YOur presence (Right Reuerend Father, and beloued brethren) puts me in mind of that censure sometimes past by Haniball of Phormio the Philosopher: The Storie is related by Plutarch. This Haniball, often happie in his victories against the Romanes, hauing at length found fortune lesse friendly then he was wont: fled to Antiochus at Athens, where being brought by the Citizens to the schooles there, visendi gratia, that he might see them, one Phormio a Philosopher, (infe­riour to none of that age) for his better welcome, in­tertaines him with a Lecture full of warlicke disci­pline: This ended, euery one admiring the old mans dexteritie in so strange a facultie, The Souldier was demaunded what hee thought; who answered, [Page] Se multos quidem deliros senes vidisse, neminem tamen PHORMIONE dementiorem: That hee had surely seene many doting old men, but more then Phormio, neuer any. Et merito sane (saith Cicero) and surely he spoke to good purpose, for what could be a mat­ter of greater folly, then to see a Philosopher, who had led his life in ease, and tranquilitie, who neuer yet did see a Campe, nor behold an enemie, before so worthy a Captaine as Haniball was, absolute in knowledge, and perfect by experience, to discourse of things militarie, for the which wee are more be­holding to vse then meditation.

De meipso narratur fabula. Me thinkes I am now in as bad case, or worse, then the fond Philosopher was then: for if hee was deseruedly condemned by Haniball for speaking of warre, whereof he was alto­gether ignorant, before so warie and expert a Cap­taine, as himselfe was; what better measure can I expect from you? who hauing not yet bene inured, I cannot tell whether skilfull enough to giue foode to a flocke of mine owne, haue neuerthelesse presu­med at this time, (cald hither by him, to whom I owe my selfe) to describe a Shepheards office, and that before you, approued pastors of precious flocks, and fathers of faire families.

Especially, seeing this matter is nothing inferiour vnto that, wherein Haniball did glory, but so much the more excellent, by how much the enemie with whom wee haue to deale, is more dangerous, and deadly: neither is it to bee attained vnto, but with as much, or more experience then the other. Both [Page] the persons then before whom I am to speake, so graue and so learned; and the thing whereof, so weighty, and worthy; might iustly haue enioyned me to silence, and stayed me, so vnskilfull a Marriner from sayling in so vast an Ocean, where the rockes are great, and the dangers many; had not S. Bernard like a good Captaine thus incouraged me;Epist. 20 1. Officium tuum attende, pelle pudorem consideratione officii: Looke to thy tackling whereunto thou hast taken thy selfe, and let the consideration of thy office, bannish bash­fulnesse. And goes yet further to comfort me, Non sum (inquis) ad ista sufficiens, quasi vero deuotio accepta non sit, ex eo quod habes, non ex eo quod non habes, Ibidem. Thou sayest (saith he) I am not sufficient to discharge this, as if thy deuotion be not accepted in regard of that which thou hast, not of that which thou hast not: prepare thy selfe to make answere for the talent which thou hast receiued, and trouble thy selfe no further. Si multum accepisti, da multum, Si modicum, & id tribue. If it be much, giue much, if little, yet giue that. In that which I haue then, I promise my selfe prodigall enough, vouchsafe your acceptance, and I haue an abundant recompence.

Nonnè greges a pastoribus pascuntur? Should not the Shepheards feede their Flockes?

Bucanus setting downe the commodities which a­rise from such Synods as these, makes them two,Institu. theolog. loco 42. de Si­nodo. and the first, this: Quia quod a multis quaeritur, Facilius inuenitur: Because what is demaunded of many, is more easily found out. Loe here a question pro­pounded to you all (beloued) not by any sophisticall [Page] questionist, but by God himselfe. And as the de­mand is not very obscure, so I hope the answere is not hard; let it bee my part to explaine the former, yours to determine the latter.

Occasio.This is the one and thirtieth Sermon which our Prophet hath made against the Shepheards of Israel, who haue bene the chiefe cause why the people haue led their liues so lasciuiously, and therefore are now worthily brought to this miserie: for if they had not bene defectiue in their office, these had not bene so corrupt; The case being so, That such as the prince is, such is the people; like shepheard, like flocke; like master, like man.

Tempus.As touching the time when it was vttered, it is not here expressed: some say it was before the de­struction of the citty, when men were oppressed through the tyrannie of their rulers, and deluded by the lies of false Prophets. Saint Hierom tels vs, that those Sermons following which haue no note of time, were had betwixt the twelfth yeere, and the twentie fiue of Iechonias captiuitie: but whe­ther it was before or after, it was especially directed against the magistrates, aswell Ecclesiasticall, as Po­liticke, and in some sort also may seeme to concerne the people themselues.

Partes.The parts are fiue, first an accusation, wherin God 1 doth taxe the Shepheards of Israel for neglecting the flocke committed to them, to feede themselues: from the beginning of the first verse, vnto the ende of the sixt.

