Thanks be unto God, the nobility otherwise is very
well brought up in learning and godliness, to the great joy and comfort
of England; so that there is now good hope in the youth, that we shall
another day have a flourishing commonweal, considering their godly
education. Yea, and there be already noblemen enough, though not so many
as I could wish, able to be lord presidents, and wise men enough for the
mint. And as unmeet a thing it is for bishops to be lord presidents, or
priests to be minters, as it was for the Corinthians to plead matters of
variance before heathen judges. It is also a slander to the noblemen, as
though they lacked wisdom and learning to be able for such offices, or
else were no men of conscience, or else were not meet to be trusted, and
able for such offices. And a prelate hath a charge and cure otherwise;
and therefore he cannot discharge his duty and be a lord president too.
For a presidentship requireth a whole man; and a bishop cannot be two
men. A bishop hath his office, a flock to teach, to look unto; and
therefore he cannot meddle with another office, which alone requireth a
whole man: he should therefore give it over to whom it is meet, and
labour in his own business; as Paul writeth to the Thessalonians, "Let
every man do his own business, and follow his calling.
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