Common Places, Part 4 · Chapter 1 · Section 5
Of the office of Paſtors.
25 But a meane muſt bée obſerued, In 1. Cor. 4 2.that neither we attribute too much or too little vntounto Paſtors, How much muſt be … teth need to Paſtors.leaſt that either they ſhoulde grow too proude, and tyrannicallie oppreſſe the people, and by their preceptes, and inuentions obſcure the commaundementes of God: or elſe if they ſhoulde be ouer much deiected, not onelie themſelues ſhould be contemned, but alſo the worde of God and Sacraments miniſtred by them might lie neglected. They are appointed gouernours of Churches betwéene Chriſt and the people. They be ye miniſters of Chriſt, Paſtors be the miniſters of Chriſt and of vsus.becauſe he vſeth their labour: They are our miniſters alſo, becauſe as ſtewardes and diſpoſers of ye Lord, they diſtribute vntounto vsus thoſe things which of him they hauehave receiued. Thoſe things which the Miniſtres propound vntounto vsus muſt not elſewhere be taken than out of the ſcriptures.Wherefore they ought to receiue thoſe things which they ſet foorth vntounto vsus from no other place than from the wordes of Chriſt and the holie Scripture. This did Moſes: firſt he aſcended vntounto the mount, and there ſpake with God: and afterwarde when he was come downe vntounto the people, hée ſhewed them what hée had heard of God. Exo. 19. 3. The example of Moſes and of Chriſt. Luk. 21. 37.The verie which thing Chriſt ſéemed to doe: not as though this was neceſſarie for him, but becauſe he might giuegive an example vntounto miniſters. In the night ſeaſon hée gaue himſelfe to praiers vppon the mount and was conuerſant with his father: & deſcēding from them in the morning vntounto the Temple, taught thoſe things which hée had heard of his Father. And Paul wrote vntounto Timothie, 1. Tim. 3. 16.that he ſhould attend vntounto reading: not for anie other cauſe than for that he ſhould drawe out of the holie Scriptures thoſe things which hée was to preach: and by that meanes ſaue both himſelfe and alſo them which ſhould heare him. And if they bée the miniſters of Chriſt, they ought to ſubmit themſelues altogether vntounto him, The Miniſters muſt be no Lords or Tyrants but Stewardes. 1. Pet. 5. 3. 1. Cor. 4. 1. 1. Pet. 5. 3.Not to beare dominion ouer the Cleargie or people of God: which thing Peter did expreſlie forbid. For they are ſhewed to be ſtewards and diſpoſers not ouerrulers or Tyrants. And Peter declared that they ought rather to bee patternes to the flocke, which is to be vnderſtood as touching the ſoundneſſe of doctrine and example of life. And when they heare themſelues to be the miniſters of Chriſt, let them conſider that they doe not their owne worke, They doe not their owne worke but the Lords.but the worke of the Lord. So that it behooueth that they ſhewe themſelues to be more attentiue in thoſe affaires than if they ſhould deale in their owne.
26 Furthermore they be called diſpoſers of the myſteries of God. 1. Cor. 4. 1.And a myſterie we diſtribute into the worde of God, How a myſtrey is diſtinguiſhed. What fellowſhips Oeconomy hath.and ſacraments. Oeconomie [or houſeholde gouernment] as appeareth by Ariſtotles Politikes hath three ſocieties: namelie of a huſbande and Wife, of a Parent and children, of a Lorde and Seruants: Which degrées are alſo founde in the Church which is the houſeholde of Chriſt. And whereas the gouernor of a houſe hath certaine inſtruments which be without ſoule and be voide of reaſon: as be féeldes, paſtures vineyardes, heardes of cattel, and flockes, of the which it behooueth him to hauehave a care: he hath alſo inſtruments which both hauehave life and are capable of reaſon; of which kinde be ſeruants, in the inſtructing of whom (as the learned gouernours of houſeholds hauehave taught) a great deale of diligence muſt be beſtowed. Craſſus ſaide in Plutarch, Craſſus.that other things maie be gouerned by other men, but the maſter himſelfe muſt take héede vntounto the Seruaunts that they bée righlie inſtructed: Wherefore Craſſus himſelfe would bée preſent when they ſhoulde be taught. But our gouernours of houſeholde, How worthy and excellent a charge the Paſtors of Chriſts Church hauehave.which be rulers of the familie of Chriſt, are to care for liuing inſtruments, to wit, the ſeruaunts of Chriſt, [which] not onelie be reaſonable creatures, but are alſo citizens of the kingdome of heauen, being redéemed by the bloud of the Lord. So as it appertaineth to them to deale both verie warelie & diligentlie. And their actions maie thus be