A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 1 · Sermon 11
THE FAITHFULL SHEPHEARD. A Sermon preached at the Conſecration of three Biſhops, the Lords Elect of Oxford, Briſtoll, and Cheſter, in his Graces Chappell at Lambeth, May 9. 1619. THE ELEVENTH SERMON.
1 PET. 5.2.3.4.
Feede the flocke of God which is among you, taking the over-ſight thereof, not by conſtraint, but willingly: not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: not as being Lords over Gods heritage, but being enſamples to the flock. And when the chiefe ſhepheard ſhall appeare, you ſhall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away.
Moſt Reverend, Right Honourable, Right Reverend, right Worſhipfull, &c.
ARchilochus aAriſt. Rhet. c. 2.ſharpning his quill, and dipping it in gall againſt Lycambes; that his ſatyricall invectives might bee more poignant, putteth the pen in Archilochus his Fathers hand, and by an elegant proſopopeia maketh him upbraid his ſonne with thoſe errors and vices, which it was not fit that any but his father ſhould in ſuch ſort rip up. AndbOrat. pro M. Coelio. Tully being to read a lecture of gravity and modeſty to Clodia, which became not his yeares or condition, raiſeth up, as it were, from the grave, her old grandfather Appius Caecus, and out of his mouth delivereth a ſage and fatherly admonition to her. In like manner (right Reverend) receiving the charge from you to give the charge unto you at this preſent, and being over-ruled by authority to ſpeak ſomething of the eminent authority & ſacred dignity into which ye are now to be inveſted; I have brought upon this holy ſtage the firſt of your ranke, and auncienteſt of your Apoſtolicall order, to admoniſh you with authority both of your generall calling, as Paſtours ſet over Chriſts flocke, and your ſpeciall, as Biſhops ſet over the Paſtors themſelves: That in the former words, foreign, feed; this in the latter, foreign, biſhoping, or taking the over-ſight of them. Both they are to performe,
1 Not by conſtraint:
2 Not for lucre.
3 Not with pride.
1 Not by conſt…ant: conſtraint ſtandeth not with the dignity of the Apoſtles ſucceſſors.
2 Not for filthy lucre: filthy lucre ſorts not with Gods Prieſts.
3 Not in, or with Lord-like pride: Lord-like pride complyeth not with the humility of Chriſts Miniſters.
As Tully the aged wrote to Cato the auncient, of old age; ſo in the words of my text Peter the Elder writeth to Elders, of the calling, life and reward of Elders in the Church of God.
1 Their function is feeding, and overlooking Chriſts flocke, enjoyned ver. 2.
2 Their life is to be a patterne of all vertue, drawne ver. 3.
3 Their reward is a Crowne of glory, ſet before them ver. 4.
1 Their function ſacred, anſwerable to their calling, which is divine.
2 Their life exemplary, anſwerable to their function, which is ſacred.
3 Their reward, exceeding great, anſwerable to the eminency of the one, and excellency of the other.
May it pleaſe you therefore to obſerve out of the words,
1 For your inſtruction, what your function is.
2 For correction, what your life ſhould be.
3 For comfort, what your reward ſhall be.
As the coſtlycExod. 28.14. ornaments of Aaron were faſtened to the Ephod with golden chaines of writhen worke, ſo all the parts and points of the Apoſtles exhortation are artificially joyned and tyed together with excellent coherence, as it were with chaines of gold. This chaine thus I draw through them all.
Feede.1 There are ſome of the miniſtery fitter to be fed and led like ſheep, than to feed or lead like ſhepheards; they are hunger-ſtarved themſelves, having no better proviſion than the Apoſtles had in the wilderneſſe after Chriſts miraculous feaſt,dMatth. 14.20. a few baskets full of broken meat. SainteTantae charitatis ſunt per quos nobis fluenta coeleſtia emanant, ut antea effundere quam effundi velint, loqui quam audire paratiores, prompti docere quod nunquam didicerunt, Bernard. Bernard admireth at their charity, ſaying, they by whom the ſtreames of heavenly doctrine flow to us, are of ſuch ſuperabundant charity, that they deſire to empty themſelves before they are halfe full, nay many before they have any drop of ſaving knowledge, and divine learning, moſt ready to deliver that which they never received, and teach what they never learned. Such a one was thatfLactant. divin. inſtit. l. 5. Cum c…cus ipſe eſſer, alios illuminare ſuſcepit in ſe. Bithynian whom Lactantius taketh up for taking upon him to cure dimme and darke eyes, when himſelfe was ſtarke blinde. I finde nothing whereunto I may fitter reſemble them, than to ſquibs or ſmall fire-works, which as ſoone as they take fire, never leave popping and ſhooting, and making a hideous noyſe, till all the powder be ſpent: ſo theſe having rammed a little ſtuffe together, and being kindled with blinde zeale, never leave ſhooting and ſpitting fire in the pulpit, as long as their poore proviſion laſteth. Theſe men, howſoever they are lyable to many other exceptions, yet all men will free them from the imputation which Foelix laid upon Saint Paul, gAct. 26.24.much learning hath made thee madde. And as ſecure are they from the danger of the killing letter, as the Poet in his witty Epigram playeth upon an ignorant Prieſt in time of Popery;
hTho. Morus in epig.Tu bene caviſti ne te ulla occidere poſsit
Litera, nam nota eſt litera nulla tibi.
