And yet it is a wonder to see these, in their generation, to be much more
prudent and politic than the faithful ministers are in their generation;
while they go about more prudently to stablish men's dreams, than these
do to hold up God's commandments.

Thus it cometh to pass that works lucrative, will-works, men's fancies
reign; but christian works, necessary works, fruitful works, be trodden
under the foot. Thus the evil is much better set out by evil men, than
the good by good men; because the evil be more wise than be the good in
their generation. These be the false stewards, whom all good and
faithful men every day accuse unto the rich master of the household, not
without great heaviness, that they waste his goods; whom he also one day
will call to him, and say to them as he did to his steward, when he said,
"What is this that I hear of thee?" Here God partly wondereth at our
ingratitude and perfidy, partly chideth us for them; and being both full
of wonder and ready to chide, asketh us, "What is this that I hear of
you?" As though he should say unto us, "All good men in all places
complain of you, accuse your avarice, your exactions, your tyranny. They
have required in you a long season, and yet require, diligence and
sincerity. I commanded you, that with all industry and labour ye should
feed my sheep: ye earnestly feed yourselves from day to day, wallowing in
delights and idleness. I commanded you to teach my commandments, and not
your fancies; and that ye should seek my glory and my vantage: you teach
your own traditions, and seek your own glory and profit. You preach very
seldom; and when ye do preach, do nothing but cumber them that preach
truly, as much as lieth in you: that it were much better such were not to
preach at all, than so perniciously to preach. Oh, what hear I of you?
You, that ought to be my preachers, what other thing do you, than apply
all your study hither, to bring all my preachers to envy, shame,
contempt? Yea, more than this, ye pull them into perils, into prisons,