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 some will oppose against these things which we have delivered: Do you think it a remedy to cast down them that are already humbled? This is rather to be a butcher than a builder of a mans conscience. To whom I answer, that I desire preachers to be builders, and not butchers; and it is one thing generally to apply, and another particularly to lay the medicine unto the wound. It is good to begin with searching first, and to purge the sore by the vinegar of the Law, & after to supple it with the oil of the Gospel. Both which must be done in wisdom, using them to some in greater, to some in lesser measure. For as some having nothing but a decay of nature, & no mortal humour, need rather restorative, than purging medicines: so some rather troubled for some spiritual wants, than for grosser sins, need not so much the sharp threatenings of the Law, as the sweet promises of the Gospel. As the body, through some extraordinary repletion, having gotten some great surfeit, not so much to the weakening of nature, as to the threatening of imminent death, and therefore requireth rather some strong purgation, than comfortable and cordial medicines: even so the soul brought almost to deaths door with some extraordinary sin, is rather to be bored and pierced with the denouncing of Gods judgements than otherwise. But because we would deal more plainly and less confusedly, it is good in our access to afflicted consciences, to lay these two grounds. First, we must persuade the persons humbled, that their sins are pardonable, & their sores curable. And¹ after, that this visitation is not so much a sign of Gods wrath and anger, as a seal of his mercy and favour, in that it is not either blind or barren, but plentiful in good effects, and fruitful in godly issues. The former how needful it is, the experience of so many almost as have been thrown down, is a sufficient witness: who have had this as a tag tied to their temptations, that never any were so plagued as they, none ever had the like temptations, the Lord will surely make an end of them in some strange and unknown temptation. Wherein they are not unlike unto men fallen into some dangerous disease, who thinking them selves to be without the fathom of the Physicians skill, & not to be within the compass of things recoverable, add a second and sorer grief unto their former.

But some will oppose against these things which we haue deliuered: Doe you thinke it a remedie to cast downe them that are alreadie humbled? This is rather to be a butcher than a builder of a mans conscience. To whom I answere, that I desire preachers to be builders, and not butchers; and it is one thing generally to applie, and another particularly to lay the medicine vnto the wound. It is good to begin with searching first, and to purge the sore by the vineger of the Law, & after to supple it with the oyle of the Gospell. Both which must be done in wisedome, vsing them to some in greater, to some in lesser measure. For as some hauing nothing but a decay of nature, & no mortall humour, neede rather restoratiue, than purging medicines: so some rather troubled for some spirituall wants, than for grosser sinnes, neede not so much the sharpe threatnings of the Law, as the sweete promises of the Gospell. As the body, through some extraordinarie repletion, hauing gotten some great surfet, not so much to the weakening of nature, as to the threatning of imminent death, and therefore requireth rather some strong purgation, than comfortable and cordiall medicines: euen so the soule brought almost to deaths doore with some extraordinary sinne, is rather to be bored and pearced with the denouncing of Gods iudgements than otherwise. But because we would deale more plainly and lesse confusedly, it is good in our accesse to afflicted consciences, to lay these two grounds. First, we must perswade the persons humbled, that their sins are pardonable, & their sores curable. And