Thou haſt taken good care that the killing letter ſhall not hurt thee, for thou knoweſt never a better in the booke. The meaſures of the Sanctuary contained twiſe as much as the common meaſures, the ſhekel of the Sanctuary weighed downe two other ſhekels; to ſhew us that the gifts of a Paſtour ought to carrie a double proportion to thoſe of his flocke, elſe he had need to be fed himſelfe; and is not qualified for this duty required in my text, in the firſt place, Feed.
2 Of thoſe that are able to feed, ſome feed themſelves, not their flocke; The flocke.like Varus, taxed by Velleius Paterculus, who came poore into a rich Province, but went rich out of the poore Province; making a very gainefull exchange, by leaving them the povertie he brought with him, and taking with him the wealth hee found there. Feed yee not your ſelves but the Flocke.
3 Of thoſe that feed the Flocke, ſome feed not Gods Flocke, Of God.but Satans heard; teaching in Conventicles of Heretikes, or Schiſmatikes. Waſpes have their hives as well as Bees, and Pirats have their Pilots as well as honeſt Merchants: be not ye like them; feed not the droves of Satan or Antichriſt, but the Flocke of God.
4 Of thoſe that feed the Flocke of God,Among you. ſome feed not that Flocke which is among them, they are foreign, Biſhops in other mens Dioceſſes; they thruſt their ſickle into anothers harveſt, and diſcharge without a charge: they may rightly ſay with the Spouſe in the Canticles, iCant. 1.6.They have made me (or rather I have made my ſelfe) a keeper of vineyards, but mine owne vineyard have I not kept. If the frogs ofkPlin. nat. Inſt. l. 8. Ranae mutae ſunt etiam nunc in Serypho Inſula, eaedem alio tranſlatae canunt, &c. Seryphus could ſpeake they would claime kindred of theſe men; for as thoſe frogs in the Iſland where they are bred are dumbe, and make no noiſe at all, but carried to any other Countrie, fall on ſinging or croaking, and never give over: ſo theſe are ſilent and quiet in their owne cures, but when they are out of them none can be quiet for them: they who can ſcarce afford a Sermon in a monethmonth at their owne home, make nothing of lecturing every day in the weeke abroad.
5 Of thoſe that feed the flocke of God which is among them, that is,Taking the overſight thereof. preach painefully and powerfully, ſome are not not foreign Overlookers; they take not the over-ſight of their flocke, they have not an eye to their life and manners, they never uſe the reine, or rather curbe of eccleſiaſticall diſcipline; forgetting that in the Arke of God, together with the Table of the Teſtimony, and the Pot of Manna, the Rod of Aaron that budded was layd up: and that wherelPſal. 23.4. David compareth God to a ſhepheard, he maketh mention both of his rod and ſtaffe.
Not by conſtraint6 Of thoſe that feede the flocke of God that is amongſt them, and take the overſight thereof, that is, both rule well, and labour in the word, ſome deſerve not the double honour, becauſe they doe it by conſtraint, not willingly, like thoſe Calves, and Bullocks, and Rams, that were pulled and haled to the Altars of the heathen gods, wherewithmPlin. l. 8. nat. hiſt. c. 45. Hoc quo que notatum eſt, vitulos ad aras humeris hominum allatos, non fere litare, nec aliená hoſtiâ placari deos, nec trahente ſe ab aris. Pliny obſerveth that the Paynim deities were never pleaſed, nor gave good ſucceſſe to them which offered ſuch ſacrifice unto them. Nature her ſelfe giveth a prerogative to thatnPlin. nat. hiſt. l. 11. c. 15. In omni melle quod per ſe fluit, ut muſtum, oleum que quod appellatur acaeton, maxime laudabile eſt. Not for filthy incre. honey which drops out of the combe, before that which is forced or ſquized out; and to thatoPlin. nat. hiſt. l. 12. c. 15. Inciduntur bis, ſudant autem ſponte priuſquam incidantur ſtacten dictam. oyle which ſweats out of the Myrrhe trees, iſſuing from thence of it owne accord, before that which runneth after pricking or inciſion. The nobleſt pallat wine is made of that liquor of the grape which ſpinneth out upon the ſmalleſt touch, without any violent preſſure: *Theog. gnom.foreign.
7 Of thoſe that take the over-ſight of the flocke, not by conſtraint but willingly, ſome doe it not freely, or of a ready minde, but for filthy lucre. The Eccho taught by Eraſmus, rings this in the eares of the Laity, and they heare it briefe, Quid venatur ſacerdos? foreign. AndpPlat. in Bon. 3. Re verâ pace bonorum dicam, multi epiſcopatum deſiderant, explendae avaritiae ſuae cauſa, non quo communi utilitati ut eorum expoſcit officium & nomen, conſulant: quaeritur enim quantum reddat epiſcopatus, non quot oves paſcuae in eo ſint. Platina giveth a touch hereof in the life of Pope Goodface the third; the firſt queſtion is, after a man is choſen Pope, what is the Biſhopricke of Rome worth? Filthy lucre carrieth ſuch an ill favour with it, that the precious oyntment of Aaron cannot take away the ſmell thereof. Covetouſneſſe is a ſpot in any coat, but a ſtain in the linnen Ephod: what ſo unfit? what ſo incongruous? nay what ſo opprobrious and ſcandalous, as for thoſe who in ſcripture are ſtiled Angels, and ſhould like Angels, by continuall meditations, and divine contemplations behold the face of God in heaven, to turne earth-wormes, and lye and feed upon very mucke? How dare they deliver the holy Sacrament with thoſe hands that have received bribes? or are defiled with the price of blood? or are foule with telling their uſe-money? Holineſſe (which of all other moſt be fitteth our ſacred calling) in the greeke implyeth a contradiction to earthlineſſe: foreign, which wee render holy, is all one in that language as unearthly. If a glaſſe bee ſoyled with duſt, or be… …eared with dirt, it reflecteth no image at all: in like manner if the minde bee ſoyled with the duſt of earthlineſſe, the image of God cannot appeare in it; the fancie of ſuch a man will repreſent no ſpirituall forme, conceive no divine or heavenly imaginations. If wee ſeeke our owne and not the things that are Jeſus Chriſts, the goods not the good of our flocke, wee loſe the firſt letter of our name in the ProphetrEzek. 3.17. Sonne of man, I have made thee a watchman. Ezekiel, and of ſpeculatores become peculatores, and are not to be termed praedicatores but praedatores. But I will not make this blot bigger by unskilfully going about to take it out.
8 Of thoſe that feede, Not as Lords.and take the over-ſight of Gods flocke that is among them, not by conſtraint but willingly, not for filthy lucre; but of a ready minde, ſome carry themſelves like Lords over the flocke, not as enſamples to their flock, they goe in and out before them in a ſtately and lordly gate,ſConcil. Carthag 4. foreign. fumoſus ſeculityphus. foreign, in ſwelling pride, not in exemplary humility, ſeeking rather to over-rule them with terrour and violence, than rule over them with the ſpirit of meekneſſe. Theſe though they are put up to the higheſt fourme, yet have not learned the firſt leſſon in the ſchoole of Chriſtianity,tMatth. 11.29. to be meek and lowly in heart: neither underſtand they that divine graces, which are the plants of Paradiſe, are like to the tree in the Poet that bare golden boughes:
uVirg. Aen. 6.—Quae quantum vertice ad auras
Aethereas tantum, radice in Tartara tendit.
whoſe root was juſt ſo much beneath the earth as the top was in height above it. The higher Gods Saints grow upwards to perfection, the deeper they take root downward in humility, conſidering that they have nothing of their owne, but ſinne; and what a fooliſh and impious ſinne of pride is it, to bee proud of ſinne? He that preſumes on his owne ſtrength, ſaith holy Auſtine, is conquered before hee fight. To repoſe truſt in our ſelves, ſaith*Bern. ſerm. 20. in vigil. nat. dom. Sibimet ipſi fidere, non fidei ſed perfidiae eſt, nec confidentiae ſed diffidentiae magis, in ſemetipſo habere fiduciam. Bernard, is not of faith, but perfidiouſneſſe, neither breeds it true confidence, but diffidence. To bee proud of knowledge, is to bee blinde with light: to bee proud of vertue is to poyſon himſelfe with the Antidote: and to be proud of authority, is to make his riſe his downefall, and his ladder his ruine. It is the darke foyle that giveth the Diamond its brighteſt luſtre: it is the humble, and low, and obſcure conceit of our owne worth that giveth luſtre and grace to all our vertues and perfections, if we have any: Moſes glory was the greater becauſe his face ſhined, and he knew not of it.
Thus have I numbred unto you the ſeverall linkes of the Apoſtles golden chaine of inſtructions for Paſtors, now let us gather them together in a narrow roome.
1 Be not ſuch as neede to be fed, but are able and willing to feede.
2 Feede not your ſelves but the flocke.
3 Feede not the flocke or droves of Antichriſt, but the flocke of God.
4 Feede the flocke of God, not out of your charge, or without you, but the flocke of God which is among you.
5 Content not your ſelves with feeding them onelyonly with the Word and Sacrament, but over-looke them alſo, have an eye to their manners.
