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The Sermons of Latimer One Year (1552) Before His Arrest

Book: Sermons of Hugh Latimer

By: Hugh Latimer

LATIMER, HUGH (c. 1485-1555), Bp. of Worcester and Reformer. He was the son of a yeoman farmer of Thurcaston in Leicestershire, educated at Cambridge, and in 1510 elected Fellow of Clare Hall. In his earlier years he was an ardent opponent of the New Learning. He was ordained priest, and in 1522 his eloquence and zeal in reforming abuses and defending social justice led the University to license him as one of the 12 preachers commissioned to preach anywhere in England. From c. 1523 his opinions began to become suspect to the ecclesiastical authorities, and when in 1525 he declined the request of his bishop, N. West of Ely, to preach a sermon against M. Luther, he was forbidden to preach in the diocese. After skilfully defending himself before T. Wolsey, he was again allowed to preach throughout England. The directness of his method, his understanding of human character, his homely style, and his ready wit won his sermons increasing influence. A sermon before Henry VIII in Lent 1530, though it attacked the use of temporal weapons for the defence of God’s Word, won him the royal favour, and in 1531 he was given the loving of West Kington, Wilts. But his preaching, which now openly challenged ecclesiastical authority and spread Protestant doctrines, was censured by Convocation in Mar. 1532. Late in the year he submitted.

After T. Cranmer’s appointment to Canterbury (1533), Latimer’s position improved, and when, in 1534, Henry formally broke with the Pope, Latimer became one of the King’s chief advisers. In 1535 he was appointed Bp. of Worcester. In his sermons he continued to denounce social injustices and other contemporary corruptions, attack Catholic teaching on purgatory, images, etc. He also supported the King in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. In 1538 he preached at the execution of John Forest, and in the same year approved the putting to death of the family of R. Pole. But his career was cut short in 1539, when, in acc. with his Protestant beliefs, he opposed the Act of the Six Articles, and resigned his see on hearing from T. Cromwell that this was the King’s wish. Taken into custody, he was freed in 1540, but ordered to leave London and forbidden to preach. Very little is known of the next few years of his life. In 1546 he was confined to the Tower, but was released on Edward VI’s accession in the following year. On New Year’s Day 1548 he preached his famous sermon ‘Of the Plough’ at Paul’s Cross, and became very popular as a court preacher, continuing to denounce social and ecclesiastical abuses and supporting the government of Somerset. On the accession of Mary he was arrested and committed to the Tower (1553). In 1554, together with T. Cranmer and N. Ridley, he was taken to Oxford to dispute with Catholic theologians of both universities esp. on Transubtantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. Having refused to accept the medieval doctrine, he was excommunicated. He was examined again in 1555 and after a renewed refusal to recant, was burnt with Ridley at Oxford on 16 Oct. 1555.

Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church

Christian Heritage Library Note: The following material is recommended for scholarly use.

It is loaded with much historical information, but is presented in its original primitive form.

The Sixt Sermon of Maister

Latymer. 1552. Rom. 13.

Owe nothing to any man, but this, that ye love one an other: for he that loveth an other fulfilleth the law. For this commaundement, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steale, thou shalt not beare false witnes, thou shalt not lust, and so forth: If there by any other commaundement, it is all comprehended in this saying: &c.

As for the first part of this Epistle, we have spoken of it before. For Saint Paule entreateth of love, and I told you how that love is a thing which we owe one to an other, and we are never quit of this debte, we can never discharge our selves of it: for as long as we live we are in that debte. I will not tarry nowe to intreate of it: for I tolde you since I came into this countrey, certaine speciall properties of this love. Therefore I will onely desire you to consider, that this love is the lyvery of Christ: they that have thys livery be hys servauntes. Againe, they that have it not, be the servauntes of the devill: for Christ sayth, by this they shall know ye be my disciples, if ye love one an other: they that beare ill will with hatred & malice to their neighbours bee the devills servauntes. And what so ever such men do that hate their neighbours: pleaseth not God, God abhorreth it, they and all their doines stinke before hym. For if we would go about to sacrifice and offer unto God a great part of our substance, if we lack love it is all to no purpose, he abhorreth all our doinges: therefore our Saviour geveth us warning that we shal know that our doinges please not God when we are our of charitie with our neighbour, and have greved or injured him: these be his wordes: Therefore if thou offrest thy gift at the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst thee, leave thy offeryng before the altare, and goe thy waye first and be reconciled to the brother, and then come and offer thy gift. For certayne it is, that when we be without love and charitye, we please not God at all, neither in sacrifices or any maner of thynges: therefore I desire you, call to remembraunce what I sayd at the same tyme when I entreated of ye love: for I tell you GOD wil not be mocked: it is not inough to pretend a love and charitye, with our mouth, and to speake fayre, and in our hartes to hate our neighbour, this is naught: we should not only speake wel by our neighbour, but also we should love him in deede, we should helpe him in his neede, we should forgeve him with all our harts, when he hath done anything agaynst us: for if hee needeth helpe, and I helpe him not, being able, then my love is not perfect: for the right love sheweth her selfe, by the outward workes. Lyke as D. James sayth: Shew me thy fayth by workes. So I say unto you, shew your love by your works. Now to the other matters. This also we know the season how that it is time that we should now awake out of sleepe: for now is our savation nearer, then when we beleved. The night is passed, the day is come nye, let us therefore cast away the dedes of darknes: & let us put on ye armour of light, let us walk honestly as it were in ye day lyght, not in eating & drinking, neither in chamberyng and wantones, neither in strife & envying, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts of it.

Here S. Paule requireth a great thing of us, namely that we should awake from sleepe: hee argueth of the circumstances of the time. But that sleepe of which he speaketh is specially a spirituall sleepe, the sleepe of the soule: yet we may learne by this texte that too much sluggishnes of the body is naught and wicked, to spend that good tyme which God hath geven us to doe good in, to spende it I say in sleeping, as in eatyng & drinking: and we please God as well in sleeping our naturall sleepe, as in eatyng and drinking: but we must see that we keepe a measure, that we geve our selves not to much to sluggishnes. For lyke as we may not abuse meat & drink, so we may not abuse sleeping, to turne our naturall sleepe into sluggishnes. But S. Paule speaketh here specially of the sllep of ye soule, that is of sinne & wickednes, which are called in scripture sleepe or darcknes: from which sleepe Saint Paule would have us to rise. For our salvation is come nearer. Now chaunceth it that S. Paule sayth, that our salvation is come nearer: doe we not beleve now as the Prophetes and Patriarkes did and how is then our salvation come nerer? you must understand that there be two tymes from the beginning: the first tyme was from the beginning of the world till Christ hys commyng: the other tyme is since he came: for when he came he wrought the worke of our salvation, and taught us the way to heaven, suffered that payne for us which we should have suffered in hell world wythout end, and rose againe from the death, declaring his resurrection unto his disciples, and so ascended into heaven, where he sitteth at the right hand of God hys Father: where he with his intercession applieth unto us which beleeve in hym, his passion and all his merites: so that all that beleve in him shall be quit from their sinnes. For his passion is profitable onely unto them that beleve: notwithstanding that his death might be sufficient for all the whole world: yet for all that no man shall enjoy that same benefite. but onely they that beleve in him, that put their hope, trust, and confidence in him. Now therefore S. Paul sayeth, Our salvation is come nearer: because Christ is come already, and maketh intercession for us. All they that were before hys commyng, as the Patriaches and Prophetes, and all other faithfull, they beleved that he should come, but so doe not we: we beleeve that he is come already, and hath fulfilled all thynges. The Jewes which are at our time beleeve that he shall come, but they tarry in vayne: their faith is a decetfull faith, because it is against Gods word: for Christ is not to be looked for to come agayne and suffer. No not so, but he will come agayne to judge both the quicke and the dead. Our Saviour Christ was reveled long before he came to suffer. First in paradise, when God spake of the womans seede, and sayde: Conteret caput serpentis, The seede of the woman shall breake the serpentes head. And this was a gospell, a glad tidinges: for the serpent had deceived Adam and Eve, and brought them from their felicitie, to which they were created: so that Adam and Eve could not help themselves, nor amende the matter. Now then commeth God with his gospell, and promiseth that there shall one be borne of woman, which shall quash the serpentes head: and this was a Gospell. And no doubt as many as did beleeve these wordes, and did put their hope in the seede of the woman, and beleved to be delivered from their sinnes thorow that seede: As many I say, as beleved so, were saved, as Seth, Enoch, and other good & godly men, which were at that tyme: but there was no great number of those: For the most part ever was the worste. Farther on this gospel was reveled unto Abraham, when God did promise hym, saying: In demine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes, In thy seede all nations shall be blessed: so that it appeared, that without Christ, we are under the cursse of God. And agayne by Christ we have the benediction of God. Lykewise this Gospell was opened unto David, and all the holy prophetes: They spake of this Gospell, & taught the people to looke for their Saviour: but their sayinges and prophesies was somewhat darcke and obscure. Now when he came and dwelt amongst us, and shewed us the way to heaven, with his owne mouth he taught us this Gospell, and suffered hys paynefull passion for us: thys was a more clearer revelation then the Prophetes had Therfore Christ our Saviour sayth to his disciples: Happy are the eyes which see those thynges which ye see, for I tell you, that many Prophetes and kynges have desired to see those thynges which ye see, and have not seene them: And to heare those thynges which ye heare, and have not heard them. But wherefore were they called blessed that they saw him: for if the blessednes standeth in the outwarde seeing, then Adam and Eve, and all the prophets were not blessed, but cursed: if the blessednes standeth in the bodely sight, then ye brute beastes were blessed which saw him, the Asse wherupon he rode was blessed, yea his very enemies Annas and Cayphas, and Pilate, and other that consented unto his death were blessed. Be not so, ye must understand that our Saviour in that manner of speaking putteth onely a difference betweene ye times. For at that tyme when he was here in earth, he was more cleare revealed then before, when he was onely promised to come. When he did myracles, cast our devils, healed the sicke, it was a more clearer revelation, then when God sayd, Semen mulieris conteret caput serpentis, The seede of the woman shall breake the head of the serpent. When John Baptist pointed & shewed him with his finger, it could better be understanded then the prophesies which were spoken of hym. Therfore this blessednes wherof Christ speaketh, & Saint Paule (when he sayth) that our salvation is come nearer, must be understanded of the diversitie of the time: for Christ was clearer revealed in the ende of the world than before. But as touching the blessedness which we have by Christ: it was alyke at all tyme, for it stoode Adam in as good stead to beleeve the first promise which God made unto him: and he was as well saved by it, in beleeving that Christ shoulde come, as we be, which beleeve that he is come, and hath suffered for us. So lyke wyse the Prophetes are saved in beleevyng that he should come and suffer, and delyver mankinde by his most paynefull death. But now since he is come in deede, and hath overcomed the devil & redeemed our sinnes, suffered the paynes, not for his owne sake, but for our sakes: for he hymselfe had no sinne at all, he suffered to deliver us from everlasting damnation, he tooke our sinnes, and gave us his righteousnes. Now since that all these thynges are done and fulfilled, therfore saith Paul: Propius est salus nunc, quam tunc, cum credebatur, Our salvation is come nearer now, then when we beleeved: taking occasion of the time, to move us to rise from our sleepe, as who say, Christ is come now, he hath fulfilled all thynges, of which thinges the prophetes have spoken now, therfore arise from your sinnes. The same sleepe of which S. Paule speaketh here, is the sleep of sinne, a spirituall sleepe, not a naturall sleepe of the bodye as for the natural sleepe is lawful for us to sleepe and to take our rest, when we doe it measurably, not too much setting aside our busines: wherunto God hath called us, and doe nothyng but play the sluggardes: when we doe so, then we doe naught and sinne agaynst God. Therefore we must awake from the sinfull sleepe, we must set aside slouthfulnes with all other vyces and sinnes. But I pray you what is sinne: I thinke there be many which can commit sinne, and doe wickedly: but I thinke there be but fewe of those which know what is sinne. Therefore I will tell you what is sinne: all ye that is done agaynst the lawes of God, contrary to his will and pleasure, that is sinne and wickednes. Now there bee two maner of lawes. There be generall lawes pertayning to every man and woman, and other be speciall lawes: the general lawes are comprehended in the ten commaundementes, which ten commaundementes are comprehended in the lawes of love. Thou shalt love God with all thy hart. &c. And thy neighbour as thy selfe, these be generall lawes.

