A02178:2203
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.
It followeth: which when a man hath found, &c. To pursue every particular far in a parable1 is not the safest way, except it agree with the analogy of the things; we must here know that parables do not hold but in some things, and not in all, and therefore in this ⟨p. 291⟩sense the word doth not agree with a treasure, which when a man hath found, he hideth to2 this end, that none else should find it, and be partakers of it, but himself▪ but in the Word it ought not to be so; but in this sense it agreeth with the analogy of our faith: A man which hath found a great treasure, it is so great joy unto him, as that he suspecteth himself whether it be so or no, he is afeard least he hath not found it and therefore he searcheth more nearly into it again, least that his sudden joy should be soon decayed, or else having found it, he lose it, and therefore he hideth it: and even so it is with the spiritual kingdom of God, for when it pleaseth God to work in the heart of his people, by the ministry of his word, to feel their salvation in Christ Jesus, by & by there ariseth a kind of fear in their hearts, least they be missed by seeking the way to salvation, or having found3 the way, they are afraid least they should lose it again, they are full of doubts that they continually strive to come to a greater assurance thereof. For in the embracing of this treasure they find it to be so sweet, and the taste thereof to be so precious, as that they labour throughly to seek after it, they desire not to have a glimmering fight of our Saviour Christ but even a full taste of him, and all his benefits, And therefore there is never through peace in the hearts of the children of God, so long as they reverence the word, till they have hidden the word of God in their hearts, and grow more and more in the assurance of their salvation in Christ Jesus. And therefore David in Psal. 119 the second and third vers▪ saith: I have hid thy commandments in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. And in Proverbs the second and first verse: My son, if thou wilt receive my word, and hide my commandments within thee, and cause thine ear to hearken unto wisdom, and incline te heart to understanding; when wisdom entereth thy heart, and knowledge delighteth thy soul, then shall counsel preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee.