19
Aug

Hugh Latimer (1487-1555) on the Death of Christ

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism   in For Whom did Christ Die?

 

Latimer:1

Sins of the world:

1) Christ was sore tormented in his mankind, nothing in his Godhead.

Marry, I will tell you how. We must consider our Savior Christ two ways, one way in his manhood, another in his Godhead. Some places of scripture must be referred to his Deity, and some to his humanity. In his Godhead he suffered nothing; but now he made himself void of his Deity, as scripture saith, Cum esset in forma Dei, exinanivit seipsum, “Whereas he was in the form of God, he emptied himself of it, he did hide it, and used himself as though he had not had it.”He would not help himself with his Godhead; “he humbled himself with all obedience unto death, even to the death of the cross” this was in that he was man.

Christ was
accounted
the greatest
sinner in the
world, because
he took upon
him our sins.

He took upon him our sins: not the work of sin; I mean not so: not to do it, not to commit it; but to purge it, to cleanse it, to bear the stipend of it: and that way he was the great sinner of the world. He bare all the sin of the world on his back; he would become debtor for it.

Christ is the only Purgation of our sin.

Now to sustain and suffer the dolours2 of death is not to sin: but he came into this world with his passion to purge our sins. Now this that he suffered in the garden is one of the bitterest pieces of all his passion: this fear of death was the bitterest pain that ever he abode, due to sin which he never did, but became debtor for us. All this he suffered for us; this he did to satisfy for our sins.

The notable
mercy of
Christ showing
to mankind.

It is much like as if I owed another man twenty thousand pounds, and should pay it out of hand, or else go to the dungeon of Ludgate; and when I am going to prison, one of my friends should come, and ask, “Whither goes this man?” and after he had heard the matter, should say, “Let me answer for him, I will become surety for him: yea, I will pay all for him.” Such a part played our Savior Christ with us. If he had not suffered this, I for my part should have suffered, according to the gravity and quantity of my sins, damnation.

The greater
the sin is, the
greater is
the pain.

For the greater the sin is, the greater is the punishment in hell. He suffered for you and me, in such a degree as is due to all the sins of the whole world. It was as if you would imagine that one man had committed all the sins since Adam: you may be sure he should be punished with the same horror of death, in such a sort as all men in the world should have suffered. Feign and put case, our Savior Christ had committed all the sins of the world; all that I for my part have done, all that you for your part have done, and that any man else hath done: if he had done all this himself, his agony that he suffered should have been no greater nor grievouser than it was.

His suffering
in the garden
was bitter
and painful.

This that he suffered in the garden was a portion, I say, of his passion, and one of the bitterest parts of it. And this he suffered for our sins, and not for any sins that he had committed himself: for all we should have suffered, every man according to his own deserts.

Why Christ
suffered such pains.

This he did of his goodness, partly to purge and cleanse our sins, partly because he would he would taste and feel our miseries, quo possit succurrere nobis, “that he should the rather help and relieve us;” and partly he suffered to give us example to behave ourselves as he did. He did not suffer, to discharge us clean from death, to keep us clean from it, not to taste of it. Nay, nay, you must not take it so.

All men
shall behold
the ugsome3
face of death.

We shall have the beholding of this ugsome face every one of us; we shall feel it ourselves. Yet our Savior Christ did suffer, to the intent to signify to us that death is overcomeable.

How we shall
overcome
death.

We shall indeed overcome it, if we repent, and acknowledge that our Savior Jesus Christ pacified with his pangs and pains the wrath of the Father; having a love to walk in the ways of God. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:223-224. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

2) The horror of
death and
the agony
which Christ
sustained in
the garden,
exceeds the
other pains.

When the angel had comforted him, and when this horror of death was gone, he was so strong, that he offered himself to Judas; and said, “I am he.” To make an end: I pray you take pains: it is a day of penance, as we use to say, give me leave to make you weary this day. The Jews had him to Caiaphas and Annas, and there they whipped him, and to Caiaphas and Annas, and there they whipped him, and beat him: they set a crown of sharp thorns upon his head, and nailed him to a tree: yet all this was not so bitter, as this horror of death, and this agony that he suffered in the garden, in such a degree as is due to all the sins of the world, and not to one man’s sins. Well; this passion is our remedy; it is the satisfaction for our sins. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:233. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

3) Bear with
father Latimer
in this place.

But now I will say a word, and herein I protest first of all, not arrogantly to determine and define it: I will contend with no man for it; I will not have it to be prejudice to any body, but I offer it unto you to consider and weigh it. There be some great clerks that take my part, and I perceive not what evil can come of it, in saying, that our Savior Christ did not only in soul descend into hell, but also that he suffered in hell such pains as the damned spirits did suffer there. Surely, I believe verily, for my part, that he suffered the pains of hell proportionably, as it corresponds and answers to the whole sin of the world. He would not suffer only bodily in the garden and upon the cross, but also in his soul when it was from the body; which was a pain due for our sin.

Fire, gnashing
of teeth,
the worm of
conscience,
are terms
uttering to
us the pains
of hell.

Some write so, and I can believe it, that he suffered in the very place, and I cannot tell what it is, call it what ye will, even in the scalding-house, in the ugsomeness of the place, in the presence of the place, such pain as our capacity cannot attain unto: it is somewhat declared unto us, when we utter it by these effects, “by fire, by gnashing of teeth, by the worm that gnaws on the conscience.” Whatsoever the pain is, it is a great pain that he suffered for us. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:234-235. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

4) Consider again, that our Savior calls us to prayer, and commands us to pray. Our sins let us, and withdraw us from prayer; but our Savior makes them nothing: when we believe in him, it is like as if we had no sins.

When we
have faith in
Christ, then
our sins are
no burden
unto us.

For he changes with us: he takes our sins and wickedness from us, and gives unto us his holiness, righteousness, justice, fulfilling of the law, and so, consequently, everlasting life: so that we be like as if we had done no sin at all; for his righteousness stands us in so good stead, as though we of our own selves had fulfilled the law to the uttermost. Therefore our sins cannot let us, nor withdraw us from prayer: for they be gone; they are no sins; they cannot be hurtful unto us. Christ dying for us, as all the scripture, both of the new and old Testament, witnesses, [Isai. 53.], Dolores nostros ipse portavit, “He hath taken away our sorrows.”Like as when I owe unto a man an hundred pound: the day is expired, he will have his money; I have it not, and for lack of it I am laid in prison. In such distress comes a good friend, and saith, “Sir, be of good cheer, I will pay thy debts;” and forthwith pays the whole sum, and sets me at liberty.

Christ has
ransomed
our sins and
paid our
debts.

Such a friend is our Savior. He has paid our debts, and set us at liberty; else we should have been damned world without end in everlasting prison and darkness. Therefore, though our sins condemn us, yet when we allege Christ and believe in him, our sins shall not hurt us. For John saith, Si quis peceaverit, advocation habemus apud Pairem, Jesum Christum, justum, “We have an advocate with God the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,” [1 John 2.].

Christ is our
only advocate.

Mark that he saith, Advocatum, non advocatos. He speaks singularly, not plurally. We have one advocate, not many; neither saints, nor any body else, but only him, and none other, neither by the way of mediation, nor by the way of redemption. He only is sufficient, for he only is all the doer. Let him have all the whole praise! Let us not withdraw from him his majesty, and give it to creatures: for he only satisfies for the sins of the whole world; so that all that believe in Christ be clean from all the filthiness of their sins. For St John Baptist saith, Ecce Agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” [John 1.]. Doth the devil call thee from prayer? Christ calls thee unto it again: for so it is written, In hoc apparuit Filius Dei, ut destruat opera diaboli; “To that end the Son of God appeared, to destroy the works of the devil,” [1 John 3.].

Christ suffered
not for
impenitent
sinners.

But mark here: scripture speaks not of impenitent sinners; Christ suffered not for them: his death remedies not their sins. For they be the bondmen of the devil, and his slaves; and therefore Christ’s benefits pertain not unto them. It is a wonderful saying that St John hath, “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.” The devil saith unto me, “Thou art a sinner.” “No,” saith St John, “the Lamb of God hath taken away thy sins.”

Christ is an
high Bishop.

Item, Habentes igitur Pontificem magnum qui penetravit coelos, Jesum Filium Dei, accedamus cum fiducia ad thronum gratia, ut consequamur misericordiam; “We therefore having a great high Priest, which hath passed through the heavens, even Jesus the Son of God, let us with boldness go unto the seat of his grace, that we may obtain mercy.” Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:330-331. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italcis original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

5) All the
papists in
England are
enemies to
Christ.

“They are the enemies of the cross of Christ.” A man may be an enemy of the cross of Christ two manner of ways. All the papists in England, and specially the spiritual men, be the enemies of the cross of Christ two manner of ways.

First, when he is a right papist, given to monkery, I warrant you he is in this opinion, that with his own works he doth merit remission of his sins, and satisfies the law through and by his own works; and so thinks himself to be saved everlastingly. This is the opinion of all papists. And this doctrine was taught in times past in schools and in the pulpits. Now all these that be in such an opinion, they be the enemies of the cross of Christ, of his passion and blood-shedding. For they think in themselves Christ needed not to die; and so they despise his bitter passion: they do not consider our birth-sin, and the corruption of our nature; nor yet do they know the quantity of our actual sins, how many times we fall in sins, or how much our own power is diminished; nor what might and power the devil hath: they consider not such things, but think themselves able with their own works to enter into the kingdom of God. And therefore I tell you, that is the [most] perilous doctrine that can be devised. For all faithful and true Christians believe only in his death; they long to be saved through his passion and blood-shedding, this is all their comfort. They know, and most steadfastly believe, that Christ fulfilled the law, and that his fulfilling is theirs; so that they attribute unto Christ the getting and meriting of everlasting life. And so it follows, that they which attribute the remission of sins, the getting of everlasting life, unto themselves or their works, they deny Christ; they blaspheme and despise him.

Merit-mongers.

For for what other cause did Christ come, but only to take away our sins by his passion, and so deliver us from the power of the devil? But these merit-mongers have so many merit good works, that they be able to sell them for money, and so to bring other men to heaven too by their good works: which, no doubt, is the greatest contempt of the passion of Christ that can be devised. For Christ only, and no man else, merited remission, justification, and eternal felicity for as many as will believe the same: they that will not believe it, shall not have it; for it is no more but, “Believe and have.”

Judas lacked
faith, and
therefore
could not
be saved.

For Christ shed as much blood for Judas, as he did for Peter: Peter believed it, and therefore he was saved; Judas would not believe, and therefore he was condemned; the fault being in him only, in nobody else. But to say, or to believe, that we should be saved by the law, this is a great dishonoring of Christ’s passion: for the law serves to another purpose,–it brings us to the knowledge of our sins, and so to Christ: for when we be come through the law to the knowledge of our sins, when we perceive our filthiness, then we be ready to come to Christ, and fetch remission of our sins at his hands. But the papists fetch the remission of their sins, not in the passion of Christ, but in them own doings: they think to come to heaven by their own works; which is naught.

We must
work, but
not trust in
our works.

We must do good works, we must endeavor ourselves to live according to the commandments of God; yet, for all that, we must not trust in our doings. For though we do the uttermost, yet is it all imperfect, when ye examine them by the rigor of the law; which law serves to bring us to the knowledge of our sins, and so to Christ; and by Christ we shall come to the quietness of our conscience. But to trust in our good works is nothing but a robbing of Christ of his glory and majesty. Therefore it is not more necessary to do good works, than it is to beware how to esteem them. Therefore take heed, good Christian people: deny not Christ; put not your hope in your own doings; for if you do, ye shall repent.

Mass-mongers
deny Christ.

Another denying of Christ is this mass-monging. For all those that be mass-mongers be deniers of Christ; which believe or trust in the sacrifice of the mass, and seek remission of their sins therein. For this opinion has done very much harm, and brought innumerable souls to the pit of hell;4 for they believed the mass to be a sacrifice for the dead and living.

A man
will spare
no cost to
save his soul.

And this opinion hath gotten all these abbeys and chantries almost the half part of all England; and they should have gotten more, if they had not been restrained by certain laws. For what would folks not do to ease themselves from the burden of their sins? But it was a false easement, a deceitful thing: therefore how much are we bound unto God, which hath delivered us from this bondage, from this heavy yoke of popery, which would have thrust us to everlasting damnation! For now we know the very way how we shall be delivered; we know that Christ, is offered once for us, and that this one offering remedies all the sins of the whole world: for he was Agnus occisus ab origine mundi; he was “The lamb which was killed from the beginning of the world” [Rev. 13.]: that is to say, all they that believed in him since Adam was created, they were saved by him. They that believed in Abraham’s Seed, it was as good unto them, and stood them in as good effect, as it doth unto us now at this day: so that his oblation is of such efficacy, that it purifies and takes away all the sins of the whole world. They now that will be content to leave their sinful life, wrestle with sin, and behoove in our Savior Christ, they shall be partakers of everlasting felicity.

Christ has
many enemies.

Here ye may perceive that Christ hath many enemies in the whole world he hath many that slander him, that diminish his glory; namely, all the papists that trust in their own merits, or seek remission of their sins by the sacrifice of the mass: all these now are enemies to the cross of Christ. Finally all those that seek remission of their sins other ways than in the passion of Christ, they be traitors to God, and shall be damned world without end, unless they repent. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:520-522. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

6) The great
commodities5
that we receive
by the coming
of Christ.

Yesterday, also, I shewed you the commodities which we receive by the coming of Christ; and, again, the discommodities if he should not have come; namely, that we should have been lost for ever, world without end. To this end I spake of such things, to give you occasion to consider his goodness and wonderful benefits, and to shew yourselves thankful towards him.

Christ takes
our sins upon
him to deliver
us from the
curse of the law.

Further, I showed you what he was before he took our vile nature upon him; namely, the eternal Son of God the Father; begotten before the world began; equal to his Father in power and dignity: he took our vile nature upon him, was made very man, to the end that he might deliver man from the curse of God and eternal damnation. Then, I showed you what we be without God, without this Savior; namely, cursed and banished out from everlasting life to everlasting damnation. This we are, without him, of our own nature; for we can do nothing but commit sin, and are not able to make amends for the least sin that we commit: but he, our Savior, I say, has made satisfaction upon the cross for the sins of all mankind. Then, again, I told you how we should follow the ensample6 of David, which when he considered the great benefits of God, burst out in these words, saying. Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quœ tribuit mihi? “What shall I give into the Lord for all that which he hath given unto me?” [Psal. 116.]. Then he concludes and saith, Accipiam calicem salutaris, “I will take the chalice of health;” that is, I will bear all the crosses which the Lord shall lay upon me.

We must
submit ourselves
to the will
and pleasure
of Christ.

And so we must do when we consider the great benefits which God hath done unto us: then we must be content with all our hearts to bear such crosses as he shall lay upon us, and to shew ourselves thankful with a godly and honest life, for that he suffered for us; which passion he suffered, not compelled thereunto, but willingly he suffered it, moved by that great love which he bare towards us. Therefore, let us shew ourselves thankful: let us take all calamities and miseries that he shall lay upon us willingly: and in all these crosses let us call upon him, and take in good worth whatsoever it shall please him to lay upon us. This is the chief7 honor that we can do unto him. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:113. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

7) Latimer:–“Christ made one oblation and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and that a perfect sacrifice; neither needs there to be any other, neither can there be any other, propitiatory [sacrificed].”8 Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:292. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Lamb of God references (sample):

1) A wondrous thing! Christ had testimony of his Father: “This is my beloved Son, hear him.” John had borne him witness, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world” His works and miracles were testimonies that his doctrine was of God. Well, all this would not serve. He must have license of these holy fathers, or else all is nothing worth. Christ answered not directly to their question, but asked them another question, and made them give answer against themselves; and as it were with one wedge drove out another. “The baptism of John, was it of God, or of man? Was John sent of God? Had he his authority of God or of man?” Here he drives them to confess his doctrine to be of God. For John, whom they could not deny to have been sent from God, bare witness that his doctrine was true. If they had confessed this, he would have inferred, “Why believe ye him not?” If they should have said, “John was not of God,” then would all the people have been against them; yea, in a hurly-burly have stoned them. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:297. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

2) John Baptist
pointed to
this meat with
finger.

But who are these callers? The first was John Baptist, which not only called with his mouth, but also showed 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 takes 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 labor, and I will refresh you,” [Matt. 11.]. 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.”

The reward
which they
have which
be the callers
of the guests.

But, I pray you, what thanks had they for their calling, for their labor? Verily this: John Baptist Was beheaded; Christ was crucified; the apostles were killed: this was their reward for their labors.

Preaching
is a thankless
office.

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 monies judicia Domini, “That the high lulls,” 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. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:468. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

3) John the
evangelist was
a disciple
of John Baptist.

The evangelist John, in the first chapter, describes this matter of another manner of ways, but it pertains all to one end and to one effect: for it was most like, that they were called first to come in acquaintance with Christ, and afterwards to be his disciples; and so in the end to be his apostles, which should teach and instruct the whole world. John the evangelist saith, that Andrew was a disciple of John Baptist: and when he had seen his master point to Christ with his finger, saying, Ecce Agnus Dei, qui tollit peccata mundi, “Lo the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world“–(they used in the law to offer lambs for the pacifying of God now John called Christ the right Lamb which should take away indeed all the sins of the world): now when Andrew heard whereunto Christ was come, he forsook his master John, and came to Christ; and fell in acquaintance with him, asked him where he dwelled; and finding his brother Simon Peter, he told him of Christ, and brought him to him. He brought him not to John, but to Christ: and so should we do too; we should bring to Christ as many as we could, with good exhortations and admonitions. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:25. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

4) If we look only upon the outward shew of these words, a man might think that John himself was doubtful whether Christ were the Savior of the world or not, because he sends his disciples to ask such a question of him. But ye must understand, that it was not done for John’s sake, to ask such a question, but rather for his disciples’ sake. For John thought that this should be the way to bring them to a good trade, namely, to send them to Christ.

John knew
Christ in his
mother’s
womb.

For as for John himself, he doubted not; he knew that Christ was the Savior of the world; he knew it, I say, whilst he was yet in his mother’s womb. For we read in the gospel of Luke, that after the angel came unto Mary and brought her such tidings, she arose, and went through the mountains, and came to Jerusalem to Elizabeth her cousin; and as she saluted her, the evangelist saith, Saliit infans in utero suo, “The infant, which was John, leapt in his mother’s belly,” [Matt. 3.]. So that John, being in his mother’s belly, yet knew Christ, which should be born out of the virgin Mary. After that, we read in the third chapter of Matthew, when John should baptize Christ, he said unto Christ, Ego potius, &c. “I have more need to be baptized of thee, than thou of me.” So that it manifestly appears that John doubted not of Christ, but knew most certainly that he was the eternal Son of God, and the Redeemer which was promised unto the fathers to come into the world. For it was told him from above, that upon whomsoever he should see the Holy Ghost coming down from heaven visibly, that same was he; which afterward happened: for John, after he had baptized him, saw the Holy Ghost come down in a form of a dove. Further, John pointed him with his finger, saying, Ecce Agnus Del qui tollit peccata mundi; “See the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world,” [John 1.]. So, I say, it is most evident, that John himself doubted not, for he knew it assuredly that Christ was the Savior; but he did it only to remedy the doubts of his disciples. Now when John’s disciples came to Christ, they did their message, saying, Es tu ille, qui venturus est, an alium expectamus? “Art thou he that shall come, or shall we look for another?” What doth Christ?

Christ showed
himself
by deeds.

He made not answer with words, but with deeds. He made not much ado in setting out himself with great words, but he showed himself to be Christ indeed: for he did such miracles which no man else could do but only he which was both very God and man. I would wish of God that we would do so too; that when we be asked a question, whether we be Christians, whether we have the gospel, the true word of God, or not?

We show
not our
faith by
our works.

I would wish, I say, that we could shew our faith by our I say, that we could shew our faith by our works and godly conversation, like as he showed himself to be Christ by his acts and deeds. But, I tell you, we be far otherwise; our acts and deeds disagree far from our profession. For we are wicked; we care not for God’s laws, nor his words; we profess with our mouth that we be the haters of sins, but our conversation shows that we love sin, that we follow the same, that we have a delight in it. So it appears, that our words and deeds agree not: we have God’s holy word in our mouth, but we follow the will and pleasure of the devil in our outward conversation and living. But Christ he did not so; for he showed himself by his outward works and conversation, that he was very Christ the Savior of the world. So we should do too: we should have so uprightly, so godly, that every one might know us by our outward conversation to be very Christians. We should so hate and abhor sins, that no man justly might or could disallow our doings. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:70-71. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Of relevant interest:

1) I desire you in the reverence of God to bear away this one sentence, which I will tell you now; for it shall be a good stay against the temptations of the devil. The sentence is this: Quod lex prcestare non potuerat, “That the law could not do, for it was letted [prevented] by the flesh” [Rom. 8.]: what can the law do when it hath no let? Marry, it can justify. Sed infirmahatur per carnem; that is to say, “by the infirmity of our flesh” man was not able to do it; the lack was in us: for we are wicked, and the law is holy and good.

Christ’s
merits are
our merits.

Now that which we lacked, that same hath God fulfilled and supplied, misso Filio suo; in that he hath sent his Son to supply that which man’s works could not do: and with his fulfilling of the law and painful death he merited, that as many as believe in him, though they had done all the sins of the world, yet shall they not be damned, but are righteous before the face of God, believing in Christ; so that remission of sins and everlasting life may be sought no where else but only in Christ. Qui propria Filio non pejyercit, sed dedit ilium pro nobis, “He that spared not his only Son, but gave him for us, why should he not have given us all tilings with him?” [Rom. 3.]. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:138-139. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine; square bracketed insert mine.]

2) The right
way how
thou may
be assured
of everlasting
life.

If thou go thus to work, surely thou shalt be heard. Thy sins shall be forgiven thee. God will shew himself true in his promise; for to that end he hath sent his only Son into this world, that he might save sinners. Consider therefore, I say, wherefore Christ came into this world: consider also the great hatred and wrath that God bears against sin; and again, consider his great love showed unto thee, in that he sent his only Son to suffer most cruel death, rather than that thou should be damned everlastingly. Consider therefore this great love of God the Father; amend thy life; fly all occasions of sin and wickedness, and be loath to displease him. And in this doing, thou may be assured that though thou had done all the sins of the world, they shall neither hurt nor condemn thee; for the mercy of God is greater than all the sins of the world. But we sometimes are in such a case, that we think we have no faith at all; or if we have any, it is very feeble and weak. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:208. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Redeemer of mankind (sample):

1) Christ our
only mediator.

The angel bade them go unto Bethlehem, and to search for the child: and forthwith a great many of angels came together rejoicing, singing, and praising God for our sakes, that the Redeemer of mankind was born into the world.

For without him nothing avails in the sight of God the Father. Without him no man can praise God; because it hath pleased God for his Son’s sake only, to shew himself favorable and loving unto mankind, and to receive only that prayer which is made unto him in the name of Christ, our Savior. Therefore all those which come without him before God, shall be rejected as persons rebellious against God and his constitutions. For the will, pleasure, and counsel of God is, to receive only those which come to him in the name of his Son, our Savior; which know themselves, lament their own sins, and confess their own naughtiness and wickedness, and put their whole trust and confidence only in the Son of God, the Redeemer of mankind, as the angels themselves testify.

Here in this gospel note, that here was singing and rejoicing for the great and unspeakable goodness and mercy of Almighty God the Father, whom it pleased to redeem mankind through the death of his only, natural, and most dearly beloved Son, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ;

Christ the Son
of God and
man.

very God and very man; the Son of God, after his Godhead; the Son of Mary after his manhood, which he hath taken upon him for man’s sake; to redeem and deliver the same from all misery, and to set him at unity with God, the Father; and, finally, to bring him to everlasting life. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:85. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

2) Jesus
what is it.

The evangelist says here, “When Jesus was born.” What is “Jesus?” Jesus is an Hebrew word, and signifies, in our English tongue, a Savior and Redeemer of all mankind, born into this world. This title and name, “to save,” pertains properly and principally unto him: for he saves us, else we had been lost for ever.

A savior
is used in
sundry speeches.

Notwithstanding, the name of Savior is used in common speech; as the king is called a savior, for he saves his subjects from all danger and harm that may ensue of the enemies. Likewise, the physician is accounted a Savior; for he saves the sick man from the danger of his disease with good and wholesome medicines. So fathers and mothers are saviors; for they save their children from bodily harm, that may happen unto them. So bridges, leading over the waters, are saviors; for they save us from the water. Likewise ships and boats, great and small vessels upon the seas, are saviors; for they save us from the fury, rage, and tempest of the sea. So judges are saviors; for they save, or at least should save, the people from wrong and oppression. But all this is not a perfect saving; for what avails it to be saved from sickness, calamities, and oppression, when we shall be condemned after our death both body and soul for ever to remain with the devil and his angels?

How many
ways Christ
saves us.

We must therefore come to Jesus, which is the right and true Savior: “And he it is that hath saved us from sin.” Whom hath he saved? His people. Who are his people? All that believe in him, and put their whole trust in him; and those that seek help and salvation at his hands: all such are his people. How saved he them? First, by magistrates, he saved the poor from oppression and wrong: the children he saved through the tuition of the parents, from danger and peril: by physicians he saves from sickness and diseases: but from sin he saves only through his passion and blood-shedding.

Christ’s death
is our only
salvation.

Therefore he may be called, and is. the very right Savior; for it is he that saves from all infelicity all his faithful people: and his salvation is sufficient to satisfy for all the world as concerning itself; but as concerning us, he saved no more than such as put their trust in him. And as many as believe in him shall be saved; the other shall be cast out as infidels into everlasting damnation; not for lack of salvation, but for infidelity and lack of faith, which is the only cause of their damnation. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:144-145 [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Redeeming mankind:

1) Then let us trust upon his only death, and look for none other sacrifice propitiatory, than the same bloody sacrifice, the lively sacrifice; and not the dry sacrifice, but a bloody sacrifice. For Christ himself said, consummatum est: “It is perfectly finished: I have taken at my Father’s hand the dispensation of redeeming mankind, I have wrought man’s redemption, and have dispatched the matter.” Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:73-74. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Death of Christ sufficient for all the sins of the world:

1) He saith not, Blessed be they which have never sinned: for where dwell such fellows which never sinned?

Marry, no where; they are not to be gotten. Here the pAr1ophet signified that all we be sinners; for he saith, quorum peccata sunt remissa, “whose sins are pardoned.”

Psal. 32.
Such as never
sinned dwell
nowhere.

And here we be painted out in our colors, else we would be proud; and so he saith in the gospel, Cum sitis mali, “Forasmuch as ye be all evil.” There he gives us our own title and name, calling us wicked and ill. There is neither man nor woman that can say they have no sin; for we be all sinners. But how can we hide our sins?

The blood of
Christ is sufficient for
the sins of
all the world.

Marry, the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ hides our sins, and washes them away. And though one man had done all the world’s sins since Adam’s time, yet he may be done all the world’s sins since Adam’s time, yet he may be remedied by the blood of Jesus Christ: if he believe in him, he shall be cleansed from all his sins. Therefore all our comfort is in him, in his love and kindness. For St Peter saith, Caritas operit multitudinem peccatorum; “Charity covers the multitude of sins.” So doth indeed the love of our Savior Jesus Christ: his love towards us covers and takes away all our sins; insomuch that the almighty God shall not condemn us, nor the devil shall not prevail against us. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:417. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Sufficiency of the blood for a 1000 worlds:

1) Efficacy of
the blood
of Christ.

As touching the saints in heaven, I said, they be not our the mediators by way of redemption; for so Christ alone is our mediator and theirs both: so that the blood of martyrs hath nothing to do by way of redemption; the blood of Christ is enough for a thousand worlds, &c. But by way of intercession, so saints in heaven may be mediators, and pray for us: as I think they do when we call not upon them; for they be charitable, and need no spurs; and we have no open bidding of God in scripture to call upon them, as we have to call upon God, nor yet we may call upon them without any diffidence or mistrust in God; for God is more charitable, more merciful, more able, more ready to help than them all. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:234. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Ransom for the sin of man:

1) O how happy are we, that it hath pleased Almighty God to vouchsafe that his Son should sweat blood for the redeeming of our sins! And, again, how unhappy are we, if we will not take it thankfully, that were redeemed so painfully! Alas, what hard hearts have we!

Sin is
horrible,
and why.

Our Savior Christ never sinned, and yet sweat he blood for our sins. We will not once water our eyes with a few tears. What an horrible thing is sin; that no other thing would remedy and pay the ransom for it, but only the blood of our Savior Christ! There was nothing to pacify the Father’s wrath against man, but such an agony as he suffered.

Christ’s death
and passion
was the only
remedy for
our sin.

All the passion of all the martyrs that ever were, all the sacrifices of patriarchs that ever were, all the good works that ever were done, were not able to remedy our sin, to make satisfaction for our sins, nor anything besides, but this extreme passion and blood-shedding of our most merciful Savior Christ. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:232. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Blood shed for all mankind:

1) And now, the world standing in this damnable state, comes in the occasion of the incarnation of Christ. The Father in heaven, perceiving the frail nature of man, that he, by himself and of himself, could do nothing for himself, by his prudent wisdom sent down the second person in Trinity, his Son Jesus Christ, to declare unto man his pleasure and commandment: and so, at the Father’s will, Christ took on him human nature, being willing to deliver man out of this miserable way, and was content to suffer cruel passion in shedding his blood for all mankind; and so left behind for our safeguard laws and ordinances, to keep us always in the right path unto everlasting life, as the evangelists, the sacraments, the commandments, and so forth: which if we do keep and observe according to our profession, we shall answer better unto this question, “Who art thou?” than we did before. For before thou did enter into the sacrament of baptism, thou wert but a natural man, a natural woman; as I might say, a man, a woman: but after thou takes on thee Christ’s religion, thou hast a longer name; for then thou art a Christian man, a Christian woman. Now then, seeing thou art a Christian man, what shall be thy answer of this question, “Who art thou?” Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:7. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Selling souls redeemed by Christ:

1) But I will tell you, Christ bought souls with his blood; and will ye sell them for gold or silver? I would not that ye should do with chantry priests, as ye did with the abbots, when abbeys were put down. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:123. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Sheep bought but not fed:

1) Now these shepherds, I say, they watch the whole night, they attend upon their vocation; they do according to their calling; they keep their sheep: they run not hither and thither, spending the time in vain, and neglecting their office and calling; they keep their sheep: they run not hither and thither, spending the time in vain, and neglecting their office and calling.

Every man
ought to
attend upon
his office
and calling.

No, they did not so. Here, by these shepherds, all men may learn to attend upon their offices and callings. I would wish that clergymen,–the curates, parsons, and vicars, the bishops, and all other spiritual persons, would learn this lesson by these poor shepherds; which is this, to abide by their flocks and by their sheep, to tarry amongst them, to be careful over them; not to run hither and thither after their own pleasure, but to tarry by their benefices and feed their sheep with the food of God’s word; and to keep hospitality, and so to feed them both soul and body. For I tell you these poor unlearned shepherds shall condemn many a stout and great learned clerk: for these shepherds had but the care and charge over brute beasts, and yet were diligent to keep them, and to feed them; and the other have the cure over God’s lambs, which he bought with the death of his Son, and yet they are so careless, so negligent, so slothful over them: yea, and the most part intend not to feed the sheep, but they long to be fed of the sheep. They seek only their own pleasures, their own pastimes, they care for no more. But what said Christ to Peter? What said he? Peter, amas me? “Peter, love thou me?” “Peter made answer, “Yes:” “Then feed my sheep,” [John 21.]. And so the third time he commanded Peter to feed his sheep. But our clergymen do declare plainly that they love not Christ, because they feed not his flock. If they had an earnest love to Christ, no doubt they would shew their love; they would feed his sheep. But it is a thing to be lamented, that the prelates and other spiritual persons will not attend upon their offices: they will not be amongst their flocks, but rather will run hither and thither, here and there, where they are not called; and, in the mean season, leave them at adventure of whom they take their living. Yea, and furthermore, some will rather be clerks of kitchens, or take other offices upon them besides that which they have already: but with what conscience these same do so, I cannot tell. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:119-120. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Redeemed souls perishing (implied):

1) Wherefore you shall hear what Christ saith unto such persons. Says 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 works 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:9 you go about to break the same, and kill my flock.” “How dares thou,” saith Christ, “presume to come unto my altar, unto my church, or into my presence, to make oblation unto me, that takes on thee to spoil my lambs? I go about like a good shepherd to gather them together; and thou dost the contrary, evermore 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 no further toward mine altar; but go and seek them without any questions, as it becomes a true and faithful servant.” Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:19. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

2) Brethren, if a faithful steward ought to do as I have said, I pray you, ponder and examine this well, whether our bishops and abbots, prelates and curates, have been hitherto faithful stewards or no? Ponder, whether yet many of them be as they should be or no?

Counterfeit
of God’s com.

Go ye to, tell me now as your conscience leads you, (I will let pass to speak of the Lord, as copper and not current, either coined new themselves, or else uttered abroad newly coined of other; some time either adulterating the word of God, or else mingling it (as taverners do, which brew and utter the evil and good both in one pot), sometime in the stead of God’s word blowing out the dreams of men? while they thus preached to the people the redemption that comes by Christ’s death to serve only them that died before his coming, that were in the time of the Old Testament; and that now since redemption and forgiveness of sins purchased by money, and devised by men, is of efficacy, and not redemption purchased by Christ:

Purgatory
pick-purse.

(they have a wonderful pretty example to persuade this thing, of a certain married woman, which, when her husband was in purgatory, in that fiery furnace that hath burned away so many of our pence, paid her husband’s ransom, and so of duty claimed him to be set at liberty):

Worshiping
of images.

while they thus preached to the people, that dead images (which at the first, as I think, were set up, only to represent things absent) not only ought to be covered with gold, but also ought of all faithful and Christian people, (yea, in this scarceness and penury of all things.) to be clad with silk garments, and those also laden with precious gems and jewels; and that beside all this, they are to be lighted with wax candles, both within the church and without the church, yea, and at noon days; as who should say, here no cost can be too great; whereas in the mean time we see Christ’s faithful and lively images, bought with no less price than with his most precious blood, (alas, alas!) to be an hungered, a-thirst, a-cold, and to lie in darkness, wrapped in all wretchedness, yea, to lie there till death take away their miseries:

Will-works.

while they preached these will-works, that come but of our own devotion, although they be not so necessary as the works of mercy, and the precepts of God, yet they said, and in the pulpit, that will-works were more principal, more excellent, and (plainly to utter what they mean) more acceptable to God than works of mercy;

The works
that God
commands
are more
acceptable
before him.

as though now man’s inventions and fancies could please God better than God’s precepts, or strange things better than his own: while they thus preached that more fruit, more devotion comes of the beholding of an image, though it be but a Paternoster while, than is gotten by reading and contemplation in scripture, though you read and contemplate therein seven years’ space:

The papist’s
doctrine.

finally, while they preached thus, souls tormented in purgatory to have most need of our help, and that they can have no aid, but of us in this world: of the which two, if the one be not false, yet at the least it is ambiguous, uncertain, doubtful, and therefore rashly and arrogantly with such boldness affirmed in the audience of the people; the other, by all men’s opinions, is manifestly false: I let pass to speak of much other such like counterfeit doctrine, which hath been blasted and blown out by some for the space of three hours together.

Papists are
false and
crafty disposers
of God’s
mysteries.

Be these the Christian and divine mysteries, and not rather the dreams of men? Be these the faithful dispensers of God’s mysteries, and not rather false dissipators of them? whom God never put in office, but rather the devil set them over a miserable family, over an house miserably ordered and entreated. Happy were the people if such preached seldom. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:39. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

3) Well, let patrons quickly, take heed; for they shall answer for all the souls that perish through their default. There is a saying, that there be a great many in England that say there is no soul, that believe not in the immortality of man’s soul, that think it is not eternal, but like a dog’s soul, that think there is neither heaven or hell. O Lord, what a weighty matter is this! What a lamentable thing in a Christian commonwealth ! I cannot tell what they say; but I perceive by these works that they think so, or else they would never do as they do.

A wicked
matter to sell
benefices.

These sellers of offices shew that they believe that there is neither hell nor heaven: it is taken for a laughing matter. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:187. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

4) Here may patrons of benefices learn upon what manner of a man they should bestow their benefice: upon a true man, a teacher. He may not be to learn, and a scholar, when he should teach others; but one learned; able to teach, able and well willing to discharge his cure.

Patrons of
benefices.

But what do you, patrons? Sell your benefices, or give them to your servants for their service, for keeping of hounds or hawks, for making of your gardens. These patrons regard no souls, neither their own nor other men’s. What care they for souls, so they have money, though they perish, though they go to the devil? Whereas indeed the office of a patron is to have a care, a zeal, a vigilant eye for souls’ health, and to provide for his churches, that he is patron of; that they might be taught in God’s word. Truly, many now-a-days strive to be patrons of benefices, and go to the law who should be patron.

