A02178:1990
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.
We are young men, we must have a fling, youth is unstable, it will be time for us to be graver hereafter, when we become old men. Howbeit the Prophet David saith, Psal. 119.9 Wherewithal may a young man redress his way? &c. And Eccles 12. 1. it is said▪ Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, &c. If young men will appertain to God, they must have God his spirit, that is, such gifts as they may do these things. Let none say, we are old, our memory fails us, if our wits were as fresh as they have been, we could do something, now we can remember nothing. For men can remember things of vanity done in their youth, and in chronicling them they will wear tongues, and to fetch evidences of lands, or money, which they have hidden, their memory fails in no point. Well, as the Lord saith, that young men shall see visions, so old men shall dream dreams. If wisdom and the fear of God be the crown of old age, and without these the aged man even of an hundred years old is accursed, they had need to labour for knowledge. Old men will plead for their privilege to go before young men in worldly things; and will they hope for placards to excuse them, if they come behind them in heavenly things? None must say▪ We are but servants, and under others, we must labour for our wages, and no time can we have as others, to learn such things, it is well if we may have the Lord his day to rest on, we must have our recreation then, we cannot always be toiling. Well, if ye be the servants of God as well as the servants of men, men or maids, ye must by God his spirit be able to prophesy. Is your condition hard under the Gospel; oh praise God, it is nothing so hard as under the Law. For in times past servants were bondmen, little better in condition than brute beasts; and yet men being at that time in such an estate, under such heathen men▪ did so carefully attend upon the Lord in the word, and in prayer, that they would redeem all times possible for to get knowledge and feeling. Wherefore all men must look to this, men and women, old and young, masters and servants. What will they challenge themselves to be Christians, and glory in the title alone, and not esteem of the duty? They will leave that part peradventure to book learned men, and to Preachers.