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,…

But how doth the Lord scare us, and what whips be they wherewith he meaneth to scourge? They are many, and we cannot see them all, but there are three especial plagues which the Lord is ready to pour upon us, and three manner of ways there be, whereby the Lord scareth us, which are very plain and manifest, and almost every child may perceive. He scareth us by fear of dear•• and famine, whereof this unseasonable weather, these immoderate waters which we have had, cannot but be fearful tokens. He scareth us by tokens of a pestilence to come amongst us, which is already laid upon the necks of many of our brethren in this land, not only far off, as at Yarmouth, at Norwich, and divers other places which we know not, but also ⟨p. 338⟩in this shire at Ely, we know not how night it is our own doors. A third way there is, whereby he scareth us, and that is more fearful than all these, and that is by the secret devices of our enemies, whom the Lord hath stirred up even to threaten a separating of us from his Majesty, and from his word, and the continuance of his government by his word amongst us, and a captivity, a subduing of us to false gods, and an ignorance of all the laws and commandments of our good God, whom only to serve is perfect felicity. And this is a sore scaring: the other are sore for the time; but this punishment, if it cometh, it shall end at no time. We may partly see it, I would to God we could as well consider of it, and even yet at the length before we feel the rod, as did the brethren of Joseph, acknowledge our sins before the Lord, whom we have provoked to wrath, humble our selves before him, and call for mercy, and even by prayer stand in the gap, and prevent the punishment prepared for us.

But how doth the Lord scare vs, and what whips be they wherewith he meaneth to scourge? They are many, and we cannot see them all, but there are three especiall plagues which the Lord is readie to powre vpon vs, and three manner of waies there be, whereby the Lord scareth vs, which are verie plaine and manifest, and almost euerie childe may perceiue. He scareth vs by feare of dear•• and famine, whereof this vnseasonable weather, these immoderate waters which wee haue had, cannot but be fearefull tokens. He scareth vs by tokens of a pestilence to come amongst vs, which is alreadie laide vpon the necks of many of our brethren in this land, not onely farre off, as at Yarmouth, at Norwich, and diuers other places which wee know not, but also