A02178:1635
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,…
The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: revised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as love the truth, and desire to know the power of godliness. By H.H.The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.
London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for William Welby, 1612London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for VVilliam VVelby, 1612
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now as touching your faith in Jesus Christ, understand that marriage is holy unto them1 only, whose hearts are sanctified by faith in his name. And although God will always approve his own ordinance, yet it must needs prove hurtful in the end unto them, who call not for his blessing upon the same: and without repentance will turn to their further condemnation. Therefore you are both to examine your selves diligently herein: & you brother. A. must learn hereby so to love your wife, as Christ Jesus loved his Spouse, his Church: that is to say, even as our Saviour Christ is very patient towards it, and by little2 and little purgeth, washeth, and cleanseth away the corruption of it: so you must in like manner in all wisdom use the means, and with a patient mind wait for the amendment of any thing that you shall find to be amiss in your wife, & that the graces of Gods spirit may daily increase in her. Therefore I charge you in the sight of God & his Angels, and as you will answer unto me and the parents of this my sister, before the judgement seat of Christ, that as you receive her a virgin from her parents, so you neglect no duty, whereby her salvation may be furthered, that you may present her pure & blameless, as much as in you lieth, unto Jesus Christ, when he shall call you to account. And do not think that this is a harder charge, than is meet: for seeing that God hath promised a blessing unto those husbands that are faithful to the converting of their unbelieving wives, how much more then shall you prevail with a Christian daughter, and one (I hope) that hath received the faith as well as your self? And you my sister, must likewise take heed, that you refuse not to obey your husband, in all things agreeable to Gods most holy word. For you must by his ordinance be subject unto him, even as the Church is subject unto Jesus Christ. And as the Church should be but a strumpet, and be unworthy of Christ, and those blessings which he bringeth with him for her, if she should not receive and acknowledge him as her head: so could you not look for any benefit from your husband, unless you should submit your self unto him, according to the commandment of God. Neither do I thus charge you with any obedience but in the Lord:
Now as touching your faith in Iesus Christ, vnderstand that mariage is holy vnto them1