The third Article, as I understand it, feemeth artfully to fow fedition against the offering which Chrift himself offered for us in his own proper perfon, according to that pithy place of St. Paul, Heb. i. 2. "That Chrift his own

"felf hath made purgation of our fins." And afterward, "That he might, faith he, be a «merciful and a faithful Bishop, concerning "thofe things which are to be done with "God, for the taking away of our fins." So that the expiation or taking away of our fins may be thought rather to depend on this, that Christ was an offering Bishop, than that he was offered, were it not that he was offered of himself; and therefore it is needlefs that he fhould be offered of any other. I will speak nothing of the wonderful prefumption of man, to dare to attempt this thing without à manifeft vocation, especially in that it tendeth to the overthrowing and making fruitless (if not wholly, yet partly) of the crofs of Chrift; for it is no bafe or mean thing to offer Chrift. And therefore worthily a man may fay to my Lords and Mafters the offerers, By what authority do ye this? And, Who gave you this authority? Where? When? A man cannot, faith the Baptift, take any thing, except it be given him from above; much less then may any man prefume to ufurp any honour, before he be thereto called. Again, if any man fin, faith St. John, we have not a mafter or offerer at home, which can facrifice for us at Mass; but we have, faith he, an Advocate, Jefus Chrift, which once offered himfelf long ago; of which offering

lxiii

Bishop of WORCESTER. offering the efficacy and effect is perdurable for ever, fo that it is needlefs to have fuch offerers.

I have taken the more pains to proteft, because I refused to difpute, in confideration of my debility thereunto; that all men may know, I have fo done not without great pains, having no man to help me, as I have never before been debarred to have. O Sir, you may chance to live till you come to the age and weaknefs that I am of. I have fpoken in my time. before two Kings more than once, two three Hours together, without interruption: but now, that I am to fpeak the truth, by your leave, I could not be fuffered to declare my mind before you, no, not for one quarter of an hour, without fnatches, revilings, checks, rebukes, taunts, fuch as I have not felt the like, in fuch an audience, all my life long. Surely it is an heinous offence that I have given. But what was it? Forfooth, I had spoken of the four Marrowbones of the Mafs. The which kind of speaking I never read to be a fin against the holy Ghost. I could not be allowed to fhew what I meant by my metaphor; but now by your favour I will tell you, mafter, what I mean. The firft (marrowbone) is the popish confecration, which hath been called God's body making. The fecond is tranfubftantiation. The third is miffal oblation. And the fourth is adoration.

Thefe chief and principal portions, parts and points belonging or incident to the Mafs, and most esteemed and had in price in the fame, I call the marrowbones of the Mafs, which indeed you by force, might, and vio

lence

Ixiv The Life of Mafter HUGH LATIMER

lence intrude in found of words in fome of the fcripture, with racking and cramping, injuring and wronging the fame; but elfe indeed, plain out of the fcripture, as I am thoroughly perfuaded, although in difputation I now could nothing do to perfuade the fame to others, being now unapt to ftudy, and not having words in fuch readiness as should be requifite to the fame.

I have heard much talk of Doctor Weston in my time; but I never faw your person to my knowledge, till I came before you, as the Queen's Commiffioner. I pray God fend you right Judgment, as I perceive you have a great wit, great learning, with many other qualities. God give you grace ever well to ufe them, and ever to have in remembrance, that he that dwelleth on high, looketh on the low things on the earth; and that there is no counsel against the Lord; and alfo that this world hath been, and yet is a tottering world. And yet again, though we muft obey the Princes, yet that this hath limitation, namely, in the Lord. For whofo doth obey them against the Lord, they be most pernicious to them, and the greatest adverfaries they have; for they procure God's vengeance upon them, if God be the only ruler of things.

There be fome fo corrupt in mind, and truth being taken from them, that they think gain to be godliness; very learned men, and yet men of no learning, but of railing, and raging about queftions and ftrife of words. I call them men of no learning, because they know not Chrift, how much elfe foever they know. And on

this

this fort we are wont to call the great and learned, being ignorant of Chrift, unlearned men; for it is nothing but plain ignorance, to know any thing without Chrift; whereas whofo knoweth Chrift, the fame hath knowledge of Chrift, although in other knowledge he be to feek. The Apoftle St. Paul confeffeth of himfelf to the Corinthians, that he did know nothing but Jefus Chrift crucified. Many men babble many things of Chrift which yet know not Christ, but pretending Chrift, do craftily colour and darken his glory. "Depart from fuch men," faith the Apostle St. Paul to Timothy.

t

It is not out of the way to remember what St. Auguftine faith. The place where, I now remember not, except it be against the Epiftles of Petilian:" Whofoever, faith he, teacheth

any thing neceffarily to be believed, which " is not contained in the Old and New Testament, the fame is accurfed." O beware of this curfe if you be wife. I am much deceived, if Bafilius hath not fuch like words: "Whatfoever, faith he, is befides the holy fcripture, "if the fame be taught as neceffarily to be believed, that is fin." O therefore take heed of this fin.

There be fome that speak many false things more probable, and more like to the truth than the truth itself. Therefore Paul giveth a watchword: "Let no man, faith he, deceive you with

་

probability and perfuafions of words." But what mean you, faith one, by this talk fo far from the matter? Well, I hope, good mafters, you will fuffer an old man a little to play the child,

h

and

and to speak one thing twice. O Lord God, you have changed the most holy communion into a private action; and you deny to the laity the Lord's cup, contrary to Chrift's commandment; and you do blemish the annunciation of the Lord's death till he come; for you have changed the Common Prayer, called the Divine Service, with the adminiftration of the facraments, from the vulgar and known language into a strange tongue, contrary to the will of the Lord revealed in his word. God God open the door of your heart, to fee the things you should fee therein. I would as fain obey my fovereign as any in this realm; but in these things I can never do it with an upright confcience. God be merciful to us. Amen.

Then Doctor Weston required him either to difpute, or to fubfcribe to the truth of the three above recited articles; but both thefe this faithful fufferer for the reformed principles utterly refused, saying, that as to difputation he was now fo old (for he was in the eightyfourth year of his age) he could not do it; and as for the latter he would not fubfcribe, he would, he affirmed, chearfully fuffer any punishment they (meaning Wefton the Prolocutor and the other Commiffioners) should inflict on him. But, notwithstanding these proteftations, Wefton endeavoured to draw the old reverend father into a difputation infenfibly; and when, at length, he found he could not, he difmiffed the affembly.

On the Friday following, being the twenti eth day of April, the Commiffioners met in St. Mary's Church, in order to pass fentence

on