A02178:2969
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.
If this man of God, which had been no common sinn••, was so humbled for sin, that his moisture was turned into drought, Psal. 32. before he could be brought to confess his sin; it first showeth, how greatly sorrowful we should be: and again, the great hypocrisy that is in our hearts, whereby the devil worketh in us, to think that our sins are but small, & therefore to be careless of them, that at the last he may make them so great, as that we shall think they be not able to be forgiven. This is his practise and his purpose, therefore let us take heed of it.
If this man of God, which had beene no common sinn••, was so humbled for sinne, that his moysture was turned into drought, Psal. 32. before he could be brought to confesse his sinne; it first sheweth, how greatly sorrowfull we should be: and againe, the great hypocrisie that is in our hearts, whereby the diuel worketh in vs, to thinke that our sinnes are but small, & therefore to be careles of them, that at the last he may make them so great, as that we shal thinke they be not able to be forgiuen. This is his practise and his purpose, therefore let vs take heede of it.
That I may live: He did eat and drink, and he had the use of his senses, yet this he counted1 no life, because he felt not himself reconciled to God; but was in sorrow and heaviness: yet he was skilful in music, which might have put sorrow away: he had also friends, and many valiant men, in whose company he might have delighted; yet in all these he took no pleasure, but still this was in his mind, how he might be reconciled to God. What shall we say then of them, which, so that they may have these outward things, they never care for Gods favour: or if they be in trouble, they only s•eeke to put away their trouble by company, play, &c. and never seek with their heart to be reconciled to God? Both these are far from the affection of this man: and let us know, that though we had kingdoms at our pleasure, though we had at commandment all pleasure and pastime; yet if we were not reconciled to God, and if they were not sanctified to us in Christ, they would nothing avail us, and the end of them would be but heaviness.