THe words perhaps may not unfitly be termed , The Consecration of S. Peter into his Apostleship : or more properly , the renewing of his Commission , which by denying his Master he had foully defaced and forfeited . The Text in it selfe is very cleare , the sense obvious and easie ; no word , no phrase obscure or ambiguous . S. Peter had three times denied his Lord , and forsworne him : which in such a prime Apostle , such a confident Professor , so great a zelote , ( Though all should denie thee , yet will not I , ) was a sin very shamefull , damnable , and scandelous . But our Lord is infinite in compassions , and no sinne is unpardonable to a penitent , and S. Peter had seriously and sadly repented ; Hee wept bitterly : and I doubt not his heart ble 〈…〉 fast as his eyes . Therefore the Lord lookes upon him with mercy ; not onely pardons his fault , but admits him againe into his favour , and here by a publique solemne act restores him againe to that degree and dignity from which hee was falne .

But before his admission , his Master thinkes meet to examine him , and the more to oblige him to his service , he first requires him to give satisfaction for the scandall which hee had given , and as hee had thrice renounced him , so thrice againe to protest his ardent affection and love unto him . Saint Peters fall had taken downe his pride , and taught him the vanity and feeblenesle of a strong presumption . Hee now answers his Master with no lesse zeale , but with more modestie . Christ askes him , I ovest thou mee more then these ? A galling question , secretly and sweetly taxing his former confidence . Peter understands him , and humbly replyes , Lord thou knowest all things , thou knowest that I love thee . I dare say my love is true and sincere , I dare not say it is strong and steddie , lest a second slip confute and betray me . And having thrice repeated this protestation ( and so often recanted his former denyall ) our Lord honors him a new with his ancient charge , puts him againe in his commission , and for his comfort here thrice repeats it : If thou lovest me , ( and as thou lovest me , ) Feed my I ambes feed my sheepe , feed my sheepe . ●●o , I commend to thy care and custody ( together with the rest of thy brethren ) that which I have most deare and precious , my Sheepe , my people , my Church : and therefore see thou looke well to thy duty , be faithfull in thine office , with all care and conscience , with all diligence and discretion , with all wisdome and fidelitie ; labour effectually to plant and propagate my Gospell , to inlarge my Kingdome , to win and gather soules unto me ; helpe to cherish and nourish them by wholsome doctrine , by a holy and exemplarie life , by good discipline . For loe , have not I called thee to this charge ? and art not thou a Pastor ? and are not they sheepe ? and my sheepe , not thine owne ? all pressing arguments to move thee to hate and abandon all carnall corrupt affections , ambition , covetousness , vaine-glory , tyranny in this holy worke , and with a constant cheerfulnesse to attend my service and thy Ministery . Iesus said unto him , feed my Sheepe .

Iesus said unto Peter , but how ? To Peter in particular , or as Prince of the rest ? exclusively and privatively to all the other Apostles ? No : the solemnity of this threefold repetition seemes peculiar to Peter , as a salve to his threefold abjuration ; but sure the charge is generall to all the Apostles , and their dignity and duty in all regards equall : & though our Lord here speake onely to Saint Peter , yet he meanes it not to S. Peter onely . For in the former Chap. the same Commission which here he repeats to Peter , as his particular case required , he gives promiscuously and indifferently to all the Apostles , and to all their lawfull Successours , Bishops and Pastors : As my Father sent mee so send Ioh 20. 21 , 23. I you : — Whos 's soever sinnes ye remit they are remitted & whose ye retain . — And elsewhere in more large and ample termes , a little before he left the world ; Goe into all the world , Mat. 28. 19 Mar. 16. 15 teach all Nations , Preach the Gospel to every creature ; — delivering the same power and office which here in other words hee delivers to Saint Peter , Feed my sheepe .

This is the plaine and proper and native meaning of the words ; and thus the ancient Catholike Church for many ages , without seruple or question , made this and no other construction of my Text. For those worthies of the Primitive times were wont to bring onely learning and a good conscience to the expounding of Scripture , laying aside all passion and priuate interest ; and they were content to take such a sense as the holy Text offered , not daring to bring or make a new sense of their owne , such as might suit with their desire or fantasie . But the following Ages lost by degrees first conscience , then learning , and at length all modesty .

