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,…

Mark here the spirit of the man of God. Do we not see that this is a common rate,¹ the less religion is esteemed, the less it is of the most regarded; the greater the corruption of manners is, the greater is the folly: then this is a rare blessing of God, when religion is in every place hated, even then to love religion; when manners are every where corrupted, even then to be of good conversation. When in our time then we see so many kinds of religion, as papistry, the sect of the Jesuits, the family of love, Anabaptists and such like, it is a singular grace of God, to be established in the love of true religion: When we look into their manners, whether we turn us to Magistrates or subjects, we shall neither find zealous government, nor faithful obedience. If we lived in a heaven among Angels, or in a paradise with Saints, and would defile our selves with sin, we were worthy to be cast out of Paradise with Adam, and out of the Church with Cain. But to live with Noah uprightly, and to walk before God with him, when all flesh hath corrupted his ways; or to live justly with Lot in the middest of filthy Sodomites; or to keep a pure religion or worship of God with Elijah, when not one can be found that hath not bowed to Baal▪ or to live in keeping judgement and justice with David, where are so many oppressors of the truth▪ to have in this case an heart upright both in religion and manners, o• consider this to be an especial work of grace.

MArke here the spirit of the man of God. Doe wee not see that this is a common rate,¹ the lesse religion is esteemed, the lesse it is of the most regarded; the greater the corruption of manners is, the greater is the follie: then this is a rare blessing of God, when religion is in euery place hated, euen then to loue religion; when manners are euerie where corrupted, euen then to be of good conuersation. When in our time then we see so many kinds of religion, as papistrie, the sect of the Iesuites, the family of loue, Anabaptists and such like, it is a singular grace of God, to bee established in the loue of true religion: When wee looke into their manners, whether we turne vs to Magistrates or subiects, wee shall neither finde zealous gouernment, nor faithfull obedience. If wee liued in a heauen among Angels, or in a paradise with Saints, and would defile our selues with sinne, wee were worthie to be cast out of Paradise with Adam, and out of the Church with Cain. But to liue with Noah vprightly, and to walke before God with him, when all flesh hath corrupted his wayes; or to liue iustly with Lot in the middest of filthie Sodomits; or to keepe a pure religion or worship of God with Elias, when not one can bee found that hath not bowed to Baal or to liue in keeping iudgement and iustice with Dauid, where are so many oppressors of the truth to haue in this case an heart vpright both in religion and manners, o consider this to be an especiall worke of grace.