CHAP. 9.

The good Bishop,

HE is an Overseer of a Flock of Shepherds, as a Minister
is of a Flock of Gods sheep. Divine providence and
his Princes bounty advanced him to the Place, whereof he
was no whit ambitious: Onely he counts it good manners
to sit there where God hath placed him, though it be higher
then he conceives himself to deserve, and hopes that he who
call'd him to the Office hath or will in some measure fit him
for it.
His life is so spotlesse, that Malice is angry with him, because
she cannot be angry with him: because she can find no just cause
to accuse him. And as Diogenes confuted him who denyed
there was any motion, by saying nothing but walking
before his eyes; so our Bishop takes no notice of the false
accusations of people disaffected against his order, but walks
on circumspectly in his calling, really refelling their cavils in
his conversation. A Bishops bare presence at a marriage in
his own diocesse, is by the Law interpreted for a licence; and
what actions soever he graceth with his company, he is conceived
to priviledge them to be lawfull, which makes him
to be more wary in his behaviour.
With his honour, his holinesse and humility doth increase. His
great Place makes not his piety the lesse: farre be it from
him that the glittering of the candlestick should dimme the
shining of his candle. The meanest Minister of Gods word
may have free accesse unto him: whosoever brings a good
cause brings his own welcome with him. The pious poore
may enter in at his wide gates, When not so much as his
wicket shall be open to wealthy unworthinesse.
He is diligent and faithfull in preaching the Gospel: either by
his pen, Evangelizo manu &scriptione, saith a strict Divine;
or by his vocall Sermons (if age and other indispensable occasions
hinder him not) teaching the Clergy to preach, and

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the Laity to live, according to the ancient Canons. Object
not that it is unfitting he should lie Perdue, who is to walk
the round, and that Governing as an higher employment is
to silence his preaching: For preaching is a principall part
of Governing, and Christ himself ruleth his Church by his
Word. Hereby Bishops shall govern hearts, and make men
yield unto them a true and willing obedience, reverencing
God in them. Many in consumptions have recover'd their
healths by returning to their native aire wherein they were
born: If Episcopacy be in any declination or diminution of
honour, the going back to the painfulnesse of the primitive
Fathers in preaching, is the onely way to repair it.
Painfull, pious, and peaceable Ministers are his principall Favourites.
If he meets them in his way (yea he will make it his
way to meet them) he bestoweth all grace and lustre upon
them.
He is carefull that Church-censures be justly and solemnly inflicted:
namely,
1. Admonition, when the Church onely chideth, but with
the rod in her hand.
2. Excommunication, the Mittimus whereby the Malefactour
is sent to the gaolour of hell, and delivered to
Satan.
3. Aggravation, whereby for his greater contempt, he is
removed out of the gaole into the dungeon.
4. Penance, which is or should be inward repentance,
made visible by open confession, whereby the Congregation
is satisfied for the publick offence given her.
5. Absolution, which fetcheth the penitent out of hell, and
opens the doore of heaven for him, which Excommunication
had formerly lock'd, and Aggravation bolted
against him.
As much as lies in his power, he either prevents or corrects
those too frequent abuses, whereby offenders are not
prick'd to the heart, but let bloud in the purse; and when the
Court hath her costs, the Church hath no damage given her,
nor any reparation for the open scandall she received by the

parties offence. Let the memory of Worthy Bishop Lake
ever survive, whose hand had the true seasoning of a Sermon
with Law and Gospel, and who was most fatherly grave in
inflicting Church-censures: Such offenders as were unhappy
in deserving, were happy in doing penance in his presence.
He is carefull and happy in suppressing of Heresies and Schismes.
He distinguisheth of Schismaticks, as Physicians do of Leprous
people: Some are infectious, others not; Some are
active to seduce others, others quietly enjoy their opinions
in their own consciences. The latter by his mildnesse he
easily reduceth to the truth; whereas the Chirurgions rigorously
handling it, often breaks that bone quite off,
which formerly was but out of joynt: Towards the former
he useth more severity, yet endeavouring first to inform him
aright, before he punisheth him. To use force first before
people are fairly taught the truth, is to knock a nail into
a board, without wimbling a hole for it, which then
either not enters, or turns crooked, or splits the wood it
pierceth.
He is very mercifull in punishing offenders: both in matter of
life and livelyhood, seeing in S. Johns Language the same
word [illegible] signifies both. He had rather draw tears, then
bloud. It was the honour of the Roman State, as yet being
pagan, In hoc gloriari licet, nulli gentium mitiores placuisse poenas:
Yea, for the first seventy years (till the reign of Ancus Martius)
they were without a prison. Clemency therefore in a
Christian Bishop is more proper. O let not the Starrs of our
Church be herein turn'd to Comets, whose appearing in place
of judicature, presageth to some death or destruction. I confesse
that even Justice it self is a kind of mercy: But God
grant that my portion of mercy be not paid me in that
coin. And though the highest detestation of sinne, best
agreeth with Clergy-men; yet ought they to cast a severe
eye on the vice and example, and a mercifull eye on the
person.
None more forward to forgive a wrong done to himself. Worthy

