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,…

And because men hearing of the Gospel, imagine of a felicity in this world, therefore Peter to awaken them out of this dream, lets them to understand, that unless these gifts be reverently received, God will be most angry, because they either refuse or abuse the mercies of God so offered. The use of this is partly in respect of the elect and people regenerate, and partly in respect of the wicked and unregenerate; in respect of the elect, either before, or after their regeneration; before their regeneration to bring them to seek Jesus Christ. For though it is certain, that God in time will call them whom he hath predestinated, and chosen: yet because his Gospel is not so precious unto them, as it should be, therefore the Lord sendeth them crosses, sometimes poverty, sometime sickness, sometime reproach, sometime a troubled mind, sometime private misery, and sometime a public calamity to involve them among others, because they have no more trust in the promises of God before they be humbled. And because men will not easily or usually be humbled by the bare word, the Lord sealeth it by sending of troubles, that when we can feel no comfort either in heaven or in earth, but perdition and matter of damnation in our selves, we should then be the fitter to receive comfort in Christ. Again, for as much as God his children have one special fault or other, as privy pride, vainglory, self-love▪ or ⟨p. 233⟩such like privy corruptions, that the word of God cannot be suffered to draw us out of these sins: for this cause the Lord sendeth affliction, & by his correction he draweth us out of our civill righteousness, & maketh us make conscience of inward and hidden corruptions, and putteth them in mind by misery, that the same corruption is ••rking in them, which hath broken forth in others, and that naturally it did dwell in them, though repressed by the finger of God it did not violently flame out. Again, where others lie in sin, and know it not, because the very light of nature is choked in them, & God his spirit can take little hold to work any thing upon them, that the Lord might bring them to see sin unknown, and to make conscience of sin being known, the Lord visiteth us with private and public means, that as the wicked shall be without all hope, ease, or end tormented in hell; so these in mercy and measure should have their hearts broken:

And because men hearing of the Gospell, imagine of a felicitie in this world, therefore Peter to awaken them out of this dreame, lets them to vnderstand, that vnlesse these gifts be reuerently receiued, God will be most angrie, because they either refuse or abuse the mercies of God so offered. The vse of this is partly in respect of the elect and people regenerate, and partly in respect of the wicked and vnregenerate; in respect of the elect, either before, or after their regeneration; before their regeneration to bring them to seeke Iesus Christ. For though it is certaine, that God in time will call them whom he hath predestinated, and chosen: yet because his Gospell is not so pretious vnto them, as it should be, therefore the Lord sendeth them crosses, sometimes pouertie, sometime sicknes, sometime reproch, sometime a troubled minde, sometime priuate miserie, and sometime a publike calamitie to inuolue them among others, because they haue no more trust in the promises of God before they be humbled. And because men wil not easily or vsually be humbled by the bare word, the Lord sealeth it by sending of troubles, that when wee can feele no comfort either in heauen or in earth, but perdition and matter of damnation in our selues, wee should then be the fitter to receiue comfort in Christ. Againe, for as much as God his children haue one speciall fault or other, as priuie pride, vainglorie, selfe-loue or