Now then there be speciall lawes which teach us how every man and woman shal live in their calling, whereunto God hath called them. These lawes teach how magistrates shal doe their dutie, execute justrice,punishe the wicked, defend the good, to see that the common wealth be well ordred, and governed, that the people live godly, every man in his calling. So likewise maryed folke have their speciall callyng ye lawes. There is appointed in scripture how the man shall nourish his wife, rule her with all lenity and frendlines: the woman likewise shall obey her husband, be loving and kinde towardes hym. So masters ought to doe accordyng unto their calling, that is, to rule their house well and godly, to see that their servauntes, be well occupyed, and to let them have their meate, drinke, and wages. So servauntes have their lawes, that is, to obey their maisters, to doe diligently all busniess whatsoever their masiters commaunde unto them, so far as it is not against God. For when a maister will commaunde unto his servauntes to doe such thynges which are agaynst God, then the servaunt ought not to obey to doe those thynges.

Now whosoever transgresseth these lawes, eyther the generall lawes, or the speciall lawes, he sinneth: and that which is done contrary to these lawes, is sinne. If ye will knowe now whether ye have sinned or not, see and consider these lawes, and then goe into thy hart, and consider thy living, how thou hast spent all thy dyes: if thou doest so, no doubt thou shalt finde innumerable sinnes done agaynst these lawes, for the law of God is a glasse wherein a man may see his spottes and filthynes: therefore when we se them let us abhorre them, and leave them: let us be sory for that which is passed, and let us take a good purpose to leave all sinnes, from henceforwarde. And this is it that S. Paule sayth, let us arise from the sleepe of sinne and wickednes, for our savlation is come nerer: our saviour he is clerely opened unto us, he hath suffered for us already, and fulfilled the lawe to the uttermost: and so by his fulfilling taken away the curse of the lawe.

But there be two mane of sinnes, there is a deadly sinne and a veniall sinne: that is sinnes that bee pardonable and sinnes that be not pardonable. Now how shall we knowe which be veniall synnes, or which be not: for it is good to know them: and so to keepe us from them, when ye will know which be deadly sinnes or not: you must first understand, that there be two maner of men: when I say men, I understand also women, that is all mankynde, and so doth scripture understand women, by this worde men: for els we should not finde in scripture, that we should baptise women, for the scripture sayth: Baptisate eos, Baptise them. he speaketh in the masculine gender onely. Also N isi quis renatus fuerit ex spiritu & aqua, Except a man be borne agayne thorough spirit and water: here is made no mention of women, yet they be understode in it: for the salvation and everlasting lyfe, pertayneth as well unto faithfull women as it doth unto faithfull men: for he suffered as well for the women, as he did for the men. God would have the both to be saved, the men and the women, So ye see ye this worde men signifieth or conteineth both kindes, (the men and the women) at sometymes, though not alwayes. But I say there be two maner of men, some there be that be not justified, not regenerated, nor yet in the state of salvation, that is to say, not Gods servauntes: they lacke the renouvation or regeneration, they be not come yet to Christ. Now these persons that be not yet come to Christ, or if they were come to Christ, be fallen againe from him, and so lost their justification (as there be many of us, which when we fall willing into sinne against conscience, we loose the favour of God, our salvation, and finally the holy Ghost) all they now that be out of the favour of God, and are not sorye for it, sinne greeveth them not, they purpose to goe forward in it, all those that intende not to leave their sinnes are out of the favour of God: and so all their workes what so ever they doe, be deadly sinnes: for as long as they be in purpose to sinne, they sinne deadly in all their doinges. Therefore when we will speake of the diversitite of sinnes, we must speake of those that be faithfull, that be regenerated & made new, and cleane from their sinnes through Christ. Now this I say: I have veniall sinnes and deadly sinnes, which be veniall sinnes: Every sinne that is committed agaynst God not wittingly, not willingly, consenting unto jeste be veniall sinnes: As for ensample, I see a fayre woman, I am moved in my hart to sinne with her, to committe the act of lechery with her, such thoughtes rise out of my hart, but I consent not unto them, I wythstande these ill motions, I follow the ensample of that godly younge man Joseph: I consider in what estate I am, namely a temple of God, and that I should loose the holy Ghost: on such wise I withstand my ill lustes and appetites, yet this motion in my hart is sinne, this ill lust which riseth up: but it is a veniall sinne, it is not a mortall sinne, because I consent not unto it, I withstand it: and such veniall sinnes the just man committeth dayly. For the scripture sayth, septies cadir justus, The righteous man falleth seven times, that is, often tymes: for hys workes are not so perfecte as they ought to bee. For I pray you, who is he that loveth hys neighbour so perfectly and vehemently as he ought to doe: Now this imperfection is sinne, but it is a veniall sinne, not a mortall, therefore he that feeleth his imperfections, feeleth the ill motions in his hart, but followeth them not, consenteth not unto wickednesse to do them: these be veniall sinnes, whiche shall not be imputed unto us to our damnation. So all the ill thoughtes that rise up in our hartes are veniall, as long as we consent not unto them, to fulfill them with the deede: I put the case, Joseph had not resisted the temptations of his maisters wife, but had followed her, and fulfilled the act of lechery with her, had wayed the matter after a worldly fashion: thinkyng, I have my mistresse favour already, and so by that meane I shall have my maisters favour to, no body knowyng of it.

Now if he had done so, this act had been a deadly sinne, for any acte that is done agaynst the law of God willyngly and wittyngly is a deadly sinne. And that man or woman that committeth such an acte loseth the holy Ghost and the remission of sinnes, and so becommeth the child of the devill, beyng before the child of God. For a regenerate man or woman that beleveth, ought to have dominion over sinne, but as soone as sinne hath rule over him, he is gone: for the leadeth hym to desectation of it, and from desectation to consentyng, and so from consentyng to the acte it selfe. Now he that is led so with sinne, he is in the state of damnation, and sinneth damnably. And so ye may percieve whiche be they that sinne deadly, and what is the deadly sinne, namely that be sinneth deadly, that wittyngly falleth in sin: therefore it is a perilous thyng to be in such an estate, to be in the estate of damnation and everlastyng perdition: let us follow therfore this good warning which S. Paul geveth us here, let us rise from the sleepe of sinne, let us take a harty purpose to leave all wickednes. But may we do so: May we rise from sinne, yes that we may: for God hath provided a remedy for us, what is that: Forsooth penaunce, we must have the staffe of penaunce, & rise up withall: & this penaunce is such a salve that it healeth all sores: if a man have done all the worldes sinne, yet when he taketh this state of penaunce in his hand, that is to say, when he is sory for it, & intendeth to leave them, no doubt he may recover: and God is that same Phyisition which useth but one maner of salve to all maner of sores.