deſcribed. Firſt come they which are to bee adopted together into the familie of Chriſt. The actions or workes which theſe men are to exerciſe in the houſehold.It is the part of the gouernour of the houſehold to chaſtiſe and inſtruct them in the faith. Further he baptiſeth them which is the cogniſance of the houſehold. Afterwarde he inſtructeth them of their vocation, and teacheth that according to their ſtate and degrée, they ſhould indeuour to be beneficiall to their brethren: And he commaundeth that they ſhould do ſome certaine worke leaſt they be idle. And becauſe warres and temptations be imminēt, he miniſtreth armour: namelie, the word of God; and with the meate of the communion he confirmeth and ſtrēgtheneth them to the battell. Wheruppon Cyprian in his firſt booke the ſecond Epiſtle, Cyprian.iudged that vntounto them which were fallen, and had repented them when as perſecution was nowe at hand, the communion ſhoulde be reſtored, that ſo they might be the ſtronger to make warre: And he ſaith: Howe can we thinke them meete for the cup of Martyrs, whom we ſhall not admit to drink the cup of the Lordes bloud? Alſo the miniſters of Chriſt ſhall miniſter liuelihoode vntounto them that be poore, Miniſters muſt kéepe hoſpitalitie.of the Church goods and of the ſtore of oblations which the faithfull doe giuegive. Hoſpitalitie kept néere the Temples.The Elders in times paſt had néere vntounto the Temples manie Hoſpitals, where the poore were nouriſhed, not vntounto idlenes, but that they ſhould ſerue to good & godlie occupations, 1. Theſ. 4. 11. The end of the Oeconomy of the Church.& that if their ſtrength would ſerue, They ſhould labour with their hands, according to the doctrine of Paul.
27 The end of this houſeholde gouernment is appointed, that in them which belong vntounto the familie ſhould be reſtored the Image of GOD welnéere cleane defaced through ſinne. For which cauſe the Apoſtle wrote vntounto the Epheſians, Eph. 4. 22.that they ſhould laie awaie the olde man, which is corrupted according to the concupiſcences, and ſhould be renued in the ſpirit of the minde, putting on the new man, which is created according to God in righteouſneſſe and holines of truth. Neither is it otherwiſe which is written to the Coloſſians: Col. 3. 8. The wiſe gouernour wil miniſter according to the capacitie of the hearers 1. Cor. 3. 2.and the wiſe gouernour of a houſehold will vſe his indeuour that all things maie be ordered according to the receiuers capacitie: ſo as they which hauehave néed of milke may hauehave it diſtributed vntounto them, and they which ſhall hauehave néede of ſtrong meate, he will ſet the ſame before them. Finallie, His part is to exclude the vnpure liuers, and vponupon repentance to receiue them againe.he will bée carefull that they which liue vnpurelie and naughtilie ſhall be excluded from his houſeholde, and that if they repent themſelues, he maie againe receiue thē. And all things that we hauehave ſpoken of hée will doe, not at his owne pleaſure, but according to the will of the Lorde, He muſt change nothing that the Lord hath commanded Leuit. 10. 1 Examples Numb. 16.who would hauehave nothing to be chaunged of thoſe things that he hath preſcribed. Nadab and Abiu which offered ſtrange fire, were conſumed by the ſame. Core, Dathan, & Abiron would otherwiſe hauehave doone than was appointed by God: and they periſhed miſerablie. And King Ozias who againſt ye law would adminiſter the holie function, 2. Chron. 26. 16.was taken with the leproſie. He muſt not hinder himſelfe with other buſineſſe. 2. Tim. 2. 4Hée alſo that entreth into this office muſt take héed yt he hinder not himſelfe with other cares and buſineſſe, as Paul ſaith vntounto Timothie. No man being in the warfare of God troubleth himſelfe with the buſineſſe of this life. This function is of ſo great moment, as it requireth the whole man. Neither ſhall he doe a little that ſhall be able to performe this as he ought to doe. Ariſtotle.Ariſtotle in his firſt booke of Politikes ſaith, that euerie one inſtrument is méete for one only worke: One inſtrument for one workeWherefore it is not méete for the miniſters of Chriſt to plaie the part of ſouldiers, huntſmen, Marchauntes, or Marriners. Further it is to be noted, that ſéeing they bée called the miniſters of Chriſt, they ought in anie wiſe to be diſtinct from others. Which thing Iohn Baptiſt verie wel diſtinguiſhed when hee ſaide: Iohn. 1. 26.My ſelfe baptiſe you with water, but hee ſtandeth in the middeſt of you whom ye know not, There muſt be put a difference betwéene Chriſt & his miniſters. Iohn. 1. 6. They muſt not liue idely.hee ſhall baptiſe you with the ſpirite and fire. And Iohn the Euangeliſt wiſely did put a difference betwéene Chriſt and his forerunner, when he ſaide: He was not the light, but that he might beare witneſſe of the light. Neither is it the part of miniſters to liue idlelie: for they be hired to labour in the vineyarde, Matt. 20. 1.to the ende that they maie afterwarde hauehave their reward, which they ſhould the oftener hauehave reſpect vntounto ſéeing they exerciſe a worke, both troubleſome to the fleſh and full of labour. But in the meane time, while we liue here, there is no cauſe why they ſhould dreame of a better eſtate than either ye Apoſtles or Chriſt himſelf had experiēce of in their miniſterie. They muſt not expect better fortune than the Apoſtles had. 1. Cor. 4. 13 Act. 17. 18. Act. 22. 22. Matt. 9. 24. & 34. Ibid. 12. 29. Ibid. 26 67 Iohn. 8. 59. Luk. 4. 29.The Apoſtles were accōpted as ye ofſcourings of the world. Paul boaſted that he was reuyled as a babler, and was reported of the Iewes to be vnworthie to liue, as though he were an ofſcooring and hainous offendour. And was not Chriſt derided in euerie place? there was no want of contumelies and reproches. They roſe againſt him with ſtones. They indeuored to caſt him downe headlong from the mount. Oftentimes they would hauehave laide holde vppon him, whom at the laſt when they had taken, they crucified with great ignominie. The ſame lotte muſt they looke for: becauſe it is enough for the ſcholer to be like his Maſter, Mat. 10. 25and the ſeruant if he be as his Lord.
28 They be called the diſpenſers of the giftes of God, Looke part 4 p. 12. Act. 15. They are not called ſacrifices, or ſacrificing prieſtsbut not ſacrificers or ſacrificing Prieſtes: not that all kinde of ſacrifices be taken awaie from them. For praiſes and confeſſions (by the which the goodneſſe and merciemercy of God is declared) are an acceptable ſacrifice of God. No leſſe are praiers, What be the ſacrifices of the miniſters of the Church.confeſſion of ſinnes, offering of Almes, and repentance (by which the heart is made contrite and humble) and finallie the ſacrifice of our owne bodies, which we offer vp vntounto God as a liuelie and reaſonable ſacrifice: we denie not but that theſe things are done by the miniſters of the Church. And laſt of all it is a ſacrifice, whereby vnbeléeuing people are brought vntounto Chriſt, as it is plainlie ſhewed in the xv. Rom. 15. 16Chapter of the Epiſtle to the Romans: in the which Euangelicall miniſtration the Miniſters of Chriſt are moſt of all buſied. But the fauourers of ſuperſtitions brag that they ſacrifice the ſonne of God, which is moſt abſurde: The miniſters do not ſacrifice the ſon of God. Heb. 10. 14bicauſe Chriſt offered vp himſelf, nor néeded he another Prieſt. By one oblation did he finiſh and make perfect whatſoeuer was to be done for our redemption. Nor méete it is that man ſhould be had as a ſacrificer in ſo great an oblatiō. For it behooueth alwaies that he which offereth, be either equall or more excellent than the thing that is offered: which we to imagine of our ſelues, being compared vntounto Chriſt, is plaine ſacriledge. Further howe can we offer the ſonne of God, ſéeing he is perpetuallie in the ſight of his father, where he is our propitiation and our Aduocate? 1. Iohn. 2. 1.But if by ſacrifice, they vnderſtand thankeſgiuing for his death, and bicauſe he would giuegive his bodie to be crucified & his blood to be ſhed for our ſaluation, ſuch a ſacrifice we will not denie to be offered to God in the Lordes Supper aſwel by the Miniſter of the Church, as alſo by all them that ſtand by. And happilie the Fathers after this manner vnderſtoode this worde To Sacrifice, What ye fathers ment by the word To ſacrifice The fathers are not to be commended for vſing of this word. Cyprian.which in their writings they often vſe: albeit I maie not commend their aduiſe, ſéeing thereof is growen an intollerable abuſe. Neither muſt we forget that offerings were accuſtomed to be done by the faithfull when they approched to the Supper of the Lorde, as Cyprian moſt plainelie witneſſeth. And of theſe oblations, there is mention made in the Collectes which are read after the Offertorie in the Maſſe. But of theſe things elſe where. Onelie this warning we woulde giuegive, leaſt it ſhould be thought that they are called the Miniſters of Chriſt, bicauſe in the Maſſe they ſacrifice his bodie and blood vntounto God the father.
