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,…

And here I dare for my own observation assuredly affirm, that outward sins have not been at sometime so grievous to Gods children, as that they have some times used¹ the means with little reverence and with less fruit. And no marvel, we shall see many men at some times, not so much grieved for their sickness it self, as for that they have either willingly neglected the means which might have preserved their health, or that they² have abused the Physic that might have restored their health to them again. In like manner (I say) it fareth with them, who either unreverently have refused the means, which should keep their souls from surfeiting: or else unthankfully have abused those helps, which might have recovered them again. From hence it cometh, that some men are as much grieved for not using their good gifts to the benefit of Gods Church, as others are troubled for pestering the Church with unprofitable corruptions: or as we shall see a rich man sometimes as much humbled for not giving money to the poor, which he might have done, as for heaping up riches falsely, which he ought not to have done. And thus many (having received good gifts and graces from the Lord) are ^*seasoned & sanctified by afflictions; whereby they are taught to put their gifts in ure, and to offer their service to Christ, and others are forced to hide their gifts, which cannot be without some decay of Gods glory, without offence to the weak, without the loss of many souls, which otherwise might be won to the Gospel, and without strengthening the hand of the adversary to slander our dark and dumb profession. All which things will in the end bring terror of mind; because if the Lord cannot work upon us by taking away goods, friends, credit, wife, children, or such like, to bring us to repentance; he will surely whip ⟨p. 103⟩our naked consciences, he will enter even into our very entrails, and pierce our secret bowels. As we must examine our selves thus for sins of time past, and present, so must we use this practise in sin to come▪ and this is very needful. For were it so, that our life and conversation were such, as neither before nor after our calling, man could justly accuse it: