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 Prophet of God showeth his love to the word, saying: All my springs O Lord are in it: meaning that all his joy, his delight and affections, were wholly set on the word of God. Wherefore if there be such joy in having it, there must needs be great grief in wanting it. We are herein greatly to condemn our selves, that we are no more thankful; for our unthankfulness bringeth this secret curse, that we are no more zealous, & because many can hardly judge between fleshly anger, and spiritual zeal (such is the rare feeling of this true zeal) they are ready to imagine, that if one be godly zealous, they are straightway carnally angry.

The Prophet of God sheweth his loue to the word, saying: All my springs O Lord are in it: meaning that all his ioy, his delight and affections, were wholy set on the word of God. Wherefore if there be such ioy in hauing it, there must needes be great griefe in wanting it. We are herein greatly to condemne our selues, that we are no more thankfull; for our vnthankfulnes bringeth this secret curse, that we are no more zealous, & because many can hardly iudge betweene fleshly anger, and spirituall zeale (such is the rare feeling of this true zeale) they are readie to imagine, that if one be godly zealous, they are straightway carnally angrie.

How necessary a thing therefore it is to know godly zeal, all men may see: for as we have said, that the Lord threateneth Revel. 3. that unless the Laodiceans would be more zealous and amend, he would spue them out, that is, he would have no delight in them. […] the Lord would as lief have us of another religion, as to be so luke-warm in his true religion. For as a stomach is easily brought to provoke a vomit by receiving somewhat that is lukewarm: so the Lord spueth as it were out of his stomach luke warm professors, as them whom by no means he can brook, which is a most fearful thing. We know that the good father Ely 1. Sam. 3. although otherwise no doubt he was the dear servant of God, was grieved for the sins of his sons, and mourned when the Ark of God was taken, was reproved by the holy Ghost, that he should love the glory of his sons more than the glory of God because he did not more severely, and more zealously rebuke his sons, and in that there wanted in him that fervency of spirit, whereby he should have cut off his sons from their office; wherefore the hand of God did cut off his life, and deprived all his posterity of the Priesthood. Although this good man was offended, and grieved with the evils of his sons; yet his coldness in zeal brought upon him this plague.