29 As to the reſt. It is required in Stewardes That euerie one be found faithfull: 1. Cor. 4. 2. Miniſters muſt be found faithful and prudent. A gouernor of a houſe ought to be prudent and wiſe Mat. 24. 45.The Apoſtle requireth not the eloquence of the world, Nobilitie, Fauour, the power of Kings, but a faithfull adminiſtration onelie. VntoUnto this Chriſt added, Wiſedome: when he ſaid in Matthew: A faithfull ſeruant and a wiſe whom the Lord hath ſet ouer his familie. Howbeit theſe two qualities be ſo ioined in themſelues, as the one of neceſſitie followeth the other. Neither ſhall the ſeruant eſcape frée, if he behaue himſelfe otherwiſe than is preſcribed vntounto him, ſéeing in the Goſpell we reade, Ib. ver. 48.that If the ſeruant when his Lord ſhall delaie his comming, waxe cruell to his fellow ſeruantes, ſo as he ſtriketh them and oppreſſe them with tyrannie, the Lord ſhall come at a time vnlooked for, and ſhall deſtroie and ſlaie him, and appoint his part with Hypocrites, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Alſo of the wiſe and prudent houſholder, Mat. 13. 52we hauehave heard that he bringeth out of his treaſurie things both new and olde. Euen ſo he that maketh a banquet for the flock of Chriſt, ſetteth before them both the newe and olde Teſtament, that he maie daintilie and plentifullie féede them. The goodman of the houſe hath both newe fruites, and laieth vp alſo in ſtore for manie yéeres.
Miniſters muſt weigh the circumſtances.30 And it verie much furthereth the wiſe and faithfull gouerning of the Lordes buſineſſe, if the Miniſter hauehave alwaies circumſtances before his eyes. Let him firſt of all conſider what himſelfe is. He is not a priuate man. Wherefore let him ſet apart his owne proper affections. The Miniſter of Chriſt is a publike perſon, wherby it is conuenient that in the Church he ſhould doe the buſineſſe of God with ſingular grauitie. Againe let him take héede what he hath taken in hand to deale in, namely the word of God and Sacramentes of Chriſt, which to hauehave corrupted or falſelie to hauehave taught is a grieuous ſinne. And let him no leſſe conſider, who they be which are committed vntounto him: for they be no vulgar men, but the ſonnes of God, the ſhéepe of Chriſt redéemed by his blood. It behoueth alſo that he hauehave conſideration of the time, and that he obſerue the opportunitie of time, in which he iudgeth that he maie the more conuenientlie attaine his purpoſe. And although he ought to deale as the Apoſtle hath commanded in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, 2. Tim. 4. 2.yet neuertheleſſe he muſt indeuour with great diligence, that he ouerſlip not occaſion. Alſo he muſt throughly weigh and conſider with himſelfe for what cauſe he hath entered into or doeth ſuſtaine the charge which he hath, and beware that he ſerue not in the Church in reſpect of gaine: but rather follow that which Paul ſaide in the latter Epiſtle to the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 12. 14.We ſeeke not the things which be yours, but you: for children muſt not laie vp treaſure for their parentes, but the parentes for their children. Therefore (ſaieth he) I will offer my ſelfe and will be offered for your ſoules. Ouer this, reſpect muſt be had vntounto the maner and forme wherein he ſhall doe it, which maie not otherwiſe be taken in hand, than of this purpoſe, that prouiſion ſhould chiefelie be made for all thoſe that come vntounto his Church.
