A02178:1534
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.
To prosecute our comparisons: where all other evils are the more tolerable, because they be temporal, and pursue us but to death: this not being cured, endeth not in death but becometh eternal. For even the heathen men thought that death was the end of all misery: the persuasion whereof made them (being in some misery) to make an end of themselves, and hasten their own death; as Satan doth make many now adays to do, who are ignorant of the hells, which is a place of far greater pains than any they can suffer in this world whatsoever: for a tormented conscience, if before it was begun, is now continued; or i• it was not before, now beginneth, and never endeth world without end. For though true it is, that sickness, poverty, imprisonment or banishment have ended their term in death; yet a wounded heart which was temporal in this life, is now eternal1 after this life; that which before death was in hope recoverable, is after death made uncurable and unrecoverable. It is good therefore to consider, if even in this life the torment of conscience be so fearful; how much more grievous is it to sustain it in hell, where that is infinite, which here is finite: where that is unmeasurable, which here is measurable; where is the sea of sorrow, whereof this is but a drop; where is the flame of that fire, whereof this is less than a spark?
To prosecute our comparisons: where all other euils are the more tolerable, because they be temporall, and pursue vs but to death: this not being cured, endeth not in death but becommeth eternall. For euen the heathen men thought that death was the end of all miserie: the perswas•ion whereof made them (being in some miserie) to make an ende of themselues, and hasten their owne death; as Sathan doth make many now adaies to doe, who are ignorant of the hels, which is a place of farre greater paines than any they can suffer in this world whatsoeuer: for a tormented conscience, if before it was begun, is now continued; or i• it was not before, now beginneth, and neuer endeth world without ende. For though true it is, that sicknesse, pouertie, imprisonment or banishment haue ended their tearme in death; yet a wounded heart which was temporall in this life, is now eternall1 after this life; that which before death was in hope recouerable, is after death made vncurable and vnrecouerable. It is good therefore to consider, if euen in this life the torment of conscience be so fearefull; how much more grieuous is it to sustaine it in hell, where that is infinite, which here is finite: where that is vnmeasurable, which here is measurable; where is the sea of sorrow, whereof this is but a drop; where is the flame of that fire, whereof this is lesse than a sparke?