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,…

For then shall corporal means most prevail, when all the spiritual, which God commandeth have been truly used: And they are fittest to use the outward means of defence, which have learned to convey their faith from them, by the public exercises of humiliation, unto the promises of God. If with fasting and prayer we can wrestle with the Archangel of God, then shall we never be afraid of Duke Esau nor all his Edomites; if we be Israelites to prevail with God, we cannot be but Jacobs to prevail with man. What should I say of our forefathers, which by this faith have obtained their victories? The time would be too long to tell of Gedeon, Baruch, Sampson, Jephthah, David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Ezechia, who through faith¹ obtained the promises, subdued kingdoms, escaped the edge of the sword, of weak were made strong, waxed valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of aliens, of some of which it is pressed, that they did these things by faith, helped by prayer and fasting: and of the most part of the other it may be well understood. Seeing we are compassed about with such² a cloud of witnesses, shall we be so bewitched as to dream of the like victories without the like faith, or to imagine of the like faith, without using of the like means? But it may be some will object, that this exercise of humiliation weakeneth the hearts of true subjects, and encourageth the enemies: this was of old slanderously objected to Jeremiah by the unbelieving and carnal Princes, who would yet seem to be wise politics. I have heard indeed of the Arch▪atheist Machiavel▪ that writeth of the Religion of Christians, that it being practised in truth doth weaken their hands, making them cowards; and emboldeneth their enemies against them (although there be no doubt many that think so) yet never have I heard godly or wise men say so. Neither doth this kind of humiliation lift up our enemies the Papists at home or abroad, but their own proud hearts & malicious attempts against Gods people: by both which (seeing that pride will have a fall, and before glory goeth humility) we may assure us the rather of the victory, having so many promises in Gods word for the same, confirmed with so many examples. In the stead of many in the Psal. 119. this promise shall suffice: They draw near that follow after malice, and are far from the law: thou