must feede the flocke of God The elders saith S. Peter The Greeke worde is Î ÏεςβυτεÏος which the Apostle vseth which word of two sortes of people is falslie interpreted Of the Papists which would haue it to signifie a sacrifising or a massing Priest Of an other sort which woulde haue it onely to signifie Lay-men but the Apostle heere confuteth them both for he speaketh not of sacrifising preists neither yet of lay men but of such as shoulde guide and teach his Church therefore the worde Elders signifyeth heere Bishops Ministers Of whome the office of the first is not only to teach but also to rule the Church of God to keepe it in with a Bishop-like authority this Paul prooueth Take heede vnto your selues and to the whole flocke Act. 20. ouer the which the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseeers to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloode Out of which wordes I gather thus much that of the one side as a Bishop is not exempted from the office of teaching because hee is a Bishop so on the other side hee is not called a Bishop because he is apt to teach neither for the office of teaching but for the preheminence of ruling and ouerséeing of the Church of God that false doctrine come not in that offenders which corrupt the manners and peace of the Church may bee punished and such like The office of the other is this to teach and to administer the Sacraments according to the saying of Christ generally to all ministers Goe into all the worlde Math. 28. teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghost And Paul sayth Preach thou the worde bee feruent in season and out of season reproue rebuke exhort with al loue patience doctrine The which places beeing with disretion considered of are sufficient to prooue that as on the one side calling is necessary so they which be called must bee such as the Apostle heere speaketh of Elders that is to say Bishops to rule and to teach Ministers to teach to administer to rebuke and to exhort where they be therevnto lawfully called Feede ye heere is thirdly to be noted with what they must feede verily with the word with it haue all the Prophets fed that same is the nourishment of the Church S. Peter sayth We are borne agayne not of corruptible seede 1. Pet. 1 2â— but of incorruptible by the word of God who liuech and endureth for euer For all flesh is grasse and the glory of man is as the flower of gras the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away but the word of the Lord indureth for euer and this is the worde which is preached among you By which saying it is manifest that the onely woord of God ought to be taught in the church and that they are not to be heard which would bring in mens deuises into the Church God hath not permitted so much to any mortall man neither may the Church bee gouerned or fed by any other word then by the worde of God by the which it is begotten and borne This confuteth the Papists which would haue the Church to be of greater authoritie then the woord which can not possibly be for the Church is grounded vppon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himselfe the head corner stone so that it is against the woord that the house that is to say the church should rule the maister that is to say the woord and it is against nature that the daughter namely the church should rule hir Mother which is the woord Hereuppon it followeth that the ministers must onely feede with the word of God Eze 3.17 and with no other God sayth thou shalt heare words from my mouth and thou shalt warne others from mee Ier. 1.7 Math. 28. I haue put my words in thy mouth and what so euer I haue commaunded thee that shalt thou speake and did binde his Disciples to a certain kinde of doctrine namely to teach those things which hee had commaunded them whereby wee learn that onely the woord of God must be taught in the Church and no other When I say that the only word of God must be taught I do not therby as some do condemne the reading or alledging of the Fathers for that were altogether curiositie I am not of that minde I thinke them very necessarie to bee read and alledged not as doctrine of saluation but as confirmation of iudgement for when our iudgements the iudgements of the fathers are one vpon some place of Scripture then we say it is idem spiritus one and the selfe same spirit so that alledging of the Fathers is not to be blamed but bringing in mans doctrine as necessarie to saluation in stead of the woord of God which onely serueth to that ende is woorthily to bee condemned where it is said feede and that with the woord There is rendred a reason because the written woord of God containeth in it all things necessarie to saluation and also to life and maners and therefore that we neede not seek any further for the assurance of the same this prooueth Iohn the Apostle Iohn 21 Many things did Iesus in the sight of his disciples which are not writteÌ„ in this booke but these