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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	feed_v	peter_n	sheep_n	4,057	5	9.4959	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30930	A sermon preached at St. Mary Le Bow, on Whitsunday, May xxxi, 1691 at the consecration of the Most Reverend Father in God, John, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and primate of all England / by Ra. Barker ...	Barker, Ralph, 1648-1708.	1691 (1691)	Wing B777A; ESTC R17105	11,838	31

A SERMON Preached at St. Mary Le Bow ON Whitsunday May xxxi 1691. AT THE CONSECRATION Of the Most Reverend Father in God JOHN Lord Archbishop of CANTERBURY And Primate of all England By RA. BARKER Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Fellow of Gonvil and Caius Colledge in Cambridge LONDON Printed for James Adamson at the Angel and Crown in S. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. TO THE Most Reverend Father in God JOHN Lord Archbishop of CANTERBURY MY LORD THAT your Grace was pleased kindly to Accept this my Mean Performance at your Consecration was I do believe for the Plainness and Sincerity of it which I always knew to be most Acceptable to you and what you would chuse to Countenance in the Clergy rather than any thing of Panegyrick which might perhaps have been expected on such an Occasion And therefore I shall only beg your Acceptance of these my first Fruits as a Hearty Acknowledgment of those great Favours which for many Years together you have Vouchsafed to Your Grace's Most Humble And most Faithful Servant RA. BARKER A Consecration Sermon c. St. JOHN xxi 17. He said unto him the third time Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my Sheep THESE Words are part of the Gospel for this great occasion in which that our Saviour should no less than three times put this searching Question to St. Peter argues something in it very remarkable both with respect to him and all other the Bishops and Pastors of his Flock With respect to St. Peter we may consider our Saviour applying himself to him rather than to any of the rest his putting the Question to him three times his calling him Simon Son of Jonas and from thence gather as many of the Ancient Fathers do that all this was to restore him to his former Office and Dignity from which he had fallen by denying his Master thrice and so no new Priviledge nor inlargement of his Power for had St. Peter thus understood it would he have been grieved at our Saviour's so often insisting on it They that would have this the meaning of it think they cannot hear of it or make others hear of it too often Let others find out if they can the height of Power and Dominion given to St. Peter here over all even the Apostles themselves it will be a more safe and comfortable Imployment for us to joyn in the Heavenly Rejoycing which St. Peter's Repentance did occasion and to admire the goodness of our Lord his tender Pity and Compassion his readiness to forgive and receive into Favour this straying Sheep and from thence learn to do the like towards others See how wisely our Saviour prevents any ill use which might have been made of St. Peter's Fall that it might not lessen him among the Apostles that it might not undermine the effect of his Preaching That he that was of a fierce and warm Temper might from himself learn how to pity and treat others in their Faylings And lastly to teach us all Candour in our Censures Prudence in our Judgings Charity in our Hopes and Expectations after Slips and Faylings and to be as ready to observe Men's Repentance as their Faults Men's Usefulness as their Miscarriages Our Saviour could remember his Weeping more than his Denial and is more earnest in publishing his Love than his Fear Oh merciful Saviour who art more strict to mark what we do well than what we do amiss And canst so remember our Miscarriages as to make them the happy occasion of our greater Love Inspire us with this Wisdom Increase this Love in us Before I treat of the Duty it self give me leave to observe with what great Care and Caution our Saviour commits this great Charge unto him how strictly he examins how narrowly he pryes into his very Soul not that he wanted St. Peter's judgment of himself for he knew him better than he did himself but to teach us with what wariness and strictness Persons are to be admitted unto this great Work Altho' we cannot know their Hearts we may know their Lives tho' we cannot see we may require them to declare with what Mind and Affection they undertook this Office Whether they find themselves moved by the Holy Ghost Whether they act sincerely and honestly their Consciences bearing them Witness in the Holy Ghost That not meerly for any secular Ends or Preferments which the Catechismus ad Parochios will tell them is Sacriledge but out of pure love unto their great Master and an holy desire to do him service in the feeding of his Sheep In treating of which I shall chiefly have Respect to our great Apostle St. Peter and from his Writings and Example endeavour with all plainness to recommend this great and seasonable Duty and I could wish with all my Heart that they who most admire him would spend their pains in learning this Duty from him rather than inforceing such Powers and Priviledges upon him as do null the great design both of his Life and Doctrin And so I come to consider the main Design of these words and in them First the Duty it self Feeding Christ's Sheep And then Secondly our love to Christ as the Ground and Foundation the Guide and Measure of it I begin with the first of these the Trust and Charge of Feeding Christ's Sheep which I shall a little inlarge upon because it hath been most shamefully mistaken abused and neglected and when we have a fair Prospect of the Duty it will I believe set us in a right Way and be no small advantage in setting forth our Love to Christ as the surest Ground and Measure of it And here I shall not Criticize upon the Words which have made such a noise in the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are promiscuously used in this place and that which others have insisted most upon used but once and the other twice nor shall I nicely press the Metaphor of Shepherd and Sheep but rather consider the general design of it from the care and watchfulness of a Shepherd in preserving nourishing and improving his Flock to infer the like in every one that loveth the Lord Jesus and is intrusted with his Sheep that they may be treated as his Sheep and fitted for his Service which may be done these three ways by providing them with convenient Food by watching over them and being examples to them First by providing them with convenient Food such as will be sure to nourish and do them good which in St. Peter's judgment is the sincere Milk of the Word that Word which by the Gospel is preached unto us that is the Holy Scriptures that most sure Word of Prophecy unto which we shall do well if in all our Preaching we take exactest heed as unto that Light which is

to shine into all the dark corners of our Souls that Christ's Sheep may hear his voice and not anothers that they may know him and follow him Should not Christ's Sheep know the mind of Christ and be instructed in the Words of the Lord Jesus Christ as Titus and the first Christians were taught that sound Doctrin that Edifying which is in Faith that Depositum which he committed to his Chuch And can we better express our love to our Lord or his Sheep than by giving them the Food which he hath appointed for them that sanctifying Word which is able to make them perfect and save their Souls And shall any be such Stewards of God's Grace as to hoard up this in a Napkin as too luscious and over-light Nourishment for Sheep Give them some latter Traditions some Pictures or Legends which may keep them Humble and Ignorant Better be lean than wander better starved than lost the Hireling may think so because he is to have the Fleece of such as die alone but the good Shepherd whose own the Sheep are knows very well that Sheep are more apt to wander through want of Food than through Plenty and he knows better how to prevent surfeiting than by starving can easilier teach Humility than see so many perish for want of Knowledge can there be a greater Error than to part with our Scriptures for fear of Error and because some wrest them must others not see them Because the Lambs suck must the Sheep do so too Good God that such Nonsense should pass for Reasoning that Christ's Sheep should have such Shepherds But secondly to feed doth include an Holy Zeal and concern for them to preserve and secure them as much as may be both from Sin and Error to watch for their Souls as they that must give an Account of them to the great Shepherd not suffering them to fall into the Hands of such and such there are who if they get them into their Hands will as St. Peter fore warns us make Merchandize of them through Covetousness and fained Words 2 Pet. 2. 3. such False Prophets such Damnable Heresies did he foresee were coming into the World And therefore he explains Feeding the Flock which is among you by taking the over-sight thereof being acquainted with the State and Condition of their Flocks their Dangers and Temptations their Capacities and Circumstances that so their Preachings and Instructions their Care and Inspection may reach them and come home to them may be suited to their several conditions and present wants The good Shepherd is as much concerned to fold his Sheep safely as to provide them with Plenty to preserve them Sound as Fat to take care of the Sick and Weak to recover the Lost and Wandering For which purposes he hath his Tarr and his Crook the Spirit of Meekness and a Rod of Power Power to Rebuke to Censure to Exclude for their own good and for the good of the rest St. Peter knew how to treat a dissembling Ananias Thus Feeding doth comprehend all that Spiritual Power and Authority which Christ left with his Church and which would not miss of its designed Effects if kept within its due Bounds and Measures and such as our Apostle hath taken care to fence it in with a due Respect to the Civil Rights and Interests of Kings and the Governors which are Commissioned by them such as is consistent with Modesty and Humility that Pitty and Compassion that unfeigned love of the Brethren which is due to our Fellow Christians as they are Christ's Sheep God's Lot and Heritage All which Expressions so far as I can gather from St. Peter's use of them are a safe and good state of the Case betwixt the Civil and Ecclesiastical Power which hath puzelled and endangered so many Undertakers in it some of which have felt the Weight of that Power which they themselves have unwarrantably advanced and understood at last what exercising the Authority of Kings and Lording it over their Brethren did signifie both in Christ and in St. Peter when they so earnestly forbad them If Pastor do signifie sometimes Spiritual sometimes Temporal Rulers it is altogether as unwarrantable and unsafe from thence to mix the Temporal with the Spiritual as to mix the Spiritual with the Temporal for Kings and Rulers may as justly hence make themselves Priests as Priests make themselves Rulers and Kings If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified among the Grecians the Prince and chief Rulers may every Bishop claim as great Power and Authority as ever they exercised Then may every Christian make himself a King or Priest or what he will as he may pick up some Word or Expression used among the Poets or better Authors for the purpose he would have it But to return Feeding doth imply in the third place and according to our Saviour's use of it being exemplary and going before the Flock according to the Custom of those Countries and is expressed in our Apostle by being Examples to the Flock in all things shewing themselves Patterns of good Works in Faith in Conversation for a good Life is the surest Ground the best Disposition for the Understanding of our Duty gives the greatest Courage and Assurance in the Performance of it adds the greatest advantage and furtherance in the Success thereof I say it is First the surest Ground and best Qualification for the Understanding the business we go about They were the Holy Men of God saith our Apostle who in all Ages were moved by the Holy Ghost they that do his Will shall know of his Doctrin For is not our Religion a Practical Knowledge a Doctrin of Godliness the Work of Righteousness And shall we separate the Knowledge from the Practice the Doctrin from the Godliness That is would we walk in the ways of God without stirring one step All practical Things are gained by Practice and I am sure in nothing more than in Religion as it doth by degrees quit us of those Prejudices and Entanglements which debase our Understandings and Affections clog our Inclinations and discourage our Attempts as it gives us the true Relish of the Ease and Pleasure of Religion as it gives God's Spirit the Opportunity to concur and work with us 2ly As it gives Courage and Assurance in the performance of our Duty St. Peter stiles such an one a Living stone and doth not think himself lessened by our Saviours comparing the practical Christian to the house built upon the rock He that loves Goodness may with confidence and a good grace recommend it he that hates Vice may with boldness and ex animo reprove and out-face it How sneakingly how coldly must that Man act who is bound to reprove what he dearly loves and recommend that which he hath no relish for no acquaintance with Is not this acting of a Part and turning our very Churches into Stages If our business be Religion for God's sake let us be religious 3dly This gives the best Advantage and

