disorders of men in many countreyes there is nothing of such force as the preaching of the word of God IN the first place this may be verified because the worde of God in the scripture is verie fitly compared to a burning fire as in Ieremy where God saith to his Prophet that Hee will put his words into his mouth like a fire Iere. 5.74.29.29 Isay 49.2 And in the 29. of the same Prophecie it is cōpared to a fire and to an hammer Is not my word euen like a fire saith the lord and like an hammer that breakes the stone And in Isay to a sword and to a shaft where it is said that God hath made his mouth like vnto a sharp sword and a chosen shaft c. Eph. 6 17. Apoc. 15 15. Math. 1 12. Also to a fanne where Iohn sayth that Hee holdeth his fanne in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his wheate into his Garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire And vnto salt and such like things By all those similitudes and other very well knowne wee are plainely instructed and it is liuely represented vnto vs the vertue and efficacie of this word of God that seeing that God hath giuen such power to it to be able to encounter with the transgressions and sinnes of men The word of God being compared to a sword to a fan to salt they that preach the same purely may correct many vices it may very well be concluded that those which do preach his word so it be purely and from a zealous affection and hearkened vnto attentiuely in all humanitie and reuerence they may by the grace of God root vp out of the world an infinite number of sinnes For seeing that it is so that the fire of his owne nature doth purifie gold siluer and cleanseth other mettals bringeth them to powder and fineth them seperateth the drosse consumeth straw chaffe and other drie things when they are cast into it and as a sharpe swoorde dooth cut and pearce or like a fanne when the corne is threshed to make cleane the floore to cast and driue away the chaffe filme dust and taile of the corne and to make it cleane and pure also the salt of his naturall propertie doth consume the superfluous humors which is in meate and do preserue the same frō corruption Verily it cannot otherwise bee but that the true Pastors which are messengers of the holie worde of God which truely is the word of fire by the preaching therof but they must needs burn and disperse an infinit number of disorders and corruptions vnto the which the most part are addicted and also by that to cut off many sins prophane maners and abhominable behauior of a companie of naughtipacks which take no delight but in doing euill and by the same which is a sword that woundeth euen to the marrow to the diuision of the soule they pearce through and search the very inward thoughts of their souls to awake them earnestly frō their sound sleep of vices and afterward by liuely often exhortations reprehensions denoūcings of the iudgements of God with fearful threatnings which are as heauy strokes of an hammer vpō their obstinacie and hardnes they may make thē haue a feeling of their sinnes to detest all their pleasure therin Also by the same of this word they discouer much filthines of the rauening cormorāts that is to say a great nūber of Infidels Atheists Apostates hipocrits which are oftētimes hidden in the church of God as cockle amongst the corne which they cast out of the same and purge it to conclude seeing that the same word is salt keeping meates in their accustomed goodnesse that they do not corrupt It must needes be that they which carry this salt hither and thither do giue a sauour vnto them which haue it not to them which haue it in a small measure to conserue them to them which haue it sufficiently to cause them to hold the same to aduise thē that this sauor doth not diminish nor perish that is to cause by this word that those which are secure in their sins may feele them acknowledge thē those which haue a feeling of the grace of God that they increase more and more in the one and in the other they that are growne to greatest perfection may haue care to keepe the knowledge which they haue in detesting all their life long their wicked conuersation and studying with all their heart affection for integritie The second reason and innocencie Secondly we affirm that somwhat to correct the disorders of our age as it were ouerflowing the whole world the most fit soueraigne receit is to procure a sufficient number of good preachers because God in his worde doth giue them in charge to preach freely not onely to Artizans and labourers but also to kings and great Lordes so that they keepe themselues within the compasse of their dutie Wee reade in Deutronomy Deut 17 19. that The King should receiue the law from the Priests and reade it that he may feare God and that his heart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren And to this effect Iehoash the King of Iuda was taught by Iehoiada the priest not only whē he was little but also whē he was a great king 2. King 12. he reprehended him when hee sawe it needfull as also the Prophets exhorted and reprooued kings verie freely without feare of theyr Maiestie or authoritie as it is manifest by many very notable examples which we will recite in theyr places This poynt also is worthy the consideration which maketh much for our purpose that Prophets Priests were had in great reuerence amongst kings that they gouerned the people for the most part by their counsaile as we read plainly in the book of Numbers of Iosua the Great how he ruled his people by the aduise of Eleazar the priest if