6 Doe this not conſtrainedly, but willingly.
7 Not out of private reſpects, but freely.
8 Not proudly but humbly; not to ſhew your authority over the flock, but to ſet before them an enſample in your ſelves of humility, meekeneſſe, temperance, patience, and all other vertues.
Thus feede the flocke of God that is among you, thus rule thoſe whom you feede, thus carry yourſelves towards thoſe whom you rule, thus give good enſample in your carriage; and when the chiefe ſhepheard and Biſhop of your ſoules Chriſt Jeſus ſhall appeare, you ſhall receive in ſtead of a Croſier a Scepter, of a Miter a Crowne, of a Dioceſſe upon earth a Kingdome in heaven.
You ſee I have a large and plentifull field before mee, yet I purpoſe at this time to follow the example of the Apoſtles,xMatth. 12.1. who as they paſſed through the corne field, plucked only an eare or two, and rubbed them in their hands.
To rub the firſt eare, that you may ſee what graine it yeeldeth. To feed, ſaithyl. 1. de Rom. pont. c. 15. In ſcripturis paſcere paſsim accipitur pro regere, ut pſal. 2. reges cos in virgâ ferreâ: in Heb. eſt paſce foreign & Apoc. 2.27. foreign Bellarmine, ſignifieth to rule with princely authority, to ſway the ſcepter as a ſpirituall Prince over Chriſts flocke; and to this purpoſe hee alledgeth that text in the Apocalyps, 2.27. foreign hee ſhall feede (or rule) them with a rod of iron: hard feeding for Chriſts ſheepe; hee had need to have an Eſtridge's ſtomacke that can digeſt this interpretation here. Feed, not over-ruling, ver. 3. that is, over-rule them, not feeding: this is as naturall an interpretation of this ſcripture, as the gloſſe upon the word ſtatuimus in the Canon law, id eſt, abrogamus, or ſtatuimus quod non; wee enact, that is, wee abrogate; we command, that is, wee forbid; we appoint this, that is, wee appoint that this ſhall not bee. If this be a right interpretation of this place, and the other parallel to it in SaintzJoh. 20.17. John, then Saint*Bernard. de conſiderat. ad Eugen. l. 2. I ergo tu & tibi uſurpare aude aut dominans apoſtolatum, aut apoſtolicus dominatum, &c. Bernard was in the wrong, for hee inferres the cleane contrary from it: and which is moſt conſiderable, in a booke of conſideration dedicated to the Pope himſelfe: Peter could not give thee that which he had not; what he had, that he gave thee, care over the Churches: but did hee not alſo give thee dominion? heare what himſelfe ſaith, not as being Lords over Gods heritage but being made examples to the flocke: leſt any man ſhould thinke that this was ſpoken onelyonly in humility, and not in truth, it is the voice of the Lord in the Goſpell, Kings of the nations beare rule over them, but it ſhall not bee ſo with you; it is plaine that Lord-like dominion is forbidden to the Apoſtles: goe too therefore now, and aſſume to thy ſelfe if thou dare, either the office of an Apoſtle, if thou be a Lord, or Lord-like Dominion if thou be an Apoſtle. Howbeit I deny not that the word foreign here uſed, ſometimes ſignifieth to rule with Princely authority, and Lord-like command, both in Scriptures and prophane Writers: asaHom. Il. 1. Homer ſtileth King Agamemnon foreign, the Shepheard of the people: ſo God himſelfe calleth Cyrus hisbEſay 44.28. That ſaith of Cyrus, he is my ſhepheard. Shepheard; and which is very obſervable, Cyrus as if hee had taken notice of this name impoſed by God upon him before his birth, was wont uſually to ſay,cXen. Cyr. poed. l. 8. foreign. That a good Prince was like a good Shepheard, who can by no other meanes grow rich, than by making his flocke to thrive under him; the proſperity of the ſubject is not only the honour but the wealth alſo of the Prince. All this maketh nothing for the Popes triple Crowne, to which hee layeth claime by vertue of Chriſts threefold paſce, or feede (Joh. 21.15.16.17.) for neither doth foreign originally, nor properly, nor uſually ſignifie to reigne as a King, eſpecially when oves meae, or grex domini, my ſheepe, or the flocke of God is conſtrued with it; nor can it be ſo taken here, or Joh. 21. as the light of both texts ſet together reflecting one upon the other will cleer the point. For that which Chriſt enjoyneth Peter, Joh. 21. that Peter here enjoyneth all Elders: the words of the charge are the ſame, Feede my ſheepe, there; Feede the flocke of God, here. But Saint Peter enjoyneth not all Elders in theſe words to rule with ſoveraigne authority as Kings over the whole flocke, or as Lords over their owne peculiar: for this hee expreſſely forbiddeth, ver. 3. therefore to uſurpe authority over the whole Church, or to domineere over any part thereof, is not to feede according to Chriſts charge to Saint Peter, or Saint Peters to all Elders. What is it then? if you have reference to the Etymology foreign is foreign, to feede, as the word imports in the originall, is to reſide upon our cure, or abide with our flocke, where the ſpouſe is commanded to ſeeke Chriſt,dCant. 1.8. goe thy way forth to the footſteps of the flocke. And indeed where ſhould the Sentinell be but upon his watch-tower? where the Pilot but at the ſterne? where the intelligence but at his orbe? where the ſunne but within his ecliptick line? where the candle but in the candle-ſtick? where the diamond but in the ring? where the ſhepheard but among his flocke? whom hee is to feede, for whom he is to provide, of whom hee is to take the over-ſight, to whom hee ought to bee an example; which hee cannot be if hee never be in their ſight. But becauſe this obſervation is grounded only upon the Etymology, I will lay no more ſtreſſe upon it. The proper and full ſignification of the word is paſtorem agere, to play the good ſhepheard, or exerciſe the function of a Paſtor, which conſiſteth in three things eſpecially:
1 Docendo quid facere debeant.
2 Orando ut facere poſsint.
3 Increpando ſi non faciant.
1 In teaching thoſe of his flock what they ought to doe.
2 In praying that they may doe it.
3 In reproving if they doe it not.
All which may bee reduced to a threefold feeding:
1 With the Word, Jer. 3.Jer. 3.15. I will give you paſtors according to mine owne heart, that ſhall feede you with knowledge and underſtanding.
2 With the Sacraments, Apoc. 2. & Joh. 6.
3 With the Rod, Micah 7.14.
To feed with the Word and Sacraments is the common duty of all Paſtors, but to feed with the rod is reſerved to Biſhops: they are Seraphims, holding the ſpirituall ſword of excommunication in their hands, to guard the tree of life: whoſe ſpeciall office, and eminent degree in the Church is implyed in the word foreign, which the vulgar latine rendereth providentes, but SainteAug. de civ. l. 19 c. 19. Supervidentes appellantur, ut intelligant ſe non eſſe epiſcopos qui prae eſſe dilexerint, non prodeſſe. Auſtine more agreeable to the Etymology, ſupervidentes, ſuper-viſours, or ſuper-intendents. Yet this is but a generall notation of the name; every Biſhop is a ſuper-viſour or over-ſeer, but every ſuper-viſour is not a Biſhop. The Lacedaemonian Magiſtrates were called Ephori, which is an equivalent ſtile to Epiſcopi: andfEuſeb. vit. Conſtant foreign. Conſtantine the great ſpake as truely as piouſly to his Biſhops; Yee reverend Fathers are Biſhops of them that are within the Church, but I of them that are out of the Church: where your paſtorall ſtaffe is too ſhort, I will piece it out and lengthen it with my ſcepter. foreign in the moſt proper and reſtreyned ſignification, is to exerciſe Epiſcopall authority (or performe the office of a Biſhop) which conſiſteth in two things:
1 In ordaining.
2 Ordering.
1 Giving orders.
2 Keeping order.
Saint Paul givethgTit. 1.5. Titus both in charge: for this cauſe left I thee in Crete, to ordaine Elders in every Church, there is the firſt, to wit, ordination; and to ſet in order things that are wanting, or foreign, to correct things out of order, there is the ſecond, viz. ordering or reformation. Timothy likewiſe the firſt conſecrated Biſhop of Epheſus is put in minde of theſe branches of his Epiſcopall function: of the firſt,h1 Tim. 5.22.19 Lay hands ſuddenly on no man: of the ſecond, Againſt an Elder receive not an accuſation but under two or three witneſſes: iver. 20.Them that ſinne rebuke before all, that others alſo may feare. Be not kver. 22.partaker of any other mans ſinnes, to wit, by not cenſuring or puniſhing them. Theſe two offices to bee moſt neceſſary in the Church, every mans reaſon and common experience will informe us. For how ſhall wee have Miniſters at all without ordination? and how ſhall wee have good Miniſters or people without viſitation? Now for Presbyters or Miniſters, who are equall in degree to exerciſe authority one over the other, and lay hands upon themſelves, & ſo to become their own ghoſtly Fathers, is to make order it ſelfe a confuſion. Therefore God in the law put a difference between the Prieſts and Levits: and Chriſt in the goſpell between the Apoſtles and Diſciples; and the Apoſtles after Chriſts death between Biſhops and Elders. Which the primitive Church kept ſo religiouſly, that to oppoſe it in practice was accounted no leſſe thanlAct. Concil. 1. Chalced. foreign. ſacriledge; in doctrine, flat hereſie. The firſt that I finde ever to have gone about to break downe the partition wall betweene Biſhops and Presbyters, was Aerius, a man like his name, light and aery, eaſily carried away with the winde of ambition. For asmEpiph. haereſ. 71. Cum epiſcopatus ſpe excidiſſet Euſtathio poſthabitus, ut ſe conſolaretur hanc haereſem excogitavit. foreign. Epiphanius writeth, ſtanding for a Biſhopricke, and miſſing it, hee invented this hereſie to comfort himſelfe; and becauſe hee could not raiſe up himſelfe to the high ranke of Biſhops, hee ſought to pull them downe to his lower ranke of Elders. What difference, ſaith he, is there betweene a Biſhop and a Prieſt? none at all, their order, and honour, and dignity, is one and the ſelfe-ſame. But for this his ſawcy malepartneſſe he felt the ſmart of the Croſier ſtaffe, and for ranking Biſhops among Presbyters or Elders, he was himſelf ranked among hereticks. God who made greater & leſſer lights in the firmament, and ſet Angels in ranks one above another, hath erected an*See King James his Cygnea Cantio. Bilſon his perpetuall governement. Bancroft his ſlavey of the holy pretended diſcipline, c. de