The second [seventh] sermon of Master Hugh Latimer which he preached before the Kings…The seconde [seventh] sermon of Maister Hughe Latimer which he preached before the Kynges…

Here I have to tell you, what I heard of late by the relation of a credible person, and a worshipful man, of a town in this realm of England,¹ that hath above .v.C. heretics of this erroneous opinion in it as he said. Oh so busy the Devil is now to hinder the word coming out, and to slander the Gospel. A sure argument and an evident demonstration, that the light of Gods ⟨image 75⟩word is a board, and that this is a true doctrine that we are taught now,² else he would not tore and stir about as he doeth when he hath the upper hand. He will keep his possession quietly as he did in the popish days, when he bare a rule of supremacy in peaceable possession. If he reigned now in open religion, in open doctrine as he did than, he would not stir up erroneous opinions, he would have kept us without contention, without dissension. There is no such diversity of opinions among the Turks, nor among the Jews And why? For there he reigneth peaceably in the hole religion, Christ sayth. Cum fortis armatus custodierit atrium: et cet. When the ⟨image 75⟩strong armed man keepeth his house, those things that he hath in possession, are in a quietness, he doeth enjoy them peaceably. Sed cum fortior eo superuenerit. But when a stronger than he cometh upon him, when the light of God's word is ones revealed, than he is busy, then he roars then he fisks abroad, and stirreth up erroneous opinions, to slander gods word. And this is an argument that we have the true doctrine. I beseech God continue us and keep us in it. The devil declareth the same, and therefore he roars thus and goeth about to stir up these wanton heads and busy brains. And will you know where this town is? I will not tell you directly. I will ⟨image 76⟩put you to muse a little. I will utter the matter by a circumlocution. Where is it? Where the bishop of the diocese is an unpreaching prelate. Who is that? If there be but one such in all England, it is easy to guess. And if there were no mo but one, yet it were to many by one. And if there be moe, they have the more to answer for, that they suffer in this Realm an unpreaching prelacy unreformed I remember well what. S. Paul sayeth to a bishop. And though he spake it to Timothy being a bishop, yet I may say it now to the magistrates for all is one ase, all is one matter. Non cō municabis peccatis alienis.