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,…

Here offereth it self the second property of zeal, that it is sincere, and in the truth, it urgeth our selves more than others, it maketh us the most severe censurers of our own souls it is strictest to our •elues, & offereth liberty to others: and this simplicity appeareth either in inward corruption, or in the liberty of outward things: the first whereof doth so humble us in the wants present, and in those corruptions, which hang behind us, that we are zealous of those secret •uils which are not only unespied of others, but even unknown also to our selves. Although the whole world cannot charge us with want of duty, yet considering our privy corruptions, we daily declaim against our selves, and say with the Apostle, though our consciences do not ^*oppress us, yet herein we are not justified. Yea such ought to be ou• familiarity and acquaintance with secret infirmities in ourselves, so grievous ought they to be in our eyes, in our ears, to our faces, that where we shall see, hear, and behold the sins of others, they may be more tolerable, and so learn by the sense of our own sores, to deal more mildly and meekly with the² sores of others. Neither do I mean, that we should make other mens sins no sins, and that we should have no kind of censure unto others, but that there should be that holy mixture in us of the zeal of Gods glory, and sight of human corruption, that for the one we may not spare to rebuke any sin; and for the other we may moderate our rebukes with mildness and meekness Abraham was so strict to himself, that he would not take of the King of Sodom so much as a thread or a latchet, and yet he would not deny Aner, Echol and Mamre their liberty. Job would not permit to himself, nor deny to his children their liberty of feasting: so that it is rather a Pharisaical pride than a Christian zeal, to be too tetricall in urging of others so far, that whosoever in every point is not pure and precise as we, we cast them off as dogs and profane persons, and such as are unworthy of any account or countenance.

Here offereth it selfe the second propertie of zeale, that it is sincere, and in the truth, it vrgeth our selues more than others, it maketh vs the most seuere censurers of our owne soules it is strictest to our elues, & offereth libertie to others: and this simplicitie appeareth either in inward corruption, or in the liberrie of outward things: the first whereof doth so humble vs in the wants present, and in those coruptions, which hang behind vs, that we are zealous of those secret uils which are not onely vnespied of others, but euen vnknowne also to our selues. Although the whole world cannot charge vs with want of dutie, yet considering our priuie corruptions, wee daily declaime against our selues, and say with the Apostle, though our consciences do not