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,…

In this first strain let us further learn especially to beware of pleasing our selves too much in welldoing, because as all other sins are occupied in vile and wicked matters, this creepeth even into the best and most excellent things. So that experience shall teach many corruptions, that the better they have been occupied, the more subject men are to fall into it. Whereby there groweth not only an haughtiness of mind in rich men, men of authority, and such as excel others in outward things: but more perilously there springeth up a spiritual pride in the excellency of wit, wisdom, knowledge, utterance,¹ gracious speeches: and even herein are we often proud, In that we see our pride more than others can do. And many of the dearest children of God often find, that when God² hath most assisted them with the spirit of prayer, exhortation, admonition, interpretation,³ or such like, which be all gifts of the sanctifying spirit, the more they have been puffed up with this pride, either in the present action, or afterward. Which thing no doubt proceedeth from hence, that men please themselves too much in the thing done, and do not return the whole glory to God. This is noted to us as it were by examples in the word of God: Noah, whom an holy fear of himself preserved from the corruptions of the old ⟨p. 273⟩world; by want of fear, and because of unthankfulness for his deliverance, was overtaken of drunkenness after the stood. Lot, who suspecting himself being among the Sodomites, was preserved from sin even in the sink of sin? afterward waxing remiss in this godly jealousy, fell grievously into incell, even there where he desired to go for his safety. David, so long as he was exercised and kept under the hand of God with fighting the Lords battles, prevailed against many and mighty sins: but when he received some breathing time of the Lord from his former troubles, he was quickly over come of a woman, that could not be overmatched of many men. Especially then (that I omit the examples of Hezekiah, Peter and Paul, of whom I spake before) let us look to our hearts, after we have received the best gifts, and let us consider the great wisdom of God providing for our infirmity, in that prayer of our Saviour Christ, where immediately after that we have prayed to have our sins forgiven, we crave, not to be lead into temptation.