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,…

which was a thing more easy to behold, being pleasant to the eye, than it was to hear that sin should be crucified in them, if ever they would hope for the fruit of Christ his death. Again, when they could not away with bearing the cross, of loss of name, of friends, goods and life, for Christs sake, they thought it was good to profess it by wearing some cross about them, or by erecting in every place a cross of wood, stone, or such like thing. But let us learn to be provoked by the graces of God in his Saints to follow them in goodness, and labour to have Christ crucified in our hearts, by the ministry of the word, ever preparing our selves in truth to bear the cross of Christ, by preferring the pure profession of his Gospel, before any thing in the whole world dear unto us. Besides we are here to learn, that if our delight be in God his Saints on the earth, we must be far from using them maliciously, or speaking of them cruelly. This delight then must be to receive some profit and benefit by these graces which they have, also to use to the comfort of the children of God whatsoever good we have received. For as well the servant which puts not out his talent with gain was punished, as those that contemned the talent. Neither in truth have we any right use of the gifts which we have ⟨p. 320⟩received of God, unless we put them out by imparting them to our brethren in love, and so the gain may return by holy revenues to the Lord himself; neither have we truly learned any thing, unless we have in some measure communicated it with others; for whatsoever is ours by gift, it is the interest of others by necessity: whatsoever is proper to us by possession, is common to the Church by use and participation; and whatsoever we have, we have it for dispensation, as the stewards of God his gifts, and disposers of his graces. And therefore as at the audits and days of accounts such stewards are culpable and unworthy of their places, who having large sums of money for the liberal maintenance of the family, have appropriated all to themselves;

which was a thing more easie to behold, being pleasant to the eye, than it was to heare that sinne should bee crucified in them, if euer they would hope for the fruite of Christ his death. Againe, when they could not away with bearing the crosse, of losse of name, of friends, goods and life, for Christs sake, they thought it was good to professe it by wearing some crosse about them, or by erecting in euery place a crosse of wood, stone, or such like thing. But let vs learne to be prouoked by the graces of God in his Saints to follow them in goodnesse, and labour to haue Christ crucified in our hearts, by the ministerie of the word, euer preparing our selues in truth to beare the crosse of Christ, by preferring the pure profession of his Gospell, before any thing in the whole world deare vnto vs. Besides we are here to learne, that if our delight be in God his Saints on the earth, wee must be farre from vsing them maliciously, or speaking of them cruelly. This delight then must bee to receiue some profit and benefit by these graces which they haue, also to vse to the comfort of the childrē of God whatsoeuer good we haue receiued. For as well the seruant which puts not out his talent with gaine was punished, as those that contemned the talent. Neither in truth haue we any right vse of the gifts which wee haue