Of the calling of the ministerie two treatises, discribing the duties and dignities of that calling. Delivered publickly in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge, by Maister Perkins. Taken then from his mouth, and now dilligently perused and published, by a preacher of the word with a preface prefixed touching the publishing of Maister Perkins his workes, & a catalogue of all such particulars thereof, as are to bee expected.

To the right worshipfull and Reuerend Iudges, Sir Iohn Sauile Knight, one of the Barons of his Ma∣iesties Exchequer: and Sir Christopher Yel∣uerton Knight, one of the Iudges of his Ma∣iesties Court of Kings bench, the late worthy Iudges of our Northeren Circuite. The spirit of wisedome, zeale and courage be multiplied.

RIght worshipfull, it is sayd in other Nations, and written in some of their bookes, that there are three disgraces of the English Nation: The Ignorance, or (that I may so call it) the Vnlearnednes of our Gentry and Nobility, the Be••gery of our poore, and the Basenes of the body of our Ministery. The first blot, our Nobi∣litie and Gentrie haue well wiped off, since the first daies of blessed Queene Elizabeth, partly by stu∣die at home, partly by trauell abroade, and I hope they will doe it more and more: The second hath beene well l••ssened by good lawes of late, and wou••d be more, if the Execution were as good as our lawes bee, and it were much honour to our Nati∣on, and more to our Religion, if it were quite taken away: for he that tells vs there shal be poore euer with vs, saith also, there shall not be a begger

amonst vs; If there were no poore, what should become of Charitie: for it is charitie to relieue po∣uertie, not to maintaine beggery: Pouerty may be a Crosse, but it is no Curse: but beggery is a fearefull curse, threatned on the enemies of God: and Dauid saith not, bee neuer sawe a righteous mans child poore, but that he neuer sawe him begge his bread. The dayly cries in our streetes, cry for yet further reformati••n heere∣of, that the impotent poore may be sufficiently prouided for, that he neede not, and the s••urdy begger compelled to worke, that hee may not bee suffred to begge. Happie you, or whosoeuer can haue a hand, in effecting this blessed w••rke, wee, who can doe little else shall pray for it, and for them that labour in it. But now f••r the third, I feare none but the very hand of God, can wipe out that staine from our Church: The bas••nes of the generall body of our Ministerie, whence is it, but either from the vnworthin••sse or pouerty thereof: and the vnworthines thereof, whence is it but from the pouerty, and base maintenance of our Mi∣nisterie, which was once robbed by the Abbies, and after worse by some in our owne State: and Popery that stands so much vpon Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituator ablatum, yet for all that, would not restore vnto the Church her tenthes againe. But as Popish Abbies stole

them, so a popish state kept them, and to their shame some of th••se good Professors of our Religi∣on, haue restored such as were in their bands, and there is hope that all our Professors, (vnlesse they care not to be accounted hipocrits) will make some conscionable restitution. We doe not craue that they wold with Zacheus restore ••oure••old (though it is apparant, that the Tenthes were got from vs in old time, by most false and forged Cauillati∣ons) we onely craue our owne, we would aske no more, nor willingly take lesse: for our whole dutie is still required, then why should not our whole due be payd. And yet that the world may learne of vs contentednes, as well by our prac∣tise as our doctrine, we would for the present, take in good part, and rest contented with a part of our owne, and some competent portions out of the Im∣propriations, (proportioned to the quantitie ••f the charge imposed, and the gifts and paines required) would for a time bee a reasonable sa∣tisfaction to our Ministerie, vntill our state found it selfe, either better enabled, or more straight∣ly tied in Conscience to full restitution. But as I sayd, this is a worke of God himselfe, f••r if man could doe it, so many Parliaments would not haue slipt it, but some of them would haue ete••ni∣zed it selfe, with this honorable name to all posteri∣ties. The Parliament that restored Impro∣priations,

