266 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VII. E aech B. Thou fpeakea of makingminifters ; the bifhop of Peterborougb was ' never more over-feen in his life, than when he admitted thee to be a 1.54. preacher in Northampton. Mr. Merbu MERBLrRY. Like enough fo, (in Tome fenfe) I pray God, thefe fcales ry's exami- nation and may fall from his eyes. impr j ®n- B. Thou art a very afs ; thou art mad ; thou couragious ! nay, ment. thou art impudent ; by my troth I think he is mad; he careth for no body. M. Sir, I take exception at fwearingjudges; I praife God I am not mad, but lorry to fee you fo out of temper. B. Did you ever hear one more impudent ? M. It is not; I truft, impudence to anfwer for myfelf. B. Nay, I know thou art couragious; thou art fool-hardy. M. Though I fear not you, I fear the Lord. Recorder of London. Is he learned ? B. He bath an arrogant fpirit ; he can fcarceconftrue Cato, I think. M. Sir, you do not punifh me, becaufe I am unlearned ; howbeit I underftand both the greek and latin tongues ; affay me to prove your difgrace. B. Thou takeft upon thee to be a preacher, but there is nothing in thee ; thou art a very afs, an ideot, and a fool. .M. I humbly befeech you, fir, have patience ; give this people better example; I am that I am through the Lord; I fubtnit the trial of my fufficiency to the judgment of the learned ; but this wandring fpeech is not logical. Part ofare- There is a great deal more of the fame language in this examination; iflr, p. one thing is remarkable, that he infults poor Merbury, becaufe he was for Yierce'r having a minifter in every parifa. At parting he gave him the falutation U'nd. p. qy. of an overthwart, proud, puritan knave; and fent him to the Marfhalfea, though he had been twice in prifon before. Remarks. How different was this from the apoftolical charaaer of a bifhop; a bifhop (faith St. Paul) fhould be blamelefi, of good behaviour, no brawler, nor liriker, nor greedy offilthy Lucre. The fervant of the Lord muff not firive, but be gentle to all men, patient, in tneeknefs inflrue'ing thop that oppofe themfelves, that they may recover them out of thefnare of the devil. Nay, how different was this bifhop from himfelf before he put on his lawn fleeves ! For in his book, entitled A I-larbour for faithful "SúbjetIs, publifhed loon after the queen's accefíion, are thefe words. " Come off " ye bifhops, away with your fuperfluities, yield up your thoufands ; " be content withhundreds, as they be in other reformedchurches, where " be as great learned men as you are. Let your portion be prieft- " like and not prince -like ; let the queen have the reft of your tern- " poralities
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