A02178:1975
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
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.
Now followeth the second thing in these words: Upon flesh. Here are two things in nature opposite one against another, the one most precious, the other most vile. What more precious than the Spirit of God? what more vile than flesh, that is, than a man merely unregenerate? That this word flesh so signifieth, it appeareth Genes. 6. 3. where the Lord saith, ⟨p. 225⟩My spirit shall not always strive with men, because he is but flesh, that is, such as in whom my image is blotted out. And Rom 7. 18. the Apostle saith, I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: In which place the Apostle speaketh of himself as of a man merely natural and unregenerate. And Joh. 3. 6. it is said, That which is borne of the flesh, is flesh, and that that is borne of the Spirit, is Spirit. Where the antithesis and contrariety doth show the meaning of this word flesh. Here then is the depth, height, length, and breadth of God his mercy commended unto us, in giving his holy spirit to sinful flesh: and therefore we may justly cry out with the Prophet, Psal. 8. 4. what is man that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him? Oh what is man that the Lord should give him his Spirit! If the man of God cried out thus for the benefit of outward things; how much rather are we to cry for the benefit of God his Spirit▪ If Job in his book reasoneth, that it is a great mercy of God, that he will take pains to chastise man; how much more mercy is it, when he will vouchsafe his Spirit to be given unto him? If then flesh is so contemptible a thing, that it lieth without all honour, until God doth send his blessed Spirit; here is confuted the doting opinion of the Papists, who think that there is some good thing in man, which moveth the Lord through a liking and loving of him to bestow these inestimable graces of the spirit on him, when as of it self it is wholly, always, and in all things corrupt, and only evil continually.
Now followeth the second thing in these words: Vpon flesh. Here are two things in nature opposite one against another, the one most pretious, the other most vile. What more pretious than the Spirit of God? what more vile than flesh, that is, than a man meerely vnregenerate? That this word flesh so signifieth, it appeareth