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,…

This is then our trial herein: if when we are in greatest prosperity, we can mourn with them that mourn in the Lord, and when we are in greatest adversity, if we can rejoice ⟨p. 544⟩with them that rejoice in Christ. This is a sure token we love not the Gospel, nor favour the word, because we have a love to prosperity; neither are zealous to see the word contemned, because we have an hatred of adversity.

This is then our triall herein: if when we are in greatest prosperitie, we can mourne with them that mourne in the Lord, and when wee are in greatest aduersitie, if wee can reioyce ⟨p. 544⟩with them that reioyce in Christ. This is a sure token wee loue not the Gospell, nor fauour the word, because wee haue a loue to prosperitie; neither are zealous to see the word conremned, because we haue an hatred of aduersitie.

Daniel concerning outward things was an happy man as being near to the Crown: and yet when he saw the God of Israel his glory to be defaced, and an abominable Idol to be erected, he could content himself with nothing so much, as with weeping, fasting, and prayer. And Paul being in bonds for the testimony of Jesus Christ, and concerning his outward man in a miserable case, rejoiced greatly, and as it were revived, when he heard that the Gospel prospered; and howsoever he was in bands, he never felt them grievous unto him, for the joy which he had, that the Gospel was at liberty. If this zeal were in us, that the word of God were so exact, pure, and holy in our eyes, that when we are most aloft, we could be sorrowful, if the word of God hath a fall; and when we were in our greatest downfall, yet we could be glad that the word of God were set aloft: then surely we would labour to sanctify the creatures of God which we use, with the word and by prayer, and at the least give the tenth part of the day to the worship of the Lord. But if we cannot bestow on him the tithe, it is a token that we labour more for the body than for the soul. And if our souls be far more precious than our bodies, and it is an harder thing to provide well for the soul than for the body, we must divide our times the better, that daily we may bestow some part of our time in the word and prayer: if we would truly espy our thrivings and proceedings in our several callings, and take a diligent view of our selves in our vocations, we should undoubtedly see the plentiful blessing of God, when in truth we use the word and prayer, and his fearful curse to be upon it, when we use it not.