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…

We can not be saved without faith, and faith cometh by herring of the word. Fides exa• ditu. And how shall they hear without a preacher? I tell you it is the footsteps of the ladder of heaven,¹ of our salvation. There must be preachers if we look to be saved. I told you of this gradation before in the tenth to the Romans. Consider it well. I had rather ye should come of a naughty mind, to hear the word of God, for novelty, or for curiosity to hear some pastime, then to be a way. I had rather ye should come as the tale is by them Gentlewoman of London. One of her neighbours met her in the street, and said mistress whether go ye, Marry ⟨image 158⟩said she, I am going to S. Thomas of Acres to the sermon I could not sleep all this last night,² and I am going now thither, I never failed of a good nap there. And so I had rather ye should go a napping to the sermons, than not to go at all. For with what mind so ever ye come, though ye come for an ill purpose, yet peradventure ye may chance to be caught or ye go, the preacher may chance to catch you on his hook. Rather then ye should not come at all, I would have you come of curiosity, as Saint Augustine came to hear Saint Ambrose.³ When Saint Augustine came to Milan, (he tells the story him self in the end of his book ⟨image 159⟩of confessions) he was very desirous to here S. Ambrose, not for any love he had to the doctrine that he taught, but to here his eloquence, whether it was so great, as the speech was and as the brute went. Well, before he departed Saint Ambrose caught him on his hook and converted him so, that he became of a Manichee, and of a Platonist a good christen,⁴ a defender of christs religion, and of the faith afterward. So I would have you come to sermones, It is declared in many mo places of scripture, how necessary preaching is, as this Evangelium est potentia dei. adsalutem omni credenti. The preaching of the Gospel, is the power of god to every man that doeth believe