epiſc. Downam his ſermon at the conſecration of the Biſhop of Bath and Wells. Andrew opus poſthum. Hallier defenc. eccleſiaſt. hierar. l. 1. Aurelius vindiciae cenſurae tit. 3. de epiſ. & curatis. Hierarchy upon earth: which as he hath ever yet, ſo I hope he ſtill will to the end of the world eſtabliſh and ſupport and propagate it, as it hath wonderfully ſupported and propagated the Church. The bounds therof extended by the preaching, & kept by the government of Biſhops; the Hereticks and Schiſmaticks in all ages ſuppreſſed by Councels and Synods of Biſhops; the Rubricks of Eccleſiaſticall Kalendars coloured with the blood of ſo many martyred Biſhops, are ſufficient evidence thereof. And as the Church ſoone after her firſt plantation exceedingly proſpered under the ſhade of James Biſhop of Jeruſalem, Titus of Crete, Timothy of Epheſus, Marke of Alexandria, Ignatius of Antioch, Antipas of Pergamus, Polycarpe of Smyrna, and divers others ordayned by the Apoſtles, or their immediate ſucceſſors; and in ſucceeding ages received her beſt ſap and nouriſhment from the Greeke and Latine Fathers, who for the moſt part were Biſhops: ſonBeza de grad. Min. evang. cap. 18. Non tantum inſignes Dei martyres, ſed etiam praeſtantiſſimos doctores & paſtores. Beza himſelfe acknowledgeth it to have beene the ſingular happineſſe of the Church of England, which he prayeth may be perpetuall, that this reverend and ſacred order hath yeelded not only famous Martyrs, but alſo moſt excellent Doctors and Paſtors. As the Poet blazing the vertues of the Emperour then reigning, ſaid,
oMart. epig. l. 1.Te volet invictus pro libertate Camillus:
Si Cato reddatur, Caeſarianum erit.
Brutus and Camillus and Cato, the greateſt ſticklers for the liberty of the commonwealth, if they were now alive would turne Royaliſts: ſo wee may truely affirme that the greateſt enemies of Epiſcopall juriſdiction, could not but approve of ſuch Biſhops as now ſit at the ſterne in our Church. And what if all are not ſuch? muſt the whole order ſuffer for their ſake? pOvid l. 1. de art.Deſine paucorum diffundere crimen in omnes. lay not upon all the fault of ſome. If one or other budde of Aarons rod, the biſhopricke of Rome and the dependants thereon, are turned into ſerpents, ſhall the whole rod bee caſt out of the Arke, and Jonah's gourd put in the place thereof? I meane the new ſprung up muſhrome, the governement of lay Elders; Elders whereof no elder age of the Church ever took notice, and the younger cannot tell yet how to chriſten them: becauſe they are a kind of epicoens, of both genders, plant-animals, partly animals, partly plants: like a ſort of Nuns at Bruxels, partly regular partly ſecular; in the morning wearing the cowles and habit of Recluſes, in the afternoone the feathers and other attire of Gallants. For they are Clergy-laickes, and Lay-clerkes: of their clergy they are, for they together with their Miniſters ordaine Miniſters, and inflict eccleſiaſticall cenſures; and yet laickes they are, for they may not preach nor baptize. Church-men they are, for they beare rule in the Church; yet church-men they are not, for they may receive no maintenance from the Church. They are the Elders that rule well, and labour, not in the word, for ſuch they will have intimated by S. Paul; yet the honour which their owne Interpreters there expound honourable maintenance, is not due unto them. Spare me Men, Fathers, and Brethren, if I ſpare not them who goe about to bereave us of our ſpirituall Fathers, qui ſaeviunt in plagas & vulnera eccleſiae, who ſeeke to ruine the ruines, and ſpoile the very ſpoiles of eccleſiaſticall dignity and diſtinction left among us. To place ſuch Bats as theſe, rather mice than birds, muſt Chriſts Apoſtles and their ſucceſſors be diſplaced, and all rankes of eccleſiaſticall order confounded: is there any juſtice in this, to breake all Croſier ſtaves, and tread all Miters under foot, and teare all Rochets in pieces Unius ob noxam & furias Ajacis Oilei. for the uſurpations and tyranny of one Biſhop the Pope of Rome? By this reaſon take away the reverend order of the Apoſtles for Judas ſake, take away the ſacred order of Prophets for Balaams ſake, take away the ſoveraigne order of Princes for Julians ſake, take away the glorious orbs of ſtarres for the ſtarres ſake calledqApoc. 8.11. wormewood in the Apocalyps, nay take away the higheſt regiment of Angels for Lucifers ſake, and the reſt of his faction, ſomtime in the higheſt order in heaven, but now reſerved in chaines of darkeneſſe till the great day.
This may ſuffice to bee ſpoken of, and for your calling: two words of the two duties implyed in the words, foreign and foreign, feede, and take the over-ſight. You are Paſtors and Biſhops, make good your titles, feede as Paſtors, take the over-ſight of your Dioceſſe as Biſhops. The three orders in the Church, Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons, reſemble the three faculties of the ſoule, the vegetative, ſenſitive, and reaſonable. For as the ſenſitive faculty includeth the vegetative, & aliquid amplius and ſomewhat more, to wit, ſenſe; and the reaſonable implyeth the ſenſitive, & aliquid amplius and ſomewhat more, to wit, reaſon; ſo a Prieſt implieth a Deacon, & aliquid amplius; and a Biſhop implyeth a Prieſt, & aliquid amplius. Yee are (my Lords) both Biſhops and Prieſts, and as you are inveſted into a double honour, ſo you have a double charge: as Biſhops you are to rule well; as Prieſts to labour in the word: as Prieſts you are to preach, as Biſhops to ordaine Prieſts, and countenance Preachers: as Prieſts you are to ſmite ſimony and ſacriledge, ſchiſme and hereſie, impurity and impiety, gladio oris, with the ſword of your mouth; as Biſhops, ore gladii, with the mouth, that is, the edge of the ſword, the ſword of eccleſiaſticall cenſures which Chriſt hath put into your hand: beare not this ſword in vaine, be not partakers of the ſinnes of any of the clergy, or bribes of the laity; uſe this your ſword for, not againſt the Church: rVirg. Aen. 4.Non hos quaeſitum munus in uſus.
Hold not too ſtrict a hand over your too much oppreſſed Clergy; let it not be ſaid of the clergy of your Dioceſſe, as it was ſaid of the Roman ſouldiers under Severus, that they were more afraid of their Captaine than of the enemy. For as Saint Paul ſpeaketh to the Corinthians, if I make you ſad who ſhall comfort you? ſo may I ſay to you, if you diſhearten poore Miniſters who ſhall comfort them, or ſtand for them? the laity? no, they take too much of the nature of the ſtone, from whence they have their name given them,foreign ſignifieth people, foreign a ſtone. foreign from foreign: if a faithful miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, if a diligent preacher that ſpends his oile & week, his body and ſoul to give them light; ſue but for his dues, eſpecially if he mutter but a word againſt their great Diana, their ſacrilegious cuſtomes, which oft deprive the miniſters of the Goſpell of nine parts of the Tenth, and leave them but decimam decimae, the tenth of the tenth; they will all fall upon him, and unleſſe your power and authority relieve him, grinde him to powder. They uſe their godly Preachers, whom the world cannot parallel, as the Hawke in Heſiod dealt with the melodious Nightingale,ſHeſiod. op. & dies l. 1. they plume them and devoure them, foreign, although they bee the ſweeteſt ſingers of Iſrael. Many of them after they have ſpent their ſtrength in preaching in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, catechizing and lecturing on the Lords day, and on the weeke dayes, may truely ſay as Syneſius ſometimes complayned that they carried nothing away from their pariſhes or cures, but bonam conſcientiam & malam valetudinem, a good conſcience, and an ill and cr…zed body.
