MERBVRY. 221 B. Mark you what his words insinuate. He tondemneth reading in churches ; and seemeth to affirm, that they are all damned, whose minister is not a preacher. You see what he is. Dr. ewis. BySt. Mary, these be pernicious errors. Sir, what say you ofthem ? M. Mr. Doctor, I allow of the reading of the scriptures in the church ; for Christ read Esaias in the temple, and expounded what he read. I am no judge. God bath extraordinary supplies, when he takes away the ordinary means ; but it is good for us not to tempt God, but thank- fully to use hisordinary means. L. Go to the purpose. If I present a man to my lord, whom I take to be a true man, and he prove a thief, am I guilty of his theft ? Neither is the bishopguilty of the faults of ministers, of whom there is good hope when he maketh them. M. Sir, you argue aparibus, butyour reason holdeth not. L. Why ? M. You may try him who would be a spiritual thief before you trust him : but you cannot try the other till he have stolen something. L. What trial would you have more than this : he is a honest man, and in time likely to prove learned? M. Then, in the mean time, the people perish. You will not commit your sucking child to a dry nurse, be she ever so honest. L. Agood life is agood sermon ; and such ministers slay no souls, though they be not so exquisite. M. To teachby example only, is good in a matron whom silence best becometh ; but the apostle telleth Titus, that " ministers must be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." B. This fellow would have a preacher in every parish church ! M. So would St. Paul. B. Where wouldst thou have them? M. InCambridge, in Oxford, in the inns of court, yea, and some in prison, if more were wanted. We doing our part, the Lord would do his. B. I thought where thou wouldst be. But where is the living for them ? M. Aman might cut a large thong out of your hide, and that ofthe other prelates, and it would never be missed.
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