Wherefore
patrons do
strive.

And what strive they think ye? Even which of them shall go to the devil first. For they regard not soul-health, nor the office of preaching, the office of salvation; whereas, indeed, therefore are they patrons, to look to it, and to see it be provided for. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:290. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

5) “Weeping.” It grieved St Paul very sore, that Christian souls should so be seduced through false religion.

Unpreaching
prelates have
not Paul’s
zeal.

I would wish that there were such a fervent zeal now in us, as was in him then! But it is not so; we have no care for the souls of Christian people. And that appears most manifestly by unpreaching prelates; for if they had such an earnest mind to the flock of Christ, as St Paul had, no doubt they would not be so lordly, so slothful in doing of their duties: but they lack such an earnest mind as St Paul had; such an earnest zeal they lack. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:520. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

6) Mass-mongers
deny Christ.

Another denying of Christ is this mass-monging. For all those that be mass-mongers be deniers of Christ; which believe or trust in the sacrifice of the mass, and seek remission of their sins therein. For this opinion hath done very much harm, and brought innumerable souls to the pit of hell; for they believed the mass to be a sacrifice for the dead and living. And this opinion hath gotten all these abbeys and chantries almost the half part of all England; and they should have gotten more, if they had not been restrained by certain laws. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:522. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Redeemed souls perishing (souls for which Christ suffered, sold and damned):

1) I myself did once know where there was a man slain of another man in anger: it was done openly, the man-killer was taken and put in prison. Suit was made to the quest-mongers: for it was a rich man that had done the act. At the length, every man had a crown for his goodwill and so this open man-killer was pronounced not guilty.

A shameful
perjury.

Lo, they sold their souls unto the devil for five shillings, for which souls Christ suffered death: and I dare pronounce, except they amend and be sorry for their faults, they shall be damned in hell world without end. They had clean forgotten this petition, “Thy will be done:” for they did the will of the devil. It had been a good deed to cut off their crowns by their necks, to the ensample10 of all others. Therefore, I say, these quest-mongers had need to say, “Our Father, which art in heaven, thy will be done.” For truly it is marvel that this realm sinks not down to hell headlong. What perjuries, swearing and cursing is everywhere, in every corner! Therefore, I say, we had need to pray earnestly, that God’s will may be done. And we should be content to lose our lives for righteousness’ sake; for he that loses his life, for because he will not agree to the dishonor of God, he seeks that God’s will may be done. Happy is that man, for he finds his life, he loses it not: for Christ will be his keeper. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:380. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

2) I had of late occasion to speak of picking and stealing, where I showed unto you the danger wherein they be that steal their neighbor’s goods from them; but I hear nothing yet of restitution. Sirs, I tell you, except restitution be made, look for no salvation. And it is a miserable and heinous thing to consider, that we be so blinded with this world, that rather than we would make restitution, we will sell unto the devil our souls, which are bought with the blood of our Savior Christ. What thing can be done more to the dishonoring of Christ, than to cast our souls away to the devil for the value of a little money; the soul which ho hath bought with his painful passion and death?

All evil doers
are excluded
Christ’s
livery.

But I tell you those that will do so, and that will not make restitution when they have done wrong or taken away their neighbor’s goods, they be not in the livery of Christ, they be not his servants: let them go as tricksy as they will in this world, yet for all that they be foul and filthy enough before God; they stink before his face, and therefore they shall be cast from his presence into everlasting fire. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:452-3. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

Faith is that Christ has shed his blood for me:

1) Faith must
be joined
with our
repentance.

What is that? Marry, faith, belief: we must believe Christ, we must know that our Savior is come into this world to save sinners: therefore he is called Jesus, because “he shall save his people from their sins;” as the angel of God himself witnesses. And this faith must not be only a general faith, but it must be a special faith. For the devil himself has a general faith: he believes that Christ is come into this world, and hath made a reconciliation between God and man; he knows that there shall be remission of our sins, but he believes not that he shall have part of it; that his wickedness shall be forgiven unto him, this he believes not; he hath but a general faith. But I say that every one of us must have a special faith: I must believe for myself, that his blood was shed for me. I must behoove that when Christ saith, “Come to me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will ease you;” here I must believe that Christ calls me unto him, that I should come and receive everlasting life at his hands. With such a special faith I do apply his passion unto me. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:10. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

2) I read in scripture of two certifications: one to the Romans, Justificati ex fide, pacem habemus; “We, being justified by faith, have peace with God.” If I see the blood of Christ with the eye of my soul, that is true faith that his blood was shed for me, &c. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:364. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

3) But you will say, How shall I know that I am in the book of life? How shall I try myself to be elect of God to everlasting life? I answer: First we may know, that we may one time be in the book, and another time come out again; as it appears by David, which was written in the book of life: but when he sinned, he at that same time was out of the book of the favor of God, until he had repented and was sorry for his faults. So we may be in the book one time, and afterward, when we forget God and his word and do wickedly, we come out of the book; that is, out of Christ, which is the book. And in that book are written all believers.

How we may
know when
we are in
the state of
salvation,
and when
not.

But I will tell you how you shall know when you are in the book; and there are three special notes whereby ye may know the same.

The special
points to be
marked which
declare when
we are in the
state of salvation
Eccles. 7.

The first note is, if you know your sin, and feel your own wretchedness and filthiness, which is a great matter; for the most part of people are so drowned in sin, that they no more feel the same; for sin grieves them no more, according to the saying of Solomon, Impius cum in medium peccatorum venit, contemnit; “The ungodly man, when he enters into the midst of sin and mischief, despises the same; he regards nothing at all, neither is he sorry for it.” But, as I said, the first note is, when you know your sins, and feel the same; then are they heavy unto you and grieve you. Then follows the second point, which is faith in Christ; that is, when you believe most steadfastly and undoubtedly, that God our heavenly Father through his Son will deliver you from your sins: when you believe, I say, that the blood of our Savior is shed for you, for the cleansing and putting away of your sins; and believing this most steadfastly with an unfeigned heart, then you have the second point. The third point is, when you have an earnest desire to amendment and hatred against sin; study to have after God’s will and commandments, as much as is possible for you to do, then have

A worthy
note to know
when you
are in the state
of true
salvation.

A worthy you the third point And when you find these three points to be in you; namely, first, when you know your sm and sorry for the same; and afterward believe to be saved through the passion of Jesus Christ; and thirdly, have an earnest desire to leave sin, and to fly the same; when you find these three things in your hearts, then you may be sure that your names are written in the book: and you may be sure also, that you are elect and predestinate to everlasting life. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:175-176. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

4) Further, it is not enough to believe Christ to be a Savior, but you must know what manner of Savior he is how far forth he saves: and therefore you must understand that he was not such a Savior as Moses was, which saved the people of Israel from hunger and thirst in the wilderness but could not deliver them from everlasting death.

Christ
saves us
from sin
and hell.

Christ therefore, our Savior, is such a Savior which saved us from eternal damnation, from the power of the devil, and all our enemies. The angel of God himself showed us what manner of Savior Christ is, in the first of Matthew, saying, Quia salvum faciei populum suum a peccatis suis; “For he shall save his people from their sins.” So we must believe him to be such a Saver which released us from our sins; as well our original as actual wickedness. But the papists, as is most manifest, make him but half a Savior: for they think that they with their good works must help him to save them half.

Christ is a
whole and
only savior.

So they blaspheme him, and take Christ is away his dignity; for he only hath merited with his painful passion to be a Savior of the whole world, that is, to deliver all them that believe in him from their sins and wickedness. This we must believe undoubtedly, that he was born into this world to save mankind from their sins. Again, we must not only believe that he is a Savior of mankind, but also that he is my Savior, and thy Savior. I must have such a trust and hope in him, that he will save me from all my sin and wickedness: so every man must have a special faith. We must apply his passion unto us, every one to himself. For when it is not applied unto us with a special faith, it is to no purpose: for what commodity have I, when I believe Christ saved St Peter, and St Paul, and other good men, and go no further? Therefore I must have a special faith; I must believe that he saved them, and also will save me, and forgive me my sins. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 2:124. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

5) Christ would
speak no
words in
vain.

What shall we learn, now, by this addition, where we say, “As we forgive them that trespass against us?” I tell you, this addition is put unto it not without great cause for our Savior, being a wise and perfect schoolmaster, would speak no words in vain. This addition is put unto it, to be a certain and sure token unto us, whether we have the true faith in our hearts or no. For faith, the right faith, I say, consists not in the knowledge of the stories, to believe the stories written in the New and Old Testament; that is not the lively faith, which brings salvation with her.

The devil
believes the
histories.

For the devil himself believes the stories, and yet is, and shall be damned world without end. Therefore we must have the right faith, the lively faith, the faith that brings salvation; which consists in believing that Christ died for my sins’ sake. With such a faith I draw him unto me with all his benefits.

The true
belief.

I must not stand in generalities, as to believe that Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate: but I must believe that that was done for my sake; to redeem with his passion my sins, and all theirs which believe and trust in him. If I believe so, then I shall not be deceived. But this faith is a hard thing to be had: and many a man thinks himself to have that faith, when he hath nothing less. Therefore I will tell you how you shall prove whether you have the right faith or no, lest you be deceived with a fantasy of faith, as many be. Therefore prove thyself on this wise: here is a man which hath done me wrong, hath taken away my living or my good name: he hath slandered me, or otherwise hurt me: now at the length he comes unto me, and acknowledged his faults and trespasses, and desires me to forgive him: if I now feel myself ready and willing to forgive him, from the bottom of my heart, all things that he hath done against me, then I may be assured that I have the lively faith: yea, I may be assured that God will forgive me my sins for Christ his Son’s sake. But when my neighbor comes unto me, confessing his folly, and desiring forgiveness: if I then be sturdy and proud, my heart flinty, and my stomach bent against him, insomuch that I refuse his request, and have an appetite to be avenged upon him: if I have such a sturdy stomach, then I may pronounce against myself, that I have not that lively faith in Christ which cleanses my sins. It is a sure token that I am not of the number of the children of God, as long as I abide in this sturdiness.  Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:420-421. [Some reformatting; marginal references cited inline; and underlining mine.]

Of interest:

1) Therefore, I say, be not offended with me, when I tell you one thing two or three times. And specially mark this well, that the parishioners are not excused before God by the wickedness and blindness of the priest. For God says not, “I will require the blood of the people at the curate’s hand, and the people shall be without blame:” no, not so; but, “the wicked shall perish because of his wickedness:” so that the blind people and the blind curate shall go to hell together. Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Sometime Bishop of Worcester (Cambridge: CUP, 1844), 1:524. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; italics original; marginal side-headers cited inline; marginal Scripture references cited in line; footnotes and values mine; underlining mine.]

________________________

1For the following quotations, I have tried to retain the formatting style of the original as much as possible. To this end, all marginal side-headers have been cited inline, and as much as possible in the same form as they appear in the margins of the original texts. Original textual notes not included.

2Archaic word for suffering or pain.

3Original to the text.

4The wording here is very close to Calvin’s comment on Isaiah 22:4.

5Old word usage for “advantages.”

6I.e., Example.

7 Original has archaic form: “Chiefest.”

8Square bracketed insert original, with original footnote reading “sacrifice, not in 1563.”

9Archaic for “flock.”

10I.e., Example.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 19th, 2010 at 7:28 am and is filed under For Whom did Christ Die?. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

15 comments so far

Stuart
 1 

I am very glad to see someone documenting the overwhelming testimony of God’s church to the necessary truth of an unlimited atonement. While preaching on John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”, Martin Luther beautifully states the importance of the universal atonement and its necessary connection with the one and only true saving Gospel. He says, “This is an extraordinarily fine and comforting sermon on Christ our Savior. Neither our thoughts nor our words can do the subject full justice, but in the life beyond it will redound to our eternal joy and bliss that the Son of God abased himself so and burdened himself with my sins. Yes, he assumes not only my sins but also those of the whole world, from Adam down to the very last mortal. These sins he takes upon himself; for these he is willing to suffer and die that our sins may be expunged and we may attain eternal life and blessedness… This is the basis of all Christian doctrine. Whoever believes it is a Christian; whoever does not is no Christian, and will get what he has coming to him. The statement is clear enough: “This is the Lamb of God who bears the sins of the world.” Moreover, this text is the Word of God, not our word. Nor is it our invention that the Lamb was sacrificed by God and that, in obedience to the Father, this Lamb took upon himself the sin of the whole world.” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 22, pp. 162-169)

I think you would also enjoy this article called “Unmasking Calvinism”.

http://sites.google.com/site/arlomax/takingthemaskoffcalvinism:thedangerofhum

August 19th, 2010 at 8:03 am
CalvinandCalvinism
 2 

Hey Stuart,

You might want to check out my index for this topic: For Whom Did Christ Die?. For Luther specifically, see these files: Martin Luther (1483–1546) on the Death of Christ: Unlimited Redemption, Sin-Bearing and Expiation and Martin Luther on John 1:29.

If you check out the index Ive just linked to, you can see that unlimited expiation and sin-bearing was the doctrine of the Reformation. And you will see that original Calvinism held to unlimited expiation. Original Calvinism, on this point, needs no “unmasking” in the sense you mean, but unmasking in the sense of stripping away the myth that the Reformers held to limited expiation and sin-bearing.

Also, the caricaturization of “calvinism” in the essay is rather simplistic and incorrect at critical points.

Thanks,
David

August 19th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Stuart
 3 

Thanks, David,

I did notice these references after I posted my last comment. They are excellent. I have actually read all 55 volumes of Luther’s Works over many years, and there is no question that the universal atonement was foundational to his entire theology. Orthodox Lutheranism has always recognized that as well.

I also have a fairly comprehensive list of Church Father quotes supporting the true Biblical doctrine of unlimited atonement.

Also, be sure to take a look at that article “Unmasking Calvinism”. There is an especially good quote from Calvin’s own last will and testament showing that he too rested his eternity upon the true unlimited atonement.

Thanks again, Stuart

August 19th, 2010 at 9:04 am
CalvinandCalvinism
 4 

Hey Stuart,

I am still way ahead of you. :-) Check out my Calvin file: John Calvin (1509-1564) on Unlimited Expiation, Sin-Bearing, and Redemption.

Calvin and Luther were on the same page when it came to the extent of the expiation.

But I would ask, if you know of, or find any relevant comments from Luther on the extent of the expiation and redemption which I have missed, please do drop me a note. My goal is to exhaustively document their relevant comments, as far as its humanly possible.

Thanks,
David

August 19th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Stuart
 5 

Beautiful, will do.

May I ask, though, why this issue is so important to you?

Thanks, Stuart

August 19th, 2010 at 9:15 am
CalvinandCalvinism
 6 

Most of it is laid out in the about page, missions and goals etc.

Hypercalvinism is bad. And the doctrine of limited expiation and sin-bearing is not biblical and leads into a lot of secondary problems.

