The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

Now we have heard the necessity of a Pastor, and the use whereunto he is appointed it is requisite that we consider what duty the Pastor oweth unto his ••ocke: for as the Lord,¹ when he establisheth a Kingdom, will choose a King, so will he also give him, first a Kings heart, before he setteth him in his seat; so when he prepareth a spiritual father to beget souls unto himself, he giveth him gifts and power to do the same, as Saint Paul testifieth, writing to the Ephesians: But unto every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gifts of Christ: Wherefore he saith, when he ascendeth up on high, he led captivity captive, ²and gave gifts unto men: so that first the Lord giveth gifts, and secondly men. This must be the duty of the Minister (as the holy Ghost telleth us) to watch over the souls of his people, to be so careful over them, as that he will not suffer one through his negligence to perish, but by his earnest labouring in preaching the word of God, to build them up into a stronger faith, which are already begotten unto the Lord, and also to win others to Christ, and so increase the mystical body of Christ, so much as his diligence by the blessing of God shall be able.

Now we haue heard the necessitie of a Pastor, and the vse wherevnto he is appointed it is requisite that we consider what dutie the Pastor oweth vnto his ••ocke: for as the Lord,¹ when he establisheth a Kingdome, will chuse a King, so will hee also giue him, first a Kings heart, before he setteth him in his seate; so when hee prepareth a spirituall father to beget soules vnto himselfe, hee giueth him gifts and power to doe the same, as Saint Paul testifieth, writing to the Ephesians: But vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace, according to the measure of the gifts of Christ: Wherefore he saith, when hee ascendeth vp on high, hee led captiuitie captiue, ²and gaue gifts vnto men: so that first the Lord giueth gifts, and secondly men. This must be the dutie of the Minister (as the holy Ghost telleth vs) to watch ouer the soules of his people, to be so carefull ouer them, as that hee will not suffer one through his negligence to perish, but by his earnest labouring in preaching the word of God, to build them vp into a stronger faith, which are already begotten vnto the Lord, and also to winne others to Christ, and so increase the mysticall bodie of Christ, so much as his diligence by the blessing of God shall be able.