but till that, or some other course (as good) be taken, it is both vnseasonable, and vn∣reasonable to complaine of the Ignorant, or to c••aue a learned Ministerie. For shall the Oxes mouth be mousled, which treads out the corne, or shall a man goe to warre at his owne cost? and hath not God ordained (marke it is his Ordinance) that those who teach the Gospell, shal liue of the Gospel? But alas, how shall the Ministerie of England liue of the Gospell, when my small experience can showe, that in one Corner of one County of this King∣dome, wherein there are some 150. parishes, or pa∣rochiall Chappells, almost a 100. of them, (if not a full 100) are Impropriate, and amongst them I can showe the most parishes haue but 10. pound or thereabouts, some 8. li. some 6, li. some 5, li. some 4, pound, some not 4, pound yearely liuing for the Minister, and those impropriations worth some 300, pound, many 200, pound, almost all 100, pound, per an: yea there is one worth 400, pound, per an: where there were but 8, pound left for the Mini∣ster, vntill of late with much adoe, 10, pound more was obtained for a preacher, and so there is out of 400, pound, 8, pound shared for a Mini∣ster, and 10, pound carued for a preacher, in that parish where there are 2000, Communi∣cants. Of all the rest, the Crowne hath some 100,

pound rent, or not so much, and the remainder of 280, pound (being a rich liuing, for a worthy lear∣ned Minister, a competent liuing for 2, and more then some 7, painfull and able Ministers 〈◊〉〈◊〉) I knowe not what becomes of it, vnlesse it goe to the feeding of Kits and Cormorants. Are not these goodly liuings for learned men, and may not wee expect a learned Ministerie, where there is such maintenance? and I hartely wish that other countries, be not able to showe the like Presidents▪ haue the rather made relation heereof, that our high Court of Parliament, may see how great cause they haue, to goe forward with that motion al∣ready by them made, for the establishing of a lear∣ned Ministerie. But if they bring it not to passe, what then remaineth, but to hope that the great God of heauen, will put into the hart of the God on earth, our noble King (into wh••se hands he hath put the sword of soueraigne authori∣tie) an irreuocable and vnresistable, resolution to execute his supreme power, for the reformation of this euill, which (as Maister Perkins saith in this treatise) may well be called the Kings euill, for it will hardly be healed, but by the will and po∣were of a king. In the meane time, this Treatise of that worthy man, may be a motiue to our zea∣louse professors, who haue any impropriations in their owne hands, to excite and prouoke them to a

conscionable restitution, in whole or in part, as their estates may beare, or their conscience shall mooue them. For heerein are layd downe and mixed together, both the duties to be done by faithfull Ministers, and the Dignities due vnto them for their duties: and so seeing the dignities of that calling to bee most honorable, and the duties so chargeable, it cannot but grieue their Christian harts to see the maintenance so miserable.

This Treatise I first of all send to you, and vn∣der your names to the world, and to you first, for as I am sure you loued the Author, and honored those excellēt gifts of God in him, so you cānot but accept this after birth of his, (as a fatherlesse child for the fathers sake). And for my selfe, (to conceale all personall and priuate respects) in the name of ma∣ny thousands in the Northeren Countries, I praise God for the good done in those parts, by your painfull courses, and religious care, not doubting, but if your selues, or the like be imployed there, to asist our Honourable and Religious Lord Pre∣sident, that the multitude of Popish Priests there lurking, will bee daily lessened, the number of painfull preachers augmented, Poperie put d••wne, and the Gospell maintained more and more. Which blessing God grant to that and all o∣ther Countries of this Kingdome, for his mercies sake: & giue vnto you & all others in your place,

the spirit of courage and constancie, in these de∣clining daies, that beeing faithfull in your great charges, vnto the end, you may receiue the Crowne of life: for which he hartily prayeth, who will euer rest

Your Worships in the Lord, W. Crashawe.

Notes

• Ma••h. 26, 11. Dent. 15.
• Psal. 109, 10 Psal. 37, 25.
• Luke, 19, 8, &c.
• 1 Corinth. 9, 7, 9, 14.
• The East-Riding of the Coun∣ty of Yorke.