25. What say you? Are you persuaded,
have you been overcome by my words? Or must I use stronger terms
in order to persuade you? Yea by the Trinity Itself, Whom you and
I alike worship, by our common hope, and for the sake of the unity of
this people, grant me this favour; dismiss me with your prayers; let
this be the proclamation of my contest; give me my certificate of
retirement, as sovereigns do to their soldiers; and, if you will, with
a favourable testimony, that I may enjoy the honour of it; if not, just
as you please; this will make no difference to me, until God sees what
my case really is. What successor then shall we elect? God
will provide Himself Gen. xxii. 8. a shepherd for the
office, as He once provided a lamb for a burnt-offering. I only
make this further request,—let him be one who is the object of
envy, not the object of pity; not one who yields everything to all, but
one who can on some points offer resistance for the sake of what is
best: for though the one is most pleasant, the other is most
profitable. So do you prepare for me your addresses of
dismissal: I will now bid you farewell.