A02178:1526
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.
The persons in whom we may consider this wound of spirit, are either merely natural1 men, or such as be renewed by the spirit of God. The men merely natural, are either the Heathen, such as never knew God in Christ, or carnal professors, such as have not professed Christianity aright. If we look among the Heathen, how many of them have willingly gone under all poverty, & have been content to unburden themselves of all worldly treasures? How some of them (whilst their minds were not dejected) have suffered imprisonment, exile, & extreme tortures of body, rather then they would betray their countries? How many of them have devoured many injuries, and borne outward troubles, with some ease, and with no resistance, whilst their minds were at liberty? And yet look not into the meanest, but the best and most excellent men among them, even their wise Philosophers, sweet Orators, and exquisite Poets, who in bearing and forbearing, thought the2 chiefest point of virtue to consist; and ye shall see when once some great distress of mind did wound them, some would make an end of it by preparing a cup of deadly poison: some would violently and voluntarily run on the enemies pikes: some would throw down themselves from high Mountains: some would not stick to stab most monstrously ⟨p. 96⟩their own bodies with daggers, or such like instruments of death: all which men would seem to have great courage in sustaining man•e harms, so long as their minds were not over-mastered. But when the divine and supreme Essence (which they acknowledged to be God) did by his power cross and overturn their witty devises and head-strong attempts, so as without hope of remedy they were hampered in pensiveness and sorrow of mind: Then not being able to turn themselves under so hea•ie a burden shrunk down, and by violent death would ••d themselves of that disquietness and impatience of their troubled minds.
The persons in whom we may consider this wound of spirit, are either meerly naturall1