in doing good they may have whatsoever comforts and encouragements his countenance, authority, and place may yield. Otherwise what heart shall they have to proceed in their painful course, all sorts of men besides being so ready to malign, despise, and every way oppress them? Let them find nothing but disdain in bishops; in the enemies of present government, if that way they list to betake themselves, all kind of favourable and friendly help; unto which part think we it likely that men having wit, courage, and stomach, will incline?

13. The Bishop's severity.

As great a fault is the want of severity when need requireth, as of kindness and courtesy in bishops. But touching this, what with ill usage of their power among the meaner, and what with disusage amongst the higher sort, they are in the eyes of both sorts as bees having lost their sting. It is a long time since any great one hath felt, or almost any one much feared the edge of that ecclesiastical severity, which sometimes held lords and dukes in a more religious awe than now the meanest are able to be kept.

14. Negligence in Bishops.

The hurt is manifestly seen which doth grow to the Church of God by faults inherent in their several actions; as when they carelessly ordain; when they institute negligently; when corruptly they bestow Church livings, benefices, prebends, and rooms especially of jurisdiction; when they visit for gain sake, rather than with serious intent to do good; when their courts erected for the maintenance of good order, are disordered; when they regard not the clergy under them; when neither clergy nor laity are kept in that awe for which this authority should serve; when any thing appeareth in them

rather than a fatherly affection towards the flock of Christ; when they have no respect to posterity; and finally, when they neglect the true and requisite means whereby their authority should be upheld. Surely, the hurt which groweth out of these defects must needs be exceeding great.

The executors of bishops are sued if their mansion-house be suffered to go to decay: but whom shall their successors sue for the dilapidations which they make of that credit, the unrepaired diminutions whereof will in time bring to pass, that they which would most do good in that calling shall not be able, by reason of prejudice generally settled in the minds of all sorts against them?

The necessity of ordaining such [candidates for Holy Orders] is no excuse for the rash and careless ordaining of every one that hath but a friend to bestow some two or three words of ordinary commendation in his behalf. By reason whereof the Church groweth burdened with silly creatures more than need, whose noted baseness and insufficiency bringeth their very order itself into contempt.

I doubt not but that even conscienceless and wicked patrons, of which sort the swarms are too great in the Church of England, are the more emboldened to present unto bishops any refuse, by finding so easy acceptation thereof.

15. Church Patronage.

It is in truth a matter of great sequel, as experience would soon shew, if Churches Cathedral being furnished with the residence of a competent number of virtuous, grave, wise, and learned divines, the rest of the prebends of every such Church were given within the diocese unto men of worthiest desert for their better encouragement unto industry and travel; unless it seem also convenient to extend the benefit of them unto the learned in

Universities, and men of special employment otherwise in the affairs of the Church of God.

16. Episcopal Visitations.

Touching bishops' visitations, the first institution of them was profitable to the end that the state and condition of churches being known, there might be for evils growing convenient remedies provided in due time. The observation of Church laws, the correction of faults in the service of God, and manners of men, these are things that visitors should seek. When these things are enquired of formally, and but for custom sake, fees and pensions being the only thing which is sought, and little else done by visitations, we are not to marvel if the baseness of the end doth not make the action itself loathsome. The good which bishops may do not only by these visitations belonging ordinarily to their office, but also in respect of that power which the founders of colleges have given them of special trust, charging even fearfully their consciences therewith-the good, I say, which they might do by this their authority, both within their own diocese, and in the well-springs themselves, the Universities, is plainly such as cannot choose but add weight to their heavy accounts in that dreadful day, if they do it not.

17. Methods of granting and obtaining the office and dignity of a Bishop.

He which granteth, or he which receiveth the office and dignity of a bishop, otherwise than beseemeth a thing divine and most holy; he which bestoweth and he which obtaineth it after any other sort than were honest and lawful to use, if our Jesus Christ were present himself on earth to bestow it even with his own hands, sinneth a sin by so much more grievous than the sin of Belshazzar, by

Lord

how much offices and functions heavenly are more precious than the meanest ornaments or implements which thereunto appertain.

18. The Ministerial Office.

The very worldly peace and prosperity, the secular happiness, the temporal and natural good estate both of all men, and of all dominions, hangeth chiefly upon religion, and doth evermore give plain testimony, that, as well in this as in other considerations, the priest is a pillar of that commonwealth wherein he faithfully serveth God.

As the place of public prayer is a circumstance in the outward form thereof which hath moment to help devotion; so the person much more, with whom the people of God do join themselves in this action, as with him that standeth and speaketh in the presence of God for them. The authority of his place, the fervor of his zeal, the piety and gravity of his whole behaviour, must needs exceedingly both grace and set forward the service he doth. Is not his very ordination a seal as it were to us, that the selfsame divine love, which hath chosen the instrument to work with, will by that instrument effect the thing whereunto he ordained it, in blessing his people, and accepting the prayers which his servant offereth up unto God for them? It was in this respect a comfortable title which the ancients used to give unto God's ministers, terming them usually God's most beloved, which were ordained to procure by their prayers his love and favour towards all.

19. Its authority and power divine.

For in that they are Christ's ambassadors and his labourers, who should give them their commission but he whose most inward affairs they manage? Is not God alone the Father of spirits? Are not souls the purchase of Jesus Christ? What angel

in heaven could have said to man, as our Lord did unto Peter, Feed my sheep? preach: baptize: do this in remembrance of me: whose sins ye retain, they are retained; and their offences in heaven pardoned, whose faults you shall on earth forgive. What think we? are these terrestrial sounds, or else are they voices uttered out of the clouds above?

The power of the ministry of God translateth out of darkness into glory; it raiseth men from the earth, and bringeth God himself from heaven; by blessing visible elements it maketh them invisible grace; it giveth daily the Holy Ghost, it hath to dispose of that flesh which was given for the life of the world, and that blood which was poured out to redeem souls; when it poureth malediction upon the heads of the wicked, they perish; when it revoketh the same, they revive. O wretched blindness, if we admire not so great power; more wretched if we consider it aright, and notwithstanding imagine that any but God can bestow it!

Whether we preach, pray, baptize, communicate, condemn, give absolution, or whatsoever; as disposers of God's mysteries, our words, judgments, acts, and deeds are not ours, but the Holy Ghost's.

20. The Minister consecrated to God.

Ministerial power is a mark of separation, because it severeth them that have it from other men, and maketh them a special order consecrated unto the service of the Most High in things wherewith others may not meddle.

21. His responsibility.

The souls of men are God's treasure committed to the trust and fidelity of such as must render a strict account for the very least which is under their custody. God hath not invested them with power to make a revenue thereof, but to use it for the