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,…

Then remember to thy comfort the covenant of God made unto us, that is, that God will pour out his spirit on flesh, and thou shalt receive of the power thereof, if thou complain in truth, and not as a Parrot counterfeiting the work of reason. For as some birds can counterfeit mens words, so some men can counterfeit God his words. If then thou art not truly moved and purely affected, neither feelest such gracious working in thee, as thou desirest, remember that God will pour his spirit on flesh, God will pour waters on dry ground, God will soften the hard hearts; and though in our selves we find no towardness, the Lord will send floods of water in steed of dryness, and fleshiness in stead of hardness, and comfort in stead of heaviness.

Then remember to thy comfort the couenant of God made vnto vs, that is, that God will powre out his spirit on flesh, and thou shalt receiue of the power thereof, if thou complaine in truth, and not as a Parrat counterfeiting the worke of reason. For as some birds can counterfeite mens wordes, so some men can counterfeite God his words. If then thou art not truly moued and purely affected, neither feelest such gratious working in thee, as thou desirest, remember that God will powre his spirit on flesh, God will powre waters on drie ground, God will soften the hard hearts; and though in our selues wee finde no towardnes, the Lord will send flouds of water in steed of drinesse, and fleshinesse in stead of hardnes, and comfort in stead of heauines.

Now followeth the third thing, that is, that this benefit shall universally be poured out upon all. And this setteth out the goodness of God that doth give it, in that he doth it ⟨p. 226⟩without respect of persons as well on children as on fathers, as well on servants as on masters, as well on women as on men, as well on young as on old: together with the fourth thing, in that this heavenly gift shall in plentiful measure be poured out, in that the ions and daughters shall prophesy, the young men shall see visions, and the old men shall dream dreams. Wherein we observe first the difference between the Law and the Gospel, between the Fathers under the Law, and those that are under the Gospel. We grant that we all had one substance of faith and repentance, only they looked for Christ to come, we to Christ already come. And here are to be noted two other differences: the one, that then the spirit was given to few, and as it were to an handful; now it is given to many and to all nations; then to one sex more specially, now to both: the other is, that then they had knowledge, now they have more and a greater measure both of knowledge and repentance. For young men shall see visions, and old men shall dream dreams. This, I say, is the first difference that this grace is offered to moe nations. For the first was bestowed only upon the Jews, for they only had the Law, Psal. 47. 19. but now all is one, Christ is the head both of the Jew and Gentile, there is one shepherd and one sheepfold both of Jew and Gentile. The second note of difference is, that the young men should see visions, and the old men dream dreams. This is a great benefit, and a singular sign of God his love to his people, that they should some of them see visions, and some dream dreams. It is said,