this were practised at this day Num. 1◠22 it is very probable that such disorder and confusion in Kingdomes should not bee seene The third reason as now ordinarily may be perceiued Thirdly when in auncient time God would haue any reformatiō to be made of errors abuses and abhominations of all kind of sin He hath deuised no better meanes to root vp from the midst of the people those sinnes and inormities which then reigned and bare sway but by vsing the ministery of this word We haue notable examples especially in the reigne of Iosias in whose time the pure seruice of God was established in Iuda and Israel by meanes of the reading of the law and by the preaching of this worde of God For wee reade that Shaphan the Kinges Chauncellour 2. King 22. hauing found the Booke of the lawe which was almost lost in the tymes of the wicked Kinges Manasses and others who did degenerate to all idolatries and impietie and that the good King Iosias beeng
For this as much in effect as his domesticall fauourites vnto whome hee discloseth euen the verie secretes of his heart What man is so simple or abiect who will not think himselfe greatly honoured to bee in the seruice of any Prince or great Lord although it be but an inferior place How doth he look aloft who hath authoritie and credite vnder his Lord and is fauoured of him And beeing proude of this vaine honour with what cheerefulnesse willingnesse doth he serue his Lord What doth he omit whereby he may gratifie him What then ought they to doo which haue this honour to bee employed in the seruice of God to bee so preferred in his house that they haue not the name of a base seruaunt but such a name as importeth the chiefe rowme of account What ingratitude is in them who abuse any wayes this singular fauour and what punishment is hee woorthie of that forgetteth his dutie Wee conclude then the feare which they ought to haue of beeing iustly punished if they faile in the duties of their calling and that degree of honour vnto which God hath exalted them ought to stirre them vppe greatlie with all industrie and diligence to applie themselues vnto all those thinges which maye please GOD who is their true Maister and souereigne Lorde We set for the sixt that they are called Apostles 6. Apostles 7. Euangelists 8. Pastors 9. Doctors for the seuenth Euangelists for the eight Pastours for the ninth Doctours And that they are called Prophets by Saint Paule in the fourth to the Ephesians wee will saye nothing for it is plainlie enough layde open before And as concerning these foure titles which are here ioyned together wee will expound them all in one and shewe what they ought to learne who will exceede them in their places Generally they are to obserue that God hath giuen diuersitie of graces vnto them to some more to some lesse as hee knewe it to be expedient for the good of the Church that is that those which were Apostles which hee put first receiued greater abundance of spirituall gifts then the Euangelists which were after them who had a calling a little inferiour to that of the Apostles But the better to vnderstand what the one and the other were wee must speake of each of them seuerallie The Apostles were men tried and chosen whome God indued with most heauenly graces and elected them in a soueraigne decree of honour such were the twelue Apostles vnto which number Saint Paul was after receiued Next were the Euangelists because their charge did draw nearest to the Apostles but they were vnlike vnto them in degree of dignine As concerning Pastors and Doctors manie thinke that it was but one office but according to the iudgment of Caluin they be two who saith in his Commentarie vppon this place of Scripture that Pastors be those vnto whom is committed the care of a certaine flocke vnto whom also the name of a Doctor may not be giuen in some sort because that the Doctors are those which are ordained as well to make fitte Pastors as to teach the whole Church Let this thē be diligently marked of all them that intend the profeshon of the Ministrie to take heed of these two extremities the first is that neither being Doctors nor Pastors that is hauing no gifts in any measure to exercise this holie calling that they ought not to goe about to intrude themselues The other is that although they haue some gifts for the execution of this charge yet they must daylie learne to knowe their weakenesse to the ende that by the knowledge thereof they may be humbled more and more that when they shall perceiue their fellowe brethren and companions to excell them in the knowledge and vnderstanding of the Scripture and of other sciences that they reuerence them and giue honour vnto them as vnto Vessels which God hath preferred before them and aboue all that they bee free from enuying them And hauing some opinion of themselues they must not thinke that they doo surpasse them but that they acknowledge with humilitie to bee inferiour vnto them and let them consider that if they bee not Apostles yet they are Euangelists and that although others go before them in gifts yet neuerthelesse that they are those whome it hath pleased God to appoynt to set forth his glorie and that although others haue receiued more yet they may be as profitable according to that measure of riches which GOD hath bestowed vpon them But if it commeth to passe that those which are not equall in giftes shall suffer themselues to bee carryed away with enuie which is verie familiar vnto them who are drunken with a vaine and imaginarie sufficiencie they will cause more harme and