The first Bishops of Rome for many yeares , good soules , thought more of their Martyrdome then of any Monarchy . They truly succeeded Peter , in his holinesse , in his fidelity , in his humility ; and receiued this precept from Christ our Master plainly , as he intended it , and with an honest simple mind accordingly applied themselves to feed his sheepe .

After a while , when the warme favour of the times had somewhat kindled their hopes and ambition , though they began to nourish great and boundlesse thoughts , and had an itching desire to inlarge their fringes ; yet at first they were reasonably moderate in their pretensions : partly out of their owne ingenuity ( for they lost not all shame at once ; ) and partly by reason of that stout and free opposition which upon any attempt or invasion , they found in the Easterne and Africane Churches , which began quickly to be jealous of Romes growing greatnesse . They claimed onely a precedency or a primacy , not any supremacy , a primacy of order , or at most of honour , not of power , among their Brethren , not over them : Some contestations they had with Bishops , none with Emperors . For they medled yet onely with the keyes , not with the swords ; and confessed all the power they had or challenged , to be meerely purely spirituall , for the conduct and benefit of soules : nothing at all directly or indirectly temporall . And to fortifie all this claime , whatsoever it was , they were content to found it upon the majestie of their Sea , being the peerlesse Imperiall Citie , upon the Charters and Patents of Princes , upon the pietie and sound faith of their Predecessors , upon the generall and just consent of Christendome , which had assigned them a prime place among other Patriarches , in all Synods and Assemblies . But their foreheads were yet too soft to plead any Scriptures for their pretensions , or to derive their primacy from divine institution . They beganne indeed to lay too violent hands , and to put upon the racke those passages , Tues Petrus and Dabo tibi claves , and this , Pasce oves in my Text : but it was featfully and with reluctation of conscience , with no purpose , or with no hope to wring from them those horrible consequences , which in succeeding times they were forced to countenance .

But when once the Prince of darknesse had overwhelmed all Europe with a blacke night of fatall ignorance , when he had banished all good letters , learning , and languages , when hee had silenced the Scriptures , and hood-winkt the world ; then his work of darknesse went on apace , and the mystery of iniquity was quickly advanced to that formidable height , which at this day we see and lament . Then began his Vicar at Rome to Pope it in earnest , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to appeare in his colours , in his triple Crowne , his two keyes in the one hand , his two swords in the other , and who but He ? He must now be saluted Head and Spouse of the Church universall , a * * See M. ●●d●l against Wadesworth , cap. 4. p. 77 &c Vice-God upon earth , his judgement is infallible , his jurisdiction infinite , and his Monarchy boundlesse , inclosing all Churches and Kingdomes : all Bishops are but his Curates , and all Kings his vassals ; and in few words , all Nations must worship this Idoll . For of him was meant that in Ieremie , Gens & regnum quod non servierit Ier. 27. illi , eradicabitur , The people or nation that will not serve him must be rooted out . And good reason ; for he is Dominus Deus noster Papa ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , no more a mortall . And the better to set out this Pageant unto the people , not onely some shapes and shadowes of old Fathers and Councils ; but the Scripture it selfe , our Lord Christ , and S. Peter are brought upon the stage , and forced to doe reverence unto the Pope . For since Hildebrand and Boniface 8. this Papall Monarchy is no longer a likely opinion , or a disputable probleme , or an ancient tradition or prescription ; but t is now an indubitable article of the Creed , a fundamentall point of religion , nay * * Bell. 〈…〉 de R P. Summa rei Christianae , the onely necessary truth ; and Subesse Rom. Pontifici est de necessitate salutis , Whosoever beleeves not in Iesus Christ , and in the Pope , cannot be saved .

That our poore Forefathers in the times of ignorance , should be abused and amased with these holy frauds , we wonder not , but we pitie them rather . For alas , though they wanted not eies , yet they wanted light to discover these impostures and tromperies . But it exceeds all marvell , that yet at this day in this age of light and learning , these horrible Paradoxes should be still obtruded upon the Christian World : and ( which exceeds all impietie ) the Scripture it selfe abused to guild this Idoll , to colour this monstrous domination of the Pope , and so the God of truth , the word of truth constrained to countenance a thicke and palpable lie . For you know how Baronius , Bellarmine , and the rest of that bran , now plead for this Monarchie , not any longer out of the Decretall Epistles , or Constantines donation , ( old Knights of the Post that were wont to depose for the Pope ; ) but out of the sacred Tables of holy Writ . Wherein though there bee not one word or ●●llable , to or fro , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec vola nec vestigium , of the Pope or his power , ( ●ave onely as hee is Antichrist : ) yet these men with rare wit and skill have observed many new Mysteries in the New Testament , and plainly ( a thing unknowne to all former generations ) see the Pope in many passages of the Text , which I dare sweare the holy Euangelists and Apostles never saw nor intended .

They discourse with much learning , of S. Peter and of his prerogatives : how our Lord appointed him soveraigne Bishop of the Catholique Church , and left him his Lieutenant upon earth ; planting in him a transcendent supereminent power of binding , losing , feeding , &c. which power other Bishops have not immediately from Christ , but from S. Peter and by his delegation . Well , grant all this to be as true as it is all false : but what followes ? Iam dic ●osthume de tribus capellis ; What s all this to the Pope ? Why , yes ; S. ●eter was Bishop of Rome , and there he died , and bequeathed all this soveraignty , all these priviledges to the Bishops of Rome his Successors . So then ; they talke much of S. Peter , but they meane the Pope . Gregory Nazianzene quotes a witty proverbe out of Herodotus , which fits our purpose ; Vestem hanc Histiaeus Orat. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . n●mero 4. quidèm consuit , induit autèm Aristagoras : Peter must make this coat , but the Pope must weare it . As he in the Orator extolled eloquence to the heavens , that himselfe might bee advanced with it ; so here , all these praises of S. Peter are intended for the Pope : the businesse is his , though Peter must beare the name . Here is nothing sowne or reaped , I wis , for Peter , unlesse onely this , He that lived and died a poore Apostle , is after his death crowned a Monarch ; but the Crowne fits the Popes head better then his , and t is therefore set upon him onely by way of ceremony , and hee comes in onely as a mute person upon the stage , to make roome for the Pope , and solemnly to lead him in by the hand . And here all the passages betweene Christ and Peter , all the words of the one , all the actions of the other are examined with a curious scrupulosity , and all at length by the helpe of two or three syllogismes make clearly for the Popes advantage .

I need not tell you what good stuffe these good wits have extracted out of those other words , Dabo tibi claves , and Oravi pro te , Petre : not to goe farre , my Text is a most memorable example of their singular wit and dexteritie in abusing of Scripture . Mirth is unseasonable in discourses of moment ; and for a Christian to laugh at blasphemy is to approve it : it beseemes him much better to lament it with teares of bloud . My Text , I confesse , is very rich and plentifull in the sense , and ( as by and by we shall see ) will readily offer us much excellent matter of Christian meditation and discourse . But the collections which they of the Popes side have drawne from hence , are such and so frivolous , that they are much more capable to move the spleene ( if the gravitie of the matter permitted ) then the judgement ; and are more properly confuted with a smile , then with any strength of reason .

Here is one word in the Text pasce which the Cardinall Bellarmine hath so extended between his teeth , that it hath a belly as large and fruitfull as the Trojane horse , including whole armies of arguments for the Pope . The Pope can desire nothing which this word will not give him . He pretends to be a King as well as a Bishop , and sayes his temporall power is as wide and broad as his spirituall . And t is true , sayes Bellarmine , for Christ said to S. Peter , Pasce , id est , Regio more impera ; play the Rex . In the ancient Church when any heresie disturbed the publique truth and peace , a grave assembly of Bishops was called , and the Booke of God fairly laid open in the midst , and out of it were all doubts determined . Now , Scriptures and Councills are needlesse : for the Pope claimes to be supreame Iudge of all Controversies . And * * Lib. 4. de Rom. P. cap. 1. Bellarmine thinkes the claime to be well grounded upon this pasce in my Text. And t is a great wonder , the Pope was never thought infallible in his judgement , till this last Age , since this * * Ibid. c. 3. pasce implies that also so clearly . And if the Heretiques doe not beleeve that he hath power to make new Articles of Faith , and when they cry shame upon Pope Pius the 4. for adding twelve new Articles to the old Apostles Creed ; t is because they are ignorant and know not what pasce signifies . Briefly , this one word containes more matter then al the Bible besides : it works miracles , and makes the Pope omnipotent ; gives him all power not onely in heaven and earth , but ( where God hath nothing to doe ) in Purgatorie . For if you aske , by what authoritie he takes upon him to pardon sinnes and soules after death , to give or sell the Saints merits , to dispense with oathes , to depose Kings and dispose of their kingdomes , or if he list , to murther them : — If you looke into the Popes Lexicon , you shall find that pasce expressely denotes all this authoritie , and inables him to be not only a Prince , or a Pastor , or a Bishop , but even a Butcher .

