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,…

The second part concerning the duty of the people to their Minister.

The second part concerning the dutie of the people to their Minister.

Now we have declared the duty of Ministers, it followeth that we show next the duty of the people unto their Ministers, which is the second part of our division: & truly this declaration of the Ministers duty doth very manifestly show the other: for if the Minister be bound to apply his study, and to exercise himself diligently in reading; and when he hath studied, to come forth and teach the people all things necessary for their salvation; and moreover must set himself a lively pattern of godly conversation for them to follow, letting no means unassayed, whereby he may beget their souls unto God, neither in life nor doctrine; but must so carefully watch over their souls, that rather than they should perish he must give his life for them: what shall the people then do unto him for his entire love and affection? The holy Ghost telleth us in these words: Obey them, and submit your selves. So that obedience is the duty of the people to their Minister. The reason hereof is very good, seeing the case so standeth that the Minister must labour to bring them home to Jesus Christ by the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation: if the people notwithstanding his pains will remain obstinate, to what end will his labour come? all will be in vain, the people shall not profit by it, and himself shall be grieved and molested with sorrow to see their disobedience. The people therefore must be obedient unto their Ministers which labour for their profit, which is a great grace of God who worketh all this in all creatures, when he hath given the people obedient hearts to be governed by his word, for which end he hath appointed the Ministers thereof. And as it is a grievous and the most dangerous thing to be obedient to such superiors as shall lead us out of the way into destruction, whom our Saviour Christ calleth blind guides, which together with the people fall into the pit: so it is on the contrary the greatest virtue to become obedient to the true Pastors and Ministers of the word of God. It hath been evermore the charge that the Apostles laid upon the children of God, of which thing S. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians, as in divers other places requireth, after that he hath declared the great humility of Jesus Christ, in that he became obedient unto the death of the cross, thereupon taketh occasion of his exhortation: