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,…

If then thou hast a wicked father, or if thou hast a wicked son, or ungodly servant, or an evil companion, thou must not have familiarity, or draw in a line with them, thou must not be a fellow or a companion in sin with them, so shall we keep our selves unspotted. For as the evil men, if they purpose to be obstinate in sin, will take no profit by the company of the godly: so the good men, if they will fear and suspect the ungodliness of the wicked, and look unto their ways, shall by the Lord be preserved from their evil. For we see, that as the evil men are not the better for the godly, with whom they are joined in the same town or house with them, because they are so shy of goodness; so, if we be as shy of their wickedness, we shall be freed from much ungodliness. Wherefore we must not be like affected, we must not think as they think, speak as they speak, do as they do, nor use their calling as they do. Otherwise we see, that as the evil by the godly are bettered, so the good are made worse by the ungodly. Thus we have heard, that as the man of God in the first showed himself to have an hatred to the secret devices of mans imaginations: so in the second he setteth down a reason of the same, where we declared, that we could never be brought to the true hatred of evil inventions, until we be throughly persuaded of Gods providence; whereof when we be once truly persuaded, we shall not need to swerve this way or that way, because in all assaults we have a sufficient refuge in God.

If then thou hast a wicked father, or if thou hast a wicked sonne, or vngodly seruant, or an euill companion, thou must not haue familiaritie, or drawe in a line with them, thou must not bee a fellowe or a companion in sinne with them, so shall wee keepe our selues vnspotted. For as the euill men, if they purpose to be obstinate in sinne, will take no profit by the companie of the godly: so the good men, if they will feare and suspect the vngodlines of the wicked, and looke vnto their waies, shall by the Lord bee preserued from their euill. For we see, that as the euill men are not the better for the godly, with whom they are ioyned in the same towne or house with them, because they are so shie of goodnes; so, if we be as shie of their wickednesse, wee shall be freed from much vngodlines. Wherefore wee must not be like affected, we must not thinke as they thinke, speake as they speake, doe as they doe, nor vse their calling as they doe. Otherwise wee see, that as the euill by the godly are bettered, so the good are made worse by the vngodly. Thus we haue heard, that as the man of God in the first shewed himselfe to haue an hatred to the secret deuices of mans imaginations: so in the second he setteth downe a reason of the same, where we declared, that we could neuer be brought to the true hatred of euil inuentions, vntil we be throughly perswaded of Gods prouidence; whereof when we be once truely perswaded, wee shall not need to swarue this way or that way, because in all assaults we haue a sufficient refuge in God.