A05141:35
The first sermon of Master Hugh Latimer, which he preached before the Kings Majesty…The fyrste sermon of Mayster Hughe Latimer, whiche he preached before the Kinges Maiestie…
The first sermon of Master Hugh Latimer, which he preached before the Kings Majesty within his graces palace at Westminster. M.D.XLIX. the. viii. of March Cu[m] gratia et privilegio ad imprimendum solum.The fyrste sermon of Mayster Hughe Latimer, whiche he preached before the Kinges Maiestie wythin his graces palayce at Westminster. M.D.XLIX. the. viii. of March Cu[m] gratia et priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.
London: printed by John Day dwelling over Aldersgate, 1549London: printed by Iohn Day dwellynge ouer Aldersgate, 1549
Title page typeset from the transcription.
The first sermon Of M. Latimer.The fyrst sermon Of M. Latimer.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
That is, I will multiply the exceedingly, & will make nations of thee, yea & kings shall spring out ⟨image 12⟩of thee. These words were spoken long before the children of Israel had any king. Notwithstanding, yet God prescribed unto them an order, how they should chose their king, & what manner a man he should be, where he sayeth: when thou shalt come in to the land. &c. As who should say, O ye children of Israel I know your nature right well, which is evil, and inclined unto all evils. I know that thou wilt chose a king to reign over thee, and to appear glorious in the face of the world, after the manner of Gentiles. But because thou art stiff necked, wild, and art given to walk without a bridle, and line. Therefore now I will prevent thy evil and beastly ⟨image 12⟩manners, I will hedge strongly thy way, I will make a durable law, which shall compel the to walk ordinately, and in a plain way, that is thou shalt not chose the a King after thy will and fantasy, but after me thy Lord and God. Thus, God conditioned with the Jews, that their king should be such a one as he him self would chose them.1 And was not much unlike the bargain that I heard of late should be betwixt two friends for a horse the owner promised the other should have the horse if he would, the other axed the price, he said .xx. nobles. The other would give him but .iiii. pound, the owner said he should not have him then. The other claimed the horse because he ⟨image 13⟩said, he should have him if he would. Thus this bargain be came a Westminster matter, the lawyers got twice the valour of the horse, and when all came to all, two fools made an end of the matter. Howe be it, the Israelites could not go to law with GOD, for choosing their king, for would they, nil they their king should be of his choosing, lest they should walk inordinately, in a deceivable way, unto their utter loss & destruction. For as they say communly Qui vadit plave, vadit save▪ that is. He that walketh plainly,2 walketh safely. As the Jews were styfnecked, and were ever ready to walk inordinately, no less are we English men given to untowardness, and inordinate