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 before we alleged; that the Lord will not to that part which is most sensual, have liberty given, and that he hath charged the reformation of the soul to stretch it self to the most natural parts, and which are common with us to brute beasts, that even in them also we should be sanctified. Thus we see there is no part of us whereof the Lord in mercy hath not care, even in the night, in which one blessing the Lord will discern and distinguish us from brute beasts, and more confirm us in godliness. For it is no small benefit if we rightly consider it, that the spirit of God should so moderate with a continual regiment our affections, that if our imaginations burst forth, we should receive the check, and be controlled in the night, and by comparing one thing with another, long ago forgotten, that the Lord should bring things again to our remembrance. Thus when we know we lye on the Lord his bed, & that in dark we must behold him present, and feel our affections rectified, our reins sanctified, and our bed undefiled, we may be assured of some further sincerity of our hearts, wrought by his holy spirit: and doubtless as we said before, there is no small trial of our hearts, even in our dreams; when all things being more quiet then in the day, greater opportunity is offered of entering into our selves, and furnishing our selves with serious devises, whether it be in good or evil. Wherefore God his children are not so lightly to pass over their night-thoughts, but that they observe in them either the merciful corrections of God of some sins past, or his gracious admonition of some sins to come, or else his favourable instructions concerning some sin present, which not being repented of, will as well break forth openly in the day, as secretly in the night. Nights. To conclude, we see in David a mind throughly sanctified, where the spirit of God keeping a continual residence, wrought a continual progress and growing in spiritual knowledge, as well by nights as by days.

which before we alleadged; that the Lord will not to that part which is most sensuall, haue libertie giuen, and that he hath charged the reformation of the soule to stretch it selfe to the most naturall parts, and which are common with vs to brute beasts, that euen in them also we should be sanctified. Thus we see there is no part of vs whereof the Lord in mercie hath not care, euen in the night, in which one blessing the Lord will discerne and distinguish vs from brute beasts, and more confirme vs in godlines. For it is no small benefit if we rightly consider it, that the spirit of God should so moderate with a continuall regiment our affections, that if our imaginations burst forth, wee should receiue the checke, and be controuled in the night, and by comparing one thing with another, long agoe forgotten, that the Lord should bring things againe to our remembrance. Thus when we know we lye on the Lord his bed, & that in darke we must behold him present, and feele our affections rectified, our reines sanctified, and our bed vndefiled, we may be assured of some further sinceritie of our hearts, wrought by his holy spirit: and doubtlesse as we sayd before, there is no small tryall of our hearts, euen in our dreames; when all things being more quiet then in the day, greater oportunitie is offered of entering into our selues, and furnishing our selues with serious deuises, whether it bee in good or euill. Wherfore God his children are not so lightly to passe ouer their night-thoughts, but that they obserue in them either the mercifull corrections of God of some sinnes past, or his gratious admonition of some sinnes to come, or else his fauourable instructions concerning some sinne present, which not beeing repented of, will as well breake forth openly in the day, as secretly in the night. Nights. To conclude, we see in Dauid a minde throughly sanctified, where the spirit of God keeping a continuall residence, wrought a continuall progresse and growing in spirituall knowledge, as well by nights as by dayes.