A02178:2410
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,…
The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: revised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as love the truth, and desire to know the power of godliness. By H.H.The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.
London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for William Welby, 1612London: printed by Thomas Snodham and Thomas Creede for VVilliam VVelby, 1612
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Besides this, it is their duty also to provide for him all things necessary, for that he may have to supply his want at their hands, as we may by divers places of the Scripture prove:1 In the 6. to the Galatians the Apostle giveth this commandment: Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods. The reason is very good: ⟨p. 354⟩if the schoolmaster taketh pains in teaching, the scholars owe to him other necessaries. Such is the subtlety of Satan, which rageth and stormeth at the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the reaching whereof he seeth is the decaying of his kingdom, when as by no other means he can overthrow the same, yet doth he mightily heave at it by drawing the peoples harts from nourishing and maintaining the Preachers thereof, that they being oppressed with penury, might be constrained to forsake their ministry. So that it is no marvel though the Apostle giveth so straight a charge thereof, seeing so great danger might ensue. If they sow unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if they reap of you carnal things? If the Ministers2 give unto the people gold, is it much for them to give chaff again? yet there is a greater difference between that, that the Minister distributeth among the people, & that which he receiveth of them, than is between gold and chaff. For he giveth unto them by the preaching of the word the kingdom of heaven: what treasure may be compared unto it? and will not they give him of their worldly commodities to maintain his living? Truly it were a token of too too much infidelity, and a manifest argument that we are not Christians, but very Heathen, if we should refuse to nourish the Minister that laboureth for our profit. It is manifest in the law that the Priests which waited on the Altar, lived of the3 Altar: Even so hath the Lord appointed that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. Natural reason teacheth us this, and yet is it written in the Scripture also, that no man goeth on warfare at any time of his own cost, for the soldier receiveth his stipend.4 Neither doth any man plant a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof, for to that end doth he plant it, because he would enjoy the fruit. And again, No man keepeth a flock and eateth not of the milk thereof.