2 Secondly a commination, wherein he threatens [Page] them with the extremity of his iustice: as they haue sowen so shall they reape, and no otherwise; for in­somuch as they haue contemned him, hee will set himselfe against them: because they haue beene care­lesse in keeping his flocke, he will haue a care to call them to an account; for that they haue not waited on their office, he will depriue them of their office, and because they haue onely studied to feede them­selues, they shall feed themselues no more: from the seuenth verse to the end of the tenth.

Thirdly, a consolation wherein God doth comfort 3 his Flocke, with promise, to gather them toge­ther, to deliuer them from these euill shepheards, to feed them in a good pasture, to instruct them, defend, and care for them: from the 11. verse to the 17.

Fourthly a reprehension, wherein he reprooues 4 the riotousnesse of some sheepe amongst his flocke, their couetousnesse and crueltie: from the 17. to the 23.

And fiftly, and lastly, a comfortable promise, of 5 one, and he a faithfull Shepheard, euen Christ Iesus, of whose kingdome he continues his Prophesie vnto the end of the chapter.

In the whole you may obserue, first, the difference 1 betwixt the good Shepheard, and the bad; what re­wards are due to the one, what punishments to the other.

And secondly, what the office of a painefull Prea­cher 2 is, namely to checke the bad, and to cherish the good; to giue corasiues to the one, comfortatiues to the other. This portion which I haue read vnto you, is a part of the first of these fiue parts, and indeede a [Page] conferring and comparing of the duety of these Shepheards with their workes, quite contrary in the foure verses following, propounded by an interro­gation, to note their impudence, who did peruerte and turne vp-side-downe the order of Nature: for Shepheards should feede the flockes, not the flockes the Shepheards; whereas they fed on the flockes, eating the fatte, and cloathing themselues with the woolle, vnworthy to beare the name, that were so farre from the nature.

With both which, that we may be the better ac­quainted, may it please you to obserue in these fewe 1 words, these foure things: First the Title that God giues vnto his Ministers, they are Pastores, Shephe­ards.

2 Secondly, a duety that must not be denied, which is pascere, to feede.

3 Thirdly, the obiect of this duetie, non seipsos sed greges, not themselues but the flockes.

4 And fourthly and lastly, the neglect hereof in the first word Nonne? Should not? Should not the She­pheards feede the Flockes? of these foure, the Title, the Duety, the Obiect, and the Neglect.

If we begin with the first: the first is the Title, Nomina sunt notaererum (saith the Logitian) names are the notes of things;Titulus. and this name is not with­out some note: Gods Ministers are called Pastores, Shepheards a pascendo, of feeding the Flocke.

The name is common vnto them with Kings, for Homer cals them [...] Pastors of the people, which notes their excellencie. The Notation is ta­ken [Page] ab effectis, from the effects; and since they are so called, the title tels vs, that they, who are rightly so intituled, must be Docti, diligentes, discreti: endowed first, with a power to performe: secondly, with a will to doe well: and thirdly with discretion to discerne; as if learning, loue, and prudence were Partes constitu­tiuae, the essentiall partes of a perfite Pastor. If hee want the first, Nihil dat quod non habet, woe to the flocke; no man can giue what he hath not: if he hath the first and not the second, as good want both, since the flocke must want howsoeuer: if both the first, and not the last, as good lacke all, for they had better giue nothing, then no good thing, or then some euil thing.

He must haue these three at least then, that would be, as many would be thought to be, true shepheards of Christs flocke: they doe well together, but being separated, profite nothing. For to haue the flocke starue for food, and the Shepheard not able to helpe them is a great misery; to be able and not willing, is Immane crueltie; to be both able and willing, and yet want discretion how, when, what, and to whom to giue, is but a foolish, and fruitlesse industry.

First then he must be [...] learned, for Shephe­ards 1 are called [...] Seers,Doctus. Phil. 3.7. and [...] (sayeth the Poet) they see twice as much as others who are seene in learning.Menander. This same [...], is [...], the staffe of life, the shephe­ards staffe, without which hee can neither support himselfe, nor rule others. In literis prudens inuenerit, Jn Epistola qua­dam. vnde sapientior fiat, ibi bellator reperit vnde animi vir­tute roboretur &c. In learning (saith Chrysologus) the wise man hath found what hath made him more skilfull: [Page] The Warriour how to confirme his mind against all dangers: The Prince, how to gouerne his people with equality, Nec aliqua in mundo potest esse fortuna, quam literarum non augeat gloriosa notitia. Nor can there be any condition in the world, which the no­ble knowledge of learning doth not make more ho­nourable. Wherefore Socrates the wisest Philoso­pher that euer was, being demaunded what creature was most excellent, made answere, Homo doctrina or­natus: A man beautified with learning. If this be so necessarie and commendable in euery calling, how much more in the Minister and Messenger of God, who is the eye of the world, and as it were a Sunne in the Firmament of the Church, to disperse the clouds of ignorance, and giue light vnto such as sit in darke­nesse. And what maruell if wee call such Sunnes, when our Sauiour himselfe said vnto such, Vos estis lux mundi, you are the light of the world, Matth. 5.14 For as God in the beginning of the world did set the Sunne and other lights in the heauens, to shine vpon the earth; so in the firmament of the Church hee hath placed Bishops as Sunnes (who onely proper­ly may be said to be Sunnes, because while others are but [...]. Seers, 1. Pet. 5.2. they are [...]. Ouerseers) and other teachers, as the rest of the lights and starres, to enlighten the mindes of men, and to impart to others, what they haue receiued from God themselues.

