A02178:2685
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.
This comes to pass, because the Lord very often, in, and by one contrary works another▪ 1Clay & spittle tempered together, in reason should put out a mans eyes: but Christ used it as a means to give sight to the blind. Water in reason should put out fire: but Elijah when he would show that JEHOVAH was the true God, pours water on his sacrifice, and fills a trench therewith to make the sacrifice burn.
This comes to passe, because the Lord very often, in, and by one contrarie workes another▪ 1Clay & spittle tempered together, in reason should put out a mans eyes: but Christ vsed it as a meanes to giue sight to the blind. Water in reason should put out fire: but Elias when he would shew that IEHOVA was the true God, powres water on his sacrifice, and fills a trench therewith to make the sacrifice burne.
- 1Cuncta Dei opera sunt in mediis contrariis.
The like appeareth in the work of grace to salvation. A man that hath lived in security, by Gods goodness hath his eyes opened to see his sins: & his heart touched to feel the huge & loath some burden of them, and therefore to be wail his wretched estate, with bitterness of heart. Hereupon, he presently thinks that God will make him a firebrand of hell: whereas indeed the Lord is now about to work and frame in his heart sanctification and sound repentance, never to be repented of. The man which hath had some ⟨p. 400⟩good persuasion of Gods favour in Christ, comes afterward upon many occasions to be troubled & to be overwhelmed with distrustfulness & grievous doubtings of his salvation, so as he judgeth himself to have been but an hypocrite in former times, & for the time present a castaway. But indeed hereby the Lord exerciseth, fashioneth, and increaseth his weak faith. In one word, mark this point, that the graces of God peculiar to the elect, are begun, increased, and made manifest, in or by their contraries.