A02178:2683
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.
5. Fifthly, God giveth his children a strong affection, to obey his will, but he lets them fail in the act of obedience it self, like as a prisoner who hath escaped the hand of his Jailer, hath an affection to run a thousand miles every hour; but having happily his bolts on his legs: he cannot for his life but go very softly, galling and chafing his flesh; and with much grief falling again into the hands of his keeper. This is it, that Paul complaineth of when he saith, I delight in the law of God, concerning the inner man, but I see another 1law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, & leading me captive to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death▪
5. Fiftly, God giueth his children a strong affection, to obey his will, but he lets them faile in the act of obedience it selfe, like as a prisoner who hath escaped the hand of his Iayler, hath an affectiō to run a thousand miles euery houre; but hauing happily his bolts on his legges: hee cannot for his life but goe very softly, gauling and chafing his flesh; and with much griefe falling againe into the hands of his keeper. This is it, that Paul complaineth of when he saith, I delight in the lawe of God, concerning the inner man, but I see another 1law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, & leading me captine to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this body of death▪
This second manner of Gods forsaking of his Elect is, when he hides his graces for a time: not by taking them quite away, but by covering them, & by removing all sense and feeling of them. And in this case they are like the trees in the winter season, that are beaten with wind & weather, bearing neither leaf nor fruit, but look as though they were rotten & dead, because the sap doth not spread itself, but lies bid in the root. David often