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,…

It was not sufficient for Joseph to have had a misliking of lying, but he should have abstained from it, and detested it in heart. No doubt he being a godly man, otherwise had a misliking of it: but because he did not even abhor it, we see how in time he was brought unto it, and as it were, to make no conscience of it. So it is not sufficient for us to have a misliking of unlawful apparel, plays, sport, naughty and ungodly talk, but we must in heart detest it, much more in practise: otherwise by evil company we may easily be drawn to follow them. The Physicians means is to be used in time of sickness, and the plague to be avoided in flying from it: so we must use means to avoid sin by the word and prayer, and as much as we may, the place where it aboundeth, least we be infected. And if it so be, that we cannot avoid (for it may be the Lord will sometimes try us with the company of foolish, vain, and profane worldlings, to see how we will cleave to ⟨p. 333⟩him) if then we cannot avoid but our eyes shall behold vanity, our ears shall be filled with ungracious and graceless graces in lying, swearing, and blaspheming the name of our God, then show your selves to the world, that you are not of the world, assure your own souls that you are called and chosen of the Lord, not only by a cold kind of misliking of these things, but by an utter abhorring and detesting them from the heart: otherwise we may be by Josephs example, drawn not only to approve them, but also to commit the like, and to forget our selves, and to heap up the wrath of God against us: so that when their destruction cometh, except the Lord show mercy (but if we tempt him, he will show no mercy) we shall be pat takers of all their plagues, and the vengeance which the just and most righteous God hath threatened to throw down upon them.

It was not sufficient for Ioseph to haue had a misliking of lying, but hee should haue abstained from it, and detested it in heart. No doubt he being a godly man, otherwise had a misliking of it: but because he did not euen abhorre it, we see how in time he was brought vnto it, and as it were, to make no conscience of it. So it is not sufficient for vs to haue a misliking of vnlawfull apparell, playes, sport, naughtie and vngodly talke, but we must in heart detest it, much more in practise: otherwise by euill companie wee may easily bee drawne to follow them. The Physitions meanes is to bee vsed in time of sicknes, and the plague to be auoided in flying from it: so we must vse meanes to auoide sinne by the word and praier, and as much as we may, the place where it aboundeth, least we be infected. And if it so be, that wee cannot auoide (for it may bee the Lord will sometimes trie vs with the companie of foolish, vaine, and prophane worldlings, to see how wee will cleaue to