A02178:2271
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.
Well then, be he more fearful to us then Goliath to the army of Israel; be it that he be as a roaring Lyon, at whose voice all the silly beasts stand trembling; be it that he so astonish & terrify our conscience, that we know not what to think or to speak: yet all is to the terror of the wicked. But behold, besides his strength, Satan is spiritual, invisible, not to be discerned, and therefore more dangerous, in that we can not prevent him nor his temptations, being above nature and above reason, cannot be descried, ⟨p. 312⟩unless above nature and reason we be either very well taught of the Devil, or of God. To this unsearchable nature he is occupied in heavenly things, but as a spiritual wickedness, not goodness. To show how he is spiritual, we see in this, in that he is an Angel of light, he tempted Christ with scripture, he set the Pharisees in devilish wisdom against Christ, he suborns false heretics; yea, his subtleties shall be such, by Christ his own testimony, that even the elect, if it were possible, should be deceived. And Paul speaking but of the child of Satan the Antichrist, reports, that he shall be mighty in power, in miracles, &c. Only this is our comfort, that this wisdom is but wickedness, which is the only thing wherein they be distinguished from the good Angels, with whom in wisdom and strength Satan is equal. Here ought we to blush, in that we desire rather learning, wisdom, and power, wherein Satan and wicked men have not only been equal to us, but above us, and we less desire goodness, wherein we are like to God, to good Angels, and the children of God. For this may be a special mark that we belong to God, when we rather desire goodness than those other qualities wherein we are equal but to the Devil. Be we never so learned, he is more learned, be we never so strong, he is stronger. For is not he mighty in power that can so trouble the air, as he did to Job, and as oft as he doth in that boisterous manner, that no natural Philosopher can give a reason of it? In Exodus we know that the Lord used evil Angels to trouble the Seas. Psal. 78. the Lord is said to send evil Angels to trouble them. And as godliness is a mystery, so there is a mystery of iniquity, and the Lord sending an effectual illusion, (2. Thess. 1.) on them that received not the word in love, is said to do it by the operation of Satan;