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,…

if they be pinched with poverty, they can complain: but as for the torment of mind they cannot skill of it: And even to talk of a bruised, contrite and broken heart, is a strange language. For proof whereof our consciences are rocked asleep, so that not one amongst a thousand knoweth what it is to be pressed and harrowed with the rake of Gods judgements. But blessed are they that to their own salvation feel this in their bodies, whilst sin may be both punished and purged. For though God spare us for a time, yet we know what he keepeth for our end. Wherefore it is the best for us to run to the Lord in this life with a troubled mind, least we tarry till the Lord have locked us up with the heavy fetters of desperation, when he shall summon us to the bar of his judgement¹ in the sight of his Angels, and impanelling the great inquest of his Saints against us, shall denounce our fearful and final sentence of eternal condemnation; for we see many that have been careless & have made good cheer all their life long, yea, and when men have laboured to make them feel the judgement of God, they have turned all to mockery, but their jollity the Lord hath so abated when they draw towards death, that in stead of resting & sporting (whereunto they had been given) they have felt the terror of death, hell, and damnation, and lapping up their joys in final desperation, have forced out cursings against their filthy pleasures. Wherefore if we in the tempest of our temptations will sail a right course, neither shrinking nor slipping into the gulf of desperation, neither battering our bark against the rock of presumption; let us in a contrite spirit cry unto the Lord: Have mercy upon me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee, forgive all mine iniquities, and heal all mine infirmities. Thou healest those that are broken in heart, and bindest up their soars▪ why art thou cast down my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me, wait on God, for I will yet give him thanks, he is my present help, and my God. Yet my soul keep thou silence before God, of him cometh my salvation, he is my strength, therefore I shall not much be moved.

if they be pinched with pouertie, they can complaine: but as for the torment of minde they cannot skill of it: And euen to talke of a brused, contrite and broken heart, is a strange language. For proofe whereof our cōsciences are rocked asleepe, so that not one amongst a thousand knoweth what it is to be pressed and harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgemēts. But blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele this in their bodies, whilest sinne may be both punished and purged. For though God spare vs for a time, yet we know what he keepeth for our ende. Wherefore it is the best for vs to runne to the Lord in this life with a troubled minde, least we tarrie till the Lord haue locked vs vp with the heauie fetters of desperation, when he shall summon vs to the barre of his iudgement