambises was a great Emperor such another as our master is, he had many Lord deputies, Lord presidentes, and Leuetenauntes under him. It is a great while a go scythe I read the history. It chanced he had under him in one of his dominions a bryber, a gift taker, a gratifier of rytchemen, he followed gifts, as fast as he that followed the puddynge a hand maker in his office, to make his son a great man, as the old saying is. Happye is the child, whose father goeth to the Deuyll.

The cry of the poor widow came to the Emperors ear, and caused him to flay the Judge quycke, and laid his skynne in his chair of Judgment, that all Judges, that should give Judgment afterward, should sytte in the same skin Surely it was a goodly sign, a goodly monument, the sign of the Judges skynne, I pray God we may once se the sign of the skynne, in England. Ye will say peradventure that this is cruelly and vncharitablye this is cruelly & uncharitably spoken, no, no, I do it charitably for a love I bere to my contrye. God saith. Ego visitabo, I will visit. God hath two visitacions. The first is when he reueleth his word by preachers & where the first is accepted, the seconde cometh not The seconde visitacion is vengeance. He went a visitacion, when he brought the judges skynne over his ears. If his word be dispysed he cometh with his seconde visitasion w ^t vengeance.

Noah preached gods word an. C. years, and was laughte to sckorne, and called an old dotynge fole. Because they would not accept this first visitation, God visited the second time he poured down showeres of rain till all the world was drowned,

Loth was a visitoure of Sodom, & Gomorre, but because they regarded not his preaching, God visited them the seconde time, and brente them all up with brimstone saving Loth. Moses came first a visitacion into Egypt with gods word, & because they would not here him, God visited them again, and drowned them in the red sea, God likewise with his first visitaciō visited y ^e Israelites by his prophets, but because they would not hear his Prophets, he visited them the seconde time, and dispersed them in Assyria and Babylon John Baptyste lybewyse and our Sauioure Christ visited them afterward declaring to them God's will, and because they despised these vysytours he destroyed Hiesrusalem by Titus and Uespasianus. Germany was vysyted .xx. years with gods word, but they did not earnestly embrace it, and in life follow it, but made a myngle mangle and a hotchpotch of it.

I cannot tell what, partly poperye, partelye true religion mīgled to geather. They say in my contrye, when they cal their hogs to the swine troughe. Come to thy myngle mangle, come pyr, come pyr, even so they made mingle mangle of it. They could clatter and prate of the Gospel, but when all cometh to all, they joined poperye so with it, that they marde all to gether, they scratched and scraped all the livings of the church, and under a couloure of religion turned it to their own proper gain and lucre. God, seeing that they would not come unto his word, now he visiteth them in the seconde time of his visitacion with his wrath. For the taking away of God's word, is a manyfeste token of his wrath. We have now a first visitation in England, let us beware of the seconde. We have the mynystracyon of his word, we are yet well, but the house is not clean swepte yet.

Gode hath sent us A noble Kynge in this his vysytacyon, let us not provoke him against us, let us beware, let us not dysplease him, let us not be unthankfull, and unkind, let us beware of bywalkynge and contemnynge of gods word, let us pray dylygently for our king, let us receive with all obedience and prayer, the word of GOD. A word or two more and I commytte you to God. I will monyshe you of a thing, I hear say ye walk inordinatelye, ye talk vnsemelye other ways then it becometh Christian subjects.

Ye take upon you to Judge the Iudgementes of Judges. I will not make the Kynge a Pope, for the Pope will have all things that he doth, taken for an Article of our faith.

I will not say but that the Kynge, and his, council may err, the Parliamente housses, both the high and low may err. I pray daily that they may not err.

It becometh us whatsoever they decree to stand unto it, and receive it obedyentlye, as far forth as it is not manifest wicked, and dyrectlye against the word of GOD. Yt pertaineth unto us to think the best, though we cannot render a cause for the doing of every thing.

For Charitas omnia credit, omnia sperat. Charity doth believe and trust all things. We ought to expound to the best all things all though we cannot yield a reason.

Therefore I exhort you good people pronounce in good part all the fact and deeds of the magystrates and judges. Charyte judgeth the best of all men, and specyallye of magystrates S. Paul saith: Nulite iudicare ante tempus donec Dominus aduenerit. Judge not before the time of the Lord's coming. Prauum cor hominis. Mānes heart is unsearchable, it is a ragged piece of work, no man knoweth his own heart, and therefore David prayeth & saith: Ab occultis meis munda me. Delyuer me from my unknown faults. I am a further offender then I can se. A man shall be blinded in love of him self, & not se so much in him self as in other men, let us not therefore judge judges. We are cōptable to God, and so be they. Let them alone, they have their coūtes to make. If we have charytie in us we shall do this. For Charitas operatur. Charytye worketh. What worketh it? marry Omnia credere, omnia sperare. To accept all things in good part. Nolite iudicare ante tempus.

Judge not before the Lord's coming. In this we learn to know Antichryst, which doth eleuate him self in the church, and judgeth at his pleasure before the time. Hys canonizasyōs and iudgynge of men before the lords judgment, be a manifest token of Antichrist. How can he know Saints? He knoweth not his own heart, & he cannot know them by miracles. For some miracle workers shall go to the devil. I will tell you what I remembered yester night in my bed. A meruaylous tale to perceive, howe inscrutable a man's heart is. I was once at Oxford, (for I had occasion to come that way, when I was in my office,) they told me it was a gainer way, and afayrer way, and by that occasion I lay there a night. Beyng there, I heard of an execution that was done upon one that suffered for treason. It was as (ye know) a dangerous world, for it might soon cost a man his life for awordes speaking.

I cannot tell what the matter was, but the judge set it so out that the man was condemned. The .xii. men came in, and said gyltye, and upon that, he was judged to be hanged, drawn, & quartred. When the rope was about his neck, no man could persuade him that he was in any fault, and stood there a great while in the protestation of his innocence. Thei hanged him and cut him down somewhat to soon afore he was clean dead, then they drew him to the fire, and he revived, and then he coming to his remembrance confessed his fault and said he was gyltye. O a wonderful example, it may well be said: Prauū cor hominis et inscrutabile. A crabbed peace of work & vnsercheable. I will leave here, for I think you know what I mean well enough.

I shall not need to apply this example any further. As I began ever with this saying: Quecunque scripta sunt, like a trouant and so I have a commune place to the ende, if my memory fail me, Beati qui audiunt verbū dei, et custodiunt illud. Blessed be they that hear the word of God, and keep it. It must be kept in memory, in living, and in our conversation. And if we so do, we shall come to the blessedness, which god prepared for us thorough his son Jesus Christ, to the which he bring us all Amen.

The fourth Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latimer, which he preached before the Kynge within his graces Palayce at Westminster the .xxix. day of Marche.

Q Vecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Al things that are wryten, are written to be our doctrine. The Parable that I toke to begin with (most honorable audience) is written in the .xviii Chapter of S. Luke, and there is a certain remnaunt of it behind yet. The Parable is this: There was a certain Judge in a cytye, that feared neither God nor man.

And in the same cytye there was a widow that required Iustyce at his hands, but he would not hear her, but put her of and delayed the matter.

In process the Judge seeing her importunitye, said, though I fear neither God nor man, yet for the importunitye of the womann, I will hear her lease she rail upon me and moleste me with exclamations, and out cries I will hear her matter, I will make an ende of it.

Oure Sauyoure Christ added more unto this and said. Audit quid iudex dicat, et cetera. Hear you said Christ, what the wicked judge said.

And shall not God revenge his eiecte, that cry upon him day and night? Al though he tarry and dyfferre them. I say unto you, he will revenge them and that shortelye. But when the son of man shall come, shall he find faith in the earth.

That I may have grace so to open the remnaunte of this parable that it may be to the glory of God, and edifyinge of youre souls, I shall desier you to pray. In the which prayer. &c.

I shown you the last day. (most honorable Audience) the cause why our Sauioure Christ, rather used the example of a wicked Judge then of a good.

And the cause was for that in those days there was great plenty of wicked Judges, so that he might borrow an example among them well enough. For there was much scarcity of good Judges. I did excuse the widow also for coming to the Judge against her adversary, because she did it not of malice: she did it not for appetite of vengeance.

And I told you that it was good and lawful, for honest vertuose folk, for God's people, to use the laws of the realm, as an ordinari help against their adversaries, and ought to take them as God's holy ordinances, for the remedyes of their iniuryes and wrongs. when they are distressed

So that they do it charitablye louyngelye, not of malice, not vengeablye, not couetouslye.

I should have told you here of a certain sect of herytykes that speak against this order and doctrine, they will have no magystrates nor Judges on the earth.

Here I have to tell you, what I heard of late by the relation of a credible person, and a worshypful man, of a town in this realm of England, that hath above .v.C. herytykes of this erroniouse opinion in it as he said. Oh so busy the Deuyll is now to hynder the word coming out, and to slander the Gospel. A sure argument and an euydent demonstration, that the light of God's word is a borde, and that this is a true doctrine that we are taught now, else he would not tore and stir about as he doeth whan he hath the upper hand. He will keep his possession quyetly as he did in the popish days, whan he bare a rule of supremacye in peaceable possession. If he reigned now in open religion, in open doctrine as he did than, he would not stir up erroniouse opynyons, he would have kept us without contencyon, without dyssencion. There is no such dyuersytie of opynions among the Turks, nor among y ^e Jews And why? For there he reigneth peaceably in the hole religion, Christ saith. Cum fortis armatus custodierit atrium: et cet. Whan the strong armid man keepeth his house, those things that he hath in possessyon, are in a quyetnes, he doeth enjoy them peaceably. Sed cum fortior eo superuenerit. But whan a stronger than he cometh upon him, whan the light of gods word is ones revealed, thā he is busi, thē he roars then he fyskes abroad, and styrreth up erronius opinions, to sclaūder godds word. And this is an argument that we have the true doctrine. I beseech God continue us and keep us in it. The devil declareth the same, and therefore he roars thus and goeth about to stir up these wanton headdes and busy brains. And will you know where this town is? I will not tell you dyrectlye. I will put you to muse a little. I will utter the matter by a cyrcumloqution. Wher is it? Wher the bishop of the diocese is an vnpreachynge prelate. Who is that? If there be but one such in all England, it is easi to guess. And if there were no mo but one, yet it were to many by one. And if there be moe, they have the more to answer for, that they suffer in this Realm an vnpreachyng prealeatye vnrefourmed I remember well what. S. Paul saith to a bishop. And though he spake it to Timothy being a bishop, yet I may say it now to the magistrates for all is one • ase, all is one matter. Non cōmunicabis peccatis alienis. Thou shalt not be partaker of other men's faults. Laye not thy hands rashly upon any, be not hastye in making of curates, in receyuinge men to have cure of Souls that are not worthy of the office, that either, can not or will not do their duty. Do it not. Whye? Quia communicabis peccatis alienis. Thou shalt be partaker of other men's sins. Now me think it needs not to be partaker of other men's sins we shall find enough of our own. And what is Communicare peccatis alienis. To be partaker of other mennes evils, if this be not, to make unpreaching prealates, & to suffer them to continue still in their vnpreachynge prelacye?

If the king and his council should suffer evil Judges of this realm to take bribes, to defeat justice & suffer the great, to over go the poor, & should loke through his fingers, & wynk at it, should not the king be partaker of their naughtynes? And why? Is he not supreme head of the church? what? is the supremacye a dygnytye and nothing else? is it not comptable? I think it will be a chargeable dygnitye whan account shall be asked of it. Oh what a vauntage hath the Deuyll? what entrye hath the wolf whan the shepard tendeth not his flock, and leads them not to good pasture? Saint Paul doth say Qui been presunt presbiteri duplici honor digni sunt. What is this preesse. It is as much to say as to take charge & cure of souls we say ill priest, he is set over the flock. He hath taken charge upon him. And what is, Bene preesse ? To discharg the cure To rule well, to feed the flock with pure food, and good example of life. Well then, Qui been presunt duplici honor digni sunt. They that dyscharge their cure well, are worthy duble honor. What is this duble honor? The first is to be reuerensed, to be had in estimation and reputacion with the people, and to be regarded as good pastors. A nother honor is, to have all things necessary for their state, mynystred unto them. Thys is the double honor that they ought to have. Qui presunt Bene, that discharge the cure if they do it Bene.

There was a merye moncke in Cambrydge in the College that I was in, and it chanced a great company if us to be together, entendynge to make good cheare, and to be merye (as sholers will be merry when they are disposed) One of the company brought out this sentence. Nil melius quam lee ari et facere been. There is nothing better then to be merye and to do well. A vēgeaunce of that Bene (quod the Monk) I would that, Bene had been banished beyond the sea, and that Bene were out, it were well. For I could be merry, and I could do, but I love not to do well That, Bene mars altogether. I would Bene were out quod the merry monk for it, importeth many things to live well, to dyscharge the cure. In deed it were better for them if it were out, And it were as good to be out as to be ordered as it is. It will be a heuy Bene. to some of them, when they shall come to their account. But perauenture you will say, What and they preach not at all? Yet, presunte. Are they not worthy double honor? is it not an honorable order they be in? Nay an horrible misorder it is an horror rather then and honor, and horrible rather, then honorable, if the preacher be naughte, and do not his duty. And thus go these prelates about too wreastle for honor that the Deuyll may take his pleasure in sclaunderynge the realm, and that it may be reported a borde that we brede, herisyes among our selves. It is to be thought that some of them would have it so, to bring in poperye again.

This I fear me is their entente, And it shall be blown abroad to our holy father of Rome's ears, and he shall send forth his thonderboltes upon these brutes, and all this doth come ta pass thorough their vnpreachynge prelacye.

Are they not worthy double honor? Nay rather double dyshonore, not to be regarded, not to be esteemed among the people, and to have no living at their hands? For as good preachers be worthy double honor: so unpreaching prelates be worthy double dishonoure. They must be at their doublets. But now these .ii dishonoures what be thei? Our savior christ doth show. Si sal infatuatus fuerit ad nihil ultra valet nisi vt proiiciatur foras. If the salt be vnsauarye it is good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden of men. By this salt? is understand preachers, and such as have cure of souls. What be they worthy then? wherfor serve thei? For nothing elles but to be caste out. Make them quōdams, out with thē cast them out of there office, what should thei do with cure y ^t will not loke to thē? An other dishonor is this Vt conculcentur ab hominibus. To be trodē under mens fete, not to be regarded, not to be esteemed They be at their doublets still. S. Paul in his epistle qualifieth a bishop, & saith that he must be Aptus ad docendum, ad refellendum apt. To teache and to confute all manner of false doctrine But what shall a man do with aptenes, if he do not use it? It were as good for us to be without it. A bishop came to me the last day, and was angry with me for a certain Sermon that I made in this place. Hys chaplain had complained against me because I hade spoken against vnpreachinge prelates.

Nay quod the bishop, he made so indifferente a Sermon the first day, that I thought he would mar all the seconde day. He will have every man a quondam as he is. As for my quondamshype I thank God that he gave me y ^e grace to come by it by so honest a means as I did. I thank him for, mine own quondamshyppe, and as for them I will not have them made quonndams, if they dyscharge their office. I would have them do their duty. I would have no more quōdams as God help me. I owe them no other malice then this, and that is none at all.

Thys bishop answered his chaplain, well (says he) well, I did wysely today, for as I was going to his Sermon, I remembered me that I had neither said mass, nor matins. And homeward I gate as fast as I could, and I thank god I have said both, and let his vnfruteful Sermon alone. Unfruitefull saith one, another saith sedition. Well, unfruitful is the best, and whether it be unfruitful or no, I cannot tell, it lieth not in me to make it fruitful. And God work not in your hearts: my preaching can do you but little good. I am gods instrument but for a time. It is he that must give the increase, and yet preaching is necessary.

For take a way preaching, & take a way saluaciō. I told you of Scala cely and I made it a preaching matter, not a massyng matter. Christ is the preacher of all prachers, the patron and the exemplar, that all preachers ought to follow. For it was he by whom the father of heaven said, Hic est filius meus dilectus, ipsum audit, Thys is my well-beloved son, hear him, Evē he whē he was here on the earth, as wysely, as learnedlye as circumspectli as he preached yet his seed fell in three partes so that the fourth parte only was fruiteful. And if he had no better luck that was preacher of all preachers, what shall we loke for? Yet was there no lack in him, but in the ground: And so now there is no fault in preaching, the lack is in the people that have stoni hearts, and thorny hearts. I beseech God to amend thē. And as for these folk that spake against me I never loke to have their good word as longe as I live. Yet will I spake of their wickedness, as long as I shall be permitted to spake As longe as I live, I will be an enemy to it. No preachers can pass it over with silence. It is the original root of all myschiefe. As for me I owe them no other ill will, but I pray God amende them, when it pleaseth him. Now to the parable, What did the wicked Judge in the ēde of the tale? The love of god moved him not, the law of god was this, and it is writ in the first of Deuteronomye, Audit eos. Hear them. These two words will be heavy words to wicked judges another day. But some of them peradventure will say. I will hear them, but I will hear such as will give bribes, and these that will do me good tournes. Nayeye, be hedged out of that liberty. He saith: Ita paruum vt magnum. The smalle as well as the great. Ye must do iustum, deal Iustelye? minister justice, and that to all mē, and you must do it just. In time conueniente, without any delays, or dryuyng of with expedycyon.

Well, I say, neither this law, nor the word and commandment of God moved this wicked Judge, nor the myserye of this widow, nor the vpryghteousnes of her cause, nor the wrong which shetoke, moved him, but to avoid importunytye, and clamoure, and exclamatyon, he gave her the hearing, he gave her fynal sentence, and so she had her request.

Thys place of Iudgemente it hath been ever imperfect, it was never seen that all Judges did their duty, that they would hear the small as well as the great. I will not prove this by the witness of any private magistrate, but by the wyseste Kynges saying that ever was. Vibi subsole (saith Salomō) In loco iusticie, impietatem, et in loco equitatis iniquitatem. I have seen under the sun, that is to say, over all, in every place where right judgment should have been, wickedness, as who would say bribes taking, defeatinge of justice, oppressyng of y ^e poor. Men sent away with wepynge tears, without any hearing of their causes, and in the place of equitye saith he: I have seen iniquity. No equity. No justice a sore word for Solomon to pronounce vniuersallye, gene. rallye. And if Solomon said it, there is a matter in it.

I wene he said it not only for his own time, but he saw it both in those that were before him, and also that were to come after him.

Now comes Isaiah and he affyrmeth y ^e same speaking of the judgments done in his time in the commune place, as it might be Westminster hall, the gylde hall, the Judges hall, the pretpro house.

Call it what you will. In the opē place. For iudgs at that time (according to the manner) sat in the gates of che city in the hye way.

A goodly and Godlye order for to sit, so that the poor people may easily come to them. But what saith Isaiah that seditiouse fellow? He saith of his country this Expectaui ut facere tiuditium, et fecit iniquitatem I looked the judges should do their duty, and I saw them work iniquity.

Ther was bribes walking money making, making of hands (quod the Prophet) or rather almighty God by the Prophet) such is their parcialitye, affeccion, and bribes They be such money makers, inhauncers, and promoters of them selves.

Isaiah knew this by the cryynge of the people Ecce clamor populi saith he. And though some a monge them be unreasonable people (as many be now adays) yet no doubt of it some crieth not without a cause. And why? Theyr matters are not heard, they are fain to go home with weeping tears, that fall down by their chekes, and ascend up to heaven and cry for vengeance, Let Judges loke a boute them for surely God will revenge his elect one day.