Well : the repetition of these horrid fantasies shall bee their refutation . Iustin Martyr saith well , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a grosse errour ever caries its Iustin . M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . owne conviction in its forehead . I am sorie I have spent so much of my time and of your patience in moving this dunghill . But these weeds and thorns lay in my way , and I must needs cleare my passage . I dismisle the Popes flatterers with my pitie and my prayers , and say no more but this : If they had any feare of God , any shame of men , any reverence to Antiquitie , any feeling or care of conscience ; they would not dare thus profanely and leudly to dally with Scriptures , or presume so to colour or cover their doctrine of devils under the name of God .

Thus farre I have digressed to follow the Theeves that would steale away the sense of my Text : for so Gregory Nazianzene wittily sayes of Heretiques , that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Orat. 3 6. ●ive de T●eol . 4. And now that wee have done with the corrupt Glosse , we may goe forward , by Gods assistance , with the Text.

It containes , as we have said , the renewing of Peters commission ; wherein the parts or points observable are two ; First the authoritie of it , Iesus said unto him : Secondly , the matter or summary of it , Feed my sheepe . Our Lord first calls and inables him to his office , then directs him in it . First he gives him power to execute his charge , Iesus said unto him ; secondly , he gives him instructions how to execute it , Feed my sheepe . Of both these in order , very briefly .

For the first : Peter takes not upon himselfe the honor of the Apostleship , till he was called by Christ his Lord and God , as were the rest of his fellowes . In that calling of the Apostles , some things were personall and peculiar to themselves , others generall , concerning all their lawfull Successors , Bishops and Pastors . The Apostles had an immediate vocation from Christ in person : our calling is not of men , but t is by men : theirs neither of men nor by men . They had an universall mission , an unlimited jurisdiction , an infallible assistance of the Spirit , the gift of tongues and miracles . All these were priviledges extraordinarie , and passed with their persons . But the warrant and worke of this Commission generally and equally belongs to all us , as well as to all them : None may usurpe the charge of a Bishop or a Pastor , till Iesus say unto him , Feed my sheepe . And hence we learne two leslons of great importance and consideration .

1. The Author of all lawfull 1 vocation to the holy Ministerie , is onely Christ the Lord . Onely Christ , exclusively to all men , not to the two other Persons in the glorious Trinity , which all equally concur to this externall worke . God the Father hath placed in the Church , a a 1 Cor. 12. 28. Apostles , Prophets , Teachers , Pastors , &c. And God the b b Act. 20. 28. holy Ghost ordained the Bishops at Ephesus ; and elsewhere , c c Act. 1 3. 2. Separate me Paul and Barnabas for the worke whereunto I have called them . For it belongs onely to the d d Mat. 9. 38. Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest : and who should appoint e e Mat. 24. 45. Stewards over the House , but he who is Master of the House , Father of the family ?

