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,…

Wherefore mine heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth; my flesh also doth rest in hope. Here are two pestilent opinions of the Papists overthrown. The one, that we should not boldly rejoice in the undoubted assurance of our salvation. The other, that we should dou•t and be in a mammering of our final perseverance. In our confession of the faith immediately after the article of the remission of our sins, followeth the acknowledging of an happy resurrection, and glorious immortality: wherein we are assured, that even as in this life our sins are pardoned, so we shall not miscarry to the very resurrection, and our very flesh shall rise again to most blessed immortality. Shall I doubt, that God watcheth over me as a father in love, as almighty in power, as a provident preserver in governing heaven and earth? Shall I doubt that Christ, true God and true Man died for my sins, rose for my justification, ascended to take possession of that glory, which he will give unto me at his coming? Shall I doubt that the spirit of God hath sealed me and sanctified me, preserving me unblameable in Christ until the day of redemption? Shall I doubt, that I am of the number of the Saints, which are ordained to that glory, which is freely given of God the Father, dearly purchased of God the Son, and assuredly warranted by the ministry of the word, and working of God the holy Ghost? No. Why then should I doubt that my sins are freely pardoned? Can a man by reason conceive the mystery of the Trinity in unity; the distinction of natures in one person Christ Jesus, the secret working of the holy Ghost in them that are called, the rising again to life, the dead body consumed to earth? No, we walk not by reason, we live by faith, and we believe against reason, even because the spirit of God by the preaching of the word, hath sealed and beareth record of of these things to our spirits. Wherefore seeing we have no warrant of any thing concerning faith, but by the word and by the spirit, and the same word and spirit assure us as well of one parcel of faith as of another; what blockishness is it to believe all other points that doctrine, and to doubt and call in question one concerning the forgiveness of sins?

Wherefore mine heart is glad, and my tongue reioyceth; my flesh also doth rest in hope. Here are two pestilent opinions of the Papists ouerthrowne. The one, that we should not boldly reioyce in the vndoubted assurance of our saluation. The other, that we should dou•t and be in a mammering of our finall perseuerance. In our confession of the faith immediatly after the article of the remission of our sinnes, followeth the acknowledging of an happie resurrection, and glorious immortalitie: wherein we are assured, that euen as in this life our sinnes are pardoned, so we shall not miscarrie to the very resurrection, and our very flesh shall rise againe to most blessed immortalitie. Shall I doubt, that God watcheth ouer me as a father in loue, as almightie in power, as a prouident preseruer in gouerning heauen and earth? Shall I doubt that Christ, true God and true Man died for my sinnes, rose for my iustification, ascended to take possession of that glorie, which he will giue vnto me at his comming? Shall I doubt that the spirit of God hath sealed me and sanctified me, preseruing me vnblameable in Christ vntill the day of redemption? Shall I doubt, that I am of the number of the Saints, which are ordained to that glorie, which is freely giuen of God the Father, dearely purchased of God the Sonne, and assuredly warranted by the ministerie of the word, and working of God the holy Ghost? No. Why then should I doubt that my sinnes are freely pardoned? Can a man by reason conceiue the mysterie of the Trinitie in vnitie; the distinction of natures in one person Christ Iesus, the secret working of the holy Ghost in them that are called, the rising againe to life, the dead bodie consumed to earth? No, we walke not by reason, we liue by faith, and we beleeue against reason, euen because the spirit of God by the preaching of the word, hath sealed and beareth record of of these things to our spirits. Wherefore seeing we haue no warrant of any thing concerning faith, but by the word and by the spirit, and the same word and spirit assure vs as well of one parcell of faith as of another; what blockishnes is it to beleeue all other points that doctrine, and to doubt and call in question one concerning the forgiuenes of sinnes?