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…

One cause was, for that he might sit their more commodiously, then on the bank, an other cause was, for that he was like to be thrust into the pond of the people that came unto him. Why? our saviour Christ might have with stand them,¹ he was strong enough to have kept him self from thrusting into the water. He was stronger, than they all, & if he had listed he might have stand on the water, as well as he walked on the water, truth it is, so might he have done in deed. ⟨image 164⟩But as it was sometime his pleasure to show the power of his Godhead, so he declared now the infirmity and imbecility of his manhood. Hear he giveth us an example what we shall do, we must not tempt God by any miracles,² so long as we may walk by ordinary ways. As our Saviour Christ when the devil had him on the top of the temple, and would have had hid him cast him self down, he made him thys answer. Non tentabis dominū deum […]. Thou shalt not tempt thy lord God, as if he should have said, We may not tempt God at all. It is no time now to show any miracles, there is an other way to go down, by gresinges. Thus he did to show ⟨image 164⟩us an example, that we must not tempt God,³ except it be in extreme necessity, and when we cannot other ways remedy the matter to leave it all to God, else we may not tempt the majesty of his ••yte. Beware tempting of God? well, he comes to Symons boot, and why rather to Symons boat then an nother.⁴ I will aū swear, as I find in experience in my self. I came hither to day, from Lambeth in a wherry and when I came to take my boat, the water men came about me (as the manner is) and he would have me, & he would have me. I toke one of them▪ Now ye will ask me why, I came in the boat, rather than in another, ⟨image 165⟩