No more of foreign, taking the over-ſight: and but a word of foreign, feede, leſt whileſt I exhort you to feede, I detaine you from better feeding, viz. upon the bleſſed Sacrament now ſet before you. As in Churches and Noble-mens hals, where there hang great Candleſtickes with many branches, the lights are firſt let downe to bee tinded, and when they are fully lighted, then they are drawne up by degrees to give light to the whole roome: ſo our Church firſt ſendeth her ſweet waxe lights, made and formed in private ſchooles, downe to the Univerſities to bee tinded, and when they are fully enlightned with knowledge, then draweth them up by degrees, firſt to paſtorall charges, then to dignities, Deaneries, and Biſhopricks; not that then they ſhould bee put out, but to the end that as they are ſet higher they ſhould give more light. You are, right Reverend, the ſilver Trumpet of Zion, whom God lifteth up on high that you may ſound the louder & ſhriller, as bels are hung higher in the ſteeple, that they may bee heard further. Let it bee never ſaid of you as it was of Saul, that when hee came to the high places he made an end of prophecying. The more God hath honoured you, the more you ought to honour him; the higher Chriſt hath preferred you, the more you ought to love him, and ſhew this your love by your treble diligence in feeding his ſheepe. To which end theſe words, Peter loveſt thou me? feed my ſheep, &c. are by the order of our Church appointed to bee read for the Goſpell at your conſecration. I grant you feede many wayes; you feede when you appoint paſtors to feed, you feede when you inſtruct them how to feede, you feede when you cenſure them for not feeding their flockes, or not feeding them with wholeſome food, you feede in a Synode when you make good canons, you feede in your viſitations when you encourage good Miniſters, and reforme abuſes in the Church, laſtly, you feede at your tables when you keepe good hoſpitality. And after all theſe manners the Apoſtles and ancient Fathers fed; yet they thought themſelves in danger of a vae, or curſe if they fed not by preaching the Goſpell in their owne perſons. Woe bee to mee, ſaith Saintt1 Cor. 9.16. Paul, if I preach not the Goſpell. Saint Gregory was a Biſhop himſelfe, and that of a very large and troubleſome Dioceſſe (for hee was Pope of Rome) yet hee deepely chargeth Biſhops with this duety, thus inferring upon Chriſts words to Peter, loveſt thou mee? feed, &c. uGreg. in verb. evang. ſecundum Johan. Si dilectionis argumentum eſt cura paſtoralis, quiſquis virtutibus pollens gregem Dei renuit paſcere, ſummum paſtorem convincitur non amare.If care and diligence in a paſtorall charge be an argument, and certaine evidence of the love wee beare to Chriſt, whoſoever furniſhed with gifts and abilities thereunto, refuſeth to feede Chriſts flocke, is to be taken pro convicto, that hee beares no good affection to the chiefe Paſtor and Biſhop of our ſouls. If the love of Chriſt conſtrayned us not to ſtirre up the grace of God in us, which wee have received by impoſition of hands, and even like lampes to ſpend our ſelves to give light to our flockes; yet methinkes the excellency of this function ſhould enflame us thereunto. Where can we fixe our thoughts with more delight and contentment than upon heaven and heavenly objects? how can wee put our tongues to a better uſe than to declare the word of life? to preach the Goſpell of the Kingdome? to ſound out our makers praiſes? how can our hands be better employed than about the ſeales of grace? Heare Saint*Chryſoſt. homil. 1. in Matth. foreign, &c. Chryſoſtome open his golden mouth, and weigh his words in the ſcales of the ſanctuary: Seeſt thou not, ſaith hee, how thine eyes water whileſt thou ſtayeſt in the ſmoake, but are cleared and refreſhed if thou goe out into the open ayre, or walkeſt a turne in a pleaſant garden? ſo the eye of our minde is cleared, and our ſpirituall ſenſes much revived by walking in the garden of holy Scriptures, and ſmelling to the flowers of Paradiſe; but if wee run about in the ſmoake, that is, buſie our ſelves about earthly affaires, we ſhall ſhed many a teare, and be in danger of quite loſing our ſight.
I will conclude, and briefely repreſent all the principall points of the Apoſtles exhortation to your view in one type of the law. In the Arke of the covenant there was the rod of aExod. 24.25.Aaron that budded, and about it a crown of gold. By the rod of Aaron you eaſily apprehend the Prieſts office or paſtorall charge: the buds of this rod, or parts of this charge are two, feeding and overſeeing; which ought to bee performed not by conſtraint, but willingly, as the buddes were not drawne out of Aarons rod, but put forth of their owne accord. And herein wee are not to reſpect our owne good, but the good of our flocke: wee muſt doe nothing for filthy lucre, but of a free minde to benefit others, as the rod of Aaron bare not bloſſomes or fruit to, or for it ſelfe, but to, and for others. By the fruits of Aarons rod you may underſtand the good life of a faithfull Paſtor, who is to be an example to his flock; this fruit enclineth him to true humility oppoſite to Lord-like pride, as the fruit of a tree weigheth the branches downe to the earth. Laſtly, by the Crowne above the rod, and round about the Arke, is repreſented the reward of a faithfull Shepheard and vigilant Biſhop. You have the embleme of your office, the word or Motto ſhall be Germinet virga Aaronis, Let the rod of Aaron bloſſome in your mouths by preaching the word, and budde in your hands by the exerciſe of eccleſiaſticall diſcipline, and beare fruit in your lives by being enſamples to your flocke, and the crowne above the rod, and about the Arke ſhall bee yours, as it is promiſed, ver. 4. And when the chiefe ſhepheard ſhall appeare, you ſhall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away; Which God the Father grant for the price of his Sonnes blood, to whom with the holy Spirit be all honour, glory, praiſe, and thankſ-giving, now and for ever, Amen.