A02178:3271
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.
Were there so many impediments in his days, and shall we think there are not so many in ours? or was that age wherein he lived more wicked, than the age wherein we live? First, we are nothing like him in good things, he had greater graces of God than we have, he had gone further in holiness than we; we live in more wicked days than he did. For whom shall we have to follow? Some follow this religion, some follow that; some give1 themselves to this shift, some to that: so that we have no examples to build us upon, but a multitude to bring us from the right way. Seeing then we are far worse than the Prophet, and our days worse than his times let us say, Away from me ye wicked: that is, seeing we cannot avoid our dwelling and living among the wicked; yet Lord, let us be kept from the corrupt example of the wicked, and grant that we may eschew all familiarity with them. And as in harvest, if in every place of the lands, where we reap or mow, were2 Snakes, we would be very wary least we were stung or impoysoned: so had we need in these dangerous and plentiful days of sin, to be circumspect, least we be either impoysoned3 with false doctrine, or stung with an evil conscience. And as a man being a mere stranger in goodness, living in the company of godly men, hearing them, seeing them, and conferring with them in good things, would by Gods grace so be converted: so a good man falling into the familiarity, and like affections, speeches, and actions of the wicked, ⟨p. 492⟩shall easily be corrupted. We shall see sooner that we are infected and hurt, than we shall espy how we are infected and hurt, and though presently we see it not, yet hereafter we shall. And as it is the mercy of God to be good by the communion of Saints: so it is the just judgement of God to be wicked, with the company of the ungodly.
Were there so many impediments in his daies, and shall we thinke there are not so many in ours? or was that age wherein he liued more wicked, than the age wherein we liue? First, we are nothing like him in good things, he had greater graces of God than we haue, he had gone further in holinesse than we; we liue in more wicked daies than he did. For whom shall we haue to follow? Some follow this religion, some follow that; some giue