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,…

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.

Before he vsed a reason of probabilitie from the circumstance of the time, now he commeth to a reason of necessitie, because neuer drunken men could speake the wonderfull things of the Spirit. This argument is drawne from contraries: men full of drinke cannot so shew foorth the workes of God, men thus endued with God his spirit cannot bee drunken. On this manner Paul thus reasoneth,