And suerlye me think, if a Judge would follow but a worldly reason, and wey the matter politickelye, without these examples of scripture, he should fear more the hurt that may be done him by a poor widow, or a miserable man, then by the greatest Gentyll man of them all, God hath pulled y ^e judges skins over their heads, for the poor mans sake, yea, the pore widow may do him more hurt with her poor pater noster in her mouth, then any other weapon, and with .ii. or three words shall bring him down to the ground, and destroy his iollitye, & cause him to lose more in one day, then he gate in seuē years. For God will revenge these miserable folks that cannot help them selves. He saith. Ego in diei visitationis. etc. In the day of visitatyon I will revenge them. An non ulcisceturanima mea? Shall not my soul be revenged? As who should say.

I must needs take their part Veniens ueniam et non tardabo, Yes, though I tarry, and though I seme to linger never so long yet I will come at the length, & that shortly.

And if god spake this, he will perform his promise. He hath for their sakes (as I told you) pulled thē skynne over the judges ears or this.

Kinge David trusted some in his old age, that did him no very good seruece.

Now if in the people of God there were some folks that fell to brybing, thē what was their among the Heathen?

Absalom David's son was a by walker, and made disturbance among the people in his fathers time.

And though he were a wicked man, and a by walker, yet some there were in that time that were good, and walked up ryghtlye.

I speak not this against the Judges seat. I speak not as though all judges were naught, and as though I did not hold with the Judges, maiestrates, and officers, as the Anabaptystes these faulse heretykes do. But I Judge them honorable, necessary, and God's ordinance, I speak it as scripture speaketh to give a Caveat, and a warning to all magistrates, to cause them to loke to their offices, for the devil, the great magistrate, is very busy now, he is ever doing, he never ceaseth to go about to make thē like him self The proverb is Simele gaudet simili Lyke would have like: If the judge be good, and upright he will assaye to deceive him either by the subtyll suggestyon of crafty laywers or else by false witness, and subtyll vtterynge of a wrong matter. He goeth about as much as he can to corrupt the men of law, to make them fall to brybery, to lay burdens on pore men's backs. and to make them fall to periurye, and to bring into the place of judgment all corruptyon, iniquytye, and impietye. I have spoken thus much, to occasion all Judges and magystrates to loke to their offices. They had need to loke about them.

This gear moved saint Christome to speak this sentence. Mirror sialiquis rectorū potest saluari. I marvel (said this doctor) if any of these rulers or great magistrates can be saved.

He spake it not for the impossibility of the thing (God forbid that all the magistrates & judges should be condemned) but for the difficultye.

Oh that a man might have the contemplation of hell, that the devil would a low a man to loke into hell, to se the state of it, as he shown all the world whē he tempted Christ, in the wilderness. Commonstrat illi omnia regna mundi. He shown him all the kyngedomes of the world, and all their iollytye, and told him that he would give him all, if he would knele down and worship him. He lied like a faulse harlot, he could not give them he was not able to give so much as a gose wynge: for they were none of his to give.

The other that he promised them unto: had more right to them then he.

But I say if one were admytted to view hell thus, and behold it thorowelye, the devil wolude say. On yonder side are punished unpreaching prelates. I think a man should se as far as a kenninge and se nothing but vnpreachynge Prealates.

He might loke as far as Calais I warrant you. And thā if he would go on the other side, and show where that brybynge judges were, I think he should se so many, that there were scant room for any other. Our Lord amende it. Well to our matter. This Judge I speak of, said. Though I fear neither God, nor man. &.c. And did he think thus? Is it the manner of wicked Judges to confess, their faults nay he thought not so.

And a man had come to him, & called him wicked, he would forth with have commanded him to ward, he would have defended him self stoutly.

It was God that spake in his conscience. God putteth him to utter such things as he saw in his heart, and were hid to him self.

And there be like things in the scripture. as. Dixit insipieus in cord suo non est deus The unwise man said in his heart, there is no God, and yet if he should have been asked the questiō, he would have denied it.

Isaiah the prophet saith also. Mādatio protectisumus. We are defended with lies. We have put our trust in lies,

And in another place he saith Ambulabo in prauitate cordis mei. I will walcke in the wickedness of my heart. He uttereth what lieth in his hert, not known to him self, but to God.

It was not for naught that Ezekiel describeth man's heart in his colors. Pranum corhominis et inscrutabile. The heart of man is naughty, a crooked, & a froward piece of work.

Let every man humble him self, & acknowledge his fault and do as saynte Paul did.

When the people to whom he had preached, had said many things in his commendation, yet he durst not iustifye himself. Paul would not praise him self, to his own justification, and therefore whē they had spoken those things by him, I pass not at all saith he. what ye say by me, I will not stand to your report, and yet he was not forward that when he herd the truth reported of him, he would say it to be false, but he said, I will neither stand to your report, though it be good and just, neither yet I will say that it is untrue. He was. bonus Pastor.

A good shepherd. He was one of thē. qui been presūt. y ^t discharged his cure, & yet he thought y ^t there might be a farther thing in him self then he saw in him self.

And therefore he said. The Lord shall Judge me. I will stand only to the Iudgemente of the Lord. For loke whom he judges to be good, he is sure he is safe, he is cock sure. I spake of this gear the last day, & of some I had little thanke for my labor. I smelled some folks that were greaued with me for it, because I spake against Temerarius judgment. What hath he to do with judgment (say thei. I went about to keep you frō arrogāt judgment. Well I could have said more thē I did, and I can say much more now. For why? I know more of my Lord admirals death sith that time, then I did know before. O say they. The man died very boldly, he would not have done so, had he not been in a just quarrel.

This is no good argument my friends. A man seemeth not to fear death, therefore his cause is good. Thys is a deceauable argument. He went to his death boldly. ergo he standeth in a just quarrel.

The Anabaptists that were brente here in divers towns in England (as I heard of credyble men I saw them not myself) went to their death, even Intrepide As ye will say without any fear in the world chearfullye. Well, let them go

There was in the old doctoures times another kind of poisoned heretics, that were called Donatists. And these heretics went to their execution as though they should have gone to some Ioylle recreacion or banket, to some bealye chere, or to a play. And will ye argue then? He goeth to his death boldly, or chearefullye, Ergo he dieth in a just cause. Nay that sequel foloueth no more then this.

A man semes to be a frayed of death, Ergo he dieth evil. And yet our Sauioure Christ was afraid of death him self.

I warn you therefore, and charge you not to judge them y ^t be in authority, but to pray for them. It becometh us not to Judge great maiestrates, nor to condemn their doings, unless their deeds be openly and apparantlye wicked. Charytye requireth the same, for charitye judgeth no man, but well of everybody. And thus we may try whether we have charitye or no, & if we have not charitye we are not God's disciples, for they are know̄ by that badge. He that is his disciple, hath the work of charity in his breast.

It is a worthy saying of a clarke, Charitas si est, operatur, si nō operatur, nō est. If there be charity it worketh. Omnia credere omnia sperare. To believe all things, to hope all, to say the best of the maiestrates, & not to stand to y ^e defending of a wicked matter. I will go farther w ^t you now If I should have said all that I knew, youre ears would have irked, to have heard it, & now God hath brought more to light. And as touching the kind of his death, whether he be saved or no, I refer that to God only. What God can do I can tell. I will not deny but that he may in the twynkeling of an eye, save a man, and turn his heart. What he did I cannot tell. And when a man hath two strokes with an axe, whoo cā tell that between two strokes he doth repent. It is very hard to judge, Well, I will not go so nye to work, but this I will say, if thei ask me what I thi • ke of his death? that he died very dangerously, yrkesomlye, horryblye.

The man being in the tower wrote certain papers which I saw myself. Thei were two lyttleones, one to my Lady Mary's grace, and another to my Lady Elizabethe grace, tendynge to this ende, that they should conspyre against my Lord protectours grace. Surely so seditiously as could be· Now what a kind of death was this, that when he was ready to lay his head vpō the block, he turns me to the leuetenauntes servant and saith, bid my servant speed y ^e thing that he wottes of? Well, the word was over heard. Hys servant confessed these two Papers, and they were found in a shoe of his. They were sown between the souls of a velued shoe. He made his ynke so craftily, and with such workmanship as the like hath not been seen.

I was prisoner in the tower miselfe, and I could never inuente to make ynke so. It is a wonder to hear of his subtilitie. He made his pen of the aglet of a point that he plucked from his hose, and thus wrote these letters so seditiouslye, as ye have heard, enforsynge many matters against my Lord protectours grace, and so forth. God had left him to him self, he had clean forsaken him. What would he have done if he had lived still? that were a bout this gear, when he laid his head on the block at the ende of his life. Charytye (they say) worketh but Godly, not after this sort. Well, he is gone, he knoweth his fare by this, he is either in joy or in pain. There is but two states if we be once gone. There is no change. Thys is the speech of the scripture. Vbicūque lignū ceciderit ibi erit, sieve in austrū, sieve in aquilone. Wheresoever the tree falleth, either into the southe or in to the north, there it shall rest.

By the falling of the tree, is signified the death of man. If he fall into the Southe he shall be saved.

For the Southe is hot, and betokeneth Charity or salvation. If he fall in the Northe in the cold of infidelity, he shall be dampened. There are but two states, the state of saluaciō, and the state of damnation.

Ther is no repentance after this life, but if he die in the state of damnation, he shall rise in the same. Yea though he have a whole Monkerye to sing for him. He shall have his fynall Sentence when he dieth.

And that servant of his, that confessed and uttered this gere was an honest man. He did honestlye in it. God put it in his heart. And as for the to there whether he be saved or no I leave it to God. But surely, he was a wicked man, the realm is well rydde of him.

It hath a treasure, that he is gone. He knoweth his fare by this.

A terrible example suerlye, and to be noted of every man. Now before he should die, I heard say he had commendacions to the king, and spake many words of his majesty. All is the king, the Kynge. Yea Bona verba. These were fair words the king the king I was travailed in the tower myself (with the kings commandment, and the counsel) and there was syr Roberte Cunstable, the Lord Hussye, the Lord Darsy. And the Lord Darsye, was tellynge me of the faithful service that he had done the kings majesty that dead is. And I had seen my Soueraygne Lord in the fyeld (said he) and I had seen his grace come a gaynste us, I would have lyghted from my horsse, and taken my sword by the point, and yielded it into his graces hands. Mary quod I but in the mean season ye played not the parte of a faithful subject in holdynge with the people in a commotion, & a disturbance. It hath been the cast of all traitors to pretend nothing against the kings person, they never pretend the matter to the king, but to other. Subiectts may not resyste any magistrates, nor ought to do nothing contrary to the the kings laws. And therefore these words, the king and so fourth, are of smalle effect. I heard once a tale of a thing that was done at Oxford .xx. years a go. & the like hath been sense in this realm as I was informed of credible persons, & some of thē that saw it be alive yet.

There was a priest that was robbed of a great some of money, and there were .ii. or .iii. attached for the same robbery and to be bryefe were condemned & brought to the place of execution. The first man, when he was upon the ladder denied the matter utterly, & toke his death upon it that he never consented to the robbery of the priest, nor never knew of it. When he was dead, the seconde fellow cometh and maketh his protestation & acknoweleged the faute, saying, that among other grievous offenses that he had done he was accessory to this robberye, and saith he, I had my parte of it, I cry God mercy so had this fellow that died before me his parte. Now who cā judge whether this fellow died well or no? Who cā judge a mans heart? The one denied the matter, and the tother confessed it, there is no Iudginge of such matters. I have heard much wickedness of this man, and I have thought oft, Jesus, what will worth, what will be the ende of this man.

When I was with the bishop of Chichester in ward (I was not so with him, but my friends might come to me, & talk with me) I was desirous to hear of executiō done (as there was every week, some in on place of the city or other) for there was three wekes sessions at newgate, and fourthnyghte Sessions at the Marshialshy, and so forth.

I was desirous I say to hear of execution, because I looked that my parte should have been theyrin, I looked every day to be called to it myself,

Amonge all other I heard of a wanton woman, a naughtye lyuer. a whore, a vain body, • was led from newgate to th • place of execution for a certain robberye that she had committed, and she had a wicked communication by the way. Here I will take otcasiō to move your grace that such men as shall be put to death may have learned men to give them instruction, and exhortation.

For the reverence of God when they be put to executiō, let them have instructours, for many of them are cast away for lack of instructiō, and die miserably for lack of good preaching. This womā I say as she wēte by the way, had wanton and foolish talk, as this, that if good fellows had kept touch with her, she had not been at this time in that case, and amongst all other talk, she said, that such a one, and named this man, had her maidenheade first, and herynge this of him at that time, I looked ever what would be his ende, what would be come of him.

He was a man the fardest from the fear of God that ever I knew or heard of in England. Fyrste, he was author of all this womannes whoredom. For if he had not had her maydenhead, she might have been married, and become an honest womanne, where as now being naught with him, she fell afterward by that occasiō to other. And they that were naught with her fell to robbery and she followed, and thus was he author of all this.

This gear came bi Sequels Peradventure this may seme to be a light matter, but surely it is a gr • ate matter, and he by vnrepentaunce fell from evil to worse, and from worse to worst of all, till at the length he was made a spectacle to all the world. I have heard say, he was of the opiniō that he believed not the immortalytye of the soul, that he was not right in y ^e matter. And it might well appear by the taking of his death. But ye will say. What ye slander him, ye break charitye.

Nay it is charity that I do. We can have no better use of him now, then to warn other to beware by him.

Christ saith. Memores estote vx oris Loth. Remembre Lothes wife? She was a woman that would not be content with hir good state, but wresteled with God's calling, & she was for that cause turned into a salt stone, & therefore the scripture doeth name hir as an example for us to take hede by. Ye shall se also in y ^e secōde Chapter, how that God almighty spared not a number of his Angels, which had sinned against him to make them examples to us to beware by. He drowned the whole world in the time of Noah and destroyed for sin the Cities of Sodom & Gomorhe. And why? Fecit eos exemplum i • s qui impre forent acturi. He made them an example to them that would do wickedly in time to come. If God would not spare them, think ye he will favor us? Thus may this man be an example to us. Let us all subjects judge well of our magistrates, in such matters and be content with their doings. & loke not to be of the coūsails.

And thus toke I occasion to speak of him, & to profit you thereby, & I beseech you so to take it. He may be a good warning to us, & this is the best use that we can have of him now.

I will go on a word or two, in the applycacyon of the parable and then I will make an ende To what ende, and to what purpose, brought Christ this parable of the wicked judge? The ende is, that we should be continually in prayer. Prayer is never interrupte but by wickedness. We must therefore walk orderly, vpryghtly, calling upon God in all our troubles, & aduersitytyes, and for this purpose there is not a more comfortable lesson in all the scripture then here now in the lappynge up of the matter. Therefore I will open it unto you. You miserable people, if there be any here amongst you, that are oppressed with great men and can get no help, I speak for youre comfort, I will open unto you, whither ye shall resort, when ye be in any distress. Hys good will is ready, always at hand, when so ever we shall cal for it. And therefore he calls us to him self. We shall not doubt if we come to him. Mark what he saith to cause us believe that our prayers shall be heard. Et deus non faciet vindictam. He reasons after this fashyon Wyll not GOD, saith he, revenge his elect? and hear them? seeing the wicked judge heard the widow? He seemeth to go plainly to work, he will leth us to pray to God, and to none but to God. We have a manner of reasonynge in the schools, and it is called Aminore ad main • . From the less to the more, and that may be used here The judge was a tirant, a wicked man, God is a patron, a defender, father unto us. If the judge then, being a tirante would here the poor widow, much more God will here us in all dystresses. He being a father unto us, he will hear us sooner, then the other being no father having no fatherly affection. Moreover, God is naturallye merciful.

The judge was cruel, and yet he healped the widow, much more then God will help us at our need.

He saith by the oppressed. • um ipso sum in tribulatione. I am with him in his trouble. His tribulacion is mine.

I am touched with his trouble. If the Judge then being a cruel man heard the widow, much more GOD will help us, being touched with our affectyon. Furthermore, this judge gave the widow, no commandment to come to him we have a commaūdemente to resort to GOD for he saith Inuoca mein die tribulationis : call upon me in the day of thy trybulacyons, which is as well a commandment, as Non furaberis. Thou shalt not steal.

He that spake the one, spake the other, and what so ever he be that is in trouble, and calleth not upon God, breaketh his commandment. Take hede therefore. The judge did not promise the widdowe help. God promised us help, & will he not perform it? He will, he will. The Judge (I say) did not promise the widow help. God will give us both hering and helpynge. He hath promised it us with a dubble oath. Amen, amen, saith he, verily, verily, he doubles it.

Quecūque pecieritis &c, whatsoever ye shall are in my name, ye shall have it. And though he put of some sinner for a time, and suffer him to byte on the brydell, to prove him (for there be many begynners, but few continewars in prayer) yet we may not think that he hath forgotten us, & will not help us. Veuiens ueniet, non • ardabit. When the help is moste needful, thē he will come and not tarry, He knoweth when it shall be best for us to have help, though he tarry he will come at the last. I will trouble you but half a quarter of an hour, in y ^e application of the parable, and so cōmyt you to God.

What should it mean that god would have us so dilygent and earnest in prayer? Hath he such pleasure in our works? Many talk of prayer, and make it a lyp labourynge. Praying is not babbling, nor praying is not monkerye.

It is, to miserable folk that are oppressed a comfort, solace, and a remedy.

But what maketh our prayer to be acceptable to God? It lieth not in our power. We must have it by another mean. Remembre what God said of his son:

Hic est filius meus dilectus 'in quo mihi been complacui. Thys is my dear son in whom I delight. He hath pleasure in nothing, but in him.

How cometh it to pass then, that our piayer pleaseth God? Oure prayer pleaseth God, because Christ pleaseth God.

When we pray, we come unto him, in the confydence of Christ's merytestand thus offering up our prayers, they shall be heard for Christ's sake. Yea, Christ will offer them up for us, that offered up once his Sacryfyce to God, which was acceptable, and he that cometh with any other mean thē this, god knoweth him not.

Thys is not the Missal Sacrifice, the popish sacrifice to stand at the altar, and offer up Christ again. Oute upon it that ever it was used.

I will not say nay, but that ye shall find in the old doctors this word Sacrificiū but there is one general solution for all the doctors that. S. Augustine showeth us.

The sign of a thing hath often̄ times y ^e name of the thing that it signifieth. As the supper of the Lord is the Sacrament of another thing, it is a commemoratiō of his death which suffered once for us, & because it is a sign of Christ's offering up, therefore ye bears y ^e name thereof. And this Sacrifyce a woman can offer as well as a man. Yea, a poor woman in the belfre a hath as good authority to offer up this sacrifice, as hath the bishop in his pontificalibus, with his myter on his head, his rings on his fingers, and Sandales on his fete. And whosoever cometh askynge the father remedy in his necessity for Christ's sake, he offereth up as acceptable a sacrifice as any bishop can do. And so to make an ende.

Thys must be done with a constaunte faith, and a sure confidence in Christ. Fayeth, faith, faith. We are undone for lack of faith. Christ nameth faith here, Fayeth is altogether. When the son of man shall come, shall he find faith on the earth? Why speaketh he so much of faith? because it is hard to find a true faith. He speaketh not of a political faith, a faith set up for a time, but a constante, a permanent, a durable faith, as durable as gods word. He came many times. Fyrste in the time of Noah, when he preached, but he found little faith. He came also when Loth preached, when he destroyed Sodom and Gomorhe.

But he found no faith, and to be short he shall come at the latter day, but he shall find a little faith. And I wene the day be not far of. And when he was here carnallye did he find any fayethe? Manye speak of faith, but few there be that hath it

Christ mourneth the lack of it. He complaineth that when he came, he found no faith.

Thys faith is a great state a Lady, a Dutches, a great womanne, and she hath ever a great company and trayne about her (as a noble estate ought to have (first she hath a Gentilman vsher that goeth before her, and where he is not there is not Lady faith.