31 And thoſe things which we hauehave now ſpoken as touching the worde of God, our meaning is that they ſhoulde be vnderſtoode in the ſame maner of the Sacraments. Firſt concerning himſelfe, let him repent for his ſinnes without which this life is not led: and let him ſo refraine from thoſe groſſer ſort of vices for the which the holie ſcripture commandeth That we ſhould not once communicate in common bread, 1. Cor. 5. 11much leſſe in the Sacramentes with ſuch as ſhall be guiltie of theſe vices, leaſt he ſhould procure deſtruction to himſelfe and offence to others. And let him weigh with himſelfe the nature and dignitie of myſteries, leaſt he ſhould thinke that he giueth the Bread, Wine, or Water as bare elementes of the world. Neither let him delaie to ſearch out and throughly to knowe them vntounto whom he muſt diſtribute the Sacramentes: that if ſo be he ſhall perceiue them to be dogges, he maie remoue them from him; but if they be godlie and ſuch as feare God, let him inuite them and perſuade them thereunto. As touching the time alſo, let him take ſuch order as hee ſuffer not his flocke to want their foode of the Communion during the whole yéere: as though it were lawfull for them to communicate at Eaſter onelie: And let him take héede that he be not conſtrained to the adminiſtration of the ſacraments either of a cuſtome, or that he doe it not onelie for auoiding of accuſation, or for filthie luker ſake. And finallie let him retaine and kéepe the forme which hee knoweth to be taught him by the Lorde out of the Scriptures. 1. Cor. 11. 24.Which is not obſerued by them, who, whereas Chriſt hath inſtituted, that we ſhould take, eate and drinke, they hauehave bin more diligent to hang vp the bread conſecrate by them; to ſet it forth to be worſhipped, to proſtitute the ſame to an infinite number of ſuperſtitions. Chriſt inſtituted a common ſupper: but they with their liftings vp, and bearings about, make a ſhewe of the ſame, Math. 26. 27.worthie to be laughed at. Chriſt ſaid of the Cup, Take and drinke you all thereof: but they driue the laitie from the Cup. Chriſt ſaid: 1. Cor. 11. 24.This doe: but they beſides hauehave added manie things which doe make to ſuperſtition. So as they neither faithfullie nor yet wiſelie adminiſter the holie Sacraments.
How greatly in the Popedome they erre from the faithfull miniſterie.32 If at this daie vnderunder the kingdome of Antichriſt, ſome godlie man ſhould come vntounto a ſacrifycing Prieſt, and ſaie vntounto him: I pray thée ſaie a Maſſe for me, but ſo as I may plainelie vnderſtand the confeſſion of ſinnes and abſolution: Expound vntounto me the praiſes of God which thou haſt at the enterance of the Maſſe, and the Himme, and Gloria in excelſis, in ſuch ſort as I maie togither with thée both magnifie God & giuegive him thankes: neither hide thou from me the meaning of thy prayers, ſo that I maie anſwere Amen. Teach me the Epiſtle and the Goſpell, that thereby I maie learne wholeſome doctrine and admonition of thée: let vsus pronounce together the Créede of the Catholike faith: and when thou commeſt to the bleſſing or conſecration of the myſteries, put me not backe, for bicauſe thoſe wordes doe alſo pertaine vntounto me, and euen in the breaking of the bread, and drinking of the Cup, communicate thou with me, that finallie we may giuegive thankes togither vntounto our God: and for as much as thou haſt no want neither of wealth nor foode, all this as thou haſt fréely receiued; ſo beſtowe thou fréelie vponupon me. He that ſhall craue theſe and the like things of a Maſſing Prieſt, I beſéech you after what ſort ſhall he be intertained of him? He ſhall be excluded with taunts of Lutheraniſme, and ſhall be vncourteouſlie railed vponupon with the reproche of hereſie. But let there come in like maner another man, which woulde ſaie: Go to, I muſt hunt to daie, but bicauſe this being the Lordes daie, I will not be without the Sacrament, take this money to thée, and now betimes in the morning ſay Maſſe for mée, and diſpatch thou forthwith and with all ſpéede: beléeue me there will be no delaie made by the Maſſing Prieſt. Doeſt thou thinke, that this is to doe the faithfull part of a Miniſter in ſuch ſort as the Apoſtle hath now commanded? I thinke not. On the otherſide heare what example of faithfulneſſe the Miniſters of our time hauehave. Againſt … reſidences.Some one of them hath thrée or foure Pariſhes, and is not able to take the charge of all, yea rather he will not dwell at one of them, but be abſent the greater part of the yéere as long as he can from them all. In the meane time if a man reproue him, he ſaieth, that he hath appointed another there in his place. But this ſo faithfull a Miniſter conſidereth not that Chriſt, when he was by his comming and death to redéeme mankinde, did ſend none in his place, nor ſubſtitute an other vntounto the Croſſe in his ſtead. He himſelfe came, he himſelfe labored, he himſelfe died for vsus. Might we hauehave God, and cannot hauehave his vicars to attend vponupon the office committed vntounto them? They ſaie it is lawfull for them, ſo that they liue within any vniuerſitie or Schoole, whereby they maie procure vntounto themſelues good arts and learning. Iohn. 2…. 15.But Chriſt when he ſaide vntounto Peter, Feede my ſheepe, excepted no ſuch thing. But and if they ſhall not bee as yet meete and ſufficientlie learned, they ought not to take the charge of a paſtor in the Church. Perhappes they thinke it ſufficient for them if they hauehave the vocation, title, and poſſeſſion. But this is to plaie maſking and counterfeit parts. For it behooueth, 1. Cor. 4.….as the Apoſtle teacheth that the Rulers of Churches ſhould both miniſter faithfully and faithfully diſpence the myſteries of God, that is, the ſacraments.
