THE FISHERMAN. A Sermon preached at a Synod held at Southwell in Nottinghamshire. Showing 1. The necessity of calling and gifts enabling in a Minister. 2. The danger intruders are in. 3. Whose fault it is that such are in the Church. 4. A good life requisite in all that profess Christianity, but especially in Ministers. 5. Wisdom and learning absolutely necessary in Preachers. 6. Unlearned & frothy preaching doth much hurt. 7. God's work goeth best forward when his workmen agree well amongst themselves. 8. Contempt of God's Ministers shall not be unpunished. With other points of moment. By jerom Phillip's Bachelor in Divinity. LONDON, Printed for W. I. for Robert Bird, and are to be sold in Ivy Lane. 1623. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD, AND REVEREND FATHER in God, JOHN by divine providence Bishop of Lincoln, Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England. Right Honourable, I Present unto your Lordship's view this short Discourse of the trade of Fishing: Fishing for Men, the best trade that mortal men can spend their time in, though all come not to it with the best minds: for some are fishers of Saint Peter's trade, for this hope only, that they may haply speed, as once Saint Peter did, Math. 17. vlt. to cast an angle into the sea, and pull up a fish with money in the mouth of it. Such seek their own, and not the things of jesus Christ. Phil. 2.21. But howsoever, they that come with good affection to the work, and perform it with good effect, cannot be free from the poison of Asps that lieth under the lips of some men. For if any exorbitancy be sound in any of our coat and calling, it is strange to see how our adversaries insult thereupon, and exclaim against all of the Clergy; from the highest to the lowest, as if thereby there were cause enough given to pull down the whole fabrik of our Church, and for themselves to take up that cry of the cursed Edomites, Down with it, down with it, Psal. 137.7. even with the ground. We all have our faults, and too many of us too many: but what then? shall the innocent bear the reproach with the nocent? Or shall the reverend Fathers of the Church be taxable for the crimes of some Churchmen, which they cannot mend? Shall the Master bear the blame, because some of his Disciples eat with vnwashen hands? I doubt not, but many a thousand in the Land, Prelates, and other good Pastors, that stand in peaceable conformity with the Church, can as ill brook scandalous life and unsound doctrine in a Minister, as any of those fiery spirited declamors. The Governors of the Church cannot be so circumspect but through the craft and malice of man and Satan, some such may craftily creep in; that shall dishonour God and defile the priesthood. Nehem. 13.20. Since by the providence of God, and his Majesty's most judicious choice, you are called to so high a place of honour and weighty employment for the Church and Kingdom; it is the hope of good men, that the Church shall have cause to rejoice much in your Honour's advancement: and that goodness in you shall receive no loss by the access of greatness, but rather much gain, In te factam esse hanc mutationem confido, Bernard. ad Eugen. non de te, nec priori statui tuo successisse hanc promotionem, sed accessisse. It is the confidence of them that conversed with your Lordship whilst you lived in these parts, and in this confidence have I been bold to present your Honour with this little Treatise. I can say nothing for myself, why I should be so bold, saving that the subject requireth such a Patron, and myself am yours in the service of the Church, having pastoral charge in your Lordship's Diocese. It was first made public, I confess, by delivery in the Province and Diocese of that most reverend Archbishop of York, to whom I am much obliged for many courtesies, according to his accustomed benignity towards all, even of the least deservings in the cause of the Church: yet herein I thought to make somewhat an equal division betwixt his Grace and your Honour, since you both have interest in me: that as it was preached by his Grace's appointment; so now it may be published under your Honour's protection. Thus humbly craving your Lordship's acceptance, I commend you to the God of grace and glory. From Althorpe in the Isle of Axholme. Your Lordships in all humble and dutiful observance, jerom Phillips. THE FISHERMAN. MARK. 1.17. Fellow me, and I will make you Fishers of Men. FRom the ninth verse of this Chapter, the Evangelist doth record the Baptism, Fasting, Temptation and preaching of Christ. The next thing, is his calling of others to the same work of preaching. He calleth here two pair of brethren; Simon and Andrew his brother; james and john his brother. They were but men, yet he will make them workers together with God: 1. Cor. 3.9. they were but simple fishermen, yet he will make them Fishers of men. Fellow me, and I will make you Fishers of men. Consider in the Text two parts: 1. Calling; Fellow me. 2. Qualifying; I will make you Fishers of men. Before I speak of the parts, let me consider the order and disposition of the parts: First, Calling; then, Qualifying. First, Fellow; then, be made fishers. This first calling of the Apostles, is not to the work of Apostleship, but rather to the school of Discipleship. It is not Fellow me, and straightways be fishers; but, Fellow, and I will make you Fishers. Neither did these fishers upon this call, immediately leave their nets, and preach the Gospel; but they left their nets and followed Christ jesus, and expected another calling and deputation to that great work: they were not as yet gifted for so high a calling. They must learn before they can teach. First be Disciples, before they can be Apostles; Followers before Fishers. Many over-skip this degree, and make themselves Apostles, that never knew what it was to be Disciples of Christ jesus: Prophets they are made, that never knew the School of the Prophets, nor what it is to be among the sons of the Prophets: having got a place in the Church; if you ask them, whence they came thither? if they will answer truly, job 1.7. they must say as Satan did, From compassing the earth, and from walking to and fro in it, as wanderers that could never settle in any good course of living; their endowments of body and mind are so mean, as that no Calling in the world could afford them bread, for their pains, and therefore are fain to say (as it was God's curie upon Elies wicked sons) Appoint me, 1. Sam 2. vlt. I pray thee, to one of the Priests offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread. Prou. 6.11. Thus necessity pursuing them like an armed man, as Solomon saith, they fly from their enemy, and take hold on the horns of the Altar; there they eat the Shewbread, which is not lawful to eat, but for the Priests only. They that are driven to this Calling for bread only, and have no other testimony of an inward calling, nisi quod inanitate intestina murmurant, Plavi. Cas. for the most part they will transgress for bread in the execution of their offices, & frusto panis conduci possunt, vel uri taceant, vel uti loquantur; they will speak good of evil, or evil of good, as they shall find to make best for their own private advantage. It is the Apostles sentence, Act. 6. It is not meet to leave the word of God, and serve tables: we may invert the sentence, and say, It is not meet that men should leave serving of tables, to become dispensers of God's word; It is not meet that Ministers should turn Serving men; nor that Servingmen and such like, mercenary and mechanical men void of learning and gifts enabling, should turn Ministers. If ever God open the eyes of these men, to let them see the danger they are in, and feel the weight of the burden that is on their shoulders, and how unable they are to bear it, they will then come in, fulfilling the prophecy of Zacharie, and say, I am no Prophet, but an husbandman: Zach 13.5. for man taught me to be an-herd-man from my youth. Though they have now high places in the Church, and are great in their parochial purchases, though they sit upon pinnacles of the Temple, yet if they consider that the Tempter set them there, to cast them down headlong, to break their necks, they will be glad to get down the fairest way. Though they have now the honour of Prophets, yet if they consider that they are but the devil's workmen in God's house, and that it may be said of them as of Saul, Inuasit eum spiritus malus, 1. Sam. 18.10. & prophetabat; the evil spirit comes on them, and they prophesy: the evil spirit comes on them, and they turn Priests. When they well weigh these things, they will be glad for the peace of their consciences to betake themselves to their old trades again, and leave this Calling to those that can better execute it, and that can derive their pedigrees from Aaron. Nehem. 7.64. If you ask the cause, why in a well governed Church such Locusts can so swarm? One is, sacrilegious Patrons give their liuings upon such dishonest terms, that no man of gifts or grace can accept of them; and therefore they are fain to find out such as will accept of them upon any terms, even for Michaes wages, judg. 17.10. ten shekels of silver by the year, a suit of apparel, and meat and drink. But others say, if no such Ministers were made, the Church should not be pestered with such unworthy creatures. It is true indeed; and if any that have power to ordain, admit such wittingly and willingly, it will be heavy for him to answer for it before the great Bishop of our souls. But to speak truly in the just defence of those reverend Fathers (quos utinam omnes possem liberare) the cause for the most part is amongst ourselves: for it is not possible that any Bishop should know the life, and conversation, and education of every one that is to be admitted into the ministry, but by the testimony of those that know them. Ministers and Gentlemen, for favour or for by-respects, are too liberal of their hands, in giving testimony to them whom either they know not, or know, not to be deserving; Et hinc illae lachrimae. They that thus commend unworthy ones to the work of the ministry, let them consider (though they be no Bishops) whether in so doing they have not transgressed the Apostles precept, 1. Tim. 5.22. Ne cui cito manus imponas, Lay hands suddenly upon no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins. There is another sort that outrun their calling too, which being called to follow, straightways run to this fishing before they be furnished: being called to be Disciples, straightways they run to the Apostolic function; contrary to the Apostles precept, Neophitus ne sit, 1. Tim. 3.6. Let him not be a young Scholar. Before years and experience, reading and other helps bring them to maturity of judgement, they take upon them to divide the word of God to his people. Let it be granted