A49701:279
The preaching bishop reproving unpreaching prelates Being a brief, but faithful collection of observable passages, in several sermons preached by the reverend father in God, Mr Hugh Latimer, Bish. of Worcester, (one of our first reformers, and a glorious martyr of Jesus Christ) before K. Edw. the sixth; before the convocation of the clergy, and before the citizens of London, at Pauls. Wherein, many things, relating to the honour and happiness of the king (our most gracious sovereign) the honourable lords, the reverend judges, the citizens of London, and commons of all sorts, but especially, the bishops and clergy are most plainly, piously and pithily represented.The preaching bishop reproving unpreaching prelates Being a brief, but faithful collection of observeable passages, in several sermons preached by the reverend father in God, Mr Hugh Latimer, Bish. of Worcester, (one of our first reformers, and a glorious martyr of Jesus Christ) before K. Edw. the sixth; before the convocation of the clergy, and before the citizens of London, at Pauls. Wherein, many things, relating to the honour and happiness of the king (our most gracious soveraign) the honourable lords, the reverend judges, the citizens of London, and commons of all sorts, but especially, the bishops and clergy are most plainly, piously and pithily represented.
London : printed, and are to be sold by booksellers, 1661
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Now to my confutation.
There is a certain man that shortly after my first Sermon, being asked, if he had been at the Sermon that day? Answered, yea. I pray you said he, how liked you him? Marry, said he, as I liked ⟨p. 76⟩him always, a seditious Fellow Oh Lord, he pinched me there indeed nay,1 he rather had a full bit at me Yet I comfort my self with that, that Christ was noted to be a Stirrer up of the People.—
There is a certain man that shortly after my first Sermon, being ask't, if he had been at the Sermon that day? Answered, yea. I pray you said he, how liked you him? Marry, said he, as I liked ⟨p. 76⟩him alwayes, a seditious Fellow Oh Lord, he pinched me there indeed nay,1 he rather had a full bit at me Yet I comfort my self with that, that Christ was noted to be a Stirrer up of the People.—
It becometh me to take it in good part, I am not better then He was. In the Kings days that dead is, a many of us were called together before him, to say our minds in certain matters. In the end, one kneeled me down, and accused me of sedition, that I had preached seditious Doctrine. A heavy salutation, and a hard point of such a mans doing, as if I should name him, ye would not think it. The King turned to me, and said, what say you to that Sir? Then I kneeled down, and turned me first to mine accuser, and required him; Sir, what form of preaching would you appoint me to preach before a King; would you have me to preach nothing,1 as concerning a King in the Kings Sermon? have you any Commission to appoint me what I shall preach? Besides this, I asked him divers other questions, and he ⟨p. 77⟩would make no answer. Then I turned me to the King, and submitted my self to his Grace, and said I never thought my self worthy, nor ever sued to be a Preacher before your Grace, but I was called to it, and would be willing (if you mislike me) to give place to my betters. For I grant there be a great many more worthy of the Room then I am; and if it be your Graces pleasure so to allow them for Preachers, I could be content to bear their books after them.
It becometh me to take it in good part, I am not better then He was. In the Kings dayes that dead is, a many of us were called together before him, to say our minds in certain matters. In the end, one kneeled me down, and accused me of sedition, that I had preached seditious Doctrine. A heavy salutation, and a hard point of such a mans doing, as if I should name him, ye would not think it. The King turned to me, and said, what say you to that Sir? Then I kneeled down, and turned me first to mine accuser, and required him; Sir, what form of preaching would you appoint me to preach before a King; would you have me to preach nothing,1 as concerning a King in the Kings Sermon? have you any Commission to appoint me what I shall preach? Besides this, I asked him divers other questions, and he ⟨p. 77⟩would make no answer. Then I turned me to the King, and submitted my self to his Grace, and said I never thought my self worthy, nor ever sued to be a Preacher before your Grace, but I was called to it, and would be willing (if you mislike me) to give place to my betters. For I grant there be a great many more worthy of the Room then I am; and if it be your Graces pleasure so to allow them for Preachers, I could be content to bear their books after them.
But if your Grace allow me for a Preacher, I would desire your Grace to give me leave to discharge my conscience.1 Give me leave to frame my Doctrine according to my Audience, I had been a very dolt to have preached so at the borders of your Realm, as I preached before your Grace. And I thank Almighty God, which hath always been my Remedy, that my sayings were well accepted of the King, for like a gracious Lord he turned into another communication: it is even as the Scripture saith: Cor Regis in manu Domini, the Lord directeth the Kings […].
But if your Grace allow me for a Preacher, I would desire your Grace to give me leave to discharge my conscience.1 Give me leave to frame my Doctrine according to my Audience, I had been a very dolt to have preached so at the borders of your Realm, as I preached before your Grace. And I thank Almighty God, which hath alwayes been my Remedy, that my sayings were well accepted of the King, for like a gracious Lord he turned into another communication: it is even as the Scripture saith: Cor Regis in manu Domini, the Lord directeth the Kings 〈…〉.
Certain of my Friends came to me with tears in their Eyes, and told me they looked I should have been in the Tower the same night.
Thus I have been ever more burdened with the word of sedition.
As for sedition, for ought that I know, methinks, I should not need Christ, if I might say so. But if I be clear in any thing, I am clear in this, so far as I know mine own heart, there is no man farther from sedition then I; which I have declared in all my doings, and yet it hath been ever laid to me.1
Another, when I gave over mine Office, I should have received a pentecostal, it came to the sum of fifty and five pound, I set my Commissary to gather it, but he could not be suffered, for it was said a sedition would rise upon it.
Another, when I gave over mine Office, I should have received a pentecostal, it came to the summe of fifty and five pound, I set my Commissary to gather it, but he could not be suffer'd, for it was said a sedition would rise upon it.
Thus they burdened me ever with sedition.
So this Gentleman, cometh up now ⟨p. 79⟩with sedition: and wot ye what? I chanced in my last Sermon to speak a merry word of the new shilling (to refresh my Auditory) how I was like to put away my new shilling for an old groat, I was herein noted to speak seditiously—When I was in trouble, it was objected to me that I was singular, that I took a way contrary to all. Marry Sir, this was sore thunderbolts, I thought it was possible it might not be true he told me.—
I have gotten one Fellow a Companion of sedition; and wot you who is my Fellow? Isaiah the Prophet. I spake but of a little pretty shilling, but he speaketh to Jerusalem after another sort, Isaiah. 1. 21, 22, 23. and was so bold to meddle with their coin.—
I have gotten one Fellow a Companion of sedition; and wot you who is my Fellow? Esai the Prophet. I spake but of a little pretty shilling, but he speaketh to Ierusalem after another sort, Esai. 1. 21, 22, 23. and was so bold to meddle with their coin.—
Ah seditious wretch, what had he to do with the mint.—
Was not this a seditious Harlot, to tell them this to their beards? to their face.—
I am content to bear the title of sedition with Isaiah. Thanks be to God I am not alone.—
I am content to bear the title of sedition with Esai. Thanks be to God I am not alone.—
In the latter end of my Sermon, ⟨p. 90⟩I rehearsed a parable of a wicked Judge.
