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,…

for it poisoneth the heart, and maketh it uncapable of that grace, so long as it beareth any sway, for he that will believe in Christ, must be annihilated, that is, he must be bruised and battered to a flat nothing, in regard of any liking or affection to himself, that he may in spirit mount up to heaven, where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, and as it were with both the hands of faith grasp him with all his blessed merits, that he may be ^bwisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, life, good works, and whatsoever good thing he is, neither in, nor by, nor for himself; but every way forth of himself in Christ. Now, this blessed condition of a believing heart, by natural self-love & self-liking is greatly hindered. God therefore in great mercy to remedy this dangerous corruption, lets his elect servants fall into trouble of mind & conscience, & if they happily be of greater hardness of heart into some actual sin: & so declaring his wonderful mercy in saving them, he is fain against his mercy to bring them to his mercy, and by sin to save them from sin. By this means the Lord, who can bring light out of darkness, makes a remedy of sin to slay pride, that invisible monster of many heads, which would slay the soul.

for it poysoneth the heart, and maketh it vncapable of that grace, so long as it beareth any sway, for he that will beleeue in Christ, must be annihilated, that is, he must be brused and battered to a flat nothing, in regard of any liking or affection to himselfe, that he may in spirit mount vp to heauen, where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, and as it were with both the hands of faith graspe him with all his blessed merits, that he may be ^bwisedome, righteousnesse, sanctification, redemption, life, good workes, and whatsoeuer good thing he is, neither in, nor by, nor for himselfe; but euery way forth of himselfe in Christ. Now, this blessed condition of a beleeuing heart, by naturall selfe-loue & selfe-liking is greatly hindered. God therefore in great mercy to remedie this dangerous corruption, lets his elect seruants fal into trouble of minde & conscience, & if they happily be of greater hardnesse of heart into some actuall sin: & so declaring his wonderfull mercy in sauing them, he is faine against his mercy to bring them to his mercy, and by sin to saue them from sin. By this means the Lord, who can bring light out of darknesse, makes a remedy of sin to slay pride, that inuisible mōster of many heads, which would slay the soule.