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Archbishop Whitgift interceded to Queen Elizabeth for
remitting of heavy fines laid on some of his Adversaries
(learning from Christ his Master to be a mediatour for
them) till his importunity had angred the Queen, yea and
till his importunity had pleas'd her again, and gave not over
till he got them to be forgiven.
He is very carefull on whom he layeth hands in Ordination; lest
afterwards he hath just cause to beshrew his fingers, and
with Martianus, a Bishop of Constantinople (who made
Sabbarius a Jew and a turbulent man Priest) wish he had
then rather laid his hands on the briers, then such a mans
head. For the sufficiency of Scholarship he goeth by his
own eye, but for their honest life, he is guided by other
mens hands, which would not so oft deceive him, were Testimonialls
a matter of lesse courtesie and more conscience.
For whosoever subscribes them enters into bond to God and
the Church, under a heavy forfeiture, to avouch the honesty
of the party commended; and, as Judah for Benjamin,
they become sureties for the young man unto his father. Nor let
them think to avoid the band and make it but a blank with
that clause, so farre forth as we know, or words to the like
effect: For what saith the Apostle? God is not mocked.
He meddleth as little as may be with temporall matters: having
little skill in them, and lesse will to them: Not that he is
unworthy to mannage them, but they unworthy to be managed
by him. Yea generally the most dexterous in spirituall
matters are left-handed in temporall businesse, and go but
untowardly about them. Wherefore our Bishop with reverend
Andrews, meddleth little in civill affairs, being out of
his profession and element. Heaven is his vocation, and therefore
he counts earthly employments avocations: except in
such cases which lie (as I may say) in the Marches of Divinity,
and have connexion with his calling; or else when
temporall matters meddle with him, so that he must rid
them out of his way. Yet he rather admireth then condemneth
such of his brethren, who are strengthened with that
which would distract him, making the concurrence of spirituall

and temporall power in them support one another,
and using worldly businesse as their recreation to heavenly
employment.
If call'd to the Court he there doth all good offices betwixt Prince
and people, striving to remove all misprisions and disaffections,
and advancing unity and concord. They that think the
Church may flourish when the Common wealth doth
wither
may as well conceive that the brains may be sound
when pia mater is perished. When in the way of the Confessour
he privately tells his Prince of his faults, he knows by
Nathans parable, to go the nearest way home by going farre
about.
He improves his power with his Prince for the Churches good, in
maintaining both true religion and the maintenance thereof;
lest some pretending with pious Ezechiah to beat down the
brazen serpent, the occasion of Idolatry, do indeed with sacrilegious
Ahaz
take away the brazen bulls from the Laver,
and set it on a pavement of stone, He joyntly advanceth the
pains and gains, the work and wages of Ministers, which
going together make a flourishing Clergy, with Gods blessing,
and without mans envy.
His mortified mind is no whit moved with the magnificent
vanities of the Court: no more then a dead corps is affected
with a velvet herse-cloth over it. He is so farre from wondring
at their pomps, that though he looks daily on them,
he scarce sees them, having his eyes taken up with higher
objects; and onely admires at such, as can admire such low
matters. He is loved and feared of all; and his presence
frights the Swearer either out of his oathes or into silence,
and he stains all other mens eyes with the clearnesse of his
own.
Yet he daily prayeth God to keep him in so slippery a place. Elisha
prayed that a double portion of Eliahs Spirit might rest
upon him. A Father descanteth hereon, that a double portion
of grace was necessary for Elisha, who was gratious
at Court, lived in a plentifull way, and favoured of the
Kings of Israel; whereas Eliah lived poorly, and privately:

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And more wisdome is requisite to manage prosperity then
affliction.
In his grave writings, he aims at Gods glory, and the Churches
peace, with that worthy Prelate, the second Jewel of Salisbury,
whose comments and controversies will transmit his
memory to all Posterity:
Whose dying pen did write of Christian Union.
How Church with Church might safely keep Communion.
Commend his care, although the cure do misse;
The woe is ours, the happinesse is his:
Who finding discords daily to encrease,
Because he could not live, would dy, in peace.
He ever makes honourable mention of forein Protestant Churches;
even when he differs and dissents from them. The worst he
wisheth the French Church, is a Protestant King: not giving
the left hand of fellowship to them, and reserving his right
for some other. Can not Christs coat be of different colours,
but also it must be of severall seams? railing one on another,
till these Sisters, by bastardizing one another, make the Popish
Church the sole heir to all truth. How often did reverend
Whitgift (knowing he had the farre better cheere)
send a messe of meat from his own table to the Ministers
of Geneva? relieving many of them by bountifull contributions.
Indeed English charity to forein protestant Churches,
in some respect is payment of a debt: their children deserve
to be our welcome guests, whose Grandfathers were our loving
hosts in the days of Queen Mary.
He is thankfull to that Colledge whence he had his education. He
conceiv'd himself to hear his Mother-Colledge alwayes
speaking to him in the language of Joseph to Pharaohs Butler,
But think on me, I pray thee, when it shall be well with thee.
If he himself hath but little, the lesse from him is the more
acceptable: A drop from a Spunge is asmuch as a tunne of
water from a marish, he bestowes on it Books, or Plate, or
Lands, or Building: and the Houses of the Prophets rather
lack watering then planting, there being enough of them, if
they had enough.

He is hospitable in his housekeeping according to his estate. His
bounty is with discretion to those that deserve it: Charity
mistaken, which relieves idle people, like a dead corps, onely
feeds the vermin it breeds. The ranknesse of his housekeeping
produceth no riot in his Family. S. Paul calls a
Christian Family well ordered, a Church in their house.If a
private mans house be a Parochiall, a Bishops may seem a
Cathedrall Church, as much better as bigger, so decently all
things therein are disposed.
We come now to give a double Example of a godly
Bishop: the first out of the Primitive times, the second out
of the English Church since the Reformation, both excellent
in their severall wayes.