A02178:3247
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.
PORTION. 15. SAMECH.
Vers. 113. I hate vain inventions: but thy law do I love.
Vers. 113. I hate vaine inuentions: but thy law doe I loue.
HE showed in the last words of the former part, that he means to be constant to the end; now he showeth four reasons thereof: the first reason is the hatred that he had of all wickedness, in this first verse He hath used many arguments to prove to his heart that he loved God, and to commend it to others by his example, as Paul doth. This was one, the love that he had to Gods law: secondly, his trust in the word: thirdly, his care to keep it, &c. and therefore he often prayeth for it. He showeth his love of it, in that he preferreth it to all other things: as in the eight portion, The earth is full of thy goodness, teach me thy statutes; he maketh it sweeter than honey, and better and more precious than silver His desire that he had to keep it, and the prayers that he maketh for it, are to be seen almost in every portion. Here he useth a proof, drawn from the contraries, which is a true and sensible kind of reason; he loveth the law, because he hated all the ways of false hood, either in doctrine or life. Our reason will teach us, that there is no agreement between fire and water, between light and darkness; and so if we go through all the course of nature, we shall see that there is no agreement between contraries.
HE shewed in the last words of the former part, that hee meanes to bee constant to the ende; now hee sheweth foure reasons thereof: the first reason is the hatred that hee had of all wickednesse, in this first verse Hee hath vsed many arguments to proue to his heart that hee loued God, and to commend it to others by his example, as Paul doth. This was one, the loue that he had to Gods law: secondly, his trust in the word: thirdly, his care to keepe it, &c. and therefore he often prayeth for it. He sheweth his loue of it, in that he preferreth it to all other things: as in the eight portion, The earth is full of thy goodnesse, teach me thy statutes; hee maketh it sweeter than hony, and better and more pretious than siluer His desire that he had to keepe it, and the prayers that he maketh for it, are to be seene almost in euery portion. Here he vseth a proofe, drawne from the contraries, which is a true and sensible kinde of reason; hee loueth the law, because hee hated all the waies of false hood, either in doctrine or life. Our reason will teach vs, that there is no agreement betweene fire and water, betweene light and darkenes; and so if we goe through all the course of nature, we shall see that there is no agreement betweene contraries.