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,…

To come to the armour, mark, it was said, Put on; now it is said, Take the armour. We see that here is no truce with us and Satan, as in civill wars, but we must continually say as Jehu to Jezebel, What peace my soul with Satan? We must not be secure Laish, or careless Babylonians, least that we be prevented of the enemy. It is good to see sin rather by experience particular in our selves, than for general knowledge in others. Ask our judgement for a sin in another man, and we can point out every part of it; lay this sin to our selves, and we can say nothing. So that we see it is easy to know sin, but it is hard to feel the practise against it. Let us not then let the harness hang on the wall, but let us put it on. Here mark one thing, that it is a policy of the devil to persuade us there is no devil, as it is the policy of wizards to persuade us that there are no witches. And so as he comes at the first as a silly Serpent, whilst he would creep in, but after he proves a roaring Lion, when he is once entered: yet let us beware we fear not too much, for that emboldeneth the enemy. For as man feareth man keeping courage, and is pursued without courage, nay as brute beasts are bolder by seeing one which feareth them; so the devil is the bolder, if he seeth us afraid of them. And besides that fear drieth up the blood and weakeneth nature, it doth also deprive us of faith in God his providence, which doth assure us that Satan's power is all by derivation and limitation; it cannot touch the body ⟨p. 314⟩without permission, much less the soul: which is manifest, for that witches though they prevail in petty and little things, yet when they come to great points, they can do nothing. So singular a preservative to the godly is the providence of God, as the Unicorns horn to the inferior beasts. But we will herein strengthen our faith, that the cross of Christ hath triumphed against Satan for the godly, Coloss▪ 2. and therefore if he now assault us, he doth cure rather than slay us. For as an enemy oft by Gods goodness thrusts his sword into an ulcer, rather to purge that which would have bred death, than to kill: so oft God purposeth to cure us of the impostumation of pride even by the malice of Satan, so wonderfully can he draw good out of evil. The devil brings unrighteousness, we allege righteousness;

To come to the armour, marke, it was said, Put on; now it is said, Take the armour. Wee see that here is no truce with vs and Satan, as in ciuill warres, but we must continually say as Iehu to Isabel, What peace my soule with Satan? We must not be secure Laish, or carelesse Babylonians, least that wee be preuented of the enemie. It is good to see sinne rather by experience particular in our selues, than for general knowledge in others. Aske our iudgement for a sinne in another man, and wee can point out euery part of it; lay this sinne to our selues, and we can say nothing. So that we see it is easie to know sinne, but it is hard to feele the practise against it. Let vs not then let the harnesse hang on the wal, but let vs put it on. Here marke one thing, that it is a policie of the diuell to perswade vs there is no diuell, as it is the policie of wizards to perswade vs that there are no witches. And so as hee comes at the first as a sillie Serpent, whilest he would creepe in, but after hee prooues a roring Lion, when he is once entred: yet let vs beware wee feare not too much, for that emboldeneth the enemie. For as man feareth man keeping courage, and is pursued without courage, nay as bruite beasts are bolder by seeing one which feareth them; so the diuell is the bolder, if hee seeth vs afraide of them. And besides that feare drieth vp the blood and weakeneth nature, it doth also depriue vs of faith in God his prouidence, which doth assure vs that Satans power is all by deiuation and limitation; it cannot touch the bodie