We read in the Gospell of Luke: that when Pilate had done a notable murther, and had mingled the bloude of certayne Jewes with their owne sacrifices, now some come and tolde Christ what Pilate had done. Our Saviour maketh them answere, saying: I tell you except you repent, ye shall all likewise so perish. As who say what so ever Pilate hath done, see you that ye do penance, & amend your naughty lyvinges, or els ye shall all be destroyed. This was a good quip that he geveth unto the Jewes, which weare ready to speake of other mens faultes, but of their owne faultes they made no mention: as it is our nature, to bee more readyer to reprove other mens faultes then our owne: but our Saviour he commaundeth them to looke home, to see to themselves, and this penaunce is the chiefest thyng in all the Scripture. John Baptist when he began to preach, his sermon was, Paenitentia agite, do penance, so likewise Christ sayth, paenitentiam agite, & credite Evangelio, do penance & beleeve the gospell. But wherein standeth the right penance, and what is penance? Answere: penance is a turning from sinne unto God, a waking up from this sleepe of which Saint Paule speaketh here. But wherein consisteth this penaunce? The right penaunce consisteth in three pointes. The first is contrition, that is, I must acknowledge my selfe that I have trangressed Gods most holy lawes & commaundementes, I must confesse my selfe to be faulty and giltye, I must be sory for it, abhorre my selfe and my wickednesse. When I am now in that case, then I shall see nothyng but hell and everlasting damnation before me, as long as I looke upon my selfe and upon the law of God. For the lawe of God when it is preached bringeth us to the knowledge of our sinnes: For it is lyke as a glasse which sheweth us the spottes in our faces, that is the sinnes in our hates. But we may not tary here onely in the law and our selves: For if we doe, we shall come to desperation. Therefore the first pointe is to acknowledge our sinnes, and to be sory for the same: but as I sayde before, we must not tary here: for Judas was come so farre, he had this point: he was no doubt a sorrowfull man as any can be in the worlde. But it was to no purpose, he was lost for all his sorowfulnesse: therefore we must have an other point, what is that? Marry sayth, and belefe: we must beleve Christ, we must know that our Saviour is come into this world to save sinners: therfore he is called Jesus, because he shall save his people from their sinnes: As the Aungell of God himselfe witnesseth. And this fayth must not be onely a generall fayth, but it must be a speciall faith: for the devill himselfe hath a generall faith, he beleveth that Christ is come into this world, & hath made a reconciliation betwene God and man: he knoweth that there shall be remission of our sinnes, but he beleveth not he shall have part of it, that his wickednesse shall be forgeven unto him, this he beleveth not: he hath a generall fayth: but I say, that every one of us must have a speciall fayth: I must beleve for my selfe, that his bloud was shed for me. I must beleve that when Christ sayth: Come to me all ye that labour and are laden, and I will ease you. Here I must beleve that Christ calleth me unto him, that I should come and receive everlastyng lyfe at his handes: With such a speciall fayth I do apply his passion unto me. In that prayer that our Saviour made when he was goyng to his death, he sayth: I pray not for them alone, sayth he, but for them also whiche shall beleve in me through their preaching, that they all may be one, as thou father art in me, & I in thee, & that they also may be one in us. So that Christ prayeth for us as well as for hys Apostle, if we beleve in hym: and so Christes prayer and our belefe bryngeth the salve unto our soules. Therfore I ought to beleve, and so through fayth apply Christes merites unto me: for God requireth a special faith of every one of us, as well as he did of David, when the Prophet Nathan came unto him, & sayd Abstulit Dominus peccatum tuum, The Lord hath taken away thy wickednesse, which wordes of the Prophet Nathan he beleved: and so Judas in deede had a contrition, he was sory for his sinnes, but without faith. David was sory for his sinnes, but he joyned fayth unto it: he beleved stedfastly without all douting that God would be mercyfull unto hym: Abstulit Dominus, the Lord hath taken awaye thy sinnes, and God required of him that he should beleve those wordes. Now like as he required of David to beleve his wordes: so also he requireth of us too, that we should beleve him: for like as David was remedyed through hys fayth in God: so shall we be remedyed also, if we beleve as he dyd: for God will be as glad of us when we repent and leave our sinnes, as he was of David, and will also that we should be partakers of the merites of Christ. So ye have heard now these two poyntes which pertayne to the right penaunce: the first is contrition, when we acknowledge our sinnes, be sory for them, and that they greeve us very sore. The second poynt is fayth, when we beleve that God will be mercyfull unto us, and through his sonne forgeve us our wickednesse, and not impute the same to our eternall destruction. But yet there is an other point left behynd, which is this: that I must have an earnest purpose to leave sinne: and to avoyde all wickednesse as farre forth as I am able to do: I must wrastle with sinne: I must not suffer the devil to have the victory over me, though he be very suttle and craftie, yet I must withstand hym: I must disalow his instructions, and suggestions, I must not suffer sinne to beare rule over me: for no doubt if we will fight and strive, we may have the victory over this Serpent: for Christ our Saviour he hath promised unto us his helpe and comfort: therfore S. James sayth, Resistite diabolo & fugiet a vobis, withstand the devill, and he shall flye from you. For at his first commyng he is very weake, so that we are able, if we will take heede and fight, to overcome hym: but if we suffer him to enter once to posses our hartes, then he is very strong: so that he with great labour can scant be brought out agayne. For he entreth first by ill thoughtes: & as soone as he hath cast us in ill thoughtes, if we withstand not by and by, then foloweth delectation: if we suffer that, then commeth consentyng, and so from consentyng to the very acte: and afterwarde from one mischief unto an other: therefore it is a common saying, Principys obsta, resiste the beginnynges: for when we suffer him once to enter no doubt it is a perillous thyng, we are then in jeoperdy of everlastyng death.

So ye have heard now wherin standeth right penaunce first we must know and acknowledge our sinnes, be sory for them, and lament them in our hartes. Then the second poynt is fayth: we must beleve that Christ will be mercifull unto us, and forgeve us our sinnes, and not impuite them unto us. Thirdly we must have an earnest purpose to leave all sinne and wickednes, and no more to commit the same. And then ever be perswaded in thy hart, that they that have a good will and an earnest mynde to leave sinne, that God will strengthen them and he wil helpe them. But and if we by and by at the first clappe geve place unto the devill, and folow his mischievous suggestions: then we may be sure, that we highly displease God our heavenly father, if we forsake hym so soone. Therfore S. Paule sayth: Ne regnet igitur peccatum in vestro mortali corpore, Let not sinne beare rule in your mortall bodyes: be not led with sinne: but fight agaynst it. When we do so, it is impossible but we shal have helpe at Gods hand.

As touchyng confession, I tell you that they that can be content with the generall absolution which every minister of Gods word geveth in his Sermons, when he pronounceth that all that be sory for their sinnes, and beleve in Christ, seeke helpe and remedy by hym, and afterward intend to amende their lyves, and avoyde sinne and wickednesse: all those that be so mynded shall have remission of their sinnes. Now (I say) they that can be content with this generall absolution, it is well: but they that are not satisfied with it, they may go to some godly learned minister whiche is able to instruct and comfort them with the word of God, and to minister the same unto them to the contentation and quietyng of their consciences. As for satisfaction or absolution for our sinnes, there is none but Christ, we can not make amendes for our sinnes, but onely by belevyng in him which suffered for us for he hath made the mendes for all our sins by his paynfull passion and bloudshedyng: And here in standeth our absolution or remission of our sinnes, namely when we leleve in hym, and looke to be saved through his death, none other satisfaction are we able to make. But I tell you if there be any man or woman that hath stollen or purloyned away any thyng, from his neighbour, that man or woman is bounde to make restitution amendes. And this restitution is so necessary that we shall not loke for forgevenes of our sinnes at Christes hand: except this restitution be made first, for otherwise the satisfaction of Christ will not serve us: for God will have us to restore or make amendes unto our neighbour, whome wee have hurt, deceyved, or have in any maner of wayes taken from him wrongfully, his goodes whatsoever it bee.

By this now that I have sayd ye may perceive what maner of sleeping is this of which S. Paule speaketh heare, namely the sleepe of sinne. When we live & spend our tyme in wickednes, then we sleepe that deadly sleepe, which bringeth eternall damnation with him. And agayne, ye have heard how you shall ryse up from that sleepe, how ye shall fight and wrastle with sinne, not to suffer her to be the ruler over you. Let us therfore begyn even now while God geveth us so good and convenient a tyme: let us tarry no longer: let us awake from this deadly sleepe of sinne. It may well be called a deadly sleepe: for this sleepe of sinne beingeth eternall death and everlasting paynes and sorowes: let us therfore ryse to a godly lyfe and continew in the same until the ende. These thynges S. Paule speaketh generally to all men, and agaynst all maner of sinnes: but now he commeth to specialties. And first he sheweth what we shal not doe, then afterwarde he telleth us what we shall doe. Not in eating and drinking, neither in chambering & wantonnes: neither in strife and enveying. I marvel that the English is so translated, in eating and drinking: the latyne Grampler hath, Non in commessationibus, that is to say, not in too much eating and drinking: for no doubt God alloweth eating, and drinking, so that it be done measurably and thankfully. In the beginning of the world, before God punished the world with the floud, when he destroyed all mankynde and beastes, save onely Noah that good father: In the beginning (I say) mankinde eate nothing, but herbes, and rootes, and ______, and such geare as they could get: but after the floude God gave unto mankinde liberty to eate all maner of cleane beastes, all thinges that had lyfe, be it fyshe or fleshe. And this was done for this cause, that the earth was not so fruitfull nor brought not forth so holesome herbes after the floud, as she dyd before the floud: therefore God alowed unto man all maner of meate, be it fyshe or flesh: yet it must be done measurably: but seeing I have occasion to spake of eating. I will entreate somewhat of it, and tell you what lyberties we have by Gods word.

Truely we be alowed by Gods worde to eate all maner of meate, be it fyshe or flesh, that be wholsome for to eate. But ye must understand that there be certayne hedges, over wought not to leape, but rather keepe our selves within those same hedges. Now the first hedge is this, Cairnem cum sanguine ne comderitis, Ye shall not eate raw flesh: for if we should be allowed to eate raw flesh, it should engender in us a certayne cruelnes: so that at the length one should eate an other, and so all the writers expound this place: so that God forbiddeth here, that mankynde or mans flesh may not be eaten. We reade in the bookes of kynges, and so like wise in Josephus, that certayne women had eaten theyr owne children, at the tyme when Jerusalem was besieged: which thing no doubt displeased God, and they did naughtely in so doing, For mankynde may not be eaten: therefore the first hedge is, that we must abstayne from raw flesh: and so likewise from mans flesh, one may not eate an other. Neither yet we may not shed bloud of private authoritie, one man may not kill an other: but the magistrate hee hath the sword commited unto him from God, he may shed bloud when he seeth cause why, he may take away the wicked from amongst the people & punishe hym according unto his doing or deservyng. Now will ye say, I perceive when I eate not raw flesh, or mans flesh, then I may eate all maner of flesh, or fish howsoever I can get it. But I tell thee my frend not so: you may not eate your neighbours sheepe, or steale his fishes out of his poole and eate them, ye may not doo so: for there is a hedge made, for that God sayth, Non facies furtum, Thou shalt doo no theft. Heare am I hedged in, so & I may not eate my neighbours meate, but it muste be my owne meate, I must have gotten it uprightly, or els by buying, or els by inheritance, or else that it be geven unto me: I may not steale it from my neighbour: if I leape over this hedge then I sinne damnably.

Nowe then ye will say, so it be my owne, then I may eate of it as much as I will. No not so, there is an other hedge: I may not commit glutony with my own meate, for so it is written, Attendite vobis a crapula & ebrietate, Take heede of glottony and dronkennes. Here is a hedge, we may not eate to much: for if we do, we displease God highly. So ye see that we may not eate of our owne meate as much as we would, but rather we must keepe a measure, for it is a great sinne to abuse or wast the giftes of God, and to play the glutton with it.