If therefore it belong to a Shepheard to teach his flocke, how can he performe this, if he hath not lear­ning? The Sunne cannot giue light if it be eclipsed, no more can a Pastour performe his duetie, who is [Page] drowned in the deepes of darke ignorance. Where the case stands so, what can follow but that which our Sauiour himselfe said? If the light which is in you be darkenes, how great is that darkenes? Matth. 6.23. What is there in the whole office of a Shepheard that stands not in great neede of the light of learning? for to iudge of the grounds of faith, to take away contentions in the Church, to decide Controuer­sies, to instruct the people, to discerne the Leaper from him that is cleane; learning is so necessary, that without it, he can no more determine any thing, then hee that is blinde can iudge of colours. Wherefore the Lord purposing to bestowe a benefite vpon his people, promiseth them Pastors according to his owne heart, who should feed them with knowledge, and vnderstanding. Ier. 3.15. Which benefite will ap­peare the greater, if we compare it with the contrary, for that must needs be a great good, the defect wher­of is so great an euill. And what an euill that is, the Prophet Isayah will tell vs, who reckoning vp the mi­series of the people, makes this one, that God would take from them the Iudge, and the Prophet, the pru­dent, and the aged, the Counsellor, and the eloquent man. Isa. 3.2. When the Apostle Peter was ready to lay downe his Tabernacle, he did appoint, that Cle­ment an holy man, and very learned, should be his suc­cessor, and gaue commandement that the same Cle­ment should signifie so much in his letters to Iames the brother of our Lord, then Bishop at Ierusalem. And feare not (saith he) least hee be much sorrowfull for my death, seeing he cannot doubt but that I suffer [Page] for righteousnes sake: Erit autem ei grande solatium, si didicerit quòd post me non imperitus aliquis, Primo Tom. Concil. aut ignorans Diuini verbi misterium, & Ecclesiastici ordinis discipli­nam, vel doctrinae regulam nesciens, susceperit Cathe­dram meam. And it will be a great comfort vnto him to know, That no Illiterate Prelate, ignorant of Gods word, and Church discipline, That no stranger to Learning, and good Arts shall vsurpe my Chaire: For he knoweth well that if some rude and vnskilfull Person should take vpon him the place of a Pastour, the flocke wandring in the Thickets of ignorance, must needes runne headlong to destruction. Hither­to are the words of Peter, as Clement himselfe relateth them in his Epistle to Iames at Ierusalem, how true, I cannot tell, yet profitable I am sure for our instructi­on, Since it appeares hereby, how necessarie a thing Learning is in the place of a Pastor. I will there­fore passe from this to the next, with that good say­ing of a godly man, Ridiculosa res est, vel potius pericu­losa, Gilbert. speculator caecus, Doctor inscius, proecursor claudus, Praelatus negligens, & praeco mutus. A blind Seer, a lame forerunner, a negligent Prelate, and a dumbe crier, is a thing ridiculous or rather dangerous.

2 As he must be learned, so must he be louing, The first makes him able,Diligens. the second willing: Though hee speake with tongues of men, and Angels, yet if he hath not loue, hee is as sounding brasse, or a tinkling Cymball. 1. Cor. 13.1. And this likewise ariseth out of the no­tation of the word. For it is [...] quasi [...], of [...] which signifieth a Sheepe, & [...] to desire earnestly, or to seeke, for it hath both. Which loue how great it should bee who cannot coniecture by Christs [Page] thrice iterated Question to Peter? Simon Ioannes, dili­gis me plus his, &c. Iona, louest thou me more then these? Feede my sheepe. Ioh. 21.15. As if he should haue said, If thou louest me truely, and sincerely, if thou desire to glorifie my Name, if thou loue my Sheepe, as it seemes thou dost, whose safetie is more regarded of me, then mine owne life; if for all the benefits thou hast receiued, thou desire to gratifie me in any part, and with loue to requite loue, feede my Sheepe which I haue fed with my dearest blood; for whilest thou feedest those, thou feedest me in them, thou fats me, and dost nourish me, and whatsoeuer thou be­stowes on them, thou conferres on me; for I am hee who haue sometime spoken it,Mat. 25.40. Whatsoeuer you haue done to the least of these, ye haue done it vnto me.

