A sermon of Master Latimer, preached at Stamford the. ix. day of October. Anno.…

The word that I have spoken to you, that shall judge you at the latter day. Look well now every man upon his conscience and see whether he have done this commandment of God, Give to your king that which is due to him, & he that findeth him self guilty, let him amend in time to come. This is hard gear & sore gear thou wilt say, give give, I have wife and children and great charge, well I shall tell thee, it mynysheth not thy stock one farthing at the years end. Hearken what God saith Si audieritis uerba mea. If you will hear my words saith God & keep that I command thee, I will ⟨image 35⟩bless thee and, Si non audicritis. If ye will not hear my words and do my commandments, thou shalt be cursed. &c. What is blessing, not wagging of the fingers as our bishops were wont, but it is, I will favour thee and increase thy goods, thy corn, thy cattle, thy Ox, thy sheep & in all thy business thou shalt prosper and go forward. And what is the curse, but to be out of God's favour, I will empoverish thee, thy corn thy cattle▪ thy Ox, thy sheep shall not prosper, what thou takest in hand it, shall not go forward. This was not taught in times past, men had pilgrimage, Images, masses Trentals. &c. but I would have you muse of thieves .ii. points ⟨image 35⟩cursed, if thou hear not gods word, commanding the to pay thy duty to the king, and blessed if thou hear it and keep it, I would have you to muse o• these .ii. things.

The woorde that I haue spoken to you, that shall iudge you at the latter daye. Loke well nowe euerye man vpon hys conscyence and see whether hee haue doone thys commandemēt of God, Gyue to your kynge that whyche is due to hym, & he that fynedeth hym selfe gilti, let him amend in tyme to come. Thys is hard gere & sore gere yu wilt sai, giue giue, I haue wife and chyldrē and great charge, wel I shal tell the, it mynysheth not thy stocke one farthing at ye yeres end. Hearken what God saith Si audieritis uerba mea. If you wyl heare my words sayth God & kepe that I cōmaūd the, I wil ⟨image 35⟩blesse the and, Si non audicritis. If ye wil not heare my words and do my commandements, thou shalt be cursed. &c. What is blessinge, not wagginge of ye fingers as our bishops wer wont, but it is, I will fauoure the and encrease thy goods, thi corne, thy cattel, thy Oxe, thy shepe & in al thy busines thou shalt prosper and go forward. And what is the cursse, but to be oute of goddes fauoure, I wyl empouerishe the, thy corn thy cattell thy Oxe, thy shepe shall not prospere, what thou takest in hande it, shal not go forwarde. Thys was not taught in times past, men had pilgrimage, Images, masses Tretals. &c. but I wold haue you muse of theese .ii. pointes