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,…

which because they would not do by the loving invocating and inviting of them by the Lord, therefore it is done by some crosses. Secondly, it respecteth the regenerate either to continue them in their good estate, or to keep them from some gross sins. For God his children do sometime fall, and always may fall, if God keep them not. Because David and Manasseh had sinned, God sent them the cross that they might not forget him. Now because the same may be in us, if the Lord will pour out his wrath upon the wicked, surely he will not suffer his own children to be uncontrolled. We must not then, as some are wont to do, say, Did not David sin, make ye so much at me, was not David a great sinner and yet saved? It were well indeed, if we would bind Davids sin with David his repentance: or if we consider, how the Sun was turned into darkness, & the Moon into blood in his kingdom; if we shall see the pillars of Gods judgements, and vapours of God his wrath against him among his own, how his sons rebelled, they that would be Counsellors, became traitors, and how the wicked caitiffs insulted over him; we would surely know that it did little help us to reckon up David his sinning. This doth God to sow the lips of the wicked, that they should not say, that God doth spare and punisheth not sin in his, and that they should not dream of escape, when his own servants are so punished. And although God his children presently fall not, but are ready to fall, he wrappeth them often in the crosses of the wicked, not so much to punish any sin present, but to prevent in them some sin to come, that thereby taking away the occasion of sinning, he might humble them before they fall. Again, albeit they be not subject to gross sins, yet because they are oft puffed up with privy pride, dead, unmerciful, dull, forsaking their first love, sometime neither hot nor cold, luke warm, without zeal: briefly, in that they are not, as God his children should be, or as they themselves, sometimes and before have been, the Lord in wisdom correcteth these wants and infirmities▪ that from infirmities they should not burst out into enormities; from sinning of ignorance they should not sin against conscience; and from secret sins, that they commit not presumptuous sins. For this cause Revel. 3.

which because they would not doe by the louing inuocating and inuiting of them by the Lord, therfore it is done by some crosses. Secondly, it respecteth the regenerate either to continue them in their good estate, or to keepe them from some grosse sins. For God his children doe sometime fall, and alwaies may fall, if God keep them not. Because Dauid and Manasses had sinned, God sent them the crosse that they might not forget him. Now because the same may be in vs, if the Lord will powre out his wrath vpon the wicked, surely he will not suffer his owne children to be vncontrolled. We must not then, as some are wont to doe, say, Did not Dauid sinne, make ye so much at me, was not Dauid a great sinner and yet saued? It were well indeed, if we would binde Dauids sinne with Dauid his repentance: or if we consider, how the Sunne was turned into darkenes, & the Moone into blood in his kingdome; if we shall see the pillars of Gods iudgements, and vapours of God his wrath against him among his owne, how his sonnes rebelled, they that would be Counsellers, became traitors, and how the wicked caitifes insulted ouer him; we would surely know that it did little helpe vs to reckon vp Dauid his sinning. This doth God to sow the lips of the wicked, that they should not say, that God doth spare and punisheth not sinne in his, and that they should not dreame of escape, when his owne seruants are so punished. And although God his children presently fall not, but are readie to fall, he wrappeth them often in the crosses of the wicked, not so much to punish any sinne present, but to preuent in them some sinne to come, that thereby taking away the occasion of sinning, he might humble them before they fall. Againe, albeit they be not subiect to grosse sins, yet because they are oft puft vp with priuie pride, dead, vnmercifull, dull, forsaking their first loue, sometime neither hot nor cold, luke warme, without zeale: briefly, in that they are not, as God his children should be, or as they themselues, sometimes and before haue been, the Lord in wisedome correcteth these wants and infirmities that from infirmities they should not burst out into enormities; from sinning of ignorance they should not sin against conscience; and from secret sinnes, that they commit not presumptuous sinnes. For this cause