Certain comfortable expositions of the constant martyr of Christ, M. John Hooper, Bishop of…Certeine comfortable expositions of the constant martyr of Christ, M. Iohn Hooper, Bishop of…

In the first sort be such as know doctrines for the soul, or medicines for the body, and yet because they get gain thereby, they would not have too many know thereof, lest their own gains should be the less. As we fee, such a one as knoweth a good method and order to teach, would be loth it should be common, because his estimation and gain, (as he thinketh) should diminish & decrease. The excellent Physician would not have his cunning common, least many men, as cunning as he, should part his gains amongest them.

In the first sort be such as know doctrines for the soule, or medicines for the body, and yet because they gett gaine thereby, they would not haue too many know thereof, lest their owne gaines should be the lesse. As we fée, such a one as knoweth a good methode and order to teach, would be lothe it should be common, because his estimation and gaine, (as he thinketh) should diminish & decrease. The excellent Physician would not haue his cunning common, least many men, as cunning as he, should part his gaines amongest them.

The second sort of men be those that come to great livings by their learning,¹ and when they have the reward of learning, they teach no more, as bishops and ministers of the Church: whom the Prophet calleth dumb dogs that cannot bark,² their mouths be so choked with the bones of bishoprics and benefices. I speak of such as know the trueth and love it, and not of such as neither know it nor love it. For although those men speak but seldom, yet it is too much: for better it were never to speak, then to speak falsely.

The second sort of men be those that come to great liuings by their learning,¹ and when they haue the reward of learning, they teach no more, as bishops and ministers of the Church: whome the Prophet calleth dumbe dogges that cannot barke,