Seven godly and learned sermons preachedSeuen godly and learned sermons preached

And now therefore consider with me, I pray you, even from the mean Priest, to the Bishop of Rome, consider, I say, whether they have done their duties: which ⟨image 78⟩of them all hath done that which is required in them, which of them hath fulfilled that God gave them in charge to do. Christ to his Disciples, and in them to all such as should become Preachers,¹ gave this Commission, saying, Ite, & predicate, Go you & Preach: and what is he that ever saw the bishop of Rome in a Pulpit? who hath heard a Cardinal many times preach? Judge you then (my brethren) when shall the ship come safe to the haven, if the Lodes-man doth not his duty? When shall the Vine bring forth any fruit, if the husbandman apply not his diligence to dung, to shred, to underprop the same? What shall become of the flock, if the Shepherd showeth not his industry and earnest labour amongst them? Now let us consider a little further, what they were what should have bin our Lodes-men: what they were that should have played the good husbands in Gods vineyard: what they were that should have looked to the flock of Christ. Here will I declare nothing of my self, I will not here utter unto you any thing of mine ⟨image 78⟩own invention; I will only show you the minds of the ancient Doctors in the Primitive Church, and the sayings of old holy fathers, that have written of the Church of God. Saint Gregory speaking of the Church of God, saith, Ecclesia Dei, si ab uno pendebit, corruet, If the Church of God shall hang upon one man, if the whole sway thereof shall depend upon one alone, that Church must needs fall, saith S. Gregory. Now let us consider whither in times past it hath bin so in the Church of god, whether we have known one man to have called himself the head of the Church: and if it so be, how can it then be otherwise, but that the same Church must needs perish and fall. Saint Barnard, an old holy father writing of the Bishops and Prelates of the Church in his time, saith; Non sunt Pastores, sed Impostores, non Doctores, sed Seductores, non Praelati, sed Pilati: They are not (saith S. Barnard) good Pastors and feeders of Gods flock, but they are impostors, such as deceive Gods sheep, they are not Doctors, but they are seductours, such as ⟨image 79⟩