A02178:3506
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.
The fourth rule is, that if we will labour for true zeal, we must be patient in our own1 causes, and devour many private injuries, that the Lords cause may be the better provided for, and that his glory may go the better forward. For we see, how soon and how grievously we are moved for our own causes, and how soon we are cold in defending Gods cause. This then is true Christian zeal, to deny our own reason and private commodities, and especially to seek Gods glory, though it be with our danger. This would so stop the mouth of the adversary, that howsoever for a while he thinketh us to be choleric & mad men, and esteemeth of us as revengers of our own affections; yet one day he will confess, that we did not seek either our own commodity or our own revenge, but that whatsoever we did, we did it for Gods glory and in the defence of a good cause.
The fourth rule is, that if we will labour for true zeale, wee must be patient in our owne1 causes, and deuoure many priuate iniuries, that the Lords cause may be the better prouided for, and that his glory may goe the better forward. For wee see, how soone and how grieuously we are moued for our owne causes, and how soone we are cold in defending Gods cause. This then is true Christian zeale, to deny our own reason and priuate commodities, and especially to seeke Gods glory, though it be with our danger. This would so stop the mouth of the aduersarie, that howsoeuer for a while he thinketh vs to be cholerike & mad men, and esteemeth of vs as reuengers of our own affections; yet one day he will confesse, that wee did not seeke either our owne commoditie or our owne reuenge, but that whatsoeuer we did, we did it for Gods glorie and in the defence of a good cause.
- 1The fourth rule of zeal.The fourth rule of zeale.
The seeking to revenge our private evils doth much hurt, and bringeth great injury to this godly zeal: for if we could speak with the tongues of Angels, and could speak never so gloriously to the delight of all men, and have not love, even to our very enemies, all were nothing, all were abomination in the sight of the Lord. Contrariwise, if we can be content to forsake our selves, and to be accounted as nothing, we shall be more acceptable to the Lord, and find less trouble to our selves.