The .iiii. Sermon

QUecu~que scripta sunt
ad nostram doctrinam
scripta sunt.
Al thinges which
are writte~ ar written
for our erudition
& knowledge. All thinges
that are writte~ in Goddes boke,
in the Byble boke, in the booke
of the holy scripture, are written
to be oure doctrine.
I told you in my first sermon,
honorable audience~, that I purposed
to declare vnto you .ii. thinges.
The one what sede shuld be
sowen in Gods field, in Goddes
plough land. And the other who
should be the sowers. That is to
say, what doctrin is to be taught
in Christes church & congregacion,
and what men shoulde be
the teachers and preachers of it.
The fyrst part I haue told you

A.ii.

in the thre sermo~s past, in which
I haue assaied to sette furth my
plough, to proue what I coulde
do. And now I shal tel you, who
be the plowers, for Gods worde
is a seede to be sowen in Goddes
fielde, that is the faythful co~gregacion,
& the preacher is the sower.
And it is in the gospell Exiuit
qui seminat seminare semen suum.
He that soweth, the husbanman,
the plowghman wente furth to
sowe his seede, so that a preacher
is rese~bled to a ploughma~, as it
is in a nother place.Nemo admota
aratro manu, et a tergo respiciens aptus
est regno. Dei. No man that
putteth his hand to the plough
and loketh backe, is apte for the
kingdo~ of god. That is to say,
let no preacher be negligente in
doinge his office. Al be it this is
one of the places yt hath ben racked,
as I toulde you of rackyng
scriptures. And I haue bene one
of the~ my selfe yt hathe racked it,
I crye God mercye for it, & haue
bene one of them that haue beleued
and haue expounded it, agaynste
relygious persons that
would forsake theyr ordre which
they had professed, and woulde
go out of theyr cloyster, whereas
in deed it toucheth not monkerye,
nor maketh any thing at all
for any such matter. But it is directlye
spoken of diligente preachyng
of the worde of God. For
preachyng of the Gospel is one
of Goddes plough workes, and
the preacher is one of Goddes
plough men. Ye may not be offended
wyth my similitude: in
that I compare preachynge to
the laboure & worke of ploughinge,
& the preacher to a ploughman.

A.iii.

Ye maye not be offended
wyth thys my similitude, for I
haue ben sclaundred of some personnes
for suche thynges. It
hath bene saied of me. Oh Latimer,
nay, as for him I wil neuer
beleue hym whyle I lyue, nor
neuer trust him, for he lykened
our blessed Ladye to a saffrone
bagge, where in deede I neuer
vsed that similitude. But it was
as I haue sayd vnto you before
nowe, accordinge to that whiche
Peter sawe before in the spirite
of prophesy and sayed that there
shoulde come afterwarde men;
Per quos via veritatis maledictis afficeretur,
there shoulde come felowes
by who~ the waye of truth
should be yll spoke~ of and sclandred.
But i~ case I had vsed this
similitude, it had not bene to be
reproued, but myght haue bene
wythout reproche. For I might
haue sayed thus, as the saffrone
bagge that hath bene full of saffron,
or hath had saffron in it,
doth euer after sauoure and smel
of the swete saffron that it conteyned:
so oure blessed Ladye
which conceyued & bare Chryste
in her wombe, dyd euer after resemble
the maners and vertues
of that precious babe which she
bare. And what had oure blessed
Ladie bene the worse for thys?
or what dishonour was thys to
our blessed Ladye. But as preachers
must be ware and circumspect
yt thei geue not any iust occasion
to be sclaundered and yll
spoke~ of by the hearers, so must
not the auditours be offended
without cause. For heauen is in
the gospel likened to a musterde
seede. It is compared also to a

A.iiii.

piece of leauen, as Chryst saith,
that at the last day, he wyll come
lyke a thiefe, & what dishonoure
is this to God? or what derogation
is thys to heauen? Ye maye
not then, I say, be offended wyth
my similitude, for because I lyken
preaching to a ploughmans
laboure & a prelate to a ploughman.
But now you wyll aske
me whom I cal a prelate. A prelate
is that man, what soeuer he
be, yt hath a flocke to be taughte
of hym, who soeuer hath any spirytuall
charge in the fayethfull
congregacion, and who so euer
he be that hath cure of soule.
And wel may the preacher and
the ploughman be lykened together.
Fyrst for theyr labour of
all ceasons of the yere. For there
is no tyme of the yere, in whiche
the ploughman hath not some
speciall worke to do, as in my
countrey in Lecester Shire, the
ploughe man hath a tyme to set
furth and to assaye his plough,
and other tymes for other necessary
workes to be done. And the~
they also maye be likened to gether
for the diuersitie of workes
& varietie of offices yt they haue
to do. For as the ploughma~ first
setteth furth his plough, and the~
tilleth hys lande, and breaketh
it in furroughes, and sometyme
ridgeth it vp agayne. And at an
other tyme harroweth it, & clotteth
it, & somtyme doungeth it, &
hedgeth it, diggeth it, and weedeth
it, pourgeth and maketh it
cleane: So the prelate, the preacher
hath many diuers offices to
do. He hath fyrst a busie worke,
to bringe his parishioners to a
ryght fayth, as Paule calleth it.
And not to a swaruinge fayth,
but to a fayeth that enbraceth
Christ, and trusteth to hys merytes,
a lyuely faith, a iustifiyng
fayth, a faith that maketh a man
righteous wythout respecte of
workes. As ye haue it, werie wel
declared and set furth in the Homily.
He hath the~ a busie worke
I say, to bringe his flocke to a
ryght fayth and then to co~firme
them in the same fayth, Nowe
castynge them downe wyth the
lawe, and with threateninges of
God for synne. Nowe rydginge
them vp a gaine, with the gospel
and wyth the promyses of Gods
fauoure. Nowe weeding them,
by tellyng them their faultes, &
makynge them forsake synne.
Nowe clottinge them, by breakyng
theyr stony hartes, and by
making them supple herted, and
makynge them to haue hertes of
fleshe, that is soft hertes, and apt
for doctryne to enter in. Nowe
teachyng to knowe God ryghtely,
and to knowe theyr duetie to
God and to theyr neyghboures.
Nowe echorting them whe~ they
knowe theyr duetye, that thei do
it and be dilygente in it: so that
they haue a continuall worke to
do, Great is theyr busynes, and
therefore greate shoulde be their
hyre. They haue great laboures
and therfore they ought to haue
good liuynges, that they maye
comodiously feade theyr flocke,
for the preachyng of the woorde
of God vnto the people is called
meat. Scripture calleth it meat.
Not strawberies, that come but
once a yeare and carye not longe,
but are sone gone: but it is meat.
It is no deynties. The people
muste haue meate that muste be
familier and co~tinuall, and dayly
geue~ vnto them to fede vpon.
Manye make a strauberye of it,
ministrynge it but once a yeare,
but suche do not the office of good
prelates. For Christ sayeth.
Quis putas est seruus prudens et fidelis?
qui dat cibum in tempore.
Who thynke you is a wyse and
a faythfull seruaunt? He that geueth
meate in due tyme. So that
he must at all tymes conuenyent
preache dyligentlye. Therefore
sayeth he? Who trowe you is a
faythefull seruaunte? He speaketh
it as thoughe it were a rare
thynge to fynde suche a one, and
as thoughe he should saye, there
be but fewe of theym to fynde in
the world. And how few of theim
there be throughout this realme
that geue meate to their flocke
as they should do: the visitoures
can best tell. To fewe, to fewe,
the more is the pitie, and neuer
so fewe as nowe. By this then it
appeareth that a prelate or anye
that hath cure of soule, must diligently
and substancially worke
and laboure. Therfore sayeth
Paul to Timothe. Qui episcopatu~
desiderat, hic bonum opus desiderat.
He that desyreth to haue the office
of a Byshoppe, or a prelate,
that man desireth a good worke.
Then yf it bee good worke, it is
worke. Ye ca~ make but a worke
of it. It is Goddes worke, Gods
ploughe, and that plough, God
would haue styll goyng. Suche
the~ as loyter and liue idellye, are
not good prelates or minysters.
And of suche as do not preache
and teache, nor do not theyr dueties:
God saieth by his Prophet
Hieremie. Maledictus qui facit opus
dei fraudulenter. Guilefullye or
deceytefullye some bookes haue
Negligenter, negligently, or slacklie.
Howe many suche prelates,
howe many suche byshops, Lord
for thy mercie, are there nowe in
England? And what shall we in
this case do? Shall we company
with them? O LORD for thy
mercie shal we not co~panye with
them? O Lorde whither shall we
flie fro~ them? But curssed be he
that doeth the worke of GOD
neglige~tly or guilefully. A soore
word for them that are neglyge~t
in dischargynge theyr offyce, or
haue dooen it fraudulentlye, for
that is the thynge that maketh
the people yll. But true it muste
be that Christe sayeth. Multi sunt
vocati, pauci vero electi. Many are
called, but fewe are chosen.
Here haue I an occasion by the
way somwhat to saye vnto you
yea, for the place that I alledged
vnto you before out of Hieremy
the .xlviii. Chapter. And it was
spoken of a spirituall worcke of
God, a worke that was co~maunded
to be done, & it was of sheddynge
bloude and of destroiyng
the cities of Moab. For sayeth
he cursed be he that kepeth back
hys sworde frome sheddynge of
bloud. As Saule when he kepte
backe the sworde from shedding
of bloude, at what tyme he was
sent agaynst Amalech, was refused
of God for being disobedient
to Goddes commaundementes,
in that he spared Agag ye kynge.
So that, that place of ye prophet
was spoken of them that wente
to the distruction of the cityes of
Moab, among the whiche there
was one called Nebo, whiche
was muche reproued for idolatrie,
supersticion, pryde, auaryce,
crueltie, tiranny, and for hardenes
of herte, and for these sinnes
was plaged of God and destroied.
Nowe what shall we saye of
these ryche citizens of London?
What shall I say of them? shal
I cal them proude men of London,
malicious men of London,
mercylesse men of London. No,
no, I may not say so, they wyl be
offe~ded with me than. Yet must
I speake. For is there not reigning
in London, as much pride,
as much couetousnes, as muche
crueltie, as muche oppression, as
much supersticio~, as was in Nebo?
Yes, I thynke & muche more
to. Therefore I saye, repente O
London. Repent, repente. Thou
hearest thy faultes tolde thee, amend
the~ amend the~. I thynke if
Nebo had had ye preachyng that
thou hast: they would haue conuerted.
And you rulers and officers
be wise and circu~specte, loke
to your charge & see you do your
duties, and rather be gladde to amend
your yll liuyng, then to be
angrye when you are warned or
tolde of your faulte. What a do
was there made in London at a
certein man because he said, & in
dede at that time on a iust cause.
Burgesses quod he, nay butterflyes.
Lord what a do there was
for that word. And yet wold god
they were no worse then butterflyes.
Butterflyes do but their
nature, the butterfly is not couetouse,
is not gredy of other mens
goodes, is not ful of enuy & hatered,
is not malicious, is not cruel
is not merciles. The butterflye

B.i.

glorieth not in her owne dedes,
nor preferreth the tradicions of
men before gods word, it co~mitteth
not idolatri, nor worshippeth
false gods. But London can not
abide to be rebuked, suche is the
nature of man. If thei be pricked
they will kick. If they be rubbed
on the gale: they will wynce. But
yet they wyll not amende theyr
faultes, they wil not be yl spoken
of. But howe shall I speake wel
of them. If you could be content
to receyue and folowe the worde
of God and fauoure good preachers,
yf you coulde beare to be
toulde of youre faultes, yf you
coulde amende when you heare
of them: if you woulde be gladde
to refourme that is amysse: yf I
myght see any suche inclinacion
in you, that leaue to be mercyles,
and begynne to be charytable.
I would then hope wel of you, I
woulde then speake well of you.
But London was neuer so yll
as it is now. In tymes past, men
were full of pitie and compassyon,
but nowe there is no pitie, for
in London their brother shal dye
in the streetes for colde, he shal
lye sycke at their doore betwene
flocke & flock. I cannot tel what
to cal it, and perishe there for hu~ger,
was there any more vnmercifulnes
in Nebo? I thinke not.
In tymes paste when any ryche
man dyed in London, they were
wont to healpe the pore scholars
of the vniuersityes with exhibytion.
When any man dyed, they
would bequeath greate summes
of money towarde the reliefe of
the pore, When I was a scholer
in Cambrydge my selfe, I harde
very good report of London and

B.ii.

knewe many that had reliefe of
the ryche menne of London, but
nowe I can heare no suche good
reporte, and yet I enquire of it,
and herken for it, but now charitie
is wared cold, none healpeth
the scholer, nor yet the poore. And
in those dayes what dyd they
whan they helped the scholers?
Mary they mainteyned & gaue
theym liuynges that were verye
papistes and professed ye Popes
doctrine, & nowe that the knoweledge
of Gods word is brought
to lyghte, and many earnestly
study and labour to sette it forth
now almost no man healpeth to
maintayne them. Oh London
London, repente repente, for I
thynke God is more dyspleased
with London, then euer he was
with the citie of Nebo. Repent
therfore repent London, and remembre
that the same god liueth
now that punished Nebo, euen ye
same god & none other, & he wyll
punyshe synne as well nowe as
he dyd then, and he wyll punish
the iniquitie of London as well
as he did them of Nebo. Amend
therfore. And ye that be prelates
loke well to your offyce, for right
prelatynge is buisye labouryng
& not lordyng. Therfore preache
and teache, and let your ploughe
be doyng, ye lordes I saye that
lyue lyke loyterers, loke well to
your offyce, the plough is your
office & charge. If you liue idle
& loyter, you do not your duetye,
you folowe not youre vocacion,
let your ploughe therfore be going
and not cease, that the grou~d
maye brynge foorth fruite. But
nowe me thynketh I heare one
saye vnto me, wotte you what

B.iii.

you say? It is a worcke? It is a
labour? how then hath it happened,
that we haue had so manye
hundred yeres, so many vnpreachynge
prelates, lordyng loyterers
and idle ministers? ye would
haue me here to make aunswere
and to shewe the cause thereof.
Nay, this lande is not for me to
ploughe, it is to stonye, to thornye,
to harde for me to plough.
Thei haue so many thinges that
make for them, so many thynges
to laye for theym selues, that it
is not for my weake teame to
plough them. They haue to laye
for them selues longe customes
ceremonyes, and authorytie,
placyng in parliment, and many
thynges more. And I feare me
thys lande is not yet rype to be
ploughed. For as the saiyng is.
It lacketh wethering: This gere
lacketh wetheryng, at leaste way
it is not for me to plough. For
what shall I looke for among
thornes but prickyng and scratchyng?
what among stones but
stumbling? What I had almost
sayed among serpentes but stingyng?
But this muche I dare
saye, that sence lordyng and loiteryng
hath come vp, preaching
hathe come downe contrary to
the Apostelles tymes. For they
preached and lorded not. And
nowe they lorde and preache not.
For they that be lordes wyll yl
go to plough. It is no mere office
for theym. It is not seming
for their estate. Thus came vp
lordyng loyterers, Thus crept
in vnpreachynge prelates, and
so haue they longe continewed.
For howe many vnlearned prelates
haue we now at this daye?

B.iiii.

And no meruel. For if ye plough
me~ that now be, were made lords
they woulde cleane geue ouer
ploughynge, they woulde leaue
of their laboure and fall to lordyng
outright, and let ye plough
stande. And then both ploughes
not walkyng, nothyng should be
in the common weale but hounger.
For euer sence the Prelates
were made Lordes and nobles,
the ploughe standeth, there
is no work done; ye people sterue.
Thei hauke, they hunt, thei card,
they dyce, they pastyme in their
prelacies with galaunte gentlemen,
with theyr daunsyng minyons,
and with their freshe co~panions,
so that ploughyng is sette
a syde. And by the lordyng and
loytryng, preachyng and ploughyng
is cleane gone. And thus
yf the ploughmenne of the countrey,
were as negligente in theyr
office, as prelates be, we shoulde
not longe lyue for lacke of sustynaunce.
And as it is necessary
for to haue this ploughyng for
the sustentacion of the bodye: so
muste we haue also the other for
the satisfaction of the sowle, or
elles wee canne not lyue longe
gostly. For as the bodie wasteth
and consumeth away for lacke of
bodilye meate: so doeth the soule
pyne awaye for default of gostly
meate. But there be two kyndes
of inclosynge to lette or hynder
bothe these kyndes of ploughyng.
The one is an inclosyng to
let or hynder the bodily ploughynge,
and the other to let or hinder
the holy daye ploughyng,
the churche ploughing. The bodylye
ploughynge, is taken in
and enclosed thorowe syngular
commoditie. For what man will
lette goe or dimynyshe his priuate
commoditie for a commune
welthe? and who wyll susteyne
any damage for the respecte of
a publique commoditie? The other
plough also no manne is diligent
to sette forewarde, nor no
manne wyll herken to it. but to
hynder and lette it, al mennes eares
are open, yea and a greate
manye of this kynde of ploughmen
whiche are very busye and
woulde seeme to be verye good
workemenne. I feare me some be
rather mocke gospellers then
faithefull ploughmen. I knowe
many my selfe that professe the
gospel, and lyue nothyng there
after. I knowe them, and haue
been conuersaunte with some of
theym. I knowe theym, and I
speake it with an heauye hearte,
there is as little charitie & good
liuynge in them, as in any other,
accordyng to that whiche Christ
sayed in the Gospell to the great
numbre of people that folowed
hym, as thoughe they had had
an earnest zeale to his doctryne,
where as in dede they had it not.
Non quia vidistis signa, sed quia comedistis
de panibus. Ye folowe me saieth
he not because ye haue seene
the sygnes and myracles that
I haue dooen, but because ye
haue eaten the breade and refreshed
your bodies. Therfore
you folowe me, so that I thinke
manye one nowe a dayes professeth
the Gospell for the liuynge
sake, not for the loue they beare
to gods word. But they that wil
be true ploughmen muste worke
faythfully for Goddes sake, for
the edifiyng of theyr brethren.
And as dilygentlye as the husbande
man plougheth for the sustentacion
of the bodie: so dilygentlye
muste the prelates and
ministers labour for the fedynge
of the soule: bothe the ploughes
muste styll be doynge, as moost
necessarye for man. And wherefore
are magistrates ordayned,
but that the tranquillitye of the
commune weale maye bee confirmed
limiting both ploughes.
But nowe for defaulte of vnpreachynge
Prelates me thynke
I coulde gesse what myghte be
sayed for excusyng of theym.
They are soo troubeled wyth
lordlye liuyng, they be so placed
in palacies, couched in courtes,
ruffelyng in their rentes, dauncyng
in their dominions, burdened
with ambassages, pa~peryng
of their paunches lyke a Monke
that maketh his Iubilie, mounchynge
in their maungers, and
moilyng in their gay manoures
and mansyons, and so troubeled
wyth loyterynge in theyr
Lordeshyppes: that they canne
not attende it. They are otherwyse
occupyed, somme in the
kynges matters, some are ambassadoures,
some of the priuy
councell, some to furnyshe the
courte, some are Lordes of the
Parlyamente, some are Presydentes,
and some comptrollers
of myntes. Well, well.
Is this their duetie? Is this
theyr offyce? Is this their callyng?
should we haue ministers
of the church to be comptrollers
of the myntes? Is this a meete
office for a prieste that hath cure
of soules? Is this his charge? I
woulde here aske one question:
I would fayne knowe who comptrolleth
the deuyll at home at
his paryshe, whyle he comptrolleth
the mynte? If the Apostles
myghte not leaue the offyce of
preachynge to be deacons, shal
one leaue if for mintyng?
I can not tell you, but the saying
is, that synce priestes haue
been mynters, money hath been
wurse then it was before. And
they saye that the euylnesse of
moneye hath made all thynges
dearer. And in this behalfe I
must speake to England.
Heare my cou~trey Englande, as
Paule sayed in his firste epystle
to the Cor. vi. Chap. For Paule
was no sittynge byshoppe, but
a walkynge and a preachynge
byshoppe. But when he wente
from them, he lefte there behynde
hym the ploughe goynge styll,
for he wrote vnto theym and rebuked
theym for goynge to lawe
and pleadynge theyr causes before
Heathen Iudges. Is there
sayeth he vtterlye among you
no wyse manne, to be an arbitratoure
in matters of iudgemente?
What? not one of all that canne
iudge betwene brother and brother?
But one brother go to lawe
with an other, and that vnder
heathen Iudges? Constitute
contemptus qui sunt in ecclesia? et cete.
Appointe them Iudges that are
most abiect, and vyle in the congregacion,
whiche he speaketh in
rebukyng them, for saieth he Ad
excribescenciam vestram dico. I speke it
to your shame. So Englande I
speke it to thy shame. Is there neuer
a noble ma~ to be a lord presydente,
but it muste be a prelate?
Is there neuer a wyse manne in
the realme to be a Comptroller
of the minte? I speake it to your
shame, I speake it to youre
shame. If there be neuer a wyse
man, make a water bearer, a tinker,
a cobler, a slaue, a page, comptroller
of the Mynte. Make a
meane gentileman, a groome, a
yeoman, make a poore beggar
Lorde president. Thus I speake
not that I would haue it so, but
to your shame. If there be neuer
a gentleman meete nor able
to be Lorde presydente. For why
are not the noble men and yonge
gentleme~ of Engla~d, so brought
vp in knowledge of God and in
learnynge, that they maye be able
to execute offyces in the commune
weale? The kynge hath a
greate many of wardes and I
trowe there is a courte of wardes,
why is there not a schole for
the wardes, as well as there is
a courte for their landes? Why
are they not set in scholes, where
they maye learne? Or why are
they not sent to the vniuersities,
that they maye be able to serue
the kyng when they come to age?
Yf the wardes and young gentlemen
were well brought vp in
learnyng and in the knowledge
of God, they would not when
they come to age, so muche geue
theym selues to other vanities.
And if the nobilitie be well trayned
in godlye learnyng, the people
would folow the same traine.
For truly, such as the noble men
be, suche wyll the people be. And
nowe the onely cause, why noble
menne be not made Lorde presidentes,
is because they haue not

C.i.

been broughte vp in learnyng.
Therfore for the loue of GOD,
appoint teachers and scholemaisters,
you that haue charge of
youth, and geue the teachers stipendes
worthy their paines, that
they maye brynge theym vp in
Grammer, in Logike, in Rethorike,
in Philosophie, in the ciuyle
lawe, and in that whiche I can
not leaue vnspoken of, the worde
of God. Thankes be vnto god
the nobilitie, otherwyse is very
well broughte vp in learnynge
and godlines, to the great ioye
and comfort of England, so that
there is nowe good hope in the
youth, that we shal an other day
haue a florishyng co~mon wealth,
consideryng theyr godlye educacion.
Yea, & there be al ready noble
men ynoughe though not so
many as I woulde wyshe able
to be Lorde presidentes, and wise
menne inough, for the mynt. And
as vnmeete a thynge it is for bishoppes
to be Lorde presidentes
or priestes to be mynters, as it
was for the Corrhinthyans to
pleade matters of variaunce before
heathen Iudges. It is also
a sclaunder to the noble men,
as thoughe they lacked wisedome,
and learnyng to be able
for suche offyces, or elles were
no men of conscience, or els were
not meete to be trusted, and able
for suche offyces. And a prelate
hath a charge & cure otherwyse,
and therfore he cannot discharge
his duetie, and be a Lorde presydent
to. For a presidentshippe requireth
a whole man, and a byshoppe
can not be two menne. A
bishoppe hath his offyce, a flock
to teache, to loke vnto, and therfor

C.ii.

he can not meddle wyth an
other offece, whiche alone requyreth
a whole man. He should therfore
geue it ouer to whome it is
meete, and laboure in his owne
busynesse, as Paule wryteth to
the Thessalonians. Lette euery
man do his owne busynes, and
folow his callyng. Let the priest
preache, and the noble men handle
the temporal matters. Moyses
was a meruailous manne, a
good man. Moyses was a wonderful
felowe, and did his duetye
being a maryed man. We lacke
suche as Moyses was. Well, I
woulde all menne would loke to
their dutie, as God hath called
them, and then we shoulde haue
a florishyng christyan commune
weale. And nowe I woulde aske
a straunge question. Who is the
most diligente bishoppe and prelate
in all England, that passeth
all the reste in doynge his office
I can tell, for I knowe him who
it is, I knowe hym well. But
nowe I thynke I se you listyng
and harkening, that I shoulde
name hym. There is one that
passeth all the other, and is the
moste diligent prelate & preacher
in al England. And wil ye know
who it is? I wyll tell you. It is
the Deuyll. He is the moste dilygent
preacher of all other, he is
neuer out of his dioces, he is neuer
from his cure, ye shall neuer
fynde hym vnoccupyed, he
is euer in his parishe, he keepeth
resydence at all tymes, ye shal neuer
fynde hym oute of the way,
call for hym when you will, he is
euer at home, the dilygenteste
preacher in all the realme, he
is euer at his ploughe, no lordynge

C.iii.

nor loyteryng canne hynder
hym, he is euer appliynge
his busynes, ye shal neuer fynde
hym idle I warraunte you. And
his office is to hynder religyon,
to mayntayne supersticion, to set
vp Idolatrie, to teache al kynd
of poperye. He is readye as can
be wyshed, for to sette forth his
ploughe, to deuyse as manye
wayes as can be, to deface and
obscure Goddes glorye. Where
the Deuyl is resydente and hath
his ploughe goyng: there away
with bookes, and vp with candelles,
awaye with Bybles and
vp with beades, awaye with the
lyghte of the gospel, and vp with
the lyghte of candelles, yea at
noone dayes. Where the Deuyll
is residente, that he maye
preuayle, vp with all supersticion
and Idolatrie, sensing, paintynge
of ymages, candels, palmes,
asshes, holie water, and new
seruice of mennes inuentyng, as
though man could inuente a better
waye to honoure God with,
then god hymselfe hath apoynted.
Doune with Christes crosse,
vp with purgatory picke pursse,
vp with hym, the popishe pourgatorie
I meane. Awaye with
clothing the naked, the pore and
impotent, vp with deckynge of
ymages and gaye garnyshynge
of stockes and stones. Vp with
mannes tradicions and his lawes,
downe with Gods tradycions
and his most holye worde.
Downe with the olde honoure
dewe to God, and vp with the
new gods honour, let al thynges
be done in Latine. there muste
be nothynge but Latine, not as
muche as. Memento homo quod

37

cinis es, et in cinerem reuerteris. Remembre
manne that thou arte asshes,
and into asshes thou shalt
returne. Whiche be the wordes
that the minister speaketh to the
ignoraunte people, when he geueth
them asshes vpo~ asshe wensdaye,
but it muste be spoken in
Latine. Goddes worde may in no
wyse be translated into Englishe
Oh that our prelates would bee
as dilygente to sowe the corne of
good doctrine as Sathan is, to
sowe cockel and darnel. And this
is the deuelyshe ploughyng, the
whiche worketh to haue thinges
in Latine, and letteth the fruteful
edificacion. But here some ma~ne
will saye to me, what sir, are ye so
priuie of the deuils councel, that
ye know al this to be true? Truli
I knowe him to wel, and haue obeyed
him a little to much in condiscenting
to some folies. And I
knowe him as other men do, yea,
that he is euer occupied & euer busy
in folowing his plow. I know
by S. Peter which saith of him.
Sicut leo rugiens circuit querens quem
deuoret. He goeth about like a roaryng
lyon sekyng whom he may
deuoure. I would haue this text
well vewed and examyned euerye
worde of it. Circuit, he goeth
about in euery corner of his dioces.
He goeth on visitacion dailye.
He leaueth no place of his
cure vnuisited. He walketh rou~d
aboute from place to place, and
ceaseth not, Sicut leo, as a Lion
that is strongly, boldly, & proudlye,
straytely, and fiercelye with
haute lookes, with his prowde
countenaunces, with his stately
braggynges. Rugiens, roaryng,
for he letteth not slyppe any occasyon
to speake or to roare out
when he seeth his tyme. Querens.
he goeth about sekyng and not
sleepyng, as our Byshoppes do,
but he seketh dilige~tly, he searcheth
dilige~tly al corners, wheras
he may haue his pray. He roueth
abrode in euery place of his
dioces, he standeth not styll, he is
neuer at reste, but euer in hande
with his ploughe that it may go
foreward. But there was neuer
suche a preacher in England as
he is. Who is able to tell his dyligente
preachynge? whiche euery
daye and euerye howre, laboreth
to sowe cockel and darnell,
that he may bryng oute of forme
and out of estimacio~ and roume,
the institucion of the Lordes supper
and Christes crosse, for there
he loste his ryghte, for Christ
sayed. Nunc iudicium est mundi, princepes
seculi huius eiicietur foras, et sicut
exaltauit Moises serpentem in deserto, ita
exaltari oportet filium hominis, et cum ex
altatus fuero, a terra, omnia tradam ad
meipsum.
Nowe is the iudgemente of
thys worlde and the Prynce of
thys worlde shall be caste out.
And as Moyses dyd lyfte vp
the serpente in the wyldernesse,
so muste the sonne of manne be
lyfte vp. And when I shall be
lyfte vp frome the earthe. I wyll
drawe al thynges vnto my selfe.
For the Deuyll was dysapoynted
of hys purpose, for he thoughte
all to be hys owne.
And when he had once broughte
Christe to the crosse, he thoughte
all cocke sure. But there loste he
all his reygning, for Christ sayed
Omnia traham ad meipsum. I wyll
drawe all thynges to my selfe.
He meaneth drawyng of mannes
soule to saluacion. And that he
sayd he would do, Per semet ipsum.
by hys owne selfe, not by any
other bodyes sacrifice. He mente
by hys owne sacryfyce on the
crosse, wheare he offered him self
for the redempcion of mankynd,
and not the sacrifice of the masse
to be offered by an other. For
who can offer him, but him selfe?
He was bothe the offerer and the
offeryng. And this is the prycke,
thys is the marke at the whyche
the Deuyll shooteth, to euacuate
the crosse of Chryste; and to mingle
the instytucion of the Lordes
supper, the whiche although
he canne not brynge to passe: yet
he goeth aboute by his sleightes
and subtyle meanes, to frustrate
the same, and these fyftene hundreth
yeres he hath been a dooer,
onelye purposynge to euacuate
Christes death, and to make it
of smal efficacitie and vertue.
For where as Christe accordyng
as the serpente was lyfte vp in
wyldernesse: so woulde he hym
selfe to be exalted, that thereby
as manye as trusted in hym,
shoulde haue saluacion. But the
deuyl would none of that. They
would haue vs saued by a daily
oblacion propiciatorie, by a sacrifyce
expiatorie, or remissorie.
Nowe yf I shoulde preache in
the countrey amonge the vnlearned,
I woulde tell what propiciatorie,
expiatorie and remissorie
is: but here is a learned auditorie.
Yet for them that be vnlearned
I wil expound it. Propiciatorie,
expiatorie, remissorie, or
satisfactorie, for they signifie al
one thynge in effecte, and is no
thynge elles but a thynge wherby
to obteyne remissyon of synnes,
and to haue saluacion. And
thys waye the Deuyll vsed to
euacuate the deathe of Chryste,
that we myghte haue affyaunce
in other thynges, as in the daylye
sacrifice of the pryeste, where
as Chryste woulde haue vs to
truste in his onelye sacrifice. So
he was Agnus occisus ab origine mundi,
the lambe that hathe be slaine
frome the beginnyng of the worlde,
and therfore he is called, Iuge
sacrificium. A continuall sacrifyce,
and not for the continuaunce of
the Masse as the blau~chers haue
blaunched it, and wrested it. And
as I my selfe dyd once mystake
it. But Paule sayeth. Per semetipsum
purgatio facta, by him selfe & by
none other, Christ made pourgacion
and satysfaction for the
whole worlde. Woulde Christ
this woorde by hym selfe hadde
been better weyghed and loked
vpon, and, In sanctificacionem, to
make theym holye, for he is, Iuge
sacrificium, a continuall sacryfice,
in effecte, fruite and operacion,
that lyke as they whiche seeyng
the serpente hange vp in the deserte
were put in remembraunce
of Christes death, in whome as
many as beleued were saued: so
all men that trusted in the deathe
of Christ shall be saued, as wel
they that were before, as they
that came after. For he was
a contynuall Sacrifyce, as I
sayed in effecte, fruite, operacion
and vertue. As thoughe he
had frome the beginnyng of the
world and continually should to
the worldes ende hange still on
the crosse, and he is as freshe hangyng
on the crosse nowe to them
that beleue and truste in hym,
as he was fiftene hundreth yeares
ago when he was crucyfyed.
Then lette vs truste vpon
hys onely deathe, and looke for
none other sacrifyce propiciatorie,
then the same bloudye sacrifice,
the liuelye sacrifice, and not
a drie sacrifice, but a blouddy sacrifice.
For Chryste hymselfe
sayed, Consummatum est. It is perfectlye
finyshed. I haue taken at
my fathers hande the dispensacion
of redemyng mankynd.
I haue wroughte mannes redempcion,
and haue dyspatched
the matter. Why then myngle
ye hym? why do ye deuide hym?
why make you of hym mo sacryfyces
then one? Paule sayeth,
Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus
Christe our passeouer is offered
vp, so that the thing is done, and
Christ hath done it, and he hath
done it, semel. Once for all. And it
was a bloudy sacrifice, not a drie
sacrifice.
Why then, it is not the Masse
that auaileth or profiteth for the
quicke and the dead? Wo worth
thee, O Deuyll, wo worth thee,
that haste preuayled so farre and
so longe, that thou haste made
Englande to worshyppe false
Goddes, forsaking Christe their
Lorde. Wo worthe the Deuil.
Wo worth thee Deuyll and all
thyne Aungels: yf Christ by his
deathe draweth all thynges to
him selfe, and draweth al men to
saluacion, and to heauenly blysse
that trust in him. Then the priestes
at the Masse, at the popyshe

D.i.

Masse I say what ca~ they draw
when Christe draweth all, but
landes and gooddes frome the
right heyres? The priestes draw
gooddes and rychesse, benefyces
and promocions to theym selues
and suche as beleued in theyr
sacrifyce they drawe to the Deuyll.
But Christe it is that draweth
sowles vnto hym by hys
bloudy sacrifice. What haue we
to do then, but Epulari in domino,
to eate in the Lorde at hys
Supper. What other seruyce
haue we to do to hym? and what
other sacrifyce haue we to offer:
but the mortificacio~ of our flesh?
What other oblacion haue we
to make, but of obedyence, of
good liuynge, of good woorkes,
and of healpynge oure neyghbours?
But as for oure redempcion,
it is done already, it can not
be better. Christe hath done that
thynge so well, that it can not be
amended. It cannot be deuised
howe to make that, any better
then he hathe done it. But the
Deuyll by the healpe of that Italian
Bishop yonder, his chaplayne:
hath laboured by all meanes,
that he myght, to frustrate
the death of Christe, and the merytes
of hys passyon. And they
haue deuised for that purpose to
make vs beleue in other vayne
thynges by his pardonnes, as to
haue remission of sinnes for praiynge
on hallowed beades, for
drinkyng of the bakehouse bole,
as a Channon of Waltam Abbey,
once tolde me, that when soeuer
they putte theyr loaues of
breade into the ouen, as manye
as drancke of the pardon bolle
shoulde haue pardon for drinckynge

D.ii.

of it. A madde thyng to
geue pardon to a bolle. Then to
Pope Alexanders holye water,
to halowed belles, palmes, candelles,
asshes, and what not?
And of these thynges euerye one
hath taken awaye some parte of
Christes sanctificacion. Euery
one hathe robbed some parte of
Christes passion and crosse, and
hathe myngled Christes death,
and hath been made to be propiciatorie
and satisfactorie, and to
put awaye sinne. Yea and Alexanders
holye water yet at thys
daye remaynethe in Englande,
and is vsed for a remedy against
spirytes, and to chase awaye deuylles,
yea and I woulde thys
had been the worste. I would
thys were the worste. But wo
worth thee, O deuyll that haste
preuayled to euacuate Chrystes
crosse and to myngle the lordes
supper. These be the Italian byshoppes
deuyces, and the deuyll
hathe prycked at thys marke to
frustrate the crosse of Christe. He
shotte at thys marke longe before
Christe came, he shotte at
this pricke fowre thousande yeares
before Christ hanged on the
crosse, or suffered his passion.
For the brasen serpente, was sette
vp in the wyldernes to put men
in remembrance of Christes commyng,
that lyke as they whiche
behelde the brasen serpente were
healed of their bodilye diseases:
so they that loked spirituallye vpon
Christe that was to come, in
hym shoulde be saued spiritually
from the Deuyll, The serpent
was set vp in memorie of Christe
to come, but the Deuyll founde
meanes to steale awaye the memorie

D.iii.

of Christes commyng and
brought the people to worshippe
the Serpente selfe, and to sence
hym, to honoure hym, and to offer
to hym, to worshyppe hym,
and to make an Idoll of hym.
And thys was done by the markette
menne that I tolde you of
And the clarke of the markette
dyd it for the lucre and aduauntage
of his maister, that thereby
his honour myghte encrease, for
by Christes death, he could haue
but small worldlye aduauntage.
And euen nowe so hath he certayne
blaunchers longyng to the
markette, to lette and stoppe the
lyghte of the Gospel, and to hinder
the kynges procedynges in
settyng forth the word and glorye
of God. And when the kinges
maiestie with the aduyse of
his honourable counsayle goeth
about to promote Goddes word
and to sette an order in matters
of religyon there shall not lacke
blaunchers that wyl saye. As for
Images wheras they haue been
vsed to be senced, and to haue
candels offred vnto theim: none
be so folishe to do it to the stocke
or stone, or to the Image selfe.
but it is done to GOD and his
honour before the Image. And
thoughe they shoulde abuse it,
these blaunchers will be ready to
whysper the kynge in the eare,
and to tell hym that this abuse
is but a small matter. And that
the same wyth all other lyke abuses
in the churche maye be refourmed
easilye. It is but a litle
abuse say they and it maye bee
easily amended. But it shoulde
not be taken in hande at the first
for feare of trouble, or further
inconueniences. The people wil
not beare sodayne alteracions
an insurreccyon maye be made
after sodayne mutacion, whiche
maye be to the greate harme and
losse of the realme. Therefore all
thynges shal be wel, but not out
of hand, for feare of further busynes.
These be ye blanchers that
hitherto haue stopped the worde
of god, and hindered the true settyng
forth of the same. There be
so many put offes, so manye put
byes, so many respectes, and consideracio~s
of worldly wisdo~. And
I dout not but there were blanchers
in the olde time, to whysper
in the eare of good kynge Ezechyas,
for the mayntenaunce of
Idolatrie done to the brasen serpe~t,
aswel as there hath ben now
of late, & be now that can blanche
the abuse of Images and other
lyke thynges. But good kynge
Ezechias woulde not be so blynded,
he was lyke to Apollos, feruent
in spiryte. He woulde geue
no eare to the blanchers, he was
not moued wyth these worldlye
respectes, wyth these prudente
consyderacions, with these policies,
he feared not insurreccions
of the people. He feared not least
his people woulde not beare the
glorye of God: but he without
any of these respectes, or polycies,
or co~sideracions, like a good
kynge for Goddes sake, and for
conscience sake by & by plucked
downe the brasen serpente, and
destroyed it vtterlye, and beat it
to pouder. He oute of hande, dyd
caste downe all Images, he destroyed
all Idolatrie, and clerely
dyd extirpate all supersticion. He
woulde not heare these blanchers
and worldly wyse men, but with
out delaye, foloweth gods cause
and destroyeth all Idolatrie out
of hande. Thus dyd good king
Ezechias, for he was lyke Apollo,
ferue~t in spirite, and dilygente
to promote Goddes glorie. And
good hope there is that it shall
be lykewyse here in Englande,
for the kynges Maiestye is so
broughte vp in knowledge, vertue,
and godlynesse, that it is not
to be mystrusted, but that we
shall haue all thynges well, and
that the glorye of God shall be
spred abrode, throughout al partes
of the realme, yf the prelates
wil dilige~tly apply their plough
& be preachers, rather then Lordes,
but our blaunchers, whiche
wyll be Lordes, and no labourers,
when they are commaunded
to go and be resydente vpon
their cures, and preache in theyr
benefyces, they would say.
What, I haue sette a deputie
there, I haue a deputie that loketh
well to my flocke, and the
whiche shal discharge my duetie.
A deputie quod he. I loked for
that worde all this whyle. And
what a deputie must he be, trowe
ye? Euen one lyke hym selfe, it
muste be a cannoniste, that is to
saye, one that is broughte up in
the studie of the Popes lawes &
decrees. One that wyll set forth
papistrie as well as hym self wyl
do, and one that wyll mayntayne
all supersticion, and Idolatrye.
And one that wyll nothynge at
all, or els very weakely resist the
Deuyls plough, yea happy it is
yf he take not part with the Deuyll,
and where he shoulde be an
enemy to hym, it is wel if he take
not the Deuilles parte agaynste
Christe. But in the meane time
the Prelates take theyr pleasures.
They are Lordes and no
labourers, but the Deuill is dilygente
at his ploughe. He is no
vnpreachynge prelate. He is no
Lordelye loyterer from his cure,
but a busie ploughe man, so that
amonge all the prelates, and amonge
al the packe of them that
haue cure, the Deuill shal go for
my money. For he styll applyeth
his busynes. Therefore ye vnpreachynge
prelates, learne of
the deuill to be diligent in doyng
of your offyce. Learne of the deuill.
And if you wyl not learne of
God nor good manne: for shame
learne of the Deuyll. Ad erubescentiam
vestram dico. I speake it
for your shame. If you wil not
learne of God nor good man to
be diligent in your offyce, learne
of the deuill. Howebeit there is
nowe verie good hoope that the
Kynges maiestie, beyng by the
healpe of good gouernaunce of
his mooste honourable counsaylours,
he is trained and brought
vp in learnyng and knowledge
of Goddes word, wil shortly prouide
a remedye and set an ordre
herein, whiche thyng that it may
so be, lette vs praye for him.
Praye for hym good people,
praye for hym, ye
haue great cause,
and neede to
praye for
him.

FINIS.