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,…

In suffering there is a great diversity between them: for if the child of God come to suffer, he is neither effeminate to account the pain too painful, neither yet blockish without sense and feeling in suffering: but he feeleth the smart and bitterness of it, and yet feeling Gods favour he overcometh it. And this is true patience indeed, when men feel the pain to be grievous, and yet through the hope and feeling of Gods favour do overcome it: and in suffering they can pray for their persecutors, and can be contented to shed their blood for the conversion of those that seek their subversion and overthrow. Deal Heretics thus? or do they not clean contrary? Yes: for in their suffering they are either as men without sense, bereaved of their wits; so they are rather blocks and stones, than men, and their suffering is blockishness, and not patience: or else they are effeminate and womanish, to howl and cry out in their pains, and to die with cursing and banning and all kind of railing. Thus they deal. This experience have we seen of both, even within our days.

In suffering there is a great diuersitie betweene them: for if the childe of God come to suffer, he is neither effeminate to account the paine too painfull, neither yet blockish without sense and feeling in suffering: but he feeleth the smart and bitternes of it, and yet feeling Gods fauour he ouercommeth it. And this is true patience indeed, when men feele the paine to be grieuous, and yet through the hope and feeling of Gods fauour doe ouercome it: and in suffering they can pray for their persecutors, and can be contented to shed their blood for the conuersion of those that seeke their subuersion and ouerthrow. Deale Heretikes thus? or doe they not cleane contrarie? Yes: for in their suffering they are either as men without sense, bereaued of their wits; so they are rather blockes and stones, than men, and their suffering is blockishnes, and not patience: or else they are effeminate and womanish, to howle and crie out in their paines, and to die with cursing and banning and all kinde of railing. Thus they deale. This experience haue we seene of both, euen within our daies.

If you compare them together when they are both of them in prosperity, and if you then consider their lives, you shall also see that there is great difference. For the children of God, whilst they love the word, the Sacraments, and discipline, they cannot long lie and continue in any sin: for the word will rebuke them, the Sacraments will admonish them, and discipline will also help to bring them from it: but the wicked live and lie as in a dead sleep in sin in prosperity, and will not be wakened.