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,…

Vers. 21. And they said one to another, We have verily sinned against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him, therefore i•t is trouble come upon us. Every word containeth doctrine upon doctrine. first we see how necessary afflictions are to make us call upon God. By this reason, by afflictions we feel our sin: now without we feel our sins we call not upon God. For till we feel the burden of our sins lying upon our conscience, as it were a weight to press us down into hell, we forget God: we foolishly persuade our selves we have no need, for we can see none. Therefore afflictions are very necessary for us, to remember God, to call upon him, and to bring us to some assurance also thereby, that we are the children of God. That affliction is so necessary to feel our sins, both daily experience doth teach us, and examples and testimonies of the children of God do confirm the same unto us. Josephs brethren all the time of their prosperity, forget what they had done to Joseph; but now when they were in some distress, they came to themselves, and began to call to account, and to lay before them their hard dealing with their brother. And David saith in the 119 Psalm, Before I was afflicted, I went astray, the ninth part of that Psalm: but (saith he) now I keep thy word. So then we may boldly conclude, that affliction is a necessary thing to bring us to God. And here we may note the great love and care that the Lord God hath over us, and his infinite goodness towards us in using all means for our salvation. First the Lord setteth down his law unto us. and he hath added also threatening and curses to as many as shall neglect or disobey it. But now if neither the law preached, nor yet those threatenings are able to strike a terror into our hearts, then he useth yet another means, he taketh his rods and fatherly correcteth us, by that means to move us to cry to him, & himself by our cry to pity us, and have mercy upon us. The preaching of the law is necessary, and the threatenings for transgression of the law must often times be used. Josephs brethren after they were sore threatened, they then began to be humbled, and to acknowledge their fault. The Lord said unto Abimelech: Thou art but a •ead man, if thou restore not to Abraham his wife again.

Vers. 21. And they saide one to another, We haue verily sinned against our brother, in that wee saw the arguish of his soule, when hee besought vs, and wee would not heare him, therefore i•t is trouble come vpon vs. Euery word containeth doctrine vpon doctrine. irst wee see how necessarie afflictions are to make vs call vpon God. By this reason, by afflictions we feele our sinne: now without we feele our sinnes we call not vpon God. For till we feele the burthen of our sinnes lying vpon our conscience, as it were a weight to presse vs downe into hell, we forget God: we foolishly perswade our selues wee haue no neede, for we can see none. Therefore afflictions are very necessarie for vs, to remember God, to call vpon him, and to bring vs to some assurance also thereby, that wee are the children of God. That affliction is so necessary to feele our sinnes, both daily experience doth teach vs, and examples and testimonies of the children of God doe confirme the same vnto vs. Iosephs brethren all the time of their prosperitie, forget what they had done to Ioseph; but now when they were in some distresse, they came to themselues, and began to call to account, and to lay before them their hard dealing with their brother. And Dauid saith in the 119 Psalme, Before I was afflicted, I went astray, the ninth part of that Psalme: but (saith he) now I keepe thy word. So then wee may boldly conclude, that affliction is a necessarie thing to bring vs to God. And here wee may note the great loue and care that the Lord God hath ouer vs, and his infinite goodnes towards vs in vsing al meanes for our saluation. First the Lord setteth downe his law vnto vs. and hee hath added also threatning and curses to as many as shall neglect or disobey it. But now if neither the law preached, nor yet those threatnings are able to strike a terror into our hearts, thē he vseth yet another meanes, he taketh his rods and fatherly correcteth vs, by that meanes to moue vs to crie to him, & himselfe by our crie to pitie vs, and haue mercie vpon vs. The preaching of the law is necessarie, and the threatnings for transgression of the law must often times bee vsed. Iosephs brethren after they were sore threatned, they then began to be humbled, and to acknowledge their fault. The Lord saide vnto Abimelech: Thou art but a ead man, if thou restore not to Abraham his wife againe.