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,…

As concerning your belief in God the Father, you know (brethren) you must believe¹ in him, as being creator of all things, and also the governor and preserver of the same: you must also understand that he created man according to his own image, and gave him the preeminence & government of the woman, for the help of the man, that he might be furthered in the service of his God. So you must much more look that you be not hindered from the Lord by your wife: for there are many whilst they desire marriage, so long as their hope is deferred they are careful in the discharge of their duty: but afterward once enjoying those things they looked for, they wax more negligent than they were before, greatly dishonouring God by their unthankfulness. And it may be the only fault of man, if he be not helped by his wife to grow in godliness: for I think that even Eve in² moaning her husband Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit, had been an helper unto him, to bring him acquainted with the malicious enmity of Satan against them both, if according to the great measure of graces he had received from the Lord, he had bin more faithful in obeying the will of God, and had wisely rebuked his wife. And again, although the woman was the occasion of sin: yet the force of sin to the corruption of mankind came into the world by the sin of the man. For so the Apostle saith, Rom, 5. As by one man (meaning Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death went over all men, for as much as all men have sinned. So much more the grace of God, and the gift of grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And in the 3. of Genesis we read, that the eyes of the woman were not opened until the man had eaten of the fruit: but so soon as he had eaten, the eyes of them both were opened, & they knew that they had sinned. Therefore I gather thus much, that rebuke should have prevailed more to convert her, than her moving of him to transgress, should have been able to pervert him. I speak not to excuse the woman, for I know the Lord was displeased with her, and for that cause hath laid a special punishment upon her, in the painful bringing forth of children.

As concerning your beleefe in God the Father, you know (brethren) you must beleeue¹ in him, as being creator of all things, and also the gouernour and preseruer of the same: you must also vnderstand that he created man according to his own image, and gaue him the preheminence & gouernment of the woman, for the helpe of the man, that he might be furthered in the seruice of his God. So you must much more look that you be not hindred from the Lord by your wife: for there are many whilest they desire mariage, so long as their hope is deferred they are carefull in the discharge of their dutie: but afterward once enioying those things they looked for, they waxe more negligent than they were before, greatly dishonouring God by their vnthankfulnes. And it may be the onely fault of man, if he be not helped by his wife to grow in godlines: for I thinke that euen Euah in