Sermons on the Card and Other Discourses

H >> Hugh Latimer >> Sermons on the Card and Other Discourses


There is a learned man which hath a saying which is most true: he saith,
_Plus crux quam tranquillitas invitat ad Christum_; "The cross and
persecution bring us sooner to Christ than prosperity and wealth."
Therefore St. Peter saith, _Humiliamini sub potenti manu Dei_; "Humble
yourselves under the mighty hand of God." Look, what God layeth upon
you, bear it willingly and humbly. But you will say, "I pray you, tell
me what is my cross?" Answer: This that God layeth upon you, that same
is your cross; not that which you of your own wilfulness lay upon
yourselves: as there was a certain sect which were called Flagellarii,
which scourged themselves with whips till the blood ran from their
bodies; this was a cross, but it was not the cross of God. No, no: he
laid not that upon them, they did it of their own head. Therefore look,
what God layeth upon me, that same is my cross, which I ought to take in
good part; as when I fall in poverty, or in miseries, I ought to be
content withal; when my neighbour doth me wrong, taketh away my goods,
robbeth me of my good name and fame, I shall bear it willingly,
considering that it is God's cross, and that nothing can be done against
me without his permission. There falleth never a sparrow to the ground
without his permission; yea, not a hair falleth from our head without his
will. Seeing then that there is nothing done without his will, I ought
to bear this cross which he layeth upon me willingly, without any
murmuring or grudging.

But I pray you, consider these words of St. Peter well: _Humiliamini sub
potenti manu Dei_; "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God." Here
St. Peter signifieth unto us that God is a mighty God, which can take
away the cross from us when it seemeth him good; yea, and he can send
patience in the midst of all trouble and miseries. St. Paul, that elect
instrument of God, shewed a reason wherefore God layeth afflictions upon
us, saying: _Corripimur a Domino, ne cum mundo condemnemur_; "We are
chastened of the Lord, lest we should be condemned with the world." For
you see by daily experience, that the most part of wicked men are lucky
in this world; they bear the swing, all things goeth after their minds;
for God letteth them have their pleasures here. And therefore this is a
common saying, "The more wicked, the more lucky:" but they that pertain
to God, that shall inherit everlasting life, they must go to the pot;
they must suffer here, according to that scripture, _Judicium a domo Dei
incipit_; "The judgment of God beginneth at the house of God." Therefore
it cometh of the goodness of God, when we be put to taste the sauce of
tribulation: for he doth it to a good end, namely, that we should not be
condemned with this wicked world. For these sauces are very good for us;
for they make us more hungry and lusty to come to Christ and feed upon
him. And truly, when it goeth well with us, we forget Christ, our hearts
and minds are not upon him: therefore it is better to have affliction
than to be in prosperity. For there is a common saying, _Vexatio dat
intellectum_; "Vexation giveth understanding." David, that excellent
king and prophet, saith, _Bonum est mihi quod humiliasti me, Domine_:
"Lord," saith he, "it is good for me that thou hast pulled down my
stomach, that thou hast humbled me." But I pray you, what sauce had
David, how was he humbled? Truly thus: his own son defiled his daughter.
After that, Absalom, one other of his sons, killed his own brother. And
this was not enough, but his own son rose up against him, and
traitorously cast him out of his kingdom, and defiled his wives in the
sight of all the people. Was not he vexed? had he not sauces? Yes, yes:
yet for all that he cried not out against God; he murmured not, but
saith, _Bonum est mihi quod humiliasti me_; "Lord, it is good for me that
thou hast humbled me, that thou hast brought me low." Therefore when we
be in trouble, let us be of good comfort, knowing that God doth it for
the best. But for all that, the devil, that old serpent, the enemy of
mankind, doth what he can day and night to bring us this sauce, to cast
us into persecution, or other miseries: as it appeareth in the gospel of
Matthew, where our Saviour casting him out of a man, seeing that he could
do no more harm, he desired Christ to give him leave to go into the
swine; and so he cast them all into the sea. Where it appeareth, that
the devil studieth and seeketh all manner of ways to hurt us, either in
soul, or else in body. But for all that, let us not despair, but rather
lift up our hearts unto God, desiring his help and comfort; and no doubt,
when we do so, he will help: he will either take away the calamities, or
else mitigate them, or at the leastwise send patience into our hearts,
that we may bear it willingly.

