A02178:2114
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.
thou thinkest hardly of another man, and he also is hardly persuaded of thee. Thus the Lord doth cause thee to be discredited in the hearts of others, as thou imaginest some evil against others in thine heart. True it is, that the party may sin and do very ill if he suspect without just cause, in as much as he doth thus suspect through an immoderate love of himself: yet the work of the Lord is here to be considered, who seeing the cause to be so just, doth stir up such suspicions in his mind.
thou thinkest hardly of another man, and he also is hardly perswaded of thee. Thus the Lord doth cause thee to bee discredited in the hearts of others, as thou imaginest some euil against others in thine heart. True it is, that the partie may sinne and doe very ill if he suspect without iust cause, in as much as he doth thus suspect through an immoderate loue of himselfe: yet the worke of the Lord is here to be considered, who seeing the cause to be so iust, doth stirre vp such suspitions in his minde.
Then to return to our purpose, if we will avoid an evil name, we must avoid all evil1 surmises and devises against others. And this the Scripture doth also forbid us: for the Wiseman from the mouth of God doth forbid us to think evil of the King in our bedchambers,2 because birds and other dumb creatures shall disclose the thing, rather than it shall be kept close. This then must make us afraid to do evil, or to imagine ill in our beds, or to declare our deep counsels even to them that lie in our bosoms. And this, as it is a good means to provide for a good name, so it is a special rule of all godliness, not when we be afraid of open sins alone, but of secret evils: not of acts alone, but even of the secret cogitations and thoughts of our hearts. Thus we have heard the first step that leadeth to a good name.
Then to returne to our purpose, if we will auoide an euill name, we must auoide all euil