This loue then of the Shepheard to the Flocke, proceedes from the loue which hee beareth vnto Christ, for hee doeth not say (which is worthy your obseruation) If thou loue my sheepe, feede them, which should seeme a good consequent, Cum probatio dilecti­onis (as S. Gregorie saith) exhibitio est operis: Greg. in Homil. When the proofe of loue is the performance of the worke. But he saith, Si diligis me, If thou loue me feed my sheepe. As if hee should say, If thou loue me, thou ough­test likewise to loue those things that are mine, and belong to me, and there is nothing more mine, then my Sheepe are, to whom I haue giuen my flesh for foode, and my blood for drinke, whom by my death, I haue recald to life: If therefore nothing bee more deere to me thē life, how much more deere are those, for whom I haue humbled my selfe to death. The summe then of this, is, Those that loue Christ, will [Page] loue his Flocke, and those that loue it will feede it. And for our encouragement herein,Super. Ezech. Gregorie tels vs, Quod nullum potest esse Deo gratius sacrificium, quam Cura animarum, That there can be no Sacrifice more acceptable vnto God, then the Cure of soules: And this Cure doth God require at euery mans handes, who hath a Cure. As he did of Moses, as Moses himselfe doth witnesse; when he Complaines vnto the Lord, saying, Haue I conceiued all this people, or haue I begotten them, that thou shouldest say vnto me, Carie them in thy bosome (as a Nurse beareth the sucking child,) &c. Numb. 1.12. In which kind how zealous S. Paul was, himselfe can tell vs, who thus much is bold to say of himselfe, and his fellowes to the Thessalonians, We haue beene gentle among you, euen as a Nurse cheri­sheth her children: Thus being affectionate towards you, our goodwill was to haue dealt vnto you, not the Gospel of God onely, but also our owne soules, because yee were deare vnto vs. 1. Thess. 2.8. What is it that a Nurse will denie vnto her child, and what will not Paul performe to this people? He was ready to doe any thing, because he was affectionate, his af­fection made him ready.

3 To these two adde the third; and that is Prudence, he must bee [...],Prudens. wise and discreet likewise, that must be a good Shepheard: For as those who are skil­full in Phisickes Art, doe not minister all things to all men, nor at all times, but to euery one according to the qualitie of the disease, or the complexion, and constitution of the body of the patient: So must he that is a healthfull feeder of Gods flocke, bee wise to consider the nature of each sheepe, and the strength [Page] of their stomackes, and to minister foode there after, to some milke, to some flesh: Some must haue com­minations, some consolations, some must be gently intreated, others seuerely reprehended: Sometimes Wine will be necessarie, sometimes Oyle, sometimes one thing, sometimes another.

This Prudence, Paul requires in a Pastor, 1. Tim. 3.2. And that good old Abbat alluding to his owne profession, Cals it Abbatissam virtutum, Bernard. The Abba­tisse, the Lady or chiefe of all vertues; which who so wanteth, may rightly suspect himselfe, since nothing is more necessary by Gods own testimonie,Mat. 10.13. Thus are Ministers called Pastors, feeders, to shew that they must bee like Nurses in abilitie, in affection, and in discretion.

Now you that are Shepheards, who haue taken vpon you the feeding of Christs flocke, which hee with such care committed vnto Peter, & consequent­ly to you, Examine your selues vpon these three Ar­ticles, whether you be able, if able, whether willing, if willing, whether wise enough to discharge so great a charge, whilst I set this Shepheard, which I haue brought into the field thus furnished, to attend on his Office.

Next to the Title, followed the Duety, which 2 is Pascere, to feede: what is he,Officium. and what call you him, sayeth one in the Dialogue, [...],Plato in Mino [...]. who is excellent in feeding a flocke of sheepe? Answere is made [...], A Shepheard, the name is taken from the office; hee therefore that fulfilleth not the one, cannot chal­lenge the other: He must feede, that would be cal­led [Page] a Feeder; and the necessitie of this Consequent, was to Dauid an occasion of great comfort, for cal­ling God his Shepheard, hee triumphs in it, and hee giues this reason, he can therefore want nothing, God will feed him in greene pastures. Psal. 23.1.2.

This is a large field, and the further I walke in it, the more subiect I am to wander: I will therefore follow the path wherein Saint Bernard hath trod, and take him to be my guide, who vpon those words of our Sauiour vnto Peter, Serm. 2. Resurr. domini. pasce oues meas, Feed my Sheepe, hath these; pasce mente, pasce ore, pasce opere, and then expounds himselfe, pasce animi oratione, ver­bi exhortatione, exemplï exhibitione. Feed with prayer, feed with preaching, feed with thy life, and godly conuersation. These as the three former, doe well together, but being a sunder profit little.

1 The most precious foode of the soule, is the word of God,Pasce ore. This is that which perisheth not, but endu­reth vnto euerlasting life. Iohn. 6.27. And this is conferd vpon the flocke by the action of preaching: wherein how industrious the Apostles were, none that are conuersant in the Scriptures can be igno­rant: What was the great charge giuen by S. Paul to his Scholler Timothie? was it not to preach the word, to bee instant in season, and out of season, to improue, rebuke, and to exhort with all long suffering and doctrine? 2. Tim. 4.2.

