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,…

Thus we may learn, that the Lord God doth not only, to humble us before his Majesty, set forth the law unto us, and preach unto us the threatenings thereof, and then if they take no place amongst us, he layeth his rods and scourges upon our backs; but commonly of his infinite wisdom and mercy, before he afflicteth, between the preaching of the law and affliction, he scareth us, he shaketh the rod of correction over us; and before he punisheth, he showeth tokens of displeasure, and that we have provoked him to anger: wherefore we have experience of his great mercy in this land amongst us at this day. We have had the law preached unto us, lo these twenty years; but where is any humbling, any confessing of sins before the Lord? nay, we neglect the word, and have it in contempt amongst us, we even loath the bread of the Lord, which is of power to work salvation to all that by faith shall feed thereon; we prefer our pleasures before the keeping of the Lords Sabbaths; we esteem of the Lord himself (who hath made us of nothing, bought us with a price, even his own blood, and who one day will call all before him to judgement) as nothing: we come to pray to him with less reverence than to miserable men; our lips say some prayers unto God, but our hearts have some other Gods, namely, our belly or our goods, wherein we wholly delight, and in whom we only trust. And indeed it is lamentable, that prayers are said of a number to keep a custom, and a fashion, even mocking of God and deceiving our own souls. Will the Lord suffer this? Is the sacrifice acceptable that cometh not from an humbled and prepared heart? no, he will not accept it. All these abominations are in the land, and may not the Lord have good cause to visit amongst us? nay, to come even in judgement against us? And yet see the unspeakable mercy, and the long suffering, and the exceeding love of God towards us, who hath for borne his rods thus long, and yet destroyeth us not, but before his besom of destruction shall come to sweep us away, he showeth us foretokens of his displeasure; he now beginneth to scare us, to see if yet by this means he may humble us, and so preserve us from those plagues and judgements which he is presently purposed to bring upon all the ungodly of the earth.

Thus we may learne, that the Lord God doth not onely, to humble vs before his Maiestie, set forth the law vnto vs, and preach vnto vs the threatnings thereof, and then if they take no place amongst vs, he laieth his rods and scourges vpon our backs; but commonly of his infinite wisedome and mercie, before hee afflicteth, betweene the preaching of the law and affliction, he scareth vs, he shaketh the rod of correction ouer vs; and before he punisheth, hee sheweth tokens of displeasure, and that wee haue prouoked him to anger: wherefore we haue experience of his great mercie in this land amongst vs at this day. We haue had the law preached vnto vs, loe these twentie yeeres; but where is any humbling, any confessing of sinnes before the Lord? nay, wee neglect the word, and haue it in contempt amongst vs, wee euen loath the bread of the Lord, which is of power to worke saluation to all that by faith shall feede thereon; we preferre our pleasures before the keeping of the Lordes Sabbaths; wee esteeme of the Lord himselfe (who hath made vs of nothing, bought vs with a price, euen his owne blood, and who one day will call all before him to iudgement) as nothing: we come to pray to him with lesse reuerence than to miserable men; our lips say some prayers vnto God, but our hearts haue some other Gods, namely, our belly or our goods, wherein we wholy delight, and in whom wee onely trust. And indeed it is lamentable, that prayers are saide of a number to keepe a custome, and a fashion, euen mocking of God and deceiuing our own soules. Will the Lord suffer this? Is the sacrifice acceptable that commeth not from an humbled and prepared heart? no, hee will not accept it. All these abominations are in the land, and may not the Lord haue good cause to visit amongst vs? nay, to come euen in iudgement against vs? And yet see the vnspeakable mercie, and the long suffering, and the exceeding loue of God towards vs, who hath for borne his rods thus long, and yet destroieth vs not, but before his beesome of destruction shall come to sweepe vs away, hee sheweth vs foretokens of his displeasure; he now beginneth to scare vs, to see if yet by this meanes he may humble vs, and so preserue vs from those plagues and iudgements which hee is presently purposed to bring vpon all the vngodly of the earth.