A02178:1518
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.
1. Diligence maketh a rough way plain and easy: here keep an even course, and persevere without weariness or starting from it. 2. With diligence desire to join wisdom: for choice of matter what, of order how, of time when, to read. For matter search things revealed, and hunt not after things not revealed. In things revealed, seek after things most necessary, and then* things less necessary. For order, first desire to lay the foundation of Christian religion, then build upon it, as God gives thee increase of faith and knowledge. For time, we must not read always, but keep our appointed times. The Sabbath day we may sp••d a great part of it in reading▪ the n•••• days, in the morning, at noon, and evening, when we may redeem▪ the day from the works of our calling. 3. Again, a due preparation is required: whereunto appertain: first the fear of Gods mai•s••• w•ich serves well to correct the pride of reason and to subdue our •ff•ctions, •nd so to fit us for2 the ch•le of Christ▪ Secondly▪ faith in Christ, for that he alone op•••th •ur understanding, that we may understand the Scriptures. Thirdly▪ great desire in the heart […] upon the good word of God. 4. The fourth property is meditation, which is the life of all good learning, and makes that we have heard to be our own: and this is two-fold: first of the mind or understanding, discoursing of things read or heard. Secondly, of the affection, when liking any thing in judgement, we labour that it may work also upon our affections. Here this rule is to be noted, that meditation without reading crneous, and reading without meditation, barren. 5. The fifth help here is conference. For if in natural things, and in all things appertaining to this life man standeth in need of the help of other men, much more in spiritual things. 6. The sixth property after reading, meditation and conference is faith which he requires as an increase of that aforegoing preparation. We must believe in Jesus Christ by a general faith going before: but we must use (saith he) all the means before named, to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars after. 7. The seventh is practise: for this is a good way to increase our store, to put to good use that mediocrity of knowledge, and gifts we have received.