This he was to performe, as he would answere be­fore the tribunall seat of God, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed. And this he confirmes with his owne instance, when being to depart from Ephe­sus, he committed the keeping of Gods flocke vnto [Page] the Elders of the Church with this memento, Remem­ber that by the space of three yeeres, I ceased not to warne euery one both night and day with teares. Acts 20.31.

To whom was it said, but to Shepheards, Negoti­amini, dum venio, Labour till I come, Luke 19.13. Quod profecto negotium, tunc verè nos agimus, Libr. 2. Epist. 39. Si viuen­do & loquendo proximorum animas lucramur (saith Saint Gregorie) which businesse wee surely then per­forme, if by our preaching and liuing, we gaine the soules of men, if wee rebuke and reproue such as are obstinate, if we comfort the penitent, if we streng­then the weake, heale the infirme, bind vp the bro­ken, seeke what is lost, and bring againe what was driuen away, by the example of the good Shepheard. Ezech. 34.16.

As they must preach, so must they pray, for when 2 they haue studied the word diligently,Mente. preached it purely, exhorted gently, reproued sharpely, and la­boured euery way sincerely, to what end will all this come: Paul may Plant, Apollo may Water, but it is God that must giue the increase, 1. Cor. 3.6.

As therefore Shepheards are the mouth of God to speake vnto the people, so must they be the peo­ples mouth to pray vnto the Lord: And herein wee haue our Sauiour himselfe for an example, who albe­it he was very God, aswell as man, and had power of himselfe to sanctifie the eares and hearts of his hea­rers, and to make his preaching as profitable as him­selfe listed; yet he prayed to his Father both for him­selfe, and them, Iohn 17.9. Whose example the Apo­stles followed: Paul did bend his knees for the Ephe­sians, [Page] (As himselfe professeth) vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, that he would grant them accor­cording to the riches of his glory, that they might be strengthened by his spirit in the inner man, Ephe. 3.14

And deepely protesteth to the Romanes, calling God to witnesse, that without ceasing, he made men­tion of them alwayes in his prayers, Rom. 1.9. And he thankes God that without ceasing he had remem­brance of his Scholler Timothie in his prayers, night, and day. 2. Tim. 1.3.

3 To these two, adde sanctitie of life, and no more can be required:Oper [...]. be vnto them that beleeue (saith S. Paul to Timothie) an example in word, and in conuersati­on, 1. Tim. 4.12. For he that saith, and doth not, is like him who hauing mony, can put it to no other vse but to tell it;Plutar. de pro­fectu morum. which Anacharsis the Scythian som­times spake of the Grecians, who were great Philoso­phers in words, but in life, and manners, most lewd, and light.

Jn Lacon. Plutarch tels a Story to this purpose, of a certaine old man, who hauing a long time walked vp and down amongst the Grecians at the games of Olimpus, and finding no place to rest him in, at length he went among the Lacedemonians, where not onely all the children did rise to giue him place, but many of the men likewise; which when the Grecians, as many of them as were present and did obserue, did with great applause approue of; The old man cries out, He [...] misertam! Omnes graeci norini quid sit honestum, sed eo soli vtuntur Lacedemonii. All the Grecians doe know what is honest, but the Lacedemonians one­ly practise it. I would not our Shepheards proued Grecians, and the flockes Lacedemonians, and [Page] then that follow, which the Lord spoke by his Pro­phet, They that should minister the law, knew me not, and the Pastors also offended against me. Iere. 2.8.

Gods ministers are called the salt of the earth; and if the salt be vnsauorie,Mat. 5.13. wherewith then can it season other things. Qui sibi nequam, Cui bonus! hee that cannot rule himselfe, is not fit to rule others. They are called lux mundi, the light of the world,Mat. 5.14. for the ex­ample of their vertues, If therefore that light be put vnder a bushell, how can it enlighten others? It was a good saying, that of Senecaes, Eum elige tibi doctorem, quem magis admireris, cum videris, quam cum audieris: Epist. 34. make choice of such a teacher, as thou maist admire more hauing seene him, then when thou heardst him. Whose life is more commendable then his learning. And therefore Paul commaunds Titus, that aboue all things, he should show himselfe an exam­ple of good workes, Titus 2.7. For, plus mouent exempla quam verba. Examples do moue more then precepts,Gregorie. and a good life then a good lesson. Et facilius homi­nes ad bene faciendum exemplis, quam verbis inuitantur: Origen. and men are incited sooner by works then by words, and by liues then by lawes to doe well.

And this manner of teaching is very admirable, and powerfull to inflame the minds of men with a desire to doe well. A good souldier, Non sentit sua, cum benigni ducis contuetur vulnera: Bernard. feeles not his owne wounds, when hee sees the soares of his kinde Captaine.

Iulius Caesar, (as Tullie tels it) neuer said to his fol­lowers, Goe, but Come: for the labour seemes alwaies the lesse, when hee that commands, cannot be idle. [Page] Let Shepheards learne to instruct their flockes, as Abimilech did his subiects, by making himselfe an example; who when he had cut downe boughs, and bare them on his shoulders, spoke to those that were with him, Quemadmodum vidistis me facientem, ita & vos facite. As you haue seene me doe, so doe you, Iudg. 9.48.

But as the godly life of good Shepheards is power­full to perswade the people vnto good, So the lewd life of bad Shepheards is of as much, or farre greater force, to draw them vnto euil: since such is our nature, that we learne nothing sooner then filthines, & forget nothing more hardly. And therefore saith Saint Gregorie, Greg. in past. There is no man more daungerous in the Church, then hee that liues wickedly and carries a name, or degree of sanctitie: whereupon saith Saint Austen, August. lib. de past. Omnis qui male viuit in conspectu eorum, quibus praepositus est, quantum in ipso est, occidit. He that liues badly in the sight of those ouer whom he is placed, as much as in him is, is a murderer. Wherefore I will conclude this point with that of Saint Bernard to Eu­genius, Lib. 2. de conside­rat. Monstrosa res est, gradus summus, & animus in­fimus, sedes prima, & vitaima, Lingua magniloqua, & manus otiosa, sermo multus, & fructus nullus, vultus gra­uis, & actus leuis, caput Canum▪ et cor vanum, facies ru­gosa, & lingua nugosa, ingen authoritas, & nutans sta­bilitas. And thus much of the Shepheards office.

3 Should not the Shepheards feed? But whom should they feede?Obiectum. This is our third part, the obiect of the duetie.Pasce gregem. Non seipsos sed greges, Not themselues, but the flockes: Should not the Shepheards feede the flockes? The Elders which are among you, I beseech (saith S. [Page] Peter) feede the flocke of God, 1. Pet. 5.1.2. Be dili­gent (saith Salomon) to know the state of thy flocke, and take heede to thy heards, Prou. 27.23. Two things there are of speciall moment to persuade here­unto, The first whereof is the price, the second the 1 perill. If we respect the first, experience tels vs,Praetium. that we must regard what we hold deerest, we loue most, and what is most worth; And what I pray you, is more precious then the safetie of soules, for which the onely begotten sonne of God did not sticke to shed his blood, to lay downe his life, to humble him­selfe to an opprobrious death?

If the second, what is subiect to more apparant 2 dangers,Periculum. since our life is a warfare (as Iob cals it) vpon earth. In which wee haue to deale with three cruell and bloody enemies, The world, the flesh, and the diuell. The first vaine and curious, the second, fraile and rebellious, the third euill and malitious. Saint Austine compares our life vnto a sea, and such an one, Vbi & ventus est & procellae non desunt tentationum. Tract. 14. in Ioan. Wherein there are both windes of aduersitie, and stormes of temptations. And Saint Chrysostome to the Aegean sea, where there are venti, angustiae, Cha­ribdis, stagna, syrtes, winds, waues, rocks, sands, very hard to be sayled. In the Marsilian sea, (saith Saint Bernard) ex decem nauibus, vix vna aliqua periclitatur, of ten ships scarce any one is endangered, but in the sea of this world, often soules, scarce any one is sa­ued. To be short (for I would not likewise trouble you with tediousnesse) amongst all the dangers of this world, tell me of any, either more imminent, or eminent then this of soules, and amongst all those [Page] things that are had in price, what is more precious? what is gold, what is riches, pearles, kingdomes, Em­pires, yea and whatsoeuer else is contained within the circuit of this vniuersall, if it be weighed with the worth of one soule? The least of these then might be a sufficient motiue to stirre vp each Shepheard to re­spect this obiect, were there nothing else, but there is something yet further, as namely the accompt which they are to yeeld, for all must come to an accompt, and euery one shall receiue his wages, according to his labours.1. Cor. 3.8. To him that hath bene faithfull, God shall giue an incorruptible crowne of glory, 1. Pet. 5.4. But to him that destroyeth, and scattereth the flocke, wo shall be vnto him (saith the Lord) Ier. 23.1. Shepheards must feed the flocks then, not feed on the flocks.

Now from hence may some couetous accursed cai­tiffe, spider like, suck poyson, and gather this conclusi­on. Since Shepheards must feed the flocks, the flocks must not feed the Shepheards; the Shepheards must not at all feed on the flockes.