This Gentilman vsher is called Agnitio pecctatorū ▪ knowledge of syn, whē we enter into our heart, & acknowledge our faults, and stand not about to defend them He is none of these wynkers▪ he kyckes not when he hears his fault. Now as the Gentilmā vshere goeth before her, so she hath a trayne that cometh be hynde her, and yet though they come behind, they be all of faythes company, they are all with her, as Christ when he counterfaited a state going to Jerusalem, some went before him, and some after, yet all were of his company, so all these wait upon faith. She hath a great trayne after her besides her Gentylman Usher, her whole household, and those be the works of our vocation, when every man considereth what vocation he is in, what calling he is in, and doeth the works of the same, as to be good to his neighbor, to obey God. &c.

Thys is the trayne that followeth Lady Faieth, as for anexemple. An unfaithful Judge hath first an heavy rekenyng of his fault, repentynge him self of his wickedness, and then forsaketh his iniquity, his impeietie, fearring of no man, walks upright, and he y ^t doeth not thus, hath not Lady faith, but rather a boldness of sin and abusynge of Christ's passion. Lady faith is never without her Gentyll man vshere. nor without her trayne, she is no Anckres, she dwells not alone, she is never a private woman, she is never alone and yet many therbe that boast thē selves that they have faith, and that when Christ shall come they shall do well enough. Nay nay, these that be faithful shall be so few, that Christ shall scarce se them. Manye there be that runs saith Sayncte Paul, but there is but one that receiveth the reward, it shall be with the multitude when he shall come, as it was in the time of Noah, and as it was in time of Loth.

In the time of Noah, they were eating and drynckynge, building planting, and suddenly the water came upon thē, and drowned them.

In the time of Lothe also, they wear eating and drynckynge. &c. And suddenly the fire came upon them, and devoured them. And now we are eating and drinckynge. Ther was never such building then, as is now, plantynge, nor maryinge. And thus it shall be even when Christ shall come, at the judgment.

Is eating and dryncking and mariyng, reproved in scripture? Is it not? Nay he reproved not all kind of eating and drynkynge, he must be other ways understand.

If the scripture be not truly expounded what is more erroneous? And though there be complayninges of some eating or drynckynge in the scripture yet he speaketh not as though all were naught.

They may be well ordered, they are God's allowaunce, but to eat and drink as they did in Noes time, and as they did in Lothes time, Thys eating and drynkynge, and maryinge is spoken against. To eat and drink in the forgetfulness of gods commandment, voluptuously, in excess and glotonnie, this kind of eating and drinking is nought, when it is not done moderatlye soberly, and with all circumspection. And likewise to marry for fleshelye lust, and for there own fantasye. There was never such marriynge in Engglande, as is now. I here tell of stealynge of wards to marry their children to. Thys is a strange kind of stealynge but it is not the wards, it is the lands that they steal. And some there be that knyt up marriages to gether not for any love or Godlines in the parties, but to get frendshyppe, and make them strong in the realm, to increase their possessions and to join lande to lande. And other there be that enuegle men's daughters, in the contempt of their fathers, and go about to marry them without their consent. Thys marriynge is ungodly. And many parents constrayne their sons and daughters to marry where they love not, and some are beaten and conpulsed. And they that marry thus marry in a forgetfulness and obliuiousnes of gods commandments. But as in the time of Noah, suddenly a clappe fell in their bosoms, so shall it be with us at the latter day when Christ shall come. We have as little conscience as may be, and when he shall come, he shall lack Lady Fayeth, welis them that shall be of that little flock, that shall be set on the right hand. &c.

I have troubled you longe, partelye being out of my matter, partelye being in. But now I will make an ende. I began with this text. Quecunque scripta sunt. etc. So will I ende now for mine own ease, as an old treuaunte with this sentence. Beati qui audiu ut Verbum dei. etc.

Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keepeth it. I told you in the beginning of this parable of Bene. Nil melius quam letari et facere. If I had ceaceased there all had been well, quod the merye Moonke, so blessed are they that hear the word of God. But what followeth? and keep it.

Oure blessedness cometh of the keeping. It hanges all one the ende of the tale, in crediting and assentynge to the word, and following of it. And thus we shall begin our bessednes here, and at the length we shall come to the blessing that never shall have ende, which God grant both you and me Amē.

The fyfte Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latimer, which he preached before the Kings Majesty within his graces Palayce at Westminster the fyft. day of Apryll.

Q Vecunque scripta sunt a • nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Al things that are written, they are writ̄ to be our doctrine. What doctrine is written for us in the parable of the Judge, and the widow, I have opened it to you, most honorable audience.

Some thing as concerning the Judge, I would wish and pray, that it might be alytle better kept in memory. that in the seat of Iustyce, no more iniquity and vnryghtuousnes, might reign.

Better a little well kept, then a great deal forgottē, I would the Judges would take forth their lesson, that there might be no more iniquity used, nor brybetakynge, for if there shall be brybynge, they know the peryl of it, they know what shall follow. I would also they should take an example of this Judge that did say, not that that he thought him self, but our savior Christ puttes him to say that thing, that was hid unto him self. Wherefore I would ye should keep in memory, how unsearchable a mans heart is. I would ye should remember the fall of the Angles, and beware therebye, the fall of the old world, and beware thereby The fall of Sodom & Gomorh, and beware thereby. The fall of Lothes wife, and beware thereby. The fall of the man that suffered of late, and beware therbye.

I would not that miserable folk should forget the argument of the wicked Judge, to induce them to prayer, which argument is this. If the Judge being a tyraunte, a cruel man, a wicked man, which did not call hir to him, made hir no promise nor in herying nor helpynge of hir cause, yet in the ende of the matter for the importunytyes sake did help her, much more almighty god which is a fathec who beareth a fatherlye affection, as the father doeth to the child, and is naturallye merciful. and calleth us to him with his Promise that he will hear them that call upon him, that be in distress and burdened with adversity. Remēber this. You know where to have youre remedy. You by youre prayer can work great effycacye, and your prayer with tears is an instrument of great efficacy. It can bring many things to pass. But what thing is that that maketh our prayer acceptable to god? is it our babbling? No, no, It it is not our babbling nor our longe prayer. There is another thing then it.

The dignyty and worthiness of our words, is of no such virtue. For whosoever resorteth unto God, not in the confidence of his own merits, but in the sure trust of the deseruinge of our Savior Jesus Christ, and in his passyon.

Whosoever doeth invocate the father of heavē, in the trust of Christ's merits, which offering is the most comfortable and acceptable offering to the father. Whosoever I say offereth up Christ, which is a perfect offering, he cannot be denied the thing he desireth so that it be expedyente for him to have it. It is not the bablynge of our lips, nor dignity of our words, but the prayer of the heart, is the offering that pleaseth thorough the only means of his son. For our prayer profyteth us because we offer Christ to his father.

Whosoever resorteth to god without Christ, he resorteth in vain. Our prayer pleaseth, because of Jesus Christ, whom we offer. So that it is faith, faith faith, is the matter. It is no prayer that is without faith, it is but a lip laboring, and monkerye without faith. It is but alytle bablynge.

I spake also of lack of faith and upon that also I said, the ende of the world is near at hand, For there is lack of faith now. Also the defectiō is come and swaruinge from the faith Antichrist the man of sin, the son of iniquity is revealed, the latter day is at hand. Let us not think his coming is far of. But whensoever he cometh he shall find iniquity enough, let him come whē he will What is now behind? we be eating and drynckynge as they were in Noes time, and Mariynge I think as wyckedly as ever was. We be buildynge, purchaching, plantynge in the contempt of Gooddes word. He may come shortelye when he will, for there is so much mischief and swaruynge from the faith (rayninge now in our days) as ever was in any age. It is a good warning to us all to make ready against his coming. This little rehearsalle I have made of the things I speak in my last sermon. I will now for this day return to my questiō and dissolve it, whether gods people may be governed by a gouernoure that bereth the name of a king or no. The Jews had a law that when they should have a king they should have him according to the election of god, he would not leave the election of a king to their own brains. There be some busy brains, wanton wyttes, that say, the name of a king is an odyouse name and wrteth this text of the scripture, where god seemeth to be angry & displesed with the Israelites for asking a king expounding it very evil & odiously. As who would say a king were an odiouse thing. I cōmming ridinge in my way, & calling to remembrance wherefor I was sent, that I must preach &, preach afore the kings maiesti I thought it mete to frame my preaching according to a king Musyng of this I remembered myself of a boke that came frō Cardinal Pole, master Pole the kings traitor, which he sent to the kings, majesty I never remember that man me think, but I remember him with a heavy heart, a wyttye man, a learned man, a man of a noble house, so in favor that if he had tarried in the realm, and would have conformed him self to the Kynges proceedings. I heard say, and I believe it verily, that he had been bishop of Yorcke at this day, To be a bidden by, he would have done much good in that parte of the Realm. For those quarters have all ways had great need of a learned man, and a preaching prelate. A thing to be much lamented that such a man should take such away. I here say he readeth much Saynte Jerome's works, and is well seen in them But I would he would follow sayncte Jerome, where he expoundeth this place of scripture. Exite de illa peopule meus. Almightye god saith. Get you from it, get you from Rome, he calls it, the purple hore of Babylon. It had been more comēdable to go from it, thē to come to it. What his sayings be in his boke. I do not well remember, it is in the fartheste ende of my memory. He declareth him self in it, to have a corrupt iudgmente, I have but a glymmerynge of it Yet in generally. I remember the scope of it. He goeth about to dissuade the king from his supremicie. In his persuasions he is very whomlye, very quycke and sharp with the Kynge as these Cardinals will take well upon them. He saith that a king is an odiouse word and touched y ^e pl • ace how god was offended with the Israelites for calling for a king,

Verily lyghtely he seemeth to set forth the title of a king. As though he should mean: what is a Kyng? What should a Kynge take upon him to redress matters of religiyn? It pertaineth to ovre holy father of Rome. A king is a name & a title rather suffered of God as an evil thing, then allowed as a good thing.

Callynge this to remembrance it was an occasiō that I speak altogether before. Now I will answer to this For the answer I must some what ryppe the ayght Chapter of the first boke of the Kynges And that I may have grace. &c.

T O come to y ^e opening of this matter. I must begyne at the beginning of the Chapter. that the unlearned (although I am sure, here be a great meany well learned (may the better come to the understanding of the matter Factum est cum senuisset Samuel fecit filios suos iudices populo &c. It came to pass when Samuel was strycken in age, he made his sons Judges over Israel. Of Samuel. I might fetch a process a far of, of the story of Elcana, who was his father, and who was his mother. Elcana his father had two wives. Anna and Phenenna, and did not put them away, as do men now a days

There was debate between these two wives.

Phenenna in the doing of sacrifice, embrayded Anna because she was barren, and not fruitful. I might take here occacion to entreat of the duty between man and wife, which is a holy religion, but not religiouslye kept. But I will not enter into that matter at this time. Well, in process of time, God made Anna fruitful, thorough her devout prayer. She brought forth Samuel, who by the ordinance of God, was made the high pryeste. Father Samuel a good man, a singular example, and singular patron, a man a lone, few such men as father Samuel was. To be short he was now come to age, he was an old mā an impotente man, not able to go from place to place to minyster justice, he elected and chose two suffragans, two coadiutours, two cohelpers, I mean not hallowers of belles, nor Christiners of belles (that is a popish suffraganship) he made thē to help him, to dyscharge his office, he chose his two sons rather then other, because he knew thē to be well brought up in virtue, and learning, It was not for any carnal affection, he cared not for his renown, or revenues, but he appointed them for the case of the people, the one for to supply his place in Bethsabe, & the other in Bethlehem.

As we have now in England, for the wealth of the Realm, two Lord's presidentes. Surelye▪ it is well done, and a goodly order. I would there were a third in another place.

For the ease of his people, good father Samuel, and to discharge his office in places where he could not come him self, he set his two sons in office with him, as his suffragaynes, and as his Coadiutoures.

Here I might take occasion to treat what old and impotente Bishops should do, what old preachers should do, when they come to impotency, to join with them preachers preachers, not Belhalowers, and to depart, parte of theyre living with them.

I might have dylated this matter at large. But I am honestelye prevented of this commune place, and I am very glad of it.

It was very well handled the last Sondaye. They that will not for the office sake receive other, regard more the flese then the flock.

Father Samuel, regarded not his revenues. Our Lord give them grace to be affected as he was & to follow him. &c. Thoughe I say that I would wish mo Lord presidentes. I mean not that I would have prelates Lord's presidentes, nor that Lord bishops should be Lord presydentes. As touching that, I said my mind and conscience the last year. And all though it is said, Presint, it is not mente that they should be Lord presydentes, the office of a presidenship is a ciuyll office, and it can not be, that one man shall discharge both well. It followeth in the text. Non ambulauerunt filii eius in 〈◊〉 ei • s. etc. Hys sons walked not in his ways, hear is the matter, here ye se the goodness of Samuel, howe, when he was not able to take the pains him self for their own ease, he appointed them Judges nere unto them, as it were in y ^e further partes of his Realm, to have Justice ryghtly ministered. But what followed?

Thoughe Samuel were good, and his chyldrene well brought up, look what the world can do? Ah crafty world. Whome shall not this world corrupt and deceive at one time or other?

Samuel thought his sons should have proved well, but yet Samuel's sonne walked not in their fathers way, why? What then? Is the son always bound to walk in the fathers way?

No ye must not take it for a general rule. All sons are not to be blamed in theyre fathers ways.

Hezekiah did not follow the steppes of his father Ahaz, and was well allowed in it. Josiah y ^e best king that ever was in Jewry, refourmed his fathers ways, who walked in worldly policye.

In his youth, he toke away all Idolatry, and purdged his Realm of it, and set a good order in all his Dominions, wrestled with Idolatry.

And although his father or his grande father Manasseh (it makes no matter whether) repented him in the ende, he had no time to refourme things, he left it to his son to be done

Josiah began and made an alteracion in his chyldehode, he turned all vpsydowne, he would suffer no Idolatry to stand.

Therefore, you must not take it for a general rule, y ^t the son must ever walk in his fathers ways.

Here I will renew, that which I said before of the styfnecked Jews, the rebellyouse people (that is their title) they never spake so rebelliousslye, as to say, they would not receive any alteracion, till their king came to age. Much less we English men (if there be any such in England) may be ashamed.

I wonder with what consience folk can hear such things, and alowe it.

Thys Josiah made an notable alteracion, and therefore take it not for a general rule, that the son shall always walk in his fathers ways.

Thynke not because he was slain in battle, that God was displeased with him. For herein God shown his gooodnes to him wonderfullye, who would not suffer him to se the captivity that he would bring upon the Israelites. He would not him to have the sight, the fealynge, and the beholdynge of his plage, he suffered him to be taken away before, and to be slain of the king of Egypt.

Wherefore a just man must be glad when he is taken from misery. Iustus si morte preoccupatus fuerit in refri • erio erit.

If a ruste man be prevented with death, it shall be to his relyefe. He must think that he is one of those, whom the world is not worthy to have, it came of a singular goodness of god, that he was by death delivered from the sight of that captivity. Therefore take it not for a general rule, that the son be always bound to walk in the fathers ways.

Nolite in preceptis patrum • estrorum incedere. Walk not in the commandments of your fathers For so it is said in another place of scripture. It is spoken to the reproach of Samuel's sons that they walked not in his way, for he was a good man.

A wonderful thing that these children being so well brought up should so fall & be corrupt. If the devil can prevail and hath power against them, that had so Godly education, what vauntage hath he at thē y ^t be brought up iniquity & covetousness? It is a Proverb that magistratus virum commonstrat. Offyce and authority showeth what a man is. A man knoweth not him self, till he be tried. Many there be that being with out office can rebuke magistrates, and find faute with men y ^t be in office & preeminince. After when it cometh to their chance to come to office them selves, thē they have takē out a new lessō. cum essem paruulus sapieham vt paruulus. When I was a child, I sauered as a child.

They will do then as other men do, they are come to have experience, to be practisioners. The maids child is ever best taught, for he that stands up right in office, he is the fellow, Samuel would never have thought that his sons should have been so corrupted. It is a perilous thing, a dangerous state to be a judge. They felt y ^e smaker of this world, a perilous thing. And therefore Chrysostom saith. Mirror si aliquis retrosum saluabitur. I marvel (saith he) that any ruler can be saved. If y ^e peril were well considered, mē would not be so desirous as they be. The world y ^• world hath many subtle sleights, it is a crafty thing & very deceitful, a corrupter, & who is it whō the world doeth not corrupt and blind at one time or other? What was y ^e way thei walked Declinauerunt post a • aritiam. That is one. They stouped after gains, turned a side after lucre. What followed Acceperunt munera They toke rewards, gifts, bribes (I should call them) for that is their right name. Peruerterunt iudicium. They turned Justice vpsedowne. Either they would give wrong judgment, or else put of & delaye poor men's matters.

These were their ways, here is the Deuylles genealogye. A gradacion of the Deuilles making. This is, Scala inferni. The ladder of hell.

I told you before of Scala celi the ladder of heaven, I would you should not forget it. The steppes thereof are set forth in the tenth to the Romans. The first is preaching, then hearing, then believing, and last of all Saluacion. Scala celi. is a preaching matter I tell you, and not a massyinge matter, gods instrument of saluaciō, is preaching.

Here I move you my Lord's, not to be greadye and outragyouse in enhaunsynge, and raysinge of youre rentes, to the minishynge, of the office of salvation. It would pytye a mans heart to hear that, that I hear of the state of Cambrige, what it is in Oxford I cannot tell. Ther be few do study divinity. but so many as of necessity must furnysh y ^e Colleges. For their livings be so small, and • ayles so dere, that they tarry not there, but go other where to seek livings and so they go about. Now there be a few gentylmen and they study a little diuinite. Alas what is that? it will come to pass that we shall have nothing but a little English diuinite, that will bring the Realm into a very barbarousnes, and utter decay of learning. It is not that I wise, that will keep out the supremacye of the bishop of Rome.

Here I will make a supplycacion, that ye would bestow so much to the fyndynge of scholars, of good wyttes, of poor men's sons, to exercise the office of salvation, in releuing of scholars, as ye were wont to bestow in Pylgrimage matters, in trentales, in masses, in pardons, in purgatory matters, Ye bestowed that lyberallye, bountyfully, but this was not well spente.

You had a zeal but not Secundum scientiam. Not according to knowledge. You may be sure if you bestow, youre God's on this wise, ye shall bestow it well to supporte and uphold God's word, wherein ye shall please God.

I require no more, but that ye bestow so much Godlye, as ye were wont to bestow ungodly.

It is a reasonable petition, for God's sake, look upon it I say no more.

There be none now but great men's sons in Colleges, and their fathers loke not to have them preachers, so every way this office of preaching is pynchyt at.

I will speak no more of Scal • celypunc; But I am sure this is Scala inferni, the right way to hell, to be covetous, to take bribes, and peruerte justice. If a judge should ask me the way to hell. I would show him this way. Fyrst let him be a covetous man, let his heart be poisoned with covetousness. Then let him go a little further and take bribes, and last peruerte judgment. Loo, hear is the mother and the daughter, and the daughters daughter. Avarice is the mother, she brynges for the brybe taking, and bribetakyng, peruertyng of iugment

Ther lacks a fourth thing to make up the mess, which so god help me if I were judge should be Haugum tuum, a tiburne typpet to take with him, and it were the judge of the kings bench, my Lord chyefe judge of England, yea, and it were my Lord Chanceloure him self, to tiburne with him.

Ther was with in these .xxx. years a certain widow, which sodaynly was attached, had to prison, indyted, condemned, and there were certain learned men that visited her in the prison. Oh I would ye would resort to Prysonnes, A commendable thing in a christen realm, I would wish there were curates for prisonnes, that we might say, the curate of Newegat, the curate of the flete and I would have them well waged for their labor. It is a holy day work to vyset the prisoners, for they be kept from sermons. Ther was that resorted to this woman, who, when she came to preson, was all on her beads, and nothing else, a popish woman, and sauered not of Jesus Christ. In process she was so applied that she tasted. Quam suauis est dominus. She had such a sauoure, such a swetenesse and felynge that she thought it longe to the day of execusion. She was with Christ already, as touching faith.

She had such a desire that she said with saint Paul. Cupio dissolui et esse cum christo. I desire to be ryd, and to be with Christ. The word of God had so wrought in her. When she was brought to punishment, she desired to confess her fault, she toke of her death, that she was giltlesse in that thing she suffered for, and her neighbors would have borne her witness in the same. She was always an honest ciuell woman, her neighbors would have gone on hir purgacion a great way

They would needs have hir confess, then saith she. I am not gylty, would ye have me to make me gyltye, where I am not? Yet for all this, she was a trespasar, she had done a great offense. But before I go forward with this, I must first tell you a tale.

I heard a good while ago, a tale of one (I saw the mā that told me the tale not longe ago) in this auditorye. He hath traueiled in mo countries thē one.

He toulde me that there was once a pretour in Rome, Lord mayre of Rome, a rich man, one of the richest merchants in all the cytye, & sodaynelye he was caste in the castle Angel. It was heard of, & every man, whispered in an others ear. What hath he done? Hathe he killed any man? No. Hath he meddled with Alam, our holy fathers marchādice? No, Hath he coūterfaited our holy fathers Bulls? No. For these were hye treasons▪

One rowned another in the ear and said. Erat Dives. He was a riche man. A great fault. Here was a goodlye pray for that holy father. It was in Popes Julius time, he was a great warrioure. Thys pray would help him to maintain his wars, a ioly pray for our holy father.

So this woman was Dives She was a rich womā, she had her lands by the Sheriffs nose He was a gentil man of a long nose. Such a cup, such a cover. She would not depart from her own. Thys Shyriffe was a couetnouse man, a wordly man. The Judge at the enpanelyng of the queste, had his grauelookes, and charged them with this. It was the Kynges matter, loke well upon it.

When it makes for their purpurpose, they have the Kynge, the king in their mouths. Well, some what there was, there was walking of angelles between them. I would wish that of such a Judge in England now, we might have y ^e skin hanged up. It were a goodly sign the sign of the judges skynne. It should be Lotis wife, to all Judges that should follow after. By this ye may perceive, it is possible for a man to answer for him self, and be arrained at the bar, & nevertheless to have wrong. Yea, ye shall have it in form of law, and yet have wrong to. So it is possible▪ in a case, for a man that hath in his absence ataintement to have right, & no wrong.

I will not say nay, but it is a good law for a man to answer for him self, this is reasonable, alowable & good. And yet such an vrgente cause may be, such a respect to a commune wealth, that a man may rightlye be condemned in his absence. There be such causes that a man may in his absence be condemned, but not often, except they be such cases that the reason of the general law may be kept. I am provoked of some to condēpne this law, but I am not able, so it be but for a time, and upon wayghty consideraciōs, so that it be used rarely, seldomly, for avoiding distrubaunce in the commune wealth, such an epiky and moderacion may be used in it.

And nevertheless it is very mete and requisite that a man should answer for him self▪

We must consider the ground of the law: for Ratio legis, anima legis. The reason of the law, is the soul of the law. Why? what is the reason and ende of the law? It is this, that no man should be injured. A man may in his attayntmente have no more wrong done him then if he answered for him self. Ah then I am not able to say, that in no wise, and arrainemēt may be turned in to attaintement. A mā may have wrong (and that in open judgment) and in form of law, and yet allowed to answer for himself, and even so is possible he may have right, though he never answer for him self. I will not say but that the parliament houses both hye and low, may err, and yet they may do well, & christen subjects must take all things to the best, and expound their doings well, although they cannot yield, a reason for it, except their proceadings be manifestli wicked, For though they cannot attain to se for what purpose things be done, it is no good reason that they be called evil done therefore. And is this a good argument, he is not allowed to answer for him self in this place or that place, where he will appoint: Ergo, he is not allowed to answer for him self? No. He might have answered the best he could for him self before a great meanye, and have had moe to, if he had required them. Yea, and was commanded upon his allegiaunce to speak for him self, and to make answer, but he would not needs he would come out to Iudgemente, and appoint the place him self.

A man that answers for him self at the bar, is not allowed his man of law to answer for him, but he must answer him self. Yet in the Parliament, although he were not there him self, any friend he had, had lyberty to answer for him, frank, and free, I know of the old manner. The tenor of the wryttes is this, Euerye man to speak the best he knoweth of his conscience, for the kings magesties honor, and the wealth of the realm. There were in the Paliamente in both houses, a great meanye learned men, conscionable men, wise mē. When that man was attainted there, and they had lybertye, there to say nay, to his attayntmente if they would. Sure I am the most allowed it, or else it could not have gone forward.

These premisses considered. I would have you to bear such a hert, as it be cometh christen subjects. I know what men say of me well enough, I could pourge myself.

There is that provokes me to speak against this law of attayntemente, they say I am not indyfferente. Surelye I would have it to be done rarely upon some great respect to the commune wealth, for a uoiding of greater tumulte and peril.

Saynct Paul was allowed to answer for him self, if Lisias the tribune had not plucte him away from shewynge of his matter, it had cost him his life. Where he was saved by the magystrate, being but a private man. Wyll ye not alowe that some thing be done as well for saving of the magistrates life? It be houes them of the Parliament to look well upon the matter. And I for my parte think not but they did well, else I should not yield the duty of a subject.

Some liken me to doctor Shaw, that preached at Paul's cross, that Kynge Edward's sons were bastards. An easy matter for one of the counsel to doctor Shaw did. Me think you being the kings servant and his offycer, should think better on the Kynge, and his council, though I were light of belief. If he had been a true man to his master, he would never have spoken it.

The counsel needs not my lie, for the defense of that, that they do. I can bear it of myself. Concernynge myself, that which I have spoken, hath done some good.

You will say this. The Parliamente house are wiser then I am, you might leave them to the defense of thē selves. Althoughe the men of the Parliment house can defend them selves, yet have I spoken this of a good zeal, and a good ground of the Admiralles writing, I have not feigned, nor lied one jot. Use youre Judgment and languages, as it becometh Christian subjects.

I will now leave the honorable counsel to answer for them selves. He confessed one fact, he would have had the governance of the kings majesty. And wot ye why? He said he would not in his minority have him brought up like a ward. I am sure he hath been brought up so Godly, with such Scholemasters as never king was in England, and so hath prospered under them, as never none did. I wotte not what he mente by his bringing up like a ward, unless he would have him not to go his boke and learn as he doeth. Now woo worth him, yet I will not say so neither, but I pray God amend him, or else God send him short life, that would have my sovereign not to be brought up in learning, and would pluck him from his book. I aduertyse the therefore my fellow subject, use thy tongue better, and expound well the doings of the magystrates.

Now to the purpose, for these things let me of my matter,

Some say preachers should not meddle with such matters, but did not our Savior Jesus Christ medle with matters of Iudgemente, when he spake of the wicked Judge, to leave ensample to us that follow, to do the same?

Ye se here, that Lady couetuousnes is a fruitful woman, ever chyldynge, and ever bringing forth her fruits. It is a true saying. Radi • omnium malorū auaricia. Covetousness is the root of all wickedness. One will say peradventure, you speak vnsemelye and in conuenyentlye so to be against the officers▪ for taking of rewards in doing pleasures.

Ye consider not the matter to the bottom. Their offices be bought for great sommes, now howe shall they receive their money again, but by brybyng ye would have them undone. Some of thē gave .CC. poūdes some .v.C. pound, some .ii.M pound. And how shall thei gather up this money again, but by healpyng them selves in theyre office. And is it so trow ye? Are civil offices bought for monei? Lord God. Who would have thought that? Let us not be to hasty to credit it. For then we have the old proverb, Omnia • e •• lpa Roma. Althinges ar sold for money at Rome, & Rome is come home to our own doors. If thei by, they must needs sell, for it is wittely spoken. Vendere iure potest emerat ill prius. He may lawfully sel it, he bought it before. God forfend that ever any such enormity should be in England, that civil offices should be bought and soulde, where as men should have thē givē thē for their worthiness, I would the kings majesty should seek thorough his real me for mete men, and able men, worthy to be in office, yea and give thē liberally for their pains, and rather give thē money to take the office in hand, then they to give money for it. This byinge of offices is a making of bryberye, it is an enducinge, and enforsyng, and compelling of men to briberye. Holye scripture qualyfieth the officers and showeth what manner of mē they should be and of what qualites, Vi • os fortes. Some Translacyons have Viros sapientes. The English translaciō hath it very welll. Menne of actyuitye that have stomachs to do their office, thei must not be milk soppes, nor white leuered knyghtes. they must be wise, hartye, hardye men of a good stomach. Secōdarely, he qualifieth them with the fear of god. He saith they must be Timentes deum. fearing God. For if he fear God he shall be no briber, no peruerter of judgment, faithful. Thyrdly they must be chosen officers. In quibus est veritatis. In whom is truth. If he say it, it shall be done. Fourthly. Qui oderunt auaritiam. Hatynge covetousness, far from it, he will not come • ere it, that hateth it. It is not he that will give .v C pound for an office. With these qualities God's wisdom would have magistrates to be qualyfied. Thys cometh from the devils cōsistoroy to pay .v.C. pounds for one office. If they pay so much, it must needs follow that they take bribes, that they be bribe takers. Suche as be mete to bear office seek them out, hyere them, give them compotente and lyberall fees that they shall not need to take any bribes. And if ye be at selling civil offices, ye ar as they which sell their benefyces, and so we shall have Omnia ue •• lia. Al things boughte for money. I marvel the ground gapes not and deuours us, how be it, we ought not to marvel, surely it is, the great lenity of god that suffers it. Oh Lord in what case are we If the great mē in Turkey should use in their religion of Mahomete to sell as our patrons cōmonlye sell benefyces here, the office of preaching, the office of salvation it should be taken as an intolerable thing. The turk would not suffer it in his commō wealth. Patrons be charged to se y ^e office done, & not to seek a lucre and a gain by his patrō ship. Ther was a patrō in England (whē it was) that had a benefyce fallen into his hand and a good brother of mine came unto him & brought him .xxx. Apples in a dysh, and gave thē his man to carrye them to his master. It is like he gave one to his mā for his labor to make up the game, & so there was .xxxi This man cometh to his master and presented him with the dyshe of Apples, saying. Syr such a man hath sent you a dyshe of fruit, and desireth you to be good unto him for such a benefice. Tushe tushe (quod he) this is no apple matter, I will none of his apples. I have as good as these (or as he hath any) in mine own orcheard. The man came to the pryest again, and toulde him what his master said. Then quod the priest desire him yet to prove one of thē for my sake, he shall find thē much better thē they loke for. He cut one of them and found ten pieces of gold in it. Mary quod he, this is a good apple. The pryest standing not far of, heringe what the Gentle mā said, cried out and answered, they are all one apples I warrant you Syr, they grew all on one tree, and have all one taste. Well, he is a good fellow, let him have it quod the patron. &c. Get you a grafte of this tree and I warrant you it shall stand you in better stead then all Sayncte Paul's learning. Well, let patrons take hede for they shall answer for all the souls that perish through their defaute. There is a saying that there be a great maenye in England that say there is no soul, that believe not in the immortalitye of mans soul, that think it is not eternal, but like a dogs soul, that think there is neither heaven nor hell. Oh Lord, what a wayghtye matter is this? What a lamentable thing in a chrysten common wealth? I cannot tell what they say, but I perceive by their works that they think so, or elles they would never do as they do. These sellers of offices show that they believe that there is neither hell nor heaven. It is taken for a laughynge matter, well, I will gooe on. Now to the Chapiter. The children of Israel came to Samuel and said S ••• uisti. Thou art grown into age. Geue us a King? Thy sons walk not in thy ways. What a heauenes was this to father Samuel's heart, to here that his sons (whom he had so well brought up) should swerve from his ways that he had walked in. Father Samuel go • th to God to know his will and pleasure in this matter, God answered, let them have a Kynge. They have not caste the a way but me, that I should not reign over them.

Thys is their ground that say a king is an odiouse thing and not acceptable before the face of God. Thus they forcr and violent this place to make for their purpose, where no such thing is mente. Show the Israelites (saith God) and testify to them a kings authority & what a thing a king is, & what a king will do. And y ^e will not persuade them, I will not here them hear after, whē they shall try unto me. I must needs confess that the Jews trespassed against almighty God in askīg of a King. But hear is y ^e matter, in what thing there offense stood, whether absolutely in askynge a king, or in any other circumstance. It was in a circumstance. They said not. Ask us a king of God: but make us a king to judge us, as all other nations have. They would have a king of their own swinge and of their own election, as though they paste not of God. In a nother point there was pride. They would be like the heathē & judged under kings as they wer. Thyrdly, they offended God because they asked a king to the injury & wrong of good father Samuel to depose him, so this was a wrong toward Samuel. It was not w ^t Samuel & his childrē like as with Ealy & his childrē, Ophenes and Phines. They were cruel, who with hokes taken the flesh out of the pots when that sacrifice was offered to god, brought the people in to a contempt of God's word They were lecherers. Theyr s • nne were manifestly and notoriously knowyn: but their father Eli knowing and herynge of it did blame them, but nothing to purpose, he did not earnestly & substancially chastise them, and therefore he was justly deposed of God The sins of Samuelles sons were not known, they were not so notorious, wherefor, it was not with father Samuel as it was with Eli, his sons faults were taking of bribes and peruertynge of judgments. Ye know that brybery is a secrete faute, and therefore it was not known.

It was done under a color and a pretence of justice, hidlye & covertly done. Therefore because it stood in bribes it was not like in Samuel as in Eli. It is a dangerous thing to be in office for qui attingit picē coinquinabitur ad ea He that meddleth with pitch is like to be spotted with it. Brybes may be assembled to pitch, for even as pitch doth pollute their hands y ^e medle with it: so bribes will bring you to peruertinge of justice. Beware of pitch, you judges of y ^e world, bribes will make you peruerte justice. Why you will say. We touche none. No mary. But my Mystres your wife hath a fine fing • r, she toucheth it for you or else you have a servant a ••• eribus, he will say if you will come to my master & offer him a yoke of oxen, you shall speed never the worse, but I think my Mayster will take none, whē he hath offered thē to y ^e master, then cōmes another servant and says. If you will bring thē to the clarke of the kichen, you shall be remembered the better. Thys is a fryerly fassion that will receive no money in their hands, but will have it put upon their sleues. A goodly rage of popish religyon. They be like graye fryers, they will not be seen to receive no bribes them selves but have other to receive for them. Thoughe Samuel sons were preuye brybers and kept the thing very close, yet the cry of the people brought it to Samuel, It was a hyd kind of sin. For mē in this point, would face it and brace it and make a show of vpryghte dealynge, when they be most gyltye. Nevertheless this gere came out. Oh wicked sons, that brought both their father to deposiciō and thē selves, to shame. When Samuel herd of their faut, he went not about to excuse their faults. He would not bear with his sons. He would not. Communicari peccates alienis. Be partaker with his sons offenses he said Ego senui, ecce filii mei vobiscū sunt. As sone as he heard of it, he delivered his sons to the people to be punished, He went not about to excuse them▪ nor said not, this is the first time, bear with them, but presented them by and by to the people, saying: Loe, here they be, take them, do with them according to their deserts. Oh I would there were no more bearers of other men's sins, thē this good father Samuel was. I heard of late of a notable bloodshed. A • dio. saith S. Paul and so do I. I know it not, but I hear of it. Ther was a searcher ī london, which executing his office displeased a marchaunt man, in so much that when he was doing his office, they ware at words, the marchāt man threatened him, the searcher said▪ the king should not lose his custom. The merchant goes me home & sharpes his woodknife, & comes again & knocks him on y ^e head & kills him, they y ^t told me the tale sai it is winked at, they loke thorough there fingers & will not se it.

Wheyther it be taken up with a pardon or no I cā not tell, but this I am sure, & if ye bear w ^t such matters the devil shall bear you away to hell. Bloudshed & murder would have no bearing It is a heinous thing bloudshedynge & especially voluntary murder & prepensed murder. Form Numerye God saith it poluteth the whole realm▪ Polluitur illa terra, et •• non potest expiari sine sanguine. The lande cannot be purged nor cleansed again till his blood be shed that shed it. It is the office of a king to se such murders punished with death. Non frustra gesta gladiū What will ye make of a king? He beareth a swerd before him, (not a Pecokes fether) I go not about to styrrc you now to crudelitye, but I spake against bearing of bloodshed. Thys bearing must be looked upon. In certain causes of murder such great circumstances may be, that the king may pardon a murderer. But if I were worthy to be of counsaylle, or if I were asked mine advice, I would not have the king to pardō a voluntary murderer, a prepēsed murder.

I can tell where one man slew another, in a tounshyp, & was attached vpō the same .xii. men were impaneled, the man had friends, the Shirife labored the bench, the .xii. men stacke at it and said, except he would disburse .xii. crowns they would find him gyltie.

Means were found that the xii. crowns was paid. The quest comes in and says not giltye.

Here was a not gyltye, for xii. crowns. Thys is bearing, And some of the bench were hanged, thei were well served. Thys makes men bold to do murder and slaughter. We should reserve murderynge till, we come to our enemies, and while the Kynge bydde us fight. He that would be stir him than, were a pretty fellow in deed. Crowenes?

If their crowns were shaven to the shoulders they were served well enough. I knew where a womanne was gotwyth child, and was a shamed at the matter, and went into a secreate place, where she had no women at her travail and was delivered of three children at a birth.

She wrounge their necks and caste them into a water, and so kylde her children. Sodaynelye, she was gaunte again, and her neyghboures suspectynge the matter, caused her to be examened, & she granted all. Afterwarde she was rained at the bar for it, and dyspatched and found not giltye, through bearing of friends and brybynge of the judge.

Where at the same sessions, another poor womanne was hanged for stealing a few rags of a hedge, that were not worth a crown.

There was a certain gentle, man a professor of the word of God (he spedde never the better for that ye may besure) whoo was accused for murtheryng of a man, where upon he was cast into prison. And by chance as he was in prison one of his friends came unto him for to visit him, and he declared to his friend that he was never gylty in the murtheryng of the man. So he went his ways, the gentle man was arayned & condemned, and as he went to his execusion, he saw his friends servant, and said unto him. Commende me to thy master, and I pray the tell him, I am the same man still I was when he was with me.

And if thou tarry a while, thou shalt se me die. There was suit made for this man's pardon, but it could not be gotten. Bilike the Shiriues or some other bare him no good will. But he died for it. And afterward I being in the Tower, having leave to come to the Lieuetenauntes table. I heard him say that there was a man hanged afterward, that killed the same man for whom this Gentyll man was put to death. O Lord what bearing, what bolsteryng of naughtye matters is this in a Chrystian realm? I desire youre Maiestye to remedy the matter, and God grant you to se a redress in this realm in your own person.

Althoughe my Lord Protector I doubt not and the rest of the counsel do in the mean while all that lieth in them to redress things. I would such as be rulers, noble men & masters should be at this point w ^t their servants to certify them on this sort. If any man go about to do you wrong I will do my best to help you in your right. But if thou breke the law thou shalt have justice. If ye will be manquellers, murderers, & transgressoures, loke for no bearing at my hands. A strange thing. What need we in the vengaunce to burden our selves with other mennes sins? Have we not sins inowe of our own? what neade have I to burden myself with other men's sins? I have burdens and .ii. heaps of sins. One hepe of known sins, another of unknown sins. I hade need to say. Aboccultis meis mūdame domine O Lord deliver me frō my hidden and my vnknowē sins,

Then if I bear with other men's sins, I must say Delyuer me from my other men's sins. A strange saying, from my other men's sins. Who beareth with other folks offenses, he communycateth with other folks sins. Men have sins enough of their own, although they bear not and bolster up other men in their naughtynes, this bearinge, this bolsteryng & looking thorough their fingers: is naught. What the fair hap should I (or any else) increase my burden. Myne other men's sins for give me o Lord. A strange language they have hid sins of their own enough, although they bear not with gyltines of other men's sins

Oh father Samuel would not bear his own sons. He offered his own sons to punyshment. And said. Ecce filli mei vobiscum sunt. Even at the first time he said. Lo, here they be. I discharge myself, take them unto you, and as for my parte.

