A02178:3507
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 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.
The seeking to reuenge our priuate euils doth much hurt, and bringeth great iniurie to this godly zeale: for if we could speake with the tongues of Angels, and could speake neuer so gloriously to the delight of all men, and haue not loue, euen to our very enemies, all were nothing, all were abomination in the sight of the Lord. Contrariwise, if wee can be content to forsake our selues, and to be accounted as nothing, wee shall bee more acceptable to the Lord, and finde lesse trouble to our selues.
True it is, that God his children even in their best actions are troubled, whiles they survey their inward affections, and gauge their hearts before the Lord, whether they have not done their things in self-love rather than for love of God: whether in vain glory, rather1 than for the glory of God: without which exercise we shall never see, whether our actions be pure, or whether they be unpure, or whether they be mixed; whether they be in respect of God, or in respect of our selves. Many can rejoice at good things in themselves, and repine to see them in others: many can be grieved with evils in themselves, which will rejoice to see it in others. Wherefore we are greatly to suspect our selves and our zeal, when we are thus affected, because it is a manifest token, that we are not pleased with that which is good for Gods glory, but for self-love; neither do we repine for Gods dishonour, but at our own discredit.
True it is, that God his children euen in their best actions are troubled, whiles they suruay their inward affections, and gage their hearts before the Lord, whether they haue not done their things in selfe-loue rather than for loue of God: whether in vaine glory, rather