beyng giuen euery day, than the best and dayntiest meate once onely in a moneth. For with the one a man may liue although he be not lyking, with the other he being once fed, is afterward fai〈1 line〉〈1 line〉∣shed. But how if the case be put, that the monethly and long laboured sermons, as they are called, haue as little, and lesse good wholsome doctrine in them, than the sermons whiche are preached euery daye. Assuredly for the moste of those that goe so long with a Sermon, and whyche I knowe and haue hearde: when they come to bryng it foorthe: bryng foorth oftentymes more wy〈1 line〉〈1 line〉e, and vnprofytable matter, than any good and tymely frute, or holesome substantiall doctrine. And no maruell, for therein the worde of God is fulfilled, whiche declareth that the talentes of Gods gifts and grace, are encreased by co〈1 line〉〈1 line〉tinuall vse, and laying out of them, and of the other side diminished, and in the ende taken quite away, when as they are suffered to lie so long rusting, as it were digged in the ground.
Io. Whitgifte.
M. Doctors wordes hée playne: youre dealyng wyth them can not obscure them: That whyche I haue spoken of verball Sermons, is notoriously knowne to bée true. What I haue sayde of monethly Sermons, I referre to other mens iudgemente. The similitude betwixte the externall meate that féedeth the bodie, and the woorde of God that féedeth the soule, dothe fayle in manye thyngs, and especially in these: that the meate of the bodie remayneth not in the stomacke, but passeth thorough: the worde of God continueth and indureth in the mynde for euer. The meate of the bodie, the better it is digested, the lesser whyle it dothe continue: The worde of God the better it is vnderstoode and remembred, the lon∣ger it remaineth. The meat of the bodie once taken, serueth but for ye present time, bée it neuer so good and holesome: The worde of God once preached, and faythful∣ly receyued, dothe nourishe and féede continually: therefore one learned, effectu∣all, orderly Sermon, preached once in a Moneth, conteyneth more nouryshe∣mente in it, feedeth longer, woorketh more in the heartes of the hearers, edify∣eth more, than all the vnorderlye, and verball Sermons, I myght also adde contentious, that some preache in one whole yeare. But you compare the worde of God, and the nutriment of the body togyther in most grosest manner, and in that wherein they are nothing like.
What you thinke of those monethly, and long laboured sermons (as you call them) it skilleth not much, for you are in a heate, which hindreth true iudgemente. But I woulde haue you, and all other to vnderstande, that this whiche I speake of mo∣nethly sermons, I speake it in compar〈1 line〉〈1 line〉son, and not that I woulde haue a man that is otherwise able, to preach but once in a moneth. I haue shewed the contrary in my Answer. Euery man shall render an accompt of his laboure according to his talent. Wherefore you and your company which are so greatly delighted in spreading false rumors of other men, and séeke to win credite vnto your selues, by diffaming of them, shall answer one day, to God and to me, for the great iniurie you haue done me in that behalfe. If it were lawfull for me to boast of my selfe, I might iustly saye and proue it, that I haue preached as many sermons as the most of you: God for∣giue me for my boasting, but you compell me. Well I confesse that I haue done no more than I ought to haue done: And I beséech God to graunt me no longer life, or ioy in this worlde, than I desire to be vigilante and profitable in his Churche. I woulde not be dumbe and without a function as you are, and vppon that occasion, for all the goodes in Englande: For surely if those that preache not being able and once called therevnto, shall haue an hard iudgement: what shall become of suche, as not onely not preache themselues, but deface other men that preache, by backbi∣ting and slaundering, and spreading abrode false rumours vpon them, to discredite both their persons, and doctrine: and with sectes & schismes rent in péeces the Church of Christ, and violently plucke downe whatsoeuer other men haue builded. O. T. C. these things would be considered in time.