that these be (some of them) of the Tribe of Levi (I mean young men trained up in the Schools for the Ministry) yet for their forwardness it may be said of them truly, as the factious company to Moses mutinously, Numb. 16 You take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. Under the Law the Levites had their appointed times for their ages, Numb. 4. before which they might have no admittance to the service in the Tabernacle, though they were never so ripe and pregnant. It was not well with the sacrifices when Priests boys were permitted to intermeddle; they never came to do any good service either to God or to his Church: 1. Sam. 2.13. but they came with their flesh-hooks to fetch sweet morsels from the Altar, and these caused the sacrifices of the Lord to be despised. When the young sons of the Prophets shall be set to gather herbs to make pottage for the food of God's household, they may happily in stead of wholesome potherbs, bring in Colloquintida; that when the broth is served in, they that taste of it, may say, Mors in olla, 2 King 4.40. O man of God, death is in the pot. I doubt not but God may enable some, as he did young Timothy with rare gifts for his work, though they have not many years: but it is not common, it is not ordinary. Et da mihi talem Timotheum, saith Bernard, Bernard. & ego illum cibabo auro & potabo balsamo. Thus fare the order and disposition of the parts. Now followeth the parts of tne Text in order. 1. Calling; Fellow me. 2. Qualifying; I will make you Fishers of men. To follow Christ jesus, is not to follow him on foot only, Augustinus de bono virginali. but to follow his precepts and example of life: Hunc in eo quisque sequitur, in quo imitatur, saith Saint Augustine. To follow Christ, is to be a Disciple of Christ; Math. 28.19. to be a Disciple, is to be a Christian. For they that at the first were called Disciples, Act. 11.26. afterwards at Antioch began to be called Christians. Then to follow Christ, is to become good Christians by the imitation of Christ. And this is the first step to the office of the ministry: he must first be a good man that will be a good Minister. And this first step you (beloved, of the Laity) must tread with us. For though to follow Christ, be here propounded as the first stair to the office of preaching the word; yet else where our Saviour Christ and his Apostles make it a common duty belonging to all that bear the name of Christ, and are called Christians. It is not said of the Pastors only, but of the sheep also, that they follow the chief Shepherd: My sheep hear my voice, john 10.27. and they follow me. And to the whole Church at Ephesus, Be ye followers of God, as dear children, Eph. 5.1. and walk in love, even as Christ hath loved us, etc. No sheep in Christ's fold is barren of good works, They all go up from the washing, every one hath twins, Cant 4.2. and none is barren amongst them. Show me thy faith by thy works, saith Saint james. Thy faith is best seen by thy following of Christ jesus. The life of a Christian is his faith, the life of his faith, is his good works: for faith without works, saith Saint james, is a dead faith. jam. 2.17. A sound Religion makes the professors thereof trees of righteousness, saith the Prophet; not barren and dead trees, like the figtree our Saviour Christ cursed, having leaves, and no fruit on it; but fruitful trees, Math. 21.19. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord, Psal. 92.13. shall flourish in the courts of our God; they shall bring forth fruit in their age, they shall be fat and flourishing. Though we do not teach you to merit heaven by your good works, yet we must tell you, that your faith that is empty of good works, is no good faith. justifying faith and a good conscience are inseparable companions, and say one to another as Ruth said to Naomi, Ruth. 1 17. Where thou dwellest, there will I dwell; and where thou diest, there will I die. A fruitless faith is a dead faith. Give me children, Gen. 13.1. saith Rachel to her husband, or else I die. So saith Faith to the professors thereof, Let good works be the fruit of my womb, or else I am but dead. We glory much to compare our age enlightened, to the darkness of the age of our forefathers, what darkness they sat in, and what light we now do see. But if we look well about us, our wants are as great as theirs: they walked in darkness, because they had no light: but this is the condemnation of this our age, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness more than light, because their deeds are evil. The former age indeed was as Leah, blear-eyed, yet fruitful in many commendable works: our age as Rachel, quick sighted, and beautiful to the eye, but barren: we are fruitful indeed in professed religion, but fruitless of the true practice of piety. Many that profess to follow Christ jesus, aequis passibus, as it were at the very heels, yet are found to halt, and so discredit themselves and their profession, 2. Sam. 12.14. and cause the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. The more glorious you are in your profession, if your actions be not answerable, the more do you wrong the Church wherein you stand, and wound your own souls. Angel's tongues, would have Angels lives, Saints lives at the least. But where there are Angels tongues and devils lives, there are devils incarnate; Satan transformed into an Angel of light. It is better that wickedness should be seen in her own colours, then under the hood and habit of virtue. A wicked Professor is worse than a professed wicked man. But this duty of following our master Christ, is here chief intended to us of the Ministry, we must so follow, as that we must be examples to our flocks: we must follow Christ so near, as that they may follow him in following us; that we may say to them as the Apostle Paul, 1. Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ: so we must teach them as well by example of life in following, as by doctrine in preaching Christ. We are by resemblance stars; Apoc. 1.10. stars we are in this life, and shall be stars in heaven too, if we fulfil our Ministry effectually: Dan. 12.3. They that turn many to righteousness, shall shine as stars in the firmament for evermore. Starred have light, that points at our doctrine; stars have influence too, job. 38.31. that points at our good works. Canst thou restrain the sweet influence of the Pliades, or lose the bands of Orion, saith almighty God to job. As the Philosophers define, Stella est densior pars sui orbis, a star is a massier part of his orb: so should good Ministers be more compact of goodness and grace, than the rest of the people, amongst whom they live. Wherefore, beloved brethren, stars of this constellation, since our Calling is high and honourable, let the condition of our lives be suitable: let there not be disparity and disproportion betwixt our callings and conversations: Ne sit sedes prima, & vita ima. Ad Oceanum. It is Saint Ieroms annotation upon the name of Pastor given to us: Talis ●ligendus est Pastor, prae quo reliquus populus grex est. The like note may we as well have here from this name of Fisherman: Talis est eligendus Piscator, prae quo reliquus populus pisces sunt. He ought to be so conspicuous for God's graces eminent in him, that it may be said of him as of the man whom God did choose to be the first King over his people Israel: Videte virum quem elegit Dominus: 1. Sam. 10.24. Behold the man whom the Lord hath chosen, higher than all the people by the head, there is none like unto him of all the people. We aim at, not only the gross and greatest sins of the people, but even at the least too, even motes must we take away: and how clean must he be himself, that should be a mote-finder in other men's lives? We may not go with beams in our own eyes, to pull out motes out of our brother's eyes: if we do, they will as soon suffer us to pull their eyes out of their heads, as any motes out of their eyes. For such is the perverseness of people, (I may well call it perverseness in them) they will not be taught by their doctrines whose lives teach not too; Math. 7 5. but they have learned to say, Hypocrite, first pull the beam out of thine own eye, then shalt thou see more clearly to pull the mote out of thy brother's eye. Motes in our eyes are beams, they are beams indeed in the people's account, nay, they are beams in God's account; I would to God than they might be so in our account too. Our motes are beams in God's account: for mark it, and it is observed by Chrysostome, Dial. lib. 6, cap. 10. that under the Law there was as much sacrifice to be offered for the sin of the Priest, as for the whole multitude; to signify, that for the dignity of his place, and for the common mischief ensuing upon his fall by example, his sin weighed as much as the sin of all the people. And the Priest's daughter that did not intermeddle in the Priest's office, yet in regard of her descent and family she comes of, her sin was much more heinous than the same sin in another woman: Levit. 21.9. Cum reliquis vero in eadem culpa depre●ensit mitius agebatur. Exod. 22.16 if she played the whore, she must be burned with fire, though the same sin in another had an easier punishment. The world is much given to faultfinding with us for our lives, and many times without a cause: for they think to extenuate their own faults, by agpravating ours; Gen. 3.12. and plead in defence of their sins like Adam: The woman that thou gavest me, gave it unto me, and I did eat. The Pastor that thou didst set over me, was an example unto me of sinning, and I did sin. Querentes licentiam male vivendi, August. de vita & moribus clir. Serm. 2. querunt sibi exempla malè viventium, & multos infamant, ut socios invenisse videantur: And if they find such examples amongst us, though it excuse not themselves, yet it makes us inexcusable if we be guilty. Voi soli non potestis perire. Ber● Beloved, it stands us in hand to look to our own footing. We live not to ourselves; many do stand or fall by our example. The sins of Elies' sons made the people of the Lord to trespass. And exemplary sins must have exemplary punishments. The next in the Text, is qualifying: I will make you Fishers of men. First, Fishers must be skilful both to guide their boat upon the tempestuous sea, and also to know when, and how, and where to cast out their nets to make a draught. Secondly, Fishers must be painful, always busy about their fishing, either letting down their nets for a draught, or pulling them up, or launching into the deep, or haling to the shore, or mending or washing their nets. Thirdly, Fishers must agree in their work, else by discord and wrangling amongst themselves the work is hindered that it never goeth forward. When Peter saith, I go a fishing; the rest agree, and say, We will go with thee. Fourthly, Fishers, if they be compared to the fishes that they lay for, one man (though but a fisherman) is of more worth than millions of fishes. Fisher's then, fishers in this kind, fishers of men are of no base trade. The subject commends the work: they fish not for fishes, but for men: for men, not to pray upon them, but to save them; not for the bodies or goods of men, but for the souls of men; they fish for the souls of men, purchased by the blood of the Son of God. Thus by the name of Fisherman, we have commended unto us these four qualities in God's fishermen, Skillfulness, Painfulness, Concord, and Dignity. 