David

August 19th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Stuart
 7 

Yes, I agree. But I have come to believe that the doctrine of limited expiation not only leads into a lot of secondary problems, but actually results in a false gospel. I believe that the one and only true saving Gospel is the objective and indiscriminate declaration to another human being that “Christ died for OUR (his and my) sins” (1 Cor. 15:1-4). The false doctrine of limited atonement will not let this little word “OUR” stand in its gospel. The limited atoner can only say “Christ died for sins” – whether mine personally he cannot tell. As a poor lost sinner, that gospel does me no good.

Paul writes, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8).

August 19th, 2010 at 9:29 am
CalvinandCalvinism
 8 

Hey there Stuart,

I don’t believe limited expiation is a false gospel as much as I don’t believe Arminianism is. I think there are real false gospels and they are clearly identifiable. And for example, Paul condemns the person seeking to merit his own salvation. Neither limited atonement or Arminianism do anything like this. All such accusations are rhetorical and useless no matter which side of the Calvinism-Arminian debate throws them out. And they end up killing dialogue. Ive not seen a single Arminian become a Calvinist because he was accused of being a false-gospeler, or a single 5 pointer become an Arminian for the same accusation.

Regarding the 1 Cor 15 part, I totally agree. One of the reasons I and others accept moderate Calvinism is that we reject all the code language, eg “Christ died for sinners” in the third person abstract sense, or world=elect and all=some men of all kinds.

All I ask is, if you critique “Calvinism” in the future, keep in mind that there was and are a great number of folks who reject some of the distortions some Calvinist have bought into.

David

August 19th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Stuart
 9 

Hi David,

Sorry to have have not responded back to you sooner, but I did want to address your last comment.

I am very grateful for the work you have done to expose the error of limited atonement both from a Scriptural and an historical Christian church perspective. That is an excellent and valuable service to God’s church. However just as Apollos needed for someone to expound to him the way of God more perfectly, so I would like for you to consider the following.

My observation is that you do not yet seem to see the necessary consequence that this error of limited atonement has upon a right definition of the one and only true saving Gospel, “how that Christ died for OUR sins”. It is indisputably true that unless a person is able to tell another sinner that Christ died for his sins personally, he is not preaching the true Gospel. Likewise, it is true that unless a person receives the truth that Christ died for his sins personally (based upon the objective Word of God alone) he has not yet received the Gospel, and is not yet saved. There is only one Gospel and any aberration of it (no matter how seemingly insignificant it may appear) is indeed a false gospel.

While I acknowledge that there are true Christians in both the 5-point Calvinist and the Arminian camps (due to their own blessed inconsistencies), their errors are nonetheless serious and truly threatening to the salvation of their souls. With the 5-point Calvinist, it is not that “limited expiation IS a false gospel”, but that “limited expiation RESULTS in a false gospel”. With the Arminian, it is not that synergism IS a false gospel, but that it too RESULTS in a false gospel, that is, that the atonement of Christ is not sufficient. I believe that Christian love demands that we are not too gloss over these dangers as unimportant for the sake of preserving dialog. Rather, we should always and plainly state the truth in love. If the truth offends them, we must let that be. It is not we who they are offended at, but Christ who has declared Himself to be the Truth.

Thanks again, though, for your work. I look forward to hearing more from you.

Stuart

August 24th, 2010 at 9:58 am
CalvinandCalvinism
 10 

Hey Stuart,

You are right that I don’t see a necessary connection. :-)

I think you’ve fallen into the same trap many high- and Hyper-Calvinists fall into when they assert that Arminianism is a false gospel. You’ve just done the reverse error.

A false gospel is something that says you must believe in extra doctrines or claims in order to be saved. One adds something to grace. No one is doing that on either side of the limited- unlimited atonement debate. Neither limited or unlimited atonement adds to grace, to salvation by grace, and neither sides calls for faith in limited or unlimited atonement in order to be saved.

Further, I suspect that you are in a dangerous spot here. My suspicion is that if pressed enough, you might even say that someone’s commitment to absolute predestination (as election) and reprobation (as preterition) is a false gospel? I mean, where do you stop? Where are the brakes? I would rather stop where Paul does, someone who adds to grace in order to be saved.

So that’s where I will stop, Stuart. I am not just willing or interested in going down the anathematizing road.

Thanks for the compliments, tho and I hope you stop by often. Also, if you have a mind, you might direct other Calvinists to this site, even other Evangelical Arminians. The hope here is that Christians from multiple spectrums find the material here useful. You might consider checking out the responses to the invalid double payment dilemma.

Thanks,
David

August 25th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Stuart
 11 

David,

Why you cannot see the necessary connection between one’s definition of the atonement and one’s definition of the Gospel is beyond me. Is not the Gospel the objective proclamation to a lost sinner that Christ died for his sins personally? And is it not true that adherence to limited atonement does not allow one to make such a proclamation? Why is that so difficult to understand? I’m sorry, but I just don’t get that.

Also, I too am not interested in going down the “anathematizing road”. Rather I’m interested in exposing Satan’s lies for the sake of dear precious souls for whom our Saviour bled and died. As you have clearly misunderstood my message, it is no wonder that you have also misunderstand my heart.

Stuart

August 26th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
CalvinandCalvinism
 12 

Hey there Stuart,

I believe we will have to agree to disagree. Its not difficult to understand. :-) And I am not judging your heart. I am reacting to words like these: “It is indisputably true that unless a person is able to tell another sinner that Christ died for his sins personally, he is not preaching the true Gospel.” That’s the road I cant go down. I can grant that their gospel message is incomplete, but its not the case that they are not preaching the true gospel.

Anyway, I apologize if you are offended by what Ive said. I am only trying to counsel wisdom.

Thanks,
David

August 26th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Stuart
 13 

David,

I’m not really offended as much as I am puzzled, not just by you, but by others who likewise cannot see the point. For me the Gospel is the Good News that Jesus Christ died for my sins personally. This is not just Good News for me, but something that I can address to all men. This is the precise message that is “the power of God unto salvation”. I have trouble accepting your suggestion that others just have an “incomplete gospel message”, especially when they stand doctrinally opposed to this one true Gospel message. If there is a flaw in my thinking, please feel free to enlighten me as to what it is. For me that all seems to be beyond dispute.

Thanks, Stuart

August 26th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
CalvinandCalvinism
 14 

Hey Stuart,

You are a quick responder. I guess I would say that Christians as humans preach and teach an incomplete Gospel message. And yet the Spirit uses our own incompletely presentations to save others, in spite of our gaps in knowledge, and intention. Some gaps are more systemic and doctrinaire for sure, but the Spirit still uses these folk to be the means to save others. However, when it comes to true false-gospelers, like Mormons, JWs, etc, we know it is not the case that the Spirit works in and through them–as a normal activitiy–and their message to save others.

I am content with these sorts of distinctions and helps.

You are more than welcome to comment and visit. And sincerely, if you come across information that you believe may be useful for my project here, please pass it on.

Thanks,
David

August 26th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Stuart
 15 

David,

That’s very helpful, and I can see from that why you cannot get on board with what I have been saying. For me the Holy Spirit has confined His saving operations to the Word of God. We are “saved by grace through faith”. And “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” And “whatever is not of faith is sin”. etc. For that reason, I cannot accept anything as a genuine work of God that is not true to the Word of God. It is true that Christ suffered and died for all men. It is not true that He died only for His elect. I believe that a person needs to hear and believe that Christ died for his own sins personally in order to be saved. I do not believe that a person can be saved in any other way.

Thanks again,

Stuart

August 26th, 2010 at 2:24 pm

Leave a reply

Name (*)
Mail (will not be published) (*)
URI
Comment