A notable sermo[n] of the reverend father Master Hugh Latimer which he preached in…A notable sermo[n] of ye reuerende father Maister Hughe Latemer whiche he preached in…

There is one that passeth all the other, and is the most diligent prelate & preacher in all England. And will ye know who it is? I will tell you. It is the Devil. He is the most diligent preacher of all other, he is never out of his diocese, he is never from his cure, ye shall never find him unoccupied, he is ever in his parish, he keepeth residence at all times, ye shall never find him out of the way, call for him when you will, he is ever at home, the diligentest preacher in all the realm, he is ever at his plough, no lording ⟨image 20⟩nor loitering can hinder him, he is ever applying his busyness, ye shall never find him idle I warrant you. And his office is to hinder religion, to maintain superstition, to set up Idolatry, to teach all kind of popery. He is ready as can be wished, for to set forth his plough, to devise as many ways as can be, to deface and obscure God's glory. Where the Devil is resident and hath his plough going: there away with books, and up with candles, away with Bibles and up with beads, away with the light of the gospel, and up with the light of candles, yea at noon days. Where the Devil is resident, that he may prevail, up with all superstition and Idolatry, sensing, pain ⟨image 20⟩tinge of images, candles, palms, ashes, holy water, and new service of mens inventing, as though man could invent a better way to honour God with, then god himself hath appointed. Down with Christs cross, up with purgatory pick purse, up with him, the popish purgatory I mean. Away with clothing the naked, the pore and impotent, up with decking of images and gay garnishing of stocks and stones▪ Up with mans traditions and his laws, down with Gods traditions and his most holy word. Down with the old honour dew to God, and up with the new gods honour, let all things be done in Latin. there must be nothing but Latin, not as much as, Memento homo quod cinis ⟨image 21⟩es, et in cinerem reverteris. Remember man that thou art ashes, and into ashes thou shalt return. Which be the words that the minister speaketh to the ignorant people, when he giveth them ashes upon ash wens day, but it must be spoken in latin. God's word may in no wise be translated into English Oh that our prelates would be as diligent to sow the corn of good doctrine as Satan is, to sow cockle and darnel.