1 First for Skillfulness. Since our fishing is not for transitory things, but for gaining of souls to God, it behoveth us to use our best skill for the effecting of so great a work: all the helps of nature and art are to be sought for for this work: arts and tongues, meditations and readings, should be handmaidens for this Art. God's fishermen here by the like metaphors are called Gods builders, 1. Cor. 3. In the building of the material Temple, there must not be a stone laid, nor scarce a pin driven but by divine art taught of God. How shall men untaught then presume to work in Gods spiritual building with vntempered mortar, and hands unsanctified for the work? It is intolerable and impious boldness, that every unskilful know-little shall presume at his pleasure to divide the sacred word of God, the holy Gospel to God's people, and that in the sight and presence of God himself, and all his holy Angels. He that doth this work aright, Isa. 12.3. doth draw water from the well of salvation for the people of God, saith the Prophet. Let therefore every faithful Pastor draw this water; but every one with his own pitcher. If any have not a pitcher, or but a broken pitcher, how should he draw. I may say with the woman of Samaria, the well is deep, joh. 4.11. and if thou hast nothing to draw with, whence shouldst thou have that water of life. Many to avoid the imputation of dumb dogs in the Church, break silence, and become Preachers, sometimes (through ignorance) of unsound doctrine, many times of unsavoury, that worketh nothing either to the information of the judgement, or to the reformation of the affections of the hearer. I speak not to discourage any of mean gifts, if they can be any ways profitable. He that hath but one talon, if he use it well, shall have his reward with God. But I would have no man presume, that he hath a talon in his napkin, when he hath but an empty napkin. This frothy kind of preaching makes the multitude to contemn so high and holy an ordinance: when after a long and tedious Sermon heard without fruit, it may be said of the hungry multitude, as the Prophet speaks of Ephraim, Hos. 12.1. Ephraim is fed with the wind: for they get nothing but emptiness: Vox est, praeterea nihil, a great sound of much food, but no sound food at all. Of such teachers, which through ignorance many times prove teachers of lies, I say no more, but as job said to his comfortless comforters, job 13.5. O that you would hold your tongues, that it might be imputed unto you for wisdom. Some of these, though but meanly qualified, yet if in humility they would take notice of the meanness of their gifts, they might be more profitable in more silence: but whilst they think to clear themselves of insufficiency and of idleness by their often preaching, they are fain for want of matter, to fill up their hours with vain tautalogies and idle discourses, that the meanest of their auditory can discern their barrenness, and count their preaching but babbling. When the people of Rome heard that the fields belonging to some of their Colonies waxed barren, their advice was (as Pliny recordeth) that the Husbandmen should melius arare, Nat. hist. & minus serere, plough better, and sow less: so when God's field waxeth barren, and the people profit not by preaching of the word, by reason of a negligent kind of preaching, I hope it will not be counted counsel to such as cannot speak often, and well too, that they spend more time in their studies, and be less seen in their pulpits. If they have fished all night and caught nothing, it were not amiss that they should sit down a while upon the shore and mend their nets, afterwards with God's blessing they may fish with better success. Till I come (saith Saint Paul to Timothy) give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. 1. Tim. 4.13. The better we give attendance to reading, the better we shall be furnished for doctrine and for exhortation. He that heareth, speaketh continually, saith Solomon, Prou. 21.28. And since auditus est sensus disciplinae; by hearing (in this place I take it) is not only meant the hearing of the ear, but any means whereby the mind is enriched with knowledge, whether it be hearing, or reading, or meditation, or conference: in this sense then, he that heareth speaketh continually. But he that will be speaking continually, and never heareth, shall be sure always to speak that that is not worth the hearing. It is better the people should hear fewer Sermons to their edification, than many without profit. Col. 4.6. Let our words be gracious always, saith the Apostle, and seasoned with salt: and let us not more regard the number of them, than the weight. 1. Cor. 14.19. I had rather (saith Saint Paul) speak five words with understanding, and to the edification of others, than ten thousand in a barbarous tongue without profit. But to those that are able to be frequent, the counsel of the King and Preacher is to be followed, Eccles. 11.6. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, this or that, or whether both alike. But to others (such as now I speak of) they should speak no oftener in the name of God to his people, then when almighty God commands them to speak: and then only God commands to speak, when he furnisheth his speaker with good matter; according to that of Elihu in job, job 32.18. I am full of matter, and the Spirit within me compelleth me. It behoveth us, not only to have the tongues of the learned, to speak sound & justifiable doctrine; but also to have the tongues of the discreet too, to speak seasonably, respecting persons, times and places: this was the Prophet Isai's gift, Isa. 50.4. The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know to minister a word in due season to him that is weary. It behoveth us to know how to give to every one his portion in due season; milk to them that are weak, strong meat to the stronger. We must learn to know the maladies of the people, and how to cure them, and not always (which the Prophet reproves) to heal the sores of God's people with sweet words. jer. 6.14. If the wound be festering and putrify, we must know how to make incision; if it be a broken wound, how to heal it up. We must know how to use sometimes oil to supple a wound, sometimes wine to search it: the good Samaritan used both, Luk. 10. he poured in wine and oil. A skilful Pastor must sometimes be a Boanerges, that is, the son of thunder, to thunder out the curses of the Law against obstinate sinners. Again, he must sometimes be a Barnabas, that is, the son of consolation, to comfort with the sweet promises of the Gospel those that feel the weight and burden of their sins. It is not the least part of our skill to know how to reprehend with good effect. Many do lose many times the reprehension and the man too, because they are not cautelous in the application of it: if it have the least savour of ill will and revenge, it mars all. The very matter of reprehension hath in it a certain kind of harshness and bitterness; therefore must be qualified in the manner. We must do as Physicians, that use to give their wholesome-bitter pills leapt up in sweetmeats. To a natural man to be reprehended for his sin, his sweet sin, his darling sin, oh it goes like daggers to his heart; he is ready to cry out, Murder, murder; Act. 7.28. Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday? There is in this a Christian art to be used, secantem gladium sentiat aeger antequam cernit, saith Bernard, that the soule-ficke man may gulp down his physic before he is ware, and let it work on him afterwards. Many omit this duty of reprehending altogether, especially towards great ones, lest they should offend; and so do not fulfil their ministry wholly, but in part only: that is no good course: Habet etenium suum virus blan●a adulatio. Seneca. great persons must not be always poisoned with flattery; Is there for them no balm in Gilead? Must they be always served in with butter in a lordly dish to their own confusion? No, they must be admonished too, but in good terms, and with due respect. De regim. Abbatif. ad Eustoch. Nihil est in rectore periculosius quam vana humilitas ad correptionem erga superbos protervosque subditos, saith jerom, It is dangerous humility to be afraid to speak in God's cause, and for the gaining of any, of what degree soever. Fishers do not use to cast nets for small fishes, & let great ones go: we may not so make fish of one, and flesh of another: yet regard must be had to the quality of the person. Is it fit (saith Elihu to job) to say unto a King, job 34.18. thou art wicked; and to Princes, Ye are ? No; Saint Paul would have a difference observed towards persons of meaner quality: Seniorem ne increpaveris, sed obseora ut patrem, 1. Tim. 5.1. Rebuke not an Elder, but entreat him as a father. David could well brook that Nathan should tell him of his greatest sins; because as he did his message faithfully from the Lord, so he did it with due reverence, and respect to the person of the King. Vir sanctus (saith Bernard) & regem considerans, & peccatorem. But whem Shimei rebuked him for the same sin, he was highly displeased with him, and that justly; for he used unreverent and disgraceful railing on the King. The second quality in Fishermen, is Painfulness. Fishing is a painful trade. As Peter's trade of fishing for fishes of the Sea was painful, in the sweat of his brows: so this his trade in fishing for men is as painful, in the sweat of his brain. For as in that he had many times sore travel, without fruit: so in this it may sometimes befall him to have cause to complain with the Prophet Isay, I have laboured in vain, Isai. 49.4. and 55.2. I have spent my strength in vain: all the day long have I stretched out my hands to a rebellious people. This Chair of Peter's, is not a Chair to sit and sleep in: he that sits in it, must think that spoken to him, which our master Christ spoke to Peter: Peter, lovest thou me? then feed my sheep, feed my lambs; if thou lovest me Peter, feed. The lips of the righteous (saith Solomon) feed many. Prou. 10 21. And the hungry flock of Christ's fold expect their food from them that are their Pastors: they must therefore with all diligence give them their meat in due season. Many Pastors are not painful