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…

After so manifold and dangerous ship wracks of religion, as in our times we may well remember, whereas the ambitious and blind prelates (some of wily wilfulness, some of gross ignorance) ruleth the stern and evermore blemished the true knowledge of God's word, and did their endeavour to obscure the same with their politic and decent ceremonies & trumpery of superstitions. How oft hath religion been tossed on the stormy surges and dangerous rocks of the Romish seas? Howe oft hath it been in such a desperate state, that the true ministers have been enforced (as you would say) to way up anchor (the tackling of the ship being broken (and destitute of all other help and succours to give over the ruling of the ship to God him self, who is only able to save, when all the world by mans reason judgeth it past cure. Such (O Lord) is thy mercy and ineffable power: what christian heart that favoureth the glory of God, did not even lament and bewail the state of religion, and thought verily the utter ruin of Christs church to be at hand ⟨image 3⟩seeing the late martyrdom of those that suffered? Yet diddest thou lord stir up thousands out of their ashes, and what was done of a popish policy to suppress and keep under thy truth, that of all other, did most set forth the same. Thou hast delivered Daniel out of the den of the lions, and he hath set fourth thy word abroad, But now countrymen, whom God hath blessed by delivering you from the tyranny of the lions and her whelps, (which went through the whole realm sucking the innocent blood) how unthankful are you unto God so greatly neglecting so special a benefit, falling into such a looseness of lascivious living as the like hath never been heard of hereto fore. Even as ye are grown to a perfection in knowledge so are ye come to a perfection in all mischief. The Heathen, which had no other guide but the law of nature, graven in the tables of their hart, were never so poisoned with the contagion of most horrible heresies, as some of us Christians which are not ashamed to brag and boast of the spirit. But it is a fanatic spirit, a brainsick spirit a seditious & a malignant spirit.

After so manifold and daungerous shyp wrackes of religiō, as in our tymes we may well remember, whereas the ambitious and blynde prelates (some of wily wilfulnes, some of grose ignorance) ruleth the sterne and euermore blemished the true knowledge of Goddes worde, and dyd theyr indeuour to obscure the same wyth their polytyke and decente ceremosies & trampery of supersticions. How oft hath religion bene tost on the stormy sourgis and daungerous rockes of the Romyshe seas? Howe oft hath it bene in such a desperate state, that the true mynysters haue bene inforsed (as you woulde say) to waye vp ancker (the tackling of the shyp beyng broken (and destytute of all other helpe and succoures to geue ouer the rulynge of the shyppe to God hym selfe, who is only able to saue, whē al ye world by mānes reasō iudgeth it past cure. Such (O Lord) is thy mercie and ineffable power: what cristē hert that fauoureth ye glory of God, did not euen lamente and bewaile the state of religiō, and thought verely the vtter ruine of Christes church to be at hād