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 whosoever is so ignorant, that he cannot give an account of his faith to God his glory, and the edifying of others, he cannot say, that he hath the spirit of God. If any have Christ his spirit, he is Christs; if he be Christs, he must be a Prophet able to give an account of his faith, being required, and so he is Gods; if he be Gods, then come life, come death, come health, come sickness, come what will, all comes well: if a man hath outward things, he is not too much puffed up with them; if he hath them not, he is not too much grieved. But if we have not God his spirit, surely we belong not to God. For have we wit, wisdom, health, power, wealth, authority, credit, friends, or any such thing, and yet have not received the spirit of God; what are we but a more fit substance or subject, whereupon Satan may frame the work of sin? It is not the poor, silly, or simple people that be the main instruments, which the devil doth use in his greatest affairs to do hurt; but the wise, politic, rich, and mighty men of the world. Contrariwise, if with these good gifts we have the spirit of God; what great good may we do in Church or Common-wealth? If besides the beauty of God his spirit, we have the flowers of outward things, what a singular ornament is this to our garland? What shall I say more? In affliction the spirit showeth us the hand of God both humbling and comforting us, revealeth our sins, worketh in us the contempt of this life, the desire of the life to come, and so sanctifieth our cross by wisdom, repentance, and patience. Seeing then these are the effects of God his spirit, that it feoffeth us by faith into everlasting inheritance, it assureth us of all our rich treasures in Jesus Christ, seeing it sanctifieth all inward gifts, & seasoneth the use of all outward things: briefly, seeing with it all things seeming miserable are most blessed, and without it all things seeming happy are most miserable, it followeth, that of all gifts the holy Ghost is the most excellent. Howbeit one thing here is to be added, that we may wholly separate our selves from the Anabaptists; we speak of the Spirit, as he showeth his force in us, and worketh in us by the ministry of the word, which two work together, and therefore it is said Joh. 6. My words are spirit and life.

For whosoeuer is so ignorant, that he cannot giue an account of his faith to God his glorie, and the edifying of others, he cannot say, that he hath the spirit of God. If any haue Christ his spirit, he is Christs; if he be Christs, he must be a Prophetable to giue an account of his faith, being required, and so he is Gods; if he be Gods, then come life, come death, come health, come sicknes, come what will, all comes well: if a man hath outward things, he is not too much puft vp with them; if he hath them not, he is not too much grieued. But if we haue not God his spirit, surely we belong not to God. For haue we wit, wisedome, health, power, wealth, authoritie, credit, friends, or any such thing, and yet haue not receiued the spirit of God; what are we but a more fit substance or subiect, whereupon Sathan may frame the worke of sinne? It is not the poore, sillie, or simple people that be the maine instruments, which the diuell doth vse in his greatest affaires to doe hurt; but the wise, politique, rich, and mightie men of the world. Contrariwise, if with these good gifts we haue the spirit of God; what great good may we doe in Church or Common-wealth? If besides the beautie of God his spirit, we haue the flowers of outward things, what a singular ornament is this to our garland? What shall I say more? In affliction the spirit sheweth vs the hand of God both humbling and comforting vs, reuealeth our sinnes, worketh in vs the contempt of this life, the desire of the life to come, and so sanctifieth our crosse by wisedome, repentance, and patience. Seeing then these are the effects of God his spirit, that it feoffeth vs by faith into euerlasting inheritance, it assureth vs of all our rich treasures in Iesus Christ, seeing it sanctifieth all inward gifts, & seasoneth the vse of all outward things: briefly, seeing with it all things seeming miserable are most blessed, and without it all things seeming happie are most miserable, it followeth, that of all gifts the holy Ghost is the most excellēt. Howbeit one thing here is to be added, that we may wholy separate our selues from the Anabaptists; we speake of the Spirit, as he sheweth his force in vs, and worketh in vs by the ministerie of the word, which two worke together, and therefore it is said