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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
Seventh Court Maxim: Bishops are to be kept up in the height of their power and riches
Philalethes: we find it very important to keep up bishops in the height of their power and riches.
Eunomius: what advantage can you propose to yourselves in raising such a sort of people so much above their birth or merit?
Philalethes: very much several ways.
First, they, depending wholly on the king, increase his power, preach to the people that they must in all things obey him.
Secondly, a multitude of the loose people of England depend upon them and are thereby made ours.
Thirdly, they are very useful instruments of oppressing the people, impoverishing and vexing them with excommunications, censures, etcetera.
Fourthly, they are useful to keep the people in ignorance, whence they easily fall into lewdness, and then they are ours. There is no danger they should disturb the state or be enemies to us.
Lastly, as they are sworn enemies to all fanatics and such as know how to pray *and* preach or use to read the Bible, they will help much to destroy them.
Eunomius: though I use to contradict you in many things, I agree with you here so far as to confess that as the worst instruments are most fit for the worst works, it was not easy to find men more fit to advance such ends as you propose than the bishops.
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