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,…

Indeed the Lord giveth understanding to whom he pleaseth, & where he purposeth to bestow so great a blessing, he giveth grace also more abundantly to subdue their reason. And as simplicity cannot of it self be a cause of spiritual understanding, but as it sooner bringeth us to a sight of our wants, and maketh us the more to long after Gods word; so wisdom is no cause of hinderance, but as we resting too much in the fear of reason, cannot easily be brought to the simplicity of Gods word. And if the entrance, rudiments and principles of religion give such knowledge, and the very catechisms yield such understanding, what is to be hoped for, when we attain to riper knowledge, when we have more understanding, when we have more affections? well, let us then examine our own hearts herein: when we begun, were we delighted with understanding, and did our understanding move in us such affections, and in our proceedings, is our understanding less, and our affections fewer, or do we not think still of our ignorance, and desire to have our judgement clearer? we are in a dangerous estate, we must suspect our selves. Satan will bewitch us, and tell us that this is a paradox, that after so long hearing and reading we should still be ignorant, and that still we have need to hunger after the word. It is therefore the great mercy of God, that to the receiving of so singular a benefit, he requireth nothing of us, but the acknowledging of our ignorance, and bewailing of our wants. He would, that we should still put our selves in mind of this one thing, that though we have not this understanding in the highest degree, or in an hundred fold; yet we must have it in ⟨p. 521⟩some degrees, either in threescore fold, or in thirty fold: we must vex, grieve and trouble our selves for this affection. For where it is, the heart is a liberal and free ruler of our affections; and where it is not, we must learn to lay violent hands even on our affections. We are to show that which we omitted in the latter end of the verse going before; Because I loved thy law, &c. Here the prophet showeth, that the love which he did bear to Gods law, was so great, that it could not satisfy him, but still he thirsted after it, and thirsting, did pant.

Indeed the Lord giueth vnderstanding to whom he pleaseth, & where he purposeth to bestow so great a blessing, hee giueth grace also more aboundantly to suboue their reason. And as simplicitio cannot of it selfe bee a cause of spirituall vnderstanding, but as it sooner bringeth vs to a sight of our wants, and maketh vs the more to long after Gods word; so wisedome is no cause of hinderance, but as wee resting too much in the feare of reason, cannot easily be brought to the simplicitie of Gods word. And if the entrance, rudiments and principles of religiō giue such knowledge, and the very catechismes yeeld such vnderstanding, what is to be hoped for, when wee attaine to riper knowledge, when wee haue more vnderstanding, when wee haue more affections? well, let vs then examine our owne hearts herein: when wee begunne, were wee delighted with vnderstanding, and did our vnderstanding moue in vs such affections, and in our proceedings, is our vnderstanding lesse, and our affections fewer, or doe we not thinke still of our ignorance, and desire to haue our iudgemēt clearer? we are in a dangerous estate, we must suspect our selues. Sathan wil bewitch vs, and tel vs that this is a paradoxe, that after so long hearing and reading we should still be ignorant, and that still we haue neede to hunger after the word. It is therfore the great mercy of God, that to the receiuing of so singular a benefit, he requireth nothing of vs, but the acknowleding of our ignorance, and bewayling of our wants. Hee would, that we should still put our selues in minde of this one thing, that though we haue not this vnderstanding in the highest degree, or in an hundred fold; yet we must haue it in