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,…

And for this cause they that will not make some wholesome instruction of their inward temptations, nor suspect their falling into the action of sin by the affection of sin, often fall for their pride suddenly into adulteries, murders, thefts, heresies, popery, and¹ such like. Thus the Lord cometh by the messenger of Satan, the prick of the flesh, to try us, whether we will stick to the word preached, or to such suggestions ministered, to try, our faith, to confirm us in the favour of God, when we shall obtain the favour of God, who often assisteth his children being humbled, even in most dangerous assaults, and leaveth them being puffed up in the least temptations, so as they fall, that thereby they may know what help is of God and not of man. And howsoever flesh and blood counteth this but a paradox, yet sure it is, that our case is worse when the Lord ceaseth by such means to ••ft & fan us, than when he holdeth us from some profitable temptation for our exercise. For we shall see many, who desiring rather to •e freed from the cross, than to reap the fruit of it▪ although for the time, wherein they endured their temptations at the first² they were clear and innocent: yet afterward have fallen most grievously, because they would not profit by those temptations which the Lord sent, either to punish some sin past, not throughly repented of, or to correct some sin present not espied, or to forewarn us of sin to come not suspected of us •ome have been tempted to heresy, some to pride, some to worldliness, who disdainfully looking at such thoughts, as matters of no³ importance, though they were before unattainted of these evils, yet now have come to be heretics, proud persons, & worldlings. This ought to teach us then most to suspect our selves, when we think our estate safest: And blessed is the m•n that f••reth al•••es. This⁴