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 second question to be considered is, whether that man which once throughly tasted¹ of the spirit, may lose it, and have it quenched in him. To this it may be said, that because the spirit of God cometh to, and worketh in divers men, diversly, in divers measures: therefore we must consider of the divers working of the spirit, & then frame our answer accordingly. First then, there is a lighter & lesser work of the spirit, which may be quenched in them that have it: and that this inferior or lesser kind of working may be taken² away, appeareth plainly by the parable of the seed which our Saviour Christ propoundeth, for that, besides them that receive the word into good ground, and bring forth fruits, some an hundred, some thirty, some sixty fold: he doth also make mention of some others that received the word and yet continued not. And what, had not these the spirit of God in them? Yes doubtless, for they received the word: yea, they received it gladly, and that which is more, they believed that which they had received. Behold then three fruits of Gods spirit in these men, and yet they continued not: for they believed indeed, but their faith was temporary, it lasted but for a time, and after a time it vanished away, and the spirit departed from them: for either the pleasures and profits of this life did drive out the graces of God, and dry them up, or else the fiery heat of persecution did quite consume them.

The second question to be cōsidered is, whether that man which once throughly tasted¹ of the spirit, may lose it, and haue it quenched in him. To this it may be said, that because the spirit of God commeth to, and worketh in diuers men, diuersly, in diuers measures: therefore we must consider of the diuers working of the spirit, & then frame our answere accordingly. First then, there is a lighter & lesser worke of the spirit, which may be quenched in them that haue it: and that this inferiour or lesser kinde of working may be taken² away, appeareth plainly by the parable of the seede which our Sauiour Christ propoundeth, for that, besides them that receiue the word into good ground, and bring foorth fruites, some an hundreth, some thirtie, some sixtie folde: he doth also make mention of some others that receiued the word and yet continued not. And what, had not these the spirit of God in them? Yes doubtlesse, for they receiued the word: yea, they receiued it gladly, and that which is more, they beleeued that which they had receiued. Behold then three fruites of Gods spirit in these men, and yet they continued not: for they beleeued indeed, but their faith was temporarie, it lasted but for a time, and after a time it vanished away, and the spirit departed from them: for either the pleasures and profits of this life did driue out the graces of God, and drie them vp, or else the fierie heate of persecution did quite consume them.