Prest • sum loqui coram domino et Christo eius. I am here ready to answer for myself, before the Lord and his anointed. Behold here I am, record of me before the Lord. Vtrum cuiusquā bona. &c. Whether I have taken any man's ox, ani man's asse, or wether I have done any man wrong, or hurt any man, or taken any bribes at any man's hand. I can commend the English traslation that doeth interpret munera, bribes, not gifts. They answered, nay forsooth. We know no such things in you. Testis est michi deus, saith he, God is witness, Quod nihil inueneritis in manu mea, That you have found naught in my hands. Fewe such Samuel's are in England nor in the world. Why did Samuel this? marry to purge himself, he was enforced to it, for he was wrōgfullye deposed.

Thē bi this ye may perceive the fault of the Jews, for they offended not God in asking of a king, but for asking for a king to the wronging and desposiciō of good father Samuel, If after Samuel's death the people had asked of God a king they had not faulted, but it is no small faute to put an innocente out of his office. Kynge David likewise commanded his people to be numbered, and therewyth offended God greuouslye Why? might he not know the number of his people? Yes, it was not the numbrynge of the people that offended God, for a king may number his people, but he did it of a pride, of an elacion of mind, not according to God's ordinance, but as having a trust in the number of his men, this offended God.

Lykewyse the Jews asked a king, and there with they offended not God. But they asked him with such cyrcumstaunces, that God was offended with them.

It is no small faute to put a just man out of his office, & to depose him vnworthelye.

To chose a Kynge contraryinge the ordinance of God is a castynge away of God and not of a king.

Therefore doubt not, but the title of a king, is a lawful thing, is a lawful title, as of other maiestrates. Onelye, let y ^e kings take hede, that they do as it becometh Kynges to do, that they do their office well. It is a great thing, a chargeable thing. Let them beware that they do not. Communicare peccatis alienis.

That they bear not with other men's faults for they shall give a strayte account for all that perisheth, thorough their necligence. We perceive now what this text meaneth.

It is written in the last of Iudicum. Iu diebus illis nō erat rex in Israel. In those days there was no king in Israel, every man did that which seemed right in his own eyes. Men were then allowed to do what they would. When men may be allowed to do what they will, then is it as good to have no king at all. Here is a wonderful matter, y ^t vnprechinge prelates should be suffered so long. They can allege for them selves .vii C. years. Thys while the Realm had been as good to have no king, likewise these brybing judges hath been suffered of a longe time, & then it was, Quasi non fuisset rex in anglia. To suffer this is as much to say. There is no king in England. Yt is the duty of a king to have all states set in order to do their office. I have troubled you to long. I will make an end brefly. Beati qui audi ūt verbū dei. Blessed be thei y ^t here the word of god, but so that thei follow it, & keep it in credit, in memori, not to deprave it & slander it, & bring the preachers out of credit, but that follow it in their life, and live after it. He grant you all that blessing that made both you and me. Amen.

The sixte Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latimer, which he preached before the Kings Majesty within his graces Palayce at Westminster the .xii. day of Apryll.

Q Vecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Al things that are written, they are writ̄ to be our doctrine. What doctrine is written for us in the .viii. Chapter of the first boke of the Kynges, I did partelye show unto you (most honorable audience) this day sennyght, of that good man father Samuel, y ^e good judge howe good a man he was, what helpers, and coadiutours, he toke unto him, to have his office well discharged. I toulde you also of the wickedness of his sons, how they toke bribes, and lived wickedly, and by that means, brought both their father, and them selves to deposition. And howe the people did offend God in asking a Kynge in father Samuelles time. And howe father Samuel was put from his office, who deserved it not. I opened to you also, howe father Samuel clears him self, that he knew not y ^e faults of his sonnes he was no bearer w ^t his sons, he was sory for it, whē he heard it, but he would not bear w ^t thē in their wickedness. Filii mei vobiscū sunt my sons ar w ^t you saith he Do with them according to their deserts, I will not maintain them, nor bear with thē. After that he clears himself at the kings fete, that the people had nothing to burden him with all, neither money, nor money worth. In treatinge of that parte, I chanced to show you, what I heard of a mā that was slain, and I hear say it was not well taken.

For soth I intend not to empayre any man's estimation or honestye, and they that enforce it to that, enforce it not to my meaning, I said I heard, but of such a thing, and toke occasion by that, that I heard, to speak against the thing, that I knew to be nought, that no man should bear with any mā to the maintenance of voluntary and prepensed murder. And I hear say sins, the man was other wise an honest man, and they that spake for him, are honest men. I am inclinable enough to credit it. I spoke not because I would have any man's honestye impaired. Onelye I did as Saynct Paul did, who heerynge, of the Corinthyans, that there should be contencyons and mysordre among them, did write unto them that he hard, and there upon by occasion of heerynge he set forth very wholesome doctrine of the supper of the Lord. We might not have lacked that doctrine I tell you. Be it so the Corinthians had no such contencyons among thē, as Paul wrote of, Be it so, they had not misordred them selves, it was neither of, nor on, to that that Paul said. The matter lay in that, that upon hearing he would take occasiō to set out the good & true doctrine. So, I did not affirm it to be true that I hard. I spake it to aduertis you, to be ware of bearinge, with wylful and prepensed murder. I would have nothing enforsed against any man. Thys was mine intent and meaning. I do not know, what ye call chaunche medley in the law, it is not for my study. I am a scholar in scripture in gods boke, I study that. I know what voluntary murder is before God. If I shall fall out with a man He is angry with me, and I with him, and lackynge opportunity and place, we shall put it of for that time, in the mean season I prepare my weapō, & sharp it against a nother time, I swell and boil in this passyon towards him. I seek him, we medle together, it is my chance by reason my weapon is better then his, & so fourth, to kyl him, I give him his deaths stroke, in my vengeance and anger. Thys call I voluntarye murder in scripture, what it is in the law I cannot tell. It is agreate sin, and therefore I call it voluntarye. I remember what a great Clarke writeth of this.

Omne peccatū adeo est voluntarium, vt nisi sit voluntarium, non sit peccatum. Euerye sin (saith he) is so voluntarye, that if it be not voluntarye, it cannot be called sin. Synne is no actual sin, if it be not voluntarye. I would we would all know ou • e faults and repent, that that is done, is done, it cannot be called back again. God is merciful, the Kynge is merciful, hear we may repent, this is the place of repentance When we are gone hence, it is to late then to repent. And let us be content with such order as the magystrates shall take. But suer it is a perilous thing to bear with any such matter. I toulde you what I hard say, I would have no man's honestye empayred by my tellynge. I hard say since of another murder, that a Spanyarde should kyl an English man, and run him thorough with his sword: they say he was a tall man. But I here it not that the Spanyarde was hanged for his labor. If I had, I would have toulde you it to. They fell out. as the tale goeth, a bont a whore. O Lord what whoredom is used now a days. As I here by the relacion of honest men, which tell it not after a worldly sort, as though they rejoiced at it, but heauely, with heavy hearts howe GOD is dyshonored by whoredom in this city of London. Yea the bancke, when it stood, was never so commune. If it be true that is toulde, it is marvel that it doeth not sink, and that the earth gapeth not and swalloweth it up. It is wonderful that the Citye of London doeth suffer such whoredom unpunished. God hath suffered long of his great lenity, mercy, and benygnitie, but he will punish sharply at the length, if we do not repent. There is sum place in London, as they say: Immunity, Impunity. What should I call it? a pryueledged place for whoredom. The Lord Mayer hath nothing to do there, the Sheriffs, they cannot medle with it. And the queste, they do not enquyre of it and there men do bring their whores: yea, other men's wives, and there is no reformaciō of it.

There is such dysynge houses also, they say, as hath not been wont to be, where young Gentelmen dyse away their thrifte, and where dysynge is, there are other folyes also For the love of God let remedy be had, let us wrestele and strive against sin? Menne of England in times paste, when they would exercise them selves (for we must needs have some recreacion, our bodies can not endure without some exercise) they were wont to goo a broad in the fyeldes a shootynge▪ but now it is turned in to glossing, gullyng, and whoringe within the housse.

The art of shutyng hath been in times past much esteemed in this realm, it is a gift of God that he hath given us to excel all other nations with all, It hath been gods instrumente whereby he hath given us many victoryes against our enemies. But now we have taken up whoryng in tounes, in stead of shutyng in the feeldes. A wondrous thing, that so excellent a gift of God should be so little esteemed. I desyer you my Lord's, even as ye love the honor, and glory of GOD, and entende to remove his indignation, let there be sent fourth some proclamacion, some sharp proclamacion to the iustices of peace, for they do not their duty. Justices now be no iustices, there be many good acts made for this matter already. Charge them vpō their allegiaunce that this singular benefit of god may be practiced, and that it be not turned into bollyng, glossyng and whoryng within the towns, for they be negligente in excecutyng these laws of shoting. In my time, my poor father, was as diligent to teach me to shote, as to learn me any other thing, and so I think other men did their children. He taught me how to draw, howe to lay my body in my bow, and not to draw with strength of arms as other nations do, but with strength of the body I had my bows boughte me according to my age & strength as I increased in them, so my bows were made bigger, and bigger, for men shall never sho • e well, except they be brought up in it. It is a goodli art, a hol some kind of exercise, & much commended in phisike. Marcilius Phicinus in his boke de triplici vita (it is a great while since I red him now) but I remember he commendeth this kind of exercise, and saith, that it wresteleth a gaynste many kinds of diseases. In the reverence of God, let it be continued. Let a Proclamatiō go fourth, chargynge the Justices of Peace, that thei se such Acts & statutes kept, as were made for this purpose. I will to my matter. I intend this day to entreat of a piece of scripture, written in the beginning of the fyft Chapter of Luke. I am occasyoned to take this place by a boke sent, to the Kynges Mayestye that dead is, by Mayster Pole. It is a text, that he doeth greatelye abuse, for the supremicye. He racks it, and vyolentes it, to serve for the maintenance of the bishop of Rome. And as he did enforce the other place, that I entreated of last, so did he enforce this also, to serve his matter. The story is this.

Our Sauyoure Christ was come now to the bancke of the water of Genezareth.

The people were come to him, and flocked about him, to here him preach.

And Jesus toke a boot that was standing at the pool, it was Symones bote, and went into it. And sitting in the bote he preached to them that were on the bancke. And when he had preached and taught them, he spake to Simon and bad him launche out further into the depe, and louse his nets, to catch fyshe. And Simon made answer, and said. Mayster, we have labored all night. but we caught nothing howe be it at thy commandment because thou byddeste us. we will go to it again. And so they did, and caughte a great draught, a myraculus draught so much that the net brake, & they called to their fellows that were by, for they had two bootes to come to help them, and they came and filled both their bootes so full, that they were nygh drounynge. Thys is the story: That I may declare this text so, that it may be to the honor of God and edifycacion of youre souls and mine both. I shall desyer you to help me with your prayer in the which. &c.

Factum est autem. (Saith the text) Cum turba irrueret in eum. Sayncte Luke tells the story, and it came to pass, when the people preased vpō him, so that he was in peryl to be cast into the pond they rushed so fast upon him and made such throng to him. A wondrous thing, what a desire the people had in those days to hear our sauyoure Christ preach, and the cause may be gathered of the latter ende of the Chapter that went before. Oure Sauyour Christ had preached unto them, and healed the sick folks of such dyseases and maladyes as they had, and therefore the people would have retained him still. But he made them answer, and said.

Et alijs ciuitatibus oportet me euāge lizare regnum dei, nā in hoc missus sum. I must preach the kingdom of GOD to other cities also, I must show thē my fathers will: for I came for that purpose. I was sent to preach the word of God. Our Sauyour Christ said, howe he must not tarry in one place, for he was sent to the world to preach every where. Is it not a maruaylous thing, that our vnpreachyng prelates can read this place, & yet preach no more then they do. I marvel, that they can go quyetly to bed, and se howe he allureth thē with his example, to be diligente in their, office. Here is a godly lesson also howe our Sayuoure Christ fled from glory. If these ambyciouse parsons, that climb to honor by by walks inordinately, would consider this example of Jesus christ, they should come to more honor thē they do: for when thei seek honor by such by walks, they come to confusiō honor followeth thē that flee frō it. Our savior Christ, gat him away earlye in the morning, and went unto the wilderness. I would they would follow • this example of Christ, and noc seek honor by such by walks as they do. But wha • did the people? when he had hyd him self, they smelled him out in the Wylldernes, and came unto him by flocks, and followed him a great number. But where reed you that a great number of scrybes and Pharyses, and Bishops followed him. There is a doctoure that writeth of this place his name is Doctoure Gorrham, Nycolas Gorrham, I knew him to be a school Docture agreate while a go. but I never knew him to be an interpreter of scripture till now of late▪ he saith thus, major deuocio in laicis Vetulis quam in clericis &c. There is more deuocyon saith he, in lay folk, and old Wyues, These simple folk▪ the vulgar people, thē in the clerks, they be better affected to the word of God, then those, that be of the clergy, I marvel not at the sentence, but I marvel to find such a sentence in such a doctor. If I should say so much, it would be said to me, that it is an evil byrde that defiles his own neste, and Nemo leditur nisi a • epso. Ther is no man hurt, but of his own self. There was veryfyed the saying of our Sauoure Christ Whyche he spake in another place. Vbicun • ue fuerit cada ••• , ibi eō gregabuntur a • nile. Wheresoever a dead carionis, thither will y ^e egles gather. Our savior christ compares him self to a dead • carrion, for where the carryon is there will the Egles be, and though it be an evil smell to us and stinckes in a man's noose yet it is a sweet smelle to the Egles, thei will seek it out. So the the people sought out Christ, they smelt his sauoure, he was a sweet smell to them. He is. Odor nite aduitam. the smell of life to life Thei flocked about him like Egles. Christ was the carriō, and the people were the Egles. Thei had no pleasure to hear the Scribes, and the Pharisees thei stank in their nose, their doctrine was unsavory, it was but of Loliones, of decimaciōs of Anets seade, and Cummyn and such gere. There was no comfort in it forsore consciences • es, there was no consolatyon for wounded souls, there was no remedy for sins, as was in Christ's doctrine. Hys doctrine eased the burden of the soul, it was sweet to the common people, & sower to y ^e Scribes. It was such comfort and pleasure to them, that thei came flockynge about him. Where fore came thei? Vt audirēt uerbū dei it was a good coming. They came to hear the word of God. It was not to be thought that they came all of one mind to here the word of GOD. It is likely that in so grat a multitude some came of curiosity, to here some nouelles, & some cā smellīg a sweet savor, to have consolaon & comfort of gods word, for we cannot be saved without hering of the word. It is a necessary way to salvation.

We cannot be saved without faith, and faith cometh by herynge of the word. Fides exa • ditu. And howe shall they hear without a preacher? I tell you it is the fotesteppes of the ladder of heaven, of our salvation. There must be preachers if we loke to be saved. I toulde you of this gradacion before in the tenth to the Romans. Consider it well. I had rather ye should come of a naughtye mind, to hear the word of God, for novelty, or for curiosite to hear some pastyme, then to be a way. I had rather ye should come as the tale is by thē Gentylwoman of London. One of her neighbors met her in the streate, and said mestres whether go ye, Mary said she, I am going to S. Thomas of Acres to the sermō I could not sleep all this last night, and I am going now thither, I never failed of a good nap there. And so I had rather ye should go a nappyng to the sermons, than not to go at all. For with what mind so ever ye come, though ye come for an ill purpose, yet peradventure ye may chance to be caughte or ye go, the preacher may chance to catch you on his hoke. Rather then ye should not come at all, I would have you come of curiosity, as Sayncte Augustine came to hear Saint Ambrose. When Sayncte Augustine came to Myllane, (he tells the story him self in the end of his boke of confessions) he was very desirous to here S. Ambrose, not for any love he had to the doctrine that he taught, but to here his eloquence, whether it was so great, as the speech was and as the brute went. Well, before he departed Sayncte Ambrose caught him on his hoke and converted him so, that he became of a Manyche, and of a Platonist a good christen, a defender of Christ's religyon, and of the faith afterward. So I would have you come to sermons, It is declared in many mo places of scripture, howe necessary preaching is, as this Euangelium est potentia dei. adsalutem omni credenti. The preaching of the Gospel, is the power of god to every man that doeth believe He means gods word opened It is the instrument, & the thing whereby we are saved. Beware beware ye dyminyshe not this office, for if ye do, ye decay gods power to all that do believe. Christ saith consonaunte to the same. Nisiquis renatus fuerit esuper • is, non potest uidere regnum dei. Except a mā be borne again from above, he cannot se the kingdom of God. He must have a-regeneracion: and what is this regeneracyon? It is not to be Christened in water (as these fire brandes expound it) and nothynyge elles. Howe is it to be expounded thē? Saynct. Peter showeth. That one place of Scrypture declareth anothere. It is the circumstance, and collacyon of places that make scripture plain. Regeue •• mur autem (saith Sayncte Peter) and we be borne again. Howe? Non ex semine mortali, sed immortali. Not by a mortal seed, but by animmortall. What is this immortal seade? persermonē dei viuentis. By the word of the living God, by the word of God preached and opened. Thus cometh in our new birth. Here you may se howe necessary this office is to our salvation. This is the thing that the devil wrestleth most against. Yt hath been all his study to decay this office. He worketh against it as much as he can he hath prevailed to much, to much in it. He hath set up a state of vnpreachynge prelacye in this Realm this .vii.c. yere, A state of vnprechynge prelacy He hath made vnpreachynge prelates, He hath stirred up by heaps to persecute this office in y ^e title of heresy. He hath sturred up the Magystrates to persecute it in the title of sedition. And he hath stirred up the people to persecute it with exprobacions & sclaūderous words, as by the name of new learnenynge strange preacheynge: and with impropriacions he hath turned preaching in to private Masses. If a priest should have left Mass undone On a Sunday within these tē years, all England should have wondered at it, but they might have left of the sermon .xx. sondayes and never have been blamed. And thus by these impropriations private Masses were set up, and preparynge of gods word trodden underfoot. Bu • what doth he now? what doeth he now? he sturres mē up to outrageous rearyng of rentes, that pore mē shall not be able to find their children at the school to be divines. What an unreasonable devil is this? he provides a great while before hand for the time that is to come. He hath brought up now of late the most monstrouse kind of covetousness that ever was heard of. He hath invented fee fermyng of benifices, and all to decay this office of preaching, in so much that when any man hear after shall have a benefice, he may go where he will for any house he shall have to dwell upon, or any glebe lande to keep hospitalytye withal, but he must take up a chamber in an Alehouse & there sit and play at the tables all the day. A good lie curate. He hath caused also through this monstrous kind of covetousness, patrons to sell their benefices. Yea what doth he more? He gets him to the university, and causeth gret men, and esquiers to send their sons thither, & put out poor scholars that should be divines: for their parents intend not thei shall be preachers, but that they may have a show of learning. Tut it were to long to declare unto you what desceite & means the devil hath found to decay the office of saluaciō, this office of regeneratiō. But to return to my mater. The people came to here y ^e word of god, thei hard him w ^t I remember now a saying of Saynte Chrysostom, and peradventure it myghce come here after in better place, but yet I will take it, whiles it cometh to mind. The saying is this. Et loquentem eum audierunt in silentio, seriem locucionis non interrumpentes. Thei herd him (saith he) in silence not interruptynge the order of his preaching. He means: they heard him quyetlye, with out any shouelynge of feet, or walking up and down. Suerly it is an ill mysorder, that folk shall be walking up and down in the sermon time) as I have seen in this place this Lente) and there shall be such hussynge and bussynge in the preachers ear, that it maketh him often times to forget his matter. O let us consider the Kynges Majesty’s goodness, Thys place was prepared for bankettynge of the body, and his Maiestye hath made it a Place for the comfort of the soul, and to have the word of God preached in it, shewynge hereby that he would have all his subjects at it, if it might be possible. Consyder what the Kynges Maiestye hath done for you, he alloweth you all to here with him. Cōsider where • e be. Fyrst ye ought to have a reverence to God's word, and though it be preached by poor men, yet it is the same word that our Sauioure spake. Consider also the presence of the Kynges Maiestye God's high vycare in earth, having a respect to his personage, ye ought to have reverence to it, & consider that he is gods high minister, & yet alloweth you all to be partakers with him, of the herynge of gods word. This benefit of his, would be thankfully taken, and it would be highli esteemed. Hear in silence, as Chrisostō saith. It may chance that sum in the company may fall sick, or be diseased. If there be any such, let thē go away with silence, let thē leave their salutacions till they come in the court, let them d • parte with silence. I toke occasion of Chrisostomes words to admonish you of this thing.

