nversant with some of them. I know them, and (I
speak it with a heavy heart) there is as little charity and good living
in them as in any other; according to that which Christ said in the
gospel to the great number of people that followed him, as though they
had had any earnest zeal to his doctrine, whereas indeed they had it not;
_Non quia vidistis signa, sed quia comedistis de panibus_. "Ye follow
me," saith he, "not because ye have seen the signs and miracles that I
have done; but because ye have eaten the bread, and refreshed your
bodies, therefore you follow me." So that I think many one now-a-days
professeth the gospel for the living's sake, not for the love they bear
to God's word. But they that will be true ploughmen must work faithfully
for God's sake, for the edifying of their brethren. And as diligently as
the husbandman plougheth for the sustentation of the body, so diligently
must the prelates and ministers labour for the feeding of the soul: both
the ploughs must still be going, as most necessary for man. And
wherefore are magistrates ordained, but that the tranquillity of the
commonweal may be confirmed, limiting both ploughs?

But now for the fault of unpreaching prelates, methink I could guess what
might be said for excusing of them. They are so troubled with lordly
living, they be so placed in palaces, crouched in courts, ruffling in
their rents, dancing in their dominions, burdened with ambassages,
pampering of their paunches, like a monk that maketh his jubilee;
munching in their mangers, and moiling in their gay manors and mansions,
and so troubled with loitering in their lordships, that they cannot
attend it. They are otherwise occupied, some in king's matters, some are
ambassadors, some of the privy council, some to furnish the court, some
are lords of the parliament, some are presidents, and comptrollers of
mints.

Well, well, is this their duty? Is this their office? Is this their
calling? Should we have ministers of the church to be comptrollers of
the mints? Is this a meet office for a priest that hath cure of souls?
Is this his charge? I would here ask one question: I would fain know who
controlleth the devil at home in his parish, while he controlleth the
mint? If the apostles might not leave the office of preaching to the
deacons, shall one leave it for minting? I cannot tell you; but the
saying is, that since priests have been minters, money hath been worse
than it was befo