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,…

Seeing religion is such an incomparable treasure, it should instruct us in the second place to have the means in due estimation, whereby we may be made truly religious, by¹ which our minds that are blind, may be enlightened, our hearts of crooked may be made straight, of proud may be made humble, and of fraudulent may be made true and faithful. And those means are the Word, the Sacrament, Prayer, and the like, which are the steps whereby we must ascend unto this honourable estate: for it is as possible for men to make stairs to climb up unto the sky, as for us without these, to ascend unto heaven, by any devises of our own framing.

Seeing religion is such an incomparable treasure, it should instruct vs in the second place to haue the meanes in due estimation, whereby we may be made truly religious, by¹ which our mindes that are blinde, may be inlightned, our hearts of crooked may be made straight, of proude may bee made humble, and of fraudulent may be made true and faithfull. And those meanes are the Word, the Sacrament, Prayer, and the like, which are the steps whereby wee must ascend vnto this honourable estate: for it is as possible for men to make staires to climbe vp vnto the sky, as for vs without these, to ascend vnto heauen, by any deuises of our owne framing.

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The word is the key that must open hell gates, to set us at liberty from the bonds of sin, of Satan, and of death; and to unlock heaven gates, that we may have entrance into glory: in which respect it is, that Christ saith unto Peter, that he would give unto him (and consequently to all Ministers of the Gospel) the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that is the dispensation of the word, which maketh the way unto heaven lye open to all such as by faith receive the same into their hearts. So that we should not come unto the means with a base conceit, or light estimation thereof, but with a large and ample desire and expectation of taking benefit thereby. If men can once espy a way how they may rise in the world, either in great wealth or promotion, they will be most industrious and laborious in that course, they will refuse no pains in seeds time, though the weather be unseasonable and cold and their work every way troublesome: but they will put themselves to it with all care and industry, in hope (though it be but an uncertain hope) of bettering their estate. So those that live by fairs and markets, will not fail one of them ordinarily, neither heat nor cold, wind nor rain, nor any the like impediments shall hinder them from pursuing their commodity; and why then should we be negligent, and play the sluggards while our seeds time lasteth, and the Lord biddeth us plough