What should be the cause, that our Sauioure Christ went into the bote? the Scripture calleth it. Nauis or nauicula. But it was no shyppe, it it was a fyshers bote, they were not able to have a shyp. What should be the cause, whi he would not stand on the bāke & preach there, but he desired Peter to draw the bote somewhat frō the shore into the middes of the water? What should be the cause?

One cause was, for that he might sit their more cōmodiously, then on the bancke, another cause was, for that he was like to be thrust into the pond of the people y ^t came unto him. Whi? our savior Christ might have with stand thē, he was strong enough to have kept himself frō thrustynge into the water. He was stronger, thē they all, & if he had listed he might have stand on the water, as well as he walked on the water, truth it is, so might he have done in deed. But as it was sometime his pleasure to show the power of his Godheade, so he declared now the infirmity and imbecilitye of his manheade. Hear he giveth us an example what we shall do, we must not tempt God by any miracles, so long as we may walk by ordinary ways. As our Sauioure Christ when the devil had him on the top of the temple, and would have had hyd him cast him self down, he made him this answer. Non tētabis dominū deum 〈◊〉 . Thou shalt not tempt thy lord God, as if he should have said, We may not tempt God at all. It is no time now to show any miracles, there is another way to go down, by gresinges. Thus he did to show us an example, that we must not tempt God, except it be in extreme necessity, and when we cannot other ways remedy the matter to leave it all to God, elles we may not tempt the majesty of his •• yte. Beware temptynge of God? well, he comes to Symons boot, and why rather to Symons bote then an nother. I will aūswear, as I find in experience in myself. I came hither today, frō Lambeth in a whirry and when I came to take my bote, the water mē came about me (as the manner is) and he would have me, & he would have me. I toke one of them▪ Now ye will ask me why, I came in the bote, rather thē in another, because I would go in to tha • that I se stand nex • e me, it stood more commodiouslye for me. And • o did Christ by Simon's bote. It stood nearer for him, he saw a better seat in it. A good natural reasō. Now come the papists, and they will make a mystery of it, they will pyke out the supremesy of the Bishop of Rome in Peters bote. We may make allegoryes enough of every place in scripture, but surely, it must needs be a simple matter that standeh on so week a ground. But ye shall se further. He desired Peter to thrust out his bote from the shore. He desired him. Hear was a good lesson for the Byshoppe of Rome, & all his college of Cardinals to learn humilitye and gentelnes. Rogabateum. He desired him it was gently done of him, without any austerity, but with all vrbanitye, wildness, & softness, and humility. What an example is this, that he giveth them hear? but they spy it not, they can se nothing but the supremycye of y ^e Byshoppe of Rome. A wounderous thing, what sight they have. They se nothing but the supremicie of the Byshoppe of Rome. Imperabatis onibus meis. saith Ezekiel Cum anaxicia, et austeritate, et disperse sunt absque pastore.

Ye have ruled my sheep and commanded them with great lordlynes, austeritye, and power, and thus ye have dispersed my sheep a broad, and why? There was no shephard, they had wanted one a great while Rome hath been many a hundred years without a good shepard. They would not learn to rule thē gently, they hade rule over thē, but it was with curssyngs excōmunicacions, with great aust • rite, & thūderboltes, and the devil and all, to maintain their vnpreachynge prelacye. I beseech God open their • yes, y ^t they may se the truth, & not be blinded with those things, that no mā can se but they. It followeth in the text. Sedens doc • bat de naui. He taught sitting. Preachers be like, were sitters in those days, as it is written in a nother place. S • dent in cathedra moisis. They sit in the chair of Moses.

I would our preachers would preach sitting or slandynge, one way, or other. It was a goodly pulpyt that our Sauioure Christ had gotten him here. And old rotten bote.

And yet he preached his fathers will, his fathers message out of this pulpyt. He cared not for the pulpit, so he might do the people good. In deed it is to be commended for the preacher to stand, or sit, as the place is, but I would not have it so supersticiously esteemed, but y ^• a good preacher may declare the word of god sitting on a horse or preaching in a • re. And yet if this should be done the vnpreachinge prelattes would laughe it to scorn.

And though it be good to have the pulpit set up in churches, that the people may resort thither, yet I would not have it so supersticiously used, but that in a profane place the word of God might be preached some times, and I would not have the people offended with all, no more then they be with our Sauioure Christ's preaching out of a bote. And yet to have pulpettes in churches it is very well done to have them, but they would be ocupyed, for it is a vain thing to have them as they stand in many churches. I hard of a Byshoppe of England that went on visitacion (and as it was the custom) whē the Byshoppe should come and be runge into the toune, the great b • lles clapper was fallen down, the tyall was brokē, so that the Bishoppe could not be runge into the toune. There was a great matter made of this, and the chyfe of the paryshe were much blamed for it in the visitacion, The Bishop was some what quick with them, and sygnyfyed that he was much offended. They made their answers, and excused them selves, as well as they could, it was a chance, said they, that the clapper brak and we could not get it mended by and by, we must tarrye till we can have it done? It shall be amended as shortelye as mayc be. Amonge the other there was one wiser then the rest and he comes me to the Bishop. Why my Lord saith he, doth your lordshyp make so great a matter of the hell, that lacketh his clapper? here is a bell (saith he) and pointed to the pulpit, y ^t hath lacked a clapper this .xx. years. We have a person that fetteth out of this benefyce fyftye pound every year, but we never se him. I warraūte you the Bishop was an vnpreachyng prelate. He could find faute with the bel, that wanted a clapper, to rynge him into the toune, but he could not find any faute with the person that preached not at his benefyce. Euer this office of preaching hath been lease regarded, it hath skante had the name of gods service. They must sing. Salua festadies about the church, that no man was the better for it, but to show their gaye cotes, and garmenttes. I came once myself to a place, riding on a iornay homeward from Londō, and I sent word over night into y ^e toune that I would preach there in the morning because it was holydaye, and me thought it was an holy days work. The church stood in my way, and I toke my horsse, and my company, and went thither, I thought I should have found agreat company in the church, and when I came there, the church door was fast locked. I tarried there half an hour and more, at last the key was found, and one of the paryshe comes to me and says. Syr this is a busy day with us, we cannot hear you, it is Rodyn hoodes day. The paryshe are gone a broad to gather for Robyn hoode, I pray you let them not. I was fain there to give place to Robyn hoode. I thought my rochet should have been regarded, though I were not, but it would not serve, it was fain to give place to Robyn hoodes men.

It is no laughynge matter my friend, it is a weeping matter, a heavy matter, a heavy matter under the pretence for gatherynge for Robyn hoode, a traytoure, and a thief, to put out a preacher, to have his office less esteemed, to prefer RoRobyn hoode before the ministraciō of God's word and all this hath come of unpreaching prelates. Thys Realm hath ben ill provided for, that it hath had such corrupt judgments in it, to prefer Robyn hood to gods word. If the Bishops had been preachers, there should never have been any such thing, but we have a good hope of beteer. We have had a good beginning, I beseech God to continue it. But I tell you, it is far wyde, that the people have such judgments, the Bishops they could laughe at it. What was that to them? they would have them continue in their ignorance still, and them selves in vnpreachyng prelacye. Well, sitting, sitting. He satte down and taught. The text doeth tell us that he taught, but it doeth not tell us what he taught. If I were a papist I could tell what he said. I would in the Popes judgment show what he taught. For the Bishop of Rome hath in scrimio pectoris sui. The true understanding of Scriptures If he call a counsel, the college of Cardinals, he hath authority to determine the supper of the Lord, as he did at y ^e counsel of Florence.

And Pope Nicolas, and Byshoppe Langfrancke shall come and expound this place, and say, that our Sauioure Christ, said thus. Peter I do mean this by sitting in thy bote that thou shalt goo to Rome, and be Byshoppe there five and twenty years, after mine ascension. And all thy successors shall be rulers of y ^e universal church after the. Hear would I place also holy water, and hollye bread, & all unwritten verites, if I were a Papyste, and that Scripture is not to be expoundyd by any private interpretation, but by our holy father, and his college of Cardinals.

Thys is a great deal better place then. duc in altum. But what was Coristes sermon? it may sone be gathered what it was. He is always like him self.

Hys first Sermon was. penitēci • m agite, Do penance, youre living is naught, repent. Agayne at Nazareth, when he red in the temple and preached remission of sins, and healynge of woundyd consciences, and in the longe sermon in the mount, he was always like him self, he never dissented from him self. O there is a writer hath a ioylie text here and his name is Dionisimus. I chanced to meat with his boke in my Lord of Caunterberyes lybrarye: he was a Monk of the charterhouse. I m • ruayle to find such a sentence is that author. What taugth Christ in this sermon? Mary saith he, it is not written▪ And he addeth more unto it Euangeliste tantum scripser ••• de ser •• onibus et miraculis cristi, quantum •• gnonerunt inspirante deo sufficere ad edificacionem ecclesie ad confirmacionē fidei, et ad salutem animarum. It is true it is not written. Al his miracles were not written, so neither were all his sermons written, yet for all y ^t the euāgelistes did write so much as was necessary. They wrote so much if the miracles and sermons of Christ as they knew by godes inspiracion to be sufficient for y ^• edifying of the church, the cōfirmacion of our faith, and the health of our souls. If this be true as it is in deed▪ where be on wryttē verities? I marvel not at the sentence but to find it in such an author. Jesus what authoriti he gives to gods word. But GOD would that such men should be witness with the authority of his boke, will they nyll they.

Now to draw towards an ende. It followeth in the text. duc in altum. Here cometh in the supremicye of the Byshoppe of Rome. When our Sauioure Christ had made an ende of his sermō and had fed their souls, he provided for their bodies. Fyrst he began with the soul. Christ's word is the food of it. Now he goeth to the body, he hath charge of them bo • th: we must commit the fedynge of the body and of the soul to him. Well, he saith to Peter. duc in altum. Launche into the depth, put forth thy bote farther into the deep of the water. Lose youre nets, now fyshe. As who should say, youre souls are now fed, I have taught you my doctrine, now I will confirm it with a miracle. Lo sir here is duc in altum. Here Peter • as made a great man say • he Papystes, and all his successors after him. And this is derived of these few words. Launch into the deep. And their argument is this: he spake to Peter only, and he spake to him in the syngulare number, ergo he gave him such a preeminence a boue the rest. A goodly argument, I wene it be a sillogismus in quem terra pontus. I will make a like argumcē, Oure Sauioure Christ said to Judas, when he was about to betray him quod fac citius. Now whan he spake to Peter there were none of his disciples by, but James and John, but when he spake to Judas they were all present. Well, he said vn. ot him. quod sacis fac citius. Sped thy business, y ^t thou hast in thy head, do it, He gave him here a secret monicion, that he knew what he intended, if Judas had had grace to have taken it and repented. He spake in the singular number to him, ergo he gave him some preeminence. By like he made him a Cardynall, and it might full well be, for they have followed Judas ever sense. Here is as good a ground for the Coledge of Cardinals, as the other is for the supremitie of the Bishop of Rome. Our Savior Christ (say they) spake only to Peter for preeminence, because he was chief of the Apostles, and you can show none other cause, Ergo this is the cause why he spake to him in the singular number. I dare say there is never a whirrimā at Westminster brydge but he can answer to this, and give a natural reason of it.

He knoweth that one man is able to shoue the bote▪ but one man was not able to caste out the nets, and therefore he said in the plural number, larate retia Louse youre nets? and he said in the singular number to Peter, launch out the bote. why? because he was able to do it.

But he spake the other in the plural number, because he was not able to conuaye the bote, and cast out the nets to. One man could not do it. Thys would the whirry man say, and that with better reason, then to make such a mystery of it, as no man can spy but they. And the cause why he spake to all, was to show that he will have all Christ̄ men to work for their living. It is he that sends food both for the body, and soul, but he will not send it, without labor. He will have all Christian people to labor for it, he will use our labor as a mean whereby he sendeth our food. Thys was a wounderous miracle of our Sauioure Christ. and did it not only to allure them to his discipleshippe, but also for our commoditye. It was a seal, a seal, to seal his doctrine with all. Now ye know that such as be kepars of seals, as my Lord Chancelor and such other, what so ever they be, they do not all ways seal, they have a sealynge time (For I have heard poor men complain, that they have been put of from time to time of sealynge, till all their money were spent, and as thei have times to seal in, so our Sauioure Christ had his time of sealinge. When he was here in earth, with his Apostlees, and in the time of the primitive church, Christ's doctrine was, sufficientelye sealed already with seals of his own making, what should our seals do? What need we to seal his seal? it is a confirmed doctrine already. O luther, when he came into the world first, and disputed against the decretales, the Clementines, Alexandrines, Extrauagantines, what a do had he. But ye will say peradventure he was deceived in some things, I will not take upon me to defend him in all pontes. I will not stand to it, y ^t all that he wrote was true, I think he would not so him self. For there is no man, but he may erie. He came to further and further knowledge, (but surely he was a goodly instrument) Well I say when he preached first they called vpō him to do miracles, they were wrought before, And so we need to do no miracles. In deed when y ^e popish prelates preached first, they had need of miracles, & the devil wrought some in the preaching of purgatory. But what kind of miracles these were, all England doeth know, but it will not know. A wonderful thing, that the people will contynewe in their blindness and ignorance still. We have great utility of the miracles of our savior Jesus Christ. He doth signify unto us, by this wonderful work, y ^t he is Lord as well of y ^• water as of the land. A good comfort for those y ^t be on y ^• water whē they be in any tempest or danger to call upon him. The fish here came at his commandment. Here we may learn that all things in the water are subject to Christ. Peter said, Syr, we have labored all night, and have not caught one fynne, howe be it at youre word we will to it a fresh. By this it appeareth that the gain, the lucre, the revenues that we get, must not be imputed to our labor, we may not say, gramercy labor it is not our labor, it is our savior Christ that sendeth us living, yet must we labor, for he that said to Peter labor, and he that bad the fyshers labor, bids all men to labor in their business. There be some people that ascrybe their gains, their increase, gotten by any facultye, to the devil. Is there any trow ye in England would say so? Now if any man should come to another, and say he gat his living by the devil, he would fall out with him. There is not a man in England that so saith, yet is there some that think it. For all y ^t get it with false biyng and selling, with circumvention, with usury, impostures, myxte wares, false waightes, deceyuynge their Lord's and masters, all those, that get their goods on this fashion, what do they think, but that the devil sends them gains and riches. For they be his (being vnlawefully gotten) What is this to say, but that the devil is aucthour of their gains when they be so gotten? For God inhabites them deus nou uolens iniquitatem tues. God will no iniquity. These folk ar greatly deceived. Ther be some again impute all to their labors and works.

Yea, on the hollye day, they cannot find in their hearts to come to the Temple, to the blessed communion, they must be working at home. These are wyde again on the other side. And some there be y ^t think, if they work nothing at all, they shall have enough, thei will have no good exercise, but gape and think y ^t god will send meat in to their mouths, & these are as fare wide: they must work, he had y ^e fishers work. Our Savior Christ bad Peter work, & he that said so to them, says the same to us, every man in his art. benedictio dei sacit diuitem.

The blessing of God maketh a man rich. He lets his son shine upon the wicked, as well as upon the good, he sends riches both to good and bad.

But this blessing turns to them into a malediction and a curse, it encreseth their damnation. Saynte Paul writing to the Tessalonians, did put an order howe every man should work in his vocation. Cum essemus apud vos, hoc precipiebamus vobis, vt si quis nollet operari, is nec edat.

When I was among you (saith he) I made this ordinance, that whosoever would not do the work of his vocation, should have no meat. It were a good ordinance in a common weal, that every mā should be set on work, every man in his vocation. Lette him have no mete. Now he saith furthermore. Audiuimus quos dam inter nos versantes inordinate, nihel operis facientes. I here say there is some amongst you y ^t lives inordinatlye. What is y ^e word inordinatlye? ydellye, giving them selves to no occupacion for their living. Curiose agents. Curiouse men, given to curiositye, to searchynge what other men do. Saynct Paul saith, he hard say, he could not tell whether it were so or no But he toke occasion of hearing say, to set out a good and wholesome doctrine. His autem qui sunt eiusmodi precipimus, et obsecramus. We command and desier you for the reverence of God, if there be any such, that they will do y ^e works of their vocation, and go quietly to their ocupation, and so eat their own bread, ells it is not their own, it is other men's meat. Oure Savior Christ before he began his preaching, lived of his occupaciō, he was a carpenter, and gat his living with great labor.

Therefore let no man dysdayne, or think scorn to follow him in a mean living, a mean vocation, or a common calling and occupacyon. For as he blessed our nature with taking upon him the shape of man, so in his doing he blessed all occupaciōs and arts. This is a notable example to signify y ^t he abhors all idleness. When he was a Carpentar, then he went, and did the work of his calling, and when he was a preacher he did the works of that calling. He was no vnpreachyng prelate. The Byshoppe of Rome should have learned that at him. And these gayners with false arts what be they? They are never content with that y ^t they have, though it be never so much. And they that are true dealers, ar satisfied with that y ^e God sends, though it be never so little. Qu •• tus magnus pietas, cum animo sua sort cont • nto. Godlines is great gain, It is lucre enough, it is vantage enough to be content w ^t that, that God sednes. The faithful cannot lack, the unfaithful is ever lackynge, though he have never so much. I will now make an ende. labores mannū tuarum. Let us all labor, Christ teacheth us to labor, yea the Bishop of Rome hyme self, he teacheth him to labor, rather then to be hedde of the church. Let us put our trust in God. Lubores manuum tu • rum. Cast thy care vpō y ^e Lord and he will noryshe the and feed the. Again the prophet saith. Numquam uidi iustum de relictum nec semen eius querens panem.

I never saw the ryghttuouse man forsaken, nor his seed to seek his bread. It is infidelytie, infidelitye that mars all to gether.

Well to my text. Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis, beatus et been tibi erit. Because thou eatest thy labors of thy hands, that, y ^t God sends the of thy labor. Every man must labor, yea though he be a king yet he must labor, for I know no mā hath a greater labor then a Kinge. What is his labor? To study gods boke, to see y ^t there be no vnpreachynge prelates in his realm, nor bribing Judges, t • se to all estates, to provide for the poor, to se vittailes goodchepe. Is not this a labor trow ye? thus if thou dost labor, exercisynge the works of thy vocation, thou eatest the meat that God sends the, and then it followeth. Beatus es • Thou art blessed man in God's favor, Et been tibi rit. And it shall go well with the in this world, both in body & soul, for God provides for both. Howe shalt thou provide for thy soul? Go here sermons. Howe for the body? Eabour in thy vocation, and then shall it be well with the, both here and in the world to come through the faith and merits of our savior Jesus Christ. To whom with the father and the holy ghost, be praise forever and ever, world without ende. Amē. The ende of the .vi. Sermon.

The seventh Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latimer, which he preached before the Kings Majesty within his graces Palayce at Westminster the xix.. day of Apryll.

Q Vecunque scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Al things that be written, thei be writē to be our doctrine. By occasiō of this text (most honorable audience) I have walked this Lente in the broad filde of scripture and used my liberty, & entreated of such matters as I thought, mete for this auditory. I have had a do with many estates even with the highest of all▪ I have entreated of the duty of Kynges, of the duty of magestrates, and Judges, of the duty of prelates, alowyng that y ^t is good & disalowyng the contrary. I have taught that we are all sinners, I think there is none of us all, neither preacher, nor hearer but we may be amended, and redress our lives, We may all say, yea all the pack of us, peccauimus cum patribus nostris. We have offended & sinned w ^t our forefathers. In multis offendimus omnes. There is none of us all, but we have in sundry things grievously offended almighty God. I here entreated of many faults and rebuked many kinds of sins. I intend today by God's grace, to show you the remedy of sin. We be in the place of repentance, now is the time to cal for mercy, whiles we be in this world. We be all sinners, even the best of us all. Therefore it is good to here the remedy of sin. This day is comonlye called good Friday, although eueri day ought to be with us good fryday, Yet this day we ar accustomed specially to have a commemoratiō and remembrance of the passion of our savior Jesus Christ. This day we have in memory his bitter Passion and death, which is the remedy of our syn. Therefore, I intend to entreat of a piece of a story of his passion. I am not able to entreat of all. That I may do, that the better, and that it may be to the honor of God & y ^e edification of youre souls and mine both, I shall desire you to pray &c. In this prayer, I will desire you to remember the souls departed, with laudes and praise to almighty God, that he would vouchsafe to assyste them at the hour of their death In so doing, you shall be put in remembrance to pray for youre selves, that it may please GOD to assyste and comfort you in the agonies and pains of death.

The place that I will entreat of is in the .xxvi. Chapiter, of Saynct Matthew, Howe be it, as I entreat of it I will borrow parte of Sayncte Mark and saint Luke, for they have somewhat, that saint Matthew hath not, and especially Luke. The text is, Tunc cū uenisset Jesus in uillam que dicitur gethsemani. then whē Jesus cane, some have in nillō some in agrum, some in prediū, But it is allone, whē Christ came in to a Graūg, into a peace of land, into a field, it makes no matter, call it what he will: at what time he had come into an honest man's house, and there eaten his pascall lamb, and instituted and celebrated the lords supper, and set forth the blessed communion, then when this was done, he toke his way to the place, where he knew Judas would come. It was a solitarye place and thither he went w ^t his leaven Apostles. For Judas the twelfte was about his business, he was occupied about his marchaundyse, and was prouydyng among the bishops and priests, to come with an imbushement of Jews to take our savior Jesus christ.

And when he was come into this feeld, or graunge, this village, or ferme place, which was called Gethsemani, there was a Garden saith Luke, into the which he goeth, & leues .viii. of his disciples w ^t out, howbeit he appointed thē what they should do. He saith. Sedete hic, donec nadā il luc, et orē. Sit you here whiles I go yonder and pray. He told thē that he went to pray, to monysh thē what they should do, to fall to prayer as he did. He left thē there, & toke no more with him but .iii. Peter, James, and Ihō, to teach us that a solitari place is mete for prayer. Then when He was come into this garden, cepit expauescere. He begā to trimble, in so much he said, Tristis est anima mea vsque ad mortē. Mi soul is heavy and pensyue, even unto death. Thys is a notable place, and one of the moste especial and chiefest of all that be in the story of the passiō of Christ. Here is our remedy. Here we must have in consideracion, all his doings, and sayings, for our learning, for our edificacion, for our comforth, and consolation.

Fyrst of all he set his three Disciples that he toke with him in an order, and toulde them what they should do, saying. Sedete hic et uigilate mecum et orate.

Syt here, & pray that ye enter not into tēptaciō, but of that I will entreat afterward. Now when he was in y ^e garden, cepit ex pauescere He began to be heavy, pensive, heavy herted. I like not Oregenes plaing with this word cepit, it was a perfect heaviness it was such a one as was never seen the greater, it was not only y ^e beginning of a sorrow. These doctors, we have great cause to thank God for thē, but yet I would not have thē always to be allowed. They have handled many pointes of our faith very godly, & we may have a great stay in thē in many things, we might not well lack thē, but yet I would not have mē to be sworn to thē, and so adicte as to take hand over hed whatsoever they say, it were a great inconvenience so to do Well, let us go forward. He toke Peter, James and John into this garden. And why did he take them with him, rather then other? marry those that he had taken before, to whom he had revealed in the hill, the transfiguracyon and declaracyon of his deytye, to se the reuelacyon of the majesty of his Godhede: now in the garden he revealed to the same the infirmitye of his manhood, because they had tasted of the sweet, he would they should taste also of the sower. He toke these with him at both times, for two or three is enough to bear witness. And he began to be heavy in his mind. He was greatly vexed within him self, he was sore aflycted, it was a great heaviness, he had been heavy many times before, and he had suffered great afflictions in his soul, as for the blyndenes of the Jews, and he was like to suffer mo pangs of pain in his body. But this pange was greater then any he ever suffered, yea, it was a greater tormente unto him, I think a greater pain then when he was hanged on the cross, then when the stower nails were knocked and driven through his hands and fete, then when the sharp crown of thorns was thrust on his head. Thys was the heaviness and pensiuenes of his heart, the agony of the spirit. And as the soul is more precious then the body: even so is the pain of y ^e soul is more grievous then the pains of the body. Therefore there is another which writeth. horror mortis graui or ipsa morte. The horror & vgsomnes of death is sorer then death itself. This is y ^e most grievous pain, that ever christ suffered, even this pange, that he suffered in the gardē. It is the most notable place one of thē in the whole story of y ^e passiō, whē he said. Anima me a tristis est vsque ad mortem. My soul is heavy to death. And cum cepisset expauescere and when he began to quyuer, to shake. The greuousnes of it is declared by his prayer that he made.

Pater sipossibile est etc. Father if it be possible, a way w ^t this cup, rid me of it. He understood by this cup, his pains of death. For he knew well enough y ^t his passion was at hand, that Judas was come upon him with the Jews to take him. There was offered unto him now the Image of death, the Image, the sense the, y ^e felynge of hell, for death and hell go both to gether. I will entreat of this Image of hell, which is death. Truelye no man can show it perfectlye yet, I will do the best I can to make you understand the grievous pangs that our Sauyoure Christ was in, whē he was in the garden, as man's power is not able to bear it, so no mans tongue is able to express it. Paynters painte death like a man w ^t out skin, & a body having nothing but bones, And hell they painte w ^t , horible flames brēning fire, they bungell some what at it they come nothing nere it But this is no true payntynge. No paynter can paynte hell unless he could paynte the torment and condemnatyon both of body and soul, y ^e possession & having of all in feliticie. Thys is hell, this is y ^e Image of death, this is hell, such an evil favored face, such an vgsome countenance, such an horrible vysage our savior Christ saw of death and hell in the garden. There is no pleasure in beholdynge of it, but more pain thē any tongue can tell. Death and hell toke unto them this evil favored face of sin, and thorough sin. Thys sin is so hyghlye hated of Gode, that he doth pronounce it worthy to be punished with lack of alfelycitie, with the fealyng of infelicity. Death and hell be not only the wages, the reward, y ^e stipēd of sin, but they are brought into y ^e world by sin, per peccatū mors saith S. Paul, through sin death entered into the world. Moses showeth the first cōminge in of it into the world: Whereas our first father Adā was set at liberty to live forever, yet God inhibytynge him from eating of the Apple, told him, If thou meddle with this fruit, thou & all thy posteritye shall fall into necessity of death from ever living, morte morieris. thou and all thy posteritye shall be subject to death, here came in death and hell. Synne was their mother. Therefore they must have such an Image as their mother sin would give them. An vgsome thing and an horrible Image must it needs be that is brought in by such a thing so hated of God, yea, this face of death and hell is so terrible, that such as hath been wicked men hade rather be hanged than abide it. As Achytophell that trayroure to David like an ambycyouse wretch thought to have come to higher promocyon, and therefore conspired with Absalom against his master David. He, when he saw his counsel toke no place, goes and hanges him self, in contemplacion of this evil favored face of death. Judas also when he came with pushementes to take his master Christ in beholdynge this horrible face, hanged him self.

Yea the elect people of God, the faithful having the beholdynge of this face, (though God hath always preserved them, such a good God he is to them that believe in him, that he will not suffer them to be tempted above that, that they have been able to bear) yet for all that, there is nothing that they complain more sore then of this horror of death. Go to Job. What saith he? Pereat dies in quo natus sum, suspendiū elegit anima mea. Woe worth y ^e day that I was borne in, my soul would be hanged, saying in his pangs almooste he wyste not what. Thys was when with the eye of his conscience, and the inward man he be held the horror of death and hell, not for any bodylye pain that he suffered, for when he had byles, botches, blaynes, and scabbes, he suffered them pacientlye, he could say then: Si bona suscepi de manu Domini. &c.

If we have received good things of God, why should we not suffer likewise evil? It was not for any such thing, that he was so vexed, but the sight of this face of death and hell, was offered to him so lively that he would have been out of this world. It was this evil favored face of death that so troubled him. Kynge David also said, in contemplaciō of this vgsome face. Laboraui in gemitu meo. I have been sore vexed with sighyng & mourning. Turbatus est a furore oculus meus. Myne eye hath been greatly troubled in my rage. A straun • thing, when he had to fight with Goliath that monstrous giante, who was able to have eaten him, he could a bide him, & was nothing a frayed and now what a work? what exclamacions makes he at the sight of death? Jonah likewise was bold enough, to bid the shypmen cast him into the sea, he had not yet seen that face and vysage, but when he was in the Whales belly, and had there the beholdynge of it, what terror and distress abode he? Hezekiah whē he saw Sennacherib beseigynge his city on every side most violently, was nothing a frayde of the great host and mighty army that was like to destroy him out of hand, yet he was a frayed of death. When the Prophet came unto him, and said: Dispone domini tue, morte morieris, et non vines.

It stroke him so to the heart that he fell a wepynge. O Lord what an horror was this? Ther be some writers that says that Peter, James and John, were in this felynge at the same time and that Peter when he said:

Did taste some part of it he was so astonyshed, he wist not what to say. It was not longe that they were in this anguyshe, some says longer, some shorter but Christ was ready to comfort them, and said to Peter.

Ne timeas, Be not afraid. A freēd of mine told me of a certain woman, that was .xviii. years to gether in it. I knew a man myself Bilney, little Bilnei, that blessed martyr of GOD, what time he had borne his fagott, and was come again to Cambrydge had such conflyctes, within him self, beholdynge this Image of death, that his friends were a frayed to let him be alone, they were fain to be with him day and night, and comforted him as they could, but no comforts would serve. As for the comfortable places of scripture to bring them unto him, it was as though a man would run him through the heart with a sword. Yet afterward all this he was revived, & toke his death pacientlye, and died well against the Tirannical sea of Rome. Woe, will be to that bishop that had the examynacyon of him, if he repented not. Here is a good lesson for you my fryendes. If ever ye come indaunger, induraunce, in prison for godes quarrel. and his sake, (as he did for purgatory matters, and put to bear a fagot for preaching the true word of God against pilgremage and such like matters) I will aduyse you first & above all thing to abjure all your fryendes, all your frindeshipe, leave not one vnabiured, it is they that shall undo you, and not your enemies. It was his very friends, that brought Bylnye to it. By this it may somewhat appere what our savior Christ suffered, he doeth not dissemble it him self, when he saith, my soul is heavy to death, he was in sosore an Agony, that there issued out of him as I shall entreat anon, drops of blood, and vgsome thing surely, which his fact and deed showeth us, what horrible pains he was in for our sakes. But you will say, howe can this be? It were possible that I and such other, as be great sinners should suffer such afflictiō. The son of God, what our Sauioure Christ? never sinned, howe can this stand that he should be this handled? he never deserved it. Mary I will tell you how we must consider our Savior Christ two ways, one way in his mā hode, a nother in his Godhead. Some places of scripture must be referred to his deity, and some to his humanity. In his godhead he suffered nothing, but now he made him self void of his deity, as scripture saith.

Whereas he was in the form of God, he emptied him self of it, he did hyde it, and used him self as though he had not had it, he would not help him self with his godhede, he humbled him self with all obedience unto death, even to the death of the cross this was in y ^• he was mā, he toke upon him our sins, our sins, not the work of sins. I mean not so, not to do it, not to commyt it, but to purge it, to cleanse it, to bear the stypende of it, and that way he was the great sinner of the world, he bare all the sin of the world on his back, he would become detter for it.

Now to sustain and suffer the doloures of death, is not to sin, but he came into this world, with his passyon to purge our sins. Now this that he suffered in the Gardaine is on, of the bittrest pieces of all his passyon, this fear of death was the byttereste pain that ever he a bode, dew to syn which he never did, but became detter for us. Al this he suffer for us, this he did to satissefye for our sins. It is much like as if I ought another mā .xx. M. poūdes, and should pay it out of hand, or elles go to the dungen of ludgate, and whē I am going to prison, one of my frȳdes should come, & ask, whether goeth this mā? And after he had hard the matter, should say, let me answer for him, I will be come suertye for him. Yea, I will pay all for him Suche a parte played our savior Christ with us. If he had not suffered this, I for my part should have suffered, according to the gravity and quātitle of my sins, damnation. For the greater the sin is, the greater is the punishment in hell. He suffered for you and me in such a degree, as is dew to all y ^e sins of the whole world. It was as if you would immagin that one man had committed all the sins since Adā, you may be sure he should be punished with the same horror of death in such a sort as all men in the world should have suffered. Feyne & put case our savior Christ, had committed all the sins of the world, all that I for my parte have done, all that you for youre parte have done, and that any man elles hath done, if he hade done all this himself, his agony that he suffered should have been no greater nor greuouser, then it was. This that he suffered in the garden was a portion I say of his passiō & one of the bitterest partes of it. And this he suffered for our sins and not for any sins that he had committed him self, for all we should have suffered every man according to his own deserts.

This he did of his goodness, partelye to purge and cleanse our sins, partly, because he would taste, & fele our myseries, Quo posset succurrere nobis. that he should the rather help and relieve us, and partly he suffered to give us example, to be have our selves as he did. He did not suffer, to discharge us clean frō death, to keep us clean, frō it, not to taste of it. Nay nay, you must not take it so. We shall have the beholding of this vgsome face everyone of us, we shall fele it our selves. Yet our savior Christ did suffer, to the entente, to sygnifye to us, that death is ouercomable. We shall in deed overcome it, if we repent, and acknowledge that our savior Jesus Christ pacifyed with his pangs and pains the wrath of the father, having a love to walk in the ways of God, if we believe in Jesus Christ, we shall overcome death, I say, it shall not prevail against us. Wherfor wherso? ever it chaunseth the my friend, to have the tastynge of this death, that thou shalt be tempted with this horror of death, what is to be done then? whensoever thou felest thy soul heavy to death, make haste, and resort to this gardaine, and with this faith thou shalt overcome this terror when it cometh. Oh it was a grievous thing, that Christ suffered here. Oh the greatness of his dolour that he suffered in the gardē, partly to make amēdes for our sins, and partly to deliver us from death, not so, that we should not die bodylye, but that this death should be away to a better life, and to destroy and overcome hell. Oure Sauyoure Christ had a gardayne, but he had littel pleasure in it. You have many goodly gardaynes, I would you would in the mids of them cōsyder what agonye our sauyoure Christ suffered in his gardayne. A goodly meditacion to have in youre gardaines. It shall occasion you to delight no farther in vanities but to remember what he suffr •• for you. It may draw you from sin? It is a good monumente, a good sign, a good monycyon to consider howe he be haued him self in this garden.

Well he saith to his Discyples. Sytte here and pray with me. He went a little way of, as it were a stones cast from them, and falls to his prayer, and saith: Pater si possible est transe at a me calix iste.

Father if it be possyble. Awaye with this bitter cup this outrageous pain. Yet after he correctes him self, and says: Veruntamen u • u sicut ego volo sed sicut tu vis.

Not my will but thy will be done O father. Here is a good medytacyon for Chrysten men, at all times, and not only upon good fryday, let good fryday be every day to a Christian man to know, to use his passyon to that ende and purpose, not to read the story, but to take the fruit of it.

Some men if they had been in this agonye, would have run them selves through with their sweardes as Saul did, some would have hangged them selves, as Ahithophel did.

Lette us not follow these men, they be no examples for us, but let us follow Christ, which in his agonye resorted to his father with his prayer. This must be our patron to work by. Here I might dilate the matter as touching praying to Saints, here we may learn not to pray to Saints. Christ byddes us, Ora patrem qui est in celis.

Praye to thy father that is in heaven, to the creator, and not to any creature. And therefore away with these auowryes. Let god alone be our auowry, what have we to do to run hither or thither, but only to the father of heaven? I will not tarry to speak of this matter. Our Savior Christ set his disciples in an order and commanded them to watch, and pray, saying: Vigilate et orate.

Whatch and pray. Wherto should they watch and pray? he saith by and by: Ne intretis in tentationem That ye enter not into temptation. He byddes them not, pray that they be not tempted, for that is as much to say, as to pray that we should be out of this world. Ther is no man in this world without temptation. In the time of prosperyte we are tempted to wantonness, pleasures, and all lyghtnes, in time of aduersyte to despair in gods goodness. Tēptacion never ceasses.

Ther is a difference between being tempted and entrynge into temptation. He byddes therefore not to pray that they be not tempted, but that they enter not into temptation. To be tempted is no evil thing.

For what is it? no more then when the flesh, the devil and the world doeth solycyte and move us against God.

To give place to these suggestions, and to yield our selves, and suffer us to be over comme of them, this is to enter into temptation. Our sauyoure Christ knew that they should be grievously tempted and therefore he gave them warning, that they should not give place to temptation, nor dyspayre at his death. And if they chaunched to forsake him, or to run away, in case they tripped or swerved, yet to come again.

But our Savior Christ did not only command his dyscyples to pray, but fell down upon his knees flat upon the ground & prayed him self, saying: Pater si fieri potest transeat a me calix iste Father, deliver me of this pange and pain that I am in, this outragyous pain▪ This word, father, came even from the bowels of his heart, when he made his mone, as who should say, father ryd me, I am in such pain that I can be in no greater? Thou art my father, I am thy son Can the father, forsake his sonne in such anguish? Thus he made his mone. Father take a way this horror of death frō me, ryd me of this pain, suffer me not to be takē whan Judas comes, suffer me not to be hanged on the cross, suffer not my hands to be perced with nails nor my heart with the sharp spear. A wonderful thing, that he should so oft tell his discyples of it before, and now when he cometh to the point, to desire to be rydde of it, as though he would have been disobedient to the will of his father. Afore he sayede, he came to suffer, and now he says, a way with this cup. Who would have thought that ever this gear should have come out of Christ's mouthe? What a case is this? What should a man say? You must understand, that Christ took upon him our infyrmities, of the which this was one, to be sorry at death. Amonge the styppendes of sin, this was one, to trymble at the cross, this is a punishment for our sin.

It goeth other ways with us, thē with Christ, if we were in like case, and in like agony. almost we would curse God, or rather wish that there were no God. Thys that he said, was not of that sort, it was referrynge the matter to the will of his father, but we seek by all means be it righte, be it wrong of our own nature to be ryd out of pain, he desired it condicionally, as it might stand, with his fathers will, adding a Veruntamen to it.

So his request was to show the infyrmytye of man, here is now an example what we shall do, when we are in like case.

He never deserved it, we have. He had a Veruntamen, a notwithstanding, let us have so to, we must have a nevertheless, thy will be done and not mine.

Geue me grace to be content to submit my will unto thine. Hys fact teacheth us what to do. Thys is our surgerye, our physic, when we be in Agonye, And reken upon it friends, we shall come to it, we shall feel it, at one time or another.

What does he now? what came to pass now, when he had hard no voice? his father was domme.

He resortes to his friends, seeking some comfort at their hands seeing he hade none at his fathers hand, he comes to his disciples. and fyndes them a sleep, he spake unto Peter & said. Ah Peter art thou a sleep, Peter before had bragged stoutly as though he would have killed, God have mercy upon his soul. And now when he should have comforted Christ, he was a sleep, not once buffe, nor baffe to him, not a word, he was fain to say to his dyscyples: Vigilate et orate, Watche & pray, the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak, he had never a word of them again. They might at the leste have said. Oh Syr remember yourself, are you not Christ? came not you into this world, to redeem sin? be a good cheare, be a good comforth, this sorrow will not help you, comfort youre self by your own preaching you have said: Oportet filium hominis pati, You have not deserved anything, it is not your fault. In deed if they had done this with him, they had played a friendly parte with him, but they gave him not so much as one comfortable word. We run to our friends in our dystresses & Agonyes, as though we had all our trust and confydence in them, he did not so, he resorted to them, but trusted not in them, we will run to our friends and come no more to God, he returned again.

What? shall we not resort to our friends in time of need? and trow ye we shall not find them a sleep? yes I warrant you, and when we need their help moste, we shall not have it. But what shall we do, when we shall find lack in them? we will cry out upon them, upbraid them, chyde, brawl, fume, chaufe & backebite them. But Christ did not so, he excused his fryendes, saying: Vigilate et orate spiritus quidē prōptus est, caro autem infirma. Oh (quouth he) watch and pray, I se well the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. What meaneth this? suerelye it is a comfortable place. For as longe as we live in this world, when we be at the best, we have no more but. Promptitudinem spiritus cum infirmitate carnis, The redynesse of the spirit with the infirmite of the flesh. The very Saints of God said: Velle adest mihi, My will is good, but I am not able to perform it, I have benewith some, and fain they would, fain they would, there was redines of spirit, but it would not be. It grieved thē that they could not take things, as they should do.

The flesh resysteth the work of the holy Gost in our hearts, and lets it, lets it. We have to pray ever to God O prayer, prayer, that it might be used in this Realm as it ought to be of all men, and specyallye of Magystrates, of Counsaylers, of great Rulers, to pray, to pray, that it would please God to put Godly policies in their hearts. Call for asystaunce. I have heard say, whē that good queen that is gone had ordained in her house, daily prayer both before none, and after none, the admyral gets him out of the way, like a moule diggynge in the earth, He shall be Lottes wife to me as long as I live. He was a covetous man an horrible covetous man, I would there were no mo in England. He was an ambitious man. I would there were no mo in England. He was a seditious man, a contemnar of commune prayer, I would there were no mo in England, he is gone, I would he had left none behind him, Remēber you my lords, that you pray in your houses to the better mortification of your flesh. Remember god must be honored, I will you to pray that God will continue his spirit in you. I do not put you in comfort, that if ye have once the spirit, ye cannot lose it, Ther be new spirits start up now of late, that say after we have received the spyryt, we cannot sin. I will make but one argument. Saynct Paul had brought the Galathyans to the professyon of the faith, & left them in that state, they had received the spirit once but they sinned again, as he testified of them him self. He saith: • urrebatis been. Ye were once in a right state, and again. Recepistis spiritū ex operibus legis, an ex iusticia fidei? Once they had the spirit by faith, but false Prophets came (when he was gone frō thē) & they plucked them clean away frō all that Paul had planted thē in, & thē said Paul unto thē: O stulti Galathe quis vos fascinauit? if this be true, we may lose y ^e spryte, y ^e we have once possessed. It is a fond thing, I will not tarry in it. But now to the passyon again. Christ had ben with his father, & felt no help, he had been w ^t his friends, & had no comfort, he had prayed twice, and was not herd, what did he now? did he give prayer over? no, he goeth again to his father, & saith the same again, father if it be possyble away w ^t this cup, here is an example for us although we be not herd at the first time, shall we give over our prayer? nay we must to it again, we must be importune upon god, we must be instant in prayer. He prayed thryse & was not herd, let us sinners pray three store times, folks are very dull nowadays in prayer, to come to sermons, to resort to cōmō prayer. You houskepers, and especially great men give example of prayer in your houses. Well did his father look upon him this second time? no, he went to his friends again thynkyng to find some comfort there, but he finds thē a sleep again more deper a sleep thē ever they were. Their eyes were heavy w ^t sleep Ther was no comfort at all, they wyst not what to say to him. A wonderful thing, how he was tost frō post to pillar, one while to his father, & was destytute at his hand, another while to his friends, & found no comfort at thē, his father gave him lokīg on, & suffered him to bite vpō the brydle a while. Almyghtye God beheld this battle that he might enjoy that honor and glory, that in his name all knees should bow, Celestium, Terrestrium, et infernorū, in heavē, earth, and hell. Thys that the father would not here his own son, was another punyshemente due to our sin. Whē we cry unto him, he will not here us. The Prophet Jeremiah saith: Clamabūt ad me, et ego nō exaudiā eos. These be Ieremyes words, here he threateneth to punish sin, with not hearing their prayyers, The Prophet saith: They have not had the fear of God before their eyes, nor have not regarded discipline and correction. I never saw surely so lyttel discipline as is now a days Men will be masters, they will be masters, and no Disciples. Alas where is this discipline now in England. The people regard no discipline, they be without all order. Where they should give place, they will not stir on inch, yea, where magistrates should determine matteres, they will break into the place before they come, and at their coming not move a whytte for them. Is this discipline? Is this good order? If a man say any thing unto them, they regard it not. They that be called to answer will not answer dirertlye, but skoffe the matter out. Men the more they know, the worse they be, it is truly said.

Sciencia inflat, knoweledg maketh us proud and ranseth us to forget all, and set a way discipline, Suerlye, in Poperye they had a reverence, but now we have none at all, I never saw the like. Thys same lack of the fear of God, and discipline in us, was one of the causes that the father would not hear his son. Thys pain suffered our savior Christ for us, who never deserved it. Oh what it was, that he suffered in this gardeyn, till Judas came. The doloures, the terroures, the sorrows that he suffered, be vnspeakeble. He suffered, partelye, to make amends for our sins, and partelye, to give us example, what we should do in like case.

What comes of this gear in the ende Well, now he prayeth again, he resorteth to his father again. Angore correptus prolixius orabat. He was in sorer pains, in more anguish, then ever he was, and therefore he prayeth longer, more ardent lie, more feruentelye, more vehementli, then ever he did before.

Oh Lord, what a wonderful thing is this, this horroure of death is worse then death it self, more vgsome, more bitter then any bodylye death. He prayeth now the third time. He did it so instantlye, so feruentlye, that it brought out a bloody sweat, & such plenty that it dropped down even to the ground. There issued out of his precious body drops of blood. What a pain was he in, when these bloody drops fell so abūdantlye from him? Yet for all that, howe unthankfull do we show our selves toward him that died only for our sakes, and for the remedy of our sins. Oh what blasphemy do we commit day by day, what little regard have we to his blessed passion thus to swear by gods blood, by Christ's passion. We have nothing in no pastime, but gods blood gods woūdes. We continually blaspheme his passion in haukyng hunting, dising, and cardynge Who would think he should have such enemies among those that profess his name. What became of his blood that fell down trow ye? was the blood of Hales of it, woe worth it. What a do was it to bring this out of the kings head. Thys great abhomynacyon of the blood of hales could not be taken a great while out of his mind. You that be of the court, and especially ye sworn chaplaynes beware of a lesson that a great man taught me at my first coming to the court he told me for good will, he thought it well. He said unto me. You must beware howe so ever ye do that ye contrary not the Kynge, let him have his sayings, follow him, go with him. Mary out upon this coūsail, shall I say, as he says.

Say youre conscience, or elce what a worm shall ye fele gnawynge, what a remorse of conscience shall ye have, when ye remember howe ye have slacked your duty. It is as a good wise verse. Gutta cauat lapidē, non ui sed sepe cadendo. The drop of rain maketh a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by often fallynge. Lyke wise a Prince must be turned not violentelye, but he must be won by a lytel & a little. He must have his duty told him, but it must be done with humbleness, with request of pardon, or else it were a dangerous thing.

Unpreachynge Prelates have been the cause, that the blood of Hales did so long blind the Kynge. Woe worth that such an abominable thing, should be in a Christian realm, but thanks be to God it was partly redressed in the Kynges days that dead is, and much more now. God grant good will, and power to go forward, if there be any such abhomynacion behind, that it may utterly be rooted up.

O how happy are we, that it hath pleased almyghty God to vouchsafe, that his son should sweat blood for the redemyng of our sins, and again howe vnhappye are we, if we will not take it thanckefullye, that was redeemed so paynefullye. Alas what hard hearts have we. Oure Sauioure Christ never sinned, and yet sweat he blood for our sins, we will not once watter our eyes with a few tears. What an horrible thing is sin? that no other thing would remedy and pay the ransom for it, but only the blood of our Sauioure Christ. There was nothing to pacify the fathers wrath against man, but such an Agony as he suffered, All the passion of all the martyrs that ever were, all the sacrifices of Patriarchs that ever were, all the good works that ever were done, were not able to remedy our sin, to make satisfaction for our sins, nor any thing besides, but this extreme passion and blood shedding of our most merciful Savior Christ.

But to draw toward an ende, what became of this three fold prayer, at the length, it pleased God to here his sons prayer, and sent him an angel to corroborate, to strengthen, to comforth him.

Christ need no angels help if he had lysted to ease him self with his deitye. He was the son of God, what then? for so much as he was man he received comforth at the Angels hand, as it accordes to our infirmity. Hys obedience, his contynaunce, and suffering, so pleased the father of heaven, that for his sons sake, be he never so great a sinner, leaving his sin, and repent, ynge for the same, he will owe him such favor, as though he had never commyted any sin.

The father of heaven will not suffer him to be tempted with this great horroure of death and hell to the uttermost, and above that he is able to bear. Loke for it my friends, by him and through him he shall be able to overcome it, let us do as our Sauioure Christ did, and we shall have help from a boue, we shall have angels help, if we trust in him, heaven and earth shall give up, rather then we shall lack help, He saith he is. Adiutor in necessitatibus an helper in time of need. When the angel had comforted him, and when this horroure of death was gone, he was so strong, that he offered himself to Judas, and said. I am he. To make an ende, I pray you take pains. it is a day of penance (as we use to say) give me leave to make you werye this day. The Jews had him to Caiaphas and Annas, and there, they whypte him, and bethym, they set a crown of sharp thorn upon his head, and nailed him to a tree, yet all this was not so bitter, as this horroure of death, and this Agony, that he suffered in the gradayne, in such a degree as is dew to all the sins of the world, and not to one man's sin.

Well, this passion is our remedy, it is the satisfaction for our sins. Hys soul descended to hell for a time. Here is much a do, these new vpstartynge spirits, say Christ never descended into hell, neither body nor soul. Inscorne they will ask, was he there, what did he there? what if we cannot telle what he did there? The creed goeth no further, but faith, he descended thither, what is, that to us if we cannot tell seeing we were taught no further. Paul was taken up into the third heaven, ask likewise what he saw when we was carried thither, you shall not find in scripture what he saw or what he did there, shall we not therefore believe that he was there.

These arrogant spirits, spirits of vain glory, because they know not by any express scripture, the order of his doings in hell, they will not believe that ever he descended into hell. In deed this article hath not so full scripture, so many places and testimonies of scriptures as other have, yet it hath enough, it hath .ii. or .iii. texts, & if it had but one, one text of scripture, is of as good and lawful authority as a .M. and of as certain truth. It is not to be weighed by the multitude of texts. I believe as certaynelye and verily that this Realm of England hath as good authority to hear God's word as any nation in all the world, it may be gathered by .ii. texts one of them is this.

Go into the whole world, and preach the Gospel to all creatures. And again. deus • ult omnes homines saluos fieri. God will have all men to be saved, he exceptes not the Englishemen here, nor yet expresselye nameth them, and yet I am as sure, that this Realm of England, by this gatheryng, is allowed to here God's word, as though Christ had said a thousand times, Go preach to English men. I will that Englyshemen be saved. Because this Article of his descending into hell, cannot be gathered so directlye, so necessarylye, so formallye they do utterly deny it. Thys article hath Scriptures two or three enough for quiet mind, as for curyouse brains nothing can content them.

Thys the devils sterryng up of such spirits of sedition, is an euidente argument, that the light is come forth, for his word is a broad, when the devil russheth, when he roreth, when he styrreth up such busy spirits, to slander it. My entente is not to entreat of this matter at this time. I trust the people will not be carried away with these new arrogant spirits, I dout not, but good preachers wyllabour against them. But now I will say a word, and herein I prottest first of all not arrogantlye to determine, and defyne it, I will contend with no man for it, I will not have it be prejudice to any body, but I offer it unto you to consider and weay it.

There be some great clerks that take my parte, and I perceive not what evil can come of it, in saying, y ^t our Savior Christ did not only, in soul descend into hell but also that he suffered in hell such pains as the damned spirits did suffer there. Suerly. I believe verily for my parte, that he suffered the pains of hell proporcionably, as it correspondes and answers to the whole sin of the world. He would not suffer only bodelye in the gardayne and upon the cross, but also in his soul, when it was from the body, which was a pain dew for our syn.

Some write so, and I can believe it that he suffered in the very place, I cannot tell what it is, call it what ye will, even in the skaldinge house, in the vgsomnes of the place, in the presence of the place, such pain as our capacity cannot attain unto, it is somewhat declared unto us, when we utter it by these effects, by fire, by gnashynge of teth, by the worm that gnaweth on the conscience, What so ever the pain is, it is a great pain that he suffered for us. I se no inconuenyence to say, that Christ suffered in soul in hell.

I singularly commend the exceeding great charytye of Christ, that for our sakes would suffer in hell in his soul. It sets out the unspeakable hatred that God hath to sin. I perceive not that it doth derogate anything frō the dignity of Christ's death, as in the gardayne, when he suffered, it derogates nothing frō y ^t he suffered on the cross. Scripture speaketh on this fashiō: Qui credit in me, habet vitam eternam. He that believeth in me, hath life everlasting. Here he sets forth faith, as the cause of our iustifycatiō, in other places as high commondacion is given to works, and yet are the works any derogation from that dignity of faith? No. And again scripture saith: Traditus est propter peccata nostra et exuscitatus propter iustificationem &c. It attributeth here our iustyfycation, to his resurrectiō, and doeth this derogate any thing from his death? not a whit. It is whole Christ. What with his natiuytye, what with his circumcysyon, what with his incarnation, and the whole process of his life, with his preaching, what with his ascendynge, descendynge, what with his death, it is all Christ that worketh our salvation. He sytteth on the ryghthande of the father, and all for us. All this is the work of our salvation. I would be as loath, to derogate any thing from Christ's death, as the best of you all. How vnestymably are we bound to him? what thanks ought we to give him for it? We must have this contynuallye in remembrance. Propter te morti tradimur tota die. For the, we are in dieyng continually.

The life of a Chrsten man is nothing but a readiness to die, and a remembrauce of death. If this that I have spoken of Christ's suffering in the gardayne, and in hell, derogate any thing from Christ's death and passyon, away with it, believe me not in this, if it do not, it commendes and sets forth very well unto us, the perfection of the satisfacion that Christ made for us, and the woorck of a redemption, not only before witness in this world, but in hell in that vgsome place, where, whether he suffered, or wrestled w ^t the spitites, or comforted Abrahā, Isaac, & Jacob I will not desier to know. If ye like not that which I have spoken of his suffering, let it go, I will not strive in it, I will be prejudice to nobody, weye it as ye list, I do but offer it you to consider. It is like his soul did somewhat the thredayes that his body lay in the grave. To say he suffered in hell for us derogats nothing frō his death, For all things that Christ did before his suffering on the cross, and after, do work our salvation▪ If he had not been incarnate, he had not died, he was beneficial to us with althinges he did. Christ̄ people should have his suffering for them in remembrance. Let your gardaynes monishe you, your pleasant gardaynes, what Christ suffered for you in the Gardayne, and what commodyete you have by his suffering.

It is his will ye should so do, he would be had in remembrance. Myxt youre pleasures with the remembrance of his bitter passion. The whole passion is satisfaction for our sins, and not the bare death, considering it so nakedly by itself. The manner of spekyng of scripture is to be considered. It attributeth our salvation, now to one thing, now to a nothere that Christ did, where in deed it partayned to all. Oure Sauioure Christ hath left behind him, a remembrance of his passyon, the blessed communion, the celebration of the Lord's supper, a lack it hath been long abused, as the sacryfices were before, in the old law. The Patriarchs used sacrifice, in the faith of the seade of the woman, which should break the serpentes head. The Patriarchs sacrificed on hope, and afterward the work was esteemed.

There comes other after, and they consider not the faith of Abraham▪ and the patriarchs, but do their sacrifice according to their own imaginacion, even so came it to pass with our blessed communion.

In the prymatyue church in places, when their fryendes were dead, they used to come together to the holy communion. What? to remedy them that were dead? No, no. A straw, it was not instituted for no such purpose.

But then they would call to remembrance gods goodness, and his passion that he suffered for us, wherein they comforted much their faith. Other came after ward and sets up all these kinds of massynge, all these kinds of iniquity. What an abomination is it? the foulest that ever was, to atribute to man's work our saluatyon. God be thanked that we have this blessed communion set forth so now, that we may comfort, increase, and fortify our faith at that blessed celebracyon. If he be gyltye of the body of Christ, that takes it unworthily, he fetcheth great comfort at it, that eats it worthily, He doth eat it worthelye, that doeth eat it in faith. In faith? in what faith? Not longe a go a great man, said in an audyence. They bable much of faith, I will go lie with my whore all night, and have as good a faith, as the best of them all. I think he never knew other, but the whoremongers faith. It is no such faith that will serve. It is no brybynge Judges, or iustices faith, no retreasers faith, no whoremongers faith, no lease mongers faith, no seller of benefices faith, but the faith in the passyon of our Sauioure Christ. We must believe that our Sauioure Christ hath taken us again to his favor, that he hath delivered us his own body and blood to plead with the dyuel and by merit of his own passyon, of his own mere liberality. This is the faith I tell you, that we must come to the cōmuniō with, & not the whoremongers faith? Loke where remission of syn is, there is acknowledging of sin also. Faith is a noble dutches, she hath ever her gentleman vsher going before her, the confessyng of sins, she hath a trayne after her, the fruits of good works, the walking in the commandments of God. He that believeth, will not be idle, he will walk he will do his business, have ever the gentelman vsher with you. So if ye will try faith, remember this rule, consider whether the trayne be waytynge upon her. If you have another faith then this, a whoremongers faith, you are like to go to the Scalding house, & there you shall have two dishes, weeping & gnasshyng of teeth, much good do it you, you se your fare. If ye will believe and acknowledge youre sins, you shall come to the blessed communion of the bitter passyon of Christ, worthlye, and so attain to everlasting life, to the which the father of heaven bring you and me AMEN.

Imprinted at London by John Day, dwelling at Aldersgate, and Wylliam Seres, dwelling in Peter College. These books are to be sold at the new shop by the lie • le Conduyte in Chepesyde.

Cum gratia et Priuilegio a • imprimendum solum.