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,…

Another thing I would have you both to consider of in this point of your belief, is faith in Gods providence. And mark that well I shall say unto you: for it is a special thing,¹ and I know it shall do you good, if God bless it unto you: for if you be assured in your hearts that it was the Lord who in his gracious providence brought you thus together, you shall be comforted against all troubles and hindrances that shall by any means be raised up against you. For this is the nature of Satan to bring men and women to this doubt: and when they once yield unto it, what trouble and what strife doth he work betwixt them? For whereupon ariseth that impatience of spirit that we see to be in many, in murmuring, in chiding, in cursed speeches, & much like unquietness? doth it not come of this, because they have not a reverend persuasion that the Lord in his providence as by his own hand joined them in that near bond and conjunction together? Therefore my good brother and sister, as you would continue and increase in much love and peace one towards another, mark (I say) this point diligently: for it shall be a very comfortable stay unto you both, whatsoever should fall out afterwards, contrary to that you looked for: as if there should be any disagreement in your several dispositions and natures: or if you should fall into sicknesses, into any diseases, or such like trials, you remembering that this was the Lords doing, you may be more assured that yet for all this, it shall be well in the end, if you be constant in prayer, calling upon God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ. Now that you may prove unto your own harts that the Lord hath knit you thus together, you must consider that it must needs be the Lord who hath moved the harts of your Christian parents to give their lawful consents unto you in the same, and God in mercy shall give you greater assurance of it, if you mark his dealings with you from time to time.

Another thing I would haue you both to cōsider of in this point of your beliefe, is faith in Gods prouidence. And marke that well I shall say vnto you: for it is a speciall thing,¹ and I know it shall doe you good, if God blesse it vnto you: for if you be assured in your hearts that it was the Lord who in his gracious prouidence brought you thus together, you shall be comforted against all troubles and hindrances that shall by any meanes be raised vp against you. For this is the nature of Sathan to bring men and women to this doubt: and when they once yeeld vnto it, what trouble and what strife doth he worke betwixt them? For whereupon ariseth that impatiencie of spirit that we see to be in many, in murmuring, in chiding, in cursed speeches, & much like vnquietnes? doth it not come of this, because they haue not a reuerend perswasion that the Lord in his prouidence as by his owne hand ioyned them in that neere bond and coniunction together? Therefore my good brother and sister, as you would continue and increase in much loue and peace one towards another, marke (I say) this point diligently: for it shal be a very comfortable stay vnto you both, whatsoeuer should fall out afterwards, contrarie to that you looked for: as if there should be any disagreement in your seurall dispositions and natures: or if you should fall into sicknesses, into any diseases, or such like trials, you remembring that this was the Lords doing, you may be more assured that yet for all this, it shall be well in the end, if you be cōstant in prayer, calling vpō God the Father through faith in Iesus Christ. Now that you may prooue vnto your owne harts that the Lord hath knit you thus together, you must consider that it must needs be the Lord who hath moued the harts of your Christian parents to giue their lawfull consents vnto you in the same, and God in mercie shall giue you greater assurance of it, if you marke his dealings with you from time to time.