A02178:3145
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.
Thou hast taught me, that is, thou hast besides the ministerial preaching, given me an extraordinary knowledge of thy judgements. Many know much, who notwithstanding1 cannot profit by Gods judgements. So that the brief and plain meaning of the Prophet, is thus much in effect, O Lord I have not had this knowledge in and of my self; but I received it of thy Holy spirit, it was thy mercy and thy grace, that made me know thy judgements.
Thou hast taught me, that is, thou hast besides the ministeriall preaching, giuen me an extraordinarie knowledge of thy iudgements. Many knowe much, who notwithstanding1 cannot profit by Gods iudgements. So that the briefe and plaine meaning of the Prophet, is thus much in effect, O Lord I haue not had this knowledge in and of my selfe; but I receiued it of thy Holy spirite, it was thy mercie and thy grace, that made mee knowe thy iudgements.
- 1To be taught of God.
The man of God then showeth us in this verse, that he did always set the judgements of God before him: what made him then so careful to do them▪ the considering of them in his mind, the occupying his eyes to mark them, the using of his ears to hear how God performed his promises to the obedient, & executed his fearful threatenings on the wicked. A thing than which nothing is worthy of greater meditation. We hear often with our ears, but with little profit, the glorious promises and wonderful vengeance of the Lord, what is commanded, and what is forbidden: but when we consider, and see before our eyes, how the Lord hath performed these things, we are humbled from sin, & comforted1 to obedience. This is it that breeds trial, proof, & experience, to see how the Lord hath in his mercy dealt with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, & David his faithful servants, and how he hath plagued the Egyptians, the Sodomites, the old world, and other of his enemies. Thy judgements of old O Lord, saith David, have I considered. We shall never effectually observe the judgements of old, unless we observe the judgements of God of late. For they must both join together, least that we considering of them being old, and not on new, should think they were not, or at least that we resting on the judgements of God executed of late, not lifting up our eyes to the judgements of old, should ascribe them to evil fortune, chance and destiny.