There are too many, I know, that lay hold on such latchets: But this is not our Prophets meaning, who albeit he condemne those, that make that their grea­test care, yet is he not so carelesse of them as altogther to restraine them. For who planteth a vineyard, & ea­teth not the fruit therof?1. Cor. 9.7. or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not the milke of the flock? If we sow vnto you spirituall things, (saith the Apostle) is it a great thing if we reap your carnall things,Galat. 6.7. 1. Cor. 9.11. Be not you then deceiued (beloued) for God is not mocked. As you sow so shall you reape; you are called a flock, and cōpared vnto sheepe; then which, no creature is more [Page] simple, whence came the Prouerbe [...], after the maner of sheepe. And as this ought to teach you vitae innocentiā to be like vnto Sheep, sine fraude, dolo (que) without guile, or deceit: patience to beare, meeke­nesse to forbeare; so likewise it preacheth to you hu­mility, to acknoledge your weaknesse, and ignorance, and consequently obedience to your Pastors; with a will to giue what the Apostle commaunds: namely double honour to those that rule well, especially to such as labour in the word, and doctrine. 1. Tim. 5.17. And thus much likewise of the Obiect of the duety.

These three thus curiously handled (for the matter better befits the Presse then the Pulpit) I haue almost fulfild my promise, and vndergone my taske. Quod reliquum est, vestrum est. It remaines now for you that are Shepheards, to resolue the question. And I pray you tell me, Should not the Shepheard feede the flocke? Doubtlesse the conclusion passeth for currant, your silence shall assure mee your consent. How comes it to passe then, that this duetie is neglected; and the flockes are vnfedde: to resolue this wee must come to our last part, the Neglect: lend mee your eares a little, I will not long detaine you.

Nonne? Should not the Shepheards feede the flockes? 4 Three things there were (you heard) which did inable a Shepheard in his office; Learning, Loue, Neglect. and Pru­dence. The want of these, or of some two, or one of these, is the mother of this monster.

The first was Learning, And the want of this, is very 1 plentifull amongst vs;Defect. doctr. our Shepheards most of them being like vnto those, whom the Prophet Esay de­scribes in his 56. Chapter, 10. verse. They are blind, [Page] they haue no knowledge, they cannot vnderstand, they are dumbe dogs, they cannot barke, they lie and sleepe, and delight in sleeping. If euer Countrie was accursed in this kind, it is this of ours, being placed in the midst of a famous Iland, as the obiect of disgrace, for both ends to point at, or rather the refuse of two Realmes, as if both disdained it, ashamed to challenge it. How many blind seers may be seene here, foo­lish teachers, lame forerunners, negligent Pastors, and dumbe cryers: Shepheards indeed, but fitter to keepe sheepe, then to care for soules. Bubulcos non pastores, Neatheards, not feeding Shepheards; As if those ouer whom they are placed, were beasts, and not men, irrationall animals, not reasonable crea­tures. If you aske me then, how chance the flockes are no better looked vnto? I answere, because the Seers are blind: If you demaund further, why blinde men are made seers; I must reply with Saint Bernard. The fault is in the ouerseers, Epist. 152. Dant Episcopi sanctum Canibus, & Margaritas porcis, Bishops giue that which is holy, (as orders, and Church liuings) vnto dogs, and pearles vnto swine, Et illi conuersi, conculcant eas! It wont to be a great question, betwixt the Di­uines, and Lawyers, if a place were void, and two in election, and both worthy, whither it was lawfull that the election might be made of the lesse worthie or not? This was long in deciding; The Lawyers held that it was lawfull: the Diuines, especially such as imbraced the doctrine of Aquinas, that it was not: Till at length the Counsell of Trent did determine it, decreeing, that they did sinne mortally, Qui digniores, & Ecclesiae magis vtiles pastores, praeficere non curaue­rint: [Page] who did not prouide that the more worthy and profitable Pastors, should be put in authoritie.

But it were to bee wished in these times of ours, that election were made onely of worthy men, for there needs no contention, since the places are many, and the number of those not great, yet sufficient: But this is more to be wished for, then hoped for, since it may be our plaint now, that he complained of in his time. Quid vsitatius nunc est, quam his conferre Ec­clesiae beneficia, qui non quia virtute pollent, literis (que) sunt egregie instituti, Sed quia diu famulati sunt, quia fideliter Episcoporū redditus procurarint, auxerint: Siluest. de cor­rup. quia gynaecia praelatorum arte temperauerint, vel quia sint agnati, siue affines, siue domestici lurcones, qui ad colendn̄ Bacchum, & Cererem magis idonei habeantur, quam ad Cultum di­uinum, ad docendum populum, ad gubernationem Ecclesiae. Ideo istis videatis Episcopos malle sacerdotia, quam piis eru­dis (que) viris conferre, ita vt vel nunc, vel nunquā accidit, quod rudis quidem sed facetus tamen cecinit vates.

A second cause of the neglect of this dutie, is want 2 of Loue; Defect. charit. some there are who are able to feede the flocke, but will not; because they doe not loue, they cannot labour. Such loue not Christ, for if they did, they would feede his Sheepe. Are such Shepheards? they are Wolues: Are such Hennes? they are Kites: doe such feede the Sheepe? they feed on the sheepe: they eate the fat, they cloath them with the wooll, they kill those that are fed, and they feede not the Sheepe. The weake they strengthen not, the sicke they heale not, the broken they binde not vp, they [Page] bring not againe what was driuen away, they seeke not what is lost, but with cruelty, and rigor doe they rule. Ezech. 34.4.