When one man consumeth as much as would serve him, for him that is an abhominable thing before God: for God geveth us his creatures not to abuse them, but to use them to our necessitie and neede: let every one therefore have a measure, and let no man abuse the giftes of GOD. One man sometymes eateth more than an other, we are not all a like but for all that we ought all to keepe us within this hedge, that is to take no more than sufficeth our nature: for they that abuse the giftes of God, no doubt they greatly displease GOD by so doyng. For it is an ill favoured thyng when a man eateth or drinketh to much at a tyme. Sometymes in deede it happeneth that a man drinketh to much, but every good and godly man will take heede to hymselfe when he once hath taken to much he will beware afterward. We read in the Scripture of Noah that good man whiche was the first that planted Vineyardes after the floud: he was once drunken, before he knew the strength and the nature of wyne: and so lay in his tent uncovered: now one of hys sonnes whose name was Cham, seyng hys father lying naked, went and told his brethren of it, and so made a mockyng stocke of his father. Therfore Noah when he arose and had disgested his wyne, and knowyng what his sonne had done unto him, cursed him: but we read not that Noah was dronken afterward any tyme more, Therfore if ye have been dronken at any tyme, take heede forwards, and leave of, abuse not the good creatures of GOD. Now then ye will say, if I take them measurably, then I may eate all maner of meate at all tymes, and every where: No not so, there is an other hedge behynde, ye must have a respect to your owne conscience, and to your neighbours. For I may eate no maner of meate against my conscience, neither may I eate my meate in presence of my neighbour, whereby he might be offended: for I ought to have respect unto hym, as Saint Paule plainely sheweth, saying: I know and am assured by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing uncleane of it selfe, but unto hym that judgeth it to bee common, to him it is common: if thy brother be greeved with thy meate, now walkest thou not charitably, destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ dyed: As for an ensample. When I should come into the North countrey, where they be not taught, & there I should call for my egges on a Friday or for flesh, then I should do naughtely: for I should destroy hym for whom Christ did not suffer. Therfore I must beware that I offend no mans conscience, but rather travayle wyth him first and shew him the truth: when my neighbour is taught and knoweth the truth, and will not beleve it, but will abyde by his olde conscience, then I may eate, not regarding him: for he is an obstinate fellow, he will not beleeve Gods word. And though he be offended with me, yet it is but a pharisaicall offence, lyke as the Phariseis were offended with Christ our Saviour: the fault was not in Christ, but in themselves. So (I say) I must have a respecte to my neighbours conscience, and then to my owne conscience. But yet there is an other hedge behinde, that is, civill lawes, the kinges statutes and ordinaunces, which are Gods lawes: for as much as we ought to obey them as well as Gods lawes and commaundementes.

Saint Paule sayth: Let every soule submitte hymselfe unto the authority of the higher power: for there is no power but it is of God: the powers that bee, are ordeyred of God: whosoever therfore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinaunce of God: but they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation. Now therefore we dwell in a realme, where it hath pleased the kynges majesty to make an act, that all his subjectes shal abstayne from fleshe upon fridays and saterdayes, and other dayes which are expressed in the act: unto which law we ought to obey and that for conscience sake, except we have a priviledge or be excepted by the same law. And although the scripture commaundeth me not to abstayne from flesh upon Frydayes and saturdayes: yet for all that, seeing there is a civill lawe and ordinaunce made by the kinges majesty, and his most honorable counsell, we ought to obey all their ordinances, except they be agaynst God.

These be the hedges wherein we must keepe our selves, Therfore I desire you in Gods behalfe, consider what I have sayde unto you, how ye shall order your selfe, how ye shall not eate raw flesh, that, ye shal not be cruel towards your neighbour. Also you shall not steale your meate from your neighbour, but let it be your owne meate, and then ye shall take of it measurably. Also ye shal not offende you neighbours conscience. Also ye shall keepe you within the lawes of the realme. Now to the matter agayne. S. Paule sayth we shall take heede of two much eating and drinking. And I have shewed you how ye shall keepe you within the hedges which are appointed in Gods lawes. Let us therfore take heede now, and let us rise by from the sleepe of sinne: whatsoever we have done before let us arise up now, while we have tyme: every man goe into his owne hart, & there when he findeth any thyng amisse, let him rise up from that sleepe, and tarry not in it: if thou remayne lying, thou shalt repent it everlastingly. Neither in chambering, and wantonnes.

Beware of S. Pauls nots and Nons. For when he saith Non, we cannot make it yea: if we doe contrary unto hys sayinges, we shall repent it. Beware therefore of chambering. What is this? Nary he understandeth by this worde chambering, all maner of wantonesse. I will not tarry long in rehearsing them, let every man and woman go into his owne conscience, and let them consider that God requireth honesty in all thinges. Saint Paule useth this worde chamberyng: for when folkes will be wanton, they get themselves into corners: but for all then, God seeth them: he will finde them out one day, they can not hide themselves from his face. I will speake no farther of it, for with honesty no man can speake of such vile vices, and S. Paules commaundeth us that we shall not speake any cile (silly) wordes: therefore by this word chambering, understand the circumstances of whoredome and lechery, and filthy living, which S. Paule forbiddeth here, and would have that no body should geve occasion unto the other to such filthynes. Neither in strife, nor envying. Envy is a foule and abhominable vice, which vice doth more harme unto him that envieth an other, then unto him which is envied.

King Saule he had this spirite of envy: therefore he had never rest day nor night: he could not abyde when any man spake well of David: and this spirite of envying is more directly against charitie then any other sinne is. For S. Paule sayth, Charitas non inuidet, Charity envieth not: therefore take it so, that he that envieth an other, is no childe of God: All hys workes whatsoever he doth are the devils service: he pleaseth God with nothing as long as he is an envious person. Who would be so mad now, as to be in such an estate that he would suffer the devill to beare so much rule over hym? No wise nor godly man wil be in this estate. For it is an ill estate to be out of the favour of God, to be without remission of sinne. Therefore whosoever is an envious man, let him rise up from that sleepe, least he be taken sedenly, and so be damned everlastingly.

Now ye have heard what we shall not doe: we shall not too much eate and drinke, and so abuse the giftes of God, we shall not have pleasure in chambering, that is, in wantonnes: Neither shall we be envious persons. For if we be, we be out of charitie, and so our of the favour of God.

Now foloweth what we should doe. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ: Every man and woman ought to put on Christ, and all they that have that apparell on their backes, they are well, nothing can hurt them, neither heat nor cold, nor wynde, nor rayne.

Here I might have occasion to speake against the excesse of apparell, which is used now every where, which thyng is disallowed in Scripture. There be some that will be conformable unto others, they will doe as other doe, but they consider not wyth themselves, whether other doe well or not. There be lawes made and certaine statutes, how every one in hys estate shall be apparelled, but God knoweth the statutes are not put in execution. S. Paule he commaundeth us to put on Christ, to leave this gorgious apparell: hee that is decked whth Christ is wel: and first we be deckt with Christ in our baptisme, where we promise to forsake the devill with all his workes. Now when we keepe thys promise and leve wickednes, and doe that which Christ our Saul our requireth of us, then we be decked wyth hym, then we have the wedding garment: and though we be very poore, and have but a Russet coate, yet we are well, when we are decked with him. There be a great many which goe very gay in velvet & sattin, but for all that, I feare they have not Christ upon them, for all their gorgious apparell. say not this to condemne riche men or their riches: for no doubt poore and riche may have Christ upon them, if they will follow him and lyve as he commaundeth them to lyve. For if we have Christ upon us, we will not make provission for the flesh, we will not set our hartes upon these worldly trifles, to get riches to cherishe this body withall. As we read of the riche man in ye Gospell, which thought he had inough for may yeares, he had pulled downe hys old barnes, and had set up newe, which were greater and larger then the other, and when all thynges were ready after his minde and pleasure, then he sayd to himselfe: Soule thou hast much good layd up for many yeares, take thyne ease, eate, drinke, and be mery. But what sayth God unto hym? Thou fools (sayth God) thys night they will fetch away thy soule againe from thee, then whose shall these thinges be which thou hast provided? So it is with him that gathereth riches to himselfe, and is not rich toward God. I will not say otherwise but a man may make a provision for his house, and ought to make the same, but to make such provission to set aside Gods worde and serving of him, that is naught: to set the hart so upon the riches as though there were no heaven nor hell: how can we be so foolishe to set so much by this worlde? knowing that it shall endure but a little while. For we know by Scripture, and all learned men affirme the same, that the worlde was made to endure sixe thousand yeare. Now of these sixe thousand, be past already five, 1552. and yet thys tyme which is lest shall be shortened for the electes sake: as Christ himselfe witnesseth. Therfore let us remember that the time is very short, let us study to amende our lyves, let us not be so carefull for thys worlde, for ye ende of it no doubt us at hand: and though the generall day come not by and by, yet our end will not be farre of, death will come one day and strip us out of our coate, he will take his pleasure of us. It is a marvelous thing to see, there be some which have lived in this worlde 40. or 50. yeares, and yet they lacke time when death commeth they be not ready. But I will require you for Gods sake, rise up from your sleepe of sinne and wickednes, make your selfe ready, set all thinges in order. so that ye may be ready whensoever death shall come and fetch you: for dye we must, there is no remedy, we must leave one day thys worlde: for we are not created of God, to that ende that we should abyde here alwayes.

Therefore let us repent betyme our wicked life, for God will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he shall turne from hys wickednesse, and live. Viuo ego, nolo morten peccatoris, sed vs conuertatur, & viuat, As truely as I lyve (saith God) I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he shall turne from his wickednes and lyve. These are most comfortable wordes: for now we may be sure, that when we will leave our sinnes and wickednesse, and turne unto hym with all our hartes earnestly: then he wyll turne himselfe unto us: and will shew himselfe a lovyng father. And to the intent that we should beleve this, he sweareth an oth: we ought to beleve God without an oth: yet he sweareth to make us more surer. What wil he have us to doe> Surely to rise up from this sleepe of sinne, to leave wickednes, to forsake all hatred and malice, that we have had towardes our neighbours, to turne from envying, from stealing, & make restitution: from slouthfulnes to diligence and painefulnes: from gluttony and dronkennesse, to sobernesse & abstinence: from chambering and filthy lyving, to an honest and pure lyfe. And so finally from all kyndes of vices, to vertue and godlynes. And whatsoever hath been in tymes past, be sorry for it, cry God mercy, and beleeve in Christ, and rise up from sleepe: doe no more wickedly, but lyve as God would have thee to live.

Now I will bring in here a notable sentence, and a comfortable saying: and then I will make an ende. Justiaia isutinon liberabit ipsum: in qliacuna die peccauerit, & impietas imsua, The righteousnes of the righteous shal not save him, whensoever he turneth away unfaythfully. Agayne, the wickednesse of the wicked shall not hurte hym, whensoever he turneth from hys ungodlinesse: And the righteousnesse of the righteous shall not save hym whensoever he sinneth. If I say unto the righteous that he shall surely live, and so he trusteth to his owne righteousnes, and doth sinee, then shall his righteousness bee no more thought upon: but in the wickednes that he hath done he shall dye. Agayne, If I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely dye, and so he turne from hys sinnes, and doth the thing that is lawfull and right: then he shall surely lyve: that is to say, all his sinnes which he hath done before, shall not hurt hym. Here ye heare what promises God hath made us when we will rise from the sleepe of our sinnes, and leve the affections of the flesh, and doe such thinges as he hath appointed unto us in his lawes, if we doe so, then we shall surely lyve and not dye: that is to say, we shall attayne after this corporall life to everlastyng life: which graunt us God the father, sonne, and holy ghost, Amen.

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