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 if a man were a Turk, how should he move a Papist? or how should a Papist move a Turk? If he take away Mahomets dreams from the Turk, or the Fathers traditions from the Papist, or the eight man his revelations from the Familist, and urge them with the word, they are gone: so that it is the only word of God, maugre the head of the devil, that unblindfoldeth all their errors, and is able to move them, and convert so many of them to the trueth as God will have saved. Thus we see what the persuasion of God his presence and the authority of his word worketh in us. Now before we go into the other particulars, let us by the way consider somewhat of the reason here used.

For if a man were a Turke, how should he moue a Papist? or how should a Papist moue a Turke? If he take away Mahomets dreames from the Turke, or the Fathers traditions from the Papist, or the eight man his reuelations from the Familist, and vrgethem with the word, they are gone: so that it is the onely word of God, maugre the head of the deuill, that vnblindfoldeth all their errors, and is able to moue them, and conuert so many of them to the trueth as God will haue saued. Thus we see what the perswasion of God his presence and the authoritie of his word worketh in vs. Now before we goe into the other particulars, let vs by the way consider somewhat of the reason here vsed.

Before he used a reason of probability from the circumstance of the time, now he cometh to a reason of necessity, because never drunken men could speak the wonderful things of the Spirit. This argument is drawn from contraries: men full of drink cannot so show forth the works of God, men thus endued with God his spirit cannot be drunken. On this manner Paul thus reasoneth, Ephes. 5. 18. Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. As if he should say: if ye be filled with wine, there is excess, if ye labour of excess of wine, surely you cannot have the Spirit▪ Christ also useth this argument: No man can serve two masters, &c. If a man wholly give over himself to God, he cannot serve the world; if all our mind, heart, and affections be given to the world, we cannot serve God. They then that are filled with wine & are drunken, cannot have the holy Ghost. I say drunken, because otherwise there were no reason. For one may drink wine moderately, and yet speak wonderfully of the works of God, and a man may after eating and drinking utter the graces and praises of God, to show that he hath not immoderately abused God his creatures. For it is a flat argument, whereby we may prove our selves, that, if after our repast received, we can discreetly, reverently, and humbly speak of things to God his praise and glory, we have not been immoderate or intemperate devourers of his gifts This is a profitable argument, and worthy our meditation. In what worldly thing soever we exceed, we cannot apply our selves to God his kingdom. For if the kingdom of God be our chiefest delight, we shall use this world, as though we used it not. We are wont to marvel much, that after the word preached, our prayers made, the Sacraments received, there yet appeareth no change nor alteration in us, our affections are as they were, our life is the same that it was before: but we do not consider, that before we came to the word, prayer, and Sacraments, our hearts were fraught and ballasted with worldly cares, so that there was no place left void in our affections for the word; and that our hearts were so pestered and thronged with vain pleasures, that there was no room for God his spirit to keep residence in, and for religion to dwell among us.