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,…

On the contrary when we feel the glory of God to be our chiefest joy, and the peace of the Church with the feeling of our salvation to be the peace of our minds, we have that gladness and calmness of a good conscience, which God reserveth in store as a treasure and precious jewel, whose virtue is to comfort us in time of greatest trouble, whose operation is to draw joy out of the bottomless pit of sorrow, when the world doth hate us, to show how God doth love us, and when our minds are deject, to bring a pawn from God his spirit to our spirit to assure us that our troubles shall have an issue to God his glory, and our salvation. This solace only cleaveth unto us in death, and in sickness, and in time of trouble; and therefore the more carefully must we use the means whereby we may buy and purchase the same: when we want it let us complain and mislike our selves, accusing our selves of some sin past, or enarming our selves for some evils to come. Undoubtedly the jealousy of God his children over the security of these times maketh them to suspect that men may bear out themselves in good things for a time to serve persons, time and place; and that for lack of this true joy and delight in them they will fall away and deceive, especially when men come to their liberty, and are without controlment of person, awe of any place, or regard of any time. Men for a time be hearers of the Gospel, men may for orders sake pray, sing, receive the sacraments; but if it be without joy will not that hypocrisy in time break out? will they not begin to be weary? nay will they not be as ready to hear any other doctrine? Good things cannot long find entertainment in our corruptions, unless the holy ghost hath changed us from our old delights to conceive pleasure in these things. Where love is, there is no lack, in pleasure there is no pain, and when we find the pearl of price which passeth all understanding, we will sell all our former delights, and depart from our vain pleasures to purchase this. It is a continual joy that worketh a conscience to use the means of any thing: it is an abounding delight, that avoideth and fenceth off all wearisomeness in good things: wherefore the holy Ghost saith, Be ye filled with the Spirit: and in another place, Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously.

On the contrarie when wee feele the glorie of God to be our chiefest ioy, and the peace of the Church with the feeling of our saluation to be the peace of our minds, we haue that gladnes and calmenes of a good cōscience, which God reserueth in store as a treasure and pretious iewell, whose vertue is to comfort vs in time of greatest trouble, whose operation is to draw ioy out of the bottomlesse pit of sorrowe, when the world doth hate vs, to shewe how God doth loue vs, and when our minds are deiect, to bring a pawne from God his spirit to our spirit to assure vs that our troubles shall haue an issue to God his glorie, and our saluation. This solace only cleaueth vnto vs in death, and in sicknes, and in time of trouble; and therfore the more carefully must we vse the meanes whereby we may buy and purchase the same: when wee want it let vs complaine and mislike our selues, accusing our selues of some sin past, or enarming our selues for some euils to come. Vndoubtedly the iealozie of God his children ouer the securitie of these times maketh them to suspect that men may beare out themselues in good things for a time to serue persons, time and place; and that for lack of this true ioy and delight in them they will fall away and deceiue, especially when men come to their libertie, and are without controulement of person, awe of any place, or regard of any time. Men for a time be hearers of the Gospell, men may for orders sake pray, sing, receiue the sacraments; but if it be without ioy will not that hypocrisie in time breake out? will they not begin to be wearie? nay will they not be as readie to heare any other doctrine? Good things cannot long find entertainement in our corruptions, vnlesse the holy ghost hath changed vs from our old delights to conceiue pleasure in these things. Where loue is, there is no lack, in pleasure there is no paine, and when we finde the pearle of price which passeth all vnderstanding, we will sell all our former delights, and depart from our vaine pleasures to purchase this. It is a continuall ioy that worketh a conscience to vse the meanes of any thing: it is an abounding delight, that auoydeth and fenceth off all wearisomnes in good things: wherefore the holy Ghost saith, Be yee filled with the Spirit: and in another place, Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously.