A02178:108
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 works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: revised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as love the truth, and desire to know the power of godliness. By H.H.The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.
London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for William Welby, 1612London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for VVilliam VVelby, 1612
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Atheism.
Atheisme.
1 A Certain man being a Papist, though not so grounded as he desired to be, took a view of the life of Papists, if it were as glorious in truth as they pretended; which when he found not, he turned himself to the Protestants, and looking into their conversation, he found himself not contented, until in the end he met with Familists, in whom he so stayed himself, that he grew into familiarity with their doctrine. The first principle that they taught him, was, that there was no God: This boiled much in him, so that he began to add conclusions to this precept on this sort: If there be a God, he is not so just and merciful▪ as they say: if there be no God, there is neither heaven, nor hell; or if there be any, the joys are not so eternal, nor the pains so continual, as some have taught: Why then do I sell my certain pleasures in this world, for uncertain pleasures1 in the world to come? This devilish illusion so far prevailed, that he stole an horse, for which he was apprehended, imprisoned, arraigned, & condemned: but, by the providence of God, he conferring with a godly Minister, confessed himself an Atheist: whereupon suite was made and granted for his reprieving until the next Assize, in hope of his conversion, in which time, he would willingly grant all general truths taught him, with liking of his teachers, but could not by any thing be brought from his Atheism. The Assize following drew near, he is to be executed, the place is assigned, the person needs must be executed, who when he should be turned from the ladder, cried thus, For Christs sake stay my life: whereupon he spake these or the like words: Well, let the world say what they will; doubtless, there is a God, and the same God is just for ever to his enemies, and everlastingly keepeth his mercies with his children; now turn me over: and so he made an end of his speech, and of his days.