t speakers and
quantity of the text to be handled in that place. The laity never speak,
of course (except some vain and busy head will now and then intrude
themselves with offence), but are only hearers; and, as it is used in some
places weekly, in other once in fourteen days, in divers monthly, and
elsewhere twice in a year, so is it a notable spur unto all the ministers
thereby to apply their books, which otherwise (as in times past) would
give themselves to hawking, hunting, tables, cards, dice, tippling at the
alehouse, shooting of matches, and other like vanities, nothing
commendable in such as should be godly and zealous stewards of the good
gifts of God, faithful distributors of his Word unto the people, and
diligent pastors according to their calling.

But alas! as Sathan, the author of all mischief, hath in sundry manners
heretofore hindered the erection and maintenance of many good things, so
in this he hath stirred up adversaries of late unto this most profitable
exercise, who, not regarding the commodity that riseth thereby so well to
the hearers as speakers, but either stumbling (I cannot tell how) at words
and terms, or at the leastwise not liking to hear of the reprehension of
vice, or peradventure taking a misliking at the slender demeanours of such
negligent ministers as now and then in their course do occupy the rooms,
have either by their own practice, their sinister information, or
suggestions made upon surmises unto other, procured the suppression of
these conferences, condemning them as hurtful, pernicious, and daily
breeders of no small hurt and inconvenience.[118] But hereof let God be
judge, unto the cause belongeth.

Our elders or ministers and deacons (for subdeacons and the other inferior
orders sometime used in popish church we have not) are made according to a
certain form of consecration concluded upon in the time of King Edward the
Sixth by the clergy of England, and soon after confirmed by the three
estates of the realm in the high court of parliament. And out of the first
sort--that is to say, of such as are called to the ministry (without
respect whether they be married or not)--are bishops, deans, archdeacons,
and such as have the higher places in the hierarchy of the church elected;
and these also, as all the rest, at the first coming unto any spiritual
promotion do yield unto the prince the entire tax of that their living for
one whole year, if it amount in value unto ten pounds and