their Affections and there is no coming at their Understandings but by them we lose our labour if we think to storm that Fort without gaining these Out-works and seeing it is so we must speak to Men as they are capable of hearing perhaps it is thus on purpose to teach us that Love is as valuable as many Truths that it is the way of gaining all Hath not God commanded us to follow the Truth in Love hath he not resolved that he will teach the meek his ways that he will not accept all Knowledge all Faith and what can Truth it self aim at more without Charity It is not the prerogative of Truth to convince it is but the Way not the End we water but God gives the increase we propose but God convinces we rebuke but it is God who gives Repentance What Pride what Presumption then is it for any to be angry and peevish if so soon as they have watered the increase doth not appear if upon their proposing the Person is not presently convinced if upon their rebuking he shew no Repentance And shall any do well to be angry in these cases Doth not all such Passion fly in the face of God himself who is pleased to withhold his Concurrence either because they proceed not in his way did not rebuke with Meekness or because they claimed too great a share in it themselves they must have them to be their Converts or lastly because God knows better than we when to interpose and bestow his Mercy that the power may be of God and not of Man that it may answer his ends rather than theirs I have been the longer upon this because I do believe that our feeding in Love is loving of Christ the Object different but the same Affection for that very Union which makes Christ to be one with them makes our Love of them to be our Love of Christ and that Feast of Love which we are going to partake of makes us to be one with Christ as it unites us in Love and Good-will towards each other whereby we being many become one Body one Church the members of Christ and of each other To conclude all Suffer I beseech you a word of Exhortation and let me once twice and a third time inforce this Duty that if you love Christ that as you love Christ that as you desire your Love may be approved and inlarged by him you would feed and thus feed his Sheep gathering the Lambs with your Arms and carrying them in the Bosome gently leading those that are with young and fetching back the lost upon your shoulders These are the Expressions which God by his Prophet and Christ in his Gospel are pleased to make use of setting forth thereby their great Care and tender Concern for their Sheep and can you take a better Course Can you follow a better Pattern than to be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful than to be sent as Christ himself was to seek and to save May you so faithfully discharge this great Duty that Christ may own and bless whatsoever you do for him and his and the God of Peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect to do his Will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight to whom be Glory for ever Amen FINIS Books Printed for James Adamson I. A Defence of Diocesan Episcopacy in answer to a Book of Mr. David Clarkson lately published Entituled Primitive Episcopacy by Henry Maurice D. D. Octavo II. Vita Reginaldi Poli Cardinalis ac Cantuariensis Archiepiscopi Acta Disceptationis inter Legatos Angliae Galliae in Concilio Constantiensi de utriusque Gentis Dignitate Praerogativa in Conciliorum Tomis desiderata Libri Rarissimi olim quidem Editi sed paucis noti ac nullis facile obvii Octavo III. Pauli Colomesii Observationes sacrae Editio secunda auctior emendatior accedunt ejusdem Paralipomena de Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis Passio sancti Victoris Massiliensis ab eodem emendata Editio quarta ultima longè auctior emendatior Oct. IV. The Travels of Monsieur de The venot into the Levant In three parts viz. 1. Into Turky 2. Persia 3. The East Indies Folio V. Mr. Chillingworth's Book called The Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation made more generally useful by omitting Personal Contests but inserting whatsoever concerns the common Cause of Protestants or defends the Church of England with an exact Table of Contents and an Addition of some genuine Pieces of Mr. Chillingworth's never before printed viz. against the Infallibility of the Roman Church Transubstantiation Tradition c. And an Account of what moved the Author to turn Papist with his Confutation of the said Motives Quarto VI. A Treatise of the Celibacy of the Clergy wherein its Rise and Progress are Historically considered Quarto VII A Treatise proving Scripture to be the Rule of Faith writ by Reginald Peacock Bishop of Chichester before the Reformation about the year 1450. VIII Doubts concerning the Roman Infallibility 1. Whether the Church of Rome believe it 2. Whether Jesus Christ or his Apostles ever Recommended it 3. Whether the Primitive Church knew or used that way of deciding Controversies IX A brief Historical Account of the Behaviour of the Jesuits and their Faction for the first twenty five Years of Q. Elizabeths Reign with an Epistle of W. Watson a Secular Priest shewing how they were thought of by other Romanists of that time Quarto X. A brief Examination of the present Roman Catholick Faith contained in Pope Pius his new Creed by the Scriptures Ancient Fathers and their own Modern Writers Quarto