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,…

Preserve me, O God. Here David desireth not deliverance from any special trouble, but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the providence of God: wishing that the Lord would continue his mercy towards him unto the end, and in the end: whereby he foresaw that it was as needful for him to be safeguarded by God his protection in the end, as at the time present; as also how he made no less account of it in his prosperity, than in adversity. So that the man of God still feared his infirmity, and therefore acknowledgeth himself ever to stand in need of God his help. And here is a sure and undoubted mark of the child of God, when a man shall have as great a care to continue and grow in well doing, as to begin: and this praying for the gift of final perseverance, is a special note of the child of God. This holy jealousy of the man of God made him so to desire to be preserved at all times, in all estates, both in soul and body. Every man will say, true it is, if God should not preserve us, how could we continue? But few there be who rightly and carefully use the means, as this man of God did, whereby they may attain this grace. And therefore howsoever they pretend a good affection, and well liking generally of the thing, yet they have no true faith, as the Prophet had: for faith would drive them carefully to use the means: how be it this general knowledge is left in many to take from them all excuse: but in the faithful it worketh an holy fear, and fear engendereth a conscience to use the means. I appeal to the conscience of a natural man: If a man being sick would cry, Lord help me, Lord restore me to my health, and yet in the mean time wilfully refuseth the prescribed means for his recovery, tempted he not God? which if it be so, how much more dangerous is this in things concerning the soul, when a man either for want of hearing & reading the word feeleth not the diseases of the mind; or feeling them effectually▪ pineth and languisheth away under the burden of them, neglecting prayer, confessing of his sins, repentance, and such like means of his ⟨p. 317⟩salvation? True it is that, man liveth not by bread only: and therefore the wicked are but stalled up and made fat against the day of slaughter.

Preserue me, O God. Here Dauid desireth not deliuerance from any speciall trouble, but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the prouidence of God: wishing that the Lord would continue his mercie towards him vnto the end, and in the end: whereby he foresaw that it was as needfull for him to be safegarded by God his protection in the end, as at the time present; as also how he made no lesse account of it in his prosperitie, than in aduersitie. So that the man of God still feared his infirmitie, and therefore acknowledgeth himselfe euer to stand in neede of God his helpe. And here is a sure and vndoubted marke of the childe of God, when a man shall haue as great a care to continue and grow in well doing, as to begin: and this praying for the gift of finall perseuerance, is a speciall note of the childe of God. This holy ielouzie of the man of God made him so to desire to be preserued at all times, in all estates, both in soule and bodie. Euery man will say, true it is, if God should not preserue vs, how could we continue? But few there be who rightly and carefully vse the meanes, as this man of God did, whereby they may attaine this grace. And therefore howsoeuer they pretend a good affection, and well liking generally of the thing, yet they haue no true faith, as the Prophet had: for faith would driue them carefully to vse the meanes: how beit this generall knowledge is left in many to take from them all excuse: but in the faithfull it worketh an holy feare, and feare ingendreth a conscience to vse the meanes. I appeale to the conscience of a naturall man: If a man being sicke would crie, Lord helpe me, Lord restore me to my health, and yet in the meane time wilfully refuseth the prescribed meanes for his recouerie, tempted he not God? which if it be so, how much more dangerous is this in things concerning the soule, when a man either for want of hearing & reading the word feeleth not the diseases of the minde; or feeling them effectually pineth and languisheth away vnder the burthen of them, neglecting prayer, confessing of his sinnes, repentance, and such like meanes of his