This consideration must first helpe to animate our feeblenesse , and add unto us an edge and courage against all the difficulties and discouragements , which we shall meet in our holy calling . Everie good Minister must looke to bee Theologus crucis , not Theologus gloriae : when hee enters upon this warfare , hee may not dreame of an easie or lazie life , to passe his time in pompe or pleasure , like the glorious Clergie of Rome : but he must prepare to play the man , and fight it out , not onely with absurd and unreasonable men , but even with beasts , as Paul did at Ephesus , yea with devills . And therefore he must buckle himselfe to his worke , and know that hee must eate his bread , if not with the sweating of his browes , yet ( which is much sorer ) with the beating of his braines . Wherefore S. Paul wanting a word able to expresse the grievous paines of our Ministery , sets it forth in two , both very sore and heavie ones : Our calling is a a 1 Thess. 2. 9 and 2 Thess. 3. 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a labor , a travaile ; a tiring labour , a miserable travaile ; a labour like that of reapers , a travaile like that of mothers . And hence in Scripture are Ministers so often compared to Souldiers , Shepheards , Husbandmen , Nurses , — all callings of little ease : and sure the pastorall toyle in the cure of soules is no lesse then was b b Gen. 31. 40. Iacobs in the keeping of Labans sheepe , exposed to an infinity of sorrowes , vexations , slanders , contradictions . — Who then is sufficient for these things ? why , in all this our comfort may be , that it is Christ the Lord who hath called us to this office ; t is He that hath put us upon this service , and sure he that is oneris autor , will be adjutor operis , now that he hath brought us into the field , he will not forsake us : we have his promise , Loc , I am with you alwayes to the end of the world : his grace shall be sufficient for us . Wee fight his battels , and therefore we need not feare the successe . c c Luke 21. 15. Hee will give us a mouth and wisedome , against which none of our adversaries shall be able to resist : and his blessing shall make the Gospel in our mouthes the arme of the Lord , the power of God unto salvation . His Iud. 6. blessing onely ; for as when the Host of Midian was discomfited with a few pitchers and lampes , and the walls of Iericho demolished with the sound of Rammes hornes ; the power of the worke was in the first Agent , not in the weake unlikely instrument ; so here , we have nothing wherein or whereof to glory , but our infirmities , all our sufficiency is of God ; and t is by our Captaine Christ that we are more then Conquerours .

Againe , seeing it is Christ who hath put us in this Commission , and sends us upon his errand ; this must quicken us to a sollicitous care , a constant diligence and vigilance in our holy vocation . Wee shall one day bee called to a strict account for all the soules which God hath put under our charge , and woe be to us , if any of them perish through our trecherie or negligence . They shall dye in their sinnes , but their blood shall be required at our hands , and wee shal hear that terrible voice , Quintili Vare redde legiones , Tu Pastor , tu Episcope redde animas , ] Give an account of thy Stewardship ; where are my sheepe which I commanded thee to feed ? f f Lib. 6 de Sa●●rd . cap. 1. S. Iohn Chrysostome professes that the continuall feare and fright of that rigorous account put him into a continuall trembling agonie . But it wrought strangely upon g g Orat. 1. Gr. Nazianzene , it wasted his marrow , and dryed up his bones , and consumed his spirits , and in conclusion hee apprehended it so deepely , that after he had worthily laboured in three Bishoprickes successively ( the last being that of Constantinople , ) but not with such comfort and successe as hee desired , by reason of those turbulent factious times like these of ours : h h Orat. 32. at length he quitted all his honors and dignities , and retired himselfe into a private life , where he might more safely injoy God and himselfe . A faire patterne for us , reuerend Fathers and Brethren , to lay our charge to heart , and keepe well our watch over soules , that we may give up our accounts with joy and not with griefe : for that will be pernicious to us . But we shall touch againe perhaps on this point anone , if the time give leave .

2. S. Peter here doth not intrude 2 himselfe into this Commission , he assumes not this holy service til Christ his Master call him . First he is appointed and authorized , first takes his warrant , then falls to his worke . For every Minister of the Gospell must have his power and placing from heaven , and he is no lawfull messenger of God who is not called and sent by God and the Church . Some fanaticall spirits , vagrant roving carriers , new prophets , will needs bee wandring in the Church without their pasport ; new illuminates , lately dropt out of heaven , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a a Orat. 29. &c. Nazian: faith of their fellowes ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yesterday dolts , to day Doctors ; for they have all learning by revelation . They must needs be running , though they know not why or whither , when none sends them , like b b 2 Sam. 18. 22. Ahimaaz , and at length , like him , they can tell no tidings . No wonder . For c c Rom. 10. 15. how can they preach that are not sent ? and these are they of whom God speakes in Ieremy , d d Ier. 23. 21 I have not sent these Prophets , and yet they runne . But so farre is the Lord from accepting or approving the service which these voluntaries will needs force upon him , that he hath punished no sin more severely and exemplarily then this sacrilegious and saucie intrusion . K. e e 2 Chron. 26. 18. Vzziah for putting his hand to the incense , and usurping upon the Priests office , was suddenly smitten with leprosie ; and f f 2 Sam. 6. 6 Vzzah struck dead in a moment for but touching the Arke , as before him 50000 Bethshemites for but looking into it . A holy vocation is necessary to a holy function . Iesus Christ himselfe submitted himselfe to this rule ; He preached not till he was solemnly ordained by a voice from heaven , he tooke not upon himselfe the honour , till his Father called him .

