There are sundry duties belonging to ministers, which notwithstanding ⟨p. 64⟩1for the most part, may be restrained to two, wherein all other duties are comprehended. The one is preaching of Christ his Gospel: the other is ministering the Sacraments. For it is the ministers duty, to assemble the holy congregation, & in it to expound the word of God, and to apply all his doctrine, to the commodity of his church, that those things, which are taught, may profit the hearers, and edify the faithful. It belongeth to ministers, to teach the unlearned, to exhort them, and to prick forward those that give over, or walk slowly in the way of the Lord. It is also their parts, to comfort and confirm those, that are weak hearted, to arm them against the sundry temptations of Satan, to rebuke sinners, to call into the right way those, that go a stray, to lift up those that fall, to convince gainsayers, to drive Wolfs from the lords sheepfold, to reprove sin and sinners, with wisdom and gravity, not to wink at, or to conceal wickedness, to minister the Sacraments, to commend ⟨image 110⟩the right use of them, and to prepare all men with wholesome doctrine, to the worthy receiving thereof, to keep the faithful in holy unity, to forbid Schisms and Heresies, to instruct the rude, to declare to the congregation the necessity of the poor, to visit the sick, and those that be troubled with sundry temptations, to inform and keep them in the way of life: Furthermore, to provide for public prayer, in the time of necessity, and for fasting, that is to say, holy abstinence: and with all diligence to look to all things, that belongeth to the tranquility, peace, and safeguard of the Church. That the minister may accomplish, all those things the better and with more ease, it is required chiefly that be fear God, pray earnestly, give his mind to the reading of the scripture: In all things be always watchful, & show a good example, to all other of pureness of life. And seeing that there ought to be discipline in the 2Church, and our ancestors used excommunication, and the people of God ⟨p. 65⟩3had Ecclesiastical Judgments, the which Discipline was exercised by wise and Godly men: it hath also belonged to ministers, for better edifying, to measure this discipline as the time, the common state and necessity required.
There are sundrie dueties belōging to ministers, whiche notwithstanding ⟨p. 64⟩1for the most part, maie be restrained to twoo, wherein all other dueties are comprehended. The one is preachyng of Christe his Gospell: the other is ministeryng the Sacramentes. For it is the ministers duetie, to assemble the holy congregacion, & in it to expounde the worde of God, and to applie all his doctrine, to the cōmoditie of his churche, that those thynges, whiche are taught, maie profitte the hearers, and edifie the faithful. It belongeth to ministers, to teache the vnlearned, to exhort them, and to pricke forward those that geue ouer, or walke slowlie in the waie of the Lorde. It is also their partes, to comfort and confirme those, that are weake harted, to arme thē against the sunderie temptacions of Sathan, to rebuke sinners, to call into the right waie those, that goe a straie, to lift vp those that fall, to conuince gainsaiers, to driue Wolfes frō the lordes shepefolde, to reproue synne and synners, with wisedome and grauitie, not to winke at, or to conceile wickednesse, to minister the Sacramentes, to commende ⟨image 110⟩the right vse of theim, and to prepare all menne with wholsome doctrine, to the worthie receiuyng therof, to kepe the faithfull in holie vnitie, to forbidde Schismes and Heresies, to instruct the rude, to declare to the congregacion the necessitie of the poore, to visite the sicke, and those that be troubled with sundrie temptacions, to informe and keepe theim in the waie of life: Furthermore, to prouide for publike praier, in the tyme of necessitie, and for fasting, that is to saie, holie abstinence: and with all diligence to loke to all thynges, that belongeth to the trāquilitie, peace, and sauegard of the Churche. That the minister maie accomplishe, all those thynges the better and with more ease, it is required chiefly that be feare God, praie earnestlie, geue his mynde to the readyng of the scripture: In all thynges bee alwaies watcheful, & shew a good example, to all other of purenes of life. And seyng that there ought to be discipline in the 2Churche, and our auncitours vsed excommunicaciō, and the people of God ⟨p. 65⟩3had Ecclesiasticall Indgementes, the whiche Discipline was exercised by wise and Godlye men: it hath also belonged to ministers, for better edifiynge, to measure this discipline as the time, the common state and necessitie required.
- 1what the duties of ministers are.what the dueties of ministers are.
- 2Discipline.
- 3Excommunication.
