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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23767	A sermon preached in St. Peter's Westminster on Sunday, Jan. 6, 1660 at the consecration of the Right Reverend Fathers in God, Gilbert, Lord Bishop of Bristoll, Edward, Lord Bishop of Norwich, Nicholas, Lord Bishop of Hereford, William, Lord Bishop of Glocester by Richard Allestry ...	Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.	1660 (1660)	Wing A1163; ESTC R8500	24,735	46

some Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry namely because those gifts enabled for those offices and all the reason in the world that he should have a speciall hand in giving where himself is to be receiv'd Receive the Holy Ghost that was from the beginning and is yet the installation to them And if we take them from their divine original from that great Pastor and Bishop of our sonls who was the maker of them too Thus he was consecrated The spirit of the Lord is upon me therefore he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel Luk. 4. 18. And when he comes to ordain succession he sayes as my Father sent me so send I you and he breathed upon them and said Receive the Holy Ghost Joh. 20. 21. and after bids them tarry at Jerusalem till they should be endued with power from above Luk. 24. 47. that is endued with the Holy Spirit Act. 1. The present Barnabas and Saul were sent by his Commission in the Text and v. 4. Saint Paul tels the Elders of the Churches of Asia the Holy Ghost made them overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20. 28. Timothy had his office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by immediate designation of the Holy Ghost 1 Tim. 4. 14. Clemens Romanus saith the Apostles out of those they had converted did ordain Bishops and Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having first try'd them by the Holy Ghost and so taught by his revetation who should be the men And Clemens Alexandrinus says John after his return to Asia ordain'd throughout all the regions about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as were signified and design'd by the Holy Ghost So that Oecumenius pronounces in the general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishops that were made they made not inconsiderately on their own heads but such whom the Spirit did command Chrysostome said as much before and Theophylact. Nor can we doubt that he maintains his interest in this affair even at this day But that our Veni Creator Spiritus Come Holy Ghost eternal God does call him to preside in these so concerning solemnities For Christ when he commission'd his Apostles assuring them Behold I am with you even to the end of the world which promise he performs onely vicariâ Spiritûs praesentiâ by the presence of the Holy Ghost who is his Vicar as Tertullian expresses nor can the Spirit be with them till then but by making them be till then which being done by Ordination that Ecclesiastical procreation for so they derive themselves to the worlds end upon the strength of that promise we may assure our selves he does assist as truely though not so visibly as when he said here Separate The Ghost's concernment being thus secured I have this one thing onely to suggest that they who set themselves against all separation to these offices and Orders in and for which the Holy Ghost hath so appear'd what they be I dispute not now they fight against the Holy Ghost and thrust him out of that in which he hath most signally interess'd himself And they that do intitle the Spirit to this opposition do not onely make Gods Kingdome divided against it self or raise a faction in the Trinity and stir up division betwixt those Three One Persons but they set the same Person against himself and make the Holy Spirit resist the Holy Ghost You know the inference prest upon them that did this but interpretatively in the Devils Kingdome and did make Satan cast out Satan and is 't not here of force And they who make the Spirit cast out the Holy Ghost contrive as much as in them lyes Gods Kingdome shall not stand I will not parallel the guilts Those Pharisees blasphemed the Holy Spirit in his Miracles ascribing that to Beelzebub which was the immediate work of the Holy Ghost and such indeed do sin unpardonably because they sin irrecoverably for Miracles being the utmost and most manifest express wherein the Holy Ghost exerts himself they who can harden their understandings against them have left themselves no means of conviction and cannot be forgiven because they cannot be rectified or reclaimed These others do blaspheme the Spirit in his immediate inspirations and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascribing to the spirit of Antichrist all those Offices and Orders which these gifts of the Holy Ghost were powr'd from Heaven immediately to qualifie for and separate to things in which he hath as signally appeared as in his Miracles and as he made these meanes to convince the world so he made those the Officers of doing it and set them to out-last the other Now in the same nearness that these two guilts come up one towards the other just to the same degree these sin the sin against the Holy Ghost For the Holy Ghost said Separate So I pass to the second to those whom this injunction is directed to And thence I do observe in general that Notwithstanding all the interest and office that the Holy Ghost assumes in these same separations yet there is something left besides for man to doe Although he superintend they have a work in it He is the Uncti●● but it must be apply'd by laying on of hands I have call'd them saith he in the Text and yet to them that ministred the Holy Ghost said Do ye separate I do not now examine what degree and order of men they were whom the Holy Ghost here commissions for this Office The Judgment of the Antient Church in this affair is enough known by the condemnation of Aerius and by the Fate of Ischyras and Colluthus and for the present instance in which they are call'd Doctors that are bid to doe it there hath enough been said to prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Title of a Bishop to which I shall onely adde that it was a variation of Name that stuck by them untill Bede's age in which what Bishop signified does come under no question for he does say that Austin call'd together to the Conference Episcopos sive Doctores the Bishops or the Doctor of the Province Besides that there was then in Antioch a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the time of Claudius Emperour of Rome and of Euodius whom the Apostle Peter had ordained at Antioch those that before were call'd Nazarenes and Galil●ans were call'd Christians a thing which happen'd a little before this separation in the Text as you finde ch 11. 26. But who they were that us'd to separate for every Execution of these holy Offices will appear from the instances that I shall make to prove the present observation that besides that of the Holy Ghost there was an outward Call And whomsoever the Spirit sent he commanded that they should have Commission from Men. And all my former Testimonies for the Holy Ghost bear witness for this too The Text is positive here was a Congè

d'eslire for Barnabas Saul Timothy had his office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by designation of the Spirit 1 Tim. 4. 14. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with laying on of hands ibid. yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the laying on of my hands 2 Tim. 1. 6. And Timothy was plac'd at Ephesus as Titus also left at Creet to ordain others in the same manner St. Paul providing for the succession of the Rite and Ceremony as well as of the Office And in St. Clement's Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit try'd but the Apostles constituted And down as low as Trajan's time when St. John's date was almost out his life and his Commission expiring and the Churches of Asia to be provided with succession the Men were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified by the Holy Ghost But the Chron. Alex. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he went clean throughout Asia and the adjacent Regions constituting not only Bishops but others of inferiour Clergie and even in the lowest thus it was when the first Deacons were to be made Men full of the Holy Ghost and Wisedome were to be look'd out Act. 6. 3. But yet that did not autorize them the Holy Ghost and wisdome did not make a Deacon for besides that the Apostles will appoint them over their business ibid. and they are brought to them and they do lay their hands upon them verse 6. Thus it was in those times of full effusion of the Holy Ghost Men alwaies had to do in giving that Commission so that whoever pleads an Order of the Spirit for his Office although such a Commission of the Spirit if he had it would evidence it self and if it were it would appear for 't was the manifestation of the Spirit that was given to every man to profit withall yet if we yield him his pretensions and let his own incitations pass for inspirements and his strong fancie for the Holy Ghost if the Holy Ghost did call him who did separate him whom the Holy Ghost calls he sends to his officers to empower they both work He says do ye separate And here a Consideration offers it self unto those holy Fathers whom the Spirit makes his Associates in separating men to sacred offices that when they set apart even to the lowest stalls of the Church they labour to perform it so that the Holy Ghost may be engag'd and act along with them in the performance Separate such as they may presume the Spirit hath call'd and will own He does not call the ignorant or appoint blind eyes for the body of Christ or make men Seers to lead into the pit The Holy Spirit cals not the Unclean or the Intemperate we know it was another sort of spirit that went into the swine nor does he ever say Separate me those who separate themselves the Schismaticks the Spirit cals not such as break the unity of the Spirit nor sets into the rank of higher members in Christs body those who tear that body and themselves from it the factious those that will not be bound neither in bonds of peace nor of obedience but break all holy tyes that make commotions and rave and fome sure 't is the Legion that sends them and not the Holy Ghost He whom the Spirit will call must not be under the reputation of a Vice but should be of a good report lest he fall into reproach and so into the snare of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 7. i. e. lest he fall into reproach and then his teaching doe so too and men learn to slight or not heed the doctrines of such a one as is under scandal for his life and so the Devil get advantage over them and do ensnare them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For to be to any an occasion of falling is to be the Devils snare Now Christ's Fishers of men those whom the Holy Ghost appoints to spred nets for the catching Souls to God their lives must not lay snares for the Devil and entangle Souls in the toyls of perdition Those also that come to you out of Ambition or of greediness of gain the Spirit calls not neither He calls we see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a work so that they who seek more then they can well attend the labour of or are qualified for the work of they are not of his sending But of all men the Holy Ghost will least deal with the Simoniacal that come not to a work but to a market that contract with Patrons for the Spirits call or worse then their master Simon would hire the Holy Spirit himself to say Separate me them The Successors of the Apostles have a Canonical return to these Your money perish with you They whom the Holy Ghost does call must have his gifts and temper Saint Paul hath set all down to Timothy and Titus and those who minister in this employment if they will be what he hath made them joynt Commissioners with him and his Co-workers they must order it so that he may work and act which he does not but where he calls nor does he call but those whom he hath qualified And 't is of those onely whom he hath call'd that he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Separate The third particular the thing enjoyn'd And the Holy Ghost said Separate The separateness of the Functions of the Clergy the incommunicableness of their Offices to persons not separated for them is so express a doctrine both of the letter of the Text and of the Holy Ghost that sure I need not to say more though several heads of Probation offer themselves As first the condition of the callings which does divide from the Community and sets them up above it And here I might tell you of bearing rule of thrones of stars and Angels and other words of as high sense and yet not go out of the Scripture bounds although the dignitie did not die with the Scripture age or expire with the Apostles The age as low as Photius words it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Apostolical and Divine Dignity which the chief Priests are acknowledged to be possest of by right of Succession Styles which I could derive yet lower and they are of a prouder sound then those the modest humble ears of this our age are so offended with But these heights it may be would give Ombrages although 't is strange that men should envy them to those who are onely exalted to them that they may with the more advantage take them by the hands to lift them up to Heaven Those neernesses to things above do but more qualifie them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Theoph. and to draw neer to God on your behalf that those your Angels also may see the face of your father which is in heaven and those stars are therefore set in Christs right hand that they may shed a blessing influence

with severities such as this age I doubt will not believe and when they had no temporall sword to be auxiliary to these Spiritual weapons And now to make reflections on this is not for me to undertake in such a state of the Church as ours is wherein the very faults of some do give them an Indemnity who having drawn themselves out of the Church from under its authority are also got out of the power of its Censures So children that doe run away from their Fathers house they doe escape the Rod but they do not consider that withall they run away from the inheritance and many times in those that do not doe so but stay within the family long intermission of the Rod and indulg'd licence makes them too big and heady to be brought under discipline And is 't not so with us Among many of those that stay within the Church I know not whether I do well to say so when of these I mean there is little other Evidence of their doing so but this that they will swear and drink of the Churches side Blessed Sons of a demolished Church who think to raise their Mother a temple by throwing stones at her by reason of the late overthrow of government and discipline and the consequent licences Vice hath been so nurst up not onely by an universal barefac'd uncorrected practise but by principles of liberty that can dispute down all Ecclesiastical restraints and have set up the Religion of Licence that now sin is grown so outragious as to be too strong for discipline nay rather then it should be set up t is to be feared they would endeavour to renverse all in the Church and enterprise as much in their vices quarrel as others have done for mistaken Religion And indeed to what purpose were the Censures whose first and medicinal effect is shame amongst men where t is in very many instances the onely shameful thing not to be vitious where men stand candidates for the reputation of glorious sinners take to themselves sins they have not committed that are not theirs and usurp Vice sins and damnations hypocrites What work is here for discipline But this state wants not precedents the censures of the Church were not only lay'd aside in the Vastations of the Arrian heresy and persecution when the weapons of the Churches warfare were too weak to make defence against all their cruelties and impieties and before that in Diocletian's daies against the Lapsi But we find also that Saint Paul is forc'd to break out onely in a passionate wish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I would they were even cut off that trouble you by excommunication he means Gal. 5. 12. When he saw the ill humors were too spreading and too tough also Sedition and Schisme wide and obstinate so that neither his authority could reach nor his methods cure but were more likely to exasperate them then he does excommunicate them onely in desire And again 2 Cor. 10. 6. and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfil'd It becomes therefore every one that hath good Will for Sion to labour to fulfill his own obedience that so the Church may be empower'd to use Christ's Methods for reforming of the rest And they that will not do so must know they shall not onely answer for their sins but for refusing to be sav'd from them that they resist all medicine as men resolv'd that nothing shall be done towards their Cure as men that rather choose to perish and prefer destruction And for the seasons and degrees of putting this work into Execution Wisedome must be implor'd from that Spirit of Wisedome that calls unto this work The last Part Whereunto I have called them The Nature of the calling of the Holy Ghost is a Subject that would bear a full discourse But waving those pretensions which Necessitie and inward incitation doe make to be the Calls of the Holy Ghost I shall positively set down that the call of God and of the Holy Ghost to any work or office for I enquire not of his calling to a priviledge or state of favour is his giving abilities and gifts qualifying for that work or office The call immediate when the gifts were so but mediate and ordinary when the abilities are given in his blessing on our ordinary labours 'T is so in every sort of things Exod. 31. 2. See I have call'd Bezaleel and I have fill'd him with the Spirit of God in Wisdome and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of Workmanship to devise cunning works and to work in all manner of Workmanship and behold I have given him Aholiab and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisedome that they may make all that I have commanded thee and he repeates the same again Chap. 35. 30. adding that he hath put in his heart that he may teach both He and Aholiab so that giving this skill to work and teach is nam'd Gods calling So in another case the Lord does say of Cyrus I have call'd him Esay 48. 15. which he explaines in the 49. I have holden him by my right hand to subdue nations before him to loose the loins of Kings I have girded him So when Isaiah saith the Lord hath call'd me from the Womb or rather saies that of our Saviour Isa. 49. 1. he tells you how ver 5. he form'd me and prepared me from the Womb to be his servant to bring Jacob to him And throughout the New Testament as his Call to a priviledge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his grace in allowing such a state of favour so his calls to a Work are his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his gifts enabling for it The Gifts of these Apostles by which they were enabled for their Office and which made up their call are set down those of Barnabas in the fore-cited 11 Act. He was a good man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost and Paul's call was a little Extraordinary If we look into times we shall finde reason to believe those revelations in 2 Cor. 12. were given to Paul a little before this Consecration of him in the Text. That Epistle was writ saith Baronius in the second year of Nero and this separation was in the second of Claudius as may be gathered also in some measure from the famine mention'd in the 28. verse of the 11. chap betwixt these two were fourteen yeares now saith Saint Paul when he wrote that he had his revelation somewhat above 14. years before a little therefore before this solemnity Here was a call indeed call'd up to the third heaven to receive instructions for his office and for ought he did know call'd out of his own body too that he might be the fitter for it whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knows verse 2. and that again verse 3. They whom Gods Spirit qualifies for Consecration to separate to

A SERMON PREACHED In St. Peter's Westminster on Sunday Jan. 6. 1660. at the Consecration of the Right Reverend Fathers in God GILBERT Lord Bishop of Bristoll EDWARD Lord Bishop of Norwich NICHOLAS Lord Bishop of Hereford WILLIAM Lord Bishop of Glocester BY RICHARD ALLESTRY D. D. Canon of Christ Church in Oxford and one of his Majesties Chaplains LONDON Printed for Jo. Mar 〈…〉 Allestry and Tho. Dicas at the Bell in Saint 〈◊〉 Church-yard 1660. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD GILBERT LORD Bishop of LONDON and Deane of His Majesties Chappell Royall My Lord WHEN I consider with what reluctancies I appear thus in publick I have all reason to suspect and fear least this offering which like an unwilling Sacrifice was dragg'd to the Altar and which hath great defects too will be farre from propitiating either for its self or for the votary But I must crave leave to adde that how averse soever I was to the publishing this rude Discourse I make the Dedication with all possible zeal and ready cheerfulness For I exspect your Lordship to be a Patron not onely to my Sermon but to my Subject Such a separate eminence of virtue and of sweetness mixt together may hope to ingratiate Your Function to a Generation of men that will not yet know their own good but resist mercy and are not content to be happy And for my self Your Lordships great goodness and obligingness hath encourag'd me not onely to hope that You will pardon all the miscarriages of what I now present but also to presume to shelter it and my self under your Lordships Name and Command and to honour my self before the world by this address and by assuming the relation of My Lord Your Lordships most humbly devoted and most faithfull Servant RICH. ALLESTRY Imprimatur Geo. Stradling Reverendi in Christo Patris Gilberti Episcopi Londinensis Sacellanus domesticus Ex Aedibus Sabaudianis Feb. 2. Anno Salutis 1660. Acts 13. 2. The Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them AND as they ministred to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said Although that ministring to God by prayer and fasting be the indicted and appropriate acts to preface such Solemnities as this and that not Sermons but Litanies and intercessions are the peculiar adherents of Embers and of Consecrations and those vigorous strivings with Almighty God by Prayer are the birth-pangs in which Fathers are born unto the Church Yet since that now this Sacred Office is it self oppos'd and even the Mission of Preachers preach'd against and the Authority that sends despis'd as Antichristian whilst separation and pretence unto the Holy Ghost set up themselves against the strict injunction of the Holy Ghost to separate the Pulpit that otherwhiles hath fought against it must now atone its errours by attending on the Altar and the bold ungrounded claimes of Inspiration that false teachers have usurp'd be superseded by the voice of the Holy Ghost himself who in this case becomes the Preacher and says Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them My Text is a Commission parole from Heaven in it you have First the Person that sends it out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Ghost said Secondly the Persons to whom it is directed imply'd in the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separate more particularly exprest in the foregoing words Thirdly the thing to which they were impower'd by the Commission or which was requir'd of them set down in the remaining words of the Text wherein you have 1. The Act injoyn'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separate 2. The Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Separate me Barnabas and Saul 3. The End for what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a work 4. The Determination of that work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the work whereunto I have called them Of these in their Order and first The Holy Ghost said Of those five things for want of which the second Jewish Temple sunk below the first and its glory seem'd faint in the comparison the Chiefest was the Holy Ghost who became silent his Oracles ceast then and he spake no more by the Prophets A thing not onely confest by the Thalmudists who say our Rabbins have deliver'd to us that from the time of Haggai Zechary and Malachy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Ghost was taken away from Israel but so notorious in experience that when S. Paul meets Disciples at Ephesus Acts 19. 1. and asks them if they have received the Holy Ghost whether at their Baptisme the Spirit came down upon them as He did then on others they answer ver 2. We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost any extraordinary effusions of the Spirit whether he do come down in Gifts and Afflations such as we know were usual in the first Jewish Temple but have not been for a long time and we have not yet heard they are restored for of this pouring out of the Holy Ghost they must needs mean it not of himself of whom they could not doubt nothing was more known in the Jewish Church But as our Saviour did supply the other four with all advantage and so fulfilled the Prophecy and made the glory of that Temple greater so for the fifth the Spirit he was restor'd in kinde with infinite improvement that of Joel fulfill'd I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh for they were all baptized with the Holy Ghost baptized in rivers of living waters which did flow out of the belly of themselves for this he spake of the Spirit which all that believed on him should receive Joh. 7. 39. so that Joel did scarce feel or foresee enough to prophesy of this abundance but the inundations were almost like Christ's receivings without measure Nor were his Inspirations as of old dark and mysterious oracles direction in rapture where ●●e Message it self was to have another revelation and it must 〈◊〉 prophecy to understand as well as utter But in the Gospel his effusions run clear and transparent as the water that expresseth them revealing even all the unknown languages that were the conduits and conveighances all plain express direction such as that of the Text. Now amongst all the several uses of the Holy Ghost for which he was pour'd out in this abundance amongst all the designes he did engage himself in and advance He does not seem to have a greater agency nor to interess himself more in any then in qualifying for and separating to Church-offices This seemes to be his great work and indeed how can he chuse but be particularly concern'd in those offices which are his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Timothy's is expressly call'd so in each of his Epistles 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 6. and when our Saviour Ephes. 4. 8. is said to give the gifts of the Holy Ghost to men it is added how ver 11. He gave