Now the calling necessary to every lawfull Pastor at this day , is twofold ; one inward from God , the other outward by the Church .

The inward calling is that wherby God touches the heart of a man with a holy desire to consecrate himselfe to the service of his House , and inables him by his grace to edifie his Church by word and worke . The principall evidences of this calling are two . 1. The testimony of a mans conscience , that he enters not into holy Orders for any carnall by-respect , but onely or chiefly to honour God by his labours . And 2. a tollerable competent measure of learning , piety , zeale , discretion , wisedome , eloquence , and such other gifts requisite for the discharge of so high an office . Gods sending and gifting goe still together . He is not wont to send unto his people any headlesse or heartlesse Messengers ; His calling either findes us or makes us fit for his service . A Minister grossely ignorant , or scandalously profane goes upon his owne errand , hee may be sure God never sent him ; He never imployes such unworthie Ambassadors . And here how many amongst us abuse themselves , and mistake a rash presumption for true zeale ? How many undertake the holy Ministerie upon unholy and corrupt ends and motives ? Some to set out their plumes before the people , and to fill the gazing gaping multitude with an admiration of their empty eloquence : meere animalia gloriae , as a a De anima cap. 1. Tertullian speaketh of such , b b Apolog. c 46. fame negotiatores , and as c c Orat 27. Nazianzen , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , men that hunt applause , and like feathers lifted up farre above themselves by the breath of the people . Some to satisfie their ambition ; for t is not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the dignity , not the duty which they affect . Some ( too many ) pretending to be Physitians of the soule , intend indeed to cure their owne povertie or necessitie ; as if the Church should be a refuge for needy persons , or a sanctuary for malefactors . Many that cannot thrive in any other course of life , when they are driven to their last hopes and extremities , at last shift themselves into the coat and calling of Ministers , and he that knowes himselfe unfit in any other imployment to serve men , yet thinkes himselfe fit enough to serve God in this sacred calling . All these intruders and mercenaries shall bee sure to faile of their hopes , and shall one day receive other kinde of wages then they did expect .

Now besides this inward calling which serves onely to settle our owne conscience ; it is needfull that the Church doe externally call and install us by some publique solemnitie , before we may adventure upon the exercise of this holy function . After grave and due examination of our life and learning , if the Church of God do approve us , if by the hands of such as are in authoritie shee ordaine and admit us ; then may we lawfully and safely enter upon this holy charge , not otherwise .

Now here all our Reformed Churches are a●fronted by the Romish faction , and proudly challenged , just as the Priests of old challenged our Master Christ , a a Mat. 21. 23. Whence have you authority to teach ? and who gave you this authority ? They aske , where is our lawfull vocation ? where our orderly uninterrupted succesion from the Apostles ? and blush not to affirme ( which is one of their unwritten traditions , b b M. 〈◊〉 letters , cap. 11. and as true as Lucians true Histories , or their Homilies out of the Legend ) that our Bishops in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reigne , consecrated themselves , one another , contrary to all Canons of the ancient Church ; and thence inferre , that all our after-ordinations are pure nullities , that we have no Ministers , no Faith , no Gospell , no Sacraments . Thus of old , when Ieremy and Ezechiel went about to repair the ruines of the Church , and to purge the worship of God from unsufferable corruptions and abuses , the Priests of Israel and Iudah resisted , called for their warrant , and pretended themselves onely to be the Temple of the Lord , and that the Law of God could not depart from them . But for answer to our Adversaries , we need not say that our first Reformers had an extraordinary calling from God : we constantly affirme , that those worthy Ministers who in the age of our Fathers first beganne this glorious worke of Reformation , had that same ordinary vocation and succession whereof our adversaries vaunt so much . But that vocation which the Romish Priests abused to the dishonour of God , and the suppressing of his truth , our Reformers ( according to their dutie and conscience ) used for the reestablishing of pure doctrine . Thus Wiclif , Hus , Luther , Zuinglius , Oecolampadius , Bucer , Martyr , &c. the first purgers of the Church from Roman superstition & tyranny , were al created & ordained by the Church of Rome it selfe , Priests or Doctors of Divinitie , by an ordinary , usuall , publique vocation , and that with a solemne adjuration , that they should duly and diligently teach the truth of God in his Church according to his word . And thus in our Church of England the consecration of every Bishop hath beene still solemnly and canonically performed by three other Bishops at the least , as hath beene confessed by a a Cudsemius in viv● effigie Sectae Calvinist . cap. 11. some Papists , and b b Fr Mason de Minister . Ang proved against the lies and slanders of others out of publique and authenticall records . Now then , we demand of our Adversaries ; Hath the Church of Rome any lawfull ordinary vocation , or hath shee none ? If she have none her selfe , why is shee so scrupulous to enquire of ours ? If shee have any ; our Ministers had the same , being all at first called and ordained by her . For howsoever the Church of Rome hath adulterated and obscured her Catholique verities with intolerable superadditaments ; yet hath shee still notwithstanding power to conferre a lawfull vocation . It is the consenting judgement both of c c Con●il Nic. 1. Can. 8. Codex can . Eccl. Af●ic . can 68. H●eron di●l . adv. Luciferian . Aug tract 〈◊〉 . in Iohan. & cont. Epist Parm. l. 2. c. 13 Synod. 7. act . 1. Antiquitie and of the late b b M●g . Sent. lio. 4. dist. 25. & ibi DD. S●hol . Aqui● Suppl . qu. 38. art. 2 ●●llar ▪ de Sacr. in gen l. 1. c. 26 Romane Doctors , that heresie it selfe may infect but cannot annull ordinations , and that Clerkes ordained by hereticall Bishops are sufficiently in holy Orders , and may not bee re-ordained For whosoever bee the instrument , the principall Author of our holy charge is Christ the Lord ; upon him alone originally it depends , and from him may be conveyed by polluted hands , as the cleare water of a fountaine may passe through a filthy pipe or chanell , and though it be vitiated in the passage , yet t is not abolished . And therefore that wee may retort this crimination upon the Adversarie , albeit we confesse our Vocation to bee derived to us by the mediation of the Church of Rome , ( not by her authority ) yet we both avouch our vocation to be holy and lawfull , and challenge theirs to be sacrilegious . For in the Romane Priesthood are confusedly intermingled things holy and profane ; it is partly a Rose , partly a Nettle ; it consists of a double power , one sacred , to absolve sinners by the Ministery of reconciliation , which we embrace and retaine ; the other impious to sacrifice againe Christ Iesus in the Masse , which we reject and abominate . So then the Rose we plucke , and leave them the Nettle ; whatsoever they deliver in the name and by the commission of Iesus Christ , we humbly receive it and use it to his glorie : but for that which is authorized onely by the Popes warrant and institution , wee leave it to them who are his servants , and love to weare his liveries . BUt in this question ( as in others ) our Opposers are long since victi & triumphati , reduced to a perpetuall silence , by the learned labours of our Worthies , M. Francis c c De Minist Anglican . Mason for our Church , and for the forraigne Churches , by the noble d d De Eccles. cap ult. Mornay , e e De ●egit . vōc . Minist. Sadeel , and f f De la voca ion des P●steurs . Peter Moulin , in a just Treatise of this argument .

But being now upon this discourse of vocation , I may not wave this faire occasion , to note the rare and exemplary calling ( Sinè ambitu , more majorum , ) of that Reverend man , whose Consecration gives occasion to this meeting . But because what I now speake of him , must be spoken to him ; neither his modesty , nor mine permits mee to say much . Onely thus much I cannot forbeare : Our deare Soveraigne , his gracious Master , hath honoured not Him so much , as Himselfe and the Age , in the freedome of his noble and unexpected choice . And that elogie which Nazianzene gives to S. Basil , truly and Orat. 20. properly fits our Bishop ; he was promoted , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he did not steale or shuffle himselfe into the chaire , hee did not invade it , the honour sought and followed him , and ( though hee acknowledge a deepe obligation to many great and honourable Friends , yet ) hee owes it to no thing , to no man , but to God and the King . And thus shall it bee done to all them which truly honour God and the King ; God and the King without doubt will honour them .

Thus at length we have done with the first part of the Text , the authority of Peters commission , Iesus said unto him ; the next now followes , expressing the matter or sum of it , Feed my sheepe . A rich and copious argument , wherein it were easie to be endlesse . But because the time which remaines is not long , I will bee short , and with a light foot slip over this boundlesse field , wherein otherwise if I durst presume , I could desire to expatiate .