mischiefe in the Church of GOD then those will doo good who beeing furnished with all things necessarie are promoted to this charge Breefely seeing that God knoweth it to bee profitable for his Church it hath beene and nowe is his will and pleasure that there shoulde bee men endued with diuersitie of graces they that haue lesse then others should content themselues with that they haue receiued and endeuour to encrease them that is to followe them who haue more then themselues beeing touched with an holy iealousie And those which haue receiued more they must take heede to employe them as they ought knowing that if they abuse the same they must render an accounte vnto him that hath distributed the same liberally vnto them for the edification of his Church Lette vs come to the tenth 10. Planters 11. VVaterer 12. Labourers the eleuenth and the twelfth that is Planters VVaterers and Labourers the which in like manner we ioyne together because that they signifie as it were one thing Behold then the frute which wee must gather of them of whom we speake that is that euen as when labourers doo manure their lande and order it according to the season and as those that keepe vineyards do dresse theyr vines to the ende that they may haue plentie of fruite so those that desire to haue the guiding of the Church of God ought aduisedly to consider that they bee sufficiently prouided for the gouerment of the same aboue all to bee able to instruct and teach in plucking vp by the roots the brambles thornes which are verie thicke weeding out as much as may be the cockle which groweth in great plentie with the good corne and to cause it to bring foorth good and wholsome fruites according to the expectation of his Lorde and that they take heede that through their negligence it bringeth not foorth bastard and wilde Grapes in steede of good and pleasant fruite A simple husband-man or some other ignorant labourer will take all paines that hee can to reape the profite of his grounde what ought then the labourers of the Church of GOD to doo in the field of God Is it a thing to bee suffered that eyther by theyr negligence it bee
King of all Kings to deliuer his worde vnto all sortes of people they ought not to spare any labour to accomplishe woorthilie the contents of their commission that by the happye execution thereof they may promote in great measure the worke of theyr Maister And seeing that it is his pleasure that they shoulde bee honoured as himselfe as hee sayth in the Gospell hee that receiueth you receiueth mee they then beeing mooued with this incomparable honour to take more courage and alacritie to please him Ministers of reconciliation Lette vs ioyne the other title of excellencie verie like vnto this which is the 16. rhat they are called Ministers of reconciliation the meaning whereof is that as it is meete that they which are appointed to make peace and cease contention betwixt two or three or a multitude of men should be wel spoken to bring forcible reasons to perswade and apply them to the purpose that they may thereby cure the bitternesse of the hart on both sides and ioyne them togither in a firme bande of loue euen so it is much more expedient that those which are intercessors and mediators betwixt God and men shoulde bee prompt and ready to worke this effect and it is necessarie that they be wise prudent discreete aduised endewed with good precepts and instructions drawne out of the word of God and other godly Authors that by their great wisedome and exquisit learning they may by the grace of God restore poore sinners who haue broken in all points the league of allyaunce which God hath made with them to the fauour of God againe And that they doo study with all dexteritie agreeable to theyr calling that when they pray vnto God they maye make an attonement betwixt God and the people in the administration of theyr charge according to those meanes which hee harh ordeyned in his holy woorde And because this is verie profitable they must labour to enrich themselues with all things necessary for the exercise of this office of so great importance Let vs goe to the other titles which are ful of waight and authoritie The 17. they are called Fathers Ministers called Fathers that as a good and wise Father to whom God hath giuen children he taketh paine to bring them vp and to instruct them whiles they are in their young and tender age in those vertues which should altogither shine in them when they are come to riper yeares to frame them to other higher sciences to ioyne with their knowledge honestie of manners and so to breede them according to their naturall inclination Those also which are desirous of the calling of the Ministrie ought to beware not onely to haue the bare name and want the effect that is to be vnfit to teach the people insufficient to beat backe heresies which are oftentimes engendred in the middest of the Church of God but that they be plentifullie instructed in each facultie that making themselues knowne indeed they may be feared of them who appose themselues against that doctrine of which they are defenders may be esteemed of the people so much or rather more then a wise Father is of his familie If they be young in age they must endeuour to be old in knowledge in holinesse of life in moderation of their maners in grauitie in counsaile and ripenesse of all their actions that being coÌ„passed about with this faire border of vertues they may supply not onely their defect of yeares but that they go beyond as much as may be the old men themselues with hoarie haires and white beards The 18. they are called Bishops to watch without ceasing ouer their flock to teach diligently by the worde of God to be alwayes in the watch Tower to see how euery thing standeth not to be corrupted that if errours abuses and peruerse and heretical doctrines will enter into the Church they must shewe their diligence in chasing them away To conclude that they bee alwayes in the fore and rerewarde for the intire conseruation of the people whome God hath committed vnto their charge For this worde Bishop in the Greeke tongue signifieth in English so much in effect But because wee shall speake more largelye thereof in the discourse of the difficulties of the Ministrie we will content our selues with this for this time The ninteenth title They are called by Christ The salt of the earth Salt of the earth to teach them that as there is nothing in this life of greater vse then salt amongest the effects whereof which are infinit there be two principall the first is that it giueth a taste to all meates with which our poore bodie is nourished the second is that it preserueth them by the naturall force thereof from corruption and putrifaction so they in like maner by their wholsome doctrine which they ought to teach do keepe in their duty those which are inlightned by that heauenly bâ—â—ghtnesse and who haue knowledge of saluation in Iesus Christ alone to the ende they do not degenerate or slide away neither from that truth which they prâ—fâ—sse neither from their godly life but persist and go forward more and more in their good course Moreouer by the salt of this doctrine they must cause a wicked life to bee made knowne and all sinne and prophanenesse to bee discouered and make vngodlye men to feele the sharpenesse and eagernesse of the same to procure in them an hatred of their sinnes to detest them euer afterwarde and to dedicate themselues to an holie and Christian conuersation But let vs obserue as they are the cause of reformation for the most paâ—t or at least wise may be so called by reason of the salt of doctrine by which they must season as well them which oftentimes are awaked out of their vices to the ende that they sleepe not in securitie as those that many times doo snort so stronglie that they feele nothing more then they which are sicke of the Leprosie which they must carefullie bee aduised aboue all things whether they haue or no afterward that they keepe it safe whether it bee cleane and pure I meane that it bee not defiled with any filthinesse of false doctrine and moreouâ—r to looke whether they haue sufficient And finallie beeing assured so haue all this that they keepe it in the naturall puâ—â—tie taking care that it bee not marred or spilt that is that they ought diligentlie to countergarde the integritie and puritie of theyr salt for if that come to passe euen as there is nothing of such force for the good and saluation of man then those which haue the gouernement of this salt So there is nothing more hurtfull then they if they once suffer themâ—elues to be soyled and polluted with false and Pharisaicall doctrines and defile themselues with the vncleanly conuersation of the wicked For the matter hangeth vpon them in alâ— and through all that is as salt is of such vse that there is nothing more for the necessitie of
bee not contrarie to their doctrine that temperancie modestie simplicitie and all Christian vertues doo shine in them so clearely that their life Preacheth as it is saide in the common prouerbe The Philosophers which were counted wise men amongst the Paynims haue very well obserued that a philosopher was not to be esteemed a true Philosopher if he liued otherwise then he taught as many and especially Cicero noteth in his oration Pro Planco where he saith That vertue integritie honestie is requisit in man and not onely the volubilitie of the tongue art science Also against Salust he saith It is of chiefest coÌ„mendation to leade a life answerable to our words and that our discourses be conformable to our maners Also in his 2. of Tusculans questions That the Philosophers are not knowne by their wordes but by the constancie and firmenes of their actions We which carry the name infinitly more excellent then the name of Philosophers that is the name of Christians yea we which are the leaders and guiders of others we ought to regarde to ioyne good actions with that fearefull name of Ministers wherewith wee are honoured For if it bee a thing filthy and woorthy of reprehension in any vocation when men shal take vâ—oÌ„ theÌ„ some honorable preferment and shall haue no care by theyr behauiour to approoue themselues to bee woorthy thereof then our charge as it is without comparison more excellent then others so also there be no faultes so great and so scandalous as those which are committed in the same Heereunto tendeth the words of S. Ambrose in his booke of a Pastor saying There is nothing more excellent The life of a true Pastor must be answerable to his words then the calling of Ministers nothing more high then the name of a Bishoppe but this is when they shewe their dignitie vnto the sight of the eye when they make it knowne trulye what they are shewing theyr profession more by theyr actions then by theyr name to the ende that theyr name maye aunswere to theyr action and the action may aunswere to theyr name for feare leaste that they appeare to bee in an high honour and theyr life to bee in a lowe degree for feare leaste their profession bee diuine and theyr workes vnlawfull for feare leaste they haue