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,…

True it is, that the scholar often becometh better learned than the teacher, which is a singular blessing of God, that the learned man should ascribe nothing to himself, and to give God the glory, he enlighteneth where he thinketh meet, and increaseth when he seeth it good. Now we may see this by experience even in heathen men. Aristotle was wiser than his Master Plato, in whom this blessing of God appeared, in that they joined study and meditation with their learning. In Law & Physic they are most frequented, who with much reading have used much musing and practising. None either in peace or war¹ have ever governed excellently, but they were great musers, and did often sequester themselves from company, then more freely to attend on meditation. This doctrine shall be taught in a contrary thing. We know there is a special kind of musing, whereby Satan doth often teach and communicate things to many in greater measure, than they can receive by all the books in the world; so also there is a special meditating, whereby the spirit of God communicateth to us more heavenly things than either we hear or read. As when Satan will polish a mans wit to any evil, he will have him to wait on him: so God would have us to fill our judgements in the particular meditation of things heard, to see how all circumstances hold and fail. This is then the wit which experience confirmeth, that when we are taught any thing, which by reason is conceived, we can add, if this be true, then that is false; if it holdeth in the lesser, then it holdeth in the greater. On this sort² let any man hear with meditation, he shall find something by the general rule heard: having the Spirit of God for his teacher, which the Preacher had not, or saw not, or seeing expressed not. Do they then most profit, who after hearing do meditate, and see more by the ministry of the Spirit, than by the ministry of the Pastor? Let us mark it then, by the blessing of God upon it, and let us note the contrary by Gods curse upon it. What is the cause that there is so little profit by the ordinary ministry of the word, and so great fruits arise, where it is more seldom used; but because meditation is the life of learning, and the death of things conceived is the want of musing?

True it is, that the scholler often becommeth better learned than the teacher, which is a singular blessing of God, that the learned man should ascribe nothing to himselfe, and to giue God the glorie, hee enlighteneth where he thinketh meete, and encreaseth when he seeth it good. Now we may see this by experience euen in heathen men. Aristotle was wiser than his Maister Plato, in whom this blessing of God appeared, in that they ioyned studie and meditation with their learning. In Law & Physicke they are most frequented, who with much reading haue vsed much musing and practising. None either in peace or warre