"Saint Paul complained of Stoning twice; his church of firing: stoning she wants, indeed, and a good stoning would repair her.

"Saint Faith holds her up, I confess. Oh that works were sainted to keep her upright! The first way of building churches was by ways of benevolence; but then there needed no petition: men came on so fast that they were commanded to be kept back, but repairing now, needs petition. Benevolence was a fire once had need to be quenched: it is a spark, now and needs blowing on it: blow it hard, and put it out. Some petitions there are, for pulling down of such an isle, or changing lead for thack: so far from repa ration, that our suit is to demolish. If to deny this be persecution, if to repair churches be innovation, I'll be of that religion too.

"I remember a tale in Henry Steevens, in

his Apology for Herodotus, or in some of the Colloquies of Erasmus, which would have us believe that times were so depraved in popery, that all œconomical discipline was lost by observing the cecumenical; that if an ingenious person would ask his father's blessing, he must get a dispensation and have a licence from the bishop.

"Believe me when I match this tale with

another. Since Christmas I was sued to (and I have it under the hands of the minister and the whole parish) that I would give way to the adorning of the church within and without, to build a stone wall about the churchyard which till now had but a hedge. I took it for a flout at first, but it proved a suit indeed; they durst not mend a fault of forty years, without a licence. Churchwardens, though they say it not, yet I doubt me most

1

of them think it, that foul spirits in the

6

Gospel said, O thou Bishop or Chancellor,

what! art thou come to torment us before the time, that all is come down to the ground?' The truth went out once in this phrase: 'Zelus domûs tuæ exedit ossa mea,' but now vice versa, it is, Zelus meus exedit domum

tuam.' I hope I gall none here.

6

"Should Christ say that to us now which he said once to the Jews, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will build it up again:' we would quickly know his meaning not to be the material temple. Three years can scarce promoove three foot.

"I am verily persuaded, were it not for the pulpit and the pews, (I do not now mean the altar and the font for the two sacraments, for the pulpit and the stools as you call them ;) many churches had been down that stand.

Stately pews are now become tabernacles, with rings and curtains to them. There wants nothing but beds to hear the word of God on; we have casements, locks and keys, and cushions; I had almost said, bolsters and pillows and for those we love the church. I will not guess what is done within them, who sits, stands, or lies asleep, at prayers, communion, &c., but this I dare say, they are either to hide some vice or to proclaim one; to hide disorder, or proclaim pride.

"In all other contributions justice precedes charity. For the King, or for poor, as you are rated you must give and pay. It is not so in benevolence. Here Charity rates herself; her gift is arbitrary, and her law is the conscience. He that stays till I persuade him, gives not all his own money: I give half that have procured it. He that comes persuaded gives his own; but takes off more than he

brought, God paying use for nothing. But now comes your turn to speak, or God in you by your hands: for so he useth to speak many times by the hands of Moses and Aaron, and by the hands of Esay and Ezekiel, and by the hands of you his minor prophets. Now prosper, O Lord! the works of these hands! O prosper Thou our handy work! Amen.'

He was not fated, however, to witness the elevation of the temple in favour of which he was thus active and benevolent; indeed he was then consuming with lingering disorders. "Corbet, bishop of Norwich," says the garrulous correspondent of lord Strafford, "is dying; the best poet of all the bishops in England. He hath incurable diseases upon him, and hath been said to be dead"." This was written on the 30th of July, 1635, and

* Reg. Prerog. Court Cant. 97. Sadler.