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,…

But to go forward, pure zeal is not blinded with natural affection, but it discerneth¹ and condemneth sin, though it be never so nearly resident in our kindred. Many offend against this rule, who never will rebuke sin in their friends, even until God revenge² it from heaven, where they are far from true friendship: for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time, prevent the judgements of God, they do through a false love and manifest hatred pull the judgements of God upon them, whom they love most dearly. He loveth most naturally, that hath learned to love spiritually; and he loveth most sincerely that cannot abide sin in the party loved, without some wholesome admonition. But do not many now adays zealously mislike sin in strangers, who will not mislike the self-same sin if it come to kindred, if it be in our wife, in our children, o• in our parents, as though the diversity of subjects could make the self-same thing sin in some, and not in other some. This blind zeal God hath punished, and doth punish in his children. Isaac did carnally love his son Esau, for meat and for a piece of venison. David was too much affected to Absalom for his beauty, and to Adoniah for his comely stature, so as his zeal was hindered in discerning sin aright in them. Now Jacob was not so deer to Isaac, and Solomon was more hardly set to school and to take pains. But behold God loving Jacob, and refusing Esau, howsoever Isaac loved Esau better than Jacob▪ made Esau most troublesome, and Jacob more comfortable unto him. Absalom and Adoniah brought up like cockneys, became corrosives to Davids heart, Solomon more restrained ⟨p. 258⟩of God, less set by of David, was his joy, his crown, his successor in his kingdom. This disease is so hereditary to many parents, loving their children in the flesh rather than³ the spirit, that the holy Ghost is fame to call upon them more vehemently, to teach, to instruct, and to correct, as knowing how easily nature would cool zeal in this kind of duty. Indeed many will set by their wives, children and kinsfolk, if they be thrifty, like to become good husbands, witty and politic: or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some revenue to their stock, or afford some profit unto them, how deep sinners soever they be against God, that maketh no matter, it little grieveth them: