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,…

Experience doth teach us, that the more godliness is oppressed, the less it is regarded, and that not of the ungodly and wicked ones only, but even of the very children of God, aswell by calling, as by election. David Psal. 73. saith of himself, that he fretted to see the prosperity of the wicked: Job, Jeremiah, Ab•uck in times past, and many of the Saints of God in our times are greatly troubled and grieved, to see how it goeth with the wicked, and fareth with the godly. This then is a sure token of his love to Gods word, even then to esteem it, when of the times it was hated: neither is this any true trial or argument of the love of Gods word, to favour it whilst others do favour it, but when all formal liking of it beginneth to decay, then in truth and constancy to profess it, argueth true and constant love of it. And it must not be strange unto us, that the Church is often vexed with wicked heresies, because it is the infinite justice of God, when men with fear and love, do not obey the truth in a good conscience, whereby they diminish the glorious credit of the children of God, to give them over to some horrible heresy. At what time we may see both the grace of God in giving strength to his to believe even in the middest of heresies, as also the faith of his children even then to be constant when others revolt from the truth. As to continue in our former example of David.

Experience doth teach vs, that the more godlinesse is oppressed, the lesse it is regarded, and that not of the vngodly and wicked ones onely, but euen of the very children of God, aswell by calling, as by election. Dauid Psal. 73. saith of himselfe, that he fretted to see the prosperitie of the wicked: Iob, Ieremie, Ab•uck in times past, and many of the Saints of God in our times are greatly troubled and grieued, to see how it goeth with the wicked, and fareth with the godly. This then is a sure token of his loue to Gods word, euen then to esteeme it, when of the times it was hated: neither is this any true triall or argument of the loue of Gods word, to fauour it whilest others doe fauour it, but when all formall liking of it beginneth to decay, then in truth and constancie to professe it, argueth true and constant loue of it. And it must not be strāge vnto vs, that the Church is often vexed with wicked heresies, because it is the infinite iustice of God, when men with feare and loue, doe not obey the truth in a good conscience, whereby they diminish the glorious credit of the childrē of God, to giue them ouer to some horrible heresie. At what time we may see both the grace of God in giuing strength to his to beleeue euen in the middest of heresies, as also the faith of his children euen then to be constant when others reuolt from the truth. As to continue in our former example of Dauid.