these diviner offices may be stil'd Angels well when they are call'd from all regards or notices of any body that belongs to them their gifts and graces set them above the consideration of flesh In the entertainment of these qualifications the Soul is swallowed up so that it cannot take cognizance whether it have a body of its own and is not sensible of that deer partner of it self it is so onely sensible of this Employment 'T is not for an Apostle or for his Successor to think of things below with much complacency When these have all their Uses all their glories on they but make pomp to dress the body which an Apostle does not designe for nor knowes whether he be concern'd at all in He becomes something without a body and above the Earth who for a preparative must be taken up to Paradise and call'd from all commerce and all intelligence with his own body Saint Paul was call'd from heaven to preach the Gospel but he was call'd to heaven to qualifie him for this higher separation to an Apostle and Church-Governour And now you see your calling Holy Fathers and to pass by such obvious unconcerning observations as at first sight follow that those who are not qualified are not call'd I shall onely take notice hence of the counter-part of this call the charge God takes upon him when he cals to this charge and that is he owns and will protect whom himself cals 'T was that he promised to the Founder and God of your Order I the Lord have call'd thee and I will hold thine hand and I will keep thee Isai. 42. 6. And when he said of Cyrus I have call'd him he said also he shall make his way prosperous Isai. 48. 15. And so he shall be the way what it will for thus he said to Jacob I have call'd thee when thou goest through the water I am with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee Isai. 43. 1 2. There was Experience of all this in one of the chief Princes of your Order when the Apostles were scarce safe within their ship they were so toss'd with waves and fears yet if our Lord will call him Peter is confident he shall be safe even in the sea Lord if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the Water saith he and the Lord did but call him and he went down and walked on the water safely as if the swelling billows did onely lift themselves to meet his steps and raise him up from sinking And when his own doubts which alone could were neer drowning him and he but call'd the Lord immediately he stretch'd out his hand and caught him He answers his call if we answer ours if we obey when he sayes come then will he come and save when we call to him And so Peter receiv'd no hurt but a rebuke O thou of little faith why didst thou doubt couldst thou imagine I would not sustein stein thee in the doing what I bid thee do in answering my call But why seek we experience of so old a date There is a more encouraging miracle in these late calls themselves Had God sustein'd the Order in its offices and dignities amidst those waves that wrack'd the Church of late it had been prodigy of undeserved Compassion to our Nation but whenas all was sunk to bid the sea give up what it had swallowed and consumed this is more then to catch a sinking Peter or to save a falling Church The work of Resurrection is emphatically call'd the working of God's mighty power and does out-sound that of his ordinary conservation And truely 't was almost as easie to imagination how the scattered Atomes of mens dust should order themselves and reunite and close into one flesh as that the parcels of our Discipline and Service that were lost in such a wild confusion and the Offices buried in the rubbish of the demolisht Churches should rise again in so much order and beauty Stantia non poterant tecta probare Deum This calling of the Spirit is like that when the Spirit moved upon the face of the abyss and call'd all things out of their no seeds there or like the call of the last Trump Thus by the miraculous mercies of these calls God hath provided for our hopes and warranted our faith of his protections yet he hath also sent us more security hath given us a Constantine if his own be not a greater Name and more deserving of the Church for which it is well known to some he did contrive and order when he could neither plot nor hope for his own Kingdome did with passion labour a succession in your Order when he did not know how to lay designes for the succession of himself or any of his Fathers house to his own Crown and dignity Nor is the Secular arme all your security God himself hath set yet more guards about his consecrated ones he hath severe things for the violaters of them Moses the meekest man upon the Earth that in his life was never angry but once at the rebellious seemes very passionate in calling Vengeance on those that stir against these holy Offices Smite through the loines of all that rise against them and of them that hate them that they rise not again the loines 〈◊〉 we know are the nest of posterity so that 〈◊〉 through the loines is stab the succession 〈◊〉 at once all the posterity of them that we ●●●ut off this Tribe and hinder its successior Nor was this Legal Spirit Gospel is as severe Those in 〈◊〉 Jude that despise these Governours tha● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corah and his Complices did who g●●●ered themselves against Moses and Aaron and said You take too much upon you ye sons of Levi since all the Congregation is holy every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord words these that we are well acquainted with and which it seems St. Jude looks on as sins under the Gospel these perish in the gainsaying of Core whom God would not prepare for punishment by death but he and his accomplices went quick into it He would not let them stay to dy but the Lord made a new thing to shew his detestation of this sin and the Earth swallow'd it in the Commission and all that were alli'd and appertain'd to them that had an hand in it And truely they may well expect strange recompences who do attempt so strange a Sacriledge as to pull stars out of Christ's own right hand from whence we have his word that no man shall be able to pluck any but if they shine thence on their Orbs below and convert many to Righteousness their light shall blaze out into glory and they shall ever dwell at his right hand To which right hand He that brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus that great Shepheard and