A02178:1892
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
Part 2 › Treatise 8: A TREATISE OF GODS FEAR.Part 2 › Treatise 8: A TREATISE OF GODS FEARE.
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.
Our knowledge must end in fear: that ignorance is bold it is plain: but that experience1 should tremble at things either imminent or present that is it which Moses thought so strange a thing, that he durst conclude, Psal. 90. that if we fear not we are ignorant. No marvel, it pleaseth the holy Ghost to join fear, and the wisdom of God always together, either as the beginner, or as the finisher of it. That it is the beginning of wisdom it is plain, Proverbs 1. that it is the end of wisdom it is manifest Ecclesiastes 12; so that it is not possible to have true wisdom without this beginning, neither can we attain to the perfection of it without this ending. Now the causes why we do not fear are these, ⟨p. 199⟩either for that we are wise in our own conceit, or else we be stony hearted, both which evils are cured in us by fear. The first is proved, Proverb. 21. where it is said: Blessed is the man that feareth: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil: where is a plain opposition between the fear of God and hardness of heart. The second is to be showed Pro. 3. 7. Be not wise in thine own eyes, but fear the Lord: where we see the fear of God correcteth this conceit of our selves in us. This we say then, that he that feareth not, hath either pride or hardness; and if these two, then no wisdom, and consequently he is convinced not to have knowledge. Fear and wisdom makes a man a man: it is the conclusion also, and2 shutting up of all love; the reason is, love groweth secure without fear, and being secure it loseth her spouse, as we see in the song of Solomon: where the Church bewails the loss of her Love, whilst she fell asleep: wherefore I say, as in the beginning, we must have a fear of wrath; so in the end we must have a fear of losing. In Hebr. 12. when the Apostle b••ore had spoken of Love, least that we should securely lose it, he ends all with a trembling sentence, and shutteth it up with a fiery clause, God is a consuming fire. It is given to all