And I would there were no such false Prophets a­mongst vs, who loue themselues, and the world so much, as they can impart no part of it to others. Loue seeketh not her owne things (saith the Apostle) 1. Cor. 13.5. And it was his pleasure to please all men, in all things, not seeking his owne profit, but the profit of others, that they might be saued, 1. Cor. 10.33. But it is our pleasure to take paines onely to pleasure our selues, and to bee so industrious in this kind, as forgetting the dignitie whereunto we are cal­led, (though vnworthy) to betake our selues wholly to the plow, the spade, the rake, and the flaile, play the merchant, sollicite causes, supply the places of ste­wards, and such like base offices, so common in our cold Countrie, that vnlesse a man be thus egregious­ly qualified, hee can haue no place in the affections of our frozen patrons.

Are such Shepheards? take away the Metaphor, & make them (as indeed they are) carnall shepheards, and I will bring no other but the very sheepe them­selues to speake to them, yet in their owne tongue, least they vnderstand not S. Bernards language.Bernard. Epist. 42. And let the speech be thus. If you that are our Shepheards goe crooked, like vs who are your sheepe, carrying your countenance downeward, still looking to the earth; and to pamper the belly, euer seeke for foode; In quo distinguimur, wherein doe we differ? will you see how the silly beast, makes simple beasts on them. Si venerit lupus, Quis praeuidebit, & occurret? If the [Page] Wolfe shall come, who shall foresee him and preuent him? Such sheepe are in a bad case; yet if they bee slaine, God hath vowed to require their blood at such Shepheards hands, Ezech. 3.20.

The third, and last cause of this neglect, is want of Prudence. Defect. pruden. This may come through too much know­ledge,3 for Scientia inflat (saith the Apostle) know­ledge puffeth vp, 1. Cor. 8.1. And of this euen the greatest schollers many times doe labour, who vpon a priuate conceit of their owne worth, doe oft abuse good things to the hurt of others. Those that are so wise are no company for honest Athenians. Though this want of Prudence be monstrum, yet it is mirum: though it be a monster in a minister, yet it is a mar­uaile in many of ours, for the greatest Clarkes (they say) are not alwayes the wisest men. Our Clarkes may be wise then, for I am sure, they are none of the grea­test. But why should I stand seeking these in euery minister? Cum ex quouis stipite non fit mercurius, Since euery person will not make a Priest. The want of these three, you see then, is the reason, why the flocke doe want: some want learning, therefore they can­not Preach. Some want Loue, therefore they cannot Pray. And some want Prudence, and therefore they cannot Edifie by their good example.

Thus some would, and cannot; some can, and will not; and many neither can, nor would, nor doe.

What remaines now for me, but to draw to a con­clusion.Vsus 1. ad Episc. If first you (my honorable Lord) will giue me leaue to leaue one vse with you. Attendito tibi, & vni­uerso gregi, in quo spiritus sanctus te posuit episcopum. Take heede to your selfe, and to all the flocke, where­of [Page] the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseer. See then both to the Sheepe, and Shepheards; and those euils which you could not stop in the beginning, yet stay them in their proceeding. See that Shepheards feed the flocks, and not altogether feede on the flockes. But there is an other thing which craues your honors care; take heed that the flocks feed not on the Shep­heards. This was a thing our Prophet neuer drea­med of. Such vnnaturall dealing neuer came with­in the compasse of his conceit, and yet such Wolues there are within your fields in sheepes clothing, who kill their Shepheards, wounding some in their good name, opprobriously; some in their bodies, dange­rously; some in their estate, iniuriously; renting both the persons, and their personages in peeces. Are such sheepe? they are better in the Shambles, then in the field. Are there such Shepheards, and in your flock? Yes, They are sicke, heale them: they are weake, strengthen them: they are broken, bind them vp: that when you shall come to giue vp your accompt, you may be able to say, as the good Shepheard sayd, Those that thou gauest me, haue I kept, and none of them is lost. Ioh. 17.1 [...].

You that are Shepheards (beloued) feede your flockes which depend vpon you; caring for them, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthie lucre, but of a readie mind; And when the chiefe Shep­heard shall appeare, ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory. 1. Pet. 5.4.

You that are sheepe, loue your Shepheards, and giue to them that rule well double honour, especial­ly [Page] to such as labour in the word and doctrine. And as you sow, so shall you reape.

Now he that hath an office, let him looke to his office. I must conclude: Brethren, farewell, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, liue in peace, and the God of loue and peace shall be with you. Now the very God of peace sanctifie you, throughout, and I pray God that your whole spirit, and soule, and body, may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. To whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, three persons, and one euerliuing God, we ascribe, As due, all honour, and glory, praise, power, dignitie, and dominion, now and for euer. Amen.