in feeding, because their flocks are ignorant, and cannot judge of their pains: and some Pastors rejoice that they have such a people, with whom they may be idle, and none complain of their idleness, whether it be silent idleness in not preaching, or speaking idleness in preaching without meditation. Such a stupidity in the people, should be no rejoicing to the Pastor, but rather stir him up to greater pains. Crat. ●iguri habitae. Impostoris est non probi viri stupidos & ignaros quaerere auditores quos possit fallere, saith Peter Martyr. Some there are that presuming upon their own extemporal faculty, and their people's simplicity, bid fair for that curse that almighty God denounceth against those that do the work of the Lord negligently, jer. 48.10. In the 34 of Ezekiel, amongst many other curses which almighty God threatneth against idle Pastors, this is one, that they shall be deprived of their gifts. A talon hid in a napkin, shall be taken away. Excellent gifts are lost many times, because they are not used. Wherefore let the heart indite a good matter, and then the tongue will be the pen of a ready writer: but if the heart wax fat with idleness, no marvel then though the tongue cleave to the roof of the mouth, and the right hand forget her cunning. And this is not the only punishment of idleness, to be deprived of goodness. A field, if it lie untilled, is not only barren of good fruits, but also fertile of weeds: so is it with our minds, if they be not busied with good, they set themselves on work to mischief: for God hath given to man a working mind, Eccles. 3.11. that cannot rest. The world is in man's heart, saith Solomon. The mind in this may be compared to a Mill, which if the wind carry about empty, it setteth itself on fire: when man's wit ceaseth to work good and profitable things, it sets itself on fire to mischief; and then the more wit and learning the man hath, the more pernicious an engineer he proves of wicked attempts. Magna etenim ingenia nil efferunt mediocre. And hence comes Sects and Schisms in the Church, whilst that some for their stomach against their superiors, and other misdemeanours, might not without dangers to the Church be permitted to go on in their factious preaching, but must rather be enjoined silence, have now leisure enough to use their tongues and their pens for railing and raising up tumults against the Church. As soon as ever they left feeding, strait ways they began to destroy: as soon as they left building, they began to pull down, even that themselves had built. Thus much for the second quality of God's Fishermen, Painfulness. The third is Concord and agreement, which is most needful: for without it, no good can be done. For as the fishers in the Sea being to lay their nets, if they stir and trouble the waters, they frustrate their work, that they can catch no fishes: so God's fishermen, if there be disturbance and contentions amongst them, they thereby so alienate the minds of men, that they can win none. Therefore our Saviour Christ here makes choice of such as the bond of nature firmly binds to concord and amity, brethren and kinsfolks, Simon and Andrew his brother, james and john his brother. And let the Prophet David tell them how good and how comely a thing it is, brethren to dwell together in unity. Saint Peter's Bark is a fisher-boat, not a man of war; it is not furnished with mortal engines and warlike munition, but with nets only to take fish withal. If there be amongst the Apostles a sword or two, they must take heed how they unsheathe them. If Peter deserved to be reprehended for drawing upon Malchus, what reprehension think you had he been worthy of, had he drawn upon any of his fellows? Saint Matthew distinguisheth the whole company in the ship in this order: there is the father, the brethren, and the hired servants; and these are all names and relatives of love; the father must needs love his children, the children must love and honour their father, and love one another, the servants that labour together, must love one another, and love, honour and obey their master and their master's children. The father sits at the stern to rule and direct the ship; for age hath made him less able to take corporal pains, but experience hath made him fit for government. The reverend Fathers of the Church guide the stern of God's ship, they are set over God's Church Praesunt ut prosint. If the Church be a ship floating upon the seas, they are the pilots; if she be a flock wand'ring upon the mountains, they are the Pastors, they rule the sheep of God's pasture, they rule non tanquam suas, sed tanquam Christi oves, not as Lords of God's heritage, but as Stewards, and such as must give an account for them. If there be debate between Pastor and Pastor, or between flock and flock, these interpose themselves in the controversy, and with their gravity and wisdom take up the matter, sometimes but with a fatherly admonition, like Abraham to Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between thee and me, neither between thy herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we be brethren: sometimes with a more strict hand and compulsory sentence (as the cause shall require) veniunt cum virga, with the staff of discipline. They will always know to put a difference betwixt the jars of brethren (which may sometimes fall out in the best governed families) and the wars that are raised by enemies, and in their censures they will distinguish these, like Moses, when the strife was betwixt two brethren, two Israelites in Egypt; he takes up the matter with a friendly check, Sirs (saith he) ye are brethren, why then do you wrong one to another? But when the strife was betwixt a brother and an enemy, an Israelite and an Egyptian, he kills the Egyptian, and defends the Israelite. Our Saviour Christ well knew that concord and amity is best maintained amongst the fewest in number; therefore when he sends forth his Disciples to preach the Gospel to the world, he joins two and two in a commission together. When two and two are joined together, and bear the yoke equally betwixt them, than the work goeth well forward: but if they be joined at the tails, that one draws one way, and another another way, like Samsons foxes, two and two to a firebrand, judg. 15 4. than their waywardness tends to nothing else but to combustion. Beloved brethren, Isa. 57.19. the best fruit of our lips is peace; let us pray for the peace of jerusalem: Psal. 122. Peace be within her walls, and plenteousness within her palaces. If we shall set up altar against altar, doctrine against doctrine, discipline against discipline, ceremony against ceremony, or rather (as the manner of some is) no ceremony against lawful and profitable ceremonies, what do we else but break down the walls of jerusalem? we cause our friends to be sad, and our enemies to rejoice. It was the argument of Dion to his contentious soldiers, In vita eius ●●ud ●atarch. pointing to the Castle of their enemies, Sirs (saith he) your enemies see your mutinous behaviour. All the enemies that the Church hath, do see, and are glad to see, and make use of what they see, when they behold our contentions. Some there are, that for the maintenance of an opinion about the wearing of a garment, or an indifferent ceremony, are so violent and virulent, that they will not care to break peace with fathers and brethren, when others of better moderation can tell them with Saint Augustine, August. de serm. De ●n mont. lib. 2. cap. 28, that Non ideo debent oves odisse vestimentum suum, quia illo se occultant lupi, sheep's clothing are never the worse for sheep's wearing, though wolves wear the like. In these differences and such like, some use such bitterness and vehemency, that they dare call for fire from heaven to consume their brethren that are contrary minded, Tantaene animis coelestibus irae, should heavenly minds be so revengeful? Do they well know of what spirit they are of? is this heavenly zeal? is this fire kindled at God's altar? is this wisdom from above? no, Saint james tells us, that the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, jam. 3.17. Where there are such seditions, there is no other wisdom, but earthly, sensual and devilish. I come now to the fourth and last part of analogy betwixt these fishers of men, and fishers of fishes, which points at their dignity. In this fishing, the nets are the sacred Scriptures; the fishes, men; the ship, the Church; the catching of fishes, the gaining of souls to God. Where the fishes bear the image of the eternal God, and are redeemed by the blood of the Son of God, how great honour is it to be a Fisherman in such a sea? God gives honour to our calling; and where it is deserved double honour. 1. Tim. 5.17. Heb. 2.2. Exod. 20.19. Once our work was the work of Angels; afterwards (for man's frailty) the perpetual office was committed to men, but those men to be styled with the title of Angels. Though we be but earthen vessels, yet we bear the heavenly treasure; and the vessel ought to be esteemed for the treasure it containeth. The Church is the King's Daughter, Psal. 45.14. all glorious within: why then should a King's son think her too mean a match for himself to be married unto? The King of glory Christ jesus, whilst he lived upon earth, thought not this calling too mean for him, but lived in it, and died in it. Well, the Calling is a good Calling, good enough for any man, and too good for any man that thinks it not good enough. But now though there is honour enough for us with God and with good men, yet the profane world hath nothing but scorn and contempt for us; and we may complain with the Psalmist, Psal. 123.4. Our soul is filled with the scornful reproach of the wealthy, and with the despitefulness of the proud. It was not so from the beginning; 2. Sam. 6.14. it was otherwise when good king David rejoiced to dance before the Ark in a linen Ephod. And once that name and office of Priest, which now is contemptible, it was a King's ambition to affect it. 2. Chro. 26.16. When Vzzia, though he were a King, thought it an addition to his honour, that he might be a Priest too. But now jeroboams' sin is very rife. jeroboams' sin, you will say, what is that? 1. King. 12.31. jeroboam made the meanest of the people Priests. That is their sin, that make base and unworthy Priests, or any ways further and procure their making. Yea but jeroboams' sin is of a larger extent: jeroboam made the meanest of the people Priests. It is the sin of this age to make their Priests meaner than the meanest of what tribe soever he be: if he be a Priest once, that is an attainter of his blood, (in the estimation of some;) and if he be nobly descended, an abatement of his Gentery; so is this high Calling dishonoured and disesteemed. God grant this sin be not laid to the charge of this generation. FINIS.