52 OF CHURCH CONTROVERSIES. 



there are some which, as I am persuaded, will not 

 easily offend by mconformity, who notwithstanding 

 make some conscience to subscribe ; for they know 

 this note of inconstancy and defection from that which 

 they have long held, shall disable them to do that 

 good which otherwise they might do : for such is the 

 weakness of many, that their ministry should be 

 thereby discredited. As for their easy silencing of 

 them, in such great scarcity of preachers, it is to 

 punish the people, and not them. Ought they not, 

 I mean the bishops, to keep one eye open, to look 

 upon the good that those men do, not to fix them 

 both upon the hurt that they suppose cometh by 

 them ? Indeed, such as are intemperate and incor 

 rigible, God forbid they should be permitted to 

 preach : but shall every inconsiderate word, some 

 times captiously watched, and for the most part 

 hardly enforced, be as a forfeiture of their voice and 

 gift in preaching ? As for sundry particular moles 

 tations, I take no pleasure to recite them. If a 

 minister shall be troubled for saying in baptism, 

 &quot;do you believe?&quot; for, &quot;dost thou believe?&quot; If 

 another shall be called in question for praying for 

 her majesty, without the additions of her stile; 

 whereas the very form of prayer in the book of Com 

 mon-Prayer hath, &quot; Thy servant Elizabeth,&quot; and no 

 more : If a third shall be accused, upon these words 

 uttered touching the controversies, &quot; tollatur lex, et 

 fiat certamen,&quot; whereby was meant, that the preju 

 dice of the law removed, either reasons should be 

 equally compared, of calling the people to sedition 



