Chap. 2. the first Diuision.
But now Byshops (to whome the right of ordering Ministers doth at no hand apperteine) doe make, 60. 80. or. 100. at a clappe, and sende them abroade into the countrey lyke masterlesse men.
That the ordering of Ministers doth apperteine to Byshops pro∣perly,* 1.1 which you here vtterly denie, I haue proued before: they be beste able to iudge of mens abilitie to that function. It is their espe∣ciall charge to see that there be meete Ministers in the Churche, and therfore good reason that they should haue the chiefe stroke in orde∣ring of them: & yet in that businesse they trust not themselues alone, they haue other godly and learned ministers to assist them in exami∣ning suche as are to be admitted: they also require a testimoniall of life and conuersation from that place, wherein those that are to be Ministecs haue bene latest and longest remaining.
If such numbers as you say be admitted at one tyme, and sent a∣broade lyke maisterlesse men, that is the faulte of the person, not of the law: neyther is it a sufficient cause to debarre any learned, god∣ly and meete man from the ministerie, able to lyue of him selfe, or ha∣uing any other Ecclesiasticall liuing, as prebend, felowship in some colledge of eyther vniuersitie, or suche like, thoughe he haue no Pa∣storall charge and cure, neyther shall you euer be able to proue, but that a man disposed and able to doe good in the Churche of Christe, may be admitted into the ministerie, although he haue no ecclesiasti∣call liuing at all.
I mislike runnagates and masterlesse men, and such as are com∣pelled to seke vp and downe to get them seruices aswell as you: and I hope the redresse thereof is alreadie determined.
For the rest conteyned in those Pages touching the ordeining of Ministers or Byshops I haue before spoken at large.