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,…

Yet dear father, I see thy mercy in this, that ¹whereas indeed I have committed many sins, thou hast passed over them, and taken this whereof I am not so much guilty: so that now (most merciful father) I do rather suffer for righteousness, ⟨p. 264⟩then for my transgression and sin: yea dear Father, I do behold thy tender mercy in this towards me, that by this evil report thou goest about to stay me from that sin, and to prevent me• that I may never fall into the same. Wherefore, seeing it hath been thy good pleasure to deal thus with me, behold Lord I do repent me of my former sins, and promise before thee even in thy fear, never to do this, or the like sin ever hereafter.

Yet deare father, I see thy mercie in this, that ¹whereas indeede I haue committed many sinnes, thou hast passed ouer them, and taken this whereof I am not so much guiltie: so that now (most mercifull father) I doe rather suffer for righteousnesse, ⟨p. 264⟩then for my transgression and sinne: yea deare Father, I doe beholde thy tender mercie in this towards mee, that by this euill report thou goest about to stay me from that sinne, and to preuent me• that I may neuer fall into the same. Wherefore, seeing it hath been thy good pleasure to deale thus with me, behold Lord I doe repent me of my former sinnes, and promise before thee euen in thy feare, neuer to doe this, or the like sinne euer hereafter.

1. 1A prayer.

See here I beseech you the good profit which a good child of God, through Gods spirit, will take of this slanderous reproach, after he had received some godly sorrow for giving the occasion of that report. But behold the contrary work of Satan in the heart of unbelievers, for he will soon teach them this lesson, and cause them to say thus: What? doth the churl accuse me without a cause? doth he father such a villainous act upon me, who never deserved it at his hands? surely he shall not say so for nought, I will make his sayings true, and will do the thing indeed. Consider then this ye that fear the Lord, and see in how fickle a state they do stand which have given occasion, and in what great danger they be to be brought to commit the same or the like sin afterward Therefore if any will be sure to keep his good name, then must he be sure to avoid all such occasions as might in any wise impair and hinder it. And thus much for the second step, whereby we arise to a good name. Thus we have heard of two degrees toward a good name, in the avoiding of evil, and the occasions thereof. And these indeed have a great force to stay an evil name,