Wherefore considering that we be so prone and ready to continue in sin, let us cast down ourselves with Mary Magdalen, and the more we bow down with her towards Christ's feet, the more we shall be afraid to rise again in sin, and the more we know and submit ourselves, the more we shall be forgiven, and the less we know and submit ourselves, the less we shall be forgiven, as appeareth by this example following.

Christ when he was in the world amongst the Jews and Pharisees, there was a great Pharisee whose name was Simon: this Pharisee desired Christ on a time to dine with him, thinking in himself that he was able and worthy to give Christ a dinner: Christ refused not his dinner, but came unto him. In time of their dinner it chanced there came into the house a great and a common sinner, named Mary Magdalen. As soon as she perceived Christ, she cast herself down, and called unto her remembrance what she was of herself, and how greatly she had offended God, whereby she conceived in Christ great love, and so came near unto him, and washed his feet with her tears, and shed upon his head precious ointment, thinking that by him she should be delivered from her sins; this great and proud Pharisee seeing that Christ did accept her oblation in the best part, had great indignation against this woman, and said to himself, If this man Christ were a holy prophet, as he is taken for, he would not suffer this sinner to come so nigh him. Christ understanding the naughty mind of this Pharisee, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee; Say what thou pleasest, quoth the Pharisee. Then saith Christ, "I pray thee tell me this: If there be a man to whom is owing twenty pounds by one, and forty by another, this man to whom this money is owing, perceiveth these two men be not able to pay him, he forgiveth them both. Which of these two debtors ought to love this man most?" The Pharisee said, "that man ought to love him best that hath most forgiven him :" Likewise said Christ, "it is by this woman. She hath loved me most, therefore most is forgiven her, she hath known her sins most, whereby she hath most loved me; and thou hast least loved me, because thou hast least known thy sins: therefore because thou hast least

known thine offences, thou art least forgiven." So this proud Pharisee had an answer to allay his pride; and think you not, but that there be amongst us a great number of these proud Pharisees, which think themselves worthy to bid Christ to dinner, which shall perk and presume to sit by Christ in the church, and have disdain of this poor woman Magdalen, their poor neighbour, with an high, disdainous and solemn countenance, and being always desirous to climb highest in the church, reckoning their selves more worthy to sit there than another, I fear me, poor Magdalen, under the board, and in the belfry, hath more forgiven of Christ than they have; for it is like that these Pharisees do less know themselves and their offences, whereby they less love God, and so they be less forgiven.

I would to God we would follow this ensample, and be like unto Magdalen. I doubt not but we be all Magdalens in falling into sin, and in offending: but we be not again Magdalens in knowing ourselves, and in rising from sin. If we be true Magdalens, we should be as willing to forsake our sin, and rise from sin, as we were willing to commit sin, and to continue in it, and we then should know ourselves best, and make more perfect answer than ever we did, unto this question, "Who art thou?" To the which we might answer, that we be true Christian men and women: and then I say you should understand and know how you ought to play at this card, "Thou shalt not kill;" without any interruption of your deadly enemies the Turks, and so triumph at the last, by winning everlasting life in glory. Amen.

15

THE SECOND

OF

MASTER HUGH LATIMER'S TWO SERMONS

OF THE CARD.

JOHN i. 19.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou?

Now you have heard what is meant by this first card, and how you ought to play with it, I purpose again to deal unto you another card, almost of the same suit; for they be of so nigh affinity, that one cannot be well played without the other. The first card declared, "that you should not kill," which might be divers ways, as being angry with your neighbour, in mind, in countenance, in word, or deed. It declared also how you should subdue the passions of ire, and so clear evermore yourselves from them: and where this card doth kill in you these stubborn Turks of ire; this second card will, not only they should be mortified in you, but that you yourselves shall cause them to be likewise mortified in your neighbour, if that your said neighbour hath been through your occasion moved unto 'ire, either in countenance, word, or deed. Now therefore let us hear the tenor of this card.

"Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

This card was spoken by Christ, as testifieth St. Matthew in his 5th chapter, against all such as do presume to come unto the church to make oblation unto God either by prayer, or any other deed of charity, not having their neighbours

reconciled. Reconciling is, as much as to say, as to restore thy neighbour unto charity, which by thy words or deeds is moved against thee: then if so be if that thou hast spoken to, or by thy neighbour, whereby he is moved to ire or wrath, thou must lay down thy oblation. Oblations be prayers, alms-deeds, or any work of charity; these be called oblations to God. Lay down therefore thine oblation, begin to do none of these foresaid works, before thou goest unto thy neighbour, and confess thy fault unto him; declaring thy mind, that if thou hast offended him, thou art glad and willing to make him amends, as far forth as thy words and substance will extend, requiring him not to take it at the worst. Thou art sorry in thy mind, that thou shouldest be the occasion of his offending. What manner of card is this? will some say. Why? What have I to do with my neighbour's or brother's malice? as Cain said, “Have I the keeping of my brother, or shall I answer for him and for his faults ?" This were no reason: as for myself, I thank God I owe no man malice nor displeasure, if others owe me any, at their own peril be it. Let every man answer for himself. Nay, Sir, not so, as you may understand by this card; for it saith, if thy neighbour hath any thing, any malice against thee, through thine occasion, lay even down, saith Christ, thine oblation; pray not to me, do no good deeds for me, but go first unto thy neighbour, and bring him again unto my flock, which hath forsaken the same through thy naughty words, mocks, scorns, or disdainous countenance, and so forth; and then come and offer thine oblation, then do thy devotion, then do thy alms-deeds, then pray, if thou wilt have me hear thee. O good Lord, this is a hard reckoning, that I must go and seek him out that is offended with me, before I pray or do any good deed. I cannot go unto him. Peradventure he is an hundred miles from me, beyond the seas, or else I cannot tell where, if he were here nigh, I would with all my heart go unto him. This is a lawful excuse before God on this fashion, that thou wouldest in thine heart be glad to reconcile thy neighbour, if he were present, and that thou thinkest in thy heart, whensoever thou shalt meet with him, to go unto him, and require him charitably to forgive thee, and so never intend to come from him until the time that you both depart one from the other true brethren in Christ

Yet peradventure there be some in the world that be so devilish and hard-hearted, that they will not apply in any condition unto charity. For all that, do that lieth in thee by all charitable means to bring him to unity: if he will in no wise apply thereunto, thou mayest be sorrowful in thy heart, that by thine occasion that man or woman continueth in such a damnable state: this notwithstanding, if thou do the best that lieth in thee to reconcile him, according to some doctors' minds, thou art discharged towards God. Nevertheless St. Augustine doubteth in this case, why thy oblations, prayers, or good deeds shall avail thee before God, or no, until thy neighbour come again to good state, whom thou hast brought out of the way. Doth this noble doctor doubt therein? what aileth us to be so bold, or count it but a small fault or none, to bring another man out of patience for every trifle that standeth not with our mind? You may see what a grievous thing this is to bring another man out of patience, that peradventure you cannot bring in again with all the goods that you have: for surely after the opinion of great wise men, friendship once broken will be never well made whole again. Wherefore you shall hear what Christ saith unto such persons; saith Christ, I came down into this world, and so took on me bitter passion for man's sake, by the merits whereof I intended to make unity and peace in mankind, to make man brother unto me, and so to expel the dominion of Satan, the devil which worketh nothing else but dissension: and yet now there be a great number of you that have professed my name, and say you be Christian men, which do rebel against my purpose and mind. I go about to make my fold; you go about to break the same, and kill my flock. How darest thou, saith Christ, presume to come unto my altar, unto my church, or unto my presence, to make oblation unto me, that takest on thee to spoil my lambs? I go about like a good shepherd to gather them together: and thou doest the contrary, ever more ready to divide and lose them. Who made thee so bold to meddle with my silly beasts, which I bought so dearly with my precious blood? I warn thee out of my sight, come not in my presence, I refuse thee and all thy works, except thou go and bring home again my lambs which thou hast lost; wherefore, if thou thyself intend to be one of mine, lay even down by and by thine oblation, and come

VOL. I.

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