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,…

and hate the contrary, which then yieldeth a swelling and plausible joy, when no heaviness is at hand, but is void of all substance of perfect consolation to ease a perplexed mind? Wherein it may well be compared to those water brooks, which in time of winter, when water in every place aboundeth, flow over; but in summer, when droughts bring the necessary use of water, are for the most part dried up.

and hate the contrary, which then yeeldeth a swelling and plausible ioy, when no heauinesse is at hand, but is voide of all substance of perfect consolation to ease a perplexed mind? Wherein it may wel be compared to those water brookes, which in time of winter, when water in euery place aboundeth, flow ouer; but in summer, when droughts bring the necessary vse of water, are for the most part dried vp.

It followeth now in the fifth verse, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup: thou shalt maintain my lot. He prosecuteth the same matter which he handled before, showing a reason why he linked himself so to the Saints, and abhorred the wicked, to wit, because as the Lord defended his holy ones, so he defended him; as he was their inheritance, so he was his; as he was a portion unto them, so also he was a sufficient portion unto him: for so was he tied to the Lord, and to the love of his truth, that no corrupt religion could move him from it. And why? he saw in the word, that God provided on every side for him, both spiritually for his soul, and corporally for his body. Wherefore his meaning may thus briefly be gathered. I need not to seek for help in any false religion, although mine enemies would constrain me, because I am persuaded sufficiently that God is my portion, he is mine inheritance, God filleth full my cup; and as his mercy hath chosen me, so his power maintaineth me, the sure persuasion whereof maketh me grow in ⟨p. 322⟩the love of true religion, and in the hatred of false. Out of the scope then of the Prophet, we may draw thus much, that whosoever is grounded on pure knowledge, and a sure faith, shall never wander after idolatry, because the word of God will show them now all sufficiency both for their souls and bodies is in the Lord, who freely hath taken the whole charge thereof into his own hands. On the contrary it is apparent, how that from hence cometh such slipping into idolatry, because we want true faith in the true religion, and true love of those things which we believe. This place then commendeth unto us a continual care, which we must labour for, whereby such assurance of God his favour and providence watching over us may be in us, as we contenting our selves with him, our portion and inheritance should covet nothing else. Some refer this saying of the Prophet, thou art the portion of mine inheritance to the soul, but it is to be thought that he rather meaneth how he only resteth and stayeth himself concerning his whole felicity of body and soul on the Lord alone, and in that the Lord did not only begin, but did continue in him his grace he assureth himself as well of final perseverance, as of his gracious entrance, which undoubtedly is no small comfort.