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,…

But to shut up this argument: Some there have been who throughout all their life time, have been free from all other troubles, so as either they felt them not at all, or else in very small measure, and by that means never knew what outward trouble meant. As for example, some men there have been, who for sickness never knew the head-ache, for poverty, never knew what want meant; who for discredit, were never evil spoken of; who ever put far from them the evil day of the Lord; who made a league with death as it were, and a covenant with hell; who though they could crucify every cross, rather than come under any cross: yet they could never escape a wounded conscience, either in this life, or in the life to come. True it is, that Gods children by faith and repentance do often escape it, but the wicked, and such as are borne unto it, as to their sure inheritance, the more they fly from it, the more it pursueth them. If we have transgressed the Civill Jaws, the Judge by bribes may be corrupted; if a man have committed some capital¹ offence, by flying his Country he may escape the Magistrates hands: but our consciences telling us that we have sinned against God, what bribe shall we offer? or whither shall we fly? whither shall we go from his spirit? or whither shall we go from his presence? If we ascend into heaven, is not he there? If we lie down in hell, is he not there? If we fly to the utmost parts of the sea, is he not there also? There needeth no apparitor to summon us, there needs no Bailie arrant to fetch us, there needs no accuser to give in against us; sin will arrest us, and lieth at the door, our own consciences will impanel a Quest against us, our own hearts will give in sufficient evidence, and our own iniquities will plead guilty to our own faces. Thus we see both by the experience of them that have suffered the wound of the spirit, and by the comparing of it with other evils, what a weight most grievous, and burden intolerable it is to have a tormented conscience.

But to shut vp this argument: Some there haue beene who throughout all their life time, haue beene free from all other troubles, so as either they felt them not at all, or else in very small measure, and by that meanes neuer knew what outward trouble meant. As for example, some men there haue beene, who for sicknesse neuer knew the head-ach, for pouertie, neuer knew what want meant; who for discredit, were neuer euill spoken of; who euer put farre from them the euill day of the Lord; who made a league with death as it were, and a couenant with hell; who though they could crucifie euery crosse, rather than come vnder any crosse: yet they could neuer escape a wounded conscience, either in this life, or in the life to come. True it is, that Gods children by faith and repentance doe often escape it, but the wicked, and such as are borne vnto it, as to their sure inheritance, the more they flie from it, the more it pursueth them. If we haue transgressed the Ciuill Iawes, the Iudge by bribes may be corrupted; if a man haue committed some capitall