A02178:2052
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.
Thus may we in some good and competent measure try and prove, whether we have the spirit of God or no: for where these fruits are to be found, there is also the spirit of God. For further confirmation whereof, we may note the manner of speech, where he saith, Quench not the spirit, We do commonly use to say, the fire is quenched, when the light and heat thereof is taken away: and indeed nothing can properly be said to be quenched, but the fire. Now whereas the Apostle saith, Quench not the spirit, he giveth us to understand, that the spirit is in some respect like unto fire: therefore if we do but a little consider of the nature of fire, we shall a great deal better judge of the spirit And among1 others, these properties we find to be in the fire. First of all it will burn up, & consume things that may be burned and consumed: and therefore lighting upon straw, stubble, sticks, or such like, it bringeth them to ashes, and doth make them as though they had not been at all. Secondly, it doth purge and purify those things that can abide to be purged: and this it doth, first by taking away the superfluity of dross, that hath overcovered2 the thing to be purged. Then by fining the thing it self, and by making it purer & purer. Thirdly, it giveth light even in the most dim and darkest places. And last3 of all, it giveth heat, and withal, doth as it were put life into those things which are capable4 of life: for whilst a man is frozen and starved for cold, he is numbed, and as it were without life: but being brought to the fire, he is heat, he is revived, he is cheered, & then becometh active & nimble. These are the properties of fire, and these do in some manner resemble and shadow out unto us the works and effects of the spirit. For first of all, when the spirit of God seizeth upon a man, and entereth into his soul, then it beginneth5 to burn, to waste and consume in him, those things that will be wasted: after this sort evil affections, noisome lusts, and other stubble which is in man, by the spirit of God are consumed6