A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

And so much for the duties of superiors and inferiors in the family. Public governors and their inferiors, are such as are in the Church or Common wealth. In the Church, superiors governing, are the ⟨p. 150⟩Ministers, and inferiors governed, are the people committed to their ¹charge. For Ministers are the spiritual fathers of the people, being the ordinary means of begetting them, and of their regeneration and new birth, by the immortal seed of Gods Word; and the people are their children, begotten unto God by their Ministry. The which should move the Ministers to carry themselves towards their flock, as it becometh fathers, in all love, care, vigilancie, diligence, in providing for the good of them by all means, especially the spiritual good of their souls, as they desire to have the honour, reverence, and respect, which is due to fathers; and the people to perform all duties of children towards their Ministers, loving, reverencing, and obeying them in all things appertaining to the good of their souls, as they desire that they should receive from them the privileges of children, and the benefit of their Ministry, for their regeneration and new birth. The special duties of Ministers ²respect either their Ministry, or their life and conversation, in both which, they are to go before the people, both in doctrine and holy example. In regard of his Ministry, he is to preach the Word of God truly, sincerely, diligently, and powerfully, in season and out of season, respecting herein the performance of his own duty to the glory of God, and the