things are written that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God that in beleeuing yee might haue eternall life The other prooueth Paul 2. Tim. 3. Euery Scripture giuen by inspiration is profitable to teach to reprooue and to exhort that the man of God may be made perfect vnto euerie good woorke Rom. 15. Therefore search the Scriptures for in them yee hoope to haue eternall life Lastly it is to bee declared what they must feed n. the Church There be many sorts of Churches there is a visible Church and an inuisible Church there is a militant Church and a triumphant Church there is a true Church there is a false Church Now where the Apostle saith feede the flocke of God hee putteth a difference betwixt the true false Church now a Church is nothing els but a company of people gathered together so that euery company is a Church but euery company is not a church of God Moreouer this is to bee obserued that whereas the Apostle saith feed the flock of God and that the flock of God is partly visible partly inuisible as is aforesaid that hee meaneth that the ministers of the word should diligently feed all the flocke of God vppon the earth which is flatly against those that would single out the church of God from the rest not knowing that there bee some which though they do not appeare outwardly yet are they most dear and precious in the sight of the Lord I must bee plaine with you it is a great fault in this our time wee will haue none to be of the Church but such as we like such
a direction whereby they might walke the bounds whereof they shoulde not passe but also hee sent foorth his seruants the Prophets whom he did endue with the spirite of Prophecie and trewe vnderstanding which shoulde rise vp early and late to teach Israell the sayde Lawe which shoulde threaten the people with the iudgments of God for theyr transgressions which shoulde call them to repentaunce and comfort them in their afflictions and at the last he sent the trew Prophet euen his Sonne Iesus Christ to teach hys Church and to gather together the dispearsed This proueth the Apostle S. Paul in these wordes Diuersly and many waies in times past Heb. 1.1 spake God vnto the Fathers by Prophets but last of all in these dayes hath hee spo kn to vs by his Sonne whom he hath made heire of all thinges By whom also he made the worlde This Iesus in lyke manner shewed his care ouer the Church Luk. 13.22 for as Luke sayth Hee went about through euerie Cittie and euerie Towne teaching and making his iourney towards Ierusalem He trauailed from place to place and by the way as he went he fedde the people he taught and declared his Fathers will vnto them more then that that his foode might more amply bee destributed and this doctrine more liberally be taught he chose certaine whome hee called Disciples Math. 10.18 and sent them abroade into all the worlde and commaunded them to teach all nations After his resurrection he said to Peter Iohn 21.15 Louest thou me More then these feed my flocke This he spake vnto him that time thereby to signifie vnto Peter the great and tender care that hee had ouer his purchased possession which is hys Church After his ascention hee called Paul that he might cary his name before the Gentiles before kings and before the Children of Israell thereby shewing to vs that as GOD had gathered his Church of all estates and degrées of people so he would haue al estates and degrées of people to know his will and also haue matter to feede vppon to the comfort of their soules and therefore in deede Paul was very carefull ouer all congregations and not onely taught diligently himselfe but also elected and chose others for the same worke as Timothie vnto whom he gaue authority to rule the Church of God at Ephesus and to feede them with wholesome doctrine As I besought thee to tarry at Ephesus when I departed into Macedonia 1. Tim. 1.3 so doe that thou maiest commaund some that they teach no other doctrine neither that they giue heede to fables and genealogies which are endlesse which breede questions rather then any godly edifying which is by faith To the same effect hee speaketh vnto his Scholler Titus that he might see to the Church For this cause left I thee in Creta Titus 1.5 that thou shouldest continue to redresse the thinges that remaine and shouldest ordaine elders in euery congregation as I appointed thee This care of God the Father of hys son Christ and of his Apostles or precessors doo teach vs which haue cure of soules to be diligent paynfull and carefull You looke now peraduenture that I shoulde make some bitter inuectiue speeches against Byshops which of some are thought not to be so careful as their office requireth but truely I am not so determined for indéede they be reuerend fathers Fathers of the Church and they be bretheren I came not hether to accuse any I loue it not I leaue it to the deuill qui est accusator fratrum which is the accuser of his bretheren and I will set it ouer to his adherents which take pleasure and exercise themselues therein day and night I came hether to doo the office of a Preacher to to teach the vnlearned and to put the learned in minde of those things which they already knowe and so will doe so long as I liue if God permit Now it followeth to declare vnto you who they be that must feede The Apostle himselfe in the first verse of this Chapter declareth The Elders sayth he 1. Pet. 5.1 I beseech which am also an Elder Feede the flock of Christ When he plainely speaketh to those which haue the office of teaching and administring of Sacraments committed vnto them and to such as are thereunto ordinarily and lawfully called Ierom describeth vnto vs foure sorts of calings Some saith he were called of God and not by men as the Prophets and Apostles Others were called of God and by men as Elizeus by Elias Others are called by men and not by God which séeing they haue an ordinary calling they may not be reiected Others there be which are neyther sent by GOD nor man these be the worst these be Annabaptists these runne of a blind zeale take vppon them to preach without any warrant Of these callings one is necessary that is lawfully to be called by God and man especially in this our time wherin we liue vnder a Christian Magistrate without whose authority in my iudgement it is not lawfull for any man to execute any office in Church or common wealth Calling therefore is not to bee despised but to bee sought for for it is not ynough to haue knowledge in the worde of God and be able to teach but also to haue calling by the Church beeyond which it is not lawfull to go Who so dooth whatsoeuer hee thinketh of himselfe Paul telleth him plainly what hee is Euen such a one Phil. 5. of whome we must take heede For they be dogges euill labourers and concision They giue fayre wordes but secretly they bite They take greate paynes in trotting from house to house in making long prayers in visiting widdowes houses in ouercomming the weake but al is to bréede factions and to get gaynes vnto themselues They call themselues circumcision but the Apostle by a pleasant prosonemasia caleth them concision such as break and deuide the Church such as cut in peeces the vnity and peace of the same Ier. 23.21 Of these sayth Ieremie They did run but I did not send them How then can they teach truely they cannot for the Apostle Paul asketh this question Howe can they preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 as though he should say they cannot And therefore he sayth to Titus Tit. 1.5 For this cause haue I left thee in Creta that thou shouldest ordaine Elders in euery congregation as I haue appointed thee As though he shoulde say least any shoulde take vnto himselfe honour Heb. 5 5. but he that is called I haue left thee there for that purpose They which haue this calling God prospereth their labours they which haue it not thoughe they haue the words of fayth in their mouth yet they bring foorth no fruite for they see not that which is good but euen as it were to leade men by the eares to their peruersse opinions Feede ye heere is secondly noted vnto vs who they bee that
A SERMON PREAched at Torceter in the Countie of Northampton the 8. of Iune Anno Dom. 1588. at the visitation of the right reuerend Father in God the Bishop of Peeterborow BY IOHN BEATNIFFE Preacher of the woord of God in Brackley 2. Cor. 22.28 Beside the thinges which are outward I am cumbred daily and I haue a care ouer all the Churches LONDON Printed by Iohn Charlewood for Roger VVard 1590. To the most reuerend Father in God my Lords grace Archbishop of Cāterbury Sir Christopher Hatton knight Lord high Chauncellor of England Sir William Scicil Knight Lord Burleigh Lord high Treasurer of England Sir Christopher Wray Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of England and to al other which sincerely fauour the word of God Grace and Peace be multiplied in Iesus Christ AMongest the manifold calamities and griefes of hart that fall vppon the Church in this old age of the world right Honorable and welbeloued in the Lord this is not the least that the peace of the Church is daily broken in peeces and that by such as chalenge to themselues the name of the Churche which crie as did the Iewes Ier. 7 4. The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord but I feare me be as Christ sayeth The congregation of Sathan for they dispise Rulers Reue. 2.9 Iude. 5.8 2. Tim. 1.4 and speake euill of such as be in aucthority They delight in questions and endles genealogies which gender strife rather then Godly edyfying which is in Faith These men as they trouble the publique State of the Church with Schismes so doe they also disquiete the consciences of many good Soules by making doubts and ambiguities in matters that be most plaine and easie They draw so many as they can frō obedience of the Godly Magistrate denouncing all those to be execrable cursed and abhominable