a religious habit and that their deedes bee prophane for feare that they seeme not to haue the wordes of a Doue that is sweet as a Pigeon and carrie the heart of a dogge full of gal and bitternesse for feare that they boast not of the profession of a sheepe and carrie in their hearts the fiercenesse of a VVolfe for feare least aunswer be made vnto them This people honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me The same Father in the booke before alleaged saith further also As the long gowne of the Senators fitteth the Senators as husbandrie becommeth labouring men armour is fit for souldiours nauigation for the marriner and in sum as euery workeman is knowne by the qualitie of his worke so the workes of a Minister doo shew what a Minister is that he may better be knowne by his worke then by his profession that he may bee more called a Bishop by his merits then by his name that is that he deserueth more by his good and his Christian conuersation the name of a Bishop then onely carrying the name To these two we may adde that notable sentence of S. Bernard in one of his Epistles saying Hearken now vnto my song which is sweete and pleasant and profitable It is a thing monstrous to be in the souereigne degree of honour to haue a base and faint heart to haue the first place and to leade the life of an abiect to haue a tongue which pronounceth great matters and to haue idle hands to vse manie wordes and to shewe no fruit to haue a graue countenaunce and light actions a head white and hoarie and a heart full of vanitie a face full of wrinckles and a tongue full of scoffes to shewe outwardly a great authoritie and yet to bee altogether mutable and inconstant Wee may adde also this taken out of the same Authour in that Canticle when hee sayeth Can a foolish and ignoraunt Pastour lead the Sheepe of the Lorde into the Meades of the diuine woordes But hee addeth a little after If anie bee learned and bee not honest it is to bee feared that so much as such a one edifieth by his wordes he hurteth as much by the barrennesse of his life I desire nothing more then that it may please God that these excellent sayings here mentioned may be well vnderstood practised of all them which either at this day do or of them which hereafter mindeth to make profession to teach others in what Churches so euer It is very likely that as the ignorance of them and the negligent regarding therof do cause great offences and miseries to the right vnderstanding and practise of them wil bee an occasion of great edification and happinesse But because these things do appertaine to the difficultie of the ministry because it is very hard to bee perfect let vs begin to enter into the discourse of the foresayde difficulties CHAP. VI. The beginning of the difficulties which are found in the Ministrie WE are to obserue that to vnderstande these difficulties more plainely S. Paul his order must bee followed in the 1. Tim. 5. and in Tit. 1. 1. Tim. 5 Tit. 1 where hee speaketh first of the qualitie of the manners of them which do betake themselues to a pastorall charge Secondly the difficulties which are proposed in teaching the worde of God This order is very good for seeing that Preachers must not onely preach with the tongue and the mouth but also with the hands feete armes head and in sum withall their bodie that is so gouerne themselues in all their actions that the practise of the doctrine which they set forth may be seene and read in the administration of their charge It is expedient to handle first of all the difficulties which are founde in the manners of Ministers The first difficulties consisteth in this that the minister must be vnreproueable Before all thinges when Saint Paul sayeth That a Bishop must bee vnblameable who is it that will not altogether loath that function For this woorde if it bee literally taken as manie haue vnderstood it as amongest others they which in olde time were called Donatists who affirmed that the ministrie was vnprofitable by reason of the vices of the persons they were straungely deceiued in that they vnderstood when S. Paul said That a Bishop must be vnblameable that it was required that there should not be in him the least blemish and imperfection seeing that Saint Paul by this worde vnderstandeth not that they shoulde be pure innocent as Saints or Angels for seeing that they be men as others be so it is impossible but that there should appeare in theÌ„ some
reliques of sinne and naturall vncleannesse It is verie true that it is to bee desired that in those which be such men that nothing bee seene to shine in them but examples of godlinesse and of all Christian vertues in which no earthly thing may bee perceiued but seeing that it is impossible that they shuld be altogither vncladde of the olde ragges of our first Parent Adam in vaine this is to bee looked for Neither is this the meaning of Saint Paule but onely that they be vnreproueable VVhat it is to be vnreproueable in regard of notorious offences of all criminall cases that they bee not conuinced of infamous and shamefull sinnes for which they which commit them are called to iudgemeÌ„t as to commit adultery fornication murther theft briberie or to haue borne false witnesse against any man such like For in truth if any one being apprehended in these grosse and palpable crimes haue beene admitted to this charge and that it bee knowne it must needes cause great offences in the Church of God seeing that the Pastor should not onely haue a good testimonie of those that be of the same Church but