A02178:2192
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.
Again, the kingdom of heaven, &c. The kingdom of heaven is taken in two divers senses,1 first, as all men do know, it is taken for that glorious estate which the Saints and the2 children of God shall enjoy, when they shall arise with Christ Jesus, and reign after this life with God and his Angels, sin, hell, and death being subdued; which because it is apparent unto all men, we will not stand to approve. The kingdom of heaven is also taken for the entrance which Gods children have into Gods kingdom, in this world, which is of two sorts, partly of the means whereby God offereth his kingdom unto them, & partly3 of the graces of his spirit which he offereth by the means: For proof that it consisteth4 of the graces offered by the means, we read that Jacob Genesis the 28. when he saw the5 vision of God and the Angels ascending, and descending, and had the comfortable promise of salvation, and of Gods continual presence and assistance made unto him, then he awaking, said, Verily this is none other thing but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And that it is of the means, it appeareth by the 16. chapter of Matthew, where our Saviour6 Christ saith unto Peter, And unto thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven-and ⟨p. 288⟩whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. And this means of entrance into the kingdom of heaven, as it was committed unto Peter, so was it also unto the rest of the Apostles, as it ap peareth by John the 21. whose sins (saith Christ) ye remit are remitted, and whose sins yet retain are retained. And as unto them, so unto all the true Ministers of the word of God, succeeding them unto the end of the world, as it appeareth by Matthew the 28. the 19. and 20. verses: Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, until the end of the world. The Apostles are gathered to their fathers, but the ministry shall be for ever, it continueth unto the end of the world, & therefore unto the Ministers also are committed the keys of the kingdom of heaven,