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,…

Which thing if we find in them, it is our part to travel with them, that they make a less matter of the outward shame, and more conscience of the inward sin. Neither must we here forget to make a distinction between our speeches used to the humbled, in the very time of their extreme agony & burning ague of their troubles, and those speeches which we use to them the fit being past; because the one and former requireth more consolation and less exhortation; the other and latter would have us more abundant in admonishing, and more sparing in comforting, when we may wisely admonish them to beware of sin, which so procured their own woe. In this breathing time, it is also expedient to exhort them, that for some season until they shall find greater power of regeneration, they would tie themselves to some holy orders, and godly vows, whereby they may either be furthered in mortifying some special sin; which for that they could find no power against it, did most grieve them, or strengthened in some special grace, the want where of did also wound them.

Which thing if we finde in them, it is our part to trauell with them, that they make a lesse matter of the outward shame, and more conscience of the inward sinne. Neither must we here forget to make a distinction betweene our speeches vsed to the humbled, in the very time of their extreme agony & burning ague of their troubles, and those speeches which we vse to them the fit being past; because the one and former requireth more consolation and lesse exhortation; the other and latter would haue vs more abundant in admonishing, and more sparing in comforting, when we may wisely admonish them to beware of sinne, which so procured their owne woe. In this breathing time, it is also expedient to exhort them, that for some season vntill they shall finde greater power of regeneration, they would tye themselues to some holy orders, and godly vowes, whereby they may either be furthered in mortifying some speciall sinne; which for that they could finde no power against it, did most grieue them, or strengthened in some speciall grace, the want where of did also wound them.

But before we launch deeper into this sea of particular temptations, and begin to sound the dangerous passages of natural corruption, and original sin, the troublesome froth whereof doth almost overwhelm many poor pilgrims, it shall be good to give this caution, that both in these and in the former troubles, men would be still again admonished, patiently to bear with a wounded spirit, albeit it fall out so, that they be somewhat pettish, seeing the holy Ghost speaketh so favourably of them, saying: A wounded spirit who can bear? And surely our practise in other things, by the law of equity, may urge this at our hands. For if men by the light of reason can see it to be a duty convenient, not furiously to control, but meekly to suffer, and wisely to put up the unadvised speeches of a man distempered in brain, by reason of some burning ague, or such like violent and vehement sickness: we may easily gather even by the same rule of reason, not so severely to censure the impatient speeches of him, who by reason of some parching fever of the spirit, is disquieted in all parts of his mind, & hath all the veins of his heart (as it were in a spiritual agony) vexed. Wherefore both unsavoury for want of godly wisdom, & uncharitable for want of Christian love, are their murmuring obtrectations which say, what? Is this the godly man? Is this he that is so troubled for his sins? Why, see how pettish he is, nothing can please him, no body can satisfy him. Consider, O man, if thou canst bear with a raile body, that thou must much more bear with a frail mind. Consider, O man, that this his pettishness doth more wound him to the hart, than any injury thou couldest press him with. And therefore seeing he afflicteth his own soul for it, thou needest not add any thing to his affliction, and to exasperate his grievous smart. Consider that it is a blessed thing mercifully to bethink us of the estate of the needy, and that to rub a fresh wound, and to strain a bleeding sore, is nothing else, but with Jobs friends to bring a new torment, where there is no need of it. As the wise father doth rather pity than rebuke his child, when by reason of sickness the appetite is not easily pleased: