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 providence of God doth teach us herein, if we either consider of it in the course of¹ nature, or in governing his Church. In the course of nature, as Isaiah 26. 19. Awake and sing, ye that awl in the dust▪ for the dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out her dead▪ Here the Prophet showeth▪ that that God, that made Aaron's rod to bad, and that draweth out lively colours of dead flowers, and flourishing branches out of withered herbs, will also raise us in our bodies to the brightness of his glory, which have been laid in the filthiness of the dust. Again, 1. Cor. 15. 35. But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? & w••• what body come they forth? 36. O fool, that which thou sowest, is not quickened, except it di• ▪ 37. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body, that shall be, but bare corn, as it fa•eth, of wheat, or of some other. 38. But God giveth a body at his pleasure, even to every seed his own body, &c. See, the Lord calleth them fools, that will not believe this. Can the Lord raise grain out of the earth, & will he not raise man out of the earth, for whose sake the grain is renewed? Again, shall we doubt, that he, who holdeth the waters in his fist, and swaddleth the main seas (which in their own nature are above the earth) that they should not pass their bounds, break out of their bottles, cloisters, and chambers to overflow all; is unable to draw our bodies out of the dust? Sure it is, that flesh and blood can hardly admit this doctrine; and therefore we had need to arm our selves with these and such like meditations. If we weigh more deeply the providence of God in his Church, either whilst it was more particular in one family, or more general in moe, we shall have our faith in this doctrine the more confirmed. For he who accomplished his promise made unto Abraham, in blessing all the nations of the earth in his seed, even when the ordinary course of nature was dead both in Abraham and Sarah, by bringing Isaac out of their loins; and fulfilled his covenant unto David his servant, in bringing Jesus into the womb of Mary, whilst as yet she knew no man, who was the promised seed to bruise the Serpents head: is no less able to take us out of the dry womb, and dead bowels of the earth, according to his promise