A02178:1750
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.
Howbeit, we may here also suck out some comfort, to the more alluring of us to these holy exercises, in that though we be weary of one exercise, we may refresh our selves with another: if we profit not by one, we may profit by another: so that if we be altogether void of delight, and reap no profit at ⟨p. 162⟩all, we cannot but excuse the Lord, & accuse our selves. For if we cannot thrive in private exercises, we may gain by the public means: if we can find no delight by ourselves, we may join with others; if we cannot profit by reading, we may profit by praying: if not by praying, then by meditating; if not by meditating, then by conferring; if not by conferring, yet by singing; if not by singing, yet by viewing the creatures of God; if not by these, then by teaching, admonishing, and visiting of others; if not herein, by suffering our selves to be taught, admonished, and instructed of others. Wherefore as in a solemn banquet furnished with divers meats, the weakest stomach not liking one dish, may refresh1 it self with another, unless the appetite be altogether gone: so in this heavenly variety the Lord hath provided, that the most weak may comfort his conscience, if not with one spiritual dainty, yet with another, unless it be so sickly, that it is altogether graceless, and void of hope of recovery, which the Lord in his mercy keep from us. And thus having showed what is commanded, let us go forward to those things which are forbidden.
Howbeit, wee may here also sucke out some comfort, to the more alluring of vs to these holy exercises, in that though we be weary of one exercise, we may refresh our selues with another: if we profit not by one, we may profit by another: so that if we be altogether voide of delight, and reape no profit at ⟨p. 162⟩all, we cannot but excuse the Lord, & accuse our selues. For if we cannot thriue in priuate exercises, we may gaine by the publike meanes: if we can finde no delight by ourselues, we may ioyne with others; if we cannot profite by reading, we may profite by praying: if not by praying, then by meditating; if not by meditating, then by conferring; if not by conferring, yet by singing; if not by singing, yet by viewing the creatures of God; if not by these, then by teaching, admonishing, and visiting of others; if not herein, by suffering our selues to be taught, admonished, and instructed of others. Wherefore as in a solemne banket furnished with diuers meates, the weakest stomacke not liking one dish, may refresh