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,…

Mr. Ascham, a man greatly to be commended for his learning and good affection¹ to piety, of this matter writes on this manner. These enchanters of Circes (saith he) brought out of Italy, mar mens manners in England, much by example of life, but more by precepts of fond books, translated out of Italian into English. Again, ten Sermons at Pauls Cross do not so much good for moving men to true doctrine, as one of those books doth harm with enticing to ill living. I say further, these books tend not so much to corrupt honest ⟨image 5⟩living, as they do to subvert true Religion: More Papists be made by your merry books of Italy, than by your earnest books of Louvain. This complaint ought wise men to consider well of, for that the world was never more full of Italian conceits, nor men more in danger for the long contempt of Gods truth to be Italianated. The diet and cure of souls afflicted is a very great mystery, wherein but few have travelled to reduce that matter into any good form of art, or to give us any good method of practise. M. Luther, M. Beza, Urbanus Rhegius, M. Taffin, and others, have very excellent forms of consolation; and many godly brethren in our times have ministered good help for the cure of souls afflicted: but wanting art and good experience, we conceive the danger to be great, and often (as blind Empirics) cause it to be greater; for that we rather guess uncertainly to apply good remedies, and speeches unto the sick, than know how to proceed by any certain rule of art, and well grounded practise. If the natural Physician might truly say, as touching his faculty, ^*Vita brevis, &c. much more assuredly may the spiritual Physician prefix such an Aphorism to all this mystery we have in hand. For herein the godly learned know it a matter far more difficult to judge what secret causes breed the hidden distemper of the soul: and here it is far more dangerous to proceed only by experience, without art and skill. And here we must as carefully respect all occasions and circumstances of time, place and persons: For a word spoken in due time, is like an apple of gold with pictures of silver: so the contrary, unseasonable and impertinent³ speeches be most dangerous.