A02178:3087
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.
For da•e heretics avouch their sects, as the true Church profess Christ and his Gospel? will they not lie and dissemble, when Christians speak their conscience? will they not rail,1 when Gods children speak humbly, and constantly? do they not die either like ravening dogs, or else become like blocks and stocks? so that Satan seemeth even to have possessed them wholly. Let us see then if the malignant Synagogue doth not so far differ from the true Church as an Ape from a man, or an Ass from the Lion. Again, if we look on them in prosperity, they are nothing like unto us, the Papists curse us, we in holiness of the Spirit do pray for them: their Church the more it florisheth before man, the more abominable it is in the sight of God: our Church is all glorious within, and is the beloved spouse of Christ: finally, they are devils in m•ns shape; for even profane Christians and Protestants dare not but in great secrecy blaspheme the name of God, profane his Sabbaths, defile their bodies with adulteries; yet these men will not stick to do these things openly; when light and darkness with them are so confounded, when ignorance is simplicity, when evil and good are shuffled together, what constancy can be looked for among men? They be bleared with the visor of civill honesty, which notwithstanding2 is to our shame, in that they can do so great things for vain-glory, and to get credit to their sect, when we cannot do half so much for Gods glory, and to maintain his word. But if we will be politic to spare with Saul (evil men) the Lord in his wrath will make us persecute good men (for Saul not punishing Agag, did afterward persecute David:) wherefore our righteous souls must be grieved with the iniquities of our times, and we must show our zeal in religion by a hatred of lies, howsoever they be cloaked with the histrionical visard of civill honesty. For as it is dangerous to adventure our selves to be •ainted with the gross air of the pestilence: so must we care and make conscience, to keep our selves from all contagion of perilous untruths.
For da•e heretikes auouch their sects, as the true Church professe Christ and his Gospel? will they not lie and dissemble, when Christians speak their conscience? will they not raile,