also of straungers But if it commeth to passe that the Pastor bee sometimes a little intemperate in his actions as if it chaunceth that he drinke more then ordinarie or bee made angrie or enuious or ambitious or tickled with some such like passion which is not so well ordered as hee himselfe desireth as to bee a little too much giuen to his profite to bee vnthankefull troublesome hard to please sowre too carefull neuerthelesse hee taketh no pleasure in these vices and goeth about to extenuate them and to correct them euerie day such things hinders not but that he may be vnreproueable For if none shoulde bee admitted into the Ministrie but those which are altogether voyde of such infirmities into which they often fall as well as others it must of necessitie be concluded that we should haue no Ministers at all Wherefore the Donatists haue badly reasoned when to maintaine that the Ministrie of the worde of God serued to no vse they haue concluded that no filthy and vnclean thing could be cleÌ„sed by that which is vncleane For say they Ministers which ought to preach the word of God and administer the sacraments are defiled with vices as other men wherby the Ministrie looseth his force and efficacie they are greatly I say deceiued for besides that the reason before alledged is very sufficient it may further be added that neither the preaching of the worde of God nor the administration of the sacraments haue no force at all froÌ„ the person of the minister but froÌ„ the ordinance commandement of God seeing that he hath instituted theÌ„ to this end And we may obserue hereby that this reason is of such force that although a minister be wicked and spotted with those vices of which S. Paul would haue him cleansed and who was lawfully called his impietie being vnknowne his ministerie shall not cease to bee of power the reason is because he exerciseth his Ministrie not in his owne name but in the name of God of whome dependeth all the force of the Ministrie whereof he is author alone Moreouer wee affirme that although Saint Cyprian hath sayd that Baptisme doth confirme remission of sinnes and that the force of the said Baptisme doth depende of the qualitie of the Pastour that this great Doctour hath erred in this poynt as well as many others which wee do of purpose set downe to the ende that the authoritie of such a person shâ—ulde not diminish the reason alledged by vs the which we may confirme by many testimonies of the Scripture but this shall suffice that when Iohn Baptist the forerunner of Christ Iesus shewed the comming of Iesus Christ and baptized In baptizing he sayde I baptise you with water but he that commeth after mee shall baptise you with the holy Ghost for in so saying it is all one as if hee had sayde that it is not the Minister of the outwarde signe but that Iesus Christ is hee which giueth force and vertue to his baptisme by the secrete and inwarde operation of his spirit In like sort wee may speake of the word of God because it hath the same reason that the Minister can do nothing else but propound vnto the people by a liuely voice but god must giue vnderstanding imprint that which is spoken in their harts to make theÌ„ to feele the power therof He then that desireth to bee a minister he must take heed not onely to be pure and without reproofe of these grosse notorious vices but also of other lighter faults For although it hath bin said that if a Minister be giuen to coÌ„mit some smal offence yet neuerthelesse he is without reproofe our meaning is not in any sort to flatter or to make faults lesse theÌ„ they are whatsoeuer they be for if he letteth loose the bridle too much to those vices of which we haue made mention before and thinks that he ought not to be put by in desiring this charge we say that it is as detestable to God as beeing polluted with some horrible infamous crime yet neuerthelesse is promoted to the Ministry seeing that god vnto whoÌ„ he must giue account of his charge hath in as great horror those vices which seem saml as those which are more apparant we cal these small faults as couetousnesse ambition enuie and many such like because they are so ordinarily esteemed of men but if wee suffer our selues to be caried too far herein they become so great that they be as violeÌ„t streames that carry vs before theÌ„ into many downfals Nowe let vs see those mischiefes which they procure to theÌ„selues which run too far into those sins that we may the better beware also the beauty of those vertues which are desired of a Pastor to be followed keeping the order afterward ensuing When S. Paul saith that a bishop must be the husband of one wife How it is to be vnderstood that a bishop must be the husband of one wife although that doth not properly appertaine to the matter in hand yet neuerthelesse seeing that S. Paul setteth downe a discription of the maner of a Pastor wee will breefely speake something therof Although there haue been many that haue drawne out diuers expositions vpon this place yet the best that which is to be preferred before other is that of saint Chrysostome who saith that heere plainly poligamy is forbidden in a Bishop the which the Iewes held as a law in their time of which they were not ashamed because they were easily drawn to giue way to the marriage of many wiues being prouoked on both sides first wheÌ„ they read in the old Testament that Abraham Iacob Dauid and many other had at one time many wiues they might perswade themselues that it was lawful for them also as commonly it is seene that there is nothing of