33 There be thrée things then required vntounto the lawfull miniſter of a Church. Thrée thinges required to a lawful Miniſter of the Church.The firſt is, that the Paſtor ſhould be iuſtlie called: ſecondlie, that he ſhould féede in verie déede: laſt of all, that he ſhould doe it faithfullie and with great diſcretion. I ſpeake not of the ſinceritie of life (which is required to be more than ordinarie) both bicauſe it ought to be common vntounto all Chriſtians, and alſo that all men vnderſtand how neceſſarie it is. I paſſe ouer alſo of how ſmall faithfulneſſe they be of, which hide the gifts that God hath beſtowed vponupon them, and will not communicate them with others: for bicauſe theſe men are ſufficientlie condemned in the parable of Chriſt vnderunder the perſon of that ſeruant which buried in the ground the Talent that was committed vntounto him. Mat. 25. 24Neither doeth he leſſe vnfaithfullie deale, who hath made the graces which he hath obtained of God ſo proper vntounto himſelfe, as he aſcribeth them not vntounto God: and he that is ſuch a one, Chryſoſt. A ſimilitudeis by Chryſoſtome compared vntounto him that receiuing a purple robe of the king to be kept, neuertheleſſe was bolde to weare the ſame as his owne garment. Doubtleſſe ſuch a one ſhall be accounted guiltie of treaſon. So that if we will be faithfull vntounto God, we muſt aſcribe all good things vntounto him. In the Actes, Acts. 3. 12.Peter ſaid of the lame man which was alreadie healed by him. Ye maruell as though we of our owne power hauehave healed this man, when as the God of Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob would glorifie his ſonne Ieſus. VntoUnto this faith alſo it belongeth that A good Paſtor euen as Chriſt did, Ioh. 10. 11.ſhould giuegive his life for his ſheepe, Touching the flying away of miniſters.which in perill muſt not be forſaken, vnleſſe perhaps the perſecution ſhall be of a particular Paſtor: for which cauſe it was lawfull for Athanaſius to flie bicauſe of the crueltie of the wicked prince, for ſo much as in the Church of Alexandria there were verie manie which coulde miniſter in his place. Auguſtine vntounto Honoratus in his 180. Auguſtine.Epiſtle diſputeth at large of flying awaie. And furthermore manie things harde ynough hath Tertullian, the which are not at this time in this place to be recited. The dutie of a Paſtor is, ſo faithfullie to behaue himſelfe, that through his default he maie not ſuffer the leaſt ſéelie ſhéepe (though it be an abiect) to periſh in the Church. He rather ought to followe Chriſt, Mat. 18. 11.who ſaide, that He came to ſeeke that which was loſt, and to ſaue that which had periſhed. Chriſt is preſēt with his miniſters, & reuēgeth their iniuries.And in theſe excellent actions, Chriſt forſaketh not good Paſtors, he defendeth them, & oftentimes reuengeth for their ſakes with great ſeueritie. We knowe how diſpleaſinglie he tooke it that Samuel was reiected, 1. Sam. 8. 7.he reuenged that iniurie, and in his furie gaue the people a king, vnderunder whom they liued in ſmall felicitie. And he that ſhall peruſe the Hiſtories [ſhal finde] that they were ſore afflicted vnderunder the greateſt part of the kings. 1. Sam. 22. 18.And when as Saul in the Citie of Noba had ſlaine manie of the Prieſts, 1. Sa. 31. 4he alſo with his ſonne Ionathas vponupon Mount Gelboa lamentablie periſhed. God reuenged Moſes and Aaron, Numb. 16.and executed vnaccuſtomed puniſhmentes vponupon them that conſpired againſt him. So we ſée likewiſe that the Iewes which ſiue Chriſt the high Prieſt, and did ill intreate his Apoſtles, were throwen headlong into deſtruction.