which bee not of their faction yea they be growen to such grosnesse which they call Puritie that as they say they dare not defile their cleane vndefiled and regenerat Soules by ioyning in Praier with such as hold of the reformed state of this Realme So by this means they deface so much as in them is our Church our Ministery our Orders and Praiers in the Church That which they say is good that order which they obserue is godly howsoeuer it bee they dislike all others but themselues and their followers But what is this truly euen the verie practise of the false apostles in the time of Paul for they to maintaine gentilisme among the people defaced Paul and made them beleeue that hee was not the apostle of Christ euen so these men by the instigation of Satan to ouerthrow our Church and the godly gouernment thereof disgrace Paul and deface our Preachers and al to wound weake consciences and to make cōmendable themselues their new-fangled deuises This their sinister dealing hath done yea and doth at this day much harm in the church for besides the thinges forenamed it hindereth many good and godly men from dooing that good which they would I considering with my self of the disposition of these men of their manners and marke which they shoot at being by aucthority called to preach at a visitation of the right reuerende Father in God the Bishop of Peeterborrow did there as the time then serued my office the nature of my Text required resolutely defende that which they so greatly dislike that is our church and Ministerie the order of our excommunication and our praiers Since which time I haue bin often greatly vrged by dyuers good men many of my welwillers to make it publique for the benefite of the whole Church Seeing their request to be reasonable and that my office bindeth me not onely exhortari per sanam doctrinam Titus 1. verse 9. but also cotradicere maledicentibus I have satisfied their honest request and suffered it to bee published Most humblie crauing that your Honors and all others which fauor the Gospell and this our godly gouerment under our most gratious Soueraign to patronize and defende the same so shall I and others be the more encouraged to execute our offices in the Church The Lord who is the onely giuer of aucthoritie protect and defende your Honours to the glorie of his name and the benefite of this common wealth Most desirous of your Honours prosperitie Io. Beatniffe THE TEXT 1. Peter Cap 5.2 Feede yee the Flocke of God The holie Ghost by the Apostle S. Peter in these words read unto you welbeloued in the Lord doth set down a commaundement to all Pastours Ministers to all those which have cure and charge of soules committed unto them diligently and faithfully to feede the flocke of God In saying feede the flocke metaphorically hee exhorteth his fellowe labourers unto whome he speaketh to teach the Church and people of God with sounde and wholesome doctrine now whereas the holy Ghost useth so many figures in so few wordes hee sheweth what manner of man he would have ouer his flocke what manner of men hee would have to teach his Church that is to say such as be well acquainted with his speeches such as be learned in the tongues and thereby be able not only to exhort with wholsome doctrine but also to couince and stop the mouthes of aduersaries and with facilitie find out the wrettings and false enterpretations of subtil enemies which doctrine of the holy ghost doth impugne is fully against all those whatsoever they bee What countenance soeuer they carie which would perswade or beare the worlde in hand that they be able soundly to teach and utterly to conuince all erroninous doctrine Anabaptisticall factions and Papisticall opinions and that without art but what do these men Verily nothing but euen tread under their feete the excellent gifte of God I mean learning which is the ordinary meane which God in his wisedom hath appointed to true preaching They set themselues unto idlenes and so through their want of skill being set forward through a blind zeale they breede iarres in GODS Church and thereby greeue the Spirite of God by whome the Children of God are sealed vnto the day of redemption Feede I. Metaphorically teach out of the which word of the Apostle there be foure thinges to be considered First the care that God hath ouer his Church Second who they must be that muste feede Third with what they must féed Foure what they must féede Where the holy Ghost by his Apostle sayth féede I gather that he pretendeth a care ouer his Church which appeareth heerein that he doth not onelie prepare food but also giueth commandement that it may be destributed in due and equall manner procureth meanes from time to time as I may say by succession which will faithfully doe and accomplish theyr Masters message This is moste apparant for when God had chosen his Church the seede of Abraham the chosen Israell he did not onely giue them a Lawe as a Rule to leade them by and