The life and death of Mr. Tho. Wilson, minister of Maidstone, in the county…

I never spake such words, but at the funeral of a grave ancient and learned Minister; I did not exhort but entreat Ministers to prepare to give an account of their Life and Livings, showing the vanity of Men, that plead for pluralities, saying, That, were a mans heart broken, it would not bear the weight of three Churches, and I followed in this no private opinions, but the general Tenet of Divines.

I never spake such words, but at the funeral of a grave ancient and learned Minister; I did not exhort but intreat Ministers to prepare to give an account of their Life and Livings, shewing the vanity of Men, that plead for pluralities, saying, That, were a mans heart broken, it would not bear the weight of three Churches, and I followed in this no private opinions, but the general Tenet of Divines.

1. Ancients, Chrysostom Tom. 5. Pag 104. Edit Paris 1536. When that the Pastor is away, great danger is at hand, seeing there is none which can defend and keep the Flock. Damasus cited by Dr. Willet, saith, men that put people over to others, seem like Strumpets, ⟨p. 84⟩which put their Infants as soon as they be born to other Nurses to be brought up, that they may sooner fill themselves with filth.

2. Modern Bishops, Bishop Jewel, on 1 Thes. 2. 17, 18. and on John 6. Non residents and plurality men, that hunt after many livings, serve their Belly, seek to be rich, destroy the souls of many, bring confusion and shame into Gods House, be blind Guides, and the darkness of this World, be the remnant of the wicked Inhabitants of Jericho, and the overthrow of Jerusalem, resist the passage of Gods people, towards the Land of Promise, the curse of God will fall on them, the blood of Gods People shall be required at their hands, they bring the Abomination of desolation in the Holy place, they suffer the flock of Christ to perish for lack of knowledge, Pilkington Bp. of Durham 1585. saith there is remaining among us a sort, not Popish as they pretend, but earnest builders of Gods cause in their own opinion, where indeed they be overthrowers of it, which are in effect as ill Pharisees as the Papists be; They will take a Benefice and Cure of souls, promising solemnly to feed the Flock, but when they have turned their back, they have a Dispensation in a Box to lye from it, and flock; and flout whosoever would have them continue there, and do their duty; contending, by Law