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,…

What an heinous thing were it to refuse the Minister and to be disobedient unto them, when the case standeth so that the disobeying of them is not only a contempt of Christ, but also of God the Father, who is a severe judge to be revenged of all his enemies? But they that be of the sheepfold of Jesus Christ will be obedient to their shepherd, even as willingly as the sheep are. The reason hereof is drawn from the nature of sheep, which is the simplest of all creatures to shift for it self, and yet more profitable than any other cattle, when one of them is strayed out of the way, it is caught in the brambles and briers ready to be lost in every pit or hole, yea subject to a thousand dangers, and cannot help itself in the least of them: and when the shepherd hath fetched her home, how obedient is she, and glad to be guided by him for fear of falling into the ⟨p. 351⟩like danger: so is it required of the children of God, that they be obedient as sheep; yea¹ if he were the wisest or mightiest in the world, he must not take scorn to become as simple as a sheep, if he will enter into the kingdom of heaven: for before such time as the Lord by his instrument the Minister doth bring them home into the sheepfold of Jesus Christ, they wander in innumerable dangers, & are no more able to deliver themselves out of them, then the silly sheep is to save her self from the wolf: but when they are brought home, then they see their infirmity, and what great need they have of a shepherd to preserve & help them out of so many perils, which tend to the destruction both of body and soul, then they gladly obey him which is careful to guide them in the way of salvation, with the most holy word of God, and to refresh their hungry souls with that heavenly food and milk. The holy Ghost saith, that they must be borne again, and that not of mortal ²seed, but of the immortal seed of the word of God, who liveth and endureth for ever. And therefore it is necessary that they be obedient unto their spiritual father which hath begotten them with the word of God, that he may joyfully extend a fatherly affection towards them: which thing the Apostle S. Peter exhorteth them unto: As new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. The Apostle here showeth a familiar³