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,…

Now to come to the reasons why the Lord in wisdom useth to deal with his on this¹ manner: we must know that therefore the Lord refuseth the service of the proud, because then we are unfit to glorify his name, we are unprofitable to do good unto our brethren, we are unprepared by pride to receive any mercy at the hands of God. And no marvel,² for how should we look that God should put honour upon us in using us & our service, when we refuse to give the glory of his own graces to him again? And why should not he dishonour us with the want of his graces, when we so dishonour him with abusing his graces? Again, seeing usually such is our welldoing to others, as is our affection and compassion to them that need our help, and the pride of our own abundance benummeth us, and maketh us senseless in the wants of others; how can we find our hearts aright³ to any good duty to our brethren's necessity, when for want of humility and tender affection we have no regard of their wants, nor feeling of their misery? Besides, if when⁴ we are puffed up with a persuasion of perfection, and rest in the security of our present safety, we are entangled and fettered, that we cannot humble our selves in prayer before the Lord; how shall we think our selves to be capable of any blessing from the Lord, whose due time of helping is in the day of want, and who refuseth to give to none but to such as in the pride of their hearts refuse to do so much as to pray unto him? On the contrary part, when the Lord shall see us good and faithful servants, in returning the gain and advantage of all his gifts unto himself, and that we are content with his honour, that •e are his stewards; when the sense of our own misery hath taught us to show mercy unto others, & the conscience of our own unworthiness hath emptied us of all opinion of our selves, and hath driven us in our beggerlike necessities to crave for every little supply of wants at the throne of mercy; then is God most near at hand to put us in credit with his graces, then are we most prepared to minister to the wants of others, and then are w• fit to be filled with the hid treasures of the Lord for our comfort. And hereupon it cometh