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,…

Touching the manner of examination we must consider the nature and use of the word. The Word in it proper tongue is taken from the Gold-smiths shop, and it is a trying, as it were of metals, and therefore the learned would have us try our selves by the rules of Gold-smiths; and this is not by the sound or Echo that it maketh, (for in the best it is deceivable) ⟨p. 190⟩but setting aside this, they come to the touchstone and furnace (which are two things of proof to try withal) and they match with the touchstone the word, and compare¹ with the furnace the cross. But because those be more universal, I think they may rather try the whole course of a mans life in general, than this several point in hand. Others, because the bread and the wine be food, follow herein the rules of the physicians. If a man have a full body, though his repletion come of a very good humour, as of blood,² it needeth not filling but emptying; again, full bodies, if their fullness come of evil humours, are not to be nourished but rather they must be purged, as flegmatike bodies which are full of moisture: Even so fareth it with all those which think themselves full enough of their own righteousness, and such as are stuffed with corrupt humours & gross sins, are not to come hither having no interest or claim therein, until the one be emptied of the fond conceit of his own righteousness, & the other purged of the loathsome disease of³ his own wickedness. Notwithstanding, if we consider the words that follow, If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged; and again, but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, because we should not be condemned with the world, it may appear, that the Apostle understandeth it of a judicial examination, as before a judge. And the very word though it were derived from the gold-smiths, yet the use of it is from a judicial manner of proceeding.⁴ Well then, let us take it this way, that in this trial we must so proceed with our selves in judgement, and when we are by our selves alone, we must erect our judgement seat in our selves, and examine our selves precisely whether we eat worthily or unworthily. For the plainness of it, we cannot be better directed than by that rule,