Now you know, at a great feast, when there is made a delicate dinner, and
the guests fare well, at the end of the dinner they have _bellaria_,
certain subtleties, custards, sweet and delicate things: so when we come
to this dinner, to this wedding, and feed upon Christ, and take his
sauces which he hath prepared for us, at the end cometh the sweetmeat.
What is that? Marry, remission of sins, and everlasting life; such joy,
that no tongue can express, nor heart can think, which God hath prepared
for all them that come to this dinner, and feed upon his Son, and taste
of his sauces. And this is the end of this banquet. This banquet, or
marriage-dinner, was made at the very beginning of the world. God made
this marriage in paradise, and called the whole world unto it, saying,
_Semen mulieris conteret caput serpentis_; "The Seed of the woman shall
vanquish the head of the serpent." This was the first calling; and this
calling stood unto the faithful in as good stead as it doth unto us,
which have a more manifest calling. Afterward Almighty God called again
with these words, speaking to Abraham: _Ego ero Deus tuus et seminis tui
post te_; "I will be thy God, and thy seed's after thee." Now what is it
to be our God? Forsooth to be our defender, our comforter, our
deliverer, and helper. Who was Abraham's seed? Even Christ the Son of
God, he was Abraham's seed: in him, and through him, all the world shall
be blessed; all that believe in him, all that come to this dinner, and
feed upon him. After that, all the prophets, their only intent was to
call the people to this wedding. Now after the time was expired which
God had appointed, he said, _Venite, parata sunt omnia_; "Come, all
things are ready."

But who are these callers? The first was John Baptist, which not only
called with his mouth, but also shewed with his finger that meat which
God had prepared for the whole world. He saith, _Ecce Agnus Dei qui
tollit peccata mundi_; "Lo, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of
the world." Also Christ himself called, saying, _Venite ad me, omnes qui
laboratis_; "Come to me, all ye that travail and labour, and I will
refresh you." Likewise the apostles cried, and called all the whole
world; as it is written, _Exivit sonus eorum per universam terram_;
"Their sound is gone throughout all the world." But, I pray you, what
thanks had they for their calling, for their labour? Verily this: John
Baptist was beheaded; Christ was crucified; the apostles were killed:
this was their reward for their labours. So all the preachers shall look
for none other reward: for no doubt they must be sufferers, they must
taste of these sauces: their office is, _arguere mundum de peccato_, "to
rebuke the world of sin;" which no doubt is a thankless occupation. _Ut
audiant montes judicia Domini_, "That the high hills," that is, great
princes and lords, "may hear the judgments of the Lord:" they must spare
no body; they must rebuke high and low, when they do amiss; they must
strike them with the sword of God's word: which no doubt is a thankless
occupation; yet it must be done, for God will have it so.

There be many men, which be not so cruel as to persecute or to kill the
preachers of God's word; but when they be called to feed upon Christ, to
come to this banquet, to leave their wicked livings, then they begin to
make their excuses; as it appeared here in this gospel, where "the first
said, I have bought a farm, and I must needs go and see it; I pray thee
have me excused. Another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go
to prove them; I pray thee have me excused. The third said, I have
married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." And these were their
excuses. You must take heed that you mistake not this text: for after
the outward letter it seemeth as though no husbandman, no buyer or
seller, nor married man shall enter the kingdom of God. Therefore ye
must take heed that ye understand it aright. For to be a husbandman, to
be a buyer or seller, to be a married man, is a good thing, and allowed
of God: but the abuse of such things is reproved. Husbandman, and
married man, every one in his calling, may use and do the works of his
calling. The husbandman may go to plough; they may buy and sell; also,
men may marry; but they may not set their hearts upon it. The husbandman
may not so apply his husbandry to set aside the hearing of the word of
God; for when he doth so, he sinneth damnably: for he more regardeth his
husbandry than God and his word; he hath all lust and pleasure in his
husbandry, which pleasure is naught. As there be many husbandmen which
will not come to service; they make their excuses that they have other
business: but this excusing is naught; for commonly they go about wicked
matters, and yet they would excuse themselves, to make themselves
faultless; or, at the least way, they will diminish their faults, which
thing itself is a great wickedness; to do wickedly, and then to defend
that same wickedness, to neglect and despise God's word, and then to
excuse such doings, like as these men do here in this gospel. The
husbandman saith, "I have bought a farm; therefore have me excused: the
other saith, I have bought five yoke of oxen; I pray thee have me
excused:" Now when he cometh to the married man, that same fellow saith
not, "Have me excused," as the others say; but he only saith, "I cannot
come." Where it is to be noted, that the affections of carnal lusts and
concupiscence are the strongest above all the other: for there be some
men which set all their hearts upon voluptuousness; they regard nothing
else, neither God nor his word; and therefore this married man saith, "I
cannot come;" because his affections are more strong and more vehement
than the other men's were.

But what shall be their reward which refuse to come? The house-father
saith, "I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall
taste of my supper." With these words Christ our Saviour teacheth us,
that all those that love better worldly things than God and his word
shall be shut out from his supper; that is to say, from everlasting joy
and felicity: for it is a great matter to despise God's word, or the
minister of the same; for the office of preaching is the office of
salvation; it hath warrants in scripture, it is grounded upon God's word.
St. Paul to the Romans maketh a gradation of such-wise: _Omnis quicunque
invocaverit nomen Domini salvabitur: quomodo ergo invocabunt in quem non
crediderunt, aut quomodo credent ei quem non audisrunt_? that is to say,
"Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved: but how
shall they call upon him, in whom they believe not? How shall they
believe on him of whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without
a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" At the
length he concludeth, saying, _Fides ex auditu_; "Faith cometh by
hearing." Where ye may perceive, how necessary a thing it is to hear
God's word, and how needful a thing it is to have preachers, which may
teach us the word of God: for by hearing we must come to faith; through
faith we must be justified. And therefore Christ saith himself, _Qui
credit in me, habet vitam aeternam_; "He that believeth in me hath
everlasting life." When we hear God's word by the preacher, and believe
that same, then we shall be saved: for St. Paul saith, _Evangelium est
potentia Dei ad salutem omni credenti_; "The gospel is the power of God
unto salvation to all that believe; the gospel preached is God's power to
salvation of all believers." This is a great commendation of this office
of preaching: therefore we ought not to despise it, or little regard it;
for it is God's instrument, whereby he worketh faith in our hearts. Our
Saviour saith to Nicodeme, _Nisi quis renatus fuerit_, "Except a man be
born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." But how cometh this
regeneration? By hearing and believing of the word of God: for so saith
St. Peter, _Renati non ex semine mortali corruptibili_; "We are born
anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal, by the word of God." Likewise
Paul saith in another place, _Visum est Deo per stultitiam praedicationis
salvos facere credentes_; "It pleased God to save the believers through
the foolishness of preaching." But, peradventure, you will say, "What,
shall a preacher teach foolishness?" No, not so: the preacher, when he
is a right preacher, he preacheth not foolishness, but he preacheth the
word of God; but it is taken for foolishness, the world esteemeth it for
a trifle: but howsoever the world esteemeth it, St. Paul saith that God
will save his through it.

Here I might take occasion to inveigh against those which little regard
the office of preaching; which are wont to say, "'What need we such
preachings every day? Have I not five wits? I know as well what is good
or ill, as he doth that preacheth." But I tell thee, my friend, be not
too hasty; for when thou hast nothing to follow but thy five wits, thou
shalt go to the devil with them. David, that holy prophet, said not so:
he trusted not his five wits, but he said, _Lucerna pedibus meis verbum
tuum, Domine_; "Lord, thy word is a lantern unto my feet." Here we learn
not to despise the word of God, but highly to esteem it, and reverently
to hear it; for the holy day is ordained and appointed to none other
thing, but that we should at that day hear the word of God, and exercise
ourselves in all godliness. But there be some which think that this day
is ordained only for feasting, drinking, or gaming, or such foolishness;
but they be much deceived: this day was appointed of God that we should
hear his word, and learn his laws, and so serve him. But I dare say the
devil hath no days so much service as upon Sundays or holy days; which
Sundays are appointed to preaching, and to hear God's most holy word.
Therefore God saith not only in his commandments, that we shall abstain
from working; but he saith, _Sanctificabis_, "Thou shalt hallow:" so that
holy day keeping is nothing else but to abstain from good works, and to
do better works; that is, to come together, and celebrate the Communion
together, and visit the sick bodies. These are holy-day works; and for
that end God commanded us to abstain from bodily works, that we might be
more meet and apt to do those works which he hath appointed unto us,
namely, to feed our souls with his word, to remember his benefits, and to
give him thanks, and to call upon him. So that the holy-day may be
called a marriage-day, wherein we are married unto God; which day is very
needful to be kept. The foolish common people think it to be a belly-
cheer day, and so they make it a surfeiting day: there is no wickedness,
no rebellion, no lechery, but she hath most commonly her beginning upon
the holy-day.

We read a story in the fifteenth chapter of the book of Numbers, that
there was a fellow which gathered sticks upon the sabbath-day; he was a
despiser of God's ordinances and laws, like as they that now-a-days go
about other business, when they should hear the word of God, and come to
the Common Prayer: which fellows truly have need of sauce, to be made
more lustier to come and feed upon Christ than they be. Now Moses and
the people consulted with the Lord, what they should do, how they should
punish that fellow which had so transgressed the sabbath-day. "He shall
die," saith God: which thing is an ensample for us to take heed, that we
transgress not the law of the sabbath-day. For though God punish us not
by and by, as this man was punished; yet he is the very self-same God
that he was before, and will punish one day, either here, or else in the
other world, where the punishment shall be everlasting.

Likewise in the seventeenth chapter of the prophet Jeremy God threateneth
his fearful wrath and anger unto those which do profane his sabbath-day.
Again, he promiseth his favour and all prosperity to them that will keep
the holy-days; saying, "Princes and kings shall go through thy gates,"
that is to say, Thou shalt be in prosperity, in wealth, and great
estimation amongst thy neighbours. Again: "If ye will not keep my
sabbath-day, I will kindle a fire in your gates;" that is to say, I will
destroy you, I will bring you to nought, and burn your cities with fire.
These words pertain as well unto us at this time, as they pertained to
them at their time: for God hateth the disallowing of the sabbath as well
now as then; for he is and remaineth still the old God: he will have us
to keep his sabbath, as well now as then: for upon the sabbath-day God's
seed-plough goeth; that is to say, the ministry of his word is executed;
for the ministering of God's word is God's plough. Now upon the Sundays
God sendeth his husbandmen to come and till; he sendeth his callers to
come and call to the wedding, to bid the guests; that is, all the world
to come to that supper. Therefore, for the reverence of God, consider
these things: consider who calleth, namely, God; consider again who be
the guests; all ye. Therefore I call you in God's name, come to this
supper; hallow the sabbath-day; that is, do your holy-day work, come to
this supper; for this day was appointed of God to that end, that his word
should be taught and heard. Prefer not your own business therefore
before the hearing of the word of God. Remember the story of that man
which gathered sticks upon the holy day, and was put to death by the
consent of God: where God shewed himself not a cruel God, but he would
give warning unto the whole world by that man, that all the world should
keep holy his sabbath-day.

The almighty ever-living God give us grace to live so in this miserable
world, that we may at the end